《道门通教必要集》

The Essential Collection on the Comprehensive Teachings of the Daoist Tradition is a text on Daoist liturgy and precepts. It is divided into nine volumes; the volume headings and titles of the individual sections are listed here.

Volume One, “Models of Reverence,” includes instructions on leaving home attributed to the Most High, an honorific title for the highest deity in Daoism; “Seventeen Aspirations for Entering the Daoist Gate and Seeking the Dharma Body of Renunciation”; and brief biographies of patriarchs from successive generations.

Volume Two, “Hymns and Eulogies,” mainly gathers the hymns, eulogies, and musical pieces used in Zhaijiao (purification rituals)—Daoist rites involving the honoring of deities, scripture recitation, and other practices. These include texts for opening the altar, burning memorials, receiving precepts, inviting the master, reciting and sending forth scriptures, scattering flowers, burning memorial petitions, and transmitting registers. The volume also contains works praising divine and immortal beings, such as “Lyrics for Pacing the Void,” “Music of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing),” “White Crane Lyrics,” and “Eulogy to the Seven Perfected.” It further lists liturgical documents such as the “True Text for Invoking Blessings and Pacifying the Celestial Realms,” the “True Text for Refining and Delivering Souls,” the “True Text for Dispelling Calamities in the Five Directions,” and texts for invoking blessings and dispelling calamities and for consecrating talismans and precepts.

The following is a list of the works included in volumes three through seven of Essential Collection of Daoist Teachings and Rites. They mainly concern Zhaijiao (purification rituals), Keyi (liturgical procedures), hymns and chants, formal petitions, and the duties assigned during rituals.

Volume three includes works such as “Prayer for the Dragon of the Bamboo Slips,” “Twelve Invocations,” “Twelve Vows,” “Twelve Invocations in the Nesting Rite,” “Hymn of Universal Offering,” “Prayer for the True Text of the Eight Powers,” “The True Text of the Eight Powers,” “The True Text for the Three Calamities of Volume Three,” and “Prayer for the Talisman Precepts.” It then lists the “Hymns and Chants of Volume Three,” including the “Incantation of the Five Directional Spirit Guardians,” “Precious Writ of the Five Refinements for Reviving the Corpse,” and “Outer Altar Hymns and Chants,” as well as texts for the deceased to take refuge in the Three Treasures and repent their sins.

Volume four is the “Petitions and Invocations” section. Its contents are used mainly for offering incense and making prayers, opening the altar, and expressing wishes during Zhaijiao rituals. They include prayers offered while burning incense at different altars, texts for opening the altar, petitions to the perfected beings, and words addressed to the Five Masters during the preliminary evening service, along with procedures such as establishing the altar and kindling the incense burner. The volume also includes prayers for offering incense and stating one’s intentions in the Yellow Register Retreat—a Zhaijiao ritual focused mainly on seeking blessings, averting calamities, and delivering the deceased—as well as in other retreat rites. It contains scriptures for different times of day, including dawn, midday, and the quiet of night, as well as scriptures concerning one’s birth year, Zhenwu, and the protection of the home.

Volume five is the “Ritual Assistants” section. It contains recitation texts for each day of the Yellow Register Retreat: on the first day, prayers for the state; on the second, the deliverance and elevation of the deceased; and on the third, prayers to avert calamities. It also lists penitential texts for opening and dispersing the altar, averting calamities, and delivering the deceased, along with rituals for marking out the directions at the outer altar, summoning deities and departed souls, bathing and delivering the souls of the dead, and chanting an incantation while offering sweet dew and ritual food.

Volume six is the “Hymn Leaders” section, and volume seven is the “Ritual Conduct” section. These include the rites for consecrating the altar and marking out the directions, as well as liturgies for summoning deities and departed souls, bathing and delivering the dead, and offering sweet dew and ritual food. The final work, “Celestial Master Du’s Sword-Slaying Incantation,” is a sword-slaying incantation attributed to Celestial Master Du.

The Demon-Slaying Sword Incantation in Zhang Wujin’s Golden Register Ritual.

Yang Cigong’s Invocation for Consecrating Water (a ritual text reporting to the gods and requesting the water rite before performing it).

Zhang Wujin’s Invocation (a ritual text reporting to the gods and making a request).

Newly revised contents.

Volume Eight: Ritual Deportment

First hour, second hour, third hour, fourth hour, fifth hour, sixth hour, seventh hour, eighth hour, ninth hour.

Volume Nine: Focused Contemplation

Submitting a petition (presenting a memorial to the gods).

Reporting a matter (informing the gods of an affair).

Ascending the altar (mounting the ritual altar to perform the rites).

Incantation for entering the gate at night, incantation for leaving the gate at night, incantation for entering the gate in the morning, incantation for leaving the gate in the morning.

Contemplation (focusing through visualization on deities or specific images).

Focused contemplation while pacing the void (visualization practice performed alongside the pacing-the-void rite).

Explaining the formula.

Incantation for summoning the demons, and an explanation of summoning the demons.

Formula for reciting the scriptures in silent meditation.

Formulas for focused contemplation and visualizing the spirits while reciting the Daodejing and the Durenjing.

Explaining the formula.

Formula for focused contemplation and visualizing the spirits while reciting the Scripture of the Southern and Northern Dippers.

Mystical-essence incantations for the Daodejing, the Durenjing, and the Shengshen jing (incantations used before or after reciting the related scriptures).

Master Zhao Mingju’s songs on nourishing Qi and fumigation and ingestion (verse formulas describing methods for cultivating the breath and practicing fumigation and ingestion).

Seals and talismans depicting the true forms of the Seven Primordial Stars and the Dipper’s Ladle (Fulu associated with the Northern Dipper’s stellar officials and the stars forming the Dipper’s handle).

Diagram for prostrating to present a petition and pacing the Dipper (a diagram showing how to prostrate and present a petition, then tread the Dipper’s positions during a rite).

Incantation for pacing the Dipper.

Mystical-essence incantations for the Durenjing and the Shengshen jing; Master Zhao Mingju’s songs on nourishing Qi and fumigation and ingestion; seals and talismans depicting the true forms of the Seven Primordial Stars and the Dipper’s Ladle; diagram for prostrating to present a petition and pacing the Dipper (the preceding items are listed again).

Song for pacing the Dipper.

Preface to the Collected Teachings of the Daoist Tradition.

The Celestial Master (Tianshi) established his teachings in western Shu, and Guangchengzi spent his final years in Yizhou. For this reason, many people in Shu follow Daoism, and its ritual procedures are highly developed. Yet a close examination of the texts handed down from earlier times shows that they have never been printed, and contain many errors.

Recently, the books held in the imperial palace were catalogued. At that time, Lord Liu, a Left Historian serving in the capital and a native of Jianchi, and Lord Zhu, a Taichang official from Meishan, were both in government service. At the request of Lord Li, a Zongcheng official from Erjiang, Yuan Su was able to obtain several hundred volumes of Daoist scriptures from the capital. These were books rarely found in Shu, and most dealt with Keyi (liturgical procedures and their rules). I therefore asked my young disciple Taigu to compare the different versions, examine ancient practices, and clarify current regulations. He compiled them into a collection, from introductory material for beginners to the procedures for presiding over ritual observances, so that they might be preserved for those who come after us.

Just then, someone responsible for Huanglu affairs across the two circuits of Sichuan made a request. Fellow Daoists from many places came forward, so I had these books carved onto woodblocks for everyone to use.

I have often worried that some people will not take the trouble to correct the texts themselves, but stand aside to watch, even offering criticism and mockery. Others say nothing, treating their knowledge as private property and refusing to speak even a single word to our fellow members of the Daoist community throughout their lives. Can this really accord with the intention of the Most High, who taught people so that the Daoist teachings might spread ever more widely? The scriptures and records of our tradition are incomplete, and all who know this share the same concern. Would it not be fitting to help the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) and Guangcheng traditions flourish further?

Written in the last month of summer in the xinyou year, the first year of the Jiatai era (1201), by Lü Yuansu, a Daoist of Puan in Jiangyuan.

In ancient times, the Son of Heaven offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and sought communion with the spirits and deities. In accordance with ritual, he prepared livestock, purified grain, and sacrificial robes, first observing the preliminary fast before the sacrifice and then undertaking a stricter fast as the ceremony drew near. Only then was the rite complete. If even he feared that the preparations might be inadequate, the offerings might fail to meet ritual requirements, or the sacrifice might not bring the hoped-for result, how much more should ordinary scholars and common people be concerned?

For this reason, the Most High—a Daoist honorific for the Dao—taught the scriptures and established precepts with a focus on cherishing life and abhorring killing. Later, the Celestial Master (Tianshi), following the scriptures, established the teachings and transformed sacrificial offerings into Zhaijiao (purification rites and altar ceremonies). These rites model themselves on Heaven and Earth and provide all that ritual requires, thereby expressing sincerity. Through the practice of the Dao, the recitation of scriptures, and the submission of memorials and petitions, practitioners convey their prayers to Heaven and thus perform grand liturgies (Keyi) and cultivate pure forms of worship.

In ancient times, people sang the “Yong” ode and recited “Qingmiao,” shaping their voices into music governed by rules. They believed music could communicate with the spirits and deities and offer prayers to Heaven and Earth. Daoist chants of “Stepping into Emptiness” and recitations of the “Cavern Chapters,” a type of Daoist scripture, follow the same principle. Since the Celestial Master established the teachings, those in the Daoist tradition who study liturgical procedures have often been unfamiliar with musical modes and rhythms, while those skilled in vocal music have often lacked knowledge of ritual procedures. This is like Gongshu, the legendary master craftsman Lu Ban: however skillful he may be, without tools such as the carpenter’s square and compass, how could he make square or round forms?

During the Song dynasty, Master Lü of Helin traveled to the capital to read the Daoist canon and collect Daoist texts. He compiled them into a book titled Collected Teachings for General Understanding. Its contents range from the Son of Heaven to common people, and address the fortunes and misfortunes of the state, the family, and the individual. They concern honoring Daoism and practicing Zhaijiao rites, and aim to help students learn the rules and understand Daoist scriptures. His work was wide-ranging. Master He of Yuntai later expanded upon it, helping readers become familiar with Zhaijiao liturgies and the teachings, and compiled Collected Teachings for Refinement, which was circulated to the world.

Each of these two books has its strengths and shortcomings, so readers are bound to have questions. Now the Daoist Ma Daoyi of Sanjing Abbey in Jincheng, who has long devoted himself to the Daoist tradition and remained committed to its liturgies and teachings, has combined Collected Teachings for General Understanding and Collected Teachings for Refinement. He selected the strengths of each, arranged the material by subject in a single volume, and had it printed so it could circulate widely. He asked me to write a preface explaining the purpose of the compilation. I replied: In my teaching, I have often given thought to these matters; as for liturgies and teachings, in recent years I too have been lax in my studies. Since you have made the propagation of the teachings your aim, how could I fail to do my utmost to help bring this good work to completion? Students can use this book to learn the standards of liturgy, and those who aspire to the Way can, through practice, attain communion with the spirits and deities. This is a great occasion for the Daoist community. Who would not approve?

Written with respect by Han Huncheng, abbot of Ren’an Abbey and Master of True Realization, who teaches the scriptures and propagates the Dao, at the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Yuanzhen era.

Contents of the Essentials of the Daoist Tradition

Those newly entering the Daoist path should first seek proper standards, make their vows, and observe the precepts. The relevant teachings are all recorded in the scriptures. Since the Han dynasty, the successive lineage masters who upheld their traditions and established their teachings have served as models for people on earth and in heaven. They can therefore be taken as examples. For this reason, the first chapter is called “Models to Emulate” and includes the Taishang Instructions on Leaving Home and brief biographies of lineage masters through the ages.

When children first enter the Dao, they should begin by learning to respond in chant and recitation. From the opening of the ritual hall to the dismissal of the sacred beings and perfected ones, each part may be sung in praise, and each has its own scriptures and ritual rules. At the initial transmission, a complete model may not be available. The second chapter is therefore called “Ritual Verses and Praises.” It includes step-void verses—chants recited while walking during Daoist purification rituals—along with praises, invocations, various sacred texts and Fulu (talismans and registers), the Five Directions’ texts for dispelling calamity, and the Twelve Vows.

As children grow older, they should be taught the tones and rhythms of recitation, beginning with individual sounds and reading one character at a time, to support their practice. Errors that arise in transmission, as well as crude or vulgar material passed down over time, should be corrected so that the texts conform to rigorous standards. The third chapter is therefore called “Praises and Chants.” It includes the Incantation for Guarding the Spirits of the Five Directions, the Chapter of the Birth of Corpse Spirits in the Five Kalpas, outer-altar praises and chants, the Text of the Dharma Bridge, two texts for the deceased that take refuge in the Three Treasures and repent their offenses, and words for comforting and sending off the deceased.

The fourth chapter in the old edition was “Step-Void Chants.” The step-void material has now been removed and replaced with “Petitions and Invocations for the Practice of the Teaching.” This chapter includes formal petitions and declarations, offering incense at the imperial altar, words expressing one’s intent after the incense blessing, the text for opening the altar, words spoken after the incense blessing at a Yellow Register retreat, the declaration to the Five Masters at the preparatory vigil, the establishment of the altar and kindling of the incense burner, invocations to the master before the Five Masters at the opening of a retreat, words addressed to the masters during the three daily rites of a Yellow Register retreat held for the state, and the scriptures of the Scripture of One’s Birth Year, the Scripture of Perfected Warrior, and the Scripture for Pacifying the Home.

At the first ceremony of receiving the cap and registers, which confers Daoist status and ritual registers, assistants must be present to help. There are many kinds of rites at the inner and outer altars, and some of the words used may be unsuitable; transmitted copies may also contain many errors. Beginners should proceed carefully and choose appropriate texts. The fifth chapter is therefore called “Ritual Offices and Assisting Rites.” It includes the scriptures of the Scripture of One’s Birth Year, the Scripture of Perfected Warrior, and the Scripture for Pacifying the Home.

When beginning with the cap-and-sash ritual, one should first be assisted by a chanting attendant, who helps recite the praises and conduct the ritual procedures. There is more than one kind of inner and outer ritual service, and some of the texts used are unsuitable, while many of the source editions contain errors. Beginners should therefore proceed with care and choose sound materials to follow. For this reason, the book includes a fifth section, “Attendant Duties.”

This section includes the Text for Chanting the Three-Day Scripture, the Yellow Register Opening and Closing Repentance, the Repentance for Dispelling Calamities and Making the Truth Clear, the Text for Opening the Five Directions, the Text for the Three Summonings, as well as the Food-Blessing Ritual and the Bathing Ritual.

The officiant responsible for leading the praises oversees the ritual decorum of the altar, ensuring that the procedures and rhythm are clear and complete, and that the tones are elegant. The relevant material has been gathered and organized from a wide range of sources and compiled specifically as liturgical texts. At the ceremony, suitable people must be chosen for these roles so that the audience may be moved. For this reason, a sixth section, “Praise and Guidance,” is included.

This section includes the Preface to Celestial Master Du’s Praise-the-Dao Ritual, the Altar-Opening Liturgy, the Preparatory-Night Liturgy, the Dao-Practice Liturgy, the Directions for Presenting the Various Repentances, the Scripture-Procession Liturgy, the Dining-Hall Liturgy, and the Liturgy for Presenting Merits and Performing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual).

In ancient times this role was called “ritual decorum”; today it is called the “chief lecturer.” The altar procedures and rhythm are the same as those described in the preceding section. Steps such as consecrating the water and securing the ritual space, and opening the scripture with praise and commentary, are all essential. Yet many errors remain, so a seventh section, “Ritual Decorum,” is included.

This section includes the Altar-Consecration Liturgy and the Text for Introducing the Scripture at the Nine Watches.

The high-ranking officiant is responsible for important duties in Daoist liturgy. Their moral conduct, behavior, and bearing should all meet established standards. The officiant must also use methods such as dispatching documents to summon the gods and visualization—forming images of deities or related scenes in the mind—to bring the spirits of the various realms to obedience. Each matter has its own ritual instructions. The compiler examined the practices of earlier masters and gathered them into one section for study; thus an eighth section, “Focused Visualization,” is included.

