《道门定制》Vol. 3

Attendants of the Perfected Lord of the Ninth Heaven (the revered deity who commands the Ninth Heaven and governs blessings, prosperity, and lifespan):

The Perfected Lord of the Ninth Heaven who Stores Blessings and Fixes Destinies, superior of the Five Sacred Peaks at Mount Qingcheng; the Perfected Lord of the Ninth Heaven who Governs Destiny at Mount Qian; the Perfected Lord Who Answers the Origin and Protects Fortune at Mount Lu; the Great Marshal of the Ninth Heaven; the Perfected Lord of the Ninth Heaven Who Restores the Corpse and Revives the Dead; the Lady Qing, Chief Officer of the Ninth Heaven’s Statutes; the Great Sovereign of Heaven’s Bureau, Perfected Lord of Ten Thousand Blessings; and the Heaven’s Bureau Officer on Duty, the Guiding and Advancing True Official.

The eighth petition, section ten: the Emperor Tianqi Rensheng and the assembled holy deities.

The Emperor Tianqi Rensheng of the Eastern Peak; the Emperor of the Southern Peak Who Governs Heaven and Illuminates Holiness; the Emperor of the Western Peak, the Golden Heaven Who Follows Holiness; the Emperor of the Northern Peak Who Pacifies Heaven; the Emperor of the Central Peak, the Revered Holiness of the Central Heaven; the Great Emperor of the Water Office, Fusang; and the kings of the river offices: the King of the Jiang River, Vast Source; the King of the Yellow River, Numinous Source; the King of the Huai River, Long Source; and the King of the Ji River, Pure Source.

The ninth petition, section thirteen: the Great Emperor of Fengdu of the Northern Yin and the divine beings under his command.

The Great Emperor of Fengdu of the Northern Yin, the Assistant Administrator, Numinous Lord of the Most High; the Assistant Administrator, Heavenly Lord of Mysterious Nourishment; the Lord of the High Chancellor of Fengdu; the Lord of the Grand Preceptor of Fengdu; the Duke of Eastern Illumination of Fengdu; the Duke of Southern Illumination of Fengdu; the Duke of Western Illumination of Fengdu; the Duke of Northern Illumination of Fengdu; the Lord of the Northern Dipper, Ghost Official of Fengdu; the Demon King of Boundless Great Strength of Fengdu; the Thunder-and-Lightning Officials Who Fly Through the Yin Realm; and the Boy Who Investigates Destinies in the Underworld.

The tenth petition, section fourteen: the immortal officials and divine beings of the Palace of Severed Yin in the City of the Dead.

The immortal officials of the Palace of Severed Yin on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of the Tai-Sha Liangshi Sect on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of Mingchen Naifan Wucheng on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of Severed Yin on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of the Tai-Sha Liangshi Sect on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of Mingchen Naifan Wucheng on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of Tranquil Illumination and Sinful Qi on Mount Fengdu; the immortal officials of the Palace of the Seven Nonbeings of the Ancestral Numen on Mount Fengdu; and the transmitting officials of the Palace of Gan Si Lianwan Lü on Mount Fengdu.

Examining officials of the Five Emperors of the Underworld; giant, mighty warriors of the Underworld;

Great Gods who enforce punishment in the Three Heavens; Lords of Fate of the Underworld;

Lords of Records of the Underworld; Lords of Merit of the Underworld;

Lords of Execution of the Underworld; ox-headed prison guards and clerks of the Underworld.

The eleventh petition consists of ten copies, presented to the Perfected Lord of the Transformation of the Upper Origin and the assembled gods:

Perfected Lord of the Transformation of the Upper Origin; Perfected Lord who Protects the Righteousness of the Middle Origin;

Perfected Lord who Settles the Will of the Lower Origin; Great General’s Chariot for Establishing Banners and Supervising Merit;

Great General of the Plain Chariot and White Horse; Jade Maiden who Transmits Petitions during the Current Ten-Day Period (the goddess responsible for delivering petitions during that period);

Lord of the Azure Dragon on the left; Lord of the White Tiger on the right;

Lord of the Vermilion Bird in front; Lord of the Black Tortoise behind.

The twelfth petition consists of ten copies, presented to the True Officials of the Land and the assembled gods:

True Officials of the Land; Perfected Lord who Transmits Petitions Upward;

Perfected Lord who Settles the Will of the Lower Origin; Great General’s Chariot for Establishing Banners and Supervising Merit;

Great General of the Plain Chariot and White Horse; Jade Maiden who Transmits Petitions during the Current Ten-Day Period;

Lord of the Azure Dragon on the left; Lord of the White Tiger on the right;

Lord of the Vermilion Bird in front; Lord of the Black Tortoise behind.

The twelfth petition consists of ten copies, presented to the True Officials of the Land and the assembled gods:

True Officials of the Land; Fire Official who Transmits Petitions Upward;

The presiding deity of the local City God; the presiding deity of the local district and village;

Envoy of the Direct Talisman of the Upper Realm; Envoy of the Direct Talisman of the Middle Realm;

Envoy of the Direct Talisman of the Lower Realm; Envoy on Duty for the Year; Envoy on Duty for the Month;

Envoy on Duty for the Day; Envoy on Duty for the Hour.

Daomen Dingzhi, juan 3, ends.

Daomen Dingzhi, juan 4

Compiled by Lü Yuansu, the Daoist Priest Puan of Western Shu; edited and collated by Hu Xianglong, the True Recluse of Zhuling, whose courtesy name was Zhai.

Cloud Seal Talismans and Proclamations (talismans and proclamations written in cloud-seal script)

Secret Hidden Writings of the Inner Tradition of the Three Sovereigns (secret talismanic writings handed down from the Three Sovereigns)

In the section on the Celestial Sovereign, characters 125 and 126 are joined together, as are characters 161 and 162. In the section on the Earth Sovereign, characters 217 and 218 are joined together. These arrangements were made after checking and collating them against the Central Covenant Registers, Daoist documents recording ritual covenants.

The True Writings that Pacify Heaven come from the Scripture on Delivering People through the Inner Prohibitions of the Flowery Hall.

The True Writings that Pacify Heaven of the Azure Emperor of the East:

The horned dragon bears the River Chart on its back, protecting the world and driving away calamities. When the True King descends, every kind of evil is destroyed. The lands of the world remain peaceful for ages and will not decline through countless kalpas. These writings were arranged after checking and collating them against the Central Covenant Registers.

The Azure Dragon bears the Hetu (the auspicious pattern said to have been carried forth by a dragon-horse or divine beast), protecting the world and dispelling calamity. The True King descends, destroying all evil and bringing lasting peace to humankind, enduring countless tribulations without decline.

The cloud script above reports to the Celestial Lord of the Nine Qi of the Azure Numinous Beginning Elder (the honored deity associated with the Eastern Azure Emperor). We respectfully pray: welcome the rising sun and let its light shine in all directions; let all things bask in the spring breeze, with grace extending to every kind of living being; gather every auspicious sign and protect the sovereign. May the sovereign guard the fortune of the state with benevolence and virtue, follow the Way of Heaven, and govern without cease. We respectfully submit this report.

On the year, month, and day, the High Merit Priest, whose name is recorded, recites and carries out this rite.

The Red Emperor bestows a numinous mandate, opening pathways to the myriad methods; he slays demons and monsters so that calamity no longer afflicts the world. Divine talismans and jade writings protect all under Heaven; the imperial Way flourishes in lasting abundance.

The cloud script above reports to the Celestial Lord of the Three Qi of the Vermilion Numinous True Elder (the honored deity associated with the Southern Red Emperor). We respectfully pray: may the sage face the light and serve as a model for the myriad states; may the Fire Virtue flourish, its grace shining like the sun and moon; may the sovereign live as long as the Southern Mountain and endure as long as Heaven and Earth. We respectfully submit this report.

On the year, month, and day, the High Merit Priest, whose name is recorded, recites and carries out this rite.

The Mysterious Lady, a goddess in Daoism, holds talismans and dwells in the celestial realm of Purple Clarity. By command from the Jade Steps, she slays all manner of spirits and monsters. The human world is vast and peaceful, and the sovereign rules in harmony.

The cloud script above reports to the Celestial Lord of the Seven Qi of the Bright Numinous August Elder (the honored deity associated with the Western White Emperor). We respectfully pray: may Metal Qi be pure and the Seven Qi harmonious; may farming suffer no harm and the autumn harvest be abundant; may the myriad states enjoy lasting peace and concord. May the empress, princes, and palace consorts receive the blessings of the Immortal Mother and have their good deeds recorded; may they assist the sage sovereign in carrying out his teachings, filling the palace with auspicious signs. We respectfully submit this report.

On the year, month, and day, the High Merit Priest, whose name is recorded, recites and carries out this rite.

The Black Numinous Northern Emperor commands the gates of Heaven, dispels calamities among humankind, and cuts away the breath of demons and evil spirits. The Jade Writ of Divine Empyrean protects the vault of Heaven, keeping Heaven and Earth from collapse.

The cloud-script on the right (Daoist talismanic writing shaped like clouds and vapor) is presented to the Celestial Lord of the Five Qi, the Mysterious Elder of the Five Numina, who governs the Qi of the Five Directions and Five Phases. With reverence, we pray that the perfected high beings descend to oversee and inspect; that auspicious light in five colors spread everywhere; and that the host of stars encircle the North Star, making the august sovereign’s dwelling ever more secure. May the Qi of the Yellow Bell nourish primordial Qi and protect the sage’s life, granting it enduring and limitless longevity. We respectfully present this petition.

Year, month, and day. The High Merit officiant, presiding Daoist of the liturgy, declares and performs it in the name of [name].

Central Yellow Emperor’s True Text for Pacifying Heaven

The Celestial Emperor receives the Qi of Heaven and Earth. May the Qi of the Yellow Bell nourish primordial Qi and protect the sage’s life, granting it enduring and limitless longevity. We respectfully present this petition.

Year, month, and day. The High Merit officiant declares and performs it in the name of [name].

Central Yellow Emperor’s True Text for Pacifying Heaven

The Celestial Emperor receives the Qi of Heaven and Earth and guards all quarters of the world. With the might of flames that melt metal, he shines brightly upon the earth, sweeping away ill omens. We respectfully follow the commands of the Yellow Elder, the Daoist divinities represented by the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and pray that the lands of the world remain forever at peace.

The cloud-script on the right is presented to the Celestial Lord of the Primordial Qi, the Mysterious Elder of the Primordial Spirit, who governs the numinous Qi of the origin. With reverence, we pray that, throughout the vast three thousand great thousand worlds, disharmony between Yin and Yang and the calamities of the one hundred and six-year cycle may be brought to an end. May the spirits of the ancestral temples through all generations travel in peace, and may their blessings endure for billions of years. May clouds gather and rain fall, spreading grace to the people of every land. May Heaven and Earth endure, and may the sage’s life continue to grow longer. We respectfully present this petition.

Year, month, and day. The High Merit officiant declares and performs it in the name of [name].

True Text for Dispelling Calamities, from the Scripture of the Five True Texts.

Eastern Azure Emperor’s True Text for Dispelling Calamities

The cloud-script on the right is presented to the True Lord Chonghua, the Wood Virtue and Jupiter, who governs the Wood Virtue of the East and the planet Jupiter. We earnestly ask him to oversee the star officials and correct the celestial measures on behalf of the Dao-following household of [name], thereby removing calamities caused by punitive clashes and conflicts in their destiny. May the True Lord descend with divine presence and primordial Qi from his palace in Eastern Florescence, nurture the liver, and protect the hun souls. We respectfully present this petition.

Year, month, and day. The High Merit officiant declares and presents the petition in the name of [name].

Southern Vermilion Emperor’s True Text for Dispelling Calamities

The cloud-script on the right is presented to the True Lord Who Upholds the Law, the Fire Virtue and Mars, who governs the Fire Virtue of the South and the planet Mars. We earnestly ask him to oversee the star officials and correct the celestial measures on behalf of the Dao-following household of [name], thereby removing calamities in their destiny.

Year, month, and day. The High Merit officiant declares and presents the petition in the name of [name].

Southern Vermilion Emperor’s True Text for Dispelling Calamities

The cloud-script on the right is presented to the True Lord Who Upholds the Law, the Fire Virtue and Mars. We earnestly ask him to oversee the star officials and correct the celestial measures on behalf of the Dao-following household of [name], thereby removing calamities caused by punitive clashes and conflicts in their destiny. May the True Lord descend with divine presence from his palace in Cavernous Yang, dispel misfortune, replenish primordial Qi, and bring peace to the heart and spirit. We respectfully present this petition.

Year, month, and day. The High Merit officiant declares and performs it in the name of [name].

Western White Emperor’s True Text for Dispelling Calamities

Submitting this memorial in cloud script (the talismanic script used in Daoist writing), I respectfully address the True Lord Tianhao of the Metal Virtue and Great White Star. I earnestly ask you to preside over and direct the star officials on behalf of a Daoist household, set right the degrees of the celestial movements, and remove the calamities brought by adverse forces in their fate. May you bestow primordial Qi and manifest divine powers in the Palace of Purenuminous Spirit, so that the soul and spirit may be settled and the lung Qi brought into harmony. Respectfully submitted.

On this year, month, and day, the High Merit Master, whose name is recorded, recites and carries this out.

True Text for the Northern Black Emperor’s Elimination of Calamities

Submitting this memorial in cloud script, I respectfully address the True Lord Sicheng of the Water Virtue and Morning Star. I earnestly ask you to preside over and direct the star officials on behalf of a Daoist household, set right the degrees of the celestial movements, and remove the calamities brought by adverse forces in their fate. May you bestow primordial Qi and manifest divine powers in the Palace of Dark Origin, so that the blood vessels flow freely and the kidney Qi is kept firm. Respectfully submitted.

On this year, month, and day, the High Merit Master, whose name is recorded, recites and carries this out.

True Text for the Central Yellow Emperor’s Elimination of Calamities

Submitting this memorial in cloud script, I respectfully address the True Lord Dihou of the Earth Virtue and Saturn. I earnestly ask you to preside over and direct the star officials on behalf of a Daoist household, set right the degrees of the celestial movements, and remove the calamities brought by adverse forces in their fate. May you bestow the circulating Dao Qi in the Palace of Great Mystery, protecting and stabilizing the Yellow Court (the area associated with the spleen, stomach, and their related body spirits in Daoist internal cultivation). Respectfully submitted.

On this year, month, and day, the High Merit Master, whose name is recorded, recites and carries this out.

True Texts for Refining and Delivering Souls, from the Scripture of Jade Characters and Inner Sounds of the Heavens

True Text for Refining and Delivering Souls in the Eight Heavens of the East

Submitting this memorial in cloud script, I respectfully address the Lord of the Nine Qi of the East. I respectfully ask you to carry out the talismanic command of the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning, and transmit it below to the boundless world of the East, opening the courts of the Ninefold Darkness in the long night. There, may you deliver the souls and consciousnesses of the deceased of a Daoist household, so that the departed may receive refinement and transformation and be restored to human form. Respectfully submitted.

On this year, month, and day, the High Merit Master, whose name is recorded, recites and carries this out.

The texts for the four directions below follow the same format; only the direction, number of Qi, and corresponding boundless world need to be changed:

True Text for Refining and Delivering Souls in the Eight Heavens of the South

Lord of the Three Qi of the South; boundless world of the South.

True Text for Refining and Delivering Souls in the Eight Heavens of the West

Lord of the Seven Qi of the West; boundless world of the West.

True Text for Refining and Delivering Souls in the Eight Heavens of the North

Lord of the Five Qi of the North; boundless world of the North.

The Southern Three-Qi Heavenly Lords (celestial deities who govern the three original energies of the south), and the Boundless World of the South.

The Western Eight Heavens’ True Text for Refinement and Deliverance (scripture used to refine and deliver the souls of the dead).

The Western Seven-Qi Heavenly Lords (celestial deities who govern the seven energies of the west), and the Boundless World of the West.

The Northern Eight Heavens’ True Text for Refinement and Deliverance.

The Northern Five-Qi Heavenly Lords (celestial deities who govern the five energies of the north), and the Boundless World of the North.

The Central Brahma Heaven’s True Text for Refinement and Deliverance (scripture used for refinement and deliverance in the central heavens).

The Central One-Qi Heavenly Lord (the celestial deity who governs the original energy of the center), and the Boundless World of the Center.

Precious Proclamation for Transferring the Spirit and Ascending to Heaven

The Altar of the Supreme Mystery Capital’s Provincial Office (the altar where ritual services are performed).

A certain Daoist family from a certain village in a certain place, having selected a certain day this month to prepare the ritual tokens and documents, establishes a certain kind of Daoist sanctuary at a certain location to deliver the deceased, a certain person. This person died of illness at a certain hour on a certain day of a certain month in a certain year, at the age of [a certain number] years. May they receive deliverance as soon as possible. In accordance with the ritual regulations of the Purple Yang Jade Casket (the standards governing Daoist ritual services), the ritual altar petitions for the issuance of a jade-script precious proclamation for transferring the spirit and ascending to heaven, to be given to the deceased, a certain person, as proof of their rebirth.

The Most High’s Jade Text for Pardoning Sins, Ascending to Heaven, and Transferring the Spirit

This document informs the Great Emperor of Fengdu in the Northern Yin (the sovereign who governs the netherworld), the kings of the palaces of the Ten Hells, and their subordinate officials and clerks: deliver the deceased, a certain person; eliminate their grave karmic offenses and block the roots of evil; enable their body and spirit to ascend and proceed to the heavenly court to pay audience to the sovereign. May their blessings, virtue, and wisdom naturally increase; may they ride a dragon chariot in attendance upon the Immortals’ carriage; and may their true Qi (primordial energy) endure for a long time. Let all the above be carried out in accordance with the commands recorded in this jade text.

The Most High’s Jade Text of the Precious Proclamation for Transferring the Spirit and Ascending to Heaven

This document informs the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus (divine offices governing the heavens, earth, waters, and related affairs), and the one hundred and twenty departments responsible for the dead: eliminate the grave karmic offenses of the deceased, a certain person, and block the roots of evil; enable their body and spirit to ascend and proceed to the heavenly court to pay audience to the sovereign. May their blessings, virtue, and wisdom naturally increase; may they ride a dragon chariot in attendance upon the Immortals’ carriage; and may their true Qi endure for a long time. Let all the above be carried out in accordance with the commands recorded in this jade text.

The Most High’s Jade Text of the Precious Proclamation for Transferring the Spirit and Ascending to Heaven

This document informs the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus, the one hundred and twenty departments, the Investigating Officials of the Five Emperors (officials who examine good and evil on the orders of the Five Directional Emperors), and the chief officials of the heavenly and earthly prisons: deliver the deceased, a certain person. In accordance with the talismanic command, dispatch guards to escort their body and spirit to the sovereign’s court. Reconcile and dissolve their grievances and enmities, bring them into accord with the Dao, and let their spirit ascend to the Southern Gate to undergo refinement and attain new life. Let all the above be carried out in accordance with the commands recorded in this jade text.

The Most High’s Jade Text for Transferring the Spirit, Ascending to Truehood, Delivering One’s Life, and Leaving the Cycle of Life and Death

May this reach upward to the clear, radiant, lofty heavens and downward to the deep and tranquil realms. May Heaven’s compassion grant forgiveness and make the Three Realms—the heavens, earth, and human world—pure and clear. May the guilty souls in the Nine Depths, the departed spirits in the Five Destinies of rebirth, our ancestors through the generations, and suffering wandering souls all be freed from the registers of guilt and released from evil karma, and swiftly find a place of rebirth. May their spirit and vital energy, and their consciousness, be made whole; may the deceased, [name omitted], be delivered and ascend to Heaven. May their physical substance be refined away and their spirit made clear, their true heart bright and pure, and their original nature open to subtle understanding. In accordance with the Jade Text’s proclamation, let its ordinances be carried out.

Jade Text of the Precious Proclamation of the Most High on Refining the Spirit and Ascending to Truehood in Jade Clarity

The True Talisman of the Nine Heavens for Protecting Life and Extending Longevity—an efficacious talismanic mandate for seeking protection and long life—opens the Eight Gates above, transforming and reaching through to the heaven of Highest Clarity. Below, it connects with the Nine Earths, bringing all interrogations and punishments in the Thirty-Seven Prisons to a halt. May the judges who administer punishment be clear in heart and illumined in their original nature. In accordance with the Jade Text’s proclamation, let its ordinances be carried out.

Jade Text of the Precious Proclamation of the Most High on Refining the Spirit and Ascending to Truehood in Jade Clarity

The True Talisman of the Nine Heavens for Protecting Life and Extending Longevity opens the Eight Gates above, transforming and reaching through to the heaven of Highest Clarity. Below, it connects with the Nine Earths, bringing all interrogations and punishments in the Thirty-Seven Prisons to a halt. May the judges who administer punishment go to pay audience to the Imperial Sovereign, pardon grievances and enmities from former lives, and allow the deceased to advance in rank and receive a destiny of rebirth. May the deceased, [name omitted], be delivered, receive the rank and allotment of life proper to their grade, and take their place among the spirits. Let all ordinances be carried out in accordance with the Precious Proclamation of Jade Clarity.

Jade Text of the True Proclamation of the Most High on Transmuting into an Immortal and Making the Human Being a Spirit

May the deceased, [name omitted], be delivered, advanced in rank, and granted a greater allotment of life, rising to the appropriate grade. May they bear the proclamation in reverence and pay homage to the True Gods, receive rewards according to their merits, transcend the Three Realms, and roam at ease in the heaven of Highest Clarity. Let all ordinances be carried out in accordance with the Precious Proclamation for Becoming a Spirit.

The proclamations above are entrusted to the deceased, [name omitted], as proof and aid in their deliverance. Once the talismanic mandate arrives, it is to be carried out as directed.

Issued on [year, month, day].

Rank of the High Merit Master—the ritual master presiding over the Zhaijiao liturgy:

Heavenly Master, Great Law Master of the Three Heavens, Who Supports the Teaching, Assists the Origin, and Embodies the Dao

Dragon Memorial Tablet of the Three Offices

A memorial tablet presented to the spirits of the Three Offices

Cavern Abode

A certain household of a certain village, presently devoted to the Dao, has, on a certain day and at a certain hour this month, undertaken the immeasurable Lower Origin Yellow Register Great Purification Ritual, a large Zhaijiao rite for delivering the spirits of the dead. The rite began on a certain day and concluded with the closing purification on a certain day. The ritual proceedings have now been completed. We respectfully submit this memorial tablet to the Sacred Mountain, Sacred Pool, and Central Palace.

May the deities and perfected immortals grant protection, enabling people to attain long life, transcend the world, and ascend to Shangqing, the highest celestial realm in Daoist belief. The perfected immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks, who guard those mountains, are supremely holy and numinous. We earnestly ask them to erase the record of a person’s sins, send the document up to the Nine Heavens, and convey it to a numinous mountain by means of a golden dragon.

On a certain day and month in a certain year of the Grand Year, this is reported in the grotto-heaven of a certain mountain. The petitioner, holding the rank of [rank] and bearing the surname [surname].

Earth Bureau

May the deities and perfected immortals grant protection. We earnestly ask the Central Sovereign of the Nine Earths, the Yellow Spirits of Wu and Ji, and the Five Emperors of the Earth Bureau, who govern the land, to erase the charges of sin and send the document to the Central Palace, where it is to be entered in the registers of the Great Mystery, the Daoist celestial registers, and authenticated with a golden clasp and a white credential, then conveyed by a golden dragon.

On a certain day and month in a certain year of the Grand Year, this is reported at the Central Palace of a certain household. The petitioner, holding the rank of [rank] and bearing the surname [surname].

Water Bureau

May the deities and perfected immortals grant protection, and may the divine beings of the Three Realms—the heavens, earth, and waters—be present as witnesses. We earnestly ask the Nine Water Emperors, the deities of the twelve river sources, the water gods of the Yangtze, Yellow, Huai, and Ji Rivers, and the great deity of Mingling, who governs the waters, to erase the record of sins, send the document up to the Nine Heavens, and convey it to the Water Bureau by means of a golden dragon.

On a certain day and month in a certain year of the Grand Year, this is reported at a certain river and pool. The petitioner, holding the rank of [rank] and bearing the surname [surname].

Brief Inscription on Silk

Reported to the grotto-heaven at a certain place. The petitioner, holding the rank of [rank] and bearing the surname [surname], respectfully seals this document.

Another account: the Dragon Pool at a certain place.

Another account: the Earth Bureau at the Central Palace of a household.

Golden Register, White Inscription

The seal script follows the base text preserved in the Daoist Canon and has been collated against fine editions held in various collections.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic decree, inscribed on a white tablet in a golden register. By means of the true talisman for rescuing the suffering, he conveys it to the boundless worlds in the ten directions and to the Three Offices and Nine Courts, the one hundred and twenty bureaus, the Five Emperors’ investigating officials, the prisons of the Ninefold Darkness, the giant celestial warriors, the divine troops who enforce punishments, the keepers of destiny and records, the overseers of merit and execution, the ox-headed jailers, and the great demons of the Three Realms. He commands them to deliver the deceased, [name], from suffering and free them from hell, so they may leave the long night of darkness forever and behold the light. Let all sinful karma be swept away and all enmities resolved. Having received the wondrous precepts of the Nine Perfected of the Most High and the merit of deliverance, the deceased may ascend to heaven. Let everything be carried out in accordance with this decree.

In the year of [year], on the [day] of the [month] under the Grand Year, this decree is issued during a Great Retreat (a large-scale purification ritual).

Dissolving the Form of the Talisman for Rescuing the Suffering

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Lord of the Dao of the Most High, the Most High Lord Lao, and the Imperial Lord join their powers to refine the Earth Emperor and the Empty Spirit, pouring life into the womb and the Nine Layers, and linking the Nine Courts. The gods on the left and right carry out their commands. Sima Dongyao, the Purple Gate’s Record-Settling Divine Court, the Divine Empyrean, and others together open the path of deliverance from the long night. Yin and Yang are joined; the Three Spirits govern. Auspicious blessings gather, and the Six Qi—the six kinds of vital energy that form all things under heaven—evolve together. In accordance with the method of Bright Brahma, the gods who govern destiny, records, merit, and execution are summoned. They take charge of the Three Spirits and proclaim the talismanic decree. The Five Qi are harmonized, all the gods assembled, and the scriptures and methods recited and expounded, as deliverance is carried out by command. The Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and the Nine Suns respond and descend. They reflect on the teachings that transform all spirits and bestow protection, bringing light to the netherworld. They gather the essence of the sun and moon and assist the Jade Emperor, so that the Ninefold Darkness may be brought into order.

Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands! Knock the teeth together and issue the command three times.

Gathering the Form of the Talisman for Rescuing the Suffering

Text of the Longevity Tablet

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic decree, inscribed on a white tablet in a golden register. By means of the numinous talisman of longevity, he conveys it to the southern world of Cinnabar Heaven, Zhu…

In accordance with the talismanic mandate of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Golden Registers and White Tablets, together with the numinous talisman of long life, are issued. This mandate informs the world of the Southern Cinnabar Heaven; the Vermilion Mound Fire Court, the divine office in the south that oversees the refining and deliverance of departed souls; the High Officials of Nanchang; the Great Lord of Long Life; Lord Han and Marshal Sima; the Directors of Destiny and Records; the Venerable Gods who extend life, increase one’s allotted years, and avert calamity; and the Great God who restores corpses to life and oversees the living. They are asked to deliver the deceased person, so that they may ascend to the court of flowing fire in the Vermilion Palace and undergo refinement and deliverance: their substance refined by jade-eyed light and their form cleansed by yellow radiance; their body and substance washed and refined, and their stagnant Yin dispelled. Let their name be entered in the Purple Register, the roster of the immortals, so that they may be transformed and reborn. By the merit of the Golden Register’s deliverance of life, the departed should be promoted in due course. Every matter is to follow the talismanic mandate and be conveyed swiftly by the wind-and-fire relay.

Issued during the Great Fast of [day, month, year], in the [year] of the sexagenary cycle.

The long-life talisman, dispersed form.

The Jade Firmament Supreme Emperor, by means of wondrous, mysterious radiance, issues talismanic mandates to the celestial offices, including the Heaven Office of Transcendent Rank and Harmonious Light and the Right Court of the Great One, whose wheel is clear within the Mystery. The perfected spirits of the Three Origins’ Conjoined Reality and the Six-Nine True Assembly carry out these mandates, overseeing matters of life and embryonic spirits. They are conveyed swiftly by the fire relay of the Eight Winds.

Issued during the Great Fast of [day, month, year], in the [year] of the sexagenary cycle.

The long-life talisman, dispersed form.

The Jade Firmament Supreme Emperor commands the relevant celestial offices and perfected spirits to carry out the work of long life and deliverance. He also commands the Eight Lords and the Eight Gods of the Embryonic Gate to bring together the Qi of the sun and moon and await orders sent from Nanchang by the Southern Pole Jade Firmament Supreme Emperor of Long Life. All the gods must promptly obey the statutes and help the departed attain deliverance. During the ritual, the officiant clicks their teeth three times and summons the Imperial Lord of Long Life, the Imperial Lord of the Cinnabar Elder, the Imperial Lord Who Assembles and Records Birth, and the Imperial Lord of Essence. They then click their teeth in three sets and take in Qi, breathing it into the Eight Prisons. They blow it toward the Five Sacred Peaks, the Three Offices, Beifeng, the Nine Measures, the Deep Yin, the Nine Earths, the Nine Waters, and other places, causing them to shine with light. The divine offices of the Vermilion Mound, Mount Dai, the Earth Directorate, and the Southern Dipper jointly manage the departed person’s ascent to rebirth, conveying the talismanic mandate by flying relay.

The long-life talisman, gathered form.

Cover for the two tablets.

The purpose of the White Tablet is to issue commands to the Ten Directions and the South for the relocation and deliverance of the departed. It is not a document addressed to the deceased. Therefore, do not write “to the deceased [name]” on it, and do not write the name of the master who confers the transmission.

The True Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering is hereby issued.

The Senior Ritual Master’s title and name, respectfully sealed.

The infinite worlds of the Ten Directions.

The Numinous Talisman of Long Life is hereby issued.

The Senior Ritual Master’s title and name, respectfully sealed.

The world of the Southern Cinnabar Heaven.

Format of the precept certificate.

The above is the format of the precept certificate in the old edition. On careful examination of the scripture, the following passage means…

The Numinous Talisman of Long Life is hereby issued.

The Senior Ritual Master’s title and name, respectfully sealed.

The Southern Cinnabar Heaven realm (the southern celestial realm in Daoism).

Ordination Certificate Format

The text on the right is from an old edition of the ordination certificate. A careful examination of the scriptures shows that its principles are not yet fully coherent. We have therefore selected material from the Scripture of the Wondrous Nine True Precepts and revised a new format to explain how the living may pray on behalf of their ancestors, establish an altar, transmit the Supreme High Golden Register Precepts for Deliverance and Longevity—the Nine True Precepts—and issue an ordination certificate.

A careful examination of the Scripture of the Primordial Beginning Heavenly Worthy on Rescuing the Guilty from the Ninefold Darkness states: After death, people in the world should enter the Ninefold Darkness—the netherworld in Daoism—and their names will be recorded in the Black Register, from which they cannot free themselves. If spouses, men and women, or fellow practitioners establish a ritual site for the deceased, request the transmission of the Nine True Precepts, make offerings to the Golden Register numinous talismans, and deliver a proclamation to the Bureau of Earth, the divine administration governing the netherworld, the deceased’s name can be erased from the Black Register. They will then be released in due time, their souls will ascend to the Southern Palace, and, through the cycles of karmic conditions, they may become Perfected Ones of the Nine Palaces.

Now a certain Daoist household has established a certain ritual site and requests that the Nine True Precepts be transmitted to the deceased person for whom deliverance is sought, along with offerings to the Golden Register white document, a white document used in Daoist ritual, and the numinous talisman for relieving suffering and granting long life. Deceased one, listen carefully and quietly commit these teachings to memory. When you are reborn as a human, treat these precepts as your own precious treasure.

At this time, the Primordial Beginning Heavenly Worthy transmits the Nine True Precepts to the deceased person for whom deliverance is sought, makes offerings to the Golden Register white document and the numinous talisman for relieving suffering and granting long life, and instructs the deceased to listen carefully and quietly keep them in mind. When reborn as a human, they should treat these as their own precious treasure. The Primordial Beginning Heavenly Worthy then proclaims the precepts as follows:

First, honor others and yield humbly; show filial care for your parents.

Second, work diligently and fulfill your duties; be loyal to your ruler.

Third, do not kill living beings; act with compassion to save them.

Fourth, do not engage in illicit sex; conduct yourself uprightly and deal with the world properly.

Fifth, do not steal; value righteousness, even at a cost to yourself.

Sixth, do not give way to anger; do not bully others with cruelty and rage.

Seventh, do not deceive, flatter in order to harm others, or injure the good.

Eighth, do not be arrogant or show contempt for the Utmost True—the supreme true Dao or Perfected Ones revered in Daoism.

Ninth, do not harbor divided intentions; observe the precepts with single-minded devotion.

The contents listed in the ordination certificate are as stated above.

The numinous talisman of the Wondrous Precepts carries immense power and prohibitions. In accordance with the prescribed liturgy, an ordination certificate is now issued to the deceased person, [name]. After receiving and wearing it, you should cultivate in accordance with the teachings. Then the Child Who Inspects Destiny and the protectors will… [the text is damaged here] … observe the precepts with single-minded devotion.

The contents listed in the ordination certificate are as stated above.

The numinous talisman of wondrous precepts embodies sacred commandments and talismanic decrees; its prohibitions are solemn and authoritative. Today, in accordance with the liturgy, this precept certificate is issued and entrusted to the deceased [name]. Once worn and received, if the recipient practices in accordance with the precept rules, the Child Attendant of Destiny and the awe-inspiring guardian spirits of the precepts will naturally protect them, responding to their every thought. Those who receive the precepts should hold fast to right mindfulness, cut off forever the roots of evil thoughts and deeds, and accumulate good works and merit, seeking transcendence and realization of the righteous Dao. This certificate is hereby issued.

Issued on the year, month, and day.

The transmitting master’s senior ritual rank and office.

Cover of the precept certificate.

The transmitting master’s name, who carefully seals it.

Reverse of the precept certificate.

A precept certificate issued by the Altar of the Nine Perfected Ones’ Wondrous Precepts for Delivering Destinies through the Most High’s Golden Registers, entrusted to the deceased [name] to wear and receive.

Ancient rituals were simple and grounded in practice. Today, however, people like to pursue novelty, making them needlessly elaborate. Although the Dingzhi ji, revised by Lü, refers to the liturgies (Daoist ritual rules) in the Daoist Canon and various scriptures, some parts remain unsatisfactory and should not be copied without careful thought.

For example, in rites to save the souls of the dead and to confer ritual offices (raising and rescuing the deceased, and transmitting ordination), ancient practice used only two kinds of document: the “Register of the Nine Perfected Precepts” and the “Golden Register’s White Documents.” This is clearly recorded in the Scripture on Rescuing the Guilty from the Nine Hells. Later, some ritual practitioners began making “Precious Proclamations,” modeled on the court’s formal edicts, and issuing them to those who received the rites. They reasoned that ritual officers had held ranks while alive and had earned merit by helping sentient beings, so they should be granted higher titles and ranks, promoted according to their grade, and then present their edicts in homage to the divine Perfected Ones, receiving rewards in proportion to their merit. Puan provisionally accepted this practice as well, editing it into a standard form and adding it to the collection. The earlier chapters also discuss these practices in detail.

More recently, new categories have appeared, including “Wondrous Registers for Ascending to Heaven,” “Talismanic Mandates,” “Official Credentials,” and “Certificates of Authorization.” The documents keep multiplying, gradually departing from their original purpose and turning instead toward profit and the pursuit of fame. How could anyone still give thought to cause and effect? For instance, different versions of the “Nine Dragons Talismanic Mandate” circulate, and no one knows what authority they rest on. There is also the “Talisman for Breaking Open the Earth Prison,” which is issued to the dead alongside the talismanic mandate. Yet once the deceased have been summoned to the ritual altar, confessed their sins, paid homage to the divine Perfected Ones, and received the precepts, issuing them such documents afterward makes no sense.

I have also seen the precepts listed in the ordination documents. The first, called the “Initial Perfected Precept,” says to show respect and humility and to care for one’s parents. The second, called the “Contemplative Perfected Precept,” and the others also deserve scrutiny. The scripture records the first precept as showing respect and humility and caring for one’s parents; the second as diligent cultivation, and so forth. Each is set out in full. The so-called “Initial Perfected Precept” and “Contemplative Perfected Precept” were composed by Master Guangcheng when he compiled the liturgy, to explain the meaning of the scripture and instruct both the hidden and visible realms—that is, the worlds of spirits and humans. How can they be conflated with the scripture, obscuring the words spoken by the Celestial Worthy himself and throwing the teachings into confusion? These principles should be made clear and explained to those who understand. It is no surprise if the ignorant use ornamental language to cover up their errors and end up deceiving themselves as well.

Bathing Talisman

After this talisman has been written in cinnabar, it is burned and placed in the bathing basin. The Daoist assembly recites the Brahmā Script of the Eight Heavens together. The ritual master silently recites the “Spell of the Three Lights,” invoking the light of the sun, moon, and stars; forms hand signs to draw in Qi (vital energy); then blows the Qi into the bathing chamber before conducting the ritual.

True Talisman of the Most High for Bathing and Delivering Souls

(From the Secret Methods of the Highest Clarity for Aiding and Delivering Souls)

We respectfully receive the talismanic command of the Most High, the Daoist deity, and pray universally on behalf of the deceased, so-and-so and the others: May they purify body and mind, bathe the body and cultivate De (Virtue/Power), wash away impurity and become pure, and cleanse the karmic obstructions accumulated over many lifetimes and the stains of sins from past lives, so that their spirits may be restored to purity. Then they may dress properly and go to pay court, uphold the precepts and recite the scriptures, and ultimately attain the Real and awaken to the Dao. All shall be carried out in accordance with the talismanic command. We respectfully obey and execute this command.

Year, month, and day

The Senior Ritual Master’s signature, partially abbreviated

End of Volume Four of Standards for the Daoist Tradition

Volume Five of Standards for the Daoist Tradition

Compiled by Lü Yuansu, the Daoist Priest Puan of Western Shu

Edited by Hu Xianglong, the True Recluse of Zhuling, of the Xingzhai lineage

Comprehensive Memorial for the Yellow Register Rite

The format of the comprehensive memorial follows that of the Ritual of the Golden Register. Originally, it was divided into two sections, signed by the leaders of the assembly, who set forth the merits in the memorial. But since the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and Jiao (offering ritual) have already been performed, the assembly leaders may not know all the merits. It may therefore better accord with ritual standards for the Senior Ritual Master to sign it instead.

I, so-and-so, whose full title is the Senior Ritual Master, submit this report: On behalf of so-and-so, the sponsor of the rite, a Daoist from such-and-such place, I state the wishes that he has presented. I presume to report this to Heaven. I, Senior Ritual Master so-and-so, respectfully lead the ritual masters, the chief lecturer, Daoist priests so-and-so, and the others, in following the immortal rites and performing the liturgy. Now, having received the sacred grace and protection, the great vow has been fulfilled. I respectfully list below the merits of the rites conducted over three days and four nights.

At the hour of the Monkey on such-and-such day, the altar was opened: write each of the following items on a separate line.

The High Merit Master (the ritual master who presides over Zhaijiao purification rites) pays homage before the courtyard and offers incense with prayers. The Daoist priests gather at the ritual altar to receive their ritual offices. Memorials and petitions are submitted to the Three Offices of Heaven, Earth, and Water (the three divine courts in Daoism). The priests kneel to receive the Ten Precepts for Cultivating the Real, and the ritual regulations concerning impeachment and punishment are proclaimed.

The night before the Zhaijiao rites begin:

Documents are presented, the deities are informed, and the ritual master is respectfully invited. The Lecturer (a Daoist priest who assists in leading the rites) performs rites to rescue those in the water and secure the ritual altar. The High Merit Master reports to the Supreme Perfected Ones (revered divine beings), and the liturgy for opening the altar and establishing the purification rite is read aloud. The Purification Supervisor (the Daoist priest who oversees the purification rites) leads the confession of sins, reads the Hidden Writings of the Three Sovereigns (secret scriptures associated with the Three Sovereigns), and recites the invocation inviting the holy beings to the altar.

At dawn on a given day, the morning rites are performed:

The morning liturgy for the state is read aloud. The altar’s officers and generals are summoned, and the registers of clerks and soldiers are checked. The liturgy for opening the altar and establishing the purification rite is then read aloud. The Purification Supervisor leads the confession of sins, reads the Hidden Writings of the Three Sovereigns, and recites the invocation inviting the holy beings to the altar.

At dawn on a given day, the morning rites are performed:

The morning liturgy for the state is read aloud. The altar’s officers and generals are summoned, and the clerks and soldiers are inspected. The Sacred Writings for Pacifying Heaven (divine documents used in Daoist rites for protection and stabilization) are read aloud, prayers are offered for peace in the state, and the five-part penitential rite for the state is performed.

Near noon, the rites are performed:

The midday liturgy for the state and prayers to avert calamity and seek blessings are read aloud, followed by the penitential rite of the twenty directions (a rite of confession and prayer directed toward the four quarters and their associated deities).

At night, the rites are performed:

The nighttime liturgy for the state is read aloud, along with the invocations used to address the deities in a sacrificial ceremony. The comprehensive penitential rite for the state is then performed.

At dawn on a given day, the morning rites are performed:

The morning liturgy for rites of deliverance is read aloud, followed by the Sacred Writings for Refining and Deliverance (Daoist scriptures for delivering the dead and refining their body and spirit) and invocations for recommending and delivering the deceased. The five-part penitential rite for deliverance is performed.

Near noon, the rites are performed:

The midday liturgy for rites of deliverance is read aloud. Prayers are offered to the deities of the underworld and the Water Office, followed by the penitential rite of the twenty directions.

At night, the rites are performed:

The nighttime liturgy for rites of deliverance is read aloud, followed by invocations for delivering beings of the Six Paths. The comprehensive penitential rite for deliverance is then performed. Afterward, the red memorial petitions for deliverance and tomb-related disputes (vermilion-written petitions seeking to deliver the dead and resolve matters concerning their graves) are presented with formal obeisance.

At dawn on a given day, the morning rites are performed:

The morning liturgy for rites of averting calamity is read aloud, followed by the Sacred Writings for Averting Calamity and invocations for confessing sins. The five-part penitential rite for averting calamity is performed.

Near noon, the rites are performed:

The midday liturgy for rites of averting calamity is read aloud. The ritual procession then continues with the morning liturgy for averting calamity, the Sacred Writings for Averting Calamity, invocations for confessing sins, and the five-part penitential rite for averting calamity.

Near noon, the rites are performed:

At midday, the ritual for proclaiming the dispelling of misfortune is performed, and the text repaying the kindness of one’s parents is read aloud. The Twenty-Direction Repentance Rite is performed, with prostrations of repentance toward the four quarters and the other directions.

The ritual procession is held in the stillness of deep night.

The rite for proclaiming the dispelling of misfortune in the quiet of night is performed, and the prayers and petitions to the various gods are read aloud. The General Repentance Rite for dispelling misfortune is performed, with prostrations and the presentation of a vermilion memorial for dispelling misfortune—a petition written in red ink and submitted to the gods.

At midnight on a designated day, a Zhaijiao rite is established: an altar is set up to sacrifice to the gods and pray for blessings and the removal of calamities.

The senior officiant addresses the Supreme Perfected in a formal petition, summons the divine generals under his command, and inspects the clerks and troops. He performs prostrations and presents a vermilion memorial reporting the rite’s merits, then carries out the Grand Offering to the Net of Heaven, a vast-scale offering rite. The Perfected Ones of the Three Offices are invited to descend. The three offerings are made, flowers are scattered, and the assembly circles the altar. The words of intention reporting the performance of the retreat are read aloud, followed by the sincere words reporting the altar’s closure. A formal invocation is addressed to the dragon documents of the Three Offices. The Daoist assembly returns to its duties, receives the dragon documents, takes leave of its masters, and respectfully escorts the Supreme Perfected.

Rites at the outer altar:

The roads to the Five Directions are opened, and the gods of the various temples are summoned. The deceased who are to be rescued and guided onward are summoned, along with beings of the Six Realms—sentient beings who transmigrate through six states of existence. Fragrant water is prepared to bathe the deceased, so they may ascend the unobstructed Dharma Bridge, which symbolizes the passage guiding the spirits beyond. The deceased are led to repent for their sins and are given the wondrous Nine Perfected Precepts, Daoist commandments. The True Talisman for Deliverance from Suffering and the numinous Talisman of Long Life are presented in offering. The sacred proclamation for the spirit’s ascent is bestowed, guiding the deceased to a higher realm. A spell is recited and sweet-dew ritual food is offered for the spirits. A sacred lamp is lit to repent for sins and break open the prisons of the underworld; the beings of the Nine Springs and the Six Realms are instructed and admonished. The Seven Primordial Star Lamps, associated with the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, are formally invoked and blessed.

In the first period, auspiciousness is sought for the state, and prayers are offered for the reigning emperor’s long life and blessings. The sacred proclamation for the spirit’s ascent is bestowed, a spell is recited and sweet-dew ritual food is offered, the sacred lamp for repenting sins and breaking open the prisons of the underworld is lit, and the beings of the Nine Springs and the Six Realms are instructed. The Seven Primordial Star Lamps are formally invoked and blessed.

In the first period, auspiciousness is sought for the state, and prayers are offered for the reigning emperor’s boundless longevity. Each member of the Daoist assembly recites:

The Divine Spell for Purifying Heaven and Earth, the Divine Spell for Purifying the Heart and Mouth, and the Divine Spell for Pacifying the Land; the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning of Jade Purity, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure of Highest Purity, the Celestial Worthy Who Descended to Give Life of Great Purity, the Jade Emperor of Vast Heaven, the Celestial Worthy and Emperor of the Sacred Ancestor, the Great Emperor of the Celestial Sovereign of the Upper Palace, the Great Emperor of the Central Heaven’s Northern Pole, the Earthly Sovereign Goddess Houtu, the Great Holy Queen of Primordial Heaven, the Celestial Worthy of Voidness of Jade Purity, the Celestial Worthy of Great Compassion of Jade Purity, and the Celestial Worthy of Great Mercy of Jade Purity.

The Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Supreme Emperor and Empty Sovereign; the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Later Sage of the Golden Palace; the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Later Sage of the Jade Palace; the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Great Compassion; and the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Great Mercy. Also: the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Supreme Emperor and Empty Sovereign; the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Later Sage of the Golden Palace; the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Later Sage of the Jade Palace; the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Clarity, Later Sage of Great Peace; the Celestial Worthy of Great Peace Who Protects the Nation; the Celestial Worthy Who Brings the Nation to Prosperity and Transforms Its People; the Celestial Worthy Who Brings the Land to Fulfillment; the Celestial Worthy Who Brings Great Peace to the Nation; the Celestial Worthy of Ten Thousand Years of Life at the Dark Capital; the Celestial Worthy of Inconceivable Sacred Virtue; the Celestial Worthy Who Preserves and Regulates the Cycles of Calamity; the Perfected One of the Ocean of Wisdom and the Empty Sky; and the Perfected One of Universal Virtue and Wondrous Practice. The merit and virtue of the deities and Perfected Ones represented by these sacred titles are inconceivable.

Recite each of the sacred titles above ten times, and, for each, perform a ritual recitation of one scroll of the Supreme One’s Scripture of the Dao and De of the Primordial Unity, the August Emperor. “Perform a ritual recitation” means chanting and holding the scripture in mind according to the prescribed rites.

During the second period, follow the hour of the day and the ritual prescriptions to dispel and avert the calamities of Yang Nine and Hundred Six—disasters that the ancients believed recurred in cycles—as well as war, plague, floods, fires, drought, locusts, famine, and other afflictions within the nation’s borders. Recite the Celestial Worthy of the Imperial Pole in the Sun Palace of the Upper Origin; the Celestial Worthy of Orthodox Unity in the Moon Palace of the Middle Origin; the Celestial Worthy of the Myriad Wondrous Ones in the Star Palace of the Lower Origin; the Celestial Worthy Who Sets Brightness in Motion and Shines Far and Wide; the Celestial Worthy Who Unveils Radiance and Preserves Life; the Celestial Worthy of the Radiance of Sun and Moon; the Celestial Worthy of Pure, Flowing Light; the Celestial Worthy of Gathered Colors and Radiant Splendor; the Celestial Worthy Who Subdues Demons and Ends Distress; the Celestial Worthy Who Protects the Nation and Brings Lasting Peace; and the Perfected Ones of Sunlight, Moonlight, and Starlight. The merit and virtue of these deities and Perfected Ones are inconceivable.

Recite each of the sacred titles above ten times, and, for each, perform a ritual recitation of one scroll of the Supreme One’s Scripture of the Great Disaster-Dispelling Divine Incantation of the Eleven Luminaries and one scroll of the Supreme One’s True Scripture for Averting Calamities and Delivering from Adversity.

At the third period, recite the sacred titles for the blessed and virtuous deities enshrined in temples throughout the land who have rendered service to the state. These are the gods worshipped by the people who protect their local communities. Pray that their divine power may grow stronger and that they may safeguard the peace of the state. Each participant recites:

Heavenly Worthy Who Reveals the Teaching of the Mysterious Origin, Heavenly Worthy Who Augments Great Blessings and Power,

Heavenly Worthy Who Compassionately Aids Through Eternity, Heavenly Worthy Who Delivers from All Calamities,

Heavenly Worthy of Great Spiritual Efficacy, Heavenly Worthy Whose Manifestations Are Boundless,

Perfected One of Wondrous Practice, Perfected One of Vast Faith,

Their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Recite each of these sacred titles ten times, and each participant should also turn and read one scroll of the Wondrous Scripture of the Most High for Ascending to the Mysterious and Dispelling Calamities to Preserve Life and one scroll of the Scripture of the Yellow Emperor on the Hidden Talisman. “Turning the scripture” means reciting and upholding a sacred text.

At the fourth period, recite for the deceased, including those recommended for salvation by the household of the ritual officiant, praying that their souls may be delivered and reborn in a pure realm. Each participant recites the Divine Incantation for Purifying Heaven and Earth, the Divine Incantation for Purifying the Mind and Mouth, and the Divine Incantation for Pacifying the Earth. Then recite:

Heavenly Worthy of the Jade Clarity and the Void, Heavenly Worthy of the Jade Emperor’s Wondrous Dao,

Heavenly Worthy of the Golden Palace and Perfect Truth, Heavenly Worthy of the Great One Who Rescues from Suffering,

Heavenly Worthy Who Is the Great Crossing of the Dharma Bridge, Heavenly Worthy Who Opens Wide the Skillful Means,

Heavenly Worthy Who Constantly Delivers from the Sea of Suffering, Heavenly Worthy Who Protects Souls from Obstruction,

Heavenly Worthy Who Preaches the Dao in the Fragrant Grove, Heavenly Worthy Who Assigns the Conditions of Rebirth,

Heavenly Worthy Who Grants Rebirth According to One’s Vows, Heavenly Worthy of Ease and Joy,

Greatly Compassionate Perfected One Who Rescues from Suffering, Greatly Merciful Perfected One Who Removes Sin,

Their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Recite each of these sacred titles ten times, and each participant should also turn and read once the Wondrous Scripture of the Most High, the Mysterious Cavern, the Numinous Treasure, of Limitless Salvation of Humanity, Supreme Grade.

At the fifth period, recite for the underworld, the waters, and the spiritual offices that administer the affairs of the netherworld. Pray that the relevant souls of the deceased may ascend to the ranks of the immortals, and that the sins of both the living and the dead may be erased. Each participant recites:

Heavenly Worthy of the Jade Writs of the Dharma Treasury,

and turns and reads once the Wondrous Scripture of the Most High, the Mysterious Cavern, the Numinous Treasure, of Limitless Salvation of Humanity, Supreme Grade.

The fifth period is devoted to prayers for the deities of the underworld and the water realm, as well as the officials of the various spirit bureaus and departments. The prayer is that they may rise to the rank of terrestrial immortals and that the sins of the living and the dead may be reduced. The assembly recites each of the following sacred titles:

Celestial Worthy of the Jade Texts of the Dharma Treasury, Celestial Worthy of Compassion Throughout the Three Realms, Celestial Worthy of Broadly Transforming the Six Paths, Celestial Worthy of the Dragon King’s Transformative Salvation, Celestial Worthy of the Wheel-Turning Sage King, Celestial Worthy of Compassionate Response throughout the Dharma Realm, Celestial Worthy of the Many Wonders of Delivering People, Perfected One of Wondrous Practice, Perfected One of Wondrous Form, followed by the phrase “Inconceivable Merit.”

Each sacred title is recited ten times. The assembly then chants one scroll each of the Taishang Scripture of Birth in Heaven and Attainment of the Dao and the Taishang Scripture of the Constant Clarity and Stillness of the Old Lord. Here, “chant” means to read or proclaim a scripture aloud.

The sixth period is devoted to prayers and rites of deliverance for beings caught in the cycle of rebirth in the Three Realms, the spirits of the dead in the Nine Springs and Six Paths, and lonely souls of the five lineages, along with other spirits of the underworld. The prayer is that they may leave the dark realms and ascend to a pure state. The assembly recites each of the following sacred titles:

Celestial Worthy Who Transforms the Three Evil Paths, Celestial Worthy Who Saves from the Eight Sufferings, Celestial Worthy Who Removes Afflictions, Celestial Worthy Who Transcends Life and Death, Celestial Worthy of Form Without End, Celestial Worthy of Emptiness and Signlessness, Celestial Worthy of the Boundless, Celestial Worthy of the Three Evil Paths, Celestial Worthy Who Saves from the Eight Sufferings, Celestial Worthy Who Removes Afflictions, Celestial Worthy Who Transcends Life and Death, Celestial Worthy of Form Without End, Celestial Worthy of Emptiness and Signlessness, Celestial Worthy of the Boundless, Celestial Worthy of the Ocean of Merit, Perfected One Who Understands the Dharma, Perfected One Who Saves and Liberates, followed by the phrase “Inconceivable Merit.”

Each sacred title is recited ten times. The assembly then chants one scroll each of the Taishang Wondrous Scripture for Saving Suffering in the Ten Directions and the Taishang Heart Seal Scripture for Deliverance from Sin in the Nine Abysses.

The seventh period is devoted to prayers for the household of a certain official in charge of the purification rites, asking that disasters and misfortunes be dispelled, their lives preserved, and their years extended. The assembly recites the Divine Spell for Purifying Heaven and Earth, the Divine Spell for Purifying the Mind and Mouth, the Divine Spell for Pacifying the Earth, and the following sacred titles:

Celestial Worthy of Bestowing Blessings from the Jade Clarity, Celestial Worthy of Everlasting Clarity from the Highest Clarity, Celestial Worthy of Numinous Transformation from the Great Clarity, Celestial Worthy Who Grants Long Life and Protects Life, Celestial Worthy Who Dispels Disasters and Overcomes Misfortune, Celestial Worthy Who Extends Life and Increases One’s Allotted Years, Celestial Worthy Who Guards Against Misfortune in the Nine Palaces, Celestial Worthy Who Protects the Body through the Eight Trigrams, Celestial Worthy Who Extends Auspiciousness from the Golden Palace, Celestial Worthy Who Enters Blessings into the Jade Register, Celestial Worthy Who Grants Blessings from Purple Clarity, Celestial Worthy Who Fixes the Length of Life in the Precious Register.

The Perfected One of the Natural Wisdom Dharma Body and the Perfected One of Mysterious Subtlety, Emptiness, and Supreme Virtue: their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Recite each of the sacred titles above ten times. Then, for each, ceremonially chant one scroll of the Most High Mysterious Treasure Scripture for Determining the Span of Life and one scroll of the Most High Scripture of the Mysterious Numinous Northern Dipper for Extending Life According to One’s Birth Destiny. Here, “turning the scriptures” means chanting the scriptures according to ritual.

At the eighth period, prayers are offered for the family of the ritual patron, in gratitude for the profound kindness of the parents’ labor and care in raising their children. Recite the following titles separately:

The Celestial Worthy of Boundless Manifestations, the Celestial Worthy of the Holy King Who Saves the World, the Celestial Worthy of Perfected True Wisdom, the Celestial Worthy Who Responds to Beings’ Needs, the Celestial Worthy Who Proclaims the Dao and Virtue Far and Wide, the Celestial Worthy Who Saves People in Accordance with Their Merits, the Perfected One Who Understands the Dharma, and the Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate: their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Recite each of these sacred titles ten times. Then ceremonially chant one scroll of the Most High Scripture of True Unity on Repaying Parents’ Profound Kindness and one scroll of the Scripture of the Perfected Lord Zhenwu’s Numinous Response on Repaying Parents’ Kindness and Virtue.

At the ninth period, prayers are offered for the ritual clerks and troops of the registers—divine officials and soldiers acting under orders in Daoist rites—for the cloud paths of the Three Realms, the divine passages between the realms, and for the local earth deities, merit officers and messengers who convey memorials and assist in ritual work, and the dragon spirits who guard local territories. May their numinous might increase. Recite the following titles separately:

The Celestial Worthy of True Numinous Response, the Celestial Worthy of Unceasing Numinous Efficacy, the Celestial Worthy of Ever-Increasing Supreme Goodness, the Celestial Worthy Who Makes Divine Power Shine Forth, the Celestial Worthy Who Harmonizes Spirits and Benefits All Things, the Celestial Worthy of Perfected Merit and Virtue, the Perfected One of the Precious Countenance, and the Perfected One Who Turns the Wheel: their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Recite each of these sacred titles ten times. Then ceremonially chant one scroll of the Most High Supreme Clarity Wondrous Scripture of the Celestial Child Who Protects Life and one scroll of the Cavern Mystery Numinous Treasure Scripture on the Wisdom of Contemplating the Body.

Chant and perform the rites continuously for three days and four nights.

The praises, buxu verses, hymns, incantations, recited texts, salutations, and prayers used in Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy include rites such as opening the sanctuary, receiving the precepts, inviting the master, burning written petitions and slips, delivering the dead, leaving the sanctuary and returning the precepts, and dissolving the altar with a dedication of merit. They also include buxu verses and hymns dedicated to the Jade Capital, the Golden Gates, Jade Clarity, Highest Clarity, and Great Clarity, as well as acts of reverence toward the Celestial Worthies, the Great Dao, the Three Caverns’ true scriptures, and the true masters. “Buxu” refers to Daoist ritual songs chanted while walking or performing salutations; the “Three Caverns” are the three principal categories of Daoist scriptures.

The liturgy also lists numinous incantations for recitation, including incense incantations, the incantation for kindling the censer, the incantation of the Five Planets, and that of the Nine Luminaries. Other rites include voicing the twelve great recollections and twelve great vows, saluting the master while holding the proper thoughts in mind, and paying homage to the Celestial Worthies of the ten directions. The prayers include documents concerning the storehouse of the Three Caverns’ scriptures, the Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns, and texts for securing Heaven, refining and delivering souls, dispelling calamities, and the Golden Register’s white slips.

Items required to consecrate and secure the ritual altar include thirty-nine chi of purple gauze patterned with the practitioner’s birth destiny, thirty-six chi of yellow silk, and colored silk for securing the altar in the ten directions. Ritual implements include brushes and ink, writing paper, an inkstone, tallies, a dragon jade tablet, a clean cloth, a bow, banners, a mirror, and a sword. Also prepared are three strings and six hundred cash in destiny money, twelve sheng of emolument rice, twelve jin of oil, and one hundred and twenty jin of charcoal, along with several pairs of jeweled banners for offerings.

Offer nine sets each of spirit money, paper horses, and paper dragon chariots to the Nine August Supreme Ones (the nine highest deities). For each of the assembled perfected lords of the celestial realm, offer 1,200 pieces of spirit money together with a paper horse. Offer three sets to the Three Sovereigns, and sixty pieces each of spirit money and paper horses to the deities of the various temples.

After the ritual assembly concludes, make the offerings in the quantities specified above.

At the Nine Chambers Grotto-Heaven of Baocuan on Mount Qingcheng, a Daoist immortal realm and grotto dwelling, present one golden dragon, one jade bi disc, and one plain inscribed tablet. Hold one offering ritual and submit a memorial reporting the payment of twenty-four sets. For a grotto dwelling or water realm, adapt the name according to the sacred site at that location.

At the water realm of a particular prefecture, river, or pool, present one golden dragon, one jade bi disc, and one plain inscribed tablet. Hold one offering ritual and submit a memorial reporting the payment of twenty-four sets.

At the central palace and earth realm of the residence of the person sponsoring the purification rite, present one golden dragon, one jade bi disc, and one plain inscribed tablet. Hold one offering ritual and submit a memorial reporting the payment of twenty-four sets.

On the sacred altar, perform the following rites for the deceased receiving salvation: issue a number of certificates of the Wondrous Precepts of the Nine Perfected; present and proclaim a number of True Talismans for Saving from Suffering and a number of Numinosity Talismans for Longevity; issue a number of Precious Edicts for Ascending to Heaven; and offer the deceased one copy each of a scripture and Yin wealth, spirit money for use in the underworld.

For the matters above, I, your servant, respectfully risk punishment in submitting this memorial, and humbly request that the Most High Jade Emperor, who opened Heaven, holds the tally, governs the calendar, embodies truth, and realizes the Dao, examine it before his throne. I offer the deceased one copy each of a scripture and Yin wealth.

For the matters above, I, your servant, respectfully risk punishment in submitting this memorial, and humbly request that the Most High Jade Emperor, who opened Heaven, holds the tally, governs the calendar, embodies truth, and realizes the Dao, examine it before his throne.

The disciple who serves the Dao, So-and-so, respectfully declares: The ritual document has been completed, and I look up to the Great Dao for its gracious examination. I respectfully submit this memorial.

On [year, month, day], the High Merit officiant, [full title], your servant So-and-so, submits this memorial.

When a Yellow Register Offering to the Heavens (a Daoist prayer and salvation rite for the dead) is held to transfer and deliver the deceased, a memorial petition must be written for them, setting out the matter to the deities. The ritual officer states the petitions as usual, listing in detail the merits performed on the day of recommendation and deliverance and the scriptures recited in the fourth session, then follows the customary format. During the rite of recommendation and deliverance, held in remembrance of the deceased, the petition is read aloud before the assembly so that the deeds performed may be reported to the deities. A separate petition is prepared for the nighttime ritual, briefly stating the petitions and listing the scriptures recited in the sixth session and the rites of recommendation and deliverance.

Petition on the Merits of the Great Covenant with the Perfected

If the ritual is held over one day and one night, revise the relevant details to match the ritual actually performed.

The Daoist disciple [name], from [village and locality], respectfully sets out below the merits accrued through a ritual lasting one day and two nights. [Name] and several other Daoist priests learned in the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen) are commissioned to conduct the ritual in accordance with the Ritual Code of the Purple Yang Jade Casket.

On [date], at the hour of Shen (3–5 p.m.), the altar is opened:

The Senior Ritual Master revises the relevant details to match the ritual actually performed.

The Daoist disciple [name], from [village and locality], respectfully sets out below the merits accrued through a ritual lasting one day and two nights. [Name] and several other Daoist priests learned in the Three Caverns are commissioned to conduct the ritual in accordance with the Ritual Code of the Purple Yang Jade Casket.

On [date], at the hour of Shen, the altar is opened:

The Senior Ritual Master pays homage in the courtyard, offers incense, and submits memorials and official notices to the Three Divine Courts. He expounds the Ten Commandments of Wisdom, while the Lecturer, the priest assisting with the scripture recitation, performs the water consecration and altar purification rite.

The nighttime purification rite is begun:

The Senior Ritual Master petitions the Supreme Perfected of the upper realms, recites the rite for opening the altar and forming a covenant with the Perfected, and the Lecturer repents for past offenses, expounds the true text of Refining and Deliverance, and recites the invocation for opening the altar and inviting the holy ones.

At dawn on [date], the ritual procession is performed:

The rites of dispatching officials and presenting petitions at court and of the Covenant with the Perfected at Dawn are recited. First, the petition for cultivating the fast and making supplication is presented; then the five-part rite of repentance is recited.

Near midday, the ritual procession is performed:

The rite of recommendation and deliverance at midday is recited, followed by a second presentation of the petition for cultivating the fast and making supplication, and the rite of repentance for offenses in the Ten Directions.

At night, the ritual procession is performed in quiet cultivation:

The rite of releasing the deceased from their trials is recited, followed by a third presentation of the petition for cultivating the fast and making supplication, and the comprehensive rite of repentance for transfer and deliverance.

At midnight on [date], the offering is performed:

The Great Offering for the Living and the Dead is recited, and the Supreme Perfected of the Three Divine Courts are invited to descend. The rites for dispatching officials and inspecting the officials and soldiers are performed, and a red memorial petition for transfer and deliverance is submitted, or a legal petition concerning the tomb is presented.

The words for concluding the offering and dismantling the altar are recited. The master and honored teachers are bid farewell, and the Supreme Perfected are respectfully escorted on their way.

Outer altar rites:

They open the roads leading to the five directions and summon the departed souls being recommended for salvation. They prepare fragrant water for the souls to bathe in and build an unobstructed ritual bridge to help them ascend. They explain and dispel the sins created by the three karmic actions of body, speech, and mind, transmit the Nine True Wondrous Precepts (Daoist precepts), and perform an offering and announcement rite.

They prepare and recite the words for concluding the Zhaijiao ritual, dismantling the altar, and sending off the gods. They take leave of the ritual masters and respectfully escort the High Perfected (Daoist revered deities).

Outer Altar Rituals:

They open the roads leading to the five directions and summon the departed souls being recommended for salvation. They prepare fragrant water for the souls to bathe in and build an unobstructed ritual bridge to help them ascend. They explain and dispel the sins of the three karmic actions, transmit the Nine True Wondrous Precepts, and make an offering and announcement with golden registers and white tablets (documents used in Daoism for registration and petitions). They proclaim and deliver to the departed souls the jade talismans for ascending to Heaven (talismans symbolizing the deceased’s ascent). They recite incantations and offer ritual food of sweet dew (offerings symbolizing aid to departed souls), light sacred lamps to repent for sins and break open the prisons of the underworld, and instruct and admonish the souls beneath the Nine Springs and beings in the Six Paths.

At the first session, they respectfully perform rites for the departed souls recommended for salvation, including those named So-and-so, praying that their spirits may be raised up and attain rebirth in a pure realm. The Daoist assembly recites in turn the Divine Incantation for Purifying Heaven and Earth, the Divine Incantation for Purifying the Mind and Mouth, and the Divine Incantation for Pacifying the Earth. They then praise the sacred names of the following revered deities: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning of Jade Clarity; the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure of Highest Clarity; the Celestial Worthy Who Descended to Give Life of Great Clarity; the Jade Emperor, Sovereign of Heaven; the Celestial Worthy of Life-Protecting Sacred Ancestors; the Great Emperor of the Heavenly Sovereign Palace; the Great Emperor of the Central Heaven’s Northern Pole; the Earthly Sovereign Empress of Houtu; the Great Sacred Empress of the Primordial Heaven; the Celestial Worthy Taiyi, Savior from Suffering; the Celestial Worthy Who Extracts Sins from the Ninefold Darkness; the Celestial Worthy Who Guides Lives Across from the Vermilion Mound; the Celestial Worthy of the Realm of Elixirs Refined by Fire; the Celestial Worthy Who Grants Rebirth According to One’s Vows; the Celestial Worthy of Freedom and Joy; the Greatly Compassionate Perfected One Who Saves from Suffering; and the Greatly Merciful Perfected One Who Extracts Sins. Praising these names brings inconceivable merit.

Each sacred name is recited ten times, and the assembly takes turns chanting the Supreme Scripture of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery on Deliverance Without Measure.

At the second session, they respectfully perform rites for all sentient beings caught in the cycle of rebirth among the Three Realms and Six Paths, helping departed souls in the underworld so that they may soon ascend to a pure realm. The Daoist assembly each recites:

Celestial Worthy Who Resolves the Sufferings of the Three Paths (saving beings from the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals); Celestial Worthy Who Removes the Eight Kinds of Suffering; Celestial Worthy Who Dispels Afflictions; Celestial Worthy Who Transcends Life and Death; Celestial Worthy of Boundless Forms; Celestial Worthy of Empty Stillness and Formlessness; Celestial Worthy Without Boundary or Limit; Celestial Worthy Whose Merits and Virtues Are Like the Sea; Perfected Great Recluse; Perfected One Who Saves and Liberates. Recite each of these sacred titles ten times, and recite the Scripture of the Most High, the Numinous Treasure, the Natural, Most Perfect Scripture of the Nine Heavens on the Generation of the Spirits once.

At the third period, recite, “Inconceivable Merits and Virtues.”

Recite each of the sacred titles above ten times, and recite the Scripture of the Most High, the Numinous Treasure, the Natural, Most Perfect Scripture of the Nine Heavens on the Generation of the Spirits once.

At the third period, prayers are offered for the Merit Officers of the Three Realms, who take turns serving on appointed days and conveying documents; for the officials and soldiers of the registers and rites; and for the officials responsible for submitting memorials. May their dignified presence and divine radiance increase, and may they convey the memorials without hindrance. Recite each of these sacred titles: Celestial Worthy of Boundless Efficacious Response; Celestial Worthy Who Constantly Increases Supreme Goodness; Celestial Worthy Who Reveals Radiant Divine Powers; Celestial Worthy Who Harmonizes the Spirits and Benefits All Beings; Perfected One of the Precious Countenance; Perfected One Who Turns the Wheel. Recite, “Inconceivable Merits and Virtues.”

Recite each of the sacred titles above ten times, and recite the Wondrous Scripture of the Most High on Ascending to the Mysterious and Dispelling Calamities to Preserve Life once. Present offerings: offer nine portions each of gold coins, cloud chariots, and spirit horses to the Nine August Supreme Perfected Ones; offer a total of one hundred and twenty pieces of spirit money and paper horses to the assembled Perfected Ones of the Three Offices, who each preside over one of those offices; and present one copy each of the Golden Register’s White Writ, the Nine Perfected Ones’ Precepts Certificate, and the Jade Writ of Birth in Heaven for the deceased. Recite the scriptures and incantations once each, and send and burn the spirit wealth.

All these merits and virtues have now been brought to completion, especially for the deliverance of the deceased, [name]. If needed, add relevant wording here. We humbly pray that, through the power of the Dao, the deceased may suddenly awaken to their original nature, escape the netherworld by means of the Golden Writ, turn toward good and leave wrongdoing behind; enter Zhu Ling, where the souls of the dead are said to undergo refinement, receive its transformative refinement, and be renewed and reborn. We look up to the Great Dao to bear witness, and humbly beseech it to bestow grace and grant deliverance. We respectfully submit this memorial.

Enter the year, month, and day. The Daoist devotee, [name], respectfully submits this memorial.

The “Memorial of Merit from Bowing in Prayer to Eliminate Calamities” is suitable for various Zhaijiao rituals. When using it, replace the relevant wording to fit the circumstances.

The Daoist devotee, [name], of [village] in [district], respectfully states their wishes. The items of merit are listed below. They have appointed the Daoist priest [name] and several others to conduct the ritual according to the liturgy.

At the hour of Shen (3–5 p.m.) on [date], the altar is opened:

The ritual master (the Daoist priest presiding over the ceremony) pays his respects in the courtyard and offers incense in prayer, then presents the memorial and official documents. He next kneels to receive the “Ten Precepts of Wisdom,” while the liturgy assistant (the Daoist priest assisting with the ceremony) consecrates water and purifies the altar.

Opening the altar and establishing the Zhai:

The ritual master reports to the High Zhen (revered Daoist deities) and performs the rite for opening the altar to eliminate calamities. The liturgy assistant leads the congregation in confessing their transgressions, then reads aloud the memorial and official documents for eliminating calamities. The ritual master next kneels to receive the “Ten Precepts of Wisdom,” while the liturgy assistant consecrates water and purifies the altar.

Opening the altar and establishing the Zhai:

The ritual master reports to the High Zhen and performs the rite for opening the altar to eliminate calamities. The liturgy assistant leads the congregation in confessing their transgressions, reads aloud the cloud-script talismans and documents for eliminating calamities (texts used to pray for blessings and avert misfortune), and recites the invocations for opening the altar.

At dawn on [date], the ritual procession is performed:

The ritual master reports to the High Zhen and performs the dawn rite for eliminating calamities. He carries out the procedure for “dispatching officials and inspecting clerks and troops” (summoning and reviewing the divine officials and soldiers used in the ritual), recites the dawn invocations for the first time, and performs the “Five-Section Rite of Repentance,” a ceremony of repentance conducted in stages.

Near midday, the ritual procession is performed:

The midday rite for eliminating calamities is performed. The invocations for cultivating the Zhai are recited for a second time, followed by the Rite of Repentance and Atonement to the Ten Directions, in which transgressions are confessed and atoned for before the ten directions.

At night, the ritual procession is performed:

The nighttime rite for eliminating calamities is performed. The invocations for conducting the Jiao are recited for a third time, followed by the Rite of Universal Repentance to the Twenty Directions, in which transgressions are confessed in all directions.

At the hour of Zi (midnight) on [date], the Jiao is established:

The ritual master reports to the High Zhen and carries out the procedures for dispatching officials and inspecting clerks and troops. He presents the Yellow Silk and Vermilion Memorial (a memorial written on yellow silk and submitted in vermilion), then performs the Three Offerings Rite for establishing the Jiao, with offerings made on three occasions. He invites the High Zhen of the Three Offices (revered deities associated with the Daoist Three Offices) to descend, reads the invocations for establishing the Jiao and dispersing the altar, bids farewell to the masters, and respectfully escorts the High Zhen.

First session: On behalf of [family], to eliminate calamities and misfortune, protect life, and prolong life. The Daoist congregation presents the Yellow Silk and Vermilion Memorial, performs the Three Offerings Rite for establishing the Jiao, invites the High Zhen of the Three Offices to descend, reads the invocations for establishing the Jiao and dispersing the altar, bids farewell to the masters, and respectfully escorts the High Zhen.

First session: On behalf of [family], to eliminate calamities and misfortune, protect life, and prolong life. Each member of the Daoist congregation recites:

The Divine Incantation for Purifying Heaven and Earth, the Divine Incantation for Purifying the Mind, the Divine Incantation for Purifying the Mouth, and the Divine Incantation for Pacifying the Earth.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning of Jade Purity, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure of Highest Clarity, the Celestial Worthy Who Descended to Be Born of Great Clarity, the Jade Emperor of Vast Heaven, the Great Emperor of the Heavenly Sovereign of the Upper Palace, the Great Emperor of the North Pole at the Center of Heaven, the Empress of Earth, Sovereign Goddess of the Land (the goddess who governs the earth), the Celestial Worthy Who Preserves Life and Protects Destiny, the Celestial Worthy Who Extends Life and Increases the Years, the Celestial Worthy Who Dispels Calamities and Overcomes Adversity, the Celestial Worthy of Purple Clarity Who Bestows Blessings, the Celestial Worthy Who Sets the Lifespan by Precious Decree, the Celestial Worthy Who Extends Blessings from the Golden Tower, the Celestial Worthy Who Records Fortune in the Jade Book, the Celestial Worthy of Boundless Blessings, Perfected One of the Azure Net, Perfected One of Wondrous Practice. Their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Each of the sacred titles above is to be recited ten times, followed by one recitation of the Scripture of the Supreme High Numinous Mystery of the Northern Dipper for Prolonging Life and Extending Destiny.

At the second session, one prays on behalf of a household to dispel calamities brought by adverse stellar configurations and the approach of inauspicious stars that cause conflict. Recite each of the following:

The Celestial Worthy Who Brings Blessings from Jade Purity, the Celestial Worthy of the Wondrous Dao of Jade Radiance, the Celestial Worthy Supreme of the Golden Tower, the Celestial Worthy of Bright Fortune and Far-Reaching Radiance, the Celestial Worthy of Pure and Serene Flowing Light, the Celestial Worthy Who Opens Radiance and Preserves Life, the Celestial Worthy Who Protects the Body through the Eight Trigrams, the Celestial Worthy Who Guards Against Adversity through the Nine Palaces. Their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Each of these sacred titles is to be recited ten times, followed by one scroll of the Scripture of the Supreme High Divine Incantation of the Eleven Luminaries for Greatly Dispelling Calamities.

At the third session, one transmits petitions to the deities of the Three Realms and presents requests to the local earth deities and others, praying that they increase their power and ensure the petitions reach the heavens without hindrance. Recite each of the following:

The Celestial Worthy Who Responds to True Spirits, the Celestial Worthy Who Harmonizes the Spirits and Benefits All Things, the Celestial Worthy Who Constantly Increases Supreme Goodness, the Celestial Worthy of Unceasing Numinous Response, the Celestial Worthy Whose Divine Power Is Unimpeded, the Celestial Worthy Who Constantly Comes to Protect. Their merit and virtue are inconceivable.

Each of these sacred titles is to be recited ten times, followed by one scroll of the Wondrous Scripture of the Supreme High Ascension Mystery for Dispelling Calamities and Protecting Life and one scroll of the Wondrous Scripture of the Supreme High Great Clarity, in which the Heavenly Child Protects Life.

Offerings:

Nine parts in all are offered to the Nine Sovereigns: votive money, paper horses, and dragon carriages. One hundred and twenty parts in all are offered to the Three Prefectures’ Supreme Perfected Ones: votive money and paper horses.

All the merits described above have now been brought to completion. When reverently invoking the sacred titles, they may be included in the dedication of merit according to the circumstances of the ritual. It is sufficient to list the names of the Supreme Perfected Ones; there is no need to write out all the exalted sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). As for divine beings below the High Perfected Ones of the Ten Directions, their names may be written as appropriate when prayers are offered. If there are relevant documents, they may be entered here. I, so-and-so, respectfully submit this memorial, humbly inviting the Great Dao to inspect and bear witness.

On the [day] of the [month] of [year], [name], a disciple who reveres the Dao.

End of Established Rituals of the Daoist Tradition, Volume Five.

Established Rituals of the Daoist Tradition, Volume Six

Compiled by Lü Yuansu, the Simple Hermit, a Daoist priest of Western Shu; edited and collated by Hu Xianglong, the Secluded True Man of Zhuling, whose courtesy name was Zhaixin.

Preface

The Collected Established Rituals has compiled ritual regulations for major Zhaijiao (purification rituals), but it omits procedures for various kinds of Zhaijiao. Devout followers of Daoism felt that there was no complete base text available for reference and correction, and therefore asked me to supplement the omissions in a later compilation, in the hope of fulfilling the original intent of the teachers’ lineage. This work accords with reason and principle, and I could not decline. I have therefore consulted and revised the material in light of the previous collection, assembling it into a complete work. Some matters still require separate explanation and are set out below. Any deficiencies will have to await correction by those with understanding.

Types of Purification Ritual

Master Guangcheng said: There are twenty-seven kinds of purification ritual, detailed in the scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), each with its own designation to explain its particular purpose. The purification rituals commonly used in the world are listed below.

The Taiyi Purification Ritual: Presided over by the Ten Spirits of Taiyi. When performed by an emperor, this ritual is used to pay homage and offer sacrifice to Heaven.

The Nine Heavens Purification Ritual: Presided over by the Emperor Who Generates the Gods of the Nine Heavens. It is used to protect the state and stabilize the cycles of tribulation.

The Golden Register Purification Ritual: Presided over by the Celestial Official of the Upper Origin. It is used to bless the emperor, bring stability to the people, and protect the state.

The Jade Register Retreat is presided over by the Earth Official of the Middle Origin, a deity who governs the Middle Origin. It is held to protect the palaces within the imperial court and to bring peace to the consorts and empress. The emperor may perform this retreat; ministers and regional governors may also establish one to pray for the state’s blessings and avert calamity.

The Yellow Register Retreat is presided over by the Water Official of the Lower Origin, and its rites also involve the palaces of the Upper and Middle Origins. It prays for blessings for the state and household, offers universal relief to the living and the dead, guides the seven generations of ancestors onward, and rescues beings from the Three Paths of Suffering: hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of animals.

The Covenant with the Perfected Retreat may be used to guide ancestral spirits from the imperial temple onward to a higher state. Officials may also establish it for the deceased.

The Grotto Abyss Retreat centers on the Northern Emperor, the presiding deity of the north. Its purpose is to drive away epidemics and dispel baleful influences.

The Ninefold Darkness Retreat uses lamps to dispel gloom and deliver departed souls.

The Five Refinements Retreat is established by Daoist practitioners and others at the time of death or deliverance. It enables the deceased’s spirit to transform and move onward, settles the soul, and removes karmic offenses.

The Zhengyi Retreat is used to transmit scriptures and registers, confer ritual ranks and Daoist methods, and thereby pass on divine powers and ritual registers. It honors the orthodox path and drives away malign spirits.

Each of these ten kinds of retreat has its corresponding liturgy, the procedures and rules to be followed in performing the rites. The remaining seventeen kinds are described in detail in Master Guangcheng’s Ritual Procedures for the Yellow Register Retreat. Some have names but no complete liturgy. In addition, the Hetu category includes fifty altar rites. Master Guangcheng established their ritual standards and prescribed different methods for different purposes. Few people in the world know these rites; only a few are commonly practiced. Other regulations are recorded in the Daoist Canon, and most are methods for dispelling afflictions and averting calamities.

The Hetu Inner Chapter’s Retreat for Resolving Fate and Averting Calamity through the Three Palaces and Celestial Luminaries centers on the Eleven Luminaries. It seeks to dispel ill fortune, bring blessings, and prolong life.

The Hetu Yuanji Joint Retreat of the Southern and Northern Administrations for Prolonging Life venerates the Southern and Northern Dipper deities. It seeks to prolong life and reduce the threat of death, and is also used to treat illness and avert calamity.

The Mysterious and Numinous Northern Dipper Seven Stars Retreat for Prolonging Life is devoted specifically to the Seven Lords of the Northern Dipper. Whatever the prayer, it seeks their response.

The Nine Dragons Rain Prayer Retreat and the Retreat for Praying for Rain or Snow are held to pray on behalf of the state and its people, seeking rain or rain and snow.

The Five Emperors’ Retreat for the Protection of the Home is a rite for safeguarding the home, centered on the Five Emperors.

The Dipper Seven Primordials Life-Prolonging Zhaijiao for Protecting the Home is devoted specifically to the Lords of the Seven Primordials of the Northern Dipper. Prayers offered during it are sure to receive a response.

The Nine Dragons Zhaijiao for Praying for Rain, and the Zhaijiao for Praying for Rain and Snow, seek rainfall for the state and its people, so that rain may nourish all things.

The Five Emperors Zhaijiao for Pacifying the Home is performed to protect the household, resolve offenses and disturbances, pacify the spirits, and drive away harmful influences.

The Purple Court and Northern Yin Zhaijiao is devoted specifically to the Northern Dipper. It is performed when one faces grave calamity or illness, when everything goes wrong, when someone is troubled by demonic forces and the household often suffers losses, or when one’s official career is thwarted and grievances are hard to clear. Through it, one can purify body and mind and build up merit through practice. After the ritual has been performed three times, a clear response is sure to follow.

The Riverbank Substitute-Life, Severing Recurrent Water Calamities Zhaijiao is for those who suffer disasters year after year, whose children die young, who are troubled by ghosts, or whose deceased ancestors continue to bring calamity upon the family. First, one should perform a memorial petition ritual, presenting a formal petition to request the gods’ aid, to protect the living and deliver the dead. This Zhaijiao is then performed: fourteen people and ten objects are pledged as substitutes, and a boat is prepared by the riverbank to carry them away, thereby cutting off the calamities. This is why it is called “Riverbank.”

The Zhaijiao for Dispelling Calamity and Increasing One’s Years seeks the gods’ favor by presenting a formal petition. Through sincere prayer, it wards off calamity and prolongs life.

The Zhengyi Zhaijiao for Initiation transmits and receives talismans and registers, seeking blessings for male and female followers. These rituals are all methods of practice established by Master Guangcheng.

The Zhaijiao for Storing Blessings and Settling One’s Destiny takes the Elder of the Nine Heavens as its principal deity and is performed on one’s birthday. The Perfected Lord Elder explains the Scripture of the Opening of Heaven, teaching people to cherish life on their birthday and be grateful for their parents’ care. Practicing this Zhaijiao also teaches one how to care for the body and value oneself.

The Zhaijiao for Renewing the Registers, Changing One’s Lot, Continuing Life, and Prolonging Years venerates the Eastern Peak and the principal deities of its seventy-two offices. If an illness becomes critical or one faces severe calamity, one may request to receive the Five Precepts, reform oneself and begin anew, and earnestly pray for a response from the gods in hopes of continuing and prolonging life.

The Eastern Peak Life-Prolonging Zhaijiao is devoted specifically to the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak. It seeks a longer life and repentance for one’s offenses.

The Northern Pole True Warrior Zhaijiao is devoted specifically to the Great Emperor Zhenwu. It seeks blessings and the driving away of harmful influences. These rituals are all methods established by the Immortal Master Wei.

The Wenchang Zhaijiao for Praying for Official Emoluments: [the source text ends here].

To pray for success in gaining rank and distinction, and for a person to receive an official post and salary.

A Zhaijiao for Praying for Good Fortune and Protecting Descendants: The forty-fourth volume of the Scripture for Delivering Humanity (Duren Jing) contains the Scripture for Praying for Descendants. Through the ritual, one prays for the continuation of the family line and opens the source of blessings and prosperity.

A Zhaijiao for Protecting the Fetus with the Six Jia: The thirty-sixth volume of the Scripture for Delivering Humanity contains the Scripture for Protecting the Fetus. During the ritual, petitions are presented to the Six Jia, the sixty divine generals who protect the fetus in Daoism, asking them to nourish and protect its fetal origin so that the child grows safely and is delivered without difficulty.

A Zhengyi Zhaijiao for Settling a Tomb: This Zhengyi ritual is performed after burial to calm the tomb site. It seeks peace at the grave, dispels the unease caused by violating taboos, and brings stability to the spirit of the deceased.

A Zhaijiao for Averting Disasters by Appeasing the Fire Deity: A petition is presented to the deity of the Fire Star, offering thanks and asking that fires be prevented and the calamity of fire brought to an end.

A Zhaijiao for Delivering the Dead from Sin in the Nine Darknesses: Centered on repentance rites for the dead in the netherworld, this ritual rescues the deceased, helping them escape suffering and repent of their sins.

A Zhaijiao for Rebirth According to One’s Wishes: The Heavenly Worthies and Perfected Ones of the Ten Directions serve as the principal deities. They guide the deceased onward so that they may be reborn according to their wishes.

These kinds of Zhaijiao may, when held on a large scale, continue for several days; those of a lesser scale may still be conducted without interruption day and night. In each case, petitions may be submitted according to the circumstances, seeking divine grace and asking for deliverance from hardship. If resources or personnel are insufficient but the matter must still be addressed, a ritual altar may be set up for a single day.

A Lingbao Dongxuan Zhaijiao for Delivering the Dead through the Natural Way: A corresponding liturgy exists. It expounds the intent of the Most High’s natural Way and rescues and delivers departed spirits.

A Zhaijiao for a Daoist Priest’s Transformation and Passage to a New Abode: A corresponding liturgy exists. After a Daoist priest dies, the ritual offers blessings on their behalf and assists their spirit in passing onward.

A Shangqing Zhaijiao for Practicing the Way and Repenting of Sins: A Daoist priest cultivates the Way in pursuit of realization, using the ritual to avert calamities and repent of sins.

Master Guangcheng said: “Jiao is another term for sacrifice. In a Jiao rite, incense, flowers, lamps, candles, fruit, wine, and tea are used to welcome and invite Heaven and Earth, establish communion with the gods, pray for the removal of calamities and the bestowal of blessings, and benefit all beings under Heaven. The Jiao method comes from the Scripture of Divine Portents, Dragon Writings of the Yellow River Chart and the Primordial Transformation of the Emperor. To perform it, one must first ensure purity. Its foundation lies in focused sincerity and reverence. One must also be resolute and earnest, hoping through this to establish communion with the divine.

The written petitions and memorials presented in worship should be composed according to the matter for which one seeks to avert calamity or obtain blessings. Their wording should be polished and refined, their content conform to the proper standards, and all proceedings conducted with solemn reverence. If one acts carelessly and deceives the sacred, one will only incur blame. How, then, could one receive blessings? Be sure to urge yourself onward; be sure to urge yourself onward.”

The Orientation of the Ritual Altar

Master Guangcheng said that when performing the Three Registers liturgy, the Five Directions’ True Writings—talismanic texts representing the east, south, west, north, and center—must be read aloud on the night the altar is opened, then placed on offering tables in their respective directions and secured with golden dragons. This clarifies the directions and establishes the altar’s positions. Only after the great Jiao rite has concluded, when its merits are reported, should the True Writings be gathered up and, together with the prayers, burned in sequence and presented to the divine, so that their smoke rises into the blue sky. This is a basic principle of ritual practice.

During a liturgy, visualization—contemplating an image in the mind and settling one’s attention—is of great importance. The east, west, south, and north each have a corresponding direction for visualization; these must not be changed at will to accommodate a particular interpretation. Some people favor a different theory, claiming that when the Supreme Emperor descends to the altar, the altar must always take the position of the imperial throne as due north, regardless of the orientation of the hall itself. This mistaken idea reverses all four directions of Heaven and Earth. It is neither a generally accepted nor a reasonable view, and should not be followed.

On Writing Petitions and Memorials

I have seen some people, when writing petitions and memorials, become overly bound by the day’s arrangement of directions. Some, likewise disregarding the orientation of the hall itself, invariably treat the position of the imperial throne as due north. This idea reverses the four directions of Heaven and Earth. It is neither a reasonable nor a generally accepted view, and should not be followed.

In my private examination of these memorials—documents submitted by Daoists to the heavenly court—I found that many are written on the day of the Zhaijiao. Some palaces, temples, or private residences have spacious rooms, as well as quiet, secluded places where the writing can be done calmly that day. Otherwise, with bells and drums sounding without pause and people moving back and forth inside and out, the scene before one is in disarray and the mind is hard to settle. How can mistakes, omissions, or forgetfulness be avoided? Such circumstances often lead to serious errors. When the matter is already at hand, there is no time to make corrections, and the sponsor of the rite—the person who hosts the Zhaijiao and pays to invite the Daoist priests—is bound to be very displeased. This can cause considerable harm.

If the memorial contains nothing that must be kept secret, it can be written, checked, and sealed in advance at a quiet time, leaving blank spaces to fill in the “fine characters of Great Clarity” (a particular small script used in memorials) and the relevant formal wording on the day itself. This should generally prevent errors and is also the more suitable approach. Although it departs slightly from the liturgical rules, circumstances call for flexibility; this is far better than clinging to established procedure and causing a major mistake.

Sealing Memorial Talismans

When the chief officiant seals a memorial case, he usually writes on it a transmitted talisman called the “Open Heaven’s Gate Talisman.” After repeated examination, I have concluded that this is incorrect. The talisman appears in the Register of the Six Jia, where it is called the “Yin-Yang Talisman”: Jiazi is Yang, and its form resembles an upright sword; Yichou is Yin, and three strokes appear beneath the talisman. The Book of the True Warrior’s Three Battle Formations also records the distinction between the Yin and Yang talismans, as well as a “Spell for Dispersing the Form.” The three strokes written today belong to the Yin Talisman. Since the memorial case is to be sent to the heavenly court, the Yang Talisman should be used. This distinction must not go unexamined. I record it here for everyone’s understanding.

Yang Talisman, Dispersed Form

Yang Talisman, Gathered Form

Yin Talisman, Gathered Form

The Great Sage of the Central Heaven, who flies through the sky with swift dispatch, captures the lawless ghosts of the Jade Realm in the five directions, both Yang and Yin, and delivers them to the Northern Prison of Tianyi, where they are punished according to the law. The three generals Tang, Ge, and Zhou, and the True Warrior General, stand ready with their swords.

Yin Talisman, Dispersed Form

The Great Sage of the Central Heaven, who flies through the sky with swift dispatch, captures the lawless ghosts of the Jade Realm in the five directions, both Yin and Yang, and delivers them to the Northern Prison of Tianyi, where they are punished according to the law. The three generals Tang, Ge, and Zhou. By command of the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water.

Blue Petition

In the fourth year of the Tianbao era under Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang, he ordered the officials serving at the Taiqing Palace to wear ceremonial robes and crowns, discontinue the use of prayer tablets, and instead write “pure petitions” on paper. According to Du You’s Tongdian, the Tang court revered Lao Jun as the Sacred Ancestor and conducted rites of sacrifice and homage at the Taiqing Palace with great solemnity; this was the reason for the edict. In the Song dynasty, Emperor Zhenzong switched to writing on blue paper, and the petitions came to be called “blue petitions.” “Pure petitions” and “blue petitions” thus have different origins.

Precious Proclamations

Precious Proclamations were originally used in ritual texts. Practitioners of Daoist methods held corresponding official titles and ranks during their lives; after their deaths, they could be granted Precious Proclamations and thereby advance in the ranks of the gods. This is why the final two talismanic passages in a Precious Proclamation contain phrases such as “assigned offices and ranks according to one’s grade, and brought into parity with the gods” and “promoted in title and rank, with advancement according to one’s grade.” These mean that divine offices were granted and rank elevated in accordance with one’s grade. Precious Proclamations are now used universally, which often raises questions. If the deceased had not received Fulu (Daoist registers conferring ritual office), held no Daoist rank, and had no record of cultivation, then in principle the final two talismanic passages should be omitted.

The format of the petition text was established by the Honorable Ouyang Wenzhong (Ouyang Xiu).

Blue Petition for the Emperor’s Natal Altar

On an unspecified day in an unspecified month and year, the Son of Heaven sent an envoy to a Daoist temple in a certain prefecture to establish a natal ritual site—a Daoist rite seeking blessings for the ruler’s birth and destiny. The ritual site was maintained for three days and nights. At its conclusion, a jiao offering rite was performed to present offerings and make ritual petitions to the gods.

We respectfully submit this petition to His Majesty, the Great Heavenly Emperor of Jade, Supreme One Who Opens Heaven, Holds the Tally, Directs the Calendar, Contains Reality, and Embodies the Dao (the Jade Emperor). May the imperial house enjoy lasting good fortune and receive Heaven’s protection. This auspicious day coincides with my natal period, so we have performed the jiao rite in accordance with the established liturgy. With sincere and pure devotion, we offer our reverence and respectfully invite the holy perfected ones to descend together. We look up to the divine powers for blessings and ask them to bestow their grace upon me, their young servant. May the four seasons proceed in harmony, may peace prevail throughout the realm, and may all beings enjoy health and good fortune. With utmost sincerity, I earnestly beseech your protection. Respectfully submitted.

The Emperor Performs a Rite to Deliver Lady Du, Wife of the Duke of Jin, from the Nine Depths

All living beings have their allotted end, as is the constant way of all things. The Great Dao is formless, yet it can offer aid in the netherworld. Now, with reverence, we place our trust in the celestial precincts and purify the ritual altar. We remember the virtue Lady Du displayed in life, now long past, and hope that her numinous spirit will receive the protection of the divine powers.

Dispatching Dragon Documents to Pingyang Grotto in Henan Prefecture and the Northern Sea Water Court

The Nine Provinces are vast, and all things have their own dwelling places. Only rivers and mountains are the abodes of divine powers, governed and administered by the perfected immortals. Daoist secret texts record that rites of this kind have been practiced since ancient times: the words on jade documents are elegant and solemn, and auspicious as golden scales. These Dragon Documents serve as tokens for protecting and guarding the land, their efficacy strengthened by sincere devotion. We respectfully invite the divine powers to look upon us and descend, bestow abundant blessings, and protect the state so that it may enjoy lasting peace and stability. May all living beings and plants alike receive their grace.

The wording should be concise and to the point; the previous collection has already discussed it in detail. Here I select three pieces by Ouyang Gong for people to emulate. The “three recitations” and “nine recitations” in the Yellow Register liturgical texts do not encompass the state and the family, the world of the living and the underworld, or spirits and the beings of the six realms. Recently, when Lord Fan of the Two Rivers served as an official in the Ministry of Rites, he established a Great Offering, a large-scale purification ritual. He began composing nine texts based on the petitions made during the scripture recitations at nine prescribed times, presenting them in sequence at the proper times. This conforms closely to ritual standards. I now select and publish the full texts for Opening the Altar, Closing the Altar, and the like, noting the passages drawn from Daoist scriptures for people to emulate. Scholars and officials will naturally recognize the passages drawn from Confucian classics.

Yellow Register Liturgical Texts

Opening the Altar

The altar, adorned with sacred fungus, is solemn and immaculate; medicinal herbs are piled high, and flowers scatter through the air. Amid the heavenly wind comes the music of the Eight Convergences; the numinous writings of the Eight Convergences and the cloud-script of the Nine Rays appear among precious clouds, while the Seat of Five Luminaries stands in majestic splendor within them. The Scripture of the Nine Hells says: “Precious clouds and a jade seat; the altar is solemn and immaculate, medicinal herbs piled high, flowers scattering through the air. Amid the heavenly wind comes the music of the Eight Convergences; the numinous writings of the Eight Convergences and the cloud-script of the Nine Rays appear among precious clouds.” The Scripture on Ascending to the Profound says: “Within the Palace of Five Luminaries, one reaches directly the realm where the Heavenly Emperor dwells and gazes upon the splendid realm of immortals.” Now we open the forms of the purification rite and express our sincerity. Feathered canopies and jade banners descend in profusion; golden books and jade characters carry out boundless deliverance. We then turn back a portion of the light of the Dao and De, making a modest repayment for the hopes of the human and heavenly realms.

Prayers for the Sovereign

Receiving the great Mandate of Heaven, he conveys the true talisman of the Lord on High. By the supreme methods of the Dao, he gives voice to the heartfelt wishes of those who pray for the sovereign’s longevity. May he receive still deeper protection and benevolence, and live beyond the years shown in the dream. In the presence of Heaven’s bestowed grace, we reverently offer praise, praying that he may forever remain lord among the spirits. His territory extends a thousand li in every direction, and the achievements of the Four Seas are all within his grasp. Though the people cry “Long live!” three times, they cannot reckon the years of the two palaces. At this time, the two palaces, Emperor Gaozong and Emperor Xiaozong, embody the Dao without weariness and share Heaven’s longevity. The Scripture of Deliverance says: “Guard and sustain the cycles of the kalpas, so that Heaven may endure.”

Averting Calamity for the Borders of the Realm

Dragon patterns uphold the destiny of the state, while cloud vapors protect the emblem of the Eight Powers. The Scripture of Deliverance says: “Red writings and jade characters, the Eight Powers, shall endure as long as Heaven.” The Scripture of Deliverance also says: “Guard and sustain the cycles of the kalpas, so that Heaven may endure.”

The Dragon Scripts protect the fate of the nation, while the cloud qi guards the Eight Majestic Dragon Scripts (sacred and powerful talismans in Daoist scriptures). The Scripture on Deliverance says, “The Red Writings in Jade Characters and the Eight Majestic Dragon Scripts can protect against and halt the cycles of catastrophe, allowing Heaven to endure forever.” The Phoenix Calendar records celestial signs and auspicious portents, symbolizing Heaven’s opening of a thousand-year lineage. The ancestral temples send down blessings, and the Three Spirits of Heaven, Earth, and humanity bestow good fortune. Before calamities appear, the six great disasters are dispelled, so that all beings under Heaven may live in peace and prosperity. The ruler devotes himself to virtuous governance and orders the realm, restoring the simple, unadorned customs of high antiquity. In this way, for ten thousand years, people may live in an age of supreme stability and flourishing. All Heaven-sent calamities are quelled, and under the influence of moral teaching, the world flourishes like an enduring spring.

Praying for the welfare of the state and its altars, and making offerings to the gods

Ascend the ritual altar to proclaim Daoist teachings, and perform a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) according to the rites for praying for abundant harvests. The Perfected Lord Who Assists the Sage said that the Yellow Register Fast is an altar rite established to pray for the blessings of a fruitful year. To gather auspicious signs for the state, above all one must hold a loyal devotion to the ruler, single-minded as a sunflower turning toward the sun. Wherever Heaven extends its covering, no god goes unhonored. Once the gods have been reverently worshipped, they should be invited to come and partake of the offerings. May the state receive Heaven’s blessings, and may its virtue and authority shine ever more clearly. May the gods secretly assist the transformations of Heaven and Earth, and protect the many states in peace and harmony.

Transferring the dead and rescuing departed souls

Heaven is high and Earth is deep; people give all their sincerity to repay the blessings they have received. Thunderbolts race, and winds and clouds surge, yet nothing is more urgent than carrying out the method of delivering people. The ritual text of Chao Shibin says: “In the Longhan era, scriptures descended in the realm of Great Being; in the Chiming era, charts and registers were opened in Shangqing.” Since the passage through the cycles of catastrophe, Daoism has always regarded the salvation of living beings as an urgent task. The scripture also says that the merit of delivering people is immense, and the force of wind and fire never ceases; whether along roads or across mountains and rivers, the command must be conveyed swiftly.

We mourn our ancestors and kin, long separated from us, and hope they may receive the gods’ compassionate attention. The Scripture on Deliverance says that ancestors and kin who have endured the cycles of catastrophe all long to be delivered. Pity the departed souls sunk in suffering and injustice; remove the karmic tribulations of lawsuits ordained in their fate, and rescue them from the Palace of Springs and Bends (the shadowy realm of the underworld)…

The Beidu Quanqu Fu says, “Enter into the palace of the Dao.” The Qianba Zhang says that the deceased enter the palace of the Dao and dwell in a place of peace and joy, abandoning illusion and returning to the true Dao, forever escaping the net that ensnares deluded beings. The Beidou Jing says to leave the path of confusion, return to one’s original nature, and ultimately ascend to the gate of the myriad wonders. Laozi says, “The mysterious within the mysterious is the gate of all wonders.”

May the deceased be elevated into the ranks of immortals in the Earth and Water Offices; may the registers of sin for the living and the dead be expunged

The Earth and Water Offices are divine bureaus that govern matters of the netherworld. The scripture prays for the deceased to enter the ranks of immortals and asks that the registers of sin for both the living and the dead be erased.

The realms where the gods dwell are vast and boundless, and the deep underworld is likewise without end. The Earth and Water Offices govern the netherworld, where the suffering dead have yet to enter a realm of surpassing beauty. Now, relying on boundless compassion, we earnestly ask that all be saved: may the dark prisons become pure places moistened by sweet dew, and may shadowy gates be brightened by rosy clouds. The Jiuku Jing says that flames become a pure realm and sword trees become lofty groves. The Duren Jing says to ride the rosy clouds and present the registers before the Celestial Emperor, washing away the many sins of the Four Births—womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born. It also says to hold the registers and talismans and gather before the Celestial Emperor. May the deceased join the ranks of heavenly immortals, sing of the freedom found in the pure realms of the eight directions, and roam through all eight directions. May the suffering of transmigration cease forever, and may all reach the far shore of the Dao.

All sentient beings in the six paths.

Those lost in the bitter sea of birth and death have not yet found the way back; the turbid, evil sea of suffering has no shores. The sages and worthies send down their light, taking pity on living beings sunk in darkness and illuminating the depths with wisdom. People can then know their own destiny. The Jiuyou Jing says: “The Celestial Worthy, with the wisdom of the six supernatural powers, bade all sinners close their eyes and meditate in silence. In a moment, each came to understand their own destiny.”

They suddenly awaken to their original mind and revive like flowers bathed in sunlight. The Shengshen Zhang says: “The suffering souls sink into the Ninefold Darkness; at dawn, they rise with the sun. They wash away the anguish brought by the long night of the netherworld.” They recite and savor the jade-toned sounds—the sacred sounds of scripture—to refine and nourish the soul, and use golden liquid, the wondrous fluid spoken of in Daoism, to nourish the original spirit. The Duren Jing says that jade-toned sounds can gather Qi, while the Qingjing Jing says that golden liquid can refine and nourish the body.

In this way, living beings escape the Ninefold Darkness. The Celestial Worthy guides them to Cinnabar Heaven, a place of refinement and deliverance in the south, where they receive salvation. He then leads them to fly beyond the Three Realms—desire, form, and formlessness—opens the wondrous path, and enables them to ascend to the ranks of the immortals. Cinnabar Heaven in the south is where the souls of the dead are refined and delivered, enabling them to transcend the Three Realms.

Dispelling Calamity

A husband and wife share a home and rely on one another, yet much of their life has been beset by hardship. With equally sincere hearts, they recount past faults, reflect on themselves, and offer exquisite gifts, praying for compassion. May their resentments and entanglements be resolved and their many offenses erased; may their misfortune be relieved and the nine calamities lifted. May they then be guided to receive the original Qi that sustains life, and have their desire to do good awakened.

The karmic obstacles of past lives gradually dissolve, and they are no longer ensnared by the net of the Six Dusts—the body, forms, scents, tastes, touch, and mental objects, that is, the things encountered and apprehended by body and mind. Their worldly obligations and affairs can also be brought to an early close, and they may ultimately return to the Court of Great Being, the sacred, wondrous realm described in the Duren Jing. May all sentient beings return together to the nurture and transformation of the primordial Dao.

When repaying parents for the toil of raising them, one should give particular care to the mother.

Through the toil of countless kalpas, their grace and virtue have been profound and are difficult to repay. Our hearts are filled with both joy and reverence, yet our deep concern has not been dispelled to this day. May all the divine perfected beings understand our heartfelt petitions, extend their supreme compassion, and especially rescue the dead and protect the living, turning them away from wrongdoing and toward the good.

The Shengshen Zhang says: “The Eastern Florescent Palace, which governs life in the East and oversees the registers of immortals, issues the precious command of the Nine Dragons to save the concealed souls of the dead in the Ninefold Abyss.” If the deceased performed good deeds in life, they are entered among those who attain immortal transformation. The Duren Jing says that people may attain immortal transformation and have years added to their lifespan on the jade registers. Chao Yi says: “The Cinnabar Terrace records good deeds, and the jade registers add years to one’s life.” May they forever be freed from the obstacles of worldly afflictions. We further pray for blessings to be bestowed widely upon all sentient beings.

Reporting Merit to the Deities

The ritual assembly is solemnly conducted, and all the perfected sages are informed. We pray that the deities receive these excellent blessings and extend their grace to all. The various rites are performed in sequence, and the assembled spirits swiftly hasten to attend. The gathering of boundless auspiciousness truly depends on the deities’ manifest protection. Therefore, abundant grace should be bestowed, first upon the spirits who hold official duties, and also upon those who reverently serve the deities. Since people cannot help but break precepts or commit breaches of propriety, all together we express our repentance and seek forgiveness, looking to the deities for pardon and forbearance.

Closing the Altar

Ancient ritual texts contain no words for requesting the altar’s closure, using only prayers recited silently in the heart. Later generations added words for closing the altar, but in practice they are somewhat unreasonable. At the opening of the altar, expressing the wish for the deities to descend is understandable. At its closing, however, the offerings have not yet been presented again, yet one first takes leave of the high sages. It is more fitting to continue reciting the prayers. The ritual prescribed by the Celestial Master is also worded this way. After the three offerings have been completed, there is a special invocation for reverently seeing off the high perfected ones. If prayers are to be used, they should be recited as a formal report only after all three offerings are finished; that is the proper procedure.

The Luan carriage, the vehicle in which immortals ride, was set in order and departed. Ten thousand mounted attendants quickly set out on their return. The Scripture for Delivering Humanity says, “Millions upon millions of carriages, with ten thousand mounted attendants, came through the sky.” The Golden Dragon Dispatch ritual announced that the merit had been completed and sent up the memorial to the celestial realms. A golden dragon was then dispatched to carry the document, crossing the Nine Heavens and ascending directly above. All beings within the Three Origins—the realms of Heaven, Earth, and Water in Daoism—received the grace of having their transgressions cleansed. Bathed in the Dao’s mysterious instruction and savoring the wondrous scriptures of Heaven, they were filled with joy and renewed vigor. Their long-standing sincerity at last accorded with the Dao, and tears of emotion flowed of their own accord. The immortals’ procession returned among the clouds, and their spirit journey gradually receded. Gazing up toward Jun Heaven, where the Celestial Emperor dwells, only a deep and distant dream remained.

Sending the Dragon Tablets to the Cavern Abodes

The purification ritual and liturgical observances had been completed smoothly, and Heaven’s scrutiny was clear. We still ask that the talismans of the Five Elders be proclaimed and the Dragon Tablet Incantation recited. May the Five Elders of the Supreme Emperor issue their red writings and cinnabar script to the cavern abodes in the ten directions. Let the golden dragons and cloud riders speed on, with wind and fire unceasing; let them knock at the rocky gates of the treasure chambers, where even smoke and rosy clouds cannot bar their way. We have respectfully laid out fine offerings and exhausted our small measure of sincerity. May this bring lasting peace, with grace extending throughout the vast Heaven and Earth.

The Earth Court

We pray to the Supreme Emperor for grace and ask the Central Palace, the celestial seat within the Daoist pantheon, to issue its command and renew the covenant sealed by the golden button and white token. The Dragon Tablet reveals the mysteries held in the jade book’s red script. May all the myriad spirits come to receive their orders. The Scripture for Delivering Humanity says, “All the myriad spirits come to receive their orders; even beneath the Nine Earths, they respond in secret.” May all souls trapped in darkness be pardoned and their records of offenses erased. May the merit then be presented to the Celestial Court of Huaqing. Once the Dragon Tablet has been sent, their names will be entered in the registers of immortals in the Upper Palace, and they will ultimately ascend to the immortal court.

The Water Court

We respectfully and solemnly present the jade tablets. May all the spirits come to receive their orders, and may they respond in secret even beneath the Nine Earths. May all souls trapped in darkness be pardoned and their records of offenses erased. May the merit then be presented to the Celestial Court of Huaqing. Once the Dragon Tablet has been sent, their names will be entered in the registers of immortals in the Upper Palace, and they will ultimately ascend to the immortal court.

The Water Court

We respectfully and reverently present the jade tablets and proceed to the Pearl Palace, the Daoist palace of the Water Court. We pray that Heaven will witness the special merit of this Yellow Register retreat and hear our supplication. Let our prayers reach the spirits in every direction, so that the myriad numinous beings may all respond. May all living beings receive clear and manifest deliverance, and may their ancestors of seven generations be saved with them. May the river of desire run dry, and the sea of the practice remain forever pure.

When Ouyang Xiu presented a memorial to the Jade Emperor concerning his imperial title, he used the honorific established under the old institutions of our dynasty. Later, Emperor Huizong specially ordered the prime minister Zhang Wujin to revise it. The sacred title of the Jade Emperor established in the Golden Register Liturgy (the ritual text for Daoist Golden Register Retreats) is: “Supreme, Originator of Heaven, Bearer of the Talisman, Ruler of the Calendar, Embracing the Real and Embodying the Dao, Vast Heaven, Jade Emperor, Supreme Sovereign.” This title was also established as the official title of the Sovereign of Vast Heaven worshipped in the suburban sacrifice at the Tai Altar, the state rite held at the altar for worshipping Heaven.

By imperial decree, the Tianqing temples in every prefecture and district throughout the realm were to build halls for the Sovereign of Vast Heaven, Jade Emperor, to enshrine and honor him exclusively. The hall names inscribed by Grand Preceptor Duke of Lu at Tianqing temples throughout the land may naturally be adopted accordingly. Moreover, the title used in Zhang Wujin’s Golden Register Liturgy, included in the Daoist Canon, and in Master Chao’s published Yellow Register Liturgy (a text for Daoist purification and offering rituals), is the same. Those versed in the teachings can naturally understand how these principles fit together.

In the spring of the Xinyou year of the Jiatai reign, Elements respectfully recorded this.

End of Established Regulations of the Daoist Tradition, Volume Six

Established Regulations of the Daoist Tradition, Volume Seven

Revised by Lü Yuansu, Daoist of the Plain Hermitage in Western Shu

Edited by Hu Xianglong, Nature Hermitage, True Recluse of Zhuling

Chapter on Securing a Dwelling

On the appointed day, present the written statement, explaining in detail: “This disciple, [name], has always revered the Great Dao and diligently offered incense and worship, seeking protection and blessings so that the young and old in the household may remain safe and free from misfortune. I respectfully ask that the matter presented here be granted and heard.”

A disciple of a certain household has always revered the Great Dao and diligently offered incense and performed bows, seeking its protection so that the whole family, young and old, might remain safe and well. Now I realize that when ordinary people make offerings, they are bound to make mistakes or omissions, and I fear this may have brought down examining Qi—the Qi of trials and calamities. I also recall that in a certain year, month, and day, we broke ground to build this residence, constructed rooms, set up the gate, and added buildings. I worry that the time may not have been auspicious, and that we offended the Qi of the Earth King, as well as the deities and baleful influences known as Tai Sui, Tai Yin, Tai Yang, the Great General, and the presiding Siming. An old edition mistakenly reads “ancient rites” where it should read “at that time”; the intended meaning is when construction began. One should also examine the calendrical prohibitions associated with the Twelve Month Generals, Great and Lesser Loss, the Twelve Punishments and Killings, the Great and Lesser Hours, and the Twelve Hour Deities, and determine whether any heavenly or earthly taboo was violated. Days such as Sky Void, Opening the Great Way, and Open Day are all suitable for building and renovation. An old edition changes “Sky Void” to “Void Opening,” which is incorrect.

I also fear that this plot may once have been a place where livestock were slaughtered and oaths sworn, the site of an ancient burial mound, or ground in which human bones lie buried; perhaps a temple, monastery, altar, or shrine once stood here. The years have passed, and different rulers have held sway. We may have brought disaster upon ourselves by giving offense. Since moving into this residence, I, a disciple of a certain household, have been unable to live in peace. I often have strange dreams, see uncanny lights and shadows, suffer financial losses, and encounter one calamity after another. If the household has suffered no misfortune, this passage may be omitted and the text continued from what follows.

For this reason, the whole family is fearful and troubled, and has come to ask me to submit a memorial to dispel the taboos and bring peace to the residence, so that its occupants may live in harmony. Though I know my learning and understanding are limited, I respectfully bow to the ground and write a vermilion memorial—a petition written in red ink and presented to the gods—to be sent up to the Heavenly Bureau. I beseech the divine Qi of the Great Dao, the Generals of the Five Sacred Peaks, the spirits of the Six Jia, and the three generals, twenty-four officers and soldiers, and thirty-six thousand divine generals who guard the residence of a certain household. May they protect this household and keep its residence secure; dispel the baleful influences of the four directions, as well as calamities involving water and fire, thieves, disputes and slander, loss of property, and every hidden peril. May public and private affairs proceed smoothly, the household prosper, and all its wishes be fulfilled.

I respectfully beseech the Great Generals who Secure the Residence of the Five Directions, the Great General who Guards the Residence, the Great General who Protects the Residence, the Great General who Preserves the Residence, and the Great General who Quells the Residence. May each lead twelve hundred troops, descend together, and work in unison to protect the residence of this disciple’s household, keep the family safe, and cause its descendants to flourish. May strange manifestations lie hidden and disappear, and evil words and slander dissipate; drive away inauspicious ghosts and spirits, as well as thieves. I also beseech them to place the Azure Dragon in the east of the residence, the White Tiger in the west, the Vermilion Bird in the south, and the Black Tortoise in the north, so that the dwelling is well suited in all eight directions and guarded by divine generals of the Five Directions. Let the baleful Qi arising from every taboo this household may have mistakenly violated be scattered and dispelled by this memorial. This disciple has received great kindness and respectfully offers this memorial as proof. I earnestly beseech the Most High to examine it.

I further beseech the Heavenly Officials, Divine Lords, Generals, and officers and soldiers to accept this memorial and remove all baleful influences, losses, taboos, offenses, and harms arising from breaking ground to build the residence, constructing or renovating rooms, and moving house. Let them all be utterly extinguished, so that the residence is peaceful and all its occupants safe. I earnestly beseech them to bestow their favor upon this vermilion memorial.

On this day, I bow and prostrate myself, set forth the written document, and report the matter in full. I respectfully submit this petition, asking that the ill fortune, loss, taboos, offenses, and harmful Qi arising from burial and interment, ground breaking, building a residence or house, moving, and related matters be dispelled entirely, so that the dwelling may be peaceful and auspicious, and all members of the household safe. I respectfully present this vermilion memorial, written in red ink.

On this day, I bow and prostrate myself, and state as follows: Your disciple, [name], has had the good fortune, through karmic ties from past lives, to return to and serve the Great Dao of the Most High and the various revered deities. Protected by the power of incense offered to the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters honored in Daoism—I have received blessings in the past, for which I am truly grateful. The liturgical rites and statutes of the Celestial Master are intended to save the living and the dead, support the state, and benefit the people. From the netherworld to the human realm, they bring peace to all, whether living or dead.

Now your disciple, [name], is concerned that the tomb of the deceased [name] remains afflicted by harmful forces and has not yet been made peaceful. Improper burial may bring calamity upon descendants; if the tomb gives rise to litigation, it too may become a source of trouble for them. I therefore submit this memorial seeking aid and deliverance. Having witnessed this situation, I respectfully act on their behalf and present the memorial to the Celestial Bureaucracy.

I earnestly ask the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Celestial Master, the Female Master, and the Five Qi Lords under the Three Masters’ gate—deities who govern the Qi of the Five Phases—to examine with care the memorial submitted by your disciple, permit it to be conveyed to Heaven, and send down the Dao’s Qi to protect the living and the dead of the household of [name], as well as the tomb of the deceased [name].

At the time of burial, the rites may have violated the Yin-Yang cycles of the four seasons or taboos of Heaven and Earth, or incurred various lethal influences. The site may also have suffered landslides or falling rocks, been soaked by wind and rain, trampled by woodcutters or herders, or burned in a fire. If the burial was recent, some of these circumstances may be omitted as appropriate. Ground breaking or excavation into a hillside may have disturbed the soul and left the guardian Dragon Deity unable to protect the tomb. Springs may have washed through the site, scattering the remains; or the tomb may have collapsed and been covered by earth and stone, leaving the deceased’s soul frightened and dispersed, with nowhere to find refuge. These matters may be included according to the circumstances.

The burial date, hour, or orientation may also have been unsuitable and violated taboos of the realms of Yin and Yang. The burial may not have accorded with the Five Surnames—a geomantic system that classifies sites according to family name—or with the rules of the four seasons. It may have violated taboos associated with the Net of Heaven and Earth, punitive and lethal influences, Kui and Gang, or other such forces; or encountered baleful spirits and demons, including the Monthly Killings and the Day Wanderer, leaving the soul confined with no means to appeal. The tomb may also have been incompatible with the destiny positions of the male and female descendants, or violated divinatory taboos associated with the Eight Killings, Six Oppositions, Eight Generals, or Bagua. It may lie near an old temple or shrine and be disturbed by ghosts and spirits, or near ancient mausoleums or great tombs whose power bears down upon it, leaving the deceased in the darkness of the netherworld with no means to make their presence known.

For all the circumstances listed above, we earnestly ask the compassionate protection of the Heavenly Dao. May the deities in charge be commanded to come and dispel, pardon, and bring peace to these afflictions. If the mountain ridge has been severed, may it be joined again; if the soul and spirits have been scattered in fright, may they be settled and comforted. May the deceased be at peace and the descendants prosper; may all litigation and entanglements arising from the tomb be brought to an end, its plants and trees grow lush, and evil spirits keep away.

Your disciple respectfully summons one Lord Director of the Metropolitan Bureau with one hundred and twenty officers and generals, and one Lord Erudite versed in the Five Classics with one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to oversee the transfer and deliverance of the three souls and seven Po souls of the deceased [name] and others on behalf of the household of [name]. For a woman, this means the three souls and fourteen Po souls. We ask that the deceased be spared demotion, forced labor, and the suffering of punishment; freed from grief and hardship; raised to the Hall of Blessings; and released from karmic grievances and entanglements with the living, so that they may enjoy peace and good fortune for a long time.

We also summon the Lord Director of Tomb Security and twelve subordinate officials to protect the tombs of the deceased [name] and others, keeping the four directions clear and the burial ground peaceful, undisturbed for a thousand years and ten thousand ages.

If trees have broken and fallen, or sand, earth, tiles, and stones have accumulated in the tomb and pressed down upon the bones; if foxes, moles, insects, snakes, or tree roots have damaged the remains; if watercourses or springs flow through the site, or muddy water has gathered and soaked the bones; or if the tomb has been excavated and the remains scattered, exposed to wind and rain and left without peace, we ask the divine officials to investigate and set matters right. Remove whatever has caused damage, drain the standing water, drive away snakes and rodents, extinguish wildfires, gather the remains, chase away foxes, and cut back grasses, trees, and roots. Let the tomb be made secure at once and kept free from further disturbance, so that the deceased may know neither resentment nor alarm.

We earnestly ask the summoned Celestial Officials, divine generals, and officers and soldiers to descend in accordance with this memorial, transfer and deliver the deceased, and secure and protect the tomb. May the living be healthy and safe, the dead rest in peace, calamities not arise, and evil not take hold. May dreams be peaceful and true, illness and disaster stay away, life and blessings be prolonged, and all members of the household enjoy peace and good fortune and receive abundant grace. Let this serve as proof that the petition has been answered. We earnestly ask the Most High to judge and determine each matter.

Your disciple respectfully petitions the Celestial Officials, divine generals, and officers and soldiers on behalf of the household of [name], and humbly presents this vermilion memorial for the transfer and deliverance of the deceased and the securing of the tomb.

That day, the disciple bowed and submitted this petition: “I, your disciple, was born into this world and, only after a thousand years, have been fortunate enough to practice the Great Dao and receive its wondrous blessings. I humbly ask the compassionate Supreme One, who delights in rescuing all beings, to allow past sins to be repented and accumulated faults to be forgiven.

“I fear that in past lives and this one I may have acted against the gods, lacked compassion and benevolence, or failed in loyalty and filial duty. I may also have used public office for private gain, bullied the weak through force, burned mountains and drained lakes, caused abortions, destroyed birds’ eggs and nests, or disturbed birds and beasts at rest and insects lying dormant. I have looked lightly upon even small good deeds, while my faults have continued to accumulate. As a result, it has been difficult for me to have descendants, and my fear and distress grow day by day. I worry that my family line will come to an end, and have nowhere else to turn for help. So I now pray with all sincerity and respectfully submit a petition written in vermilion, confessing my sins before the celestial offices, seeking relief from calamity, praying for blessings, and asking that my descendants be protected.

“I humbly ask the Five Qi Lords under the authority of the Supreme Lord Lao, the Supreme Elder, the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the Female Master, and the Three Masters to take note of and examine my petition, and permit it to ascend to the heavenly court. I pray that the Supreme One bestow Dao Qi upon me: green Qi of the east, white Qi of the west, red Qi of the south, dark Qi of the north, and the twenty-five streams of upright, true, naturally arising Qi of the center. The saying ‘Heaven is one, Earth is two; Heaven is three, Earth is four; Heaven is five’ refers to the numbers by which all things come into being. May this Dao Qi envelop my body and mind, preserve my life, lengthen my years, strengthen what is weakened, carry me through calamities, and drive away evil spirits that sever the line of descendants. May the flow of blessings remain unobstructed, calamities be cut off, and descendants continue.

“I respectfully summon the lords of the eastern Rong, southern Man, western Yi, northern Di, and central Sanqin. May each lead one hundred and twenty soldiers and descend together to release my family from the eighty-one kinds of calamity and litigation entangling us through our countless generations of ancestors, our ancestors of nine generations and seven lines, our kin and relations by marriage, and those who died before their time or in infancy. May all these troubles be swept away, so that births flourish in my household and our descendants never cease.

“I also summon the immortal officials who preside over birth and destiny in Nanchang, the immortal officials who determine destiny and oversee birth in the Nine Heavens, the Grand Marshal of Birth, and the Northern Dipper officials of birth. May each bring their subordinates and descend to resolve my grievances and dissolve the 1,620 faults accumulated in past lives and this one, including destroying eggs and overturning nests. May the roots of evil disperse, and may my name be entered in the registers of those granted descendants throughout the Three Realms, so that the beings of Heaven and the human world may be joined with me as family. If my faults are so grave that I am fated to have no descendants, I still humbly ask that this be reported to the High and Supreme Sovereign—the Jade Emperor—and that he grant special pardon, making clear the Supreme One’s virtue of cherishing life.

“I further summon the Lords who protect descendants and pregnancies in the Ten Directions, the Divine Kings who protect descendants and pregnancies in the Ten Directions, the Great Sage of Longevity, the divine generals of the Six Jia and Six Ding, and the twelve attendants of the Jade Maidens. May they each bring their many attendants and descend to protect and nourish the roots of pregnancy in my wife, so that the child may remain safe and unharmed. May they expel the myriad demons and the ghosts that bring harm to pregnancy, preventing them from causing further trouble. May dreams be clear and true, and may the dead and those who died young neither take on forms nor appear in dreams to harm the pregnancy. May no ghosts that bring calamity seize an opportunity to intrude, injure the fetus, or end the possibility of childbirth.

“I also summon one hundred and twenty lords and officials who strengthen the weak and carry people through calamity, and one hundred and twenty divine soldiers of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. May they descend together to open the gate of life for my family, increase our years, seal the road to death, and protect and nourish the roots of pregnancy. May we be safe in all four seasons, with no calamity or misfortune arising; may death be held at bay and descendants flourish. May disasters involving water, fire, weapons, and soldiers never afflict us. May my household remain safe and well, and may we long remember the blessings of the Great Dao, taking this as proof that the prayer has been answered. I humbly ask the Supreme One to examine and decide this petition.”

But I, your disciple, have accumulated merit in former lives and have been able to enter the Great Dao. I am often protected and feel profound gratitude and joy in my heart. Yet in my practice and service of the Dao, I have often failed in my duties, and so have repeatedly brought trials and punishments upon myself. Recently, my disciple, so-and-so, has been harassed by outside ghosts and malign spirits. They have presumptuously inflicted harm and repeatedly caused trouble. If there are other specific circumstances, they may be added here; there is no need to write them separately. My life is in danger, and I have nowhere to make my case. I can only petition you for a memorial so that this matter may be properly examined. Seeing this situation, I risk punishment and respectfully offer this memorial, reporting it to the Celestial Bureaucracy. I beseech the Most High Lord Lao, the Lords and Elders, the Celestial Master, the Female Master, and the Five Qi Lords under the Three Masters’ gate to attend to this memorial and allow it to reach the heavens. May they bestow Dao Qi and protect the whole family of my disciple, so-and-so.

I have learned that these outside evil ghosts have no connection with the household of my disciple, so-and-so. The sages of old said that ghosts and spirits who are not entitled to offerings must not presumptuously cause trouble and harm people, much less involve ordinary folk. The Orthodox Unity liturgical regulations and the Laws for Ghosts of Nüqing stipulate that evil influences should be punished and eliminated to bring peace to the people. I therefore respectfully petition for the Lord Who Punishes Calamities and his one hundred and twenty officers and commanders to be stationed at Cangming Palace; for one Lord of the Dipper Stars and his one hundred and twenty officers and commanders to be stationed at Qinggai Palace; and for the officials who destroy talismans and break temples, together with the bold and mighty officials of the Celestial Emperor, each leading three hundred thousand troops, to descend together and cleanse the household of my disciple, so-and-so, of ghosts who died violent deaths, outside strange and evil ghosts, and those ghosts who are not entitled to offerings yet presumptuously entangle other households. Let them be seized, cut down, and destroyed, so that humans and ghosts are separated and purity is restored.

I further petition that ghost officials and troops charged with removing those who died through various calamities, illnesses, filth, imprisonment, weapons, tigers and wolves, or fire be dispatched, fifty of each kind, to remove outside ghosts and other spirits—especially those not included among the recipients of offerings who presumptuously entangle ordinary households. These beings have never shared in offerings with the household of my disciple, so-and-so. They must return to their own places, have no further dealings with the household, and immediately sever every tie. They must not trespass at will. Should they continue to violate the laws of Heaven and again harm the household of my disciple, so-and-so, they must not return to disturb it unless rivers flow backward, white stones float, a rope of chaff stretches a thousand yards, or a horse grows horns six feet long. Since none of these things can happen, they must be separated from one another by Heaven and Earth and never again intrude, for a thousand years and ten thousand years.

I further petition that each of the five directions—east, west, south, north, and center—dispatch one Divine Lord Who Settles Disputes, twelve officers and commanders, and their troops, to sever completely every kind of entanglement affecting the household of my disciple, so-and-so: entanglements linking years to months, months to days, and days to hours are all to be sealed off and cut away. May the household’s calamities be dispelled, its illnesses cured, its lives kept safe, and its souls and spirits made clear and upright. May evil essences be subdued and Orthodox Qi circulate; may a thousand kinds of suffering and ten thousand calamities swiftly vanish, and may they receive the boundless grace of the Great Dao. I respectfully beseech the Most High to look upon this matter.

I respectfully petition the Celestial Officials, Lords, commanders, and troops, and offer this precious memorial, asking that outside evil spirits and ghosts who died violent deaths be prevented from presumptuously inflicting harm, causing trouble, and entangling the household, and that all such ties be completely severed and these beings destroyed.

When preparing to submit the chapter petition described above, first find a place, clean it thoroughly, set up a purified chamber, and burn incense. After establishing a ritual boundary and closing the door, the ritual master writes the petition. Once it is finished, the master secretly inspects the clerks and soldiers, then pays homage and submits the petition, requesting that it cut off external evil spirits and gods, as well as the violent ghosts of those who died unnatural deaths and seek to cause harm, and destroy them completely. This is a precious petition for this purpose.

When preparing to submit the chapter petition described above, first find a place, clean it thoroughly, set up a purified chamber, and burn incense. After establishing a ritual boundary and closing the door, the ritual master writes the petition. The master then secretly inspects the clerks and soldiers, seals the petition inside a petition case, and secures it with an official seal. At the time of the ritual, take the petition from the altar. Do not read it aloud; following the prescribed procedure, place it face down on the table, submit it secretly, and then burn it. The petition’s text and wording must not explicitly mention “submitting this petition” or “the reading ceremony.” The same applies when notifying the spirits. This is done out of concern that ghosts and spirits might learn of it and intercept the petition, preventing it from reaching its destination. Therefore, proceed with the utmost care.

Chapter Petition for Healing through the Six Jia

Write the document addressed to the divine officials of the Six Jia on yellow paper in cinnabar, and burn it together with the chapter petition.

The ritual master fills in their own ritual rank and office.

Now, to relieve disciple [name] of a critical illness and subdue all kinds of evil spirits, we respectfully request that the divine officials of the Six Jia and their attendant officers and troops carry out the petitions’ requests, each in turn.

The names and ranks of the divine officials are listed below:

Jiazi: Wang Wenqing, with eighteen attendant officials;

Yichou: Long Jiqing, with sixteen attendant officials;

Bingyin: Zhang Zhongqing, with fourteen attendant officials;

Dingmao: Sima Muqing, with twelve attendant officials;

Wuchen: Li Chuqing, with ten attendant officials;

Jisi: He Wenchang, with thirteen attendant officials;

Gengwu: Feng Zhongqing, with seventeen attendant officials;

Xinwei: Wang Wenzhang, with fifteen attendant officials;

Renshen: Hou Boqing, with thirteen attendant officials;

Guiyou: Sun Zhongfang, with eleven attendant officials.

Each of these ten divine officials commands 120 officers and generals and 100,000 soldiers.

Jiaxu: Zhan Zijiang, with fourteen attendant officials;

Yihai: Pang Mingxin, with thirteen attendant officials.

Bingzi: Xing Sunqing, accompanied by sixteen officials; Dingchou: Zhao Ziyu, accompanied by fourteen officials; Wuyin: Yu Ziqing, accompanied by thirteen officials; Jimao: Shi Wenyang, accompanied by fifteen officials; Gengchen: Yin Jiaqing, accompanied by thirteen officials; Xinsi: Yang Zhonggong, accompanied by eleven officials; Renwu: Ma Ziming, accompanied by fifteen officials; Guiwei: Lü Weiming, accompanied by thirteen officials.

Each of these ten divine generals commands 120 officer-generals and 100,000 soldiers.

Jiashen: Hu Wenchang, accompanied by sixteen officials; Yiyou: Kong Ligong, accompanied by fourteen officials; Bingxu: Che Yuansheng, accompanied by twelve officials; Dinghai: Zhang Wentong, accompanied by ten officials; Wuzi: Le Shiyang, accompanied by ten officials; Yiyou: Kong Ligong, accompanied by fourteen officials; Bingxu: Che Yuansheng, accompanied by twelve officials; Dinghai: Zhang Wentong, accompanied by ten officials; Wuzi: Le Shiyang, accompanied by fourteen officials; Jichou: Fan Zhongyang, accompanied by fourteen officials; Gengyin: Chu Jinqing, accompanied by fifteen officials; Xinmao: Guo Ziliang, accompanied by thirteen officials; Renchen: Wu Yaqing, accompanied by eleven officials; Guisi: Shi Gonglai, accompanied by nine officials.

Each of these ten divine generals commands 120 officer-generals and 100,000 soldiers.

Jiawu: Wei Shangqing, accompanied by eighteen officials; Yiwei: Du Zhongyang, accompanied by sixteen officials; Bingshen: Zhu Bozhong, accompanied by fourteen officials; Dingyou: Zang Wengong, accompanied by twelve officials; Wuxu: Fan Shaoqing, accompanied by ten officials; Jihai: Deng Duqing, accompanied by thirteen officials; Gengzi: Yang Zhongsheng, accompanied by seventeen officials; Xinchou: Lin Weigong, accompanied by fifteen officials; Renyin: Qiu Mengqing, accompanied by thirteen officials; Guimao: Su Tajia, accompanied by eleven officials.

Each of these ten divine generals commands 120 officer-generals and 100,000 soldiers.

Jiachen: Meng Feiqing, accompanied by fourteen officials; Yisi: Tang Wenqing, accompanied by eleven officials.

This passage lists the names of divine generals arranged by the sexagenary cycle, along with the number of attendants accompanying each. “Attendant officials” refers to the officials who accompany a divine general; “officer-generals” and “soldiers” are the divine troops under the general’s command.

On the Bingwu day, Wei Wengong had sixteen attendants; on the Dingwei day, Shi Shutong had fourteen; on the Wushen day, Fan Boyang had twelve; and on the Jiyou day, Cheng Wen had fourteen.

On the Yisi day, Tang Wenqing had eleven attendants; on the Bingwu day, Wei Wengong had sixteen; on the Dingwei day, Shi Shutong had fourteen; on the Wushen day, Fan Boyang had twelve; on the Jiyou day, Cheng Wenchang had fifteen; on the Gengxu day, Shi Ziren had twelve; on the Xinhai day, Zuo Zixing had eleven; on the Renzi day, Su Shangqing had fifteen; and on the Guichou day, Jiang Hanqing had thirteen.

Each of these ten divine generals commands 120 officer-generals and 100,000 soldiers.

On the Jiayin day, Ming Wenzhang had sixteen attendants; on the Yimao day, Dai Gongyang had fourteen; on the Bingchen day, Huo Shuying had twelve; on the Dingsi day, Cui Juqing had ten; on the Wuwu day, Shi Yuanguang had fourteen; on the Jiwei day, Shi Tongqing had seventeen; on the Gengshen day, Hua Wenyang had fifteen; on the Xinyou day, Bing Yuanyu had thirteen; on the Ren day, the record reads “two people”; on the Dingsi day, Cui Juqing had ten; on the Wuwu day, Shi Yuanguang had fourteen; on the Jiwei day, Shi Tongqing had seventeen; on the Gengshen day, Hua Wenyang had fifteen; on the Xinyou day, Bing Yuanyu had thirteen; on the Renxu day, Le Jinqing had fifteen; and on the Guihai day, Zuo Gusong had nine.

Each of these ten divine generals commands 120 officer-generals and 100,000 soldiers.

I have carefully copied this document and submit it together with the memorial to the Most High Lord Lao and the various Lord Elders (revered Daoist deities). I respectfully ask you, in your compassion, to grant my petition and command the Six Jia divine officers, the generals who govern the Six Jia, to assist your disciple, so-and-so, in carrying out the instructions in the memorial. I submit this report with due respect.

On the year, month, and day, your appointed official, the minister so-and-so, submits this report.

The offerings presented with the memorial must all be prepared with purity and care, as a sign of sincerity and in the hope of eliciting a response.

Forty feet of white silk, one shi and two dou of grain for the stipend, 1,200 coins for the life offering, two sets of clothing for the substitute effigies, and seventy sheets each of spirit money and paper horses to present to the Si Ming deity, the Six Jia, the Six Ding, and other deities.

This memorial is used to treat critical illnesses, subdue various harmful spirits, and pray for the spirits of the body to be at peace and the body’s upright Qi to be in harmony. A patient who wishes to submit this memorial should ideally do so on a Si Ming day. According to the person’s Five Phases destiny affiliation, those with a Water destiny should choose a Ji-Chou or Yi-Wei day; those with a Wood destiny, a Geng-Shen or Xin-You day; those with a Fire destiny, a Ren-Zi or Gui-Chou day; those with an Earth destiny, a Jia-Yin or Yi-Mao day; and those with a Metal destiny, a Bing-Wu or Ding-Si day. If these days are not soon available and there is an urgent need to submit the memorial and pray for the patient’s recovery, divination may be used to select an auspicious day.

Prepare the petition that day, stating in detail:

“I, your disciple, have been fortunate through karmic ties from past lives to encounter the teachings of the Dao. I have received the protection of the divine, and my name is registered in the Bureau of the Dark Realm, the celestial office said to govern the affairs of the netherworld. Thus I have been able to follow the Great Dao of the Most High, nurtured by the true Dao of the Lords and Venerable Elders, revered Daoist deities, and sheltered by the Qi of the Dao.

“Though I have received such profound grace, I have not diligently cultivated the Dao or accumulated De. I am also unfamiliar with the precepts and ritual procedures. I have often quarreled, broken rules, and given in to greed, and my transgressions grow heavier by the day.

“Recently, I myself—or another person—has fallen ill. The illness has persisted for many days without recovery. I fear it may be that the Seven Ancestors and Nine Forebears—a term for ancestors across the generations—and the offenses accumulated in past lives in the human realm have offended the divine. Their sins have grown numerous, yet they have not received repentance and deliverance. Or perhaps deceased relatives who passed away long ago remain confined beneath the Nine Springs, undergoing interrogation without pardon. Their calamities and offenses have piled up, causing them unbearable suffering and affecting the living.

“Perhaps, too, I have committed hidden sins and public offenses in this life, violated prohibitions, and accumulated guilt; or I have deliberately killed someone or unintentionally injured someone, leaving old grievances and debts from past lives unsettled. Because I did not repent and make amends in time, the punishment has grown more severe and my living soul has been detained, causing the illness I now suffer.

“Or perhaps this has been caused by the Five Phases bringing punitive calamity, the Three Destinies declining, the stars of fate shining upon me, or an offense against spirits of ill omen. During the year’s cycle, or when the Grand Duke of Jupiter holds sway, I may also have encountered punishment, opposition, or obstruction.”