《广成集》Vol. 3

Some people encounter patterns of punishment and clash in the Three Fates (methods for calculating destiny) and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). This year, the Five Ghosts star falls in the Palace of the Wife, while the Heavenly Talisman star enters the position of wealth. In the minor cycle, the Prosperity of Bing meets the Tomb; in the major cycle, Zi Water tends toward decline. Venus and Mars move into the Palace of the Self, and the Guiding Star arrives at the Traveling Horse. All these are regarded as signs of calamity converging, and they cause even greater concern.

So, amid illness and suffering, one stills the mind and prays, hoping the calamities will be dispelled. In this way, one also expresses gratitude and repays the gods’ grace. Now the Myriad Saints extend their compassion, and the assembled Perfected Ones bestow their protection, freeing the sick from distress and granting recovery and peace. Looking up to the mysterious Way of Heaven, one understands that one should take refuge in it; mindful of its vast beneficence, one offers a ritual in thanks.

Accordingly, I have consulted the true forms of the Yellow River Chart (ritual protocols selected through divinatory methods such as those of the Yellow River Chart) and proceeded to the numinous altar of the Jade Bureau. I have prepared a purification rite and performed the Grand Cosmic Offering (a large Daoist Zhaijiao rite honoring the gods of the entire celestial sphere). I have offered sincere prayers to the stars, the sun, and the moon, and have presented my words of petition and thanks in turn to the gods of the underworld and the gates of Heaven. I respectfully ask the gods to witness this heartfelt sincerity and accept this plain and earnest devotion. May they bestow good fortune for years to come, offer aid and protection, remove transgressions, lengthen the span of life, reconcile debts of grievance, and dispel and deliver us from calamity. I vow to devote myself diligently to cultivating the Dao and serving it, in repayment for the gracious kindness of the Mysterious Gate. I remain in awe and trepidation.

The Six Jia Offering Prayer of Wang Zongzhuo

I respectfully declare: The Great Dao gathers pure and luminous numinous radiance; the Primordial Venerable One washes away defilement. May the span of life be lengthened, debts of grievance reconciled, and disasters and misfortunes delivered and transcended. I vow to devote myself diligently to cultivating the Dao and serving it, in repayment for the gracious kindness of the Mysterious Gate. I remain in awe and trepidation.

The Great Dao gathers the essence of all things, while the Primordial Venerable (a supreme Daoist deity) carries out its teaching. At first, it divides into a single Qi, then gives rise to the five materials: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. All things cycle between ending and beginning, and in this way they grow and transform. Heaven governs the cycles of calamity and fate, shifting worldly affairs through the movement of Qi and destiny. Below, it oversees human ethics, matching good fortune with misfortune and shaping all living beings. The forms and inherent qualities of all things depend on the wondrous power of the Dao.

From my youth, I have admired stillness and emptiness, devoting myself to drawing near the Dao’s lofty and profound realm. I was granted access to secret registers—Daoist books of talismans and ritual methods—and have often hoped to cultivate in accordance with their teachings. Yesterday, under orders, I set out for the capital. The route was long and perilous, and I was often worried that some mishap might disrupt the journey, so I prayed in secret. Indeed, I received the unseen aid and special protection of the Dao’s power: I arrived safely in Qin, and on my return to the city of Shu I encountered no calamity. In reverent remembrance of the spirits’ kindness, I truly wish to repay it.

Now, as the Double Ninth Festival coincides with an auspicious Jiazi day, I respectfully offer my humble sincerity and perform a Zhaijiao ritual—a ceremony in which an altar is prepared to pray to the gods. I beseech the divine power to look upon me and grant my small wish; accept my heartfelt sincerity and bestow abundant grace. May my offenses be erased, my debts from past wrongs resolved, calamities dispelled, and blessings gathered. In serving my parents and repaying the state, may I always receive the spirits’ compassionate protection; in fulfilling my duties and seeking advancement, may I forever receive the gifts of the True Spirits. I am filled with awe and trepidation, and cannot express all that is in my heart.

Meng Yanhui, “Prayer for the Southern and Northern Dipper Zhaijiao at Xitingzi” (a prayer composed for the Zhaijiao ritual to the Southern and Northern Dipper at Xitingzi).

It is said that the Great Dao brings forth the myriad beings, and the Celestial Worthy carries out its teachings. In accord with the times, auspicious signs descend, and worthy people capable of shouldering the age’s great responsibilities are born into the world. They are thus able to assist the state and relieve the troubles of their time, proclaim their achievements, and benefit all things. Endowed with the pure Qi of the stars and gathering the essence of famous mountains and great rivers, these worthies all receive a mandate from Heaven. They cultivate their spirits in the human world, accomplish great deeds, and devote themselves to protecting all living beings.

As a military commissioner and Prince of Langya Commandery, I was born in a flourishing age and have repeatedly received the emperor’s gracious favor. Through martial valor, I have supported the fortunes of the Tang dynasty; through loyalty, I have assisted the emperor in his plans for governance and helped bring about a restoration, stabilizing the state. The taxes I submit regularly replenish the treasury, and among the regional commanders I rank foremost in loyal integrity. Considering these achievements, I ought to receive auspicious blessings.

Now, on the auspicious day of my birthday, a fine occasion for praying for blessings and long life, I have prepared offerings and reverently held a Zhaijiao purification rite to pray for good fortune and avert calamity. Following the prescribed grade of the Taiyi rite for praying to the Perfected, I have come to the altar where the Perfected pay homage to the stars and invite the divine Perfected to descend. Incense smoke drifts through the spacious courtyard, and lamplight illuminates the quiet night. I sincerely submit this petition, hoping for a response from the gods. In stillness, I contemplate the celestial patterns and offer this rite of prayer to the assembled Perfected spirits.

I humbly pray that the celestial realm through which the stars move, the lands illuminated by the sun and moon, and the divine offices that govern earth and Heaven will all be bathed in the light of the gathered sages, and that the myriad gods will clearly perceive and bear witness. May auspicious decrees be bestowed and abundant grace descend; may a realm of longevity and peace be opened, and may great merit continue to grow. May I long serve the sacred dynasty and forever uphold the imperial throne. May the Dragon Gods join their strength to protect us, and may peace prevail within the realm. May the five grains yield abundant harvests and weapons of war be laid aside; may the people enjoy the blessings of peace, free each year from calamities and distress. May all things, animals and plants, the underworld and the human world alike, together return to the teachings of the Great Dao. My heart is filled with boundless gratitude.

A Nine Luminaries Zhaijiao prayer by Zong Ke, Sima of Yongsheng.

The Great Dao, in its compassion, protects and blesses all living beings; every thing has its proper role. Yin-Yang moves and turns, bringing all things into being. The stars reveal the signs of Heaven, illuminating darkness and light, and arrange and bring to completion the myriad kinds of beings in the world. Rewards and punishments each follow their own standards; there is no error in matters of sin or blessing.

I am low in rank. I have received the Great Dao’s protection, as well as favor and an official stipend. For many years I have led masters and disciples, and have also held the office of talisman and bamboo tally, through which officials in ancient times exercised their authority. I am truly concerned that my abilities are inadequate for the weight of my responsibilities, and that excessive good fortune may bring disaster in its wake. For this reason, day and night I remain cautious and anxious, and dare not rest easy.

In this year’s fortunes, the Heavenly Talisman Star enters the central palace, the middle position among the Nine Palaces. The direction of the Roving King also encounters the Great Cycle, while the Traveling Horse Star stands opposite the Five Ghosts. The Minor Cycle clashes with the Great Cycle, and both my birth month and natal day are affected. Saturn passes through my life palace, bringing disaster and illness; to this day, I have not recovered. On reflecting upon myself, I feel even more apprehensive.

I have heard that the Most High Sages of the Celestial Bureau oversee the registers of life and death, while the Northern Dipper and Southern Palace clearly discern matters of sin and blessing. I therefore make my heartfelt appeal and perform a ritual offering to pray for their favor and protection. I have respectfully come to the sacred altar, devoted myself to the purification rite, and submitted this petition in prayer. Though the offerings I present are modest, my sincerity is earnest and unwavering. I beseech the myriad holy and exalted ones to show mercy and protection: forgive the sins I have accumulated over lifetimes, and dispel the calamities and ill fortune in my destiny. Remove my name of death from the Northern Dipper’s register, and enter my name in the Southern Palace’s register of the living. May disaster be dissolved, grievances and enmities released, illness and suffering removed, and my official stipend and allotted years of life extended and increased. I vow to cultivate diligently in gratitude for the grace of the wondrous and mysterious Great Dao. I am overcome with fear and unease, unable to find peace.

“Prayer for the Natal Rite of Yanei Zong Kui”

The Great Dao generates all things, and Yin-Yang (Yin and Yang) brings forth and nurtures the myriad forms of life. Everything follows its proper order, and neither sin nor blessing goes unaccounted for. I have received favor and honor, and this often makes me vigilant and cautious. Though I constantly reflect on my faults and examine my conscience, I still fear that some small errors may slip into my words and actions.

In this year’s Three Methods of Destiny (methods for calculating a person’s fate), the energies of Earth and Wood are weak. As for fortune, neither destiny nor official rank is flourishing. The Celestial Talisman occupies the position of office and rank, while the annual cycle falls in the direction of “Extinguished Destiny.” The major cycle is affected by the Earth star, and the minor cycle is governed by Yuancheng (a spirit that oversees personal fortune). Ketu occupies an obstructed and unfavorable celestial mansion, while Venus enters a discordant direction. Day and night I am anxious and afraid, fearing that calamity may befall me.

Therefore, in accordance with the liturgical canons I revere, I have purified myself through fasting and cleansing, and established an offering altar to pray. May the spirits respond and descend; may I sincerely present my plea to Heaven. I respectfully ask the celestial offices and terrestrial courts, and the Southern Palace of the Nine Luminaries (divine offices overseeing the stars and human destiny), to recognize my sincerity and grant me protection. Grant me the grace to mend my ways and pardon my past faults. Remove the calamities associated with the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and the Three Methods of Destiny; dispel the misfortunes brought by the constellations and the Hidden Void (inauspicious stars and astral spirits). May my sins and blemishes be washed away, and may grievances and debts be reconciled. Enable me to extend consideration to others, set aside self-interest for the public good, serve my ruler wholeheartedly, and honor my elders. May public and private affairs proceed smoothly and clearly, and may my family be safe and healthy. May blessings reach both the living and the dead, so that all may receive good fortune. In awe and trepidation, I respectfully pray.

Prayer for the Nine Luminaries Offering of Xu Geng, Minister of Works

I have heard that the Celestial Treasury and Terrestrial Offices oversee the registers of human destiny, while the Southern Palace and the Northern Dipper govern and record the dead…

I have heard that the Heavenly Treasury and Earthly Bureau oversee the registers of human lives, while the Southern Palace and the Northern Dipper govern the records of life and death. The Three Officials hold documents for investigation and review; the Five Emperors oversee the ledgers that determine and allot people’s allotted spans. Though we live in the human world, we are truly connected to the rulers of the heavenly realms.

Moreover, in conducting oneself in the world, good deeds are often hard to make known, while mistakes and transgressions readily accumulate, and the record of one’s offenses gradually grows. In my early years, I received exceptional favor, yet I did not go on to render service through further meritorious deeds. At times, in handling government affairs, I committed errors under the law; at others, in governing a region, I gave rewards and punishments improperly. These failings have accumulated in the ledgers of the underworld and the Celestial Court, and have incurred guilt during the cycles of the stars. I have never repented and sought pardon, nor have I been able to dispel this guilt.

Now I have again encountered an inauspicious conjunction in my allotted fate: Mars has entered the minor cycle, the Celestial Talisman has entered the central palace, Mercury has fallen into the position governing punishment and calamity, and Saturn has retreated into a constellation that brings sorrow and distress. Though the Fire of Fortune is flourishing, the Earth of the Chen branch remains weak. For several years, my illness and suffering have not eased. My heart is filled with earnest fear and grief, and I can find no peace. I thought of how the Most High Sages and Perfected Ones compassionately protect all things, and how, in stillness, they turn their thoughts toward us, so that wherever there is a response, communion may follow. Therefore, through the merit of offering incense, I respectfully perform this Jiao prayer ritual—establishing an altar to report to the spirits and seek their protection—and with utmost sincerity repent, bowing my head to beg for grace.

I respectfully ask the radiant sages to perceive my lowliness and inadequacy, and to extend their compassionate protection: may calamities already formed be dispelled, and past transgressions pardoned; may the Southern Dipper lengthen my life, and the Northern Palace remove the threat of death; may my allotted years be secretly increased, and peace and health bestowed, so that my illness is cured and my family remains safe. I shall forever receive the boundless grace of all the sages, as though my life had been granted anew. My gratitude is beyond words.

Prayer for the Grand Southern Dipper Jiao for the Master of Sichuan (a prayer composed for the grand Southern Dipper Jiao held for the Master of Sichuan)

I have heard that, at the beginning of the transformation and generation of Heaven and Earth, the primordial essence and Qi divided, giving rise to Heaven and Earth and bringing Yin-Yang into harmony. The Three Unities—an ancient system for identifying a dynasty’s legitimate succession—were established, laying the foundations for all things. The four seasons were set in motion, forming the sequence of the year. From then on, every living spirit had its own duties, and the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) was ordered and distributed. The Celestial Treasury and the terrestrial authorities govern living beings, recording and checking their registers. In this way, guilt and merit are assessed, and retribution is carried out. Nothing, however small, escapes notice; the order of past and present is never thrown into confusion.

Moreover, the courses of the stars are marked in Heaven, while the shape of mountains and rivers is arranged on Earth. They wax and wane with the times, and through these changes they warn people, prompting them to act with reverence and examine themselves. Looking up to these profound teachings, how could one fail to practice in accordance with them?

Your servant received Heaven’s favor early in life and was fortunate to earn the sovereign’s esteem. I hold high office and the authority to administer punishments. Yet even when the laws are clear and strict, I remain concerned that rewards and punishments may not be properly balanced. Though I have issued orders time and again, I am ashamed that I have not adequately guided and comforted the people. I have done my utmost to assist the ruler and serve the state: suppressing rebellions and recovering the palace, eliminating dangers and bringing warfare to an end, capturing cities and destroying fortifications. Those who had gathered in rebellion have submitted to moral instruction and become respectful people who seek goodness. Shu in the Three Shu region has been pacified, and the people live in harmony. This is truly due to the sovereign’s power and is plainly a blessing bestowed by the spirits.

Even so, I remain concerned that some matters of government may have been mishandled, leaving faults from which I cannot escape scrutiny. I also fear that I have acted contrary to virtue and that my intentions may not accord with the divine spirits. Perhaps a period of calamity corresponding to the celestial region where I live is approaching, or perhaps I have encountered a fateful conjunction in the cycle of my birth year. This year, my minor cycle meets the Robbery Star, my major cycle encounters the Heavenly Talisman, the Earth Star stands directly opposite my Body Palace, and the year’s transit clashes with my natal position. I am often troubled by these signs and seek a way to repent and pray.

I humbly believe that the auspicious day in the Bingwu year is when the Southern Dipper descends among humankind. The holy beings of its six palaces govern the registers of life and destiny. For this reason, I have specially performed a libation rite, offering my prayers with sincere devotion. I beseech the Heavenly Gate to bestow its grace and the Pole Star to show compassion: forgive past faults and grant blessings for the future; bring calamities to an end and peace to the realm; allow people far and near to recover; bring harmony to the dragon spirits; make the winds and rains timely and well balanced; and dispel epidemics. May the people’s peace be counted auspicious, and abundant harvests of the Five Grains be the greatest omen. Your servant vows to serve the state with loyalty and repay the spirits with a tranquil heart. I respectfully offer my utmost sincerity and look up to Heaven’s profound grace. With reverence, I submit this petition.

I respectfully submit that the Min and Shu region is a major center and strategic stronghold in the southwest. Mount Qingcheng descends into countless mountain valleys and rises toward the Ninth Heaven. It is a blessed place shaped by Heaven and Earth, and a hidden abode where immortals cultivate the Dao. Palaces and towers built of jade lie deep among grottoes and terraces; emerald cliffs and crimson precipices soar into the clouds and mist. This is where perfected ones of lofty cultivation reside and exalted holy beings roam and feast, governing auspicious blessings and protecting all under Heaven.

By good fortune, I have encountered the transformation of the Dao and received its profound and gracious kindness from an early age. I know of no small service I have rendered that could repay the great De of Heaven and Earth, and living in the secular world, I cannot escape incurring faults. In this life and lives before it, I must surely have made mistakes. Among the Five Phases and the three destinies—the methods of divination that infer fate from the Five Phases and one’s birth data—I may face calamity and decline. I also fear that the movements of the stars may bring adverse influences. Perhaps, too, old resentments still entangle me, or debts and lawsuits remain unresolved. The presence of even one such matter is enough to cause anxiety.

Therefore, I venture to open my heart, bow before sacred Mount Qingcheng, present offerings and ritual observances to the immortals and perfected beings, and pray from afar. I implore the divine beings to recognize my sincerity and bestow their profound grace: may good fortune descend and my life be prolonged; may disasters and dangers disperse, and my faults and failings be pardoned; may resentments and debts be resolved, and blessings and emoluments endure. I also implore them to protect the continuation of my descendants and the flourishing of my clan. I will faithfully uphold my devout beliefs in reverence, repaying the protection of the immortals. I am filled with awe and reverence.

A prayer composed by Zong Kui of Shuzhou for a birthday Zhaijiao ritual held for the Grand Preceptor at Mount Zhangren.

I humbly submit that the Dao transforms and nurtures all things, bringing them into proper form and establishing the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Heaven’s mandate is bestowed upon the presiding deity, who governs the host of spirits. Thus all things in the world receive life and divine Qi, each taking shape in its own form; by relying on the registers of Heaven, they may gain access to the celestial realm.

I have received the grace of the Great Dao, which brings all things into being, and the trust of a wise and enlightened ruler. I was charged with governing the regions of Min and Chu and entrusted with a grave responsibility. The achievements I have established cannot compare with the creative work of Heaven and Earth, yet the favor and honor I have received surpass those of past and present. Now the realm faces hardship, and the emperor has left the capital to escape disorder. I regret that I cannot personally support the emperor, guard the imperial carriage, pacify the realm, and restore the court’s order, so that the dynasty may be secured and revived.

I can only bow and beseech the true gods and spirits, hoping they will uphold my loyalty. Mount Qingcheng is a celestial capital of immortals, where the assembled sages dwell and the host of perfected beings is governed. I earnestly ask the holy powers to raise their might, command the Yin troops, and sweep away calamity, so that the Central Plain may be at peace, the crisis averted, and the great enterprise upheld. In accordance with esoteric rites, I have reverently established a Zhaijiao altar and offer prayers, hoping the spirits will exercise their immeasurable power and bestow boundless blessings. May baleful and demonic Qi subside, the emperor’s fortune flourish, and the calendar and Heaven’s mandate endure through the ages.

I have accumulated faults over many lifetimes. Though their consequences have yet to appear, I already feel apprehensive. I therefore repent and pray sincerely, hoping all transgressions may be erased. This year, both my major and minor fortunes fall in the You position, in conflict with my birth hour. The Fire Star shines over the celestial region corresponding to my dwelling and also falls in my Palace of Destiny. Saturn has entered an inauspicious position, while Venus lies hidden among the opposing lodges. The year’s influences also coincide with the direction of the “Three Killings” and the gate of the “Six Harms.” Fearing that calamity may befall me, I am deeply uneasy. I can only express my sincerity through Zhaijiao rites and pray that misfortune will cease, allowing my loyalty and devotion to be fully realized. Only then can I fulfill my duty of loyalty to the ruler, carry out the plan to subdue evil and quell disorder, and assist the flourishing of the sacred dynasty. I earnestly hope for the spirits’ protection, and remain filled with trepidation.

The Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth manifest spiritual illumination, while the Three Origins—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins, which govern the transformations of Heaven, Earth, and the human realm—set all things in motion and change. Human beings receive their bodies and nurture their lives through the grace of the Great Dao. They receive their allotted years and come into the world under the protection of the divine. I have been fortunate to receive the shelter of the mysterious Dao and to live in a peaceful and auspicious age. Time and again, I have received favor and honor, held office, and drawn a salary.

Reflecting that I have achieved no outstanding merit yet have received such great kindness, I have acted with care and kept myself in check, never daring to forget vigilance and self-discipline. I give thought to every matter and still fear that I may have overlooked something. How much more, then, must I personally attend to grave and difficult affairs: arrange meals, host banquets for guests, reward the troops, and prepare food. I must also calm the people and train the ranks, and at times punish guests or subordinates. I truly fear that, when imposing penalties, I may have judged too harshly or too leniently, and that in the kitchen, through deliberate or inadvertent acts of slaughter and cooking, I may have harmed living creatures. Thus I may have incurred debts of resentment and accumulated offenses; perhaps unresolved karmic burdens remain from past and present lives.

The misfortunes indicated by the Five Phases and the Three Destinies—a system of divination that infers fate from the Five Phases and one’s birth data—have not yet passed. This year, the dark malefic Saturn occupies my life palace; the Heavenly Talisman and the Five Ghosts approach the sector of my fortune; Mars draws near the palace of punishment and calamity; and Venus moves into a position that overcomes my life nature. I suddenly fell ill and have remained unwell for a long time. I fear the calamity is grave, yet do not know where to turn in prayer.

I reflect that the Most True spirits save all things, that the Great Dao cherishes life, and that it has opened wide the way to avert calamity and atone for past wrongs, revealing the power of sympathetic response. Therefore, in accordance with the prescribed liturgy and ritual texts, I have established an altar and devoutly performed a Zhaijiao offering. I lay my heart before the Nine Luminaries—the nine celestial bodies believed to govern human fortunes—and pray with utmost sincerity before the stars. I beseech the radiance of Heaven to look upon me and the power of the holy ones to protect me: dissolve the debts of resentment incurred through deliberate or inadvertent harm to living creatures, and pardon the offenses of past lives and this life. May misfortune be dispelled and calamity swept away; may the Six Qi flow freely and every illness be healed. May the blessings that are nearly spent be renewed, and may my salary, good fortune, and prosperity endure for longer. Grant me the grace of rebirth and extend my years. May public and private affairs alike proceed in peace, and may my household and relatives be safe and healthy. I look up to the mysterious, compassionate grace and respectfully offer my prayer.

“Prayer for the All-Heavens Zhaijiao of the Duke of Sui”

The great Dao, formless and empty, gives birth to all things. The gods who dwell between Heaven and Earth govern the many kinds of living beings. The power of creation and transformation generated by the great Dao gives form to all things and endows them with primordial Qi; it brings the sun, moon, and stars into view and grants each thing its own spirit.

I recognize that my virtue and conduct are meager, yet I have long enjoyed the Dao’s gracious protection. Though I have failed to win merit for the imperial court, I have been treated with great favor in the regional provinces. For many years I have served as a military governor and repeatedly received exceptional honors. Even after attaining the office of chancellor and taking charge of the armed forces, I have often been commended by the emperor. When I consider how little my ability and virtue warrant, I am filled with anxiety and fear. I often worry that rewards and punishments have not been administered fairly, that penalties have been imposed improperly, and that my policies have gone against what is right. I fear, too, that my efforts to comfort the people have not accorded with their needs. Construction projects have subjected them to forced labor, while banquets and rewards have consumed livestock and wealth. I may have caused loss of life through wrongful killing, or become entangled in grudges from past lives; together with these other failings, such acts may bring guilt and punishment upon me.

In addition, the Five Phases, the Three Destiny Cycles—which use the Five Phases and fate calculations to assess a person’s fortune—and the hidden luminaries and arrayed stars, used in divination to infer good and ill fortune, seem to have joined in drawing calamity toward me. They have brought on an illness from which I have yet to recover, and so I am especially alarmed. This year, my major fortune cycle falls in a position of decline, and my minor cycle occupies the “Horse-Destroyer” position. Jupiter is in retrograde and approaches my life palace; Saturn shines from a trine position. Venus and Mercury occupy inauspicious positions, the Flying Heavenly Fire Star—a baleful star in fate calculations—falls in my birth palace, and the Saturn of the Nine Palaces coincides with my birth month. Seeing these signs of misfortune, I am filled with dread and offer my sincere prayers.

Therefore, in accordance with the Lingbao esoteric rites, the ritual regulations of the Lingbao tradition, and the secret forms of the Yellow River Chart, I have established a Great Ritual Offering to the Celestial Circuit, a large Daoist Zhaijiao ceremony praying to all the gods of the heavens, to confess my offenses before the gods of the celestial realm and offer atonement. I beg the myriad sages to respond, and the assembled gods to look upon me with discernment. May they accept my sincerity, grant blessings and good fortune, resolve old debts and grudges, and forgive my grave misfortunes and offenses. May they preserve my blessings and rank, and lengthen my life.

May dangers and calamities be dispelled for a long time among the Five Stars and the Four Luminaries, the celestial deities or stellar systems spoken of in Daoism. May the celestial offices and earthly bureaus, the divine administrations of Heaven and the underworld, record auspicious blessings for me anew. May my illness be driven away and peace and good health bestowed upon me, strengthening my resolve to be loyal and filial, and to serve my sovereign and parents. I will remain deeply grateful for the protection and kindness of the revered gods.

I have heard that the sun, moon, and stars reveal the efficacy of the divine. They carry out Heaven’s transformations and make manifest the workings of the Great Dao and the achievements of the spirits. From the beginning of Heaven and Earth, the stars have displayed their power to govern and oversee. All living things in the world, animals and plants alike, receive their mysterious grace.

I have received Heaven’s loving care and the emperor’s deep favor. My service has not yet repaid Heaven and Earth, yet my honors already exceed those of ordinary ministers. I am often anxious that I may have acted improperly or made errors in reward and punishment: in enforcing the laws, I may have shown too little compassion and leniency; in suppressing rebels and punishing the wicked, I may have failed to administer justice with due severity. Grievances from former lives remain unresolved, while faults in this life continue to emerge. At the thought of these things, I examine myself constantly, with a heart full of dread.

Moreover, this year both my major and minor fortunes are in conflict, and the first and last eclipse spirits—inauspicious stars associated with eclipses of the sun and moon—have come into alignment. The Earthly Branches associated with Fire and Wood are in a weakened state, while the Heavenly Talisman’s wandering star has entered the Horse post, a position associated with change and travel. All these signs portend calamity and obstruction, especially the conflicts that bring cause for alarm. Recently I have also been troubled by a minor illness, from which I have yet to recover.

I hope to receive grace and have my faults removed, and so I pray with even greater sincerity. I have therefore chosen my birth-year day—the day corresponding to the year of my birth—to perform a Zhaijiao purification ritual with reverence. I beseech the Most Holy to look upon my earnest devotion, pardon my past offenses, dispel future calamities, increase my years and blessings, and resolve grievances and knots of doubt. May I then devote all my strength to assisting the court, comforting the exhausted and troubled people, and supporting the great work of restoration. I vow to cultivate myself with greater diligence and to repay the spirits’ gifts for many years to come. I am filled with apprehension.

End of Volume Eight of the Guangcheng ji

Volume Nine of the Guangcheng ji

Written by Du Guangting, Purple-Robed recipient, served within the Taiping Palace in the Upper Capital, and honored for his great literary talent in composing works by imperial command.

Prayer for the Birth-Year Zhaijiao of Minister Zheng Tian of Qingcheng

Human beings receive the primordial Qi and each are endowed with spiritual nature; all depend on the Great Dao for life. Our birth and growth rely on Heaven’s protection. We pray for long life, yet in the end…

Human beings receive the Qi of Heaven and Earth and thereby possess spiritual awareness; all of this depends on the Great Dao. Human life and the physical form come into being through Heaven’s aid as well. People pray for long life, yet cannot foresee the good and ill fortune they will encounter from birth to death. The Five Phases depend on and transform one another, while the two Qi of Yin and Yang move and change without ceasing. The rise and decline of all things truly depend on the power of the one who presides over them. Thus, I dare not neglect the reverent intention of praying and making supplication.

This year, I have come under the influence of the Fire Star (the name of a celestial star, believed in ancient times to affect a person’s fortune), which is now positioned in the direction of my birth year. The Metal Star in the Nine Palaces has also entered my annual fate. I have long been troubled by illness and have yet to recover. In private, I fear that I may have fallen short in my conduct and failed to accumulate hidden virtue; that I may have neglected my duties in governing the people and nurturing all things; that the wrongs I have accumulated in this life remain unatoned, or that enmities from a former life have not been resolved. For these reasons, I may have met with grave calamity, with no way to repent and pray for relief.

Moreover, this place faces an immortal mountain and lies within the realm of a grotto dwelling. A heart of utmost sincerity can make its appeal above, and the True Spirits who see all cannot be deceived. I have therefore chosen my birth-year day to devoutly prepare a Zhaijiao prayer rite (a Daoist ritual performed at an altar to worship the gods, pray for blessings, and avert calamity). I cleanse my heart and confess my faults, earnestly praying for renewed vitality. I beseech the divine beings to pause their phoenix carriage and descend into the mortal realm, take pity on my distress and urgent plight, and grant me favor and respite: remove my name from the register of the dead, restore my lifespan and blessings, enter my name in the vermilion register of the living, and pardon my grave transgressions. May debts of vengeance be settled and calamities dispersed; may public and private affairs alike be clear and peaceful, and may my family remain safe. I dare not forget to urge myself onward and turn toward goodness, so that I may repay the protection of the True Spirits. I am fearful and earnest, and can scarcely express all that is in my heart.

“Prayer for a Zhaijiao Rite Offered by Sikong Zongshou of Guozhou”

I have heard that the two lights of the sun and moon hang high in Heaven, governing the dispelling of calamities, so that public and private affairs alike may be clear and peaceful, and one’s family remain safe. I dare not forget to urge myself onward, in repayment for the protection of the True Spirits. I am fearful and earnest, and can scarcely express all that is in my heart.

I reverently understand that the sun and moon shine high in the heavens, observing and governing all things in the world. Human life and death, as well as misfortune and blessing, are bound up with them. Though I am insignificant, I have received the scrutiny and protection of the divine. Yet the three fundamental factors of my fate—the variables used in Daoist divination to calculate a person’s fortune and misfortune—are weak, and the forces of Water and Fire are both feeble. I was also born at the hours of Chen and Xu, when Kui Gang, a name for a star asterism that here refers to an ominous celestial configuration, forms a net of heaven and earth. Both cycles of my fortune have fallen in the position of the tomb storehouse. These are all periods of calamity. In addition, the Fire Star shines upon the palace of the sovereign, while an inauspicious star has fallen in my palace of fate. Calamities have come one after another, and I am deeply troubled.

Therefore, I have faithfully followed the prescribed liturgical rites and, with devotion, performed a Jiao offering and submitted a petition in prayer. I humbly seek the blessings bestowed through the purification ritual, praying with reverence and care. For three days in succession, I have observed solemn purification rites, and over the course of nine periods of the day, I have made repeated petitions to the divine. I earnestly hope that the mysterious and compassionate gods will look kindly upon me and extend their grace, granting that my ill fortune may disperse, my misfortune and decline may turn to peace, and I may continue to enjoy blessing and prosperity and receive auspiciousness. May I live in lasting peace and remain ever under divine protection. I pledge to care for my parents, serve my ruler, repay my country, and bring stability to my household; with a heart of utmost sincerity, I vow to repay the gods for their grace.

Yang Shentuan’s Petition for a Jiao Offering to Thank the Earth

I reverently understand that the Qi of the Dao, the primal energy of the Dao, divides forth into light, while the mysterious divine power governs the movement of all things. It descends to guard and protect the human world, bringing all things into being; it rises to correspond with the array of stars. All the myriad sages enjoy its blessings within it.

The luminous Qi of the Dao—the wondrous vital energy of the Great Dao—spreads everywhere, while the mysterious methods of the Dao govern all things. Below, they protect and teach the divine spirits; above, they correspond to the stars in the heavens. This is a place where the myriad sages feast and roam, and the gathered immortals dwell, a place that has endured through successive ages of tribulation to the present day.

The Jade Maiden, honored as a distinguished guest, recognized the fragrant spring by the river. The Primordial Mystery—Laozi—once stopped here, leaving a Jade Bureau, a Daoist temple or ritual site, beside the city. Auspicious light shines over Mount Tianmu, bringing peace to Jingluo, the ancient name for the region of Shu in the celestial fields. The passage to the Cavern Palace opens to bless Kunwei, the southwest, also a name for Shu. This is the numinous and beautiful sanctuary of the Brocade Capital, Chengdu, and the immortal abode of the kingdom of Shu.

Yet the temple had long fallen into disrepair, almost swallowed by weeds and brambles. The pure altar grounds had become a place for trampling, and foul, animal-smelling filth had entered the secluded halls. Seeing the sanctity of this place and regarding its mysterious gateway, I, the King of Shu, immediately ordered it cleared and restored to solemn purity. Dust and smoke were swept from the stone walls, making the forms of the immortals visible once more; mugwort and bamboo were cleared from the ruined steps, bringing the numinous grotto back into view. Further repairs followed, and the temple gradually regained its neat and renewed appearance. The halls faced one another, the terraces and towers stood in orderly rows, and the entrance was rebuilt closer to the main road.

Now, with the chime struck at dusk and the bell rung at dawn, morning rites can be held. Incense can be burned and lamps lit at morning and evening, and rites of purification observed. There is no better way to repay kindness, and gratitude has its own cause; therefore, we respectfully establish a Zhaijiao purification ritual and pray that our wishes reach the true spirits. May the divine spirits bestow blessings widely and send down auspicious grace: may the sacred ruler enjoy long life and the realm be at peace; may the King of Shu live as long as the cypress and cassia trees, and may the Three Shu regions be secure. May the generals and soldiers stationed in the camps each earn merit and have their names remembered in history; may every household share in the peace and guidance of a well-ordered realm. May the Dragon Spirits rejoice and the harvests be abundant; may illness and pestilence stay away, and may weapons be laid aside forever.

May every act of defilement, sacrilege, excavation, or damage be dispelled and resolved through this confession and prayer. As we assist in governing the age and aiding the people, promote instruction and establish merit, may our petitions reach the heavenly court, and may the Daoist methods we honor and practice accord with the Dao. May the state and its people be safe and prosper, and may relatives and dependents live in peace and benefit. May the lineage of teachings that once guided the people, and the former virtues of our teachers, pass freely through the gates of the netherworld, and may the fruits of the Dao be perfected soon. May all officials of every rank within and beyond the temple, and all officers in the realms of Yin and Yang, accumulate merit and rise in rank, forever protecting this blessed place. May the teachings of the highest Great Dao spread far and wide, and may we continually receive the grace of the revered spirits. We, your servants, are boundlessly grateful.

When Heaven and Earth first came into being, the Three Qi gave birth to the myriad things, while the Nine Primordial Energies—the fundamental vital energies that generate Heaven, Earth, and all things—shaped their forms. Clear Qi rose upward, and turbid Qi sank below; true Jing was refined in the crucible of creation. As Heaven and Earth unfolded, the Zhouyi revealed the mysteries held within Qian and Kun.