This section includes Methods for Making the Formal Petition, Words for Presenting the Matter, Words for Ascending the Altar and Submitting the Petition, the Morning and Night Spells for Leaving and Entering the House, the Method of Paying Respect to the Master and Holding the Visualization, Words for Beating the Ritual Drum, the Method of Walking the Void and Visualizing the Commanding of Demons, the Formula for Reciting Scripture in Silent Concentration, Four Spells for Opening the Scripture and Revealing Its Hidden Meaning, the Formula for Sending Forth the Officials and Visualizing the Spirits, Words and Song for Proclaiming the Petition and Reading the Supreme Clarity Titles, the Seven Primordial Talismans of the Seal and Their Explanation, the Heavenly Gate Talisman in Its Gathering and Dispersing Forms with Spells, and the Diagram and Song for Prostrating before the Petition and Walking the Dipper.

The eight chapters above were compiled with reference to Daoist scriptures and liturgies, as well as the writings of eminent masters from successive generations and well-known figures of recent times. I examined and verified the material against these sources from both sides. I would not dare to insert even a little of my own subjective speculation, lest I mislead later students. If I kept this material as the private learning of one school, it could not become a teaching shared more widely. So I have had it printed and share it with fellow Daoists, as a reference for transmitting the Dao, guiding people to salvation, and teaching Daoist methods.

We should not casually teach this material to laypeople who have not left home to cultivate the Dao, lest it bring regret and fault. Since this book treats its subject in considerable detail, some may abandon their original studies and foundations to devote themselves instead to these teachings. If they fail in the future, they may well incur slander and resentment. As for the clear, tranquil, profound teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and the methods of Golden Elixir cultivation, anyone who follows Daoism may study them. The transmission of the Dao does not depend solely on liturgical systems established by the imperial court. Those with broad understanding will surely agree with these words.

Written in the last month of summer in the xinyou year of the Jiatai era (1201), by Lü Taigu, a Daoist of Heliin near Qiantang.

Collected Essentials for the Transmission of Daoist Teachings, Volume One

Compiled by Lü Taigu, a Daoist of Heliin.

Chapter on Exemplary Models

Instructions from the Most High Scripture on Leaving Home

The Scripture on the Causes and Conditions for Leaving Home says: Daoists are generally divided into seven ranks. The Celestial Worthy said: The first rank is the “Heavenly Realized One,” referring to someone whose body and mind accord with the natural Dao, and who is pure and tranquil both within and without. The second rank is the “Immortal,” referring to someone able to transform…

The Scripture on the Conditions for Leaving the Household says that Daoists fall into seven ranks. The first is “Heavenly Perfected,” those whose body and mind accord with the natural Dao, remaining pure and peaceful both within and without. The second is “Immortal,” those capable of unfathomable transformations and freed from the ordinary world. The third is “Hidden and Untroubled,” those who restrain their brilliance, avoid showing off, and remain free from the entanglements of worldly affairs. The fourth is “Mountain Dweller,” those who withdraw to the deep mountains to cultivate the Dao and are content with benevolence and wisdom. The fifth is “One Who Leaves the Household,” those who abandon attachment to worldly things and escape the noise and turmoil of the world. The sixth is “Householder,” those who live amid worldly society without being shaped by it, holding fast to the Dao and De. The seventh is “Libationer” (a Daoist office responsible for religious affairs or rituals), one who humbly remains in the world and aids those facing danger and hardship.

They are called Daoists because, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, and whatever thoughts arise in them, they devote themselves to cultivating the Dao and practicing De. They observe purification, bow in reverence, recite scriptures, burn incense, and keep the precepts to cultivate body and mind; they light lamps and repent, give alms and make vows, expound the “Mahayana” (teachings aimed at liberating all beings), guide living beings, awaken the aspiration to seek the Dao, accumulate every kind of merit, and care universally for all beings, putting others before themselves. They are not troubled by worldly burdens and devote themselves solely to cultivation. For this reason, they are revered and honored by beings above and below, by the beings of the Six Realms, and by the Four Births (womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born). They do not pay homage to the Son of Heaven or bow to the feudal lords. Instead, they become a support for the accumulation of blessings in the human and heavenly realms, and a refuge and source of protection for beings throughout the Three Realms.

Seventeen Vows for Entering the Mysterious Gate and Seeking the Ordained Body

The first vow is never to take life, because killing cuts off the root of becoming a sage. The second is never to drink alcohol, because drinking corrupts one’s nature. The third is never to eat anything bloody, because the taste of blood is the same as that of one’s own body. The fourth is never to eat the Five Pungent Plants (strongly scented pungent vegetables), because they hinder ascent to Heaven. The fifth is never to commit sexual misconduct, because sexual desire unsettles one’s mind. The sixth is never to speak…

The text first lists the vows that a novice should make when entering the Dao: do not covet wealth, for greed obstructs cultivation of the Dao; diligently cultivate merit to enrich oneself; do not disturb others, lest resentment and karmic burdens arise; keep helping others, since you should treat them as you would yourself; never lie, lest you lose others’ trust; never become lax, lest you lose your resolve to follow the Dao; learn various methods of cultivation to attain complete wisdom; never steal anything, for in the end you will have to repay it many times over; regularly observe inner fasting, keeping thoughts pure and focused; constantly contemplate the emptiness and stillness of all things so as to advance swiftly in cultivating the Dao; and remain honest and calm, humble and unassuming, so that you may be peaceful and still. These are the precepts and vows that novices should uphold after entering the Dao.

The Shengxuan Jing says that those who serve as Daoist priests should conduct themselves differently from ordinary people. Their eyes should not covet what they see, nor be stirred by beautiful things. Their ears should not listen to slander or sounds that disturb the mind. Their noses should not crave fragrance or become attached to foul, animal smells. Their mouths should not crave sweetness or harm living beings for the sake of food. Their minds should not covet desire, wealth, beauty, or glory. Their hands should do nothing improper, and their feet should not deliberately trample or injure others. This is the conduct expected of Daoist priests.

The Shengxuan Jing also says that those who leave home to cultivate the Dao should cast off finery and wear plain cloth headwear and robes—the simple garments worn by Daoist priests. They should live in a low, humble hut, with just enough room to shelter them, and avoid luxury. Except for what they need to treat illness and cultivate the Dao, or for travel and duties undertaken at others’ request, they should dwell in a quiet, secluded place and take contentment in the Dao. This is the first step in hearing the Dao and entering the path, and the foundation for cultivating great virtue.

The Scripture on Settling the Will records that long ago, twelve young men lived comfortably and happily. They prepared fine food together, drank freely, and enjoyed themselves. At times, they also discussed whether cultivating the Dao and keeping the precepts was difficult. The Celestial Worthy, a title for the supreme deity in Daoism, saw them while in deep meditative stillness. He knew that in former lives these young men had all been teachers of others, but had hidden the scriptures and refused to transmit them, leaving many of their disciples confused. For this, they had now fallen into the dusty world, yet still had a chance to be saved.

The Celestial Worthy therefore transformed himself into a man and passed by the place where they were gathered. He struck up a conversation with them. The transformed figure said, “Keeping the precepts is easy; failing to keep them is difficult.” They all asked, “Sir, why do you say that keeping the precepts is easy, while failing to keep them is difficult?” He replied, “If you establish yourself by keeping the precepts, you need fear neither the Son of Heaven nor the spirits. What is difficult about that? Those who break the precepts fear both other people and the spirits. How can you say that is easy?” Hearing this, the twelve young men all recalled their former lives, resolved to keep the precepts, and ultimately attained the fruit of the Dao together.

The Scripture of the Dharma Wheel records that the Perfected One of Mysterious Unity of the Great One, a Daoist immortal title, told Immortal Ge, an honorific for Ge Xuan: “In the past, I received instruction from my master and practiced with strict discipline. The pain was like being cut by a knife, and restraining myself was like having my body pierced by a poisoned awl. I served my master with reverence and never dared to slacken. Even when it was painful, I did not refuse; even when I felt distressed, I did not complain. Now that I have attained the fruit of the Dao, it is truly difficult to repay my master’s kindness.”

The Statutes of Great Truth records that Daoist practitioners studying the scriptures should first learn the Scripture of the Dao and Its Virtue, also known as the Five Thousand Words. Those who can explain and understand the scriptures, using them to guide others and aid themselves, teach without end. Such people are practitioners of the Great Vehicle.

The Statutes of Great Truth also records that when Heaven and Earth first came into being, sages, Perfected Ones, and immortals all proclaimed the Qi of the Dao. They established teachings and transmitted them from one generation to the next. Together, they revered the Great One and were all called students. Later, those who made the Dao their vocation and achieved success in cultivation were elevated in title and called “Daoists.”

The Mingwei Jing says: “One’s studies must be profound. The deviant path and the correct path can sometimes look much alike, so they must be distinguished. If you cannot tell them apart, you will fall into difficulty; if you can, you will find a smooth path forward. The ability to distinguish them depends on whether you examine things earnestly in your heart. Whether or not one can make this distinction, one is called a xueshi, a scholar. Only when one takes the Dao as one’s vocation and succeeds in cultivating the Dao does one receive the title daoshi, a Daoist.”

The Mingwei Jing also says: “One’s studies must be profound. The deviant and the correct resemble each other, so they must be distinguished. The way to distinguish them is to study a wide range of scriptures and test what one has learned through practical examination; in this way, understanding will naturally become clear and thorough. One must gain deep understanding of both worldly and transcendent teachings, and of both action and Wuwei (non-action), in order to perceive the mysterious meaning of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest deities revered in Daoism.”

Brief Biographies of Masters Through the Ages

Daoist learning has a long history. The Yellow Emperor and Laozi took stillness and Wuwei as their guiding principles. Yin Xi, Zhuangzi, Liezi, and others inherited and expounded their Dao, which was later transmitted to Yue Chenggong. Yue Chenggong taught Gai Gong, who in turn taught Cao Shen. Their teachings proved effective in governing worldly affairs—how much more so the Dao of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi! Sadly, people came to prize luxury and pleasure, and this Dao gradually faded from view. Later, the study of the immortals flourished, and ritual techniques of prayer and sacrifice also became widespread.

From the Eastern Han onward through the early years of the present dynasty, Jia Shanxiang, who used the name Pengqiuzi, gathered accounts of more than a hundred figures renowned for their Daoist arts and compiled the Biographies of Eminent Daoists. From these, we have selected a dozen or so of the most important figures, removed what was redundant, and retained the essential points. Their accounts are placed at the end of these scriptural teachings so that fellow practitioners may know whom to admire and emulate.

Celestial Master Zhang (Zhang Tianshi)

The Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, whose family name was Zhang, had the personal name Daoling and the courtesy name Fuhan. He was quiet by nature and did not care for idle talk. He enjoyed the study of antiquity, was well versed in the classics and histories, and understood astronomy and the patterns of the stars. He often helped people in urgent need, regardless of whether they were close to him or strangers. For this reason, people held him in high regard, and many came to become his disciples. When Emperor Zhang summoned him, he did not answer the summons. Sighing, he took leave of his disciples; only Wang Chang stayed behind to serve him. Zhang then went to the areas around Mount Qian and Mount Heng, and later to Mount Song, where he obtained the Book of the Nine Elixirs, a text on refining nine kinds of elixir. Once the elixirs were ready, he said to Wang Chang, “I have not yet accomplished a great deed. How could I dare take them at once? I should first rid the state and its people of harm and bring them benefit. Only then may I lighten my body and ascend to immortality.”

Later, the Great One, a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity, responded to his devotion and descended to him. He taught Zhang the methods and precepts of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) alliance, and helped him subdue demons and jade maidens. Zhang also established the Twenty-Four Governances, districts and practice centers of the Zhengyi tradition, teaching people to repent their wrongs and pray for blessings. He set down liturgies and religious rules as well. The people of Shu were transformed by his teachings: they changed their ways for the better and turned away from wrongdoing. Later, at Yuntai Peak, the Great One sent a cloud chariot down to receive him, and Zhang ascended to heaven in broad daylight.

Immortal Lord Ge

Immortal Lord Ge’s family name was Ge, his personal name was Xuan, and his courtesy name was Xiaoxian. From childhood he loved learning. He read widely in the classics and commentaries, the writings of the various philosophical schools, and the histories, and his reputation spread throughout Jiangzuo, the region along the lower Yangtze River. He often enjoyed playing the qin and reciting texts.

The Immortal Master’s surname was Ge, his given name Xuan, and his courtesy name Xiaoxian. From childhood, he loved reading. He ranged widely across the scriptures, biographies, works of the various masters, and histories, so that his reputation spread throughout Jiangzuo, the region along the lower Yangtze. He often played the qin and recited the Zhuangzi and Laozi. His temperament was peaceful and tranquil, and he was inwardly content, with few desires.

Later, he entered Mount Chicheng to cultivate the Dao. He also traveled to Mounts Kuocang, Luofu, Jinjing, Hezao, Yusi, and Tiantai, where he practiced, studied, and recited the scriptures. In response to his cultivation, the Three Perfected Ones of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) descended and transmitted the treasured scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), a major classification of Daoist texts. According to legend, he had perfected his cultivation by the age of eighteen and could perform transformations beyond understanding.

He once collected essential teachings from the Three Caverns scriptures and compiled them as the Ninefold Netherworld Repentance. He also wrote dozens of volumes on the Laozi and other scriptures.

One day, he told his disciples Zheng Siyuan and the others, “The ruler of Wu has detained me, preventing me from reciting and studying the cavern scriptures. So I must first leave this world by means of corpse liberation, after which I can ascend to Heaven.” On the appointed day, he died. His body remained soft, and the room was filled with fragrance. On the fifth day, a sudden gale blew out all the lamps and candles. When they were relit and the room inspected, his body had vanished. Corpse liberation is a Daoist legendary means of ascending to immortality: the body appears to die, while the immortal uses this as a way to depart.

Wang Zuan

The Daoist priest Wang Zuan lived on Mount Maji. He often did good deeds in secret and helped people in need. In the final years of the Western Jin, war ravaged the Central Plains, and famine and epidemics spread. Many people died, with no one to care for them. Deeply moved by the people’s suffering, Wang Zuan went to a quiet room and submitted memorials to Heaven—documents addressed to the gods—again and again, weeping bitterly. After three nights, the room shone as brightly as daylight.

Then an auspicious wind arose, and colored clouds gathered in the sky. A strange fragrance and celestial music descended into the courtyard. Armored guards bearing banners and ceremonial insignia arrived, accompanied by azure youths, jade maidens, dragons, and tigers. Soon, the sound of mouth organs and bamboo flutes came from the northwest. Amid five-colored light, an immortal official told Wang Zuan, “The Most High Lord Dao (Taishang Daojun), a revered Daoist deity, has arrived.” A great seat adorned with precious objects then descended from the sky, and the Lord Dao took his place upon it. Wang Zuan bowed and knelt before him.

The Lord Dao said to Wang Zuan, “You have shown compassion for the people and set your heartfelt concern down in memorials. Your sincerity is so intense that it is as if you had opened your heart and poured out your blood. This has moved both the netherworld and the human realm. The divine officials who govern the underworld have already reported it, and I too have taken notice of you.”

The Lord Dao went on to explain the alternating transformations of Yin-Yang, the ascent and descent of humans and ghosts, and how the host of the Six Heavens’ demons—evil spirits described in Daoist teachings—take advantage of people when they are weakened and exploit openings to cause disorder and harm the people. He said he would use the might of Yang to cow them and divine incantations to subdue them, allowing the disasters to subside of their own accord. He then ordered his attendants to give Wang Zuan the Scripture of Divine Transformation, the Scripture of Divine Incantations, and the Three-Five Rules for Purification—instructions for purification rituals and practice. “Apply yourself to these teachings,” he said, “and you may attain a place among the immortals.”

After Wang Zuan was appointed to inspect the Jiangnan region, the epidemic subsided.

Celestial Master Lu

Lu Xiujing, whose courtesy name was Yuande, had a deep love of ancient texts and studied astronomy and the stars widely. He later remarked, “Refining and nourishing the body so as to accord with the Great Dao and endure alongside Heaven and Earth cannot be achieved by doing things this way.” He then devoted himself to the study of Daoism, never resting day or night. Whenever he heard of an extraordinary adept, he would seek them out, no matter how far he had to travel. He lived in seclusion around Mount Jing. People from the Jiang and Han river regions, having heard of his reputation, came in great numbers to seek his instruction; they arrived empty-handed and departed with much to carry home.

At the end of the Yuanjia era under Emperor Wen of Song, Lu was summoned to court but did not answer the summons. Later, during the reign of Emperor Ming of Song, the emperor hoped to use the Dao of clarity and Wuwei (non-action) to lead the people back to simplicity. He had long respected Lu Xiujing, so he invited him repeatedly and with great courtesy. Lu therefore obeyed the imperial order and left his retreat. Bears, tigers, apes, and birds gathered along the roadside, crying mournfully—a sign of how deeply he had moved all living things.

When Lu Xiujing arrived in the capital, he was given a residence outside the palace so that people from both the court and beyond could seek his guidance with the respect due to a teacher. He clarified what was orthodox and what was deviant, and examined the authenticity of scriptures. The religious climate changed quickly as a result. Seeing that the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), the Daoist system for classifying scriptures, contained confusion and disorder, he edited and corrected them. He also composed models for purification rites, which later generations followed. His friendship with Tao Yuanming, a man who had risen above worldly concerns, also reveals something of his character.

In the first month of the fifth year of the Yuanhui era, Lu Xiujing suddenly told his disciples, “Pressed by the court’s gracious command, I went against the intention I have always held. Now I will return to the mountain where I once lived in seclusion.” His disciples were astonished. On the second day of the third month, he suddenly died. His face remained radiant, and a rich, unusual fragrance rose from his body. Three days later, his disciples on Mount Lu saw a procession of carriages and horses, with colorful banners gathered in the clouds, as if escorting him back to his former dwelling. In an instant, the vision vanished. The court posthumously honored him as “Master of Simplicity and Quietude.”

Celestial Master Kou (a Daoist honorific for a Celestial Master surnamed Kou)

Kou Qianzhi, whose courtesy name was Fuzhen, devoted himself to the Dao at the age of eighteen and sensed the mysterious will of Heaven. An immortal named Cheng Gongxing once worked as a servant in Kou Qianzhi’s household.

One day, Kou Qianzhi was calculating the cycles of the heavens, studying musical pitch and the breath through the nose. He believed these matters belonged to the measures of the Way of Heaven, but found that his calculations did not agree. Cheng Gongxing instructed him, and he soon mastered them. Not long afterward, Cheng Gongxing said to him, “Master, you aspire to study the Dao. Would you be willing to withdraw from the world and cultivate with me?” The two then traveled together to Mount Hua, gathering herbs to sustain themselves. After that, Kou Qianzhi no longer felt hunger.

One day, Cheng Gongxing said, “I am going out for a while. Someone will bring medicine.” After he left, someone indeed arrived with medicine. Kou Qianzhi saw that it consisted of poisonous insects and other foul-smelling, repulsive things. Afraid, he left. When Cheng Gongxing returned, he told him what had happened and sighed, “Master, it will be difficult for you to become an immortal, but you can become a teacher to emperors.” He added, “I will leave tomorrow.” On the appointed day, Cheng Gongxing indeed vanished. Afterward, Kou Qianzhi lived at Songyang and no longer went out.

On the first day of the fourth lunar month in the second year of the Shenrui era, two men suddenly arrived riding dragons, carrying banners. They announced, “The Old Lord has arrived.” A moment later, the Supreme Lord Lao rode up to the summit in a jade carriage drawn by nine dragons, guided and surrounded by immortals. Kou Qianzhi paid him reverent homage. The Supreme Lord Lao ordered Wang Fangping to bring Kou Qianzhi forward and said, “I have received a memorial from the master of the Gathering Immortals Palace on Mount Zhongyue. Since Zhang Daoling ascended to perfection, those who cultivate the Dao have had no teacher to instruct them. Now Kou Qianzhi, a Daoist priest of Mount Zhongyue, acts in accord with nature and should take up the position of teacher. Therefore, I confer upon you the title of Celestial Master (Tianshi) and pass on to you Recitation in the Clouds (also called The Hymn to Huaxia), The Sound of Walking in Emptiness, and the newly established liturgy and precepts for Daoist priests of Mount Zhongyue. You should spread these teachings, support the state, bring peace to the world, and guide the people.”

After Kou Qianzhi received these teachings, the Five Clouds Terrace and its halls vanished together. From then on, his resolve and cultivation grew ever stronger. During the Shiguang era, the court sent officials to summon him to the palace. The Minister over the Masses, Cui Hao, took him as his teacher, and the emperor himself moved his seat to consult him on Daoist arts. He treated Kou Qianzhi with deep respect and built a Daoist altar in the capital for him to live at. From then on, people throughout the realm revered and followed him.

The Celestial Master once prayed for the emperor at Mount Zhongyue, and his devotion reached Heaven. The Supreme Lord Lao secretly bestowed upon the emperor the title “True Lord of Great Peace.” That year, the reign title was changed to the first year of Great Peace and True Lord. In the first month of the ninth year of that era, Kou Qianzhi said to his disciples, “I dreamed that Cheng Gongxing summoned me to the Immortal Palace on Mount Zhongyue.” In the fifth month, he underwent feathered transformation—Daoist language for a perfected adept’s departure from the world and ascent to immortality. At the time, blue vapor rose from his mouth and dispersed only after reaching the sky; his body gradually contracted. Those versed in the Dao considered this “release from the corpse,” the Daoist belief that the body sheds its mortal form as one becomes immortal. Kou Qianzhi lived to the age of eighty-four.

Later, Shen You saw him on the summit of Mount Zhongyue. His entire body was silver-white and shone like the sun. From this, people knew that he had become an immortal.

His body gradually faded away and shrank. Those who understood such matters called this “corpse liberation” (shijie), a Daoist method by which a practitioner’s remains are released and they attain the Dao and become an immortal. He was then eighty-four years old. Later, Shen You saw him on the summit of Mount Zhongyue. His body was silver in color, and he shone like the sun. Only then did people realize that he had become an immortal.

Wang Daoyi

The Daoist Wang Daoyi lived during the Northern Wei period. He had read widely and was well versed in the study of celestial signs and prognostications, which used astronomical phenomena and prophetic texts to foretell good and ill fortune. After learning that traces of Yin Zhen’s cultivation remained in the Zhongnan Mountains, he went there with six or seven disciples to live. Together with the Daoist Yin Lingjian and more than forty others, he promoted Daoism, and both the court and the common people honored them.

That year, the harvest was poor, and the monastery lacked sufficient provisions for daily needs. Wang Daoyi undertook extensive construction of Daoist temples, employing several hundred craftsmen, yet funds never ran short. People believed that Wang Daoyi had displayed supernatural powers and secretly received the aid of spirits. One pavilion and hall after another was thus renewed. He also had his disciples purchase and collect more than ten thousand volumes of Daoist scriptures, relying entirely on his own resources and never asking anyone else for help.

Wang Daoyi was broad-minded and untroubled by worldly entanglements. Later, someone outside heard voices coming from within a room and sent a disciple to investigate. The disciple discovered that many perfected immortals had gathered there. In the Yongping era, when Wang Daoyi was about to “return to the Real” (a Daoist expression for an adept’s return to their original nature, leaving the world to become an immortal), white clouds swirled through the room and a wondrous fragrance filled the air. It took a full day for them to disperse. Someone from the local community returned from elsewhere and saw Wang Daoyi riding away on a deer.

Master Zhengyi

Sima Chengzhen, whose courtesy name was Ziwei, once studied the Dao under Pan Shizheng. He learned the art of refining the body and became able to bring together and master many different methods. Pan Shizheng considered him exceptional, and passed on to him all the Zhengyi methods of practice and ritual that Tao Hongjing had transmitted during his period of seclusion. After a long time, Sima Chengzhen took leave of his master and traveled among famous mountains throughout the land.

He came to Mount Tiantai and built a tall pavilion at the ritual site, naming it the Terrace of the Myriad Mysteries. Empress Wu Zetian summoned him to court, but he soon left the capital. Sima Chengzhen was counted among the “Ten Friends of the Immortals,” alongside Chen Ziang, Lu Zangyong, Song Zhiwen, Wang Shi, Bi Gou, Li Bai, Meng Haoran, Wang Wei, and He Zhizhang.

Emperor Ruizong summoned Sima Chengzhen again and sent his elder brother, Sima Chengyi, to convey the imperial decree, stipulating that he must come to court. When Sima Chengzhen arrived in the capital, he was brought into the palace, where the emperor asked him about the methods of Daoist cultivation. Sima Chengzhen replied, “Cultivating the Dao means gradually diminishing every desire and attachment until the mind is empty and still, no longer drawn by things beyond the reach of ordinary people’s eyes and ears. If one cannot even keep diminishing in this way, how much less should one pursue unorthodox arts and strange techniques, which only increase cleverness and anxious thought?”

Ruizong asked, “If self-cultivation is like this, how should one govern the state?” Sima Chengzhen replied, “The state is like the human body. Let the heart and spirit rest in simplicity, bring the breath into harmony with stillness, and follow the nature of all things without private motives. Then the world will govern itself well.” Ruizong exclaimed, “These are precisely the principles spoken of by Guangchengzi.” Sima Chengzhen then asked to return to the mountains. The emperor presented him with a precious qin and a cape embroidered with rosy clouds, and ordered the court ministers to compose poems to see him off.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang issued an edict to have a ritual hall built for Sima Chengzhen on Mount Wangwu, where he could live. Around that time, a Daoist nun named Jiao Jingzhen crossed the sea to Penglai in search of a master. On a mountain, she met a cultivator who told her, “Sima Ziwei of Mount Tiantai is listed at the Jade Terrace and lives at Chicheng. He is truly an excellent teacher.” When Jiao Jingzhen returned, she became Sima Chengzhen’s disciple and studied the Daoist arts. Before long, she “ascended to immortality.”

Sima Chengzhen once manifested before Xue Jichang and said, “Your attainment of the Dao surpasses that of Tao Dushui. You will become a Perfected One of Donghua and Shangqing.” One day, he suddenly told his disciples, “From the eastern side of Jade Empyrean Peak, I have seen a company of immortals descend upon Penglai. The Lord of the Green Lad of Donghua is now summoning me. I must go to answer his invitation.” Before long, he passed away through transformation, as Daoist tradition says of those who attain the Dao and ascend. The court posthumously bestowed on him the title of Grand Master of Silver and Azure Luster, gave him the posthumous name “Master Zhengyi,” and the emperor personally composed the inscription for his stele.

Sima Chengzhen wrote such works as Essential Teachings on Cultivating the True, Map of the Palaces and Offices of Mount Tiantai, Treatise on Sitting in Forgetfulness, and Register of Ascending to the True. They have been handed down to later generations.

Li Hanguang

At the age of thirteen, the Daoist Li Hanguang devoted himself to the study of the Dao. Even when alone in a dark room, he remained as respectful and careful as if in the presence of his ruler and father. He excelled at seal and clerical script, and people praised his calligraphy as better than his father’s. When he heard this, he never wrote again for the rest of his life.

He became a disciple of Master Sima Zhengyi. When Master Sima saw him, he said, “You are truly a guest of Jade Purity, the realm where Daoist deities dwell.” He also advised him: “Guard emptiness and stillness, and accumulate merit without attachment. The path of cultivating the Dao has no end. Make your home in secluded places and conceal your traces; the De you cultivate will be profound.” Master Sima then passed on all his precious Daoist books and told him to begin by helping people.

Following his teacher’s instructions, Li Hanguang gave no thought to personal gain or loss and often helped others out of difficulty. Whenever a Zhaijiao purification ritual was held, he devoted himself to fasting and cleansing body and mind, never growing lax.

Emperor Ming of the Tang summoned him and asked how to govern and guide the people. Li Hanguang replied, “The Dao De Jing is a teacher to rulers. Emperor Wen of Han put its teachings into practice, and the people lived with kindness, peace, long life, and well-being.” The emperor then asked about making the Golden Cauldron. Li Hanguang said, “De is impartial and selfless. Seeking to ascend to immortality, however, brings a little self-interest into the pursuit of what is impartial. To seek long life in order to satisfy desire is like trying to seize the wind. How could that be easy?” The emperor admired his reply and treated him with great respect.

Before long, Li Hanguang asked to return to Jugu, near Maoshan. The emperor ordered the construction of Ziyang Abbey for him to live in. When the emperor received instruction in the Scripture of Blessings and Longevity, he asked Li Hanguang to serve as his teacher. Li Hanguang did not go; instead, he performed the rites of refusal at Datong Hall and accepted the invitation from afar. The emperor honored him with the title “Master of Mystery and Stillness.” Li Hanguang wrote the Traditions of Immortal Learning and the Treatise on the Similarities and Differences of the Heavenly Mystery.

At the age of eighty-seven, Li Hanguang told his disciples, “I am going to Maoshan.” He then passed away peacefully. Auspicious clouds appeared and sacred plants grew; later, he was enrolled among the immortal officials of Maoshan.

Wu Zongyuan

Wu Jun, whose courtesy name was Zhenjie, understood the meaning of the scriptures and wrote with elegance. He sat for the jinshi examination but did not pass. He then left the capital and lived in seclusion on Yidi Mountain. In the early Tianbao era, he was summoned to the capital.

Wu Yun, whose courtesy name was Zhenjie, was well versed in the meaning and principles of the scriptures and classics, and skilled at writing. He sat the jinshi examination but did not pass, so he withdrew from the secular world and settled on Mount Yidi. In the early Tianbao era, the court summoned him to the capital. He asked to be registered as a Daoist and studied the Daoist arts under Master Pan Shizheng. Later, he traveled south to Mount Tiantai, took in the vast sea, and associated with celebrated men. His writings consequently reached the capital.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang summoned Wu Yun and, after speaking with him, greatly admired him. He appointed Wu Yun as an attendant scholar at the Hanlin Academy, and Wu Yun presented the three-part work Xuangang. The emperor once asked him about the Dao. Wu Yun replied, “No one has understood its principles more deeply than Laozi. Your Majesty need only read Laozi’s five thousand words to seek out those principles.” The emperor then asked about the cultivation of immortals. Wu Yun answered, “That is a matter for people who live in the mountains and wilderness; it is not something a ruler should concern himself with.”

Wu Yun often offered the emperor his views, speaking about moral instruction and government affairs, and using indirect words to offer remonstrance. The emperor therefore valued him highly. Some Buddhist monks envied the favor he received, and Gao Lishi, who had long been a follower of Buddhism, joined them in speaking ill of Wu Yun before the emperor. Wu Yun asked to return to Mount Song, and the emperor issued an order to have a Daoist temple built for him.

Wu Yun once expounded the mystery of the “Valley Spirit”—the subtle, hidden essence of the Dao that gives rise to life without end—in his Treatise on the Mysterious Framework. Lamenting that people’s minds were obstructed and their vision narrow, leaving them far from the Great Dao, he wrote On How Immortality Can Be Learned. He also used the phrase “clearing away and bathing in snow” to express cleansing the mind so that stray thoughts would not obstruct the cultivation of the Dao. On this theme he wrote Rhapsody on Washing the Heart and Rhapsody on Dwelling in the Rocks. He explored inner sincerity and rectitude, and accord with the natural workings of change, in On Heart and Vision and Hymn on Communion with the Spirit. He also composed more than four hundred and fifty poems on such subjects as wandering among immortals, buxu hymns—chants recited in Daoist worship or purification rituals—and reflections on the kingly way of moral instruction. Quan Deyu compiled these poems and wrote a preface for the collection. Wu Yun died later, and the court posthumously bestowed on him the title “Master Zongyuan.”

Liu Zhigu.

Liu Zhigu, courtesy name Xianxuan, was from Pei. He was a distant descendant of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan. His family served as officials in Linqiong in earlier generations and later settled there. His mother, Lady Hao, gave birth to him after dreaming of an unusual portent. Intelligent and upright, he had no taste for pursuing fame and profit, devoting himself instead to the cultivation of the Dao. After becoming a Daoist, he entered the Taiqing Abbey and received the scriptures and registers of the Three Caverns. He understood the principles of the Eight Lords’ Precious Chapters, the Precious Registers of the Three Caverns, and the alchemical texts and pulse formulas, as well as the ways of life, death, departure, and return.

Emperor Ruizong of Tang summoned him for an audience and questioned him. Pleased with his Daoist cultivation, the emperor granted him special rewards. Liu Zhigu later returned to the mountains. During the Kaiyuan era, he was summoned to court again to dispel an epidemic among the people. He could read people’s complexion, take their pulses, and treat illness by directing Qi. This brought peace to the populace, and eight or nine out of every ten people benefited. The emperor again offered him generous rewards, but Liu Zhigu declined them. He asked to return to Shu and requested that his residence be converted into the Great Qiannqiu Abbey. The emperor personally inscribed its name, and Li Yong composed the text for a stele erected at the abbey. Later, for the occasion of the Tianchang Festival, the abbey was renamed Tianchang Abbey; plans were also discussed to build and renovate it elsewhere.

Once, a visitor came and taught him the arts of yellow and white—the techniques for refining gold and silver. Liu Zhigu’s buildings stood together in a magnificent complex. Though the cost reached tens of thousands, they had not been built through human labor. The visitor returned later and arranged to meet him at Mount Funiu in Dongyang. Liu Zhigu went to the foot of the mountain and lodged in an ancient abbey that had been renovated. There he practiced the essentials of the “Three Flights and Nine Paths” for ten years. Suddenly, light filled the room, and a vermilion fungus appeared. When struck, it rang like gold and jade.

Afterward, he dreamed that a divine being said, “Beneath the dripping spring on the back mountain, inside a stone, is a golden fish. Ride it and you can ascend to heaven. Without this vermilion fungus that rings when it strikes stone, you will not be able to find it.” Liu Zhigu later went in search of it. Using the fungus to strike the stone, he made it sound like wind and thunder. The stone split open, revealing a golden fish about three feet long. He mounted it and soared into the sky. Clouds and mist gathered around it, and they departed together.

Liu Zhigu once prayed for blessings on behalf of his mother, setting up Nine Netherworld lamps, a ritual for blessing the dead in the underworld, and establishing the prescribed forms for Golden Register rites and white petitions. These rites are still practiced today, and their benefit to beings in the underworld is immeasurable. He also wrote The Mysterious Pivot of the Sun and Moon and Song for Pointing the Lost from Confusion, both of which have been passed down.

During the Xuanhe era of Emperor Huizong of Song, the abbey was renamed Immortal Seclusion Abbey. It stood within the north city of Chengdu.

Master Fu (a revered Daoist cultivator, Fu Xianzong) was from Chang’an. His father, Fu Lun, had served as magistrate of Ziyang County. Fu Xianzong loved Daoist teachings from childhood and later withdrew from the world to live on Ziyang Mountain. Before long, a divine being told him, “Mount Yu’an is suited to cultivation.” He therefore built the Temple of a Thousand Ages there and lived in it for twelve years.

One day, several more divine beings came and told him, “We are the mountain gods of this place. Since you came to live here, we have not had a moment’s peace. Besides, this is not a blessed land. Pinggang Mountain, west of the prefectural city, is the right place to dwell.” Fu Xianzong agreed that they had a point. Under the protection of spirits and gods, he went to Pinggang Mountain and built an altar and living quarters there.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang revered Daoism and summoned Fu Xianzong to court. On the way, Fu passed Jubo Ford in Lizhou, where the local people were being tormented by water demons. Fu Xianzong drew talismans on two stone slabs and cast them into the water. Soon, two large fish floated onto the shoal, with red writing visible beneath their bellies: “Red carp, red carp, born in the river’s waters, yet you failed to make way for an immortal official. You deserve this punishment.” The prefect reported the incident in detail, and the emperor ordered a shrine to be built for Fu Xianzong near the ford.

After Fu Xianzong reached the capital, he was ordered to perform a Zhaijiao purification ritual at Shangqing Palace. The emperor himself came to watch at the ritual site. When the ceremony reached the invocation of the Azure Youth Lord of the East and his officers and attendants, heavenly troops suddenly filled the eastern side of the altar. The emperor was frightened by the sight. After the ritual, he asked Fu Xianzong what Daoist methods he practiced to bring about such a response.

Fu Xianzong replied, “What I practice is chiefly to bring peace to the people and benefit all things, while keeping a tranquil, detached, simple, and unassuming mind. When it is cleared, it does not thereby become clear; when it is stirred, it does not thereby become turbid. I cultivate myself in this way, and so I can do what you have seen.” The emperor heard this and felt great respect and delight.

Long afterward, Fu Xianzong asked to return to his mountain. The emperor ordered his Daoist temple to be repaired, personally inscribed its plaque, and renamed it the Temple of Responding to the Perfected. On the fourteenth day of the tenth month in the third year of the Qianyuan era, Fu Xianzong suddenly heard a voice from the sky: “The Most High has issued an edict summoning you.” He then bathed, climbed onto his couch, and passed away. Some later saw him riding a green mule as he departed in Jianzhou, and so believed that he had ascended to immortality through the art of corpse liberation.

Lüqiu Fangyuan, whose courtesy name was Dafang, mastered the classics and histories by the age of sixteen. At twenty-nine, he entered the Dao and became a disciple of You Yuanze. One day, You Yuanze said to him, “Have you never heard Laozi say, ‘My greatest trouble comes from having a body’? The body comes into being when Wuwei (non-action), the natural state without contrivance, shifts into Youwei (deliberate action), a state in which things take form and leave traces. To return to the root now is to return to Wuwei.

“Wuwei means that speaking of ‘nothing’ can easily lead to empty stillness, while speaking of ‘something’ can easily create obstruction. Clinging to either being or nonbeing leads to stagnation. Only by favoring neither and clinging to neither, with the mind utterly still and free of thought, can one draw near the Dao. Buddhists call this state Chan. The principle is also the same as what Confucius meant by ‘still and unmoving.’

“Laozi also said, ‘Look toward it, and you cannot see its beginning; follow it, and you cannot see its end.’ What can this be? If you can understand it in silence, why seek anything else? Why insist on going to practice beneath the ancient pines of some remote mountain? It is a pity: you have the ability to become a true exemplar of the Daoist tradition.”

After receiving this instruction, Fangyuan left. He later studied with Liu Chujing and Ye Zangzi, and received Daoist registers, which signify a Daoist’s ritual rank and status of cultivation. Admiring the character of Ge Zhichuan and Tao Zhenbai, he grew ever more renowned for his reputation and virtue. Qian Liu, king of Wuyue, admired his lofty character, visited him at Dadi Cave, and had a residence built for him. Emperor Zhaozong of Tang summoned him by imperial decree several times, but he never answered the summons. The court therefore bestowed on him ceremonial robes marking his rank, and the titles “Master of Wondrous Being” and “Sir of Primordial Unity.” He had more than two hundred disciples, of whom only about a dozen deeply grasped the essentials of cultivating the Dao and refining the spirit. One day, he suddenly bathed, sat upright, and died. When his tomb was opened for burial, the coffin was found to be empty.

Celestial Master Du.

Du Guangting, courtesy name Bingsheng, was a renowned Confucian scholar of his time. He sat the examination in which candidates wrote essays of ten thousand words but did not pass. He then left home to study the Dao and became the favored disciple of Master Ying. He once said that the liturgies and teachings of the Daoist tradition, compiled and organized since the time of the Celestial Masters in the Han dynasty and Lu Xiujing, had gradually fallen into disuse and been lost over the centuries. He examined which materials were authentic, arranged them by topic, and traced their origins and development. As a result, Daoist practitioners throughout the realm still follow these standards today.

Emperor Xizong of the Tang summoned Du Guangting to Lin’de Hall, where he served as a court writer and composed texts by imperial command. People of the time praised him: “His writings abound, and his learning is profound and wide-ranging. In supporting the religion and establishing its teachings, no one in the realm can equal him.” In the early years of the Zhonghe era, he accompanied the emperor to Shu and thereafter lived in Chengdu. After Wang Jian took control of Shu, he appointed Du Guangting as tutor to the prince.

Du Guangting once told Xu Guangpu: “When I first studied at the Imperial College, books were in plentiful supply. I divided each month into five kinds of days and planned my studies accordingly: on the first kind, I read the Confucian classics; on the second, the works of the masters and the histories; on the third, I practiced writing; on the fourth, I memorized historical anecdotes; and on the fifth, I rested in quiet seclusion and cultivated my mind. I repeated this schedule throughout each month. After five or six years, I had become familiar with all the classics.” Xu Guangpu was probably a chancellor in Shu and had once studied under Du Guangting.

The text also recounts an episode from the life of a Celestial Master. He first met Chen Ti, later obtained a divine elixir, and then went to Chengdu to live under Zhu Xian. For a long time, he sang “Song of Autumn in the Courtyard,” yet never met the person he hoped to encounter. One day, he suddenly said to his disciples: “Yesterday I dreamed that I paid court to the Emperor of Heaven. He appointed me as the presiding master of the Mount Min and Mount Emei region.” At the time, the True Palace on Mount Qingcheng had just been completed. He put on his ritual robes, paid his respects, and entered the hall. There he gathered his disciples and entrusted them with his final instructions, then died. His remains were taken back for burial on Mount Qingcheng. Those who carried the coffin found it unusually light; when they opened it, they discovered that only a shoe remained inside.

Du Guangting wrote such works as Diagram of the Primordial Origin, Eulogy on the Sacred Annals, Explication of the Vast Sage, Records of the Emperors’ Successions, Records of Miraculous Efficacy, Models of Ritual and Teaching, and Forms for Memorials and Petitions, along with hundreds of volumes of poetry and prose, compiled as the Collected Works of Guangcheng. He was later posthumously granted the title “Master Guangcheng.”

Su Chengyin

The Daoist priest Su Chang wrote several hundred volumes of works, including Chart of Primordial Unity, Ode to the Sagely Teachings in the Wings of the Annals, Expansions on the Meaning of the Sagely Teachings, Records of Successive Emperors, Records of Spiritual Efficacy, Models for Ritual Teaching and Liturgy, Forms for Petitions and Memorials, and Songs, Poems, and Miscellaneous Writings. These works were collectively known as the Guangcheng Collection. After his death, he was posthumously granted the title “Master Guangcheng.”

Su Chengyin

The Daoist priest Su Chengyin lived at Longxing Abbey in Zhenyang. He was well versed in the Laozi and the Zhuangzi, and skilled in the arts of health cultivation. In 969, the second year of the Kaibao era, Emperor Taizu of Song stopped in Zhenyang and summoned him to the palace. The emperor said, “You are over eighty, yet your appearance is still youthful. You must know a great deal about cultivating health. Please teach me.”

Su Chengyin replied, “The way I cultivate health is simply to focus my thoughts and refine my spirit. An emperor’s approach to cultivating health should be different. Laozi said, ‘When I practice Wuwei (non-action), the people transform of themselves; when I have no desires, the people become simple and sincere.’ With no action and no desire, the spirit can rest in a state of great harmony. The Yellow Emperor and Tang Yao were able to rule for a long time because they attained this principle.” Taizu praised his words and gave him generous rewards.

The Two Zhang Wumengs

Zhang Wumeng’s courtesy name was Taihe.

The Two Zhang Wumengs

Zhang Wumeng, courtesy name Lingyin, was known in his hometown for his filial devotion. He loved quietude and was well versed in the Book of Changes. Once he reached adulthood, he handed the family estate over to his younger brother, then went to Mount Hua to cultivate the Dao. He befriended Zhong Fang and Liu Haichan, studied under Master Xiyi (Chen Tuan), and came to understand many subtle principles.

Later, he traveled to Mount Tiantai’s Chicheng and built a hut there, where he lived for more than ten years, devoting himself to cultivation. He put his insights from practice into a hundred poems, titled Returning to the Origin. Xia Yinggong (Xia Song) visited Zhang Wumeng in the mountains, read the poems, and took them back to the capital. When Wang Jigong (Wang Qinruo) was in office, Xia Yinggong presented Returning to the Origin to him. Before long, the work reached Emperor Zhenzong of Song.

Zhenzong asked Zhang Wumeng about methods for attaining longevity and enduring life. Zhang replied, “I am only a man of the mountains and countryside. I read the Laozi and the Book of Changes in the mountains; I know nothing else.” The emperor ordered him to explain the Book of Changes, so he spoke about the Hexagram of Humility. The emperor asked, “Why explain only the Hexagram of Humility?” Zhang answered, “When harvests are abundant and the state is flourishing, one should all the more preserve oneself through humility.” The emperor greatly admired his words and appointed him Gentleman for the Compilation of Works, an official responsible for editing and collating texts. Zhang declined the appointment.

One day, the emperor summoned him again to explain Returning to the Origin, offered him wine, and sent an envoy with gold and silk. Zhang accepted none of it. The emperor also bestowed on him the title “Master Recluse,” which he likewise refused. The emperor then composed a song to send him off. In it, he praised Zhang for teaching a way that was whole and pure, and for discerning principles beyond form and sound. Like clouds that gather and disperse, and water that follows the shape of the land, Zhang did not cling to fixed forms. Moved by the moment, he had left his mountain home and briefly entered court to discuss the true Dao. Having heard its essential meaning, he still intended to return to the mountains and rest his head on a stone, following his nature. Gold and silk, official robes, and rank were not things he valued, so the emperor composed the song to bid him farewell.

The next day, Zhang Wumeng set out for the mountains. The emperor ordered the officials of Taizhou to pay him the salary of Gentleman for the Compilation of Works, but even after reaching the mountains, Zhang never went to collect it. Throughout his life, he maintained his lofty and frugal way of living. At the age of ninety-nine, he died in Jinling. Three days later, a stream of white vapor rose three feet above the crown of his head. His Poems of Qiongtai have been passed down to the present day. Bixuzi Chen Jingyuan was his disciple and, it is said, also grasped the essential teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi.

Liu Congshan, courtesy name Shunfu, was fond of Daoist learning from an early age. He studied Daoist arts at the Jianlong Abbey (Jianlong Guan), and after passing an examination he became a Daoist priest. In the early Tiansheng reign (1023–1032), he was ordered to reside at the Jingling Palace. The emperor and the empress dowager wished to receive the Fulu (the investiture of Daoist registers and talismans), so they commanded the Master Guanmiao, Zhu Ziying, to establish an altar at the Yuqing Zhaoying Palace, and Liu Congshan also took part in the investiture.

The emperor placed great importance on sacrifices to his predecessors. Once he sent an envoy to inform Liu Congshan that the death anniversary of a former emperor was approaching and ordered him to perform a Zhoushi (the rite of chanting incantations and offering food to the spirits) before the statue of the late emperor. Liu Congshan then compiled the incantations found in the Three Caverns scriptures into a Keyi (liturgical manual) for this rite, and soon after presented a written text of the Zhoushi rite. The emperor approved and bestowed upon him the title "Quansu" (Complete Simplicity), and he had the text distributed to the various palaces and abbeys. The Zhoushi liturgy is said to have originated with Liu Congshan.

After the Yanning Palace was completed, the emperor ordered that inscriptions on the Five Viscera of the sacred images be composed. Many people responded to the command, but only Liu Congshan's composition satisfied the emperor, and it was carved onto a gold-and-jade plaque.

When Emperor Renzong fell gravely ill, he summoned Liu Congshan into the palace to present a memorial (zhang) and offer prayers, and he ordered the chief ministers to conduct the rite in the emperor's place. Liu Congshan prostrated himself and finished presenting the memorial. The emperor asked, "Has the memorial been delivered?" Liu replied, "It has been delivered." At that time the emperor had already died for several quarters of an hour, yet he suddenly revived in spirit and sent word to ask, "What spirit is General Ge?" Liu Congshan answered, "Among the disciples of the Three Heavenly Gates there is a divine general called the General Ge of the Central Origin, who is in charge of conveying memorials." The emperor then sent word ordering that a shrine be established for him. On the following day, the emperor's health was restored. He told his attendants, "Last night I reached the Heavenly Gate. General Ge said that the emperor should not yet have come, and he hurriedly lent me a horse and sent me back, and only then did I wake."

The emperor took off his imperial robe and bestowed it on Liu Congshan, together with gold, silk, and his bedding. He also wished to confer on Liu the title of "Xiansheng" (Master), but Liu firmly declined. During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the chancellor Han Wei'gong again requested that the title of Xiansheng be conferred on him, and he again declined.

On the twenty-eighth day of the seventh month of the third year of the Xining reign (July 1070), Liu Congshan bathed, gathered his disciples, and said to them, "The great wind is coming, and then I shall depart." Soon a great wind did arise, and, as he had said, Liu transformed and left his physical form. Later, a guest returning to the capital from Shu reported that he had seen Master Liu riding a white horse into Shu, and heard him instruct, "If you see my disciples, pass this word on to them." For this reason people concluded that he had departed through the method of shijie (release by corpse transformation), the Daoist term for leaving the physical body and ascending through transformation. He compiled liturgies for the zhaijiao (purification rite) and the method of presenting memorials, and his hymns and poems have circulated in the world.

Those who study the Daoist methods should be diligent and persevering, gather their minds and spirit, and apply utmost sincerity. They burn incense and bow in reverence to Taishang (the Most High, the supreme sacred title in Daoism), letting their own true qi (vital energy) mingle with the incense smoke. They pray only that Taishang will widely grant pardon, so that their seven generations of ancestors may be released from the netherworld.

The Xuanji (in ancient usage, the pivot of celestial motion) stars turn, and the jade clepsydra (water-clock) first sounds the hour. After presenting the memorial to the True Officials, they devoutly open the jiao (the Daoist altar rite of prayer). They petition the spirits with sincere words, lay bare their hearts, and concentrate ever more on purity and sincerity. Looking up at the assembled Perfected immortals, it is as if they have descended from the Nine Heavens.

Wisdom arises from the foundation of upholding precepts, and the true Dao (the Way) is rooted in the precepts. The Three Treasures (Sanbao), namely Dao, scripture, and teacher, thereby flourish and are honored and received by the highest Perfected. Boarding this vessel of non-death, one swiftly crosses toward the realm of Great Having (the ideal state in Daoist teaching). When the precepts are proclaimed, all the heavenly deities come forward to bow in reverence.

The Dao takes non-mind as its essence, and all things can serve as fields for cultivating merit and virtue. There is no fixed master of establishing merit; each person initiates their own original vow. One empties one's own mind to respond to all beings, concentrates the single mind, and treats all equally without partiality. The Great Sage honors the supreme teaching, which falls like rain from heaven and moistens all things. The high mountain ridges all receive its rain-grace, while streams always gather in low places and eventually form deep pools. The sea becomes king of the hundred rivers precisely because it dwells low and receives their flows. Having passed through myriad kalpas, one can still preserve wisdom and the function of the Dao, and this does not depend merely on long life. Upholding the precepts must not slacken for even a moment, and generation after generation one may form good affinities through them. Earnestly contemplate the Mahayana (the vast cultivation gate), and in time one will awaken to the true meaning of the Great Dao.

Hymn for Inviting the Master: All should show reverence. In ancient rites, when inviting the master...

Everyone should be reverent.

In ancient rites, the invited masters were only three: the Scripture Master (Jingshi), the Register Master (Jishi), and the Ordination Master (Dushi). They were summoned in three separate invitations. The invitations were made before the Orthodox Altar honored the masters and before the visualization (cunnian), and they referred to the masters of successive generations since one's own ordination. Later practitioners did not examine this carefully and mistakenly took the "Three Masters" to be celestial immortal officials, so they were listed as five masters. Now that the ritual has been transmitted in this form and cannot easily be changed, three of the five may be honored as the Celestial Perfected Yuluo Qiao, Zhen Dingguang, and Guang Miaoyin. When the Grand Master Ge of Tiantai transmitted the scriptures, these three masters also witnessed the transmission, so they are the founding patriarchs of the scriptural methods. Their inclusion reminds later generations not to forget the source of the lineage. The Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) are also called the Three Masters, and since they are already enshrined on the Orthodox Altar, they should not be lowered into the list of five. The Grand Dharma Master Xuanzhong, who presides over the teaching, should be listed first, the Three Masters second, and the Grand Supervising Dharma Master of the Fast third.

When performing the fast ceremony and the procession of the Dao, respectfully invite the Grand Dharma Master Xuanzhong to descend to the altar.

When performing the fast ceremony and the procession of the Dao, respectfully invite the Scripture Master, Register Master, and Ordination Master to descend to the altar.

When performing the fast ceremony and the procession of the Dao, respectfully invite the Grand Supervising Dharma Master to descend to the altar.

The immortals' cloud chariots have already arrived, and the crane-drawn carriages have come as well. The fast ceremony is complete, and now we should respectfully see them off.

Changdao Zan (Hymn of Chanting the Dao)

Those gathered in the assembly, each concentrate your minds in visualization. Together, take refuge and recite the Three Treasures in unison.

Huaxia Zan (Hymn of Huaxia)

Learn speech, learn conduct.

Three Sendings (Sansong)

Changdao Zan (Hymn of Chanting the Dao)

Those gathered in the assembly, each concentrate your minds in visualization. Together, take refuge and recite the Three Treasures in unison.

Huaxia Zan (Hymn of Huaxia)

Learn speech, learn conduct.

Three Hymns of Opening Invocation (Sanqi Song, three pieces)

Take the Dao as your companion, and regard the scriptures as precious as pearls and jade. Uphold the precepts and restrain the six sense-consciousnesses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind). Keep the great Dao in your heart and dispel all desires. Remain calm and detached so that the upright qi is settled, and let the spirit be pure and still. Even the heavenly demons will join in respecting and protecting you, and for generations you will enjoy great blessing.

Ten Stanzas of the Buxu Ci (Stepping-the-Void Hymns) of Jade Capital

When the household and the nation flourish, the scriptures and teachings and the Great Dao also flourish. Heaven and the human world share a single aspiration, and all living beings thereby enter the lofty and profound state of Mahayana (Dacheng). By cultivating merit through a single thought of goodness, the Dharma wheel (falun) turns and ascends without cease. The seven generations of ancestors are born into heaven, and I myself will ascend (feisheng) in broad daylight.

The Great Dao is deep and mysterious. Whatever one sincerely wishes for, there is nothing that cannot accord with the Dao. By refining the form, one becomes a perfected immortal (xianzhen) and ultimately attains an indestructible, adamantine body (jingang zhi ti). One transcends the difficulties of the Three Realms (the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm) and is liberated from the five kinds of suffering in the hells. All of this returns to the scripture and teachings of the Most High (Taishang), and so I devote myself wholly to recitation and bow in worship to the Taishang.

I bow in worship to the Taishang and burn incense as I turn toward the void and the Great Dao. Radiance turns along with me, and the Dharma wheel revolves three times. May mysterious blessings flourish in all four directions, and may spiritual felicity descend upon the kings and lords. The seven generations of ancestors are born into heaven, their brilliance shining across the four quarters. I chant aloud and gaze across the vast expanse of space, and the celestial music delights me. Equal to the Supreme Virtue, lesser immortals cannot compare with me. Profound visualization brightens my awakening, and I roam through the void together with countless perfected immortals.

Turning the body, I step forward, treading the cloud-patterned threads and following mysterious paths through the void. Chanting of the Sovereign One (Di Yi Zun, a deity revered in Daoism), the hundred joints of my body naturally harmonize. Below, I command the spirits of the eight seas; above, I lead along the exalted immortals. Flowers and incense scatter down from the heavens, and a spirit wind blows gently. The vows of past lives settle the root of destiny, and so I am able to roam through the void.

Turning the body, I step forward, treading the cloud-patterned threads and following mysterious paths through the void. Chanting of the Sovereign One, the hundred joints of my body naturally harmonize. Below, I command the spirits of the eight seas; above, I lead along the exalted immortals. Flowers and incense scatter down from the heavens, and a spirit wind blows gently. The vows of past lives settle the root of destiny, and so I am able to establish lofty aspirations. Before the Most High I rejoice in ease, and even through countless kalpas, all of this seems only just to have begun.

Mount Xuandu rises high and majestic, a sacred realm revered throughout the ten directions. Upon the towering Heavenly Treasure Terrace, light streams forth like the blazing sun. Flowers in the jade grove shine radiantly, and red fruits flourish in brilliant color. Constantly visualizing and absorbing the primordial essence (yuanjing), one refines jing (essence) and qi (vital energy) and consolidates the body. Golden light scatters among the palaces of the Purple Tenuity Heaven (Ziwei Tiangong, the celestial palaces), and the profound and mysterious state of Mahayana lifts one beyond the mundane.

Looking up to observe and bowing down to survey, one holds Taishang (the Supreme Lord, an honorific for the highest deity in Daoism) in mind and lets its magnificent radiance illuminate the Dantian (the energy center within the body, regarded in Daoist internal practice as the site of inner cultivation). Turning to the left, one invites Yuyi (a deity said to dwell in the sun); turning to the right, one embraces Jielin (a deity said to dwell in the moon). One contemplates the pure conduct of the six perfections and cultivates De (Virtue), renewing body and mind day by day. The merit accumulated over past lives responds of its own accord, and hearing the scriptures is like meeting one's closest kin. Those endowed with outstanding natural gifts delight in chanting the subtle and profound chapters. They harmonize the qi of the empty and tranquil Taihe (Great Harmony) and exhale and inhale essence like flowing mist-light. Practicing Taixi (fetal breathing, a method of inner cultivation that regulates the breath until it becomes extremely fine and continuous), they keep every orifice of the body still and, in silence, investigate the Way of the "Three Convenients" (its specific meaning is unclear). When the Niwan Palace (the cultivation site within the head, a term of inner alchemy) shines clear and bright, one can become a Golden Flower Immortal. Even the demon kings listen respectfully and obey, and so one is able to audience with the heavenly deities. All of this begins with fasting and is achieved through the accumulation of merit and the forging of bonds from past lives. Ultimately one ascends to the Great Void and walks side by side with the High Immortals.

One drives a carriage toward the ten directions (the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, and up and down) and rests briefly in the land of Xuanjing (Mysterious Radiance). Gazing up at the towering Jieren Terrace and looking down at the purple clouds woven into a cloud-net, one roams freely in the Taishang capital and sits on lotus flowers alongside the immortals. Through accumulated learning and practice, one becomes a Zhenren (Perfected Person), with a tranquil mind and qi and blood in harmony. One enjoys boundless life forever, for a thousand or ten thousand years would not count as long.

The Great Dao (Dao) takes profound stillness as its teacher, and among the true immortals there is Wuying (the title of an immortal). Gongzi Du holds a spirit talisman in hand, and Taiyi (the Supreme One) cradles the Dongzhang (Cavern Chapters). Shari (a miraculous treasure or sacred relic) shines with golden light, and a dragon chariot suddenly arrives to welcome them. The Heavenly Venerable sees vapors rising and soars lightly through the air. Fragrant flowers fall like flying snow, thickly scattered among the mysterious beams. One bows the head toward the golden gates and joins hands to tour the Jade Capital. The Qian tree (a mythical tree) grows in the Garden of Round Radiance, brilliant in color, and the Seven Treasures Grove also blazes with splendor. There are three hundred kinds of celestial beasts, and the lions are immensely tall. Flying dragons wander and cry out long, and divine phoenixes sing in time with the rhythm. Spirit winds stir the marvelous flowers, and their clear fragrance drifts into one's robes. Without the innate qualities to become a high immortal, how could one…… (The original text is damaged at this point, and its meaning cannot be determined with certainty.)

Ordering the nine-dragon carriage in formation, one rides the air and roams at ease. The eight directional heavens lie within one's grasp, so why should one worry about distance between heaven and earth? The immortals chant the Dongjing (Cavern Scriptures), and Taishang sings clear and wondrous songs. Fragrant flowers scatter on the wind, and immortal sounds as clear as jade resound through the Purple Empyrean. The Five Sufferings vanish at once, and the Eight Calamities likewise dissolve through the teaching of the scriptures. How marvelous is the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) garden, from which this great Dharma bridge (a metaphor for a bridge that guides beings to cultivate the Way and attain liberation) rises.

The Celestial Palace of the Heavenly Perfected Emperor, the First Palace of Heaven, is wreathed in auspicious clouds that shine on Yaoling (the Sun Deity). The wheel of the Dharma turns its cords of order and gleams, spins into the void, and returns to formlessness. The Void Sovereign (Xuhuang), revered in Daoism as a celestial deity, plays the yun'ao (a celestial instrument), while the assembled Perfected recite the Dongjing (the Cavern Scriptures). The high immortals bow in solemn praise, vowing to endure countless kalpas to protect living beings and bring them benefit.

The supreme Dao (Dao) does not depend on external things, and at times it proceeds by riding a flying dragon. The multitude keep long fasts (changzhai, extended abstinence) and gather in Xuandu (the Dark Capital, a Daoist immortal realm or temple), jade ornaments clicking as they strike one another and ring the jade bells. The immortals of the Ten Splendors assemble, and purple mists condense into palaces. Precious canopies are arranged around Taishang (the Supreme Lord), and the Perfected hold lotus blossoms. The crowd scatters flowers and states their wishes, and grasping their tallies they summon the demon kings. Amid the sound of the Dharma drums the immortals gather, and their marvelous songs blend in harmony. There is neither a "yes" nor a "no," and the mind opens to the subtle and profound realm.

The supreme Dao does not depend on external things, and at times it proceeds by riding a flying dragon. The multitude keep long fasts and gather in Xuandu, their jade ornaments sounding as they strike the jade chimes. The immortals of the Ten Splendors assemble, and purple mists form into palaces. Precious canopies line the space around Taishang, and the Perfected hold lotus blossoms. The crowd scatters flowers and offers their wishes, grasping their tallies to summon the demon kings. Amid the Dharma drums the immortals gather, and their spirited songs are in perfect harmony. There is neither a "yes" nor a "no," and the mind communes with the subtle and mysterious.

Bu Xu Ci (Steps on the Void): Golden Gate

Beneath the azure canopy of the heavens, golden fragrance condenses into crimson mist. I ride the ascending spirit-breath, yoke my carriage and horses, and bow my head to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor, broad in mind and at ease, bestows upon me the Tailing Scripture (a sacred scroll). This is the Dao that does not perish, and all the heavens uphold my authority. I travel through the empty and mysterious realm, while the immortals of the lower world cannot comprehend its depths.

Ten Verses of Bu Xu Ci

Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) divides heaven and earth into their heights, depths, and thickness, and the pure and light qi rises to become the heavens. If a person cultivates the supreme Dao, they can thereby become a true immortal. When the accumulated merit of practice exceeds three thousand, and the rare fortune of one encounter in forty thousand years arrives, the Danʼtai (the hall where immortal scriptures are stored) opens its precious chests, and the Most Honored One personally transmits the scriptures.

The Three Lords of the Great Brahma Heaven, and the Five Venerable Ones of the Void Sovereign. Their subtle realm is still beyond sight, so how could it be explained in words? They sit upright on their thrones and attend the Golden Hall, with rosy light shining on their crowns and jade chariots. Ten thousand Perfected pay homage to the place of the Lord Sovereign, walking upon clouds to arrive.

The figures of the immortals are dim, like thin mist, and their robes flutter softly. They rise along with auspicious mists and lightly follow the flight of the colorful phoenixes. Several times they have accompanied the feast at the Jasper Pool, then suddenly point toward their cavern-heavens (the grottoes where immortals dwell) and return. The immortals stand on the shore of Fusang (the land where the sun rises in the east) and swiftly fly into the radiance of the Sun Deity.

They circle in step with the constellation-pacing paths (bugang) among the clouds, and heavenly winds rise with a rustling sound. Their sleeves flutter as though brushing past the handle of the Northern Dipper, and as they hold their whisks they bow toward the Canqi (Banner) stars. Lions bear red seal-cords, and qilin lead carriages of jade green. They fly to survey the eight directions of heaven and earth, as though they had witnessed wonders beyond human imagining.

The immortals have jet-black hair and cloud-like topknots, and they wear feather robes the color of blue mist. In the morning they visit the Yangde Hall, and at night they enter the Moonlight Gate. They cultivate through the Zhoutian (cosmic circuit) fire, and they gather and guard their inner mechanisms. Though the jade chambers are fine, they cannot hold them, and in the end they soar toward the nine heavens.

Long ago, in the Yi'en Hall, the Nine Emperors descended at midnight. Six perfected ones stood in rows at left and right, and yellow clouds encircled the hall and its corridors. The court honors the sovereign, and immortal soldiers guard the sacred site. Filial descendants now carry on their ancestors' aspirations, facing the numinous light of the gods at close range.

Following the precious Daoist registers and talismans (Fulu) and the norms of cultivation, they respectfully present sincere memorials to Heaven. They govern the people as if standing at an abyss or treading thin ice, laboring day and night to bring peace to all under heaven. May the myriad beings be freed from illness and calamity, and may the sun, moon, and stars display auspicious signs. The sound of Bu Xu (the ritual of stepping and chanting in Zhaijiao, the purification ritual) has already spread far, and next they chant the Dongyuan Chapter.

The divine continent is vast and deep, and the Altar of Myriad Wonders stands lofty and solemn. Immortal guests clad in crane-feather robes arrive, and celestial officials descend in bright shoes. They pour fine immortal wine into jade cups, open the jade casket, and take out precious alchemical scriptures. With what sincere wish do they pray? That the seas may remain forever calm.

They sprinkle water to subdue the demon palaces and light lamps to brighten the dim netherworld. The winds of the nine heavens settle, and the breath of the four directions becomes clear and pure. Chanting the melodies of the Vermilion Tomb Immortal Realm, they soar over the Jade Capital (a legendary celestial palace). With what sincere wish do they pray? That the nation's fortune endure and its peace and prosperity flourish.

The chanting of Huaxia (China) has flowed on for ages, its voice rising and falling with measure. Its melodies are still and lofty, returning to De (Virtue), and its tunes rise and fall in accord with the gong and shang scales. Within the halls the scent of agarwood and sandalwood fills the air, and between the terraces the moonlight and dew are cool. With what sincere wish do they pray? That the crops be abundant and calamities dispersed.

Yuqing Music (Yuqing Le)

The earth dwells within heaven and joins with the void; the myriad things are many and spread across the eight directions.

Shangqing Music

No one knows who governs the workings of the divine efficacy (shengong). Crimson light and cinnabar-colored mist envelop Qingdu, the celestial palace.

From Biluo, the azure heaven, comes the sound of ethereal song, and pearls the size of millet grains gleam. Everything in the ten directions gathers in abundance, nothing left out.

Hearing the scripture, one rejoices and celebrates, in a joy beyond words. The nine-colored divine dragon leaps upward, carrying the Eight Scenic Carriage (bajing yu), an ornate vehicle in which immortals ride.

Five-colored clouds gather in layers like tents. The grotto gates stand wide open, and the jade-adorned immortal portals are thrown open.

Which Daoist can deliver the vermilion memorial (zhubiao), a petition written in red ink and presented to the celestial court? The Jade Maidens will then fly to carry the letter and deliver it to the Supreme Venerables (shangzun).

Shangqing Music

Above Ziqing, the Purple Clarity heaven, magnificent trees grow luxuriantly. Crimson fruit hangs from vermilion branches, and the clouds gather in layers. The grotto gates stand wide open, and the jade-adorned immortal portals are thrown open.

Which Daoist can deliver the vermilion memorial? The Jade Maidens will then fly to carry the letter and deliver it to the Supreme Venerables.

Shangqing Music

Above Ziqing, magnificent trees grow luxuriantly. Crimson fruit fills the vermilion branches, and the bamboo leaves are also dense.

Chewing the flourishing blossoms grants long life. Looking down from heaven upon the human world, one sees the wu and tu (the crow and the hare, ancient symbols of the sun and moon) alternate, and time flows on without end.

The Yuanjun (Lady Immortal, a female celestial deity) commands the eight qi and is named Qingling. She wears a brocade cape and flowing skirts, and dwells in the Jade City.

She oversees the Emperor's decrees and manages the registers of the immortal realm. She also helps beings free themselves from the burdens of the mundane world and relieves the suffering of all.

In the Palace of the Ninth Day, four true immortals gather. On Mount Guangxia they hold a feast to entertain their immortal guests.

With bells ringing, drums beating, and zithers played, they perform the numinous jiao (lingjiao), a ritual that invokes the gods. The azure heaven is mild and bright, as if another spring had come.

Taiqing Music

Taiyi Yuanjun governs the registers of the immortals, and red radiance and crimson brilliance shine upon the lingzhi fields.

When one's merit and practice are complete, one may meet the immortals and be struck from the registers of the netherworld (mingji), the records of births, deaths, sins, and blessings. At that time, one may await the immortal Hongya, who will greet one with a laugh and a pat on the shoulder.

The Enlightened Holy Lord of the Golden Gate (Jinque), in the palace of Mingguang, radiates light and condenses cinnabar clouds.

If the Supreme Lord Lao had not transmitted them, how would jade script (yuwen), the sacred scriptures and talismans, exist in the world?

At midnight, five sections of fragrant incense are lit, and the heavenly beings and Jade Maidens can hear them from afar.

Because their breath is alike and their minds are in accord, beings far apart respond to one another. The crimson banners (jiejie) and rainbow standards (nijing), the insignia of immortals, descend from the five-colored auspicious clouds.

Song of the White Crane

The white crane has just been born in Ziwei, the celestial abode of the Heavenly Emperor. For now it remains in the grotto to grow its feathers.

May I ask when the immortal will come? Do not say that the white crane does not know how to keep the clouds company in flight.

The white crane returns after a thousand years. The mountains and rivers remain as they were, but the people of the human world have changed generation after generation.

Were it not for the plain words inscribed on the huabiao (the ornamental pillar at the city gate), who would recognize Ding Lingwei of old, the legendary Liaodong immortal who returned in the form of a crane and alighted on that pillar?

The white crane comes from Ziwei in the nine heavens and, for now, remains in the grotto to grow its feathers.

May I ask when the immortal will come? Do not say that the white crane does not know how to keep the clouds company in flight.

The white crane returns after a thousand years. The mountains and rivers remain, but the people of the human world have changed generation after generation.

Without the clear account told before the Huabiao pillar, who could recognize Ding Lingwei of old—the legendary adept who attained the Dao and returned to Liaodong as a crane?

A white crane flies in from the Ninth Heaven. Several clear cries ring out, accompanied by auspicious clouds and rosy mists.

The sun and moon turn, hastening our decline. Rather than grow old this way, it is better to cultivate the Dao and learn the ways of the immortals.

The Perfected One Taiyi, a revered Daoist deity, has a cool, snow-white countenance. He travels to and fro performing the ritual steps and chants known as Buxu, his whereabouts impossible to trace.

If you are going to Penglai now, set out on your journey. Flowers bloom before the window, and a crane rests in the pine tree.

The white crane is long-lived by nature. It flies through the realm of immortals and serves the Sovereign of the Void, a revered Daoist deity. Once every thousand years, it mounts a splendid banner, then returns to its immortal home among the highest skies.

The white crane flies through Yujing, the celestial capital of the immortals, traveling among the Three Realms and manifesting the sign of long life. When cultivation reaches the state of the immortals, one can ride alongside the perfected immortals and enter the cloud-borne heavenly court.

Ode to the White Crane

The white crane’s crown is like gathered frost and snow, marked at its peak with a touch of red. It dwells in the deep, distant darkness of Bilu, the Daoist heaven. The place where the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) reside is one of supreme freedom; the world above and the human world are utterly different.

Ode to the White Crane

On the appointed days of the Eight Sceneries precepts, one ascends the sacred palace. The Nine Heavens bestow their protection, allowing auspicious scriptures to flourish. Immortals among the clouds gaze up at the celestial bird’s wings, while in the blessed court they wander beneath the sun.

Ode to the White Crane

The white crane is a numinous bird born through transformation in the womb, crying out in the Ninth Heaven. Its snowy feathers stand in vivid contrast to its cinnabar-red crown. Let people not mistake it for the crane of Ding Lingwei returned from afar. It brings auspicious signs to an age of peace and prosperity; may those signs endure for tens of millions of years.

Hymn for Leaving the Hall

Cultivation of the Dao begins with purification and abstinence. Only through diligent practice can one ascend to the Golden Palace in Heaven. Thus the Great Dharma Bridge is established to deliver all beings throughout the heavens. Virtue accumulated over many lifetimes is repaid, and the Daoist heart naturally awakens in transcendence. The practitioner ascends in body to the immortal capital, and the seven generations of ancestors are freed as well.

Hymn of the Three Refuges in the Scripture Liturgy

All should show reverence.

With utmost sincerity, we take refuge in the Dao Treasure of the ten directions. May all beings turn their hearts toward the Dao and join together in faith and reverence.

With utmost sincerity, we take refuge in the Scripture Treasure of the ten directions. May all beings open their minds, understand the scriptures, and receive, uphold, and recite them.

With utmost sincerity, we take refuge in the Teacher Treasure of the ten directions. May all beings ascend together to the Dharma Bridge and meet no obstacles on the path of cultivation.

Members of the ritual space each hold their registers (jiance) and sit upright, chanting the hymns in accordance with the liturgy.

Song of Destiny (Suming Zan)

If one's fated causes from past lives lack faith, one becomes like a person who has lost both parents and drifts without refuge, bewildered and unable to find the way home. People always want to see results with their own eyes at once, yet once events have passed they feel them distant and cease to believe. The great worthies, understanding the teaching of the Daoist tradition, take pity on the ignorant. They repeatedly grieve over the sufferings of all beings and earnestly wish to guide them, and so they remain troubled without end.

Hymn of Opening the Scripture (Qijing Zan)

Reverently bow to the Venerable Heavenly Lord of the Void Sovereign (Xuhuang Tianzun), a revered deity of Daoism.

Hymn of Sending Off the Scripture (Songjing Zan)

Immeasurable, profound, and mysterious indeed.

Hymn of Dismissing the Seat (Jiezuo Zan)

For the sake of all beings, sow the causes of good conduct. If through this one is enlightened and awakened, one has received the grace of the sages and perfected ones.

Hymn of the Seven Perfected (Qizhen Zan)

Taishang (Taishang, a supreme divine title in Daoism) is empty, mysterious, and non-acting, the root of the Dao, and those who propagate the Dao revere its scriptures. In the space between looking up and bending down, one can cultivate the immortal Dao and pass through countless kalpas with long life. The virtue of Taizhen (Taizhen) is lofty and vast, still and non-acting, returning to non-birth. Scenes of clouds and sky form ethereal palaces, and immortals ride the void, coming and going at ease. The light of sun and moon shines, and peace and joy have no end.

To cultivate the immortal Dao, one must cut off the florid distractions of the mind. Thoughts arise one after another, and as they accumulate they disturb the spirit. When the spirit is agitated, one undergoes all kinds of confusion. Let distracting thoughts cease, abide in emptiness and stillness, and enter clearly into the state of void tranquility. Seek the scriptures as urgently as one seeks food and drink when hungry or thirsty, and hold to one's aspiration as firmly as metal and stone. May you be protected on the path to flying as an immortal, and receive deliverance through the Wuling Dufu Ji (Wuling Dufu Ji, Talismanic Registers of the Five Spirits for Salvation), which are Daoist writings for cultivation and salvation.

The practice of the Six Methods (liudu) has aided me, and so I have been freed from the Three Nets (sanluo), the net-like bonds described in Daoist teaching. Through purifying the mind and observing abstinence, reverencing Taisu (Taisu), the primordial and unadorned qi, and through regulating the breath (tuna) and nourishing the yunya (yunya), the essential qi produced in inner cultivation, I wander freely within the Golden Palace (Jinque), an immortal palace, and Yujing (Yujing), the celestial capital of the immortals, is my home. Seven treasures arise naturally, and everyone sits upon a lotus. I look up and chew the immortal fruits of Xuandu (Xuandu), and I bend down to partake of the melons and fruits in the void. My radiance surpasses ten suns, so why should I count how many years or kalpas have passed? The drums of the Dharma sound, and the celestial immortals gather; the bells ring out, summoning the spirits and driving away the great demons.

Spirit winds stir the fragrant blossoms, their colors shining brilliantly as flowers bloom in profusion. The Most Perfect Ones, exalted perfected immortals, play the cloud ao, an instrument used for celestial music, while the immortals pluck spirit zithers. They sing elegant hymns praising the scenes of the Three Heavens and spread blessings through the Jade Flower Grove. Through this subtle, wondrous celestial music, the seven generations of paternal ancestors are born in heaven. If one has not accumulated enough De in past lives, it is hard to encounter this scripture. If one’s faith in the Great Dao is not steadfast, one who hoped to ascend may instead sink into ruin. Whether the Supreme One’s Dao of Wuwei can be spread depends on whether this aspiration is present in your heart.

In learning the Dao, sincerity and trust must be the foundation. Serve your teachers and elders as you would your closest kin. Draw essence from the visions, bring body and mind into accord with stillness and emptiness, and advance diligently, renewing yourself each day. While others have yet to be delivered, I should not seek deliverance for myself alone. Make a great vow, and deep blessings will surely follow; the mysterious virtue is truly worthy of being upheld. To do evil in secret is to incur grave offenses, and when retribution comes, it repeats again and again.

Learning the Dao is indeed arduous. From dawn to dusk, one must accumulate blessings and De, as if clearing a field of blessings and sowing good deeds. Cultivating De is like planting a tree: only through daily, gradual effort can it grow. If you can accumulate merit, you may lighten your body and ascend to the clear heavens. To cultivate this Dao of Wuwei, you should form bonds with goodness. The Supreme One’s Book of Utmost Mystery is titled “The Chapter of Wisdom”: with great wisdom, one uproots suffering, transcends the secular world, and attains immortality. The wondrous, numinous bearing of immortals is rare in this world; they shine brilliantly, like lotus blossoms deep beneath the water.

The actions of each person have their roots, all related to the De accumulated in past lives. Establish De in good time, and make vows that you will truly carry out. Good and evil alike bring fitting retribution, and the workings of fortune and misfortune interwoven are inexhaustible. The wise honor the words of the law and also understand that nothing should be clung to. To grasp this great wisdom is to become a Lord of Taiji, a perfected immortal who has attained the Dao. Jeweled canopies join to jade carriages, and immortals ride in chariots drawn by nine dragons. Those who bear the Golden Flower Empty Cavern Scripture are all immortal youths. Their songs and cries reach the Dark Capital, the celestial realm, as the jade ornaments on their bodies ring together and they strike bells like fine jade.

They rise straight into the sky, soaring beyond the Great Clarity, surpassing the light of the sun and moon, and drifting into the Purple Empyrean. Guarding the original Qi and keeping to the laws, they roam the mysterious realm in carefree ease. A myriad kalpas pass like a single night; a thousand years go by as though dawn has only just arrived. They dwell in lofty heights, with cloud blossoms spreading above them, and hold fast to precious incense in their hands. The immortal youths sing aloud, their voices carrying throughout the Dark Capital; jade ornaments ring, and they strike the jade bells.

Rise boldly into Great Clarity, the highest heaven in Daoist cosmology, pass beyond the sunlight, and soar freely toward the Purple Empyrean, the lofty reaches of heaven. Guard your original nature and uphold the precepts, roaming at ease through the hidden and mysterious realm. A myriad eons pass as though in a single night; a thousand years go by as though by morning. Dwelling amid towering clouds, reach out and climb the branches of the jeweled grove. Incense smoke rises of its own accord, and the heavenly stairway to the wondrous realm ascends with it. The spirit banners drift on the wind, and tangled thoughts fade away. Dispel discriminating thoughts and let the mind return to a vast, undivided state; follow the Dao of Wuwei (non-action) and sing hymns of quietude.

Hymn on the Elementary Study of Immortality

The most important thing in learning the way of immortality is to practice goodness and observe the precepts, restraining desires and delusive thoughts. Let the mind become empty, still, and peaceful, so that upright Qi may settle within. The immortals and sages will then naturally respond and guide you. If you do not believe in the teachings of the Dao, why dwell in the mountains and forests to practice?

Hymn for Burning Memorials

The Most High bestows precepts and teachings. Diligent practice brings greater good fortune and longer life. To prolong life, follow the Jade Instructions, precious methods of cultivation; to petition Heaven, present a Golden Memorial, a document for reporting to the gods. Your name is removed from the registers of the Northern Office, the underworld bureau that records the offenses of the dead, while the names of the living are entered in Nanchang, the Daoist realm of blessing and longevity. The living are granted long life, and the dead ascend to the Hall of Blessings.

Another Hymn

The Great Void responds to the gathering of numinous beings and commands me to recite the Scripture for Generating the Gods, a memorial seeking divine protection. Recite it once, and you reach the Nine Profundities, the hidden depths of heaven; recite it twice, and Heaven and Earth are joined. Yin-Yang and the myriad things blend in harmony and respond to one another. When the recitation reaches nine times, the merit is complete. The Great Sages praise the auspiciousness of the original nature, scatter flowers in ritual, and bow in reverence to the Great Void. Pray to the perfected gods, and they will surely protect you; pray for blessings, and they will surely be abundant. The gods of all the heavens rejoice together, and all bow in reverence.

Hymn for Burning Petitions

Human life is often beset by obstacles and calamities, yet the Great Dao is truly compassionate toward the world. The Great Dao has left behind precepts and liturgies to save living beings, so that all may repent of their sins. Offenses and transgressions are recorded in the underworld, and layers of accumulated karmic burdens have risen to the heavenly court. Confess your faults openly and pray for the protection of the perfected gods; gather your thoughts and look up to the sages. Worship the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers—with reverence and sincerity, in the hope of enjoying long life. The burnt prayer petitions rise to the upper realm, bearing your name before the Jade Emperor.

Hymn for Delivering the Register

The Chart of the Opening of the Primordial Era of Red Light unfolds, and the Qi of harmonious Yang reaches the gods of the upper realm. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning spreads wondrous, numinous radiance, and the Ten Books of the Flying Immortals appear. They deliver the ancestors from the Nine Depths of the underworld; reciting them again and again, ten thousand times, brings the Dao’s methods naturally to completion. Above the Jade Mound, the jade groves flourish: this is the dwelling where the living and the dead receive blessings and De. Without a Yellow Register, a document used to record and pray for deliverance in Yellow Register purification rituals, how could the roots of suffering be removed? Then the ritual is performed and the numinous texts are recited, and the Five Elders, the honored gods of the five directions, come to lend their aid.

I pay homage to the supreme Dao and wholeheartedly turn toward the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning, a revered deity in Daoism. He is the lord of wondrous responses, who opens and teaches the path leading to the realm of soaring mystery. Subtle precepts bring harmony to the Five Spirits; golden books admonish the myriad spirits. They examine the allotments of fate and record names in the registers, while sacred talismans deliver suffering souls. People ride the clouds to pay homage to the Jade Emperor and join the perfected beings of the wondrous and mysterious Great Dao.

Hymn for Burning the Tablets

With compassion, the Celestial Worthy looks down upon and succors all beings; delivering them from suffering is his most efficacious work. Golden books admonish the myriad spirits, examine the allotments of fate, and record names in the registers. Sacred talismans deliver suffering souls, enabling them to ride the clouds to pay homage to the Jade Emperor and join the perfected beings of the wondrous and mysterious Great Dao.

Hymn for Burning the Tablets

The Celestial Worthy compassionately delivers all beings; relieving suffering is of foremost importance. The Golden Registers and white tablets, bearing written prayers, are wondrous and unfathomable, and the true talismans are profound and subtle. The underworld carries out the teachings of the sages, and Fengdu, the Daoist realm of the dead, reverently receives these words. May all beings escape the many obstacles created by karma, and may vows and prayers dispel their transgressions.

May all departed souls in the depths of the Ninefold Darkness find release and ascend to be reborn in the Nine Heavens.

Hymn for the Mountain Tablets

We beseech the true spirits to descend upon Purple Peak, the immortal mountain of Daoist tradition, and convey our prayers to the divine precincts. May the documents petitioning for life be carried to the altar ground of the numinous mountain. Jade Maidens chant sacred melodies, while Golden Youths scatter fragrant incense smoke. Let the name be written in the document and conveyed to the Nine Earths, and let the title be entered above, among the Three Heavens. May the one named enjoy endless life forever and ultimately become an immortal of high rank.

Hymn for the Water Tablets

The Celestial Worthy left behind the precepts, and the Most High expounded the true scriptures. To uphold the rites, one must be diligent and steadfast; in accumulating merit, sincerity is paramount. With reverent hearts, we invoke the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers—and burn incense in prayer to the hundred spirits. Let the name be written in the document and cast into the Water Court, the divine realm beneath the waters, so that merit may ascend to Highest Clarity, the Daoist realm of pure and empty immortals.

Hymn on the Three Paths and Five Sufferings

Heaven, Earth, and humanity—the Three Powers—and all things in the world each have their own cycles of life and death and span of years. Life and death take turns without end through successive kalpas; when blessings are exhausted, even Heaven and Earth will collapse. Departed souls travel back and forth along the Five Paths, undergoing life and death again and again in great suffering. They also wander through the Three Destinies of suffering—the hells, the hungry ghosts, and the animals—and wherever they go, calamities follow.

Hymn on the Bright Lamp

The Great Dao fills the ten directions, and splendid lamps carry the worshippers’ sincerity in prayer. The heavens shine with light, and the Nine Earths are illuminated as well. I, too, become radiant and transparent; the Five Viscera shine from within. Brilliant light illuminates the boundless void of Taiwu, and distant thoughts reach the Jade Capital, palace of the celestial realm.

Music for Scattering Flowers

A forest scattering flowers, a forest scattering fragrance: fragrant flowers are strewn until they cover the ritual ground, the place where Daoist rites are performed, and are offered before the Most Exalted Perfected Ones. At a ritual assembly for paying homage to the immortals on Mount Yujing, ten immortals in the Flower-Scattering Forest play the “Steps of Emptiness” melody together. They carpet the ritual ground with fragrant flowers and offer them before the Utmost Perfected Ones. A clear note rings out from Mount Kongtong, as though carried from beneath the moon. The sound of “Steps of Emptiness” is sung three times, rising straight into the clouds.

Ancient Flower-Scattering Music

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning passed down his teachings, and all received their registers, the credentials of Daoist office bestowed on Daoist priests. The Daoist Lord established the teachings, and all took refuge in the Daoist tradition.

The Three Blossoms herb in the Grotto of Lesser Being, the ten-thousand-year peach on Mount Yujing.

A phoenix of many colors appears amid five-colored clouds; in the fragrance of a single incense burner, one seems to glimpse a red dragon-horse.

Three Perfected Immortal Maidens hold flower-scattering staffs, while a pair of attendants carry a golden incense burner.

Five-colored clouds descend and blanket the earth; the vital energy of the Nine Heavens circles the incense altar.

The Perfected Immortals gather atop the Gate of Nine Dragons.

Three Perfected Immortal Maidens hold flower-scattering staffs, while a pair of attendants carry a golden incense burner.

Five-colored clouds descend and blanket the earth; the vital energy of the Nine Heavens circles the incense altar.

The Perfected Sages gather at the Gate of Nine Dragons, while clear, graceful singing comes from beside the Platform of the Eight Immortals.

Immortals from the Three Islands pay homage at the Celestial Palace; the Celestial Maidens of the Nine Heavens descend from the Jade Terrace.

Five-colored clouds rise with each step, as immortals in six-zhu robes—light as a feather—come to the human world.

The immortals from the Three Islands take their seats. Phoenixes and cranes from the Ten Continents lead them flying upward into the heavens.

The Most High scatters flowers and declares my heartfelt wish. Bells ring and drums sound to welcome the gathering of the immortals.

Ten thousand lotus lamps illuminate the night sky; fragrant mist fills the altar as celestial flowers drift and mingle through the air.

Five-Character Flower-Scattering Music

The procession’s red staffs move slowly forward, leading the host of immortals, as celestial flowers fall in profusion. The minds of the High Perfected are pure and untouched by external things. Petal after petal falls, yet none clings to their robes.

In the immortal realm, the flowers bloom only once every three thousand years. Why, then, do the assembled Perfected Immortals all descend during the Golden Register ritual assembly, the Daoist gathering at which registers are conferred?

Eight tiers of steps encircle a stairway built of fine jade; a thousand flowers sway amid splendors like embroidered brocade. The Six Chun and the purple… appear together, their brilliance dazzling beyond description. Golden calyxes open just slightly; jade-green blossoms are balanced and distinct. The celestial wind arrives with the immortals’ feathered canopies, and fragrant flowers fill the ninefold gates of heaven.

Flower shadows drift softly, circling in the air; petals fall in profusion beside the seats. Spring in the immortal realm never fades—why would one need to seek the Immortal Capital?

The pure and tranquil companions of the immortals chant celestial songs, and all praise their beauty. Ten thousand flowers rise and drift through the air as offerings. The celestial wind arrives with the immortals’ feathered canopies, carrying the flowers’ fragrance through the ninefold gates of heaven.

Flowers twine lightly in the air, drifting down all around the seats. Spring’s radiance never fades; where, after all, can the realm of immortals be found?

Pure-hearted companions of the Dao sing celestial melodies, and all praise their beauty. Thousands upon thousands of flowers rise with the wish to make offerings, dancing down from heaven.

Precious leaves unfold in an immortal realm where jade trees grow into a forest. Beautiful branches grow in Ziwei, the celestial region where the Emperor dwells. They are kept from the butterflies’ reach, so that they may remain forever beside the colorful luan birds in flight.

At the seats, we welcome the immortals who arrive riding the wind, light incense lamps, and set up a splendid altar. Our hearts are full of devotion, yet we have nothing to offer; so we present, in the clouds, these lovely things like pieces of brocade.

Green and blue mingle; red and yellow set each other off, with shades shifting from light to dark. Surely even the ingenuity of creation would marvel at this. What intention, then, originally shaped these scenes?

Music is played in the cavern according to ritual, and smoke rises from the incense burner, revealing the fragrance of Wuwei (non-action) and De (Virtue/Power). All share the same source and bear no different scent; the fragrance wafts outward, growing ever richer.

Hymn for Scattering Flowers

Spring’s radiance is ever present in heaven, and flowers bloom without regard to season. Auspicious mist moistens the jade altar, and the flowers grow more fragrant.

The thousandfold gates of the jade palace stand open, while all manner of blended incense burns in the golden burner. Fragrance fills the ritual seat as we respectfully await the descent of the assembled immortals.

Flowers stretch without end through the empty sky, as if naturally born within the Jade Emperor’s palace. They come only to the Jing hall, where purification rituals are held; they do not drift away with the gentle breeze.

Hymn for Burning the Vermilion Memorial

The vast sky contains all things with form, while the Great Dao is profound and subtle, without form or trace. The harmonious Qi of the divine beings courses through the mysterious Qi, responding and resonating until it reaches the heart’s sincerity. In an instant it travels throughout the eight directions, as if countless spirits were descending. Scattering flowers expresses a simple, sincere heart; devoting oneself to the Dao is an offering of wholehearted devotion.

They come from afar, borne in carriages drawn by luan birds, and rise high, following phoenix banners. Palaces wreathed in mist and rosy clouds tower in splendor; cloud palaces stand aloft. Jade phoenixes fly out from the heights of heaven, and golden dragons enter the Supreme Clarity, the Daoist realm of the highest heaven. The grace of sweet dew spreads throughout the human world, while radiant blessings descend upon the netherworld.

Hymn for Dismantling the Altar

The Dao is void and profound, difficult to perceive and without any concrete form. It stretches far and wide, yet responds to sentient beings. Those who reverently honor the Dao receive Heaven’s gifts; those who slight and profane it invite the intrusion of demons and malign spirits. Good and ill fortune arise with the flow of time, while favorable and adverse circumstances emerge through causes and conditions. The Dao does not prize pearls, jade, or other precious things; the spirits value only a heart of utmost sincerity. People adorn their offerings with red, green, and other colors, devote themselves wholeheartedly, and express their intentions with earnestness. In this way, they naturally reach the most holy and receive the spirits’ presence and protection. They offer incense and state their wishes, bowing their heads to pray for good fortune. The Heavenly Venerable remains ever still, turns the mind inward, and pays homage to the deep and distant realm of mystery.

Hymn for Returning the Precepts

With great compassion, the Heavenly Venerable proclaims the precepts and saves living beings. The Heavenly Venerable’s awesome virtue extends through both the unseen and manifest realms; the consequences of good and evil deeds alike reach the true, numinous spirits. The gods of the heavens come to bow, and the demons of the multitude restrain themselves. Beings from past lives are freed from the Eight Sufferings—the eight kinds of human suffering commonly described in Buddhism—while people in the present can remain at peace. When the fast and acts of merit and virtue have been brought to completion, all join together to see off the Heavenly Immortals, revered Daoist deities. The Brahma-like chant drifts and resounds with the clouds, while fragrance spreads through the smoke. Jade phoenixes bear red carriages, and golden dragons draw green-blue chariots. Those who have passed on and those still living alike find joy; families and the state are at peace.

Hymn for Taking Leave of the Masters

The purification rite is complete. Revering and receiving the Master’s great kindness, we bow our heads, take refuge, and respectfully bid farewell to the Great Master of the Mysterious Center.

Though the scriptures and teachings are profound, they must still be upheld with the help of a teacher. Anyone who wishes to do good and cultivate virtue should honor their teacher upon attaining success. When the spirit is focused, the fruits of practice are readily attained; when the heart is negligent, later regret cannot undo the harm. If one remains diligent and attentive at all times, one may attain the immortal Way, sooner or later.

The purification rite is complete. Revering and receiving the Master’s great kindness, we bow our heads, take refuge, and respectfully bid farewell to the Great Master of the Mysterious Center.

Though the scriptures and teachings are profound, they must still be upheld with the help of a teacher. Anyone who wishes to do good and cultivate virtue should honor their teacher upon attaining success. When the spirit is focused, the fruits of practice are readily attained; when the heart is negligent, later regret cannot undo the harm. If one remains diligent and attentive at all times, one may attain the immortal Way, sooner or later.

The purification rite is complete. Revering and receiving the Master’s great kindness, we bow our heads, take refuge, and respectfully bid farewell to the three masters: the scripture master, the register master, and the ordination master, who respectively transmit the scriptures and teachings, the ritual registers, and the rites of ordination.

Daoism places great importance on purification and abstinence, and its practice often makes daily homage a regular observance. How can those who do not believe or honor the teachings enter the heavenly realm of the immortals? Those with the bones of an immortal and the aptitude for cultivating immortality may naturally enter the purple palace; jade maidens ascend the Cloud Terrace, where golden and silver halls fill the view. Therefore, we give thanks to the three masters and bow in homage to the Void Sovereign, a revered Daoist deity.

After the purification rites are complete, receive the vast grace with reverence, bow with the head to the ground in homage and take refuge, then respectfully bid farewell to the presiding Master of the Purification Rite.

Mount Yujing is remote and lofty, the celestial capital where immortals dwell. The perfected beings travel through the void, making the long night bright. Whether the Great Dao can manifest depends on whether people believe in it. When sincerity reaches its utmost, the spirits naturally return. After completing the purification and cultivating the Dao, bow with the head to the ground in homage and bid farewell to the Orthodox Master who presided over the rite.

Cloud chariots do not linger, and even riding on a celestial crane cannot hold them back. If there are prayers to be made in the future, the divine perfected ones should again be respectfully invited to descend.

May the merit accumulated through the purification rites be offered upward in prayer for the emperor’s endless longevity. May everyone rely on this good merit to attain the supreme Great Dao. All the faithful perform the rite together.

Hymn for Sending Off: Each line ends with the words “Forest of Scattered Flowers.”

We respectfully send off the celestial immortals. Golden boys hold golden lotuses, while jade maidens scatter flowers like precious jade, and together they ascend straight to the front of the jeweled platform.

Hymn on the Inconceivable: After each line, all join in singing, “Inconceivable.”

At the assembly held in the azure heavens, the jeweled pearl has just appeared, its radiance faint and subtle.

The Great Sage teaches the wondrous and mysterious Great Dao within the pearl, accompanied by a boundless multitude of holy beings.

Text for Blessing and Pacifying the Celestial Perfected: Found in the Rite of Fasting for the Nine Heavens’ Generation of Life.

The divine officials of the highest heavens, the Primordial Venerable, and the assembled Great Sages come and go, descending among us. Ten thousand perfected beings arrive before the hall. The three celestial lights—the sun, moon, and stars—shine forth, while auspicious clouds encircle the four directions. Heaven examines good and ill fortune, and derives the charts and registers, reckoning the affairs of the Nine Heavens. Written in vermilion characters on a cinnabar document, this is the true text that manifests naturally. It is presented to the Five Emperors, and the names are entered in the jade register of heaven.

All the spirits together observe and reflect upon us, taking the sun and moon as witnesses and making this vow: may people be delivered and brought to life; may they become spirits and immortals. Heaven, earth, and the stars, the Mysterious Radiance Emperor and my own person, together with the Three Officials and Nine Offices that govern the affairs of heaven, earth, water, and the underworld, and the Great Gods of the Five Sacred Peaks—all are asked to hear this declaration throughout the realms and to help remove the roots of sin.

Through purification and practicing the Dao, we pray for blessings and earnestly seek grace. The Primordial Beginning, the Greatly Illumined One, knows all and accepts every petition presented. May we shine together with the three celestial lights—the sun, moon, and stars—in Purple Dawn, the celestial realm. May life revolve without perishing, and may we ultimately attain the body of a flying immortal.

Primordial Beginning Great Thearch (a revered Daoist deity) and the Lofty Jade Emperor (the Jade Emperor) received the celestial talismanic command and proclaimed it to the worlds in the ten directions, from the highest, unsurpassed realm to the lowest, boundless spirit realm. The subtle and wondrous writings of the thirty-two heavens gathered the Qi of the five directions and transformed it into talismanic characters; the numinous Qi converging from the eight directions circulated as light. Today, pardon and grace are widely bestowed, so that every good deed may be made manifest. The names of those who have earned merit will be entered in the registers of immortals and listed in the records of the immortal palaces in the Purple Mansion.

Purification rites and the practice of the Dao are undertaken to deliver deceased family members, helping their souls cross the dark passes, escape the night of the underworld, and attain the light; to ascend beyond the Three Realms and serve the Void Emperor (a revered Daoist deity); to bring disputes over graves to an end; and to bring prosperity and well-being to the living. May the myriad spirits watch over and protect them, bestow extraordinary blessings and emoluments, sweep away calamities, and keep their families safe. We respectfully carry out what has been proclaimed; may the golden horses bearing the talismanic command gallop swiftly.

Another hymn

The unsurpassed, most true, Great Sage and Lofty Perfected Ones (a Daoist honorific for the highest divine beings) enact transformation and set primordial Qi in motion, extending throughout the thirty-two heavens. The Eight Assemblies and Nine Lights (terms for the numinous Qi and radiance of the heavens) spontaneously bring forth the realm of truth and wonder, stabilizing Heaven and Earth, protecting the world, and guiding it through the years of tribulation. The talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning is proclaimed throughout the Three Offices (the domains governed by the celestial, terrestrial, and aquatic officials): below, it commands the Nine Earths; above, it spreads transformation and primordial Qi throughout the thirty-two heavens. The Eight Assemblies and Nine Lights spontaneously bring forth truth, pacify and stabilize Heaven and Earth, protect the world, and guide it through the years of tribulation. The talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning is proclaimed throughout the Three Offices: below, it commands the Nine Earths; above, it is conveyed to the heavens, and it is also announced to the seas, mountains, and famous rivers.

Now that the proclamation has been made above, may all the spirits hear it. Through purification rites and the practice of the Dao, may the hidden souls be delivered. May the Three Offices and Nine Courts (divine bureaus governing the affairs of Heaven, Earth, water, and the underworld) erase the roots of the deceased souls’ offenses, freeing them forever from the Three Paths (the realms of suffering, such as hell, hungry ghosts, and animals) and the sources of the Five Sufferings. May descendants receive blessings in every generation, have their names entered in the cinnabar registers (registers of immortals), and have their spirits born in halls of blessing. Through natural refinement, may both the living and the dead attain liberation and endure through countless kalpas. Golden Horse messengers carry the talismanic commands of the Nine Heavens.

True Talismanic Texts for Dispelling Calamities in the Five Directions

True Talismanic Text for Dispelling Calamities of the Azure Emperor of the East: Jupiter assists the Qi of the liver; the Horn and Neck mansions guard the righteous Qi. The Root, Room, Heart, and Tail mansions follow the course of the four seasons. The Winnowing Basket mansion governs the seven celestial markers, setting the radiant wheel of the Dipper aright. It receives the breath of Heaven, captures and removes evil and wrongdoing, and sweeps away every kind of calamity.

True Talismanic Text for Dispelling Calamities of the Red Emperor of the South: Mars assists the Qi of the heart; the Well and Ghost mansions guard the dwelling. The Willow, Star, Extended Net, and Wings mansions ward off the four directions. The Chariot mansion governs the seven lodges, keeping the constant motion of Heaven in order. It summons the right time, protects and unites, and lets the righteous Way pass freely like a post relay.

True Talismanic Text for Dispelling Calamities of the White Emperor of the West: Venus watches over the Qi of the lungs; the Legs and Bond mansions guard the souls. The Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, and Turtle Beak mansions govern the seven gates. The Three Stars mansion commands the Dipper’s ladle and receives the talismanic command from the celestial realm of the north.

The Most High Deities, including the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and the Jade Emperor, issue proclamations inscribed in cinnabar to save the dead and guide the living. Precious Golden Registers of precepts rescue departed souls in the netherworld; white slips bearing sacred talismans and the Immortal Scriptures of the Nine Zhen can absolve sins and settle grievances and debts. The Perfected One Who Saves from Suffering removes the dead’s offenses and punishments, while the Lad Who Inspects Destiny enters their names in the register of the living. The Awe-Inspiring Spirit Who Protects the Precepts leads them to blessed lands. In this way, they escape the five kinds of suffering, ride cloud chariots, pass through cycles of transformation, attain the Dao, and ascend to the heavens of Shangqing.

Invocation of the Jiao-Dragon

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning’s talismanic decree descends to the deep Spring Palace, reaching its shadowed passes and the netherworld’s nighttime courts. There dwell wronged souls enduring punishment and suffering. The decree is carried by the spirit who travels through the underworld bearing the message, then proclaimed by fish and dragons, so that the souls of the dead may be refined and delivered, and leave the passes of the netherworld. The Divine Lord goes to instruct and guide them, enabling them to ascend to the Three Heavens. Everything is carried out according to the decree, which the jiao-dragon conveys along the relay route.

Twelve Reflections

First, may Heaven and Earth blend in harmony. Second, may the Great Dao flourish and prevail. Third, may Yin and Yang move in accordance with their proper seasons. Fourth, may the sun and moon shine brightly and remain in due order. Fifth, may the ancestral temples and local shrines be at peace. Sixth, may the sovereign’s life be prolonged. Seventh, may the people enjoy health and harmony. Eighth, may the Five Grains yield abundant harvests. Ninth, may outstanding worthy people emerge. Tenth, may disasters cease. Eleventh, may auspicious blessings arrive in succession. Twelfth, may governance be stable and achievements fulfilled.

Twelve Vows

First, may the Way of Heaven prosper and the Way of Earth flow smoothly. Second, may the Great Dao be honored and De flourish. Third, may the Five Phases move without departing from their proper measure. Fourth, may the ancestral temples receive reverence. Fifth, may the ruler be blessed with good fortune. Sixth, may the Four Seas be united. Seventh, may all things flourish and grow. Eighth, may the hundred grains yield abundant harvests. Ninth, may the ruler lead and the ministers respond. Tenth, may customs be harmonious and the age peaceful. Eleventh, may all be in accord with the Great Dao. Twelfth, may the state’s mandate endure without end.

Further text follows.

First, may Heaven and Earth be clear and pure. Second, may the atmosphere between Heaven and Earth be bright and tranquil. Third, may the sages enjoy long lives. Fourth, may their teachings spread to all eight directions. Fifth, may sweet dew descend from Heaven. Sixth, may auspicious clouds rise from the Earth. Seventh, may the four seasons proceed in due order. Eighth, may all things grow to their full potential. Ninth, may households be filled with people who are filial and loving toward one another. Tenth, may the nation be prosperous and rich in worthy talent. Eleventh, may Fengdu—the underworld described in Daoism—cease its interrogations. Twelfth, may those who study the Dao attain the immortal way.

The twelve petitions in ancient rites cover every concern without omission, fully expressing the breadth of their aspirations. The rites call for these petitions and dedicate their merit to the nation and household, as well as to the dead and the living. Their wording generally conveys this same meaning, showing how complete and comprehensive the ancient rites were.

Master Chao Guan’s petitions differ in some respects. When praying for the nation, he asks specifically for its affairs to proceed smoothly; when dedicating rites to the dead, he asks specifically that the departed be raised up and delivered; and when dispelling calamities, he asks specifically for disasters to be averted and hardships relieved. The rites he composed likewise each serve a distinct purpose. They are recorded together here so that officiants may choose among them as they see fit.

Twelve Petitions for the Nation in the Chao Rite

First, may no foul, turbid Yin Qi cloud the heavens. Second, may no demonic miasma taint the earth. Third, may the divine wind be calm and silent. Fourth, may the sun and moon shine brightly. Fifth, may the scenes in all eight directions harmonize in light and shadow. Sixth, may the worlds in the ten directions be solemn and pure. Seventh, may all living beings attain awakening and deliverance. Eighth, may the people praise the peace and prosperity of the age. Ninth, may the myriad gods come to guard and protect. Tenth, may the heavens record people’s names. Eleventh, may the merit accumulated be profound. Twelfth, may everyone attain long life.

Another Set of Petitions for Delivering the Dead

First, may people be spared untimely death and sudden calamity. Second, may benevolence extend to the netherworld as well. Third, may enmities and grudges be resolved. Fourth, may suffering spirits of the dead ascend to a higher state. Fifth, may all disputes concerning graves be settled. Sixth, may entanglements arising from karmic ties across many lifetimes cease. Seventh, may the Nine Dragons hasten forth under command. Eighth, may the Gate of Souls be refined through deliverance, bringing them to immortality. Ninth, may the prisons of the netherworld cease their interrogations. Tenth, may seven generations of ancestors ascend to Heaven. Eleventh, may the spirits of the dead receive deliverance at Zhulíng, the place described in Daoist legend where souls are refined and delivered. Twelfth, may the spirits of the dead return in peace to the realm of nature.

Another set of prayers for averting calamity: First, may the whole family enjoy good health. Second, may one’s parents live long. Third, may all evil return to the righteous path. Fourth, may no evil thoughts or deeds arise. Fifth, may travel and affairs proceed smoothly in every direction. Sixth, may the home be peaceful. Seventh, may business prosper and wishes be fulfilled. Eighth, may the household’s six kinds of livestock thrive. Ninth, may illnesses be cured. Tenth, may wealth and possessions be plentiful. Eleventh, may unexpected calamities not occur. Twelfth, may one enjoy prosperity, good fortune, and peace for a long time.

Hymn of Universal Offering

May all present quiet their minds, focus their contemplation on the Celestial Worthy, bow their heads in refuge, and offer incense. May its fragrance spread throughout the worlds in the ten directions, reaching upward to the supreme Great Luo Heaven, the Immortal Capital of Jade Capital, the Scarlet Gates of Xiao Terrace, and the Purple Tenuity Palace of the Seven Treasures. May the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Supreme Sovereign of the Void Emperor, the sages of the ten directions, the perfected immortals of the Three Realms, the sacred writings of the treasure store, and the master of the teaching within the Mysterious Mystery all receive this incense offering. With reverence, we set our hearts upon this act, dedicate its merit, and together return to the Dharma Gate. May this incense smoke serve as a devout offering to all the revered deities; may the offering reach all, as we devote ourselves and pay homage to the Three Most True Treasures (the Dao, scripture, and master, revered in Daoism).

Invocation of the Eight Awe-Inspiring True Writings for Settling Graves and Homes

We invoke the Eight Awe-Inspiring True Writings (divine writings used in Daoism to pray for blessings and provide protection) to bring peace to graves and homes.

The sun, moon, and stars move in luminous cycles, returning again and again. As the heavens turn, the appointed time of calamity will eventually arrive. When great disasters converge, demons everywhere vie to cause chaos. Beifeng, the netherworld realm that governs ghosts and spirits, ceases to restrain them, allowing ghostly beings to run wild. Demons rampage, and evil forces darken the light of Heaven.

The Supreme Emperor issues a command, proclaiming it throughout the Ten Directions. He makes the laws of the celestial realm known and spreads the teachings of the Dao, governing the world through its transforming power and gathering in and driving away ill omens. If lesser demons gather in groups, Red Script and Jade Characters—Daoist talismanic writing used to command spirits and subdue ghosts and evil forces—shall be used to restrain the ghostly host of the netherworld. The Three Officials of Beifeng, the divine officers who govern the affairs of the netherworld, are ordered to relay the command and carry it out without delay, binding a thousand demons and sending away ten thousand ghosts. The flowing bells, Daoist ritual implements, flash with intersecting rays and stir the Qi of the sun. The Golden Tiger patrols in all directions, while the celestial troops capture the wicked spirits of the dead. Ghosts and demons, great and small, must all appear before the authorities; none may hide. May the words above be respectfully submitted to Heaven.

The True Text of the Eight Powers

The Eastern divine incantation subdues and commands the Nine Heavens. With Red Script and Jade Characters, it subdues Mount Feng, binds demons, and sends away ghosts. None who are to be executed may escape; all must be escorted to the Wood Palace, and no one may delay. This is the method of the East: seize the ghosts of Mount Feng from the North, bind them, and send the demons away. All those whom the talismanic teachings seek to punish must have their offenses clearly recorded.

The Southern divine incantation shakes the four directions with its might, annihilating demons and defeating every kind of evil art. This is the method of the South: with Red Script and Jade Characters, the True Text of the Nine Heavens summons the ten thousand kinds of Qi, bringing them all under the Emperor’s command.

In the West, the divine incantation of Northern Mountain stirs Yang Qi and calls forth thunder. It makes the flowing bells flash and thunder, proclaiming the might of Heaven. All demons and evil beings under the jurisdiction of the North must be annihilated and subdued.

In the North, by imperial command, the Northern Emperor is summoned. The gates of the ghost realm are sealed, and ill omens are cut away, so that demons and evil forces dare not obstruct the way.

The method of the Center: [No specific content appears in the source text here.]

This incantation was not originally included in the Hymns section. Because it was transmitted orally by hearing and recitation over a long period, however, it accumulated many errors, so it has been recorded here in particular. This will allow people to receive the correct transmission from childhood and use it throughout their lives. On examining the incantation, we find that its contents are all intended to subdue evil spirits, and for this reason the text consistently uses the word “I.” Some versions change it to “your servant,” which is incorrect. Only after reciting the incantation, burning incense and lighting the incense burner, and visualizing the deities does one report to the true deities of the upper realm; there is nothing inappropriate about using “I” here. The text above has been checked against the Daoist ritual manual Jinlu Yi and related records in the Daozang, then copied down.

East

Within the azure heaven where the Nine Qi converge, the Great Star Deity shines brilliantly over the East, illuminating the ninefold gates of Heaven. It turns the light and dispels filth and evil Qi. The Luminous Lad, a guardian deity, protects my carriage, subdues demons, and binds evil spirits, enabling me to ascend before the Emperor Lord and follow the righteous way. This incantation is a vermilion-scripted jade text, a talismanic decree issued by the Nine Heavens. It can command Dragon Deities to carry out orders, bringing peace to all under Heaven and allowing me to ascend as an immortal. Everyone chants in unison; beginning with the final line, the incantations for each of the directions that follow are also chanted in unison.

South

Within the cinnabar heaven of the South, the Three Qi circulate and shine. The Yinghuo star, the star of the South, turns and gleams, its light extending throughout the realm of the sun. Above are the Red Essence, a deity of the South, and the Luminous Spirit Lad, who command the divine troops of the Fire Department and guard the Three Palaces, where deities of Heaven, Earth, and humanity dwell. They cut down evil spirits, bind demons, and destroy demon kings. All these forces are under the authority of the Northern Emperor, the deity who governs the subjugation of evil spirits and demons.

This incantation is used to subdue demons and prevent them from intruding upon the ritual ground. All Daoist ritual officiants who seek to subdue the many demons are under the Northern Emperor’s command. Hence the text says, “received under the Northern Emperor’s authority.” Some people regard this as an incantation of the South and arbitrarily change it to say that the Red Emperor recites it. This is incorrect. It distorts the meaning of the original text, so the matter must be clarified.

The forces of wind and fire surge in all eight directions, while the ritual bells flash in concert. If evil spirits dare to defy them, the righteous way will spread far and wide. May I enjoy the merit bestowed by Heaven, preserve Heaven and Earth for all time, and endure through countless kalpas without end. The phrase “cut down and sever the demon kings” also appears in some ritual manuals in the Daozang as “cut down and sever the demon fiends”; the character for “fiends” rhymes with the surrounding lines.

The Heaven of Seven Qi and Pure Light, associated with the West and Metal Qi, is where the essence of the planet Venus spreads forth, its radiance illuminating the Golden Gate and penetrating the deep, hidden realm of the underworld. There dwells the Pure Sovereign, titled the Divine Emperor. He protects the spