《金箓资度早午晚朝仪》

The Jade Register Morning Audience Rite stipulates that the ritual service is to be performed according to the liturgy.

The officiating masters of worship, following the ritual method, quiet their minds and preserve Shen (spirit) in visualization.

Please recite the divine incantation:

The azure Yang Qi (vital energy) shines with luminous clarity; the sun leaps upward, and numinous Qi circles about. Divine tigers drive out malign Qi, and spirits soaring through heaven shake the flowing bells. Treachery is destroyed and demonic obstructions are dispelled, so that the myriad demons are bound in their bodily forms. The light of the Nine Subtleties returns to the Great Dao (the Way); the divine power of the Eight Awesomes gathers in and restrains the sprites of Jing (essence). A thousand Perfected Beings collate and verify the registers of names; the Qi of the Three Origins washes all things clear and pure. From the left, a whistle summons the Qi of the Central Yellow; from the right, the Sixth Ding spirit is invited. Seven revolutions are made, and the eight directions respond in concert, circulating through the warp and weft of the Heavenly Dao. The transformative teaching of the Holy Dao is lofty and far-reaching, and from this the Great Dao flourishes and spreads. Auspicious cloud-Qi spreads widely, and light and shadow converge in the Yellow Court (the place within the body where spirit is preserved and Qi is nourished).

The ritual drum is struck twenty-four times (in Daoist ritual, the sound of the drum is used to open communication with the deities).

We request the Most High Lord of the Dao, of the Three Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning in the Unsurpassed Three Heavens, and the Most High Lord Lao (revered deities of Daoism), to summon forth from within our bodies the Three-and-Five Merit Officers (the divine functionaries who transmit memorials and petitions), the emissaries of the officers of the left and right, the dragon-post riders of the left and right who bear incense, the Golden Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who convey words and scatter flowers, and the direct-talisman officers of the Five Emperors together with the incense officials on duty for the day, thirty-six of each. The divine functionaries thus summoned should set their robes and caps in solemn order, display their vestments clearly, fasten their cap-bands, and let their tassels and ribbons hang down.

We respectfully notify the earth deity of the Mysterious Altar and the deities of this locality: today, at the morning audience, we ascend the altar to practice the Dao. The wishes we intend to present, and the sincerity of our hearts, have been recorded and reported upward. May the Most High, utterly perfected Dao-Qi of the ten directions, together with the wisdom-light of the Numinous Treasure, descend and flow into our bodies, so that what we petition may swiftly ascend and be conveyed directly before the thrones of the Upper Sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) of the Most High Limitless Great Dao, the Jade Emperor of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, and the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, the Blue-Mystery Thearch.

Please announce the ritual rank of the ritual master (that is, the Daoist title of identity used in the rite).

The ritual officers So-and-so upon the altar, together with all who attend the ritual assembly, with sincere hearts jointly address on high the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning of the Great Dao (the Way), empty and spontaneous, supremely true and without limit; the Supreme Lord of the Dao; the Supreme Lord Lao; the Exalted Jade Emperor on High; the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity at the Northern Pole; the Celestial Emperor of Purple Tenuity; the Sovereign Earth Goddess, Empress Earth; the Great Emperor of Azure Florescence at the Eastern Pole; the Great Emperor of Longevity at the Southern Pole; the Unsurpassed Jade Emperor; and the Jade-Vacuity Sovereign, together with the venerable deities of Eastern Florescence, the Southern Pole, the Western Numina, and Northern Perfection. We further respectfully petition the great sages of the ten directions who have already attained the Dao, the lords and elders of supreme truth, the Perfected Ones who compassionately save from suffering, who deliver, who bestow grace, who record births, and who universally rescue, as well as the Perfected One of Ritual Deliverance in the Assembly of the Fragrant Grove, the Thirty-six Divisions of Venerable Jing (scriptures/classics), the Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Center, the Great Ritual Masters of the Three Heavens, the Perfected Lords who are the Three Masters of Scripture, Registers, and Ordination of the Numinous Treasure, the Perfected Lords who are the Three Female Masters of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) hereditary line, the officials of the Three Realms, and all true spirits.

We have heard that, when the Crimson Brilliance opened the age of transformation, the Qi (vital energy) of the Three Primes spread forth from the Ancestral Qi (the primordial vital energy of which Daoism speaks); as the azure-mysterious Qi revolved in transformation, the worlds of the ten directions all received the true light. The awesome spirits of the deities condensed in purple gold, and the power of wisdom appeared like kingfisher jade. The Perfected One of the Fragrant Grove abides in auspicious radiance, manifesting compassion through clear immortal tones; the soaring tree sends forth its glow, and the honorific title bespeaks the grace of hearing cries and relieving suffering. The two bureaus stand joined, together honoring De (Virtue/Power); the nine offices are arrayed like stars, putting benevolence into practice. Divine merit is resplendent, and sacred transformation is exalted.

That we are able to receive blessings is because good affinities were accumulated in the past, and now we again meet a time of prosperity. Before our persons we receive and uphold the mysterious and wondrous precepts, hoping for transmission from exalted true masters; behind the elbow we wear the ritual charts, receiving the subtle methods revealed by Heaven. We dare not think ourselves lofty and remote; rather, we are willing to be humble and assiduous. Studying the true Dao so as to remedy our faults, we withdraw and steady the sincerity of our cultivation; propagating the Great Dao and establishing merit, we advance and strive to deliver the many.

We reverently receive the command from above; how dare we fail to report it to the deities? Now, in obedience to the decree, we perform the Jade Register Keyi (liturgy), a Daoist rite for praying for blessings and recommending the dead, on behalf of a certain departed soul, to pray for blessings and transcendent deliverance. We purify ourselves and offer with sincere hearts; we keep the fast and quiet the mind, pouring forth our utmost sincerity. With a single heart we turn toward the Great Emperor of Azure Florescence at the Eastern Pole, praying that the gate of salvation by sweet dew be opened, so that this departed soul may soon realize entry into the immortal realm of the Purple Void. May grace flow through clan and state, and blessings extend throughout the human world and the heavenly realms.

This morning we hold the court audience, ascend the altar, and practice the Dao. We ask the ritual assembly to arouse compassionate hearts together and to offer incense for the first time. May the smoke of incense rise and ascend, directly sustaining the unsurpassed and supremely true Treasure of the Dao. With body, Shen (spirit), and life we take refuge, bowing our heads to the ground, relying upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the holy multitude of the ten directions. May the merit of burning this incense be dedicated wholly as a prayer for a certain departed soul, increasing that soul’s heavenly blessings and advancing that soul in immortal rank.

We respectfully wish that the departed soul concentrate the Shen in the realm of luminous emptiness and stride upward into the Heaven of Primal Azure; wearing jade ring-pendants, come to audience before the Primordial Venerable Deity and pray that sacred longevity long endure; clad in splendid beaded regalia and silks, be able to inquire of the Dao, so that auspicious fortune and celebration continue without end. Now, as incense is burned, we take refuge in the masters and the great assembly of sages. May we receive the De of supreme truth and, having attained the Dao, abide forever in Heaven, becoming one with the Great Dao.

This morning we ascend the altar to perform the morning court ritual. All members of the Daoist assembly taking part in the rite are asked to offer their respects and to burn the second stick of incense. May the fragrant smoke rise straight to Heaven and be offered to the supreme, unsurpassed true Jing (scripture/classic) and precious canons. We reverently take refuge in body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life, prostrating with all five limbs upon the ground and looking upward in reliance upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the host of sages of the ten directions. By the merit of this stick of incense, we pray especially for a certain departed soul, that he may ascend to the realm of the immortals and the perfected, abide in peace and freedom, and continue toward the state of carefree wandering. We respectfully ask the celestial realm to issue its edict and broadly bestow its mysterious grace. May he ride a jeweled canopy and precious tent adorned with kingfisher plumes, mounting the clouds straight up to the immortal realm of Zhuling; may he ride a jade carriage and cinnabar chariot, have audience with the immortal spirits of the West, and dwell in the crimson palaces. May Heaven grant blessings that endure, so that this grace extends to his descendants. Now, as incense is burned, we take refuge in the venerable masters and the host of great sages, praying that the departed soul, relying on the De (Virtue/Power) of the Utmost Truth, may, after attaining the Dao (the Way), ascend into the formless realm and become one with the Dao.

This morning we ascend the altar to perform the morning court ritual. All members of the Daoist assembly taking part in the rite are asked to offer their respects and to burn the third stick of incense. May the fragrant smoke rise straight to Heaven and be offered to the supreme, unsurpassed true masters and precious venerables. We reverently take refuge in body, Shen, and nature and life, prostrating with all five limbs upon the ground and looking upward in reliance upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the host of sages of the ten directions. By the merit of this stick of incense, we pray especially for a certain departed soul, that he may awaken to the Great Dao, ascend to the realm of the immortals and the perfected, and concentrate his Shen within the mysterious realm. We respectfully ask that the departed soul attain the station of an immortal and perfected being in the Purple Prefecture and receive the immortal mandate conferred by the Mysterious Capital; that he ride a carriage adorned with gold, attended by a feathered ceremonial escort, pass through the realm of pure emptiness, and return toward the Heaven of Great Brahma; and that, with the bearing of a phoenix and the poise of a luan bird, he tread the paths of the Jade-Blossom immortal realm and ascend to the gardens of Langyuan. May compassionate grace be handed down through a hundred generations, and may benevolent protection endure for ten thousand years. Now, as incense is burned, we take refuge in the venerable masters and the host of great sages, praying that the departed soul, relying on the De of the Utmost Truth, may, after attaining the Dao, abide forever and become one with the Dao.

There then follow the chanting of the directions, the repentance toward the directions, the Three Invitations, and the Three Salutations, together with a renewed proclamation of ritual office. Here, “chanting the directions” and “repentance toward the directions” are the segments of chanting and confession within the ritual; the “Three Invitations” and the “Three Salutations” refer respectively to three acts of invitation and three acts of worship. “Proclaiming the ritual office once more” means declaring again the Daoist ritual rank and identity of the one who presides over the rite.

The minister So-and-so, invested with ritual office, together with the officials present at the altar, the Daoist assembly, and the others, sincerely invites the supreme sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, and the deities of the Three Realms, wishing to unite in perfection with the Great Dao.

The chanting of the directions, the repentance toward the directions, the Three Invitations, and the Three Salutations are then performed once more, and the ritual office is proclaimed again.

I, the servant of the appointed office, So-and-so, together with the officials presiding over the rite at the altar and all those assembled, sincerely submit this memorial. We pray that the supreme sages, the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, the countless perfected immortals and holy hosts of the Three Realms, and every true spirit enshrined upon the altar will descend and inspect us. We respectfully entreat them, in their vast compassion, to examine us clearly and cast their light upon us.

Your servant has heard that the Dao (the Way) is exalted as the Great Unity, and that the transforming teaching of the gods and spirits reaches throughout the ten directions. The doctrines of the Daoist teaching spread across the great thousand-worlds, and profound grace flows even into dark and obstructed places. The sages manifest jade forms of empty purity and receive the golden light of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The Hundred Treasures send forth radiance, bringing dawn to the gloom of deepest night; the light of the Nine Subtleties turns and shines, so that cold courtyards welcome the morning. May the depths of the netherworld likewise receive grace like wind and rain, and may all beings ascend into the vast cloud-heavens.

Now, having received the decree of the Son of Heaven, and following the ritual order of the Daoist classics, we reverently establish the sacred mushroom altar and perform the Jade Register Zhaijiao (purification ritual)—a Zhaijiao that Daoism holds to seek blessings and to deliver the dead—and by this means commend the true spirits and seek blessed merit in the netherworld. May all who hear the Jing (scripture) and listen to the teaching draw near the Celestial Worthies in the holy realm and receive the light. May the dead have their allotted span continued, be delivered and become perfected, and ascend the ranks of the immortals. May blessings upon the ancestral temple and the altars of soil and grain continue without end, and may grace extend through both the world of the living and the netherworld.

We further pray that the signs of heaven be clear and settled, and the earth level and pure; that the sun and moon shine in glory, and the mountains and rivers remain tranquil and untroubled. May warfare and alarms along the borders cease, and the soldiers enjoy a time of peace; may the five grains yield abundantly, and the people dwell in safety. May the departed in the depths of the netherworld enjoy the happiness of becoming immortals, and may the cold courts of the yin realm no longer know the fear of being summoned, entered in the registers, and examined. Birds and beasts, grasses and trees, and all things receive this grace; the four modes of birth and the six paths of rebirth—a phrase common to Buddhism and Daoism, referring to every kind of living being and the destinations of their transmigration—likewise receive compassionate protection.

In this way, above, the transforming teaching of the Celestial Worthies’ great compassion and great mercy is made manifest; below, the sincerity with which we take refuge and revere the Dao is answered. We respectfully submit these prayers.

Making the vows.

Concentrating the spirits and burning incense (visualizing the divinities and burning incense to announce the prayer).

Envoys of the Incense Office, Dragon and Tiger Lords of the Left and Right (divine generals who guard the ritual space), and all the Numinous Officers who attend the incense: let golden liquid and essences like cinnabar and azure arise of themselves at the place where your servant has just ascended the altar to practice the Dao (the Way) in the morning audience. The hundred Numinous Officers and all the perfected immortals meet together here, assembled before the incense burner. May my sincere heart move the divinities and open communication with them, so that true spirits may be raised and delivered, at last attaining the realized station of divine immortality, and so that the grace of family and realm may be widely received.

May the immortal lads and jade maidens of the ten directions receive and attend the incense smoke, carry upward the sincere intent that your servant has just declared in prayer, and swiftly convey it into the presence of the Most True and Limitless Supreme Dao, the Supreme Sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Jade Emperor, Supreme Lord of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, and the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, the Azure-Mysterious Lord on High.

Hymn for Leaving the Hall

Morning Audience Rite of the Jade Register for Aiding Deliverance

Noon Audience Rite of the Jade Register for Aiding Deliverance

The ritual service is performed according to the liturgy.

The assembly bows in accordance with the rite to pay respects to the ritual master, and practices visualization and recollection according to the method.

Let the divine incantation be read aloud.

Numinous fire of a cinnabar hue, vermilion flames like rosy clouds, surges and gives rise to wind. The crimson disc of the sun turns with vigorous strength, and heavenly light shines toward the eight directions. Power bursts forth, embracing all things, and transformation spreads through the four quarters. Golden liquid streams and disperses, and the hosts of demons lose every trace. Treachery and evil are driven out, sprites and specters are shattered, and the divine might of radiant light is revealed. By the golden talisman they are summoned and subdued; one treads the clouds and rides the dragon. Songs celebrate the grand assembly, and heavenly light illumines the eight directions. Power bursts forth, embracing all things, and transformation spreads through the four quarters. Golden liquid streams and disperses, and the hosts of demons lose every trace. Treachery and evil are driven out, sprites and specters are shattered, and the divine might of radiant light is revealed. By the golden talisman they are summoned and subdued; one treads the clouds and rides the dragon. Songs celebrate the grand assembly, and fresh flowers scatter through the great void. Wondrous transformations proceed in harmony with the seasons, and the four quarters are peaceful and flourishing. Bowing in attendance before the Imperial Lord, there is no one who dares to be wanting in reverence.

The ritual drum is struck twenty-four times (the drum is beaten twenty-four times according to the rite).

The Most High Lord of the Dao (the Way) of the Unsurpassed Three Heavens and of the Three Qi (vital energy) of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning, together with the Most High Lord Lao (revered deities of Daoism), is asked to summon forth from within your servant’s body the Three-and-Five Merit Officers (divine clerks who transmit documents), the official messengers of the left and the right, the dragon-mounted relay officers of the left and the right who bear incense, the Golden Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who transmit words and scatter flowers, and the duty-talisman officers of the Five Emperors together with the incense officials on duty for the day, thirty-six of each. They are asked to set their attire in solemn order, dressed in raiment bright and dignified, with caps, robes, and sashes all properly arranged, and with pendant tassels hanging down.

Your servant respectfully asks that the earth deity of the Mysterious Altar and the spirits of this locality be informed: today your servant performs the noon audience rite, ascends the altar to practice the Dao, and carefully memorializes the matters for which prayer is offered; the sincere intention therein has already been recorded and submitted upward. May the Qi of the Dao of the Most High Perfect Truth of the Ten Directions, together with the wisdom-light of the Numinous Treasure, descend and flow into the bodies of your servant and those with him, so that the sincerity of what your servant memorializes may swiftly get through and arrive directly before the Upper Saints of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) of the Most High Limitless Great Dao, the Jade Emperor of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, and the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, the Azure Mystery Emperor.

Please announce the ritual rank of the one who performs the rite (the title and hierarchical standing used in Daoist ritual to indicate the identity of the person carrying out the observances).

We, disciples holding ritual office, so-and-so, together with the officials assembled at the altar, sincerely submit this petition with one heart to the Void, Spontaneous, and Limitless Great Dao (the Way); to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Supreme Lord of the Dao, and the Most High Lord Lao; to the Exalted Jade Emperor, the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity and the Northern Pole, and all the Celestial Worthies and Imperial Lords; to the Sovereign Earth Goddess, deity who governs the earth, the Great Emperor of Azure Radiance of the Eastern Pole, the Celestial Worthy of Salvation from Suffering revered in Daoism, and all the honored deities; to the Celestial Worthies of Eastern Florescence, the Southern Pole, Western Numina, and Northern Perfection; to the Most True Brilliant Sovereign Lord of the Dao of the Numinous Treasure, who presides in the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity upon the Seven-Treasure Jasper Terrace of the Golden Towers of the Jade Capital in the Mysterious Metropolis; and to the Great Saints and Most True Lords and Elders of the Ten Directions who have already attained the Dao. We further invite the greatly compassionate Perfected of Salvation from Suffering, the Perfected of Deliverance, the Perfected of Great Kindness, the Perfected Who Records Births, and the Perfected of Universal Salvation; the Perfected Who Explains the Law within the Assembly of the Fragrant Grove; the Venerable Scriptures in Thirty-Six Sections; the Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Center and the Great Ritual Masters of the Three Heavens; the Perfected Lords of the Three Masters of Scripture, Registers, and Ordination of the Numinous Treasure; the Perfected Lords of the Three Female Masters of the hereditary Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) lineage; together with the officials of the Three Realms and all true numina.

We have heard that myriad true deities encircle and uphold, and that the light of sagely brilliance gathers within the solemn realm of the Dao; that the gods of the Three Realms turn their hearts in reverence and, with a breeze of benevolence, shelter the realm of lasting joy. The light of wisdom shines like a rainbow, and their majesty stands as dense as swords and halberds. The honored deities manifest the name of compassion, open the forbidden precincts of the dark underworld, and summon the departed souls of the earthly courts; under the name of salvation from suffering, they employ the primordial Qi (vital energy) of the heavens to subdue celestial souls. The afflictions and evil habits long accumulated by living beings are thereby dissolved, and divine authority throughout the Ten Directions is stirred. The movement of the Great Dao is solemn and vast; its divine power is resplendent and commands reverence.

Upon our bodies we wear precious diagrams of the Dao, and in our hearts we keep precious ritual registers. Dwelling amid mist and rosy clouds, we cultivate in stillness, so that the two Qi of Yin-Yang unite and bear us upward; as sun and moon revolve without cease, they also draw us into the dusty world to bear our modest duties. We cherish the passing of time, strive at every moment, and hold utmost sincerity in our hearts. In the past our conduct was at fault, yet fortunately we were spared the severe punishments of the heavens; now, receiving talismanic mandates and proclaiming the Dao and De (Virtue/Power), we vow to exert ourselves with a sincerity as firm as metal and stone. Since we carry out the sovereign’s command, we ought to present our memorial according to ritual propriety.

Reverently obeying the sacred edict, we perform the Golden Register liturgy, praying for blessings and for the salvation and elevation of the deceased so-and-so, that this person may rise in heavenly rank and enter the grades of the immortals and perfected. In accordance with the vow presented in the rite, we have already given our hearts in full sincerity. We now take refuge in the Great Emperor of Azure Radiance of the Eastern Pole, hoping that the name of the deceased may be entered in the immortal registers of the heavens.

Upon the Jasper Terrace the clouds draw in, revealing the ranks of immortals and perfected recorded in the Jade Register; the gates of the jeweled towers of Heaven open, and the host of deities encircles the throne of the Void Sovereign. Along the road to the celestial palaces, dragon-patterned insignia crowd together; upon the great way through the clouds, the music of the phoenix-carriage procession is heard. The blue void stretches far and deep, and immortal music sounds upon the steps of the numinous mushroom; emerald clouds drift in haze, and precious Daoist seal-script rises with the incense smoke. The deities stand in solemn ranks for audience, and the ritual assembly memorializes with earnest sincerity.

May the heavens bestow a gracious edict of harmonious yang, dispersing the Qi of dark yin stagnation, so that all beings receive grace and the Ten Directions rejoice together.

Today we hold the noon audience, ascend the altar, and practice the Dao. We ask the ritual assembly at the altar to arouse reverent hearts and offer the first stick of incense. May this incense smoke rise into the void and ascend directly to the heavens, offering sustenance to the unsurpassed, most true Treasure of the Dao. With body, Shen (spirit), and life together we take refuge, prostrating our five limbs to the ground, and rely upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the saints of the Ten Directions. By the merit of burning incense, we dedicate this specifically to the salvation and elevation of the deceased so-and-so. We earnestly ask the honored deities to enable this person to attend the holy perfected in the Jade Capital and to condense the spirit and cultivate perfection in the Jasper Towers; to let primordial Qi enter the mysterious and wondrous realm, receive auspicious protection, and prolong blessings and longevity; and to let the spiritual soul ascend to the lofty distance, with blessings extending long.

Once more we rely upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the saints of the Ten Directions. By the merit of this incense, dedicated specifically to the salvation and elevation of the deceased so-and-so, we pray that this person may attend the holy in the Jade Capital and cultivate perfection in the Jasper Towers, that primordial Qi may return to the mysterious and wondrous, that the spiritual soul may ascend to the lofty distance, and that blessings, longevity, and the grace of De may continue.

Today, burning incense, we take refuge in the masters and the host of great saints, and reverently honor the De of the Most True. May we, after attaining the Dao, abide forever in Heaven and unite with the Great Dao to become perfected.

It is now the time of the midday audience. The assembly ascends the altar to practice the Dao (the Way), and all are asked to offer incense twice in succession. May the fragrant smoke rise straight upward as an offering to the unsurpassed and true scriptures and sacred treasures. With body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life, we take refuge, prostrating with our five limbs upon the ground, and reverently rely upon the Three Venerable Ones of the Most High and the holy ones of the ten directions. May the merit of burning incense assist in the deliverance and elevation of a certain deceased soul.

We respectfully invite the Three Assistant Perfected Lords of the Yellow Register Court of Highest Clarity—the divine perfected who, in Daoism, preside over Yellow Register rites—to descend and bestow the Fulu (talismans and registers), so that the deceased soul may, in accordance with the Keyi (liturgy), attain the Dao. We humbly wish that the deceased soul may peacefully receive the register in Qinghua, the Azure-Florescence realm of the East, and forever dwell at ease in a blessed land; and, ascending to Zhuleng, the immortal realm of which Daoism speaks, may ever wander free and unfettered in the realm of the Dao.

We therefore burn incense once more, respectfully inviting the Three Assistant Perfected Lords of the Yellow Register Court to bestow the Fulu, so that the deceased soul may, in accordance with the Keyi, attain the Dao. We humbly wish that the deceased soul may peacefully receive the register and forever dwell in a blessed land; and, ascending the immortal realm, may ever wander free and unfettered in the realm of the Dao.

Now, as we burn incense, we take refuge in the venerable masters and the great assembly of saints. May we, by the De (Virtue/Power) of Ultimate Truth, after attaining the Dao ascend into the formless realm, unite with the Dao, and become perfected.

It is now the midday audience. The assembly ascends the altar to practice the Dao (the Way), and the ritual clergy are requested to offer incense three times according to the rite. May this incense smoke rise straight aloft as an offering to the Unsurpassed, Supremely True Treasure of the Teacher. With body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life we take refuge, casting our five limbs to the ground, looking up to and relying upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the host of sages of the ten directions. By the merit of this incense, we invite on high the Spirit Who Saves People and Does Not Die, the Lord of Longevity of the Southern Pole, the Great Deity Sima Who Saves the World, Elder Lord Han Who Cherishes Life, the Directors of Destiny and of Records of the Upper South, the Venerable Spirits Who Prolong Life, Increase the Allotted Years, and Deliver from Calamity, the Perfected of the Nine Blossoms of the Upper South, and the Divine Kings Who Fly Through Heaven of the Ten Directions, that together they may obey the talismanic command, escort the departed soul of so-and-so to ascend to the celestial realm, and enroll that soul in a celestial rank.

We reverently pray that the deities descend with the true Jing (essence) of the sun and moon and join the Great Deity Sima who governs Yin-Yang, Elder Lord Han Who Cherishes Life, the Directors of Destiny and of Records of the Upper South, the Venerable Spirits Who Prolong Life, Increase the Allotted Years, and Deliver from Calamity, the Perfected of the Nine Blossoms of the Upper South, and the Divine Kings Who Fly Through Heaven of the Ten Directions, so that together they may obey the talismanic command, escort the departed soul of so-and-so to ascend to the celestial realm, and enroll that soul in a celestial rank. We further reverently pray that the deities send down the true Jing of the sun and moon and gather the Fan-Qi of Yin-Yang (the pure, innate primordial vital energy). May the departed soul’s vital spirit, hun and po souls, and conscious intent collect the five Qi (the primordial energies of the five directions) and pay homage to the root of the Primordial Beginning; may the Mysterious Female (the source from which Heaven and Earth generate the myriad beings) congeal with the Qi of Heaven and Earth into a precious pearl and manifest its true form. May the departed soul realize the Dao in the Celestial Treasury and feast and roam in the Jade Capital (the celestial capital of the immortals spoken of in Daoism). May this grace pervade the human world and the celestial realm and benefit family and state.

Now, as incense is offered, we take refuge in the Venerable Teacher and the host of great sages. May we, by the De (Virtue/Power) of the Supreme Truth, after attaining the Dao abide forever, become one with the Dao, and return to the Real.

The names of the ritual segments that follow are Chanting the Directions, Repentance to the Directions, Commanding the Demons, the Three Invitations, the Three Salutations, and Re-proclaiming the Ritual Positions.

I, Minister So-and-so, stationed here, together with the officials and the Daoist assembly present at the altar, with reverent and sincere hearts, respectfully petition the Celestial Worthies of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) of the Three Realms—the honored deities of Daoism—the Supreme Saints of the Ten Extremes and the Ten Splendors, the officers of the Three Realms, and all true spirits summoned to the mysterious altar.

Your minister has heard that within the Azure Empyrean, Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) flow and spread, illuminating the blue-green heavens through and through; above the cyan empyrean, primordial Qi is harnessed, so that the vast cloudy sky shines bright. The dharma bodies manifested by the many saints are as numerous as sand and dust; the sacred teaching has been handed down through long ages, and its radiance may well be compared with the sun and moon. When ordinary people take refuge in the true spirits and offer their prayers, they are sure to receive the true spirits’ gracious regard.

Now we ministers respectfully carry out the sacred decree and perform the Jade Register (the rite of conferring registers within Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and Keyi (liturgy)), devoutly recommending and delivering a certain departed soul. May the jade slips escort the departed soul in its ascent of the spirit, and may the merit of the Zhaijiao be vast and inexhaustible; may the golden talisman aid its release and deliverance, and may the wondrous fruits endure far and without end.

We respectfully pray that this spirit’s ancestral Qi (the vital energy at the origin of life) be clear and pure, and that the heaven of its nature be bright and lucid; that it may ascend on high to the immortal realm of the Flowery Grove and wondrously enter the celestial court of the Azure Empyrean. We further pray that the Three Luminaries be radiant and the Five Numina harmonious and favorable; that winds and clouds subside and draw in, and grasses and trees shine forth in glory; that fish leap in joy and hawks and kites soar, each obtaining growth and increase; that the phoenix rest in calm and dignified bearing, and the hundred beasts dance in harmonious delight, so that the nurturing work of Heaven and Earth flourish as it did when Emperor Shun of Yu governed the world. May farmers find peace and delight in spacious dwellings, and may the people of the four quarters ascend the Spring Terrace and fully enjoy the happiness of great peace. May both the netherworld and the human realm receive blessing and felicity, and may the state and the ancestral temples be secure and prosperous. Thus, above, the vast compassionate teaching of the Celestial Worthies may be made manifest, and below, the sincere hearts with which we ministers take refuge and pray may be answered. We respectfully submit this memorial.

The Vow

Visualizing the Spirits and Burning Incense (visualizing the deities’ presence at the altar and burning incense in reverence)

Envoys of the Incense Officials, Dragon and Tiger Lords of the left and right, and all the numinous officials who attend the incense: may you cause the place where your minister previously ascended the altar at the noon audience to practice the Dao (the Way) naturally to bring forth essences like golden liquid and cinnabar-azure. The hundred numina and the host of the perfected, join……

Incense Official envoys, the Dragon and Tiger Lords of the left and right (divine generals who guard the ritual arena), and the various numinous officers who attend the incense: we ask that you cause the place where this servant earlier performed the midday audience and ascended the altar to practice the Dao (the Way) to bring forth of itself essences like Golden Liquid and cinnabar-jasper. The hundred numina and the host of the Perfected (deities of every quarter) gather before this incense burner. May sincere hearts move the deities to respond, so that the soul in question may be raised and delivered and at last realize the fruit of divine immortality; and may this matter be blessed throughout with the grace of household and realm.

May the immortal youths and jade maidens of the ten directions come to tend the incense smoke, convey upward the sincerity of the prayer this servant has just offered, and swiftly deliver it before the Dao of the exalted sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) of the Most True and Limitless Great Way, of the Jade Emperor of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, and of the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, the Azure Mystery Thearch.

Hymn for Leaving the Hall

Midday Audience Rite of the Jade Register for Assisted Deliverance

Evening Audience Rite of the Jade Register for Assisted Deliverance

The ritual service is carried out according to the prescribed liturgy.

Those present each bow in reverence to their masters and, in accordance with the ritual method, enter visualization.

Let the divine incantation be proclaimed:

The Five Stars hang high and shine; auspicious Qi (vital energy) rises and drifts. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning assembles the deities, and the Qi of heaven and earth mingles and spreads everywhere. Holding jade talismans and precious tokens, they summon the spirits of the hidden and subtle; casting forth divine fire, they display their might, so that treachery, wickedness, and ferocity have nowhere to hide.

The myriad demons are overawed and submit; disordered calamities and anomalies gradually subside. The uncanny is destroyed and evil is extinguished, so that the Qi of the Dao circulates through the four quarters. Divine light illumines the night, and gloom and concealment alike disperse. The myriad gods descend, riding auspicious radiance and swift wind. All living beings may have their wishes fulfilled, and grace extends throughout the Divine Continent. May all of this accord with the Great Dao and return to the realm of the True.

Sound the ritual drum twenty-four times (strike the drum twenty-four times as the rite prescribes).

I reverently invite the Most High Dao (the Way) Lord of the Three Qi (vital energy) of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning of the Unsurpassed Three Heavens, together with the Most High Lord Lao, to summon forth from within my body the Three-and-Five Merit Officers (divine clerks responsible for transmitting memorials), the emissaries of the officers of the left and right, the dragon-riding courier officers of the left and right who bear incense, the Golden Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who convey messages and scatter flowers, and the on-duty talisman envoys of the Five Emperors together with the incense officials serving on this day—thirty-six of each kind—to come forth.

I ask them to compose their appearance, to dress in solemn and complete array, to put on their caps and fasten their sashes, and to let the cap-tassels hang down. They are then to report to the earth deity of the place where the mysterious altar stands and to the spirits of this local territory: Tonight I hold the evening court ritual, ascend the altar to practice the Dao, and carefully present my memorial. The sincerity and wishes of this invocation have already been recorded and conveyed upward. May the perfected Qi of the Dao of the Most High in the ten directions, together with the wisdom light of the Numinous Treasure, descend and flow into our bodies, so that the sincere heart of what I report may swiftly rise and reach directly before the thrones of the Supreme Sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) of the Unsurpassed, Limitless Great Dao, the Jade Emperor of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, and the Azure-Mysterious Lord on High, Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole.

Please announce your own ritual office.

I, your subject of the appropriate office, surnamed So-and-so, together with the officials and the company of Daoists taking part at the ritual altar, sincerely submit this invocation: to the Heavenly Worthy of the Primordial Beginning of the Great Dao (the Way), empty and spontaneous, supremely true and boundless; to the Most High Lord of the Dao and the Most High Lord Lao; to the Exalted Jade Emperor on High; to the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity at the North Pole and the Celestial Sovereign Emperor of Purple Tenuity; to Empress Earth, the August Earth Deity; to the Azure-Florescence Great Emperor of the Eastern Pole and the Great Emperor of Longevity of the Southern Pole; and to the Unsurpassed Jade Emperor, the Sovereign of Royal Emptiness, the Heavenly Emperor of Grand Tenuity, and the Heavenly Emperor of Lesser Tenuity; to the supremely true and radiant sovereign Lords of the Dao of the Numinous Treasure, of Eastern Florescence, the Southern Pole, the Western Numina, Northern Perfection, the Mysterious Capital, the Jade Capital, the Golden Portal, the Jasper Terrace of the Seven Treasures, and the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity; to the great sages of the ten directions who have already attained the Dao, and to all the Lords and Elders of supreme perfection; to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Perfected Who Rescue from Suffering, together with the Perfected Who Save and Deliver, the Perfected of Great Kindness, the Perfected Who Register Births, the Perfected Who Universally Rescue, and the Perfected Who Explain the Rites in the Assembly of the Fragrant Grove; to the venerable Jing (scriptures/classics) in thirty-six sections; to the Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Center, the Great Ritual Masters of the Three Heavens, the Perfected Lords of the Three Masters of Scripture, Register, and Ordination of the Numinous Treasure, and the Three Master Lords of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) line—the Successor Master, the Lineage Master, and the Female Master; and to the officers of the Three Realms and all true spirits. We respectfully ask you, with hearts of vast compassion, to look down and take notice of this matter.

I have heard that, within formless and boundless chaos, ancestral Qi (vital energy)—the primal breath that is the source of the myriad things—subtly gathered and condensed; and that after physical forms and the myriad phenomena had taken shape, true Jing (essence) appeared within the vast primeval expanse of Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth were opened by the Five Great Ones, and the Three Numina (Heaven, Earth, and human beings) were thereby settled and their guiding order established. The Great Dao honors the Primordial Beginning and assists the myriad things amid light that penetrates all; the Empty Sovereign unfolded the teaching of the Dao, so that all things between Heaven and Earth might be born and nourished. There are no living beings whom the scriptures of the Dao cannot save and deliver; where there is a sympathetic response, communication follows.

We are fortunate to have been born into a clear and well-ordered age and to have met with this extraordinary ritual assembly, so that we may receive the jade tablets of the Nine Clarities and bear in reverence the precious scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen). Although we have befriended companions of the Dao and drawn near the gate of the Dao, we have not yet reached its lofty realm; although we live in the dusty world and receive its transforming teaching, we have not yet awakened to the mysterious Great Dao. We are fortunate to be aided by our teachers and by the precious classics, and we are grateful that the gracious light of the Celestial Emperors shines upon us. To this day we still receive forbearance and have not met with severe punishment, and we continue to practice the true Dao. We wish, by the golden statutes and jade regulations, to spread the influence of benevolence and to devote ourselves wholly to saving the people; we wish, by ritual norms, to support moral transformation, making the relief of living beings our first concern. Wherever refuge is sought or a prayer is offered, we dare not fail to memorialize it to the realm of Heaven.

I respectfully carry out the mandate of Heaven and perform the Jade Register—the Keyi (liturgy) documents and ritual registers used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual)—reverently recommending for deliverance a certain departed soul and, according to the circumstances set forth, expressing our sincerity in full. We therefore purify the ritual altar and conduct the Keyi, ascending the altar and establishing the retreat according to the Jade Register; we offer the kui and bi jades, symbols of precious sacrificial gifts, to the ten directions, and scatter golden flowers through the five realms. We respectfully ask Heaven above to look down upon us and bestow lasting blessings. We pray that the earth deities, obeying the command, will guard, receive, and escort the departed soul, so that it may rise to the realm of the immortals and enter a state of free and joyful wandering; and we also pray that these blessings may extend to the state and to all under Heaven.

Tonight we hold the evening court rite, ascend the altar, and perform the rites of the Dao. We ask the ritual assembly present to make this first offering of incense. May this wisp of incense smoke rise into the air and be presented directly to the unsurpassed, supremely true Treasure of the Dao. We your subjects take refuge with body, Shen (spirit), and life, prostrating our five limbs upon the ground, and we look up in reliance on the Three Venerables of the Most High and the sages of the ten directions. By the merit of this incense we wish to recommend for deliverance a certain departed soul. We reverently pray that its spirit-soul may roam the celestial palace of Purple Tenuity, coming and going freely through the mysterious void; that it may receive the shelter of a canopy of numinous mushrooms, concentrate its Shen and attain perfection, and secretly protect the sacred court; that it may step upon the lotus throne and walk in freedom; and that blessings may also extend their shade to its descendants.

Now, as incense is burned, we take refuge in the venerable masters and the host of great sages. May we receive the supremely true De (Virtue/Power); and, after attaining the Dao, may we endure forever in Heaven and become one with the Great Dao.

Tonight the court ritual is held, and we ascend the altar to practice the Dao (the Way). The assembled ritual masters together take up these two sticks of incense. May the incense smoke rise into the air and reach directly to the upper realm, offered to the supreme and most true scriptures and sacred treasures.

With body, Shen (spirit), and nature and life, we take refuge in the Dao. Prostrating with our five limbs to the ground, we reverently rely upon the Most High Three Worthies and the sages of the ten directions. May the merit of burning incense serve to deliver a certain departed soul. We sincerely pray that he may rise in the ranks of the immortals and enter the mysterious realm of the immortals, feasting and roaming at the Jasper Terrace and wandering freely in the Jasper Garden; that blessings and virtue be naturally brought to fulfillment, and that both bodily form and spirit attain wondrous perfection. May the shelter of his blessings protect the clan for a hundred generations and help the fortune of the state endure for ten thousand years.

Therefore we burn incense and take refuge in the revered masters and all the great sages. May all living beings realize the De (Virtue/Power) of ultimate truth; after attaining the Dao, may they ascend to the formless realm, become one with the Dao, and reach the state of returning to the True and uniting with the Dao.

This evening, when the rite of court audience is held and we ascend the altar to practice the Dao (the Way), may the ritual assembly present together offer incense in three pinches (taking incense three times to present it in reverence). May the incense smoke rise into the air and ascend straight upward, as an offering to the Unsurpassed Supreme True Master-Treasure (the highest masters, scriptures, and methods of the Dao venerated in Daoism).

With body, Shen (spirit), and life we take refuge together, prostrating our five limbs upon the ground, and we rely upon the Three Venerables of the Most High and the host of sages of the ten directions. May the merit of this incense offering aid the deliverance of a certain departed soul. We reverently pray: may the wellspring of their wisdom shine forth in brightness, and the sea of their awakening be clear and pure; may they bathe in the realm of sacred clarity, proceed in accord with the Dao, ascend into the radiant immortal realm of rosy light, and rise step by step.

May those above, even unto the Grand Ancestral Temple and its lineage (the ancestral shrines and the ancestors of successive generations), all ascend to be ranked in the heavenly realm; and may those below—our Three Masters and Five Companions (the teachers who transmit the Dao and give instruction, and our fellow practitioners), together with cultivators of the Dao of every age—all discern the numinous and wondrous, transcend lonely stillness, and ascend into the True Realm. Riding crane carriages, they proceed to the Jade Capital (the immortal realm) and fully savor the pure and wondrous delight of the Dao; borne on simurgh carriages, they fly toward the Purple Palaces (the palaces of the immortals) and hear the sounds of the sacred teaching. May they forever realize the realm of Wuwei (non-action) and long be freed from worldly afflictions and the bonds of birth and death, so that the departed souls of the Ninefold Darkness (the depths of the underworld) may likewise receive instruction and attain deliverance.

Now we burn incense and take refuge in the Venerable Masters and all the great sages. May we, through the De (Virtue/Power) of the Supreme Truth, after attaining the Dao endure forever, uniting with the Dao so as to become True.

The confession and the three salutations are performed according to the same rite as before.

Your servant of due ritual station, surnamed So-and-so (the Daoist priest who presides over the purification ritual, or Zhai, and here fills in his own surname), together with the officers assembled at the altar, reverently and with sincere hearts addresses the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning of the Most High Limitless Great Dao (the Way), the Most High Lord of the Dao, the Most High Lord Lao, the Unsurpassed Mysterious Elder, the host of great saints of the ten directions who have already attained the Dao, the lords and elders of ultimate perfection, the venerable scriptures (Jing) of the thirty-six divisions, and the Great Ritual Master within the Mystery, the Lord Celestial Master (Tianshi), the Supreme Minister and Supreme Steward, the Supreme Guardian and Supreme Tutor, the Four Offices and Five Emperors, the Twelve Ministers and Chancellors, the officials of the Three Realms, and all perfected spirits. We respectfully beg that, in compassion, you look down upon us and examine us with clear illumination.

Your servant has heard that the Qi (vital energy) of Pure Subtlety proclaims the teaching and, through seven divisions, encompasses the celestial realm; that in the age of Red Brilliance the scriptures and charts were opened, and by five texts heaven and earth were secured and the myriad beings nourished. The myriad saints bestowed register texts for the salvation of all living beings, and the Three Primordials (the Three Officials of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordial, as spoken of in Daoism) opened the grace of lengthened years and increased blessings. People of past and present have received this favor, and both heaven and the human world celebrate it.

Therefore the purification ritual honors the Jade Register (the register texts used in Daoism for conferring registers, protection, and salvation) and is performed according to the liturgical forms of the pistil caskets (Daoist scriptures). By the carriage of grace and virtue one proceeds toward the Azure Mystery (the pure and empty celestial realm indicated in Daoism), upholding the favor brought by the mushroom chariot (a sacred carriage symbolizing auspiciousness). We respectfully pray for a certain departed soul or person receiving salvation: may he bathe in jade liquor in the Eastern Well (the name of a constellation) and cleanse mind and spirit (Shen); may he shine forth with golden light in the Southern Cinnabar realm (a symbolic sacred realm in Daoism), refining and purifying temperament and consciousness; may he ascend to the Purple Extremity (the celestial realm), forever receive protection, and may the imperial house long enjoy peace and well-being.

Above, we pray that the signs of heaven be clear and stable, and the veins of the earth peaceful and firm; that the movements of heaven and earth proceed in good order, and that wind and cloud be calm. May warfare cease, and may every land bathe in the prevailing custom of benevolence and long life; may the hundred grains yield abundant harvest, and may all within the four seas enjoy sagely and enlightened rule. May auspicious charts and writings shine with splendor, and may laws and norms extend to the four directions. May those who cultivate the Dao in mountain forests and secluded valleys realize the Six Penetrations (the six kinds of spiritual powers spoken of in Daoism), savor the Great Dao amid mist and roseate clouds, and soon bring the myriad practices to completion. May beings sunk in the dark underworld, together with flying birds, fish in the depths, animals, and plants, equally receive the grace of creative transformation and transcend the cycle of rebirth. May all sentient beings together ascend the way of liberation. Thus, above, the compassionate teaching of the Celestial Worthies may be made manifest, and below, the sincere hearts of us servants who take refuge and pray may be fulfilled. We respectfully submit this address and humbly beg that you deign to hear it.

The Vow

Visualize the divinities, and burn incense.

Envoys of the Incense Office, Lords of the Dragon and Tiger on the left and right (spirit-generals, Shen, who guard the incense fire and assist the purification rite), and the Numinous Officials who attend the incense (spirit-officials who serve the incense fire): please cause the place where I earlier ascended the altar in the evening audience to practice the Dao (the Way) to manifest of itself the grace of the compassionate nurture and transformation of the Celestial Worthies of Upper Radiance, so that above it answers the compassion of the Celestial Worthies and below it accords with the sincere heart of our prayers of taking refuge and entrusting our lives. This we respectfully submit.

Making the Vow

Visualizing the Spirits and Burning Incense

Envoys of the Incense Office, Lords of the Dragon and Tiger on the left and right, and the Numinous Officials who attend the incense: please cause the place where I earlier ascended the altar in the evening audience to practice the Dao to bring forth of itself a pure essence like golden liquor and cinnabar-azure. The hundred numina and the host of Perfected (the many spirits and immortal perfected beings) all gather here, before the incense burner. May my sincerity reach and move the gods and spirits, so that the soul of so-and-so may be raised and delivered, ultimately attain the fruition of the celestial perfected immortal Dao, and so that the grace may extend broadly to family and realm.

May the immortal lads and jade maidens of the ten directions receive, guide, and attend the incense smoke, convey upward the sincerity of what I previously prayed and declared, and swiftly bear it before the Most Perfect, Limitless Great Dao, the Supreme Sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing; the three highest divine perfected beings venerated in Daoism), the Jade Emperor, Lord on High of the Golden Portal of Vast Heaven, and the Compassionate Worthy of the Eastern Pole, the Azure Mystery Lord on High.

Hymn for Leaving the Hall

The Evening Audience Liturgy of the Jade Register for Aiding Deliverance (Keyi, an evening-audience liturgy in which the Jade Register is used to sponsor and assist the salvation of the deceased).