Yao’s benevolence covered all things like the sky, and Shun’s brilliance passed down through the generations. They widely taught the Five Constant Virtues, yet still could not put an end to the calamity of the overflowing floods. They opened the gates in all four directions, yet remained troubled by the people’s suffering from the waters.

Great Yu rescued the people of the realm. He traveled far and wide to control the floods, laboring tirelessly and bringing benefit to every region. The mighty floodwaters at last subsided; each river found its course and flowed into the sea. Yu’s virtue rose like a high peak, and even the mountains knew the preeminence of the Five Sacred Peaks. He divided the land into the Nine Provinces and brought peace to all its people. Once his achievement in casting the tripods was complete, rewards and titles were bestowed in recognition. His vast accomplishments shine through all ages.

In my youth, I received the favor that enabled me to serve this immortal shrine. The rain and mists of Ba and the clouds of Mount Wu surround the jade palace; distant views of the Min River and Chu illuminate steps pure as jade. May the spirits extend their boundless compassion and look kindly upon my sincere, earnest plea. I seek scriptures in the Jade Cavern and establish an altar on the numinous mountain to perform a Zhaijiao purification rite. May the Shu king’s great prayer be fulfilled, and may I, a humble servant, be allowed to return to my homeland. I am deeply grateful.

Offering for the Mountain Purification Rite at the Immortal Capital of the Shu King

True Jing (essence) reveals auspicious signs, while primordial Qi divides into many forms. The gathering of numinous, refined energy in the human world gives rise to immortal mountains. Remote and wondrous landscapes, transcending the mortal world, converge to form grotto-heavens (Dongtian), the dwelling places of immortals in Daoist belief. These mountains reach up to the stars and protect the realms below. Thus the jade palaces lie hidden in deep seclusion, beyond easy sight, while the immortals’ feather canopies and colorful banners may drift into view.

The two Perfected Ones revealed the vestiges of the Three Capitals and completed the great work of the Nine Cauldrons. They ascended in broad daylight, riding the sunlight as they roamed through the clouds. Their divine power and efficacy became ever more manifest, and all things between Heaven and Earth were renewed for ages to come. Precious registers and true scriptures, preserved in jeweled cases and jade talismanic scripts, are enshrined in the cloud palace to guard this place; they are also handed down alongside the noble achievements of the sages of old.

I admire the mysterious Daoist way and send my sincere devotion from afar. The site of the Sanchuan temple has repeatedly suffered the ravages of war. Phoenix tablets and dragon texts are no longer preserved within the wall of Lu, and tiger tallies and tortoise registers are hard to recover from the Qin pit. The teachings of the Great Dao have declined and rightly call for broad support and renewal. Therefore I have come before these verdant peaks and bowed to the white clouds, performing a Zhaijiao rite with offerings of wine and libations, and praying that the immortals will bear witness. I hope to bring out the scriptures kept in the Crane Grotto, so they may serve as canons followed by both the human and celestial realms. Once this special undertaking is complete, I will return the scriptures to their original place.

I reflect that the Dao is everywhere, and its methods should likewise be allowed to circulate. I look up to the vast grace of the divine and hope that my earnest wish will be granted. I also pray for auspicious signs to descend unseen and for protection to extend throughout the world. May the descendants of Xuanyuan, the venerable Laozi, flourish, and may the palace of the sage ruler be restored. May the realm be peaceful and all things prosper; may the territory under my charge be secure and its people healthy; may calamities naturally fade away, and may longevity, blessings, and good fortune endure and grow. I will forever keep a loyal and devoted heart, offering it in return for the protection of the Most Perfect Divine Ones. I respectfully submit this petition.

“Prayer Offered upon My Arrival at Xiandu Mountain”

After primordial Qi brought forth the myriad things, this mountain became a stronghold guarding the region. From before the mountain one can look toward Chu, while its flanks command the city of Ba. Many rivers wind around it, forming a majestic domain of dragons and serpents; ranges of peaks encircle it, and its lovely terrain makes this an immortal capital where Perfected Ones and sages dwell. The two Perfected Ones ascended to Heaven in an earlier age, and their deeds have remained clear in the record for a thousand years…

After Heaven and Earth came into being and Yin-Yang divided, this mountain became a rampart for the region. From its front, one looks out toward Chu; from its flank, it commands the city of Ba. Many rivers encircle it, like a mansion closely guarded by dragons and serpents. Peaks surround it in homage, and its scenery is lovely: truly, an immortal capital where perfected beings and sages dwell. Two perfected beings had already ascended long ago, in an earlier age; their noble deeds remain clear even after a thousand years. The mountain cliffs rise high enough almost to block the sun, while pines and cypresses thrust into the clouds. Auspicious signs appear from time to time in the scriptures, and blessings secretly protect the state.

The king of Shu rules by the Mandate of Heaven. His achievements are outstanding, and his fame endures in his age. He holds sway among the eight states and commands two great rivers, having long since brought these lands within his realm. Qiancheng and the Chu Gorges, too, are under his governance. Yet this immortal mountain alone adds particular splendor to his domain. I gaze up at the mountain’s numinous traces, bow reverently, and express my devotion from afar. My heart turns toward the hidden immortal realm, where I piously perform a jiao rite, offering wine in prayer. A jiao is a sacrificial prayer rite within Daoist purification liturgies.

I pray that I may find immortal writings in the Yu Cave and hope to encounter scriptures like the Eight Assemblies. I also hope to explore the hidden treasury of Dongting and obtain secrets like the Five Talismans. May I spread profound and wondrous teachings, and clarify and transmit the fundamental purpose of Daoism.

Now the Great Dao has fallen into decline, and the Central Plain is beset by troubles. For Daoist teachings to be continued and practiced, they must first await wide circulation. I have crossed the Yangtze in person and, following the appointed command, burned incense and prayed with solemn care, beseeching the spirits to witness my sincere devotion. My hope is that this transmission may be like the conferral of scriptures beside the bridge at Sishui, yet not be given only to the Han dynasty chancellor; and like the transmission of Daoist teachings beside the spring at Quyang, yet not be given only to Lord Gan. May I return west bearing the scriptures and revive the sacred teaching. I respectfully make this declaration.

Prayer for the Luotian Jiao Rite Performed by Li Yanfu for the King of Shu

The Dao stands above emptiness, and its activity precedes Heaven, Earth, and all things. It brings all things into being and nurtures living beings without favoritism. It endures through immense spans of time, lasting even longer than Heaven and Earth. It continually brings all things to fulfillment, making the power of growth and transformation ever more manifest.

In my early years, I was fortunate to receive the mysterious grace of the Dao and to follow its transformations. My merits are as slight as dust and dew, yet the responsibilities I bear are as weighty as those of a high minister. I govern mountains and rivers stretching for thousands of miles and patrol six garrisons; I have administered this region for seventeen years. I am constantly afraid that excessive blessings may bring calamity, or that my meager strength may cause harm. Holding a high position, I remain alert and examine myself at every moment, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear.

Moreover, the emperor has yet to return, and warfare continues throughout the Central Plain. I train the troops and encourage the soldiers, yet can only harbor the wish to serve the state and assist the ruler. My heart longs for the court, but the road is distant and communication difficult. I have no notable achievements with which to serve, and nowhere to voice my heartfelt, solitary loyalty.

Now the Four Spirits of the Great Excursion, deities that patrol the directions, are in the region of Yong and Qin, while the Lesser Excursion’s Tianyi, another astral deity used in divination, still shines over Liang and Shu. Diyi occupies the Kun Palace, and Yuebo moves through the Well Lodge. Gazing upward at these celestial signs, I imagine calamities drawing near and feel profound concern: the emperor’s carriage has yet to recover the strategic passes of the Guanzhong region, and the imperial tombs, ancestral temples, and palace precincts of the capital have still not been restored.

I therefore pray earnestly, hoping Heaven will look down upon us and grant its protection. In accordance with Daoist ritual conventions, I observe the rites of Zhaijiao and Keyi, establish a Yellow Register ritual arena—a Daoist assembly held to avert calamities, deliver the dead, and pray for blessings—and conduct a Great Offering to the Net of Heaven, a grand Zhaijiao ceremony in which prayers are presented to all the celestial deities. I perform rites of confession and thanksgiving before the Nine Heavens and the Three Realms, and fully present petitions and ritual offerings to the perfected beings of Heaven and the earth gods. From the reaches touched by the sun, moon, and stars to the mountains, rivers, and great waterways, I reverently observe purification rites everywhere, hoping that my prayers will resonate throughout the cosmos.

I earnestly beseech the Celestial Worthies to issue their decrees and the Sacred Ancestors to bestow their blessings. May they graciously grant divine power, bring peace to the state, secure its great foundations, and revive the fortunes of the Tang dynasty. May the state enjoy enduring peace like the Pole Star and lasting stability like the Southern Mountain. I will surely receive Heaven’s grace and serve the Tang dynasty for a long time; may I enjoy a life as enduring and expansive as the chinaberry and pine, and fulfill my loyalty with the steadfastness of metal and stone.

May there be no calamities within the realm, and may every year bring a rich harvest. May rain fall at its proper time, and may warfare cease. May the Dragon Gods guard and pacify the land, and may the people live in peace. May the departed in the underworld receive the compassion of deliverance, and may distant foreign lands admire the teachings of peace. I vow to spread the pure Dao in repayment for the grace of the True Spirits. My heart is filled with gratitude and awe, beyond what words can express.

The Dark Heaven (the celestial vault) rises high, while the earth rests firm, bearing all things. The primordial Qi between Heaven and Earth descends with auspicious signs, responding to the times and opening a new chapter. The sovereign holds the six governing principles of Heaven and Earth in his hands, rules all under Heaven, and extends his grace in every direction. He observes the Way of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—and governs the people, bringing blessings to all beings. His decrees and teachings spread throughout the four quarters, and his numinous authority endures from ancient times to the present.

Your servant has received Heaven’s favor and been charged with guarding the southwestern frontier. The kindness of Heaven and Earth, which shelters and sustains me, is impossible to repay; I vow to remain loyal and steadfast. Now the court’s governing order has yet to be restored, and Heaven’s mandate is in a period of decline. I look up at the celestial signs, though I am far from the He-Luo region; I wish to follow my sovereign, yet mountains and rivers stand in the way. I hold a heart full of devotion, but cannot put my strength to use.

The celestial signs now show the “Great Wanderer’s Four Spirits” moving through the Yong and Qin regions, while the “Lesser Wanderer, Tianyi” draws near Liang and Shu. The Earth-Quelling Star is in the southwest, and the Moon’s Obscure Star—an ominous body in ancient astronomy—has moved into the Well Lodge, a lunar mansion. I have examined the astronomical cycles and calendrical signs, and my heart is filled with dread. Therefore, following Daoist ritual texts, I am conducting a Yellow Register rite, a purification ritual for seeking blessings and warding off calamity, and establishing a Great Offering to the Net of Heaven, a grand-scale sacrificial rite. I pray that the true spirits of the Three Realms will descend with blessings, and that, through the protection of the deities, we may together turn the course of events.

May loyal and resolute men rouse themselves and unleash their power to sweep away disorder. May civil officials, military commanders, and revered deities lend their strength to restore stability and govern the state. May the fortunes of the realm flourish again, and may demons, calamities, and disasters cease for a long time. May peace and order return to all under Heaven, and may the Three Shu regions receive the blessing of tranquility. May calamities be dispelled before they arise, and blessings continue without end; may plants and animals, the living and the dead alike, all receive grace and protection.

Your servant is overcome with awe.

After consulting the calendar and the celestial configurations, I find that this year the “Four Spirits of the Great Circuit” (star spirits that travel through the four quarters) are positioned around Yongzhou and the region of Qin, while the star spirit “Heavenly One of the Lesser Circuit” has moved near Liangzhou and the region of Shu. The “Earthly One” star spirit has fallen in the Kun Palace (the direction associated with the moon), and the Moon’s Culmination, a star thought to bring calamity, is directly over the Well Lodge. Gazing up at the heavens and reflecting on the disasters that may descend, I examine myself and, with a troubled heart, grow all the more vigilant. I therefore respectfully follow the rites of the Daoist tradition, erect an altar, and perform the Yellow Register Treasure Retreat, a Daoist purification ritual for averting disaster and praying for blessings. I also prepare the Great Offering to the Net of Heaven, a large-scale Jiao ritual honoring the assembled gods. With reverence, I set forth the profound meanings, proclaim the true writings, and pray that the honored spirits turn back their divine radiance and send blessings down to the human realm, bestowing auspicious favor far and wide so that calamities may cease forever. May they grant peace to the territory under my care, harmony among the dragon spirits, and health to the people. May lands near and far regain their stability, disease and pestilence stay away, and warfare come to an end. I can only carry out these rites with reverence, in repayment for the gods’ merit. I respectfully submit this petition.

Petition for the Great Offering to the Mountains, Rivers, and Regions of the Net of Heaven

I respectfully declare: Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon—the “Two Luminaries”—rise, descend, and move in their courses; Yin and Yang, firmness and gentleness, each have their appointed place. The Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and humanity are vast without bound, and from them the rivers and mountains take shape. The Earth displays its power to bear and sustain all things, and every kind of living being receives its grace of nourishment and growth. Though the transformations of Heaven and Earth are vast and inexhaustible, I remain concerned that I may not be equal to the responsibility entrusted to me.

Between Heaven and Earth, the Yin and Yang energies rise, descend, and circulate, each taking its proper place in firmness and flexibility. The Sun, Moon, and stars extend across the vast heavens, while rivers and mountains give the land its form. The Earth displays its weighty power to bear all things, and every kind of living creature depends on it for nourishment and growth. Though Heaven and Earth are boundless, one must still attend carefully to the cycles of nine and six, numerical periods used in antiquity to calculate changes in Yin and Yang and the fortunes of the times. Though the world is vast and without limit, it too is governed by the fortunes represented by the hexagrams of Zhun and Heng in the Classic of Changes.

Now the movements of Yin and Yang and the courses of the Sun, Moon, and stars all reveal corresponding signs: the Lesser Celestial Tour of Taiyi, a position in the divine itinerary of the Great One, has moved to Liang and Shu; the Four Deities of Taiyi have likewise traveled to Yong and Qin. The Earthly One has reached the Kun Palace, a position associated with the course of the Moon or a celestial spirit, while the Moon’s Hidden Star, an ill-omened phantom star in ancient astronomy, has entered the Well Lodge. Looking up at these changes in the heavens, I am filled with reverence and unease.

By the grace of imperial favor, I have long guarded the fiefdom. Six garrison towns stretch across its territory, whose key terrain is the great river. Within its borders lie the great river honored as chief among the Four Rivers and the famed mountain ranked first among the Five Sacred Peaks. Immortal altars and sacred traces are found throughout the region. Tradition tells that immortals once traveled here riding horned dragons and cranes. Its pearl-lined banks and golden embankments also mark the place where Yu the Great opened the waterways and routes connected the lands of Qin. In this gathering place of true spirits, auspicious signs appear in abundance. It is fitting, therefore, to draw upon these blessings and answer the devout prayers of your servant.

I have accordingly observed purification and prepared the Yellow Register, a ritual document used in Daoist purification rites. I have set up the altar and performed the Jiao rite, praying for blessings before the vast celestial realm. I pray that the assembled sages send down their radiance and the myriad spirits gather to grant blessings, together bringing stability to the fortunes of the state and guarding the imperial foundation for generations. May they disperse the dark, baleful influences over the capital and restore the light of sage rule; unite the realm under one system of roads and written records; and ensure the lasting peace of the Tang dynasty. May the lands under my care be peaceful and the people live in comfort, with no beacon fires on the frontier and songs of contentment among the people. May disasters yet to come no longer threaten us, and may past errors and calamities be dissolved. I pledge to conduct myself with reverence and diligence, repaying the spirits for their beneficence. I respectfully submit this prayer.

“Proclamation of Universal Prayer to the Vast Celestial Realm” (a text offering prayers throughout the celestial realm)

I respectfully submit: The wondrous power of the Dao governs the myriad things and spreads its transformations far and wide. The myriad things receive their forms and come into being, gathering spirit and circulating Qi (vital energy). Heaven covers the earth, and the earth bears the myriad things; heaven and earth first took shape from the vast, undifferentiated chaos. The sun and moon shine upon the world, and the myriad things begin to differentiate. Yin-Yang (yin and yang) rise and fall in changing patterns, while the cycles of tribulation unfold with the passage of time. Qian and Kun follow the numbers nine and six, while the sun and moon—the “Raven and Hare,” Daoist names for the two luminaries—wax and wane. Now is a time when rescue and protection are urgently needed; only the true numinous power of the Primordial Beginning can be relied upon.

I, a person of humble station, have had the good fortune to live in a prosperous age, receiving exceptional favor and honors beyond measure. I wear the dragon tally and tiger token, and bear the heavy responsibility of guarding mountains, rivers, and borders; I uphold the golden statutes and jade ordinances, and carry the duty of safeguarding the people’s lives. I am often ashamed that I lack the ability to govern and care for the people, and I am ever mindful that fullness may tip into decline. Yet now the Central Plains face many calamities, and the fate of the realm is precarious. The state hangs in danger like a tassel from a banner, while the people throughout the land are beset by disaster. I have trained the troops in the hope of serving the state, but my resolve has brought little result. Far from the capital, I have no means to help the court through its crisis.

I have now examined the calendar, the celestial signs, and the charts and records. The Great Wandering Four Spirits, divine influences used to determine directions and calculate good and ill fortune, are positioned around Yongzhou and Qin; the Lesser Wandering Tianyi, another such influence, lies near Liang and Shu. Diyi has reached the Kun Palace, while the lunar comet clings to the Well Lodge. The changing signs in heaven fill me with still greater apprehension. I therefore respectfully unroll the Lingbao scriptures, follow the principles of the River Chart, establish a Great Offering to the Net of Heaven—a grand Daoist purification ritual for all the celestial deities—and open a Yellow Register treasure altar, a Daoist ritual altar for prayers of blessing and deliverance. I gaze upward toward the Golden Towers and Jade Capital of the celestial realm and earnestly beseech the myriad holy ones. I pray to all numinous beings throughout the human and celestial realms, the world of form and the formless world. I pour out my heart and offer incense in sincerity, hoping that the spirits will look upon me with favor, grant their protection, and descend with their power.

I respectfully invite the heavens of the Three Realms, the Four Offices and Five Emperors, the sovereigns of the primal force, and the honored spirits of the underworld to send down the unfathomable divine power of Yin-Yang transformation and display their inexhaustible capacity for change. May the divine troops lend their aid unseen, and the true spirits respond in silence, so that the great undertaking may be restored and every region made peaceful; may the fate of the realm endure in stability, and the four seas be tranquil. May the baleful comets and lunar portents be swept from the vast sky, and the giant monsters in the raging waves—the metaphorical forces of evil—be subdued. May the radiant sun of sage rule shine ever onward, and may all share in an age of peace and prosperity. Grant peace to the territory under my care; let calamities disperse and warfare cease, let weapons be laid aside, and let the energies of the four seasons come into harmony. May the people have no fear of pestilence, and may the crops yield an abundant harvest. May the soldiers and people of the Three Rivers and Six Garrisons, together with the dragon spirits, live in peace and harmony and share in good fortune.

May the souls dwelling in the netherworld and the conscious spirits still stranded without release leave the Six Destinies and Three Paths of Suffering—the realms of rebirth and the torments of the underworld—bathe in the wondrous grace of the Dao and be renewed, and proceed to Zhu Ling, the southern immortal realm or place of deliverance for the dead, to receive its blessings. May the living and the dead alike be delivered; may all things, animals and plants alike, revive and unfold. I vow to act with loyalty and filial devotion to the fullest of my ability, and humbly beseech the divine beings to bear witness. I offer this petition with the utmost reverence.

Invocation to the Gods at the Great Luo Heaven Rite

Human beings preside over sacrifices to the spirits, and the spirits, in turn, work their transformations through human beings. The spirits bestow blessings on people, and people rely on the spirits for protection. Since ancient times, those who rule the realm and govern states and families have followed this principle.

Our Great Tang has inherited the accumulated virtue of our ancestors and the grace of our sacred forebears. It established its state in the Central Plain, and its lineage has continued to the present through twenty emperors. The teachings of Daoism have spread in every direction, and the emperor’s benevolence reaches throughout the realm, sheltering all the people. Yet the state’s fortunes have met with hardship, and the times are unsettled. The court has been forced to move repeatedly; Heaven’s Mandate has not yet been secured, and the emperor’s carriage has not returned to the capital. Loyal ministers and righteous men all cherish the resolve to serve their country. They look to the court and dare not slacken in their determination to support the royal house.

Now the Lesser You Tian star has moved into the region of Liang and Shu, while the Great You Four Gods stars are positioned over Yongzhou and Qin. The Moon’s Obscurer star has passed through the Well lunar lodge, and the Earth One star has come to rest in the Kun Palace. The omens shown by these celestial signs fill us with fear and unease. We therefore reverently follow Daoist regulations and consult the liturgies for sacrificial rites. We hold the Yellow Register Treasure Retreat, a rite for praying for blessings and averting calamity, and establish the Great Luo Heaven Rite, a grand offering inviting all the gods of Heaven. Its reach extends down to the Nine Earths and up to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). We solemnly set forth rites of confession and prayer, earnestly seeking the spirits’ response and protection.

We respectfully ask the venerable and illustrious gods to see the sincerity of our hearts. May divine power strike forth like thunder, and auspicious signs turn about like the wind. Sweep away the baleful stars and malign forces in the heavens; disperse the shadow of calamity hanging over the imperial capital. May the foundations of the state endure and remain firm, and may the great enterprise of the dynasty be restored to prosperity.

We next pray that calamities and afflictions be dispelled throughout the border regions, that disasters be averted, ill fortune removed, and peace brought in its place. May the Dragon Gods live in harmony, and may wind and rain come in due measure. May epidemic illness stay away, and may weapons of war be laid to rest. We pledge to govern diligently in repayment for the spirits’ aid. The millet and panicled millet used in sacrifice will be pure and fragrant; the offerings of water plants and other provisions will be presented with due solemnity and completeness. We lay our prayers before you with all our hearts, in utmost earnestness.

Invocation for the Shu Prince’s Natal-Season Rite at Ge Xian’s Sanctuary

Relying on the way Heaven and Earth move: the sky arrays the stars, made manifest in the Dragon Star; the Earth lays out its terrain, unfolding into realms of immortals. The stars govern people’s registers of fate and oversee the human bonds of society. By good fortune, I received Heaven’s secrets and was blessed from an early age. I was also shown favor and entrusted with governing the people. Now I command the territories of six garrisons, yet am ashamed that my De is so slight. I also oversee the sacred and beautiful sites of many lands, a charge I feel truly honored to bear. I am constantly concerned that I may govern poorly and fail the scrutiny of the True Immortals.

Now the Great One has reached this celestial sector. I fear that calamity may befall the regions of Liang and Yi, or strike the lands of Yong and Qin. The Moon Comet, an omen of calamity in ancient astrology, entwines the Well Lodge, while the Earth-One calamity falls in the southwest. After consulting the books of stellar portents, I have grown even more apprehensive.

Moreover, this year is a Dingmao year, my year of birth; this month is the middle month of spring, the season in which I was born. I have gone to the place of the deity who governs my birth destiny, choosing a day associated with my birth fate. With reverence, I prepared incense and lamps, and prayed and made my plea with all sincerity. I beseech the Primordial Venerable One, a revered Daoist deity, to show compassion and take notice, and all the holy perfected ones to descend and bear witness. May my sincerity reach the heavenly palace, and may vast blessings descend upon the human world. May the imperial enterprise be restored, calamities recede, and the imperial carriage return safely to Qin. May peace prevail throughout the realm, misfortune dissipate, and auspicious signs descend upon Shu.

May I serve the sovereign with loyal devotion and truly fulfill my concern for the state. May the grain harvest be abundant and the people live in peace; may the Dragon Spirits bestow blessings, and epidemics never intrude. May my ancestors of seven generations ascend to Heaven, and may my own lifespan be extended. I vow to spread the teachings of Daoism in recompense for the grace of the gods. In reverent fear and trembling, I respectfully submit this petition.

“Petition for a Jiao Offering to the Southern Dipper, Asking It Not to Bring Calamity” (a purification ritual petition seeking the protection of the Southern Dipper Lords)

From this the mysterious Dao (the Way) branched into its many forms, and the transformations of Heaven and Earth began. Pure and turbid Qi (vital energy) established the order of ascent and descent, while Yin-Yang governed the turning point between punishment and grace. The Southern Dipper oversees life, encouraging people to do good by granting good fortune and prosperity. The Northern Palace records death, entering people’s sins in its register to punish their transgressions. The spirits use these means to teach the people, and rulers to govern the realm. From the smallest matters to the greatest, these principles have remained the same from ancient times to the present.

From childhood, I have received true instruction and admired and followed the mysterious teachings. How could I forget to exhort myself and cultivate body and mind? Yet I am unworthy of my official post, which I hold at a time of great demands. Though diligent and cautious, I still fear that I may grow negligent and fail in my duties. Though I am always mindful and apprehensive, I cannot escape criticism for occupying office without earning my keep.

I punish the wicked and abhor wrongdoing. At times I handle cases according to the penal code; at others I impose discipline and punishment, or administer beatings. When rewarding the troops, I may have to slaughter animals; when hosting guests, I may likewise have to kill and cook them. I fear that I may thereby cause wrongful deaths and harm living beings, incurring deep and lasting resentment. Moreover, my current year’s fortune has brought calamity, and Mars is among the stars governing my fate. The Moon has entered the positions of Shen and Wei, while the Celestial Talisman has arrived at the branch of my birth year. My direction corresponds to Chou and Yin, where the Flying Banner stands in a position of opposition and rupture. I fear that calamities may gather as a result, and my heart is all the more shaken and uneasy.

Though I have examined myself, eased punishments, and acted with caution, and though I have reduced my food, restrained my drinking, and kept away from women to guard against transgression, I still fear that ill fortune has not yet been dispelled and blessings have not yet appeared. So I respectfully consulted the texts and devoutly went to a sacred mountain. Following the rites of the Southern Dipper and imitating the arrangement of the stars in Heaven, I set up an altar and performed the ceremony. The light and shadows of nine small lamps were arranged like stars, as if reflecting the six stars of the Southern Dipper. The incense smoke formed pure, auspicious clouds that rose high and connected with the Three Su, the Daoist heavens. The bamboo hall had already welcomed the spirits of the void, and the pine pavilion was ready to receive perfected beings and the gods. Here I pour out my heart and respectfully pray for divine protection.

I humbly pray that the holy beings of the six palaces of the Southern Dipper will suspend my entry in the register of the dead and lengthen my life; that the gods of the Five Planets will shatter the chariot of calamity and spread blessings far and wide. May resentments be dissolved, calamities brought to rest, families find peace, and the region enjoy well-being. May winds and rains be balanced and crops plentiful; may bandits not arise, and may calamities, strange portents, and disease be absent. I humbly pray that the numinous Jade Registers of the Lingbao and the Red Emperor’s Heavenly Writ may be relieved of the calamity of shining upon the Southern Elixir, and that compassion and grace be bestowed upon the human world. May I receive good fortune for a long time, and may my prayer be fulfilled.

I have heard that the wondrous, formless Great Dao does not act with artifice. I respectfully present the Lingbao Jade Register—a Daoist document of the Lingbao talisman-and-register tradition—and the Red Emperor’s Heavenly Writ. Humbly I pray that their numinous radiance shine upon the southern land of cinnabar and bestow grace upon the human world. May I receive good fortune for a long time, and may my prayers be fulfilled. Your servant is deeply humbled and apprehensive.

I have heard that the Mysterious Heaven manifests celestial signs, and the Northern Dipper holds the highest place. It governs all things without partiality and sets the four seasons in motion, bringing the year into being. It also keeps the registers of life and destiny in the human realm and oversees fortune and misfortune. Whatever is sincerely felt will surely reach it; whatever is prayed for will surely receive a response.

From childhood, your servant has revered the divine power of the Northern Dipper, seeing its seven stars as the pivot of Heaven and Earth, and the Five Qi as the foundation from which all things are nurtured and transformed. The Dipper governs fortune and misfortune, and also commands and registers ghosts and spirits. Your servant has always worshipped Heaven with a sincere heart; whenever difficulties arose, your servant prayed to the Dipper. Time and again, your servant received divine signs and protection, and repeatedly encountered auspicious omens. Prayers seemed to follow like a shadow, and events answered like an echo.

At times, burdened by official duties, your servant wished to resign and seek medical care on the grounds of illness. At times, fearing calamity, your servant sought to avoid danger and choose what was auspicious. At times, when falsely accused, your servant hoped to clear the heart of blame; at times, amid suspicion and resentment, your servant hoped to cleanse away past faults. Your servant often confided sincere thoughts in secret to the vast heavens, and prayed silently late into the night. The most true and numinous spirits witnessed all this, and what was sought was often granted.

Yet your servant was often entangled in affairs and unable to repay the spirits for their kindness, and long hoped to fast and purify, establish an altar, and perform a Zhaijiao rite of prayer and blessing. Now Heaven has taken notice of your servant’s sincerity, and the spirits have fulfilled the wishes of earlier years. By good fortune, your servant has been appointed to serve temporarily in this post and has come to a place near the immortal land’s Jade Gate and the city of jade. There mountain mists gather, forests stand green, and the city walls rise nearby. It happens to be the day of your servant’s birth destiny, and it is also autumn; thus your servant has been able to walk among the pines and cypresses and enter a realm of clouds and rosy mists.

While fulfilling the rites and making offerings in the threefold offering ceremony, your servant has also attended to official duties. In this way, your servant has repaid prayers made over many years and fulfilled a heartfelt wish. Recalling the kindness received, your servant feels both honored and joyful. Therefore, your servant respectfully offers this sincere prayer and prepares incense, lamps, and candles. Though the offerings are no more than wild greens from the mountain streams and pure water, too meager to move the spirits, may they understand and accept your servant’s sincerity, responding with grace according to circumstance. Your servant hopes to repay past kindness and looks forward to blessings yet to come. May good fortune and well-being be bestowed, may the jurisdiction be free of worry, may the fields yield harvests year after year, may the people live in harmony and abundance, and may peace prevail near and far.

If your servant suffers calamities arising from the Five Phases of the birth destiny coming into conflict, or from the influence of the Nine Luminaries in their celestial courses; if, in governing public affairs, your servant has failed to understand a matter or has misjudged a reward or punishment; if there are old grievances, debts from former lives, or offenses left by deliberately killing or accidentally injuring others, your servant earnestly asks that all these be dispelled and that grace and protection be bestowed for a long time. Your servant is deeply humbled and apprehensive.

Sun Tu’s birth Five Phases may encounter calamity through their clashing, while the Nine Luminaries—the nine celestial bodies—may pass through positions associated with his fate as they move across the heavens. Perhaps there have been oversights in his administration, or errors in the granting of rewards and punishments. Whether these are recent grievances, debts incurred in the past, deliberate killings, or accidental injuries to others, we pray that they all be erased, so that he may long receive grace and protection. I am deeply grateful.

Prayer for a Destiny Rite for Sima Sun Tu

I respectfully submit: When the two Qi of Heaven and Earth first divided, the Five Phases began their cycles of transformation. The movement of Yin and Yang is like the bellows of a furnace, governing the pivotal passage between life and death. Heaven and Earth bring forth and nurture the myriad things without favoritism and without cease. The Five Emperors govern the length of human life, and the Three Officials examine good and evil. The Northern Dipper occupies the honored position, overseeing and commanding all beings.

I know myself to be ignorant and humble, yet I have received the blessings of Heaven and Earth’s creation. That I may wear official robes and serve in government continually makes me fear that I am unworthy of what I have received. I follow the teachings of the Confucian sages of old and carefully observe the precepts of the Daoist sages, yet I still fear that my daily conduct may fall into error, and that my actions and choices may stray from the right path. Blessings are hard to obtain, while faults are easily accumulated.

I also fear that when the Three Officials examine my destiny, I may encounter calamity; as the Nine Luminaries move, they may pass through inauspicious stellar positions. Moreover, in my birth year the Celestial Talisman Star is stationed in the direction of entanglement and obstruction, while my minor cycle lies in a position of repeated resonance. Among the Thirteen Lunar Lodges, the Moon’s Obscurity—a star regarded as bringing omens of calamity—is passing through, and my major cycle and current year are also marked by clashes and breaks. At the thought of these things, I am filled with dread, fearing that disaster may befall me. Therefore, on my birthday, the day of my birth destiny, I have reverently established a Zhaijiao rite of prayer and thanksgiving. I beseech all the Perfected and Holy Ones to look kindly upon my sincere prayers, forgive my past offenses, resolve grievances, and dispel entanglements; grant blessings for the future, increase my stipend, extend my life, and keep my family safe, with both public duties and private affairs proceeding in harmony and peace. I will forever remember the compassion and protection bestowed by all the revered deities, and remain profoundly grateful.

End of volume nine of the Guangcheng ji.

Volume Ten of the Guangcheng ji

Written by Du Guangting, who served at the Taiqing Palace in the Upper Capital, was honored for composing writings at imperial command, and was granted the purple robe.

Prayer for a Destiny Rite for Vice Censor Li Chou

The two vital energies of Heaven and Earth harmonize to nurture and transform, while the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water bring all things into being. Heaven and Earth shape the myriad things and nourish living beings in every quarter. People receive their allotted destiny and take on bodily form; each person’s record of life is kept in the Celestial Bureau. The length of one’s life and the measure of one’s good fortune and rank, the causes by which one’s conduct brings punishment or blessing, and the patterns of good and ill fortune in one’s life are all recorded. Heaven and the underworld each have their own officials in charge, who govern with impartial justice.

I fear that the Three Fates and Five Phases used in Daoist destiny calculation may bring calamity upon me, and that the Nine Stars and Seven Luminaries may cast an inauspicious influence. Yin-Yang and the Five Phases may enter a period of conflict, and my allotted fortune may be waning. I also fear that wrongs and debts of resentment from past lives have not yet been cleared, and that misdeeds committed over generations have accumulated into calamity. Ordinary understanding cannot fathom these causes, and the workings of the spirits are difficult to comprehend. Without a Zhaijiao purification ritual and prayer, there is no way to avert disaster or seek pardon for my offenses.

Therefore, on the day corresponding to my birth, I have reverently prepared incense, candles, and lamps. Looking up to the celestial signs, I have poured out my thoughts and prayed with utmost sincerity before the altar of the stars. I humbly ask the Most Holy to look upon my sincerity: may the Three Officials erase my offenses from the register of sins, and may the Five Emperors remove afflictions from the register of calamities. May the flaws of my past be cleansed and my accumulated transgressions dispelled. May my name be removed from the death register of the Northern Palace, and may I instead be granted life in the Southern Pole, the immortal realm that symbolizes longevity. May the Celestial Bureau increase my good fortune and rank, and the Director of Destinies extend my lifespan. May my family live together in harmony and peace, and may public and private affairs alike be auspicious and safe. I will receive the grace of the assembled holy ones with boundless gratitude.

Repayment Votive Zhaijiao Prayer by Zhang Daoheng, Court Attendant

I have heard that above the Nine Heavens, celestial signs appear and radiance spreads through all things. The Heavenly Emperor’s chariot travels ceaselessly, and the power of the holy and enlightened reaches far in every direction. Heaven governs the Four Seas with impartiality, seeking no private gain. It grants blessings to all beings without forcing its rule upon them. Whoever prays with sincerity receives a response; whoever makes a wish may see it fulfilled.

In the second year of Dashun, I met with calamity. Anxiety and dread were like stepping into a fire, and my situation was as perilous as walking on thin ice. At that time, I could scarcely keep myself safe from one day to the next, much less hope to preserve my life. My heart held the utmost sincerity, yet I had nowhere to voice my grievances. I could only look up to Heaven and secretly pray to the Dark Dipper, the spirit of the Northern Dipper. I quietly made a solemn vow, hoping by this means to atone for grave misfortune. Later, the Great Dao indeed looked upon me, and the spirits of perfect truth responded. They bestowed the grace of preserving life and showed boundless compassion, enabling me to cleanse my offenses and resolve my grievances.

I am deeply moved by Heaven’s compassion, yet do not know how to repay it. Later, official duties bound me, and I was constantly traveling with no free time. Year after year passed, and the vow I had made in all sincerity remained unfulfilled. Moreover, I journeyed by land and water, crossing rivers and mountains, and encountered unrest several times, repeatedly facing danger. Fortunately, I escaped weapons and the calamities of war, and did not meet a violent death. This was all thanks to the protection of the spirits, and it has deepened my reverence and gratitude.

Now, on the day of my birth-year destiny, corresponding to the cyclical signs of my birth year, I have come to the Jade Bureau of numinous transformation. Before the Hall of the Seven Primordial Lords of the Northern Dipper and the Great Emperor Dark Lord, I have devoutly established an offering altar for a Zhaijiao purification rite, respectfully fulfilling the vow I made long ago. I previously promised to offer a certain number of strings of cash. I humbly ask permission to complete this offering in five installments before the eighth month of this year.

I earnestly pray that the holy beings of the Northern Dipper and the deities who govern the celestial offices will discern my sincerity and extend their grace, so that my former vow may be fulfilled and lasting protection bestowed. May the spirits pardon my faults, dispel calamities, and grant auspicious blessings; may my lifespan and official stipend increase, dangers fade away, my family enjoy health and peace, and all public and private affairs proceed favorably. I will forever remember with gratitude the protection of the honored beings of the Northern Dipper, and my thanks are beyond measure.

This is the prayer text of Zhou Xiang, a Vice Director, for reciting scriptures on behalf of his mother and performing a Zhaijiao rite to pray for blessings.

I have heard that the treasured scriptures of the Three Caverns—the Daoist classification of scriptures—and the true instructions of the Nine Heavens were formed by gathering primordial Qi, the fundamental energy from which all things arise, out of the void and bringing it together. Written in the forms of dragons and phoenixes, they originated at the beginning of the distant, dark depths. Set down on precious jade tablets, they proclaim the Great Dao that existed before Heaven and Earth took shape. In their greatest power, they can regulate Heaven and Earth, stabilize the cycles of calamity, preserve the flourishing of the state, and protect the emperor. On a lesser scale, they can harmonize the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), balance the Six Qi—the six climatic influences that affect all things under Heaven—dispel evil spirits, avert calamities, save all beings, and bring benefit to the people. By honoring and practicing them, one can dispel misfortune; by reciting the scriptures, one can invite good fortune.

Our mother is passing through a year of weakened fortune and many troubles, and is also burdened by illness. We are anxious and afraid, not knowing where else to turn in prayer. We can only now rely on the Mysterious Sage and pour out our sincere devotion. We respectfully pray that the awe-inspiring power of the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers revered in Daoism—be commanded to send the attendant clerks who serve the scriptures to remove the harmful effects of Five Phases clashing, dispel the misfortune and decline in her Three Fates, increase her rank and longevity, extend her life, and restore her six internal organs so that all her illnesses may be cured. May the spirits continue to bestow their grace and protection, so that she may enjoy the blessings of a long life. We respectfully recite the scriptures and perform a Zhaijiao purification ritual at the Jade Bureau sanctuary, praying in secret to the Most Perfect spirits. We are filled with the utmost trepidation.

Mo Ting’s Prayer for Zhang, Deputy Commissioner, at a Jiazǐ Birthday Offering

I have heard that Heaven’s Dao favors no one, yet supports those who possess De. When a person’s merit benefits all beings, the blessings they receive are without end. Zhang Lin, Deputy Commissioner for the Pacification of Chuan, serves his sovereign without self-interest and repays the favor of being recognized with wholehearted devotion.

I have heard that the Dao does not favor those close to it, but supports those who possess De. When one’s achievements benefit the people, the blessings they bring will surely endure without end.

Zhang Lin, the current Deputy Commissioner for Pacifying Sichuan, serves his sovereign with fairness and selflessness, repaying the favor of having been recognized with wholehearted loyalty. From beginning to end, he remains constant; even when beset by hardship, he does not waver. In planning every undertaking, the passing years of bitter cold only make his resolve stronger.

Recently, warfare has flared repeatedly along the borders in all directions, and two military governors have both taken up arms. Troops and supplies are gradually running short, while military expenses continue to rise. If taxes are increased, the people will surely suffer; if taxes are reduced, it will be difficult to provide for the army. Zhang Lin proposed a sound plan and found a way to secure ample provisions. Grain now stands piled like mountains, and weapons and armor gather like clouds. The people feel no hardship, and all supplies have been properly arranged. This has further strengthened the army’s might, with the hope of achieving the work of pacifying the people and suppressing rebellion.

Yet calamity still lies in Zhang Lin’s fate. Within the three destinies and two fortunes described by the art of fate calculation, the Qi of the Jia blessing is waning; the Heavenly Talisman has come to the palace of his birth fate, and Saturn has retrograded into an inauspicious position. Fearing that misfortune might follow, he prayed with utmost sincerity and established an Imperial Altar, a Daoist ritual space for worshipping the spirits, humbly seeking protection from mysterious divine powers.

May the Ten Flowers descend with blessings, and the Three Sages turn back their divine radiance. May the heavens grant their gracious favor, so that calamities disperse of their own accord. May the Nine Offices, the underworld deities of Daoist belief, cleanse away transgressions, and increase and prolong his rank and years of life. May the military governors’ domains remain peaceful for long, and may all enjoy health and well-being together.

My feelings of urgency compel me to address the honored spirits with this bold appeal; I am filled with trepidation.

Prayer for General Luo: A prayer recited during a Zhaijiao rite held for General Luo, a Daoist ritual performed at an altar to seek blessings and avert calamity.

The clear and luminous gathering of Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang) embodies the principles by which Heaven and Earth remain in harmony and uphold what is right. The things of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) depend on one another and transform into one another, receiving Heaven and Earth’s grace in nurturing all things. A person’s lifespan, the abundance or scarcity of blessings and rank, the sins and merits accumulated through one’s conduct, and the good or ill fortune of one’s life are all governed by the celestial spirits and aided by the spirits assigned to one’s birth. The spirits oversee the examination of these matters, omitting nothing, great or small.

I fear that the positions and movements of the stars and the Five Phases may bring calamities through adverse influences. I also fear that, within the Nine Palaces and the Three Destinies—the arts used to calculate fate—Yin and Yang may meet under inauspicious conditions. Thus I am anxious and afraid that disaster may befall me. Now, as the Beginning of Winter arrives on an auspicious day for praying for blessings, I offer my devout heart and respectfully perform a jiao rite, setting up an altar to pray to the spirits. I discipline myself through purification and pray with sincere devotion. I also silently invoke the spirits of the underworld, hoping to receive their compassion and abundant blessings, so that calamities may disperse, transgressions be forgiven, good fortune bestowed, and lifespan and blessings increased. May the register of sins be erased in the Northern Office, and may my name be entered in the register of the living at Nanchang, the place said in Daoist tradition to govern that register. May my family be safe, and may both the living and the dead enjoy peace and well-being. May those in the celestial realm remain close to the light of the sun and moon for long ages, and may those living in the human world dwell in peace under the eternal protection of the true spirits. My gratitude for this is beyond measure.

“Jiao Prayer of Minister Ma”

May good fortune be bestowed, and lifespan and blessings increased. May the register of sins be erased in the Northern Office, and may the register of the living be kept at Nanchang. May my family be safe, and may both the living and the dead enjoy peace and well-being. May those in the celestial realm remain close to the light of the sun and moon for long ages, and may those living in the human world dwell in peace under the eternal protection of the true spirits. My gratitude for this is beyond measure.

“Jiao Prayer of Minister Ma”

I have heard that the movements of the celestial bodies and the passage of the solar terms, through the Three Cycles—the Upper, Middle, and Lower—form the course of a year. Yin-Yang changes without cease, following the Way of Heaven in its workings. Its blessings extend through the underworld and the human realm, as they have from ancient times to the present. When someone cherishes benevolence and righteousness and follows the path of kindness, Heaven bestows auspicious signs and the spirits reveal favorable omens. But when conduct violates the way of prudence and one’s intentions turn toward what is perverse, hardship and calamity follow, bringing one to distress. The retribution for good and evil follows like a shadow; this truth is indeed clear.

I, Jiong, possess only modest abilities, yet from an early age I have received official rank and emoluments. Though I have tried to conduct myself with respect and restraint, exercising care and wholehearted sincerity, I often fear others will mock me and worry that I am unequal to my duties. And now I must also train and discipline the troops and defend the border commandery. Weapons are still in use, and military orders have not yet ceased. Though I have plans to break through a formidable enemy and blunt a powerful force, I also fear that killing and injury are unavoidable, and that accidental harm may create debts of grievance. These thoughts fill me with apprehension and dread.

Now the Autumn Office, which administers criminal judgments, assesses merits and faults, while the Earth Office, which oversees household registers and land affairs, examines names and records. Both offenses and blessings are entered in the registers, and not even the smallest detail is overlooked. If I have failed in my office, committed crimes through killing and injury, erred through desire, or incurred karmic offenses through the three actions of body, speech, and mind; if legal disputes remain unresolved or enmities unreconciled; if these matters have already been entered in the black register and my name recorded in the underworld, I humbly ask to be granted the chance to repent and atone, and to receive the grace that removes my offenses, so that I may encourage myself, correct my faults, and begin anew.

If the stars should bring calamity or the current year should bring misfortune, I also hope to receive deliverance and be kept safe and well. May my nine generations of ancestors ascend to the heavens; may beings in the Three Paths of suffering—the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm—be freed from hardship. May all things, whether sinking or rising, growing like plants or trees, each find their proper place. May the weapons of war fall silent in every direction, and may the people of every household soon live in peace. May farming and silkworm raising return to calm; may songs of peace be sung among the people, and may the countryside no longer be clouded by the dust of war. May all people return to a spirit of purity and stillness, and widely receive the Way of Xiyi, the Dao that is too subtle to be seen or heard.

I respectfully perform this Jiao ritual, sincerely presenting this memorial of prayer. From afar, I direct my supplication toward the altar of the immortals, humbly seeking the protection of the divine perfected ones, with reverence and fear.

The memorial for the natal Jiao ritual of Minister Ma, a rite performed to pray for blessings and avert misfortune on his behalf.

My abilities are mediocre and my station lowly, yet I have borne the fate allotted to me and been permitted to hold office and inherit honors. I command troops and uphold the laws. At times I recover cities and suppress treacherous, wicked, and violent men; I repel enemies from without and comfort the exhausted and suffering people within. Hosting guests and rewarding soldiers inevitably require the slaughter of livestock; eliminating abuses and punishing evil must also follow the penal laws. I do this not for personal gain, but truly in the hope of bringing peace to the people. Yet I secretly fear that in beheadings and executions the punishments may sometimes be too severe or too lenient, and that in acts of wounding and killing it may be difficult to distinguish intention from accident. This leaves me anxious and afraid of punishment.

I also fear that my allotted years have entered an inauspicious decline, and that the stellar lodges and the Five Planets may be casting their influence from an unfavorable position, bringing me misfortune and danger. I worry, too, that the departed souls of my nine generations of ancestors have not yet been delivered, and that the spirits of my close kin—parents, siblings, wife, and children—remain in bondage. When I think of them in a long night without dawn, their souls frightened and unsettled, and of the barriers of the underworld, I am filled with dread. I wish to express my sincere devotion and look up in hope that the gods will accept my offerings.

So I chose the day corresponding to my birth-year sign and prepared a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) to accumulate merit and cultivate spiritual discipline. I quieted my mind and prayed for the gods to transform and deliver them. In my thoughts I beheld the solemn, magnificent altar; I reverently performed the Jiao rite and sincerely presented memorials of prayer. I beseech the Mysterious Origin, the Dao’s exalted title, to bestow blessings and protection, and the Great Dao to show compassion: open the palaces of the Springs of Darkness, issue a decree to Fengdu, the principal city of the underworld, and deliver the Nine Generations of departed souls, freeing them from their many sufferings. May they be reborn in the blue heavens and leave their former bodies behind in the Cavern of Vermilion Mound. May blessings extend to future generations and grace reach all members of my clan.

May the wrongs and grievances accumulated in past lives all be cleansed through repentance, so that both sides may be reconciled. I pray that my name be removed from the registers of the underworld and entered in the register of the living; may calamities and dangers cease, and may my years and stipend endure. May blessings flow broadly like a river, and grace reach near and far. May warfare soon come to an end and disease and pestilence cease to arise. May fields once again be cultivated and silkworms raised, and may the people live in peace, prosperity, longevity, and good health.

May all beings who lie hidden in the underworld and dwell in other realms also bathe in the teaching of the Dao and ascend together into the realm of the Dao. With a heart of utmost sincerity, I vow to honor and serve the Dao, forever receiving the Great Dao’s benevolence.

The abundant vital energy between Heaven and Earth gradually gathers, making the mountains graceful and lofty. They rise high to uphold the celestial pole and stand firm to guard the earth. Mount Qingcheng lies in the southwest, reaching upward to connect with the lunar lodges Shen and Jing. Its spirit energy gathers and auspicious signs accumulate there, under Heaven’s vast grace.

Prayer for a Zhaijiao at Mount Qingcheng

The abundant vital energy between Heaven and Earth gradually gathers, making the mountains graceful and lofty. They rise high to uphold the celestial pole and stand firm to guard the earth. Mount Qingcheng lies in the southwest, reaching upward to connect with the lunar lodges Shen and Jing. Its spirit energy gathers and auspicious signs accumulate there, containing the radiance of the sun and moon. Layer upon layer of green slopes mingles with clouds drifting through the mountains, as though embracing the immortal dwellings where the divine beings reside. Among the great peaks, Mount Qingcheng holds a place of honor, its renown surpassed only by the Three Immortal Mountains of legend, said to rise from the sea. It is a blessed land beneath Heaven and the foremost of the world’s celebrated places.

High terraces stand side by side on the mountain, where traces of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan remain; nearby, the river divides into branches, and the achievements of Yu the Great in controlling the floods are still plain to see. Mount Qingcheng often responds with signs of its efficacy, answering prayers and protecting the people. In recent days, rain has fallen without pause, and springs have surged without cease. Though sounds of landslides have come from among the cinnabar cliffs and emerald peaks, the green halls and vermilion towers have suffered no shaking or damage. These unusual events make the mountain spirits’ power all the more evident.

I, your servant, have received exceptional favor and been entrusted with this important duty, yet have not shown results in bringing peace and order. I am ever anxious and fearful. I worry that my own failings have brought these strange signs from the sacred mountain, and that, fearing calamity’s approach, the divine peak has sent down a warning. Day and night I examine myself with care, as though caught between ice and burning coals, restless with dread. Having no other way to express what weighs on my heart, I can only pray sincerely and confess my faults. I therefore follow Daoist liturgy and reverently hold a grand Zhaijiao, a purification ritual to honor the gods, pray for blessings, and avert calamity. I hope the divine spirits will look upon me with favor, protect me, and allow me to make amends for my faults. I am filled with utmost fear and humility.

Prayer for the Natal-Year Zhaijiao of Minister Ma

I have heard that the transformations of Heaven and Earth proceed without cease, and from them the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—come into being. Heaven and Earth reveal the forms of the myriad things, then respond to the vital energy that transforms and nurtures them, gathering it into divine beings. A person’s lifespan is therefore recorded in the celestial offices, while life and death are linked to the stars of the Northern Dipper. No matter how great or small people’s deeds, or how subtle their conduct, they cannot escape the close scrutiny of the spirit officials of the eight directions. The gods who govern each day in the ten directions also examine them one by one. Good deeds and merit accumulate unseen, and one’s name is entered on the register of the immortals; when transgressions come to light, they are recorded in the ledgers of ghosts and spirits. Heaven rewards good and punishes evil in this way, to guide the people. Among these divine beings, the honored deity of one’s birth destiny, who oversees each person’s birth destiny and checks the registers of life, conducts the examination and recordkeeping. Contemplating this profound mystery, I feel all the more that I must act with reverence and care.

My abilities are ordinary, and I have little talent for planning. I have only tried to serve the public faithfully and restrain my private interests, hoping to do my part in these troubled times. Yet I have had no chance to put my abilities to use, and instead have repeatedly received responsibilities I feel unworthy to bear. When I consider my situation, I grow more apprehensive; when I think of the trust placed in me, I feel the weight of my duty all the more. Moreover, after the wars, the fields around the capital lie abandoned. The people have not recovered from their exhaustion, and their wounds have yet to heal. If they are comforted, they can only just begin to catch their breath; if they are disturbed again, the ditches and canals they have only just repaired may be damaged once more. Yet now I have been hastily put in charge of six counties and tasked with overseeing agriculture. Weeding in summer and plowing in winter depend on the people’s hard work, but the abundance or scarcity of the autumn harvest ultimately depends on the seasons.

I can only devote myself wholeheartedly to my duty and sincerely pray for the protection of the gods of the Mysterious Heaven. On the day of my birth destiny, I respectfully perform a Zhaijiao rite of offering and thanksgiving, setting up an altar to pay homage to the gods, pray for blessings, and give thanks. May the perfected and holy ones descend and bear witness, so that blessings and auspicious signs may gather. May they forgive me for accepting weighty responsibilities beyond my ability, and recognize my sincerity in carrying them out with reverence. May the calamities of war soon come to an end and the granaries be filled with grain. May the people be spared illness and hardship, and year after year have no cause to fear floods or droughts. May my ancestors of nine generations ascend to a higher state, and may the Three Paths of suffering be peaceful and secure.

If I have encountered misfortune brought by the movement of the stars, calamities caused by the conflicting influences of the years, errors in imposing punishments or granting rewards, or guilt for causing injury or death, whether deliberately or unwittingly, I earnestly ask the gods to reveal their protection and grant relief to all. From this day onward, I will forever take refuge in the gods, repaying the grace they have bestowed upon me. I am filled with apprehension.

Prayer by Mo Tingyi at Qingcheng for the Rite of One’s Birth Destiny (a prayer composed by Mo Tingyi for a rite held at Mount Qingcheng on the day of his birth destiny)

From the moment I received primordial Qi and took bodily form, I have relied on the mysterious Dao’s nurturing transformation. My lifespan and allotted fortune are recorded and administered by the Celestial Bureau, so I depend on the protection of the true divine authorities. I fear that I may err in my daily conduct, or encounter calamities in the course of the years. Without the power of the gods, it would be difficult to dispel my sins and cleanse away disaster. I therefore presume to submit this memorial and devoutly prepare a Zhaijiao rite.

This mountain is governed by the high divine office responsible for sacred peaks and great rivers; it is a blessed land where immortals dwell. The jade towers and golden gates within the grotto-heavens are beyond the sight of ordinary mortals, while ancient halls and ruined terraces in the human world are easily worn away, though their traces remain. The hall’s beams have collapsed and its roof tiles have fallen. If repairs are not begun, wild grasses and trees will soon cover the site. Fortunate to have charge of this place, I have done my utmost to restore its halls and adorn them with painted decoration. I have depicted the Five Sacred Peaks and the Nine Rivers, and fashioned true likenesses of such deities as the River Lord and the Stream Maiden, giving them solemn crowns, orderly retinues, and ornaments gleaming with pearls and kingfisher feathers. The halls seem to ascend to the shell-inlaid towers and draw near the Palace of Li. Their walls shine anew, and the solemn depth of the mysterious De is made all the more evident.

I pray that Shaocheng and the Heavenly Storehouse may long enjoy auspicious blessings, and that the autumn rites of thanksgiving to the gods and the spring prayers for good fortune may both receive their gracious protection. Today is my birth-day under the natal cycle, and I respectfully hold a banquet of praise and blessing. I beseech the gods to look kindly upon me and descend, bestowing their numinous Qi and grace. Grant me longer life and an increased allotment of fortune, and help me overcome calamity. Keep my kin in both places safe, and bring health to the people and livestock throughout this region. I vow to serve with wholehearted devotion, in gratitude for the gods’ vast benevolence.

Mo Tingyi, “Zhaici for the All-Heavens Rite on the Jia-Shen Birth-Day at Qingcheng Mountain”

I have heard that the wondrous source reveals itself in accord with the times, while primordial essence and Qi set Heaven and Earth in motion. The sun, moon, and stars each shine in their own way, giving rise to the myriad things. Between clear Heaven and turbid Earth, all things take their turns in governing and each finds its place; within the courses of the sun, moon, and stars, each likewise fulfills its appointed role. From overseeing the passage of cosmic cycles and calendrical reckonings to discerning good and evil in human relationships, their insight reaches everywhere: not even the most hidden detail escapes them.

I have often thought to myself that the Nine Chambers grotto-heaven is where the assembled Perfected gather. Vermilion cliffs catch the sunlight, and verdant valleys rise straight into the clouds. The immortals’ phoenix banners travel to and fro, and their rainbow-hued retinues assemble here. I am fortunate to serve as the ruler of this region and to have come to this immortal mountain. Though I have long restrained my desires, cultivated with diligence, and striven to remain pure, my merits may not suffice to make amends for my faults, while my failings are surely plain to see. And with the Perfected so near, how could I dare deceive their scrutiny?

I also worry as the Nine Luminaries—the nine stars that govern human destiny—move through their courses, and the Three Destinies—people’s allotted fortunes—shift. Good fortune and virtue do not always endure, and calamity is hard to foresee. My heart is earnest with fear and concern, as though I were walking along a perilous ridge. For this reason, I have specially held a Zhaijiao prayer rite on my natal day, offering my sincere devotion to the Great Dao of Heaven, the earthly realm, the Water Court, and the stellar palaces, and imploring the gods for protection. I humbly pray that the assembled gods and Perfected dispel calamities and pardon faults, bestow blessings and good fortune, increase longevity and prosperity, and let dangers naturally fade away.

May my departed ancestors be delivered, and my living relatives find peace. May the people of this region all receive blessings, may warfare cease, and may our borders remain secure. May we enjoy peace for a long time and forever receive the grace of the numinous Perfected. My gratitude fills my heart, beyond what words can express.

Mo Tingyi, “Prayer for the Nine Luminaries” (a prayer composed for a Zhaijiao rite honoring the Nine Luminaries).

The two Qi of Heaven and Earth divide and give rise to the sun, moon, and stars. The Three Primordial Forces—the original Qi of Heaven, Earth, and Water—each arrange their stellar hosts. They govern the signs of regret, good fortune, and misfortune, and hold authority over life and death, sin and blessing. Nothing in Heaven and Earth escapes their notice: both the netherworld and the human realm are under their command.

Your servant knows himself to be an ignorant commoner, yet from an early age he has revered the Orthodox Way. Favored with grace, he has been allowed to hold office and receive a stipend. Mindful of his duties and responsibilities, he often worries that he occupies his post without earning his keep. He cares for the people and strives to bring them peace, never daring to neglect self-discipline. Yet he still fears that his conduct may fall short of reverence and care, that faults may accumulate over time, offend the true spirits, and secretly bring disaster upon him.

He also fears that as the Five Planets advance and retreat, and the Four Luminaries—the four stellar bodies—shift in their courses, they may at times fall within his natal palace or approach an inauspicious, weakened position. What is more, this year the Heavenly Talisman shines upon his fate trigram, while Jupiter has yet to leave his body palace. He is also within the bounds of the Twentieth Lunar Mansion, where the Eclipse Spirit is passing and a minor transit star is in residence; moreover, he is beset by the Celestial Net, an astrological configuration that signifies entrapment. In private, he fears that disaster will follow upon good fortune, and that his fate will wane and his stipend diminish.

Following the ritual prescriptions of the Inner Chapters of the River Chart and the Secret Writings of the Great Mystery, your servant pours out his sincere feelings, makes his full petition, and offers the proper rites and gifts. He looks up toward the radiant gate of the Canopy, the palace of the divine, as though facing the light of the Nine-pointed Star. Gazing toward the celestial palace where the stars and sun and moon reside, he lays bare his whole heart. He implores the divine radiance to shine down, dispel the darkness, and cleanse the accumulated Qi of the netherworld. May numinous light spread forth, shatter the chariot of calamity, and burn away the net of sin. May your servant’s life be preserved, and his rank and stipend rise. May the people of this region live in peace, and may his relatives and in-laws enjoy safety and good fortune. May the immortal mountains bestow blessings, sparing the people the suffering of illness and pestilence; may the spirits send auspicious signs, and may the year’s harvests be abundant as mountains.

Your servant can only offer his sincere heart in reverence, to repay the grace of the mysterious Great Dao. He makes this prayer in utmost fear and trepidation.

Prayer Text for the Jiao Ritual to the Northern Emperor by the Lord of Sichuan: a prayer offered by the Lord of Sichuan to the Northern Emperor in a Jiao ritual. A Jiao is a Daoist ceremony in which a ritual altar is established and rites are performed to seek blessings from the deities and avert calamity.

I respectfully submit that the Seven Governors—the deities who oversee the movements of the Sun, Moon, and five planets—are august gods, and that the Five Mysterious Elders, revered deities who command the spiritual energies of the five directions, are ancient and wondrous divine beings. They hold their stations at the North Pole and govern the central heavens. They examine and oversee the fortunes and misfortunes of the lands below, the blessings and calamities brought by celestial signs, the Five Phases and six Qi, the Three Destinies and Nine Palaces, and the rise, decline, and transformations of all things.

I have seen that warfare has continued for a long time, leaving the people exhausted and suffering for years. Thinking of the hardships endured by these living beings, I feel a pain as sharp as if it were inflicted on my own flesh. Now, taking the opportunity to perform this Jiao ritual—a Daoist rite in which an altar is set up to honor the gods and seek their protection—I pray with all sincerity. May my earnest appeal reach the Purple Tenuity, the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor. With utmost sincerity, I bow and address the gods of the celestial signs, begging them to show compassion, look upon us, and send down good fortune. May the baleful forces in the countryside be dispelled, and the calamity stars withdraw from the Well Network, the ancient celestial region often associated with the Shu lands. May all of Sichuan enjoy peace and well-being, and may all things flourish anew. May weapons of war be laid aside forever, restoring blessings and longevity.

May the gloom across the Nine Heavens disperse, so that people may once again bathe in the light of the Sun and Moon. May the smoke and dust of war over the Three Shu lands recede, allowing them once more to receive Heaven’s beneficence, like clouds and thunder. I am deeply grateful for the compassionate protection bestowed by the Imperial Lord.

This prayer was used in a Jiao ritual performed for the Lord of Sichuan, Lord Zhou, the Empress of the Earth throughout the heavens, and the various gods.

I humbly submit that this place is a celebrated district in the Heavenly Prefecture, the honored name for Chengdu, and a secluded part of the Lesser City. It is a blessed land protected by dragon spirits and an important territory guarded by the awe-inspiring might of the Celestial Emperor. I am an ordinary, insignificant person, yet I was entrusted with guarding this place and charged with an important duty by the court, to govern this region. Ten years have now passed. Every day I feel profound reverence and dare not grow lax.

When I first took office, the situation was already dire. The Yellow Turban forces had invaded the Qin region, and the emperor traveled in a carriage adorned with kingfisher feathers to Shu. Court officials and a great many attendants stayed here with him for five years. I exerted all my strength to sustain the state through this crisis, and with sincere devotion to the country, took part in restoring and upholding the court. Later, as the emperor was returning to the capital, generals rose in rebellion and seized the chance to attack: Xiusheng gathered troops at Xialai, while Guo Qi raised his forces among the central army. The rebellion drew close to the imperial carriage and threw the court into great turmoil. Fortunately, through the emperor’s wise and mighty leadership and the protection of the spirits, the rebels were successively subdued, and the emperor’s journey was secured. I am deeply grateful for the spirits’ protection and have kept it ever in my heart.

Now the times remain unsettled. People rebel without restraint, and the emperor has once again set out, following the course of events, and arrived at Chencang. The Central Plains have been ravaged by fire and war, and nowhere in the realm is at peace. Though I am troubled by the affairs of state and urgently wish to assist the sovereign, I cannot show the devotion of Ji Shao: mountains and rivers stand in the way, and I cannot reach the emperor’s side. I can only weep in vain like Yuan An, unable to accompany and protect the imperial procession. I reflect that the spirits’ divine power must surely extend its grace to aid the state. I therefore hold a jiao rite, setting up an altar to pray and petition the spirits, and respectfully seek their response.

I earnestly ask the spirits to bestow their grace in upholding the righteous way and to help bring the emperor’s journey safely to its end. Lend, even briefly, your power to punish evil and completely sweep away the leaders of the rebellion. May the emperor return to the upper capital, and may the foundations of the state endure for generations. I will offer peppered wine in sacrifice and repay the spirits’ benevolent grace for years to come. Your servant, filled with earnest feeling, lays bare his heart and prays with reverence.

“Prayer for a Transformative Jiao Rite at Mount Ge Xian”

That immortal mountain rises in majestic stillness, guarding the earth. Its eighty-one caves seem to spread the light of the sun and moon beneath the ground, while twenty-four peaks encircle it amid the rosy clouds on the horizon. In secret, the mountain governs sin and blessing, presiding over all living beings in the world.

I have long admired the mysterious Way and, from an early age, revered purity, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action). Fortunate to live in a wise and enlightened age, I had the honor of serving the ruler. My heart often dreams of the numinous mountain, and I cherish the aspiration to roam freely. Yet worldly duties have kept me bound, and I have never been able to fulfill this wish.

Now, in mid-autumn, the rites call for an offering to the mountain. I gaze toward its verdant peaks, far removed from the dusty human world, and so reverently set up a Zhaijiao altar—a ritual space for prayers and offerings to the gods—to express my sincere wishes. I respectfully invite the mountain’s divine spirits to descend: may you briefly leave your immortal palaces in the eight directions, ride beneath tiger banners and dragon pennants, and come here upon cranes and swans. May you accept this modest offering and grant us your special blessings.

May the crops be abundant and calamities cease; may both the unseen realm and the human world receive blessings, and may family and state enjoy peace. May the emperor’s fortune stand firm as a high mountain, and may the Tang dynasty’s destiny endure for generations. I will surely keep my heart pure and serve the numinous radiance of the gods. I bow in fear and trembling.

Prayer for the Nine-Star Zhaijiao of the River Lord.

I have heard that the Nine Sovereigns, rulers of the heavens, govern the celestial realm and preside over the stars from the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, the region where the Celestial Emperor dwells. The Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets—shine forth and govern the stars near the ecliptic. The Star Sheti directs the movements of all things, while the Star Zhaoyao governs the spirits. People’s lives and deaths, good and ill fortune, are all connected to the duties of these stars and spirits.

In the year of my birth, this month, Mars, the Dark Luminary, a baleful star, and the Gang Star, associated with calamity, have all moved into the position of my natal star. I am deeply afraid and worry that disaster may befall me. I therefore sincerely pray to Heaven for protection and respectfully perform a grand Zhaijiao, doing all I can to convey my earnest intentions. I humbly ask the Nine Sages to bestow their compassionate grace and descend with blessings in the Celestial Emperor’s carriage. I ask the Seven Perfected, revered Daoist deities, to grant their favor, turn the handle of the Northern Dipper, and drive away the baleful stars.

May the movements of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions all bring good fortune, and may the stars of the Twelve Palaces, the twelve divisions of the ecliptic, forever dispel hardship. I vow to remain steadfast in loyalty and sincerity, in repayment for the kindness of the spirits. I am filled with fear and reverence.

Prayer for a Zhaijiao to Harmonize the Central Heavens

My abilities are mediocre and my understanding shallow, yet I have been entrusted with great responsibility, raised to high office, and appointed a senior minister in a regional command. Though I have devoted myself to supporting the sovereign, I have not achieved the merit of aiding my ruler. Of late, warfare has raged in every direction, and the court has known no peace. Warhorses gallop and chariots set out for battle. Some close attendants have rebelled; some distant governors have betrayed the kindness shown to them. The rebellion had only just been suppressed and the emperor brought back when I heard that troops were to be sent on another campaign, and the emperor was once again on the move. As a minister, how could I not feel anger and grief? So I burned incense and sat in silent reflection, praying for the blessings left by the Sacred Ancestor. I submitted a memorial asking the spirits for aid, hoping that troops from the underworld, as Daoist belief conceives them, would come to our assistance. Indeed, the false king and treacherous ministers were successively destroyed, and the ferocious general Zhu Zhi was put to death. I knew that this was all due to the spirits’ unseen protection, and my reverence and devotion grew all the stronger.

Recently, the star Taiyi, an important star in Daoist astrology, moved across the sky and shone over Shu. The Five Planets—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—shifted position, some entering the sectors associated with people’s birth destinies. I feared these were signs brought on by my meager virtue, and that calamities might follow one after another. I therefore remained constantly alert and dared not take my ease. Later, Zheng Junxiong and Han Qiu joined forces in two places, suddenly raised troops, severed the bonds of trust with the court, invaded the border defenses, slaughtered the people, and burned cities and towns. Several provinces were plunged into turmoil, and within a thousand li the land lay devastated. I grieved for the people, wronged and suffering, with pain that cut to the bone. So I prayed upward to the Great Dao and sincerely entreated the spirits. My first concern was for the country and its people, never for private gain. Heaven then brought the calamity to an end, and the Great Dao sent divine aid: those who had secretly plotted rebellion were quickly put to death, and their followers were also hunted down. The border was once again secure, and the regions ravaged by war gradually began to recover. Han Qiu was defeated and Zheng Junxiong was killed. The roads are slowly reopening, and the people’s grievances will soon be redressed.

Yet many were killed and wounded in the campaigns to suppress the rebellion. When I think of Heaven’s intention to cherish life, I am shaken with grief. How could I be at peace? And when I think of the souls of the dead wandering in the underworld, my sorrow grows all the harder to bear. So I gathered my spirit in quiet reflection, bowed respectfully, and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the divine. I performed rites of thanks and atonement, and earnestly prayed to Heaven and Earth. I hoped that the Mysterious Sage, a divine being revered in Daoism, would recognize my sincerity and descend to the pure altar, bestow abundant grace, pardon faults and offenses, and put an end to calamity, so that the living might be at peace and the dead might travel safely along their shadowy paths.

I have also heard that the stars all circle the North Pole, and the rivers all flow toward the sea. Yet those rebels who refuse the king’s civilizing rule have dared to defy the Dao of Heaven. They have entrenched themselves in neighboring regions, extending their power across several provinces. Their mountain strongholds face one another, and they have long committed evil. Relying on the strength of their bands, they have gathered followers armed with hoes and clubs, and for nearly twenty years have refused to submit to the court’s civilizing influence. Now is the time to seize the opportunity and swiftly crush them, rooting out treachery for the sake of the state and removing a threat to the people. Once again I beseech divine power to lend the army its might and cow the enemy. Fengdu, the Daoist underworld, has an army of three hundred thousand that can drive away baleful and calamitous forces; Dongquan has twenty-five generals who can subdue demons and their followers. The righteous path punishes evil, and the spirits aid those who follow Heaven’s Dao. I therefore again pour out my sincerity and beg the spirits to heed this memorial and grant their protection, so that Changzhou, Luzhou, Zizhou, and other places may forever be free from the calamity of rebellion, and so that forests and thickets may never again become battlefields. May everyone know that this is the grace of the emperor, and may the sovereign’s good name and songs of good rule once again resound.

When the matter is settled, may merits be assessed and rewards bestowed, and may I enter the court to submit my memorial. Then may bows be put away and armor removed, warhorses turned out to pasture and oxen allowed to rest. May harmony between sovereign and ministers endure, and may the Way of mutual understanding between ruler and subject be fully realized. May the Great Dao clearly perceive this earnest and sincere petition. With reverence and urgency, I devote myself wholeheartedly and pray for its gracious protection. I respectfully submit this petition.

With reverence, we hear that the Great Dao, the fundamental law of the cosmos, puts its power to work, harmonizing and bringing all things to completion. The true spirits each have their own duties and govern the living. The illustrious deities of the Water Realm and the righteous gods of the mountains and forests each command fortune and misfortune and protect the people.

Our county lies upstream. It has long been a large and busy district, with heavy taxes and corvée burdens and flourishing agriculture. The embankments are vital to the people’s safety. The embankment under my charge stands where the current runs swift, and since the floods began, it has been washed away again and again. We once worked day and night, giving everything we had to repair it, yet soon after it was rebuilt, we heard that it had collapsed once more. Is the current here simply too powerful to hold back? Or is the Dragon God at work, making it impossible to seal the breach? I am overwhelmed with worry and fear, yet have nowhere to turn in prayer.

Grain is the foundation on which the people depend for survival, and the people are the foundation of the state. If the autumn harvest fails, famine will surely follow. What is more, this land is fertile and connected by its terrain to the lower reaches; the households of Shaocheng also lie close to the waterways. Should floodwaters strike, they will inevitably bring disasters such as silt deposits. To save the people from the waters, we must rely on the might of the deities.

We respectfully ask the Great Dao to grant its favor and the illustrious deities to look upon us with compassion. Have mercy on the fields and keep the people in mind. Unfathomable divine power, please come forth; draw upon the selfless power of the holy ones and send down special protection, so that this region may remain safe and free from harm, millet and grain may be harvested year after year, and the granaries may be filled. May the calamity of floodwaters that surge to the sky and engulf the hills subside, and may our wish for abundant harvests, plentiful goods, and a prosperous people be fulfilled. We offer water plants in earnest devotion; how could we ever fail to honor the deities’ grace? We respectfully make this prayer.

Text for the Five Talismans Stone Inscription of the River Lord’s Jiao Offering

The Three Treasures (Dao, scripture, and teacher) open the light, and from them the Five Talismans, ritual writings endowed with Daoist power, arise and transform. Coalescing the forces of Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal…

The Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the master, revered in Daoism—open the way to illumination. The Five Writings, five kinds of talismanic script symbolizing the generation of all things between Heaven and Earth, give birth to the myriad beings. By gathering the Qi of Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal, they form celestial writings resembling clouds, rosy mists, dragons, and phoenixes. They can protect and regulate Heaven and Earth, bringing calm and peace to the four quarters. Later, these methods were transmitted down to the human world to save and protect living beings. Xia Yu used them to accomplish his great work of controlling the floods; Confucius revered them and composed poems in their praise. Whether governing a household or a state, no one could do so without following and practicing them. People therefore used them to command and pacify the spirits, guard mountains and rivers, dispel calamities and strange portents, and purify palace precincts. Even when building a residence, they performed rites to protect the home and avert misfortune.

I, your subject, recently built a residence within my jurisdiction. When the work was complete, I held a grand Great Offering, a large Daoist Zhaijiao rite for blessings. The ceremony followed the prescriptions of the Chart of the Yellow River and the rites of the Lingbao school. I inscribed and carved true talismans, burned incense, and honored the Dao. I hoped thereby to dispel the misfortune caused by offending the spirits, settle the righteous gods, and invite the numinous officials—the Daoist protector deities—to guard the residence for a long time. I humbly pray that the Mysterious Origin, the Daoist honorific for Laozi, look down upon me and grant protection; that all the sages extend their compassion; and that the spirits in every office bestow auspicious signs and blessings, so that the residence may be peaceful and my family healthy.

My residence lies near the region of the Celestial Sovereign’s great Fire, and is also connected with my life palace, the astrological palace representing me. It may therefore lie within the reach of their influence. At this thought, I am filled with fear, and on reflecting upon myself I feel apprehensive. I therefore look up to the blessed mountain of my natal destiny and the assembled celestial immortals, pray throughout the Three Periods—the Upper, Middle, and Lower—and devoutly supplicate the Nine Luminaries, the nine celestial bodies of Daoist and astrological belief. I earnestly ask the perfected spirits of the grotto heavens to come to the altar, and the revered Lord of the Mysterious Heaven to descend and bestow grace. Grant me auspicious omens and blessing talismans; dispel the period of calamity and misfortune, and protect me, so that my home and family may enjoy peace and well-being.

I further pray that the dynasty’s foundations endure as long as Heaven, and that the enlightened reign remain as steadfast as the mountains. May the times in the Yi and Luo river region align with the restoration of the dynasty; may the people between the Eight Rivers and Three Mountains live in peace, and may all under Heaven be clear and tranquil. May warfare cease throughout the Nine Provinces, and may the four quarters share unified institutions and customs. I shall remain loyal and steadfast, serving the wise ruler for a long time. Overcome with fear, I respectfully submit this petition.

Prayer composed by the King of Shu for a rite at the Jade Bureau to address a lunar eclipse affecting his life palace: This is a prayer written by the King of Shu when he held a Zhaijiao rite at the Jade Bureau because a lunar eclipse was affecting his natal palace.

The Dao is wondrous and inexhaustible. From it arises the primordial Qi, the fundamental energy through which all things in Heaven and Earth come into being. It illumines the sun, moon, and stars, setting the Three Lights in their places in the sky; it also moves the Six Qi, such as Yin and Yang, wind and rain, through the heavens. The Dao brings forth and shapes the myriad things, nurturing all living beings so they may grow in harmony. It also holds authority over the alternation of cold and heat, warmth and coolness, keeping the workings of government in balance.

Thus the Five Planets carry out the talismanic commands of the Great Emperor, overseeing the discernment of good and evil, guilt and blessing. The Ten Spirits obey the commands of the Supreme One (Taiyi), governing fortune and misfortune. The calendar and the times set by Heaven cannot be deceived; people throughout the ages have been subject to their influence.

I have had the good fortune to live in a sage and enlightened age and to receive exceptional favor. The mountains and rivers under my administration occupy a strategic region of Jingluo, the ancient celestial territory associated with Shu, while my fiefdom lies in an important part of the southwest. I am often anxious that an excess of good fortune may bring disaster, and truly fear that calamities may beset me. Now, my virtue is shallow and my cultivation inadequate, and Heaven has sent warnings: on the first day of the month, the sun was eclipsed as it shone over the corresponding quarter; after the fifteenth, the moon waned, falling in my Body Palace, the astrological sector associated with my person. The flying Fire Star, an inauspicious star, has entered my natal branch; my Ganlu and Nayin, methods of divination based on the Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, and Five Phases, have likewise encountered declining Qi. I fear these signs may bring calamity, and my anxiety is profound.

Therefore, in accordance with the sacred regulations governing Daoist rites, I have offered my utmost sincerity. At the Jade Office, I present incense and offerings; at the Jade Altar, I perform a Jiao rite, setting up an altar to honor the deities and pray for blessings and the dispelling of calamity. I look up to the Three Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—and pray for their grace. I offer prayers throughout the heavens to all the divine spirits. I earnestly beseech them to look down with discernment and grant peace and protection; to bestow auspicious blessings upon the Three Destinies and Five Phases of my life, and to dispel the calamities associated with my Body Palace. I also beseech them to remove all harms arising from past events, wrongful killings, debts incurred in former times, and enmities from past lives, so that I may enjoy lasting peace and good fortune.

I further pray that the fortunes of the state may endure and the emperor’s sacred life be prolonged; that the prosperity of Qin and the Han be restored, and that a capital at Luoyang may rival the flourishing of the Zhou. May warfare cease, and may the people of the Central Lands and the four quarters find peace and recover. May I be able to devote my whole heart to serving the state and receive Heaven’s protection. I pray with deep sincerity and respectfully set forth these words.

Prayer for a Jiao Rite to Protect the Home

I have heard that Dao Qi (the vital energy underlying the movement of the cosmos) circulates between Heaven and Earth, and thus Heaven, Earth, and humanity—the Three Powers—came to stand apart. As the patterns of Yin and Yang unfolded and changed, Water and Wood began to show signs of generating one another. People gradually left their cave dwellings and began building houses. They then built and renovated in accord with the two Qi of Yin and Yang, and arranged their building practices according to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). All this depends on the wondrous power of transformation and nurture that shelters all living beings.

My talents are meager and my understanding dull; I do not grasp profound principles. When I altered and repaired my house as circumstances and means allowed, I failed to heed the taboos governing construction. The digging and cutting also caused disturbance. Some of the work violated the King’s Direction, a taboo concerning orientation; some went against the Way of Heaven. As a result, the Dragon Spirits, the deities who guard the dwelling, could not remain in peace, and the place of residence was no longer fitting. I fear this may bring misfortune and decline, and lead in turn to calamity.

With sincere hearts, we turn to the Great Dao and bow before the Three Venerable Ones, the three supreme deities honored in Daoism. In accordance with the Bright Statutes of Lingbao, the ritual rules of the Lingbao tradition, we perform the Great Offering to the Five Emperors, a Zhaijiao rite honoring the Five Emperors of the five directions. With reverence, we repent and confess our faults, and respectfully request talismanic writs. We repent for past offenses and violations of taboo, and pray to receive blessings of peace in the days to come. We earnestly ask Heaven and Earth to bestow auspicious signs, and the Five Emperors to grant their blessings: may evil be dispelled and the Dragon Spirits guard the dwelling. May all who live in the house be safe and at peace; may daily life be healthy and tranquil, livelihoods prosper, and benefits and protection be ever at hand. May public and private affairs proceed smoothly and harmoniously, and may family and kin live in peace. In this way, we may forever receive the gracious protection of the many venerable deities of the Most High and the Five Emperors. Filled with apprehension, we respectfully submit this petition.

Prayer for the Offering at the Eight Seasonal Festivals.

The Great Dao teaches and transforms; primordial Qi, the fundamental energy that constitutes Heaven, Earth, and all things, flows forth and gives rise to the myriad beings. It creates and nurtures living things, giving each its own differences of purity and turbidity, firmness and softness. It also orders the eight seasonal nodes—the eight points in the year that mark the changing seasons—and establishes the sequence of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Thus the Great Dao also examines fortune and misfortune and governs sin and blessing. Its grace extends throughout the state and the family, and is bestowed equally upon the living and the dead.

We, your servants, are fortunate to have been born in a flourishing age and have long revered the teachings of the Dao. By the power of the divine spirits, we have been able to live and grow; through sacred power, all things have been brought into form. We privately reflect that, in making our way through worldly life, people inevitably commit faults. Across past and present lives, we must also have accumulated sins and failings. Perhaps we have encountered misfortune in the Five Phases and the Three Destinies, a system of divination that infers fate from the Five Phases and one’s birth date and time, or have suffered setbacks under the influence of dark and bright stars, the inauspicious and auspicious stars of astral divination. These thoughts fill us with worry and fear, and so we wish to establish a Jiao offering and pray.

Now, at this auspicious hour and festive season, we wish to offer our wholehearted devotion together. This is a day when the seasons turn and a new seasonal cycle begins, and when the Great Sage widely bestows compassion. We sincerely pray for the spirits to nurture and transform us. Bowing before the Jade Altar, the place where ritual offerings are performed, we have prepared pure incense and flowers and respectfully conduct the Jiao ritual in prayer. We beg the exalted and venerable ones to look upon us and grant their protection, and all the sages to show compassion and mercy, bestowing boundless kindness and lasting blessings.

May the sins and vexations accumulated over our many lives, the enmities formed across generations, and the faults of the past and misfortunes yet to come all be dispelled through the renewing power of the eight seasonal nodes. May the Three Palaces, the three celestial courts of the Daoist heavens, extend their pardoning grace, cleanse them all away, and grant us peace and good fortune forever. May our Nine Mysterious and Seven Ancestral forebears, our ancestors through the generations, enjoy blessings in the Southern Palace, and may our relatives and loved ones be removed from the register of the dead in the Northern Office, the divine bureau that governs the dead. May public and private affairs alike proceed in harmony, and may our years, blessings, and emoluments endure. Thus may we, your servants, forever receive the protection of all the sages, with gratitude beyond measure.

Prayer for the All-Heaven Jiao Offering by the Supervising General Zhou

It is said that the Great Dao is undivided and all-pervading, while the myriad things each manifest in their own way. As Yin and Yang rise and descend, the principles of fortune and misfortune begin to take shape; as good and evil cycle in turn, the registers recording sin and blessing are established. The Jade Void appoints …

I have heard that the Great Dao embraces and unites all things, bringing them into view throughout Heaven and Earth. Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang) move back and forth, rising and descending, and by this the principles of good and ill fortune are distinguished. Good and evil turn in endless cycles, giving rise to records of sin and blessing. The Great Emperor of the Jade Void and the Primordial Sovereign of the Golden Gate command the various perfected spirits, each to fulfill their office and oversee affairs in the human realm. The Three Officials and Five Emperors urge people toward good and punish wrongdoing; the Southern Dipper and Northern Pole administer the registers of life and death. The laws governing Heaven and Earth are complete, and remain free of error through countless kalpas. Thus Daoist scriptures record methods of cultivation and averting calamity; they also set out clear rites and liturgical procedures for praying to Heaven and repenting.

I revere the boundless compassion of the gods, and venture to express my humble wishes. I have been fortunate to live in an age of peace and prosperity, and to receive extraordinary favor. Yet I reflect that I am a worldly person, dwelling in this life, serving my sovereign and supporting my parents, while seeking to extend the principles of good household governance to the state. Though I strive to remain loyal and diligent in my duties, I have found it hard to bring about blessings, while faults are easily accumulated.

Recently, while accompanying and guarding the imperial procession, I found myself amid danger and distress. Rebels, like wolves and swine, assailed the court, and dark clouds obscured the sun. Though auspicious energy from the mountains protected the imperial carriage, the roads to the capital remained shrouded in the smoke of rebellion. It was a time for loyal and righteous men to risk themselves, a time for ministers to give their lives in service. I was able to support the imperial authority with my own hands, stand firm and break through the crisis, and at last restore order to the court, giving all my loyalty. Afterward, I received rewards beyond the usual measure and was suddenly burdened with grave responsibilities: commanding the soldiers in camp after camp and guarding a thousand miles of frontier. I am ashamed of my lack of skill in governing and caring for others, and remain filled with caution and apprehension.

I fear that in past and present lives, through kalpas without end, I have failed to understand the right Dao and have therefore often committed offenses. At times I have acted against the principles of Heaven and Earth; at others I have violated human feeling and harmed the nature of living things. I have accumulated all manner of entanglements outside myself, while within, afflictions such as greed have arisen. At times I may have helped bring things into accord with the Dao of Heaven and root out treachery, punished wickedness and assisted the sovereign’s commands. Yet I may also have harmed or killed others, deliberately or unknowingly, or made errors in enforcing the law and upholding order. Calamity may also have come upon me through the movements of the stars and planets, the influence of the times, or periods of decline and danger in my allotted fate. Within the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) and Nine Palaces are patterns of punishment, conflict, and obstruction; records of enmities and debts are also examined in the unseen realm. Such hidden and subtle matters are beyond the knowledge of ordinary people. I can only rely on cultivation and devoted practice, praying to the mysterious Great Dao in hope of receiving its response and protection.

Therefore, following the prescribed forms of Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and offering, I have studied the sacred liturgy of Zhengzhou, devoted myself with utmost sincerity, and laid my case before the divine beings of Heaven and Earth. I respectfully perform this offering rite to express reverence and devotion. I beseech the honored gods of the Three Treasures to turn their divine light toward me, and all the sages and perfected beings to look upon me: forgive my past offenses and grant me special blessings; remove my name from the register of sins and enter it in the register of the virtuous; resolve my enmities and debts, and cleanse me of calamity and danger. May the Nine Ancestral Spirits and Seven Forebears—ancestors from generations near and distant—receive grace together, and may the Six Affinal Relations and Nine Clans—my relations by marriage and my kin—bathe in mysterious compassion. May the region be peaceful and the people live in harmony; may illness and disaster vanish from the world, and joyful songs rise from the fields. May the divine light also shine upon the underworld, and may birds, beasts, and the tiniest living creatures all receive its nourishing grace.

I also pray that the affairs of state be stable, that the sovereign enjoy health of body and mind, and that weapons be laid aside and peace prevail throughout the realm. May the imperial carriage soon return to the Qin capital, and may the institutions and laws of the state once again be established at court. I gaze up toward the sun in Heaven; though my words have ended, my thoughts still fly after it, beyond my power to restrain.

With reverence, we hear that the wish of the Great Dao is for the state to be peaceful and secure, for the sovereign to enjoy health of body and mind, for warfare to cease, and for all the people beneath Heaven to live in peace and happiness. May the imperial carriage soon return to the Qin capital, Chang’an, and may the rites and teachings of Daoism once again shine forth at the palace gates. Gazing up at the vast sky, the sun, and the moon, our hearts are filled with longing. As soon as we give voice to our thoughts, our spirits race after them, beyond our control.

With reverence, we hear that the Great Dao spreads forth radiance, through which the three numinous powers of Heaven, Earth, and humanity come into being and transformation. Heaven and Earth set the places of human beings and the myriad things, and the ten thousand kinds of change each follow their own course. The Qi (vital energy) received by people differs in purity and turbidity, just as their fates differ in good fortune and misfortune. Once darkness and light are distinguished, sins and blessings likewise become apparent. Therefore, the Most High, a revered Daoist deity, extends compassion widely, while the Primal Worthy, a venerable Daoist deity, pities and protects all living beings. In the south stands the Office for Extending Life; in the north are established the laws for examining good conduct. The constellations are arrayed across the heavens and shine impartially upon the human world. The Three Officials and Five Emperors, deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water and the affairs of humankind, grant pardons and govern all beings. These arrangements are all intended to help living beings follow the Way of Wuwei (non-action) together, attain a state of stillness and purity, cultivate the fruit of the Dao, and take their place among the ranks of the immortals and perfected beings.

We, your subjects, are fortunate to receive the protection of the deities’ merit and to live in a time when the state flourishes. We have been able to hear the wondrous teachings of the profound Dao and Confucian traditions, and to walk the great path of benevolence, righteousness, peace, and well-being. At rest, it is as though we drink the wine of Emperor Yao; as we walk, we sing the praises of the wise sovereign’s virtue. When we consider ourselves and reflect on our words and deeds, we feel both joy and deep apprehension. We think, however, of how we have conducted ourselves in past lives and this life, and how often we have strayed from the proper course, offending the laws of the unseen world and the human realm. The greedy attachments stirred by the six emotions are difficult to remove, and the errors accumulated through the three actions of body, speech, and mind are not easily repaid. The registers of Wenchang, the deity who records human deeds and misdeeds, have yet to enter our names among the virtuous; in the palaces of Fengdu, the underworld, our offenses have already been marked down.

We also fear that calamities may befall us in the coming year, or that the stars may come into conflict with our fate; that we may violate taboos through building or construction, or incur enmity through intentional injury or accidental killing. Such things may secretly diminish our years and quietly drain away our blessings and emoluments. Without the aid of a sacred Zhaijiao (purification ritual), it would be difficult to express the depth of our sincere devotion.

Now, at dawn in the clear autumn season, when the White Dew has fallen, is the time to repent our sins and pray to the true gods; it is also a moment to seek grace and invite blessings. Therefore, with hearts filled with reverence, we join together in sincere devotion, take refuge in the Supreme Dao, present our ritual offering, and bow before the sacred altar. We lay our hearts open to Heaven, look up toward the starry palaces, and focus our prayers. We respectfully pray that the Three Primordial High Sages, the revered deities who govern the upper, middle, and lower realms; the honored beings of the ten realms; the mighty deity of the Southern Pole; and the divine officials of the Northern Terrace will recognize our devotion and send down divine light and numinous responses.

May blessings extend to the living and the dead, and may calamities and misfortunes be forever dispelled. May our nine generations of ancestors, both near and distant, be born in the heavens, and may our kin and family all find peace. May every sin and fault be erased, may blessings, emoluments, and years of life be extended, may our homes be pure and tranquil, and may our hopes be fulfilled. May the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) and the Three Destinies, the personal fates calculated through the Five Phases and destiny analysis, remain forever free of harmful clashes and calamities. May our households and public affairs enjoy lasting blessings of good fortune and smooth success.

Vow Offering to Repay the Northern Dipper by Zhang Daoheng

The patterns of the stars in heaven appear in advance, and nothing among the myriad things escapes their light. The Northern Dipper, the Emperor’s chariot, circles through the heavens; among living beings, none who seeks a response fails to find a connection. Though I dwell in a low and obscure place, I have received the scrutiny and protection of the divine powers.

In the second year of Dashun (the reign title of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, 891–894), I was once caught in grave danger, with my life at risk. I therefore prayed earnestly to Heaven and made a sincere vow, pledging an offering of one hundred thousand strings of cash. Before long, I was restored to safety and cleared of blame. My life, as lowly as an ant’s, was spared, yet I have not repaid the kindness of the divine powers.

Later, I traveled far and labored in the north and south, but the right opportunity never came, and I was unable to repay the kindness I had received. Anxiety and fear weighed on my heart, disturbing my sleep and appetite. Now I sincerely turn toward the teachings of the divine powers. Before the sacred altar, I bow in reverence, prepare incense and lamps with devotion, carefully perform a Daoist purification rite to offer to the gods and pray for blessings in fulfillment of my vow, and present sacrificial wine.

Beginning in the fourth month of this year and continuing through this month, I have made five offerings of money, bringing the total to one hundred thousand strings. I have also commissioned eight statues of the True Lords of the Northern Dipper in the Hall of the Northern Emperor at Yuju Temple, to express the earnest wish I have always held and repay the divine powers’ kindness. I respectfully beg the sacred and compassionate ones to look down upon me and accept these offerings, so that the vow I made in the past may be fulfilled and my wish today brought to completion.

May past karmic offenses be erased and lingering calamities washed away; may enmities be reconciled, and may both lifespan and official stipend increase and endure. May auspicious and favorable days attend both public and private affairs, and may my family and dependents enjoy health and well-being. May the living and the dead alike be at peace, and may all things receive grace. My gratitude is beyond measure.

Purification Offering for the Residence of the Army’s Vice Commissioner

With reverence, I declare: The Great Dao brings together the true and the wondrous, and the Heavenly Worthies proclaim its teachings. The era of Red Radiance governs transformation, and the Numinous Treasure opens the scriptures and charts.

May auspicious and favorable days attend both public and private affairs, and may my family and dependents enjoy health and well-being. May the living and the dead alike be at peace, and may all things receive grace. My gratitude is beyond measure.

Purification Offering for the Residence of the Army’s Vice Commissioner

I have heard that the Great Dao is perfectly integrated and wondrously true, and that the Celestial Worthy proclaims its teachings. At the time of the Red Brightness kalpa, the Lingbao scriptures were opened and passed down. The texts of the Eight Assemblies took shape in the vast heavens, while the numinous traces of the Five Talismans appeared plainly in the human world. The Five Emperors use them to guide and transform living beings; the Nine Heavens use them to establish their respective stations. Descending into the human world, they protect the state and aid the people, subdue violence and evil, and destroy malign spirits. All building and construction may be carried out in accordance with their prescribed rites.

Recently, I have been repairing my residence, and the work is nearly complete. I fear that something may have been disturbed during construction, yet it is difficult to investigate every matter thoroughly. I therefore respectfully follow the esoteric regulations and request that a talismanic command rite be performed. Let the Yellow Register rite be conducted, with a memorial submitted to the Pure Capital in the celestial realm. Inscribe the talismanic texts of the Great Emperors of the Five Directions, and follow the Three Caverns’ prescribed methods for suppressing and dispelling calamities: report below to the spirits of the Five Soils and petition above the heavens of the Nine Subtle Realms. I beseech all the sages to extend their compassion, and all numinous beings to offer sincere protection. Command the talismanic officials to convey the order and inform the authorities in every quarter. May their awe-inspiring presence descend and true Qi be bestowed; may demons and monsters be swept away and the dragon spirits find peace. Let the Eight Trigrams, Nine Palaces, Five Phases, Six Jia, the Yin-Yang forces of punishment and destruction, and the General of the Year each guard their own direction, forever removing calamity.

May the lurking corpse’s stagnant former Qi, the malign essences of metal and earth, the lingering wandering souls, and the shadowy, hidden spirits all depart in peace through the benevolent power of this rite. May the residence be at peace and enjoy blessings for a long time. I am fearful and unsettled, and respectfully make this plea.

“Prayer for the Universal Triple Assembly Rite of Repair”

I pray that the lurking corpse’s stagnant former Qi, the malign essences of metal and earth, the lingering wandering souls, and the shadowy, hidden spirits may all depart in peace through the benevolent power of the rite, so that the residence may be at peace and enjoy blessings for a long time. I am fearful and unsettled, and respectfully make this plea.

“Prayer for the Universal Triple Assembly Rite of Repair”

It is said that human beings survive through the two primal energies of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang form the human body, while the hun and po souls guard it. Even a slight imbalance in these energies may bring misfortune. On the Three Assembly Days, important occasions for Daoist purification rites and prayers, the three souls report people’s conduct to the gods of Heaven. No detail of a person’s sins, blessings, good fortune, or misfortune goes unrecorded. The gods may add to a person’s years or shorten their life, rewarding and punishing with fairness. We should therefore accumulate good deeds. If we have done wrong, we must make amends through meritorious deeds, seeking good fortune and the preservation of a long life. These are clear teachings in the sayings of the holy sages of the Mystery and in the true scriptures. How could we fail to follow them and use them to discipline our minds and bodies?

For many years, whenever the Lower Assembly Day, one of the Daoist Three Assembly Days, has come around, we, your servants, have gathered to perform prayers and purification rites, devoting ourselves to burning incense and spiritual practice. Yesterday, entangled in worldly affairs, we happened to miss this auspicious day. Anxious and on our guard, we have found no peace of mind. Now we have chosen another auspicious day, invited virtuous companions, and prepared incense together, specifically to perform purification rites and offer prayers.

In the still, cold night, we, your servants, focus our thoughts, trusting that the true spirits will surely descend, and sincerely hope our prayers will reach the heavens. We humbly ask the myriad saints to look down upon us and the thousand perfected ones to take heed. Grant blessings in response to our prayers and dispel calamity and danger. Settle our souls, each in its proper place, so that people may fulfill their hopes of cultivating themselves and nourishing life. Turn ill fortune around and transform misfortune into good fortune, opening for all the way to longevity and well-being.

Some among us, your servants, have diminished life fortunes; some face obstruction in the fortunes of their Nine Palaces. Some are under the influence of ill-omened stars, with calamities clinging to them; some have old debts unpaid and lingering misfortunes unresolved; some have accumulated faults through deliberate injury or accidental killing. We now pray that all these afflictions be swept away, and that we receive the radiant protection of the gods, so our whole families may be blessed and our nine generations of ancestors may ascend to Heaven. May both public and private affairs proceed auspiciously and smoothly, and may our family and kin also receive the blessings of peace and good health.

The sun, moon, and stars hang high in the sky, shining upon all things. The stars reveal the patterns of Heaven and govern the myriad kinds of beings in the world. The Southern Dipper and Wenchang, the star deity who oversees literary distinction and official registers, preside over registers and records. They are the source of Yang Qi, which warms and nourishes all things, and they also govern the emperor’s lifespan.

According to the scriptures Tianyuan, Shangqing, and others, if the fifth day of the fifth month falls on a Bingwu day, good fortune can be opened, grace bestowed, and life sustained. All things will benefit, living beings of every kind will dwell in harmony and peace, and the state will be secure. Through the protection of Yang Virtue, all people may enjoy its blessings.

This year, the four planets Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn gathered in the celestial region of Shishen, and their courses also carried them through the region occupied by the sun. Their positions all showed them in favorable alignment. On the first day of the fifth month, a solar eclipse should have occurred, yet none did; on the fifteenth, a lunar eclipse should have appeared, yet the moon did not wane. This was because the fifth day of the fifth month fell on a Bingwu day, manifesting the response of pure Yang Qi.

I know myself to be shallow in talent and understanding, yet I revere and receive the wondrous merit of the Dao. I am ashamed that my teaching and governance remain incomplete, and concerned that their influence has not yet spread widely. I therefore respectfully pray that divine grace may flow forth and blessings descend upon me. May the Great Dao extend its compassion; may Heaven grant its protection, so that customs throughout the Nine Provinces and Four Seas may be peaceful and the people enjoy well-being. May harvests be abundant, the six Qi of Yin-Yang harmonious, the seasons regular, and the four quarters of the year proceed smoothly.

May warfare cease throughout the world. May bows be laid aside and weapons put away, and may warhorses return to the fields while oxen and horses rest. May all people receive the auspicious blessing of preserving their lives, and may the virtue of cherishing life be widely upheld. I quiet my mind in the Forbidden Precinct of the Elixir, where purification rites are held in the palace, and bow before the Mystic Altar, the Daoist site for offering sacrifice to the gods. I look upward, hoping the Eight Radiances of the immortal realms will descend, and that the Nine Lights of sacred splendor will shine from afar. May the gods witness this Zhaijiao offering and bestow auspicious blessings.

The stars shine forth their numinous light. Their unseen protection and support for the merit of ending hostilities have now become manifest. The human and celestial realms respond to one another, and the auspicious signs we have prayed for may be realized. I hope that throughout the world government will be unified and the Four Seas brought into harmony. With reverent heart I receive divine grace, in response to Heaven’s compassion, and remain filled with awe and trepidation.

The Emperor’s Prayer for a Zhou Tian Offering (a prayer composed by the emperor for a Zhaijiao offering to the stars throughout the heavens).

Your servant has heard that when wind, rain, frost, and snow appear out of season, the stars reveal strange omens; and when offerings such as water plants are presented, Heaven and Earth bestow blessings. Looking back to the words of the worthy sages of antiquity, this is indeed a principle recognized everywhere.

I have reverently received the imperial throne and devoted myself to the great affairs of state. I dare not grow complacent or negligent, but have remained as cautious as one standing at the edge of an icy ravine. Seven years have passed since I ascended the throne, yet I still worry that the people are not at peace. I fear that some may have lost their homes, that punishments and decrees may have been unjust, or that acts of kindness and promises may have failed to earn the people’s trust. Warfare continues along the borders, and the calendars and laws of the Central States and surrounding regions have not yet been brought into accord. Floods and droughts remain out of balance, and the people have not yet grown prosperous. Reports of floods, illness, and epidemics continue to arrive from the commanderies and counties; theft and fraud still run rampant in the villages.

Though I have done my best to conserve resources and encourage mutual aid, to reduce food and expenses, to avoid music and sensual pleasures, and to refrain from hunting for a long time; though my daily utensils are only pottery and dishes made of shells, and I have deliberately restrained myself, daring not to take pleasure in splendid treasures, I still fear that the Heavenly Bureau—the celestial office that oversees affairs—has recorded my faults. Ignorant and unenlightened, I feel deep shame, yet do not know where to begin in seeking pardon.

Recently, Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn have all gathered in the celestial region associated with Shu, in the lunar mansion Shishen. The sun and moon are due to be obscured, yet this has not been recorded in the almanac; the sun’s course is smooth, and the celestial region shows auspicious signs. Can these omens really all be dismissed as empty? They urge me all the more to examine myself and remain alert and apprehensive. As an auspicious day and hour of the Horse arrives, I respectfully respond in this way to Heaven’s abundant favor.

The divine officials of the heavens are lofty and beyond reach; the Purple Mansion, where the immortals dwell, is deep and august. Though I have solemnly made my petition to Heaven, I still fear my sincerity may not reach it. I have therefore chosen a day to fast and purify myself, and present these words with earnest sincerity. In the secluded, mysterious ritual precinct, the ceremony is solemnly conducted in the second watch of the night. Immortals and worthy spirits arrive in a drifting procession, bringing blessings to the human world. I humbly beseech Heaven and Earth to be at peace in all eight directions; may the people be safe, the state secure, and the altars of the land and grain remain peaceful for long ages. May every affair of government be properly managed, and may the nine achievements spoken of in antiquity each take their proper place. May officials fulfill their duties, and may the institutions and written script of the realm be made uniform. Your servant is overcome with dread.

Chu and Shu are joined together and form an important region in the southwest. Rivers surge onward and divide into countless streams; mountain mists and clouds gather around peak after peak. The Heavenly Emperor has gathered auspicious signs here, while dragon deities guard the land. This secluded region is famed for its rugged grandeur: three tiers of mountains reflect the light of candles and the moon, and within eight deep caverns lie immortal dwellings where numinous beings reside.

Here, victory and good fortune are often bestowed, protecting the people so that the years are spared the harm of floods and local customs remain peaceful and auspicious. The waterways are kept open and passable, while sericulture and hemp cultivation flourish and yield abundant harvests. The people honor the numinous power of the Three Observances, receive the compassionate grace of the Two Perfected Ones, and spread these accounts far and wide, recording them in scriptures, books, and illustrated gazetteers. With heads raised and hearts intent, all join in praising the mysterious grace.

Bound by my duties, I live in the capital, though my heart longs for mountains, forests, streams, and rocks. I often imagine white leopards and black apes playing among the crags where sacred mushrooms grow, and hope to draw near the immortal realm on ridges thick with cassia trees. Yet my path is blocked, and my spirit still roams afar. So I have prepared a modest offering of incense and, from a distance, set forth the sincerity in my heart.

The Northern Emperor’s Court where I reside is responsible for Zhaijiao (purification rituals), but it still lacks some of the required bells, drums, and other instruments. Though rites have already been performed to pray for blessings, the clear, frost-like music is almost entirely absent. Only later did I hear that, in the immortal mountains, the ritual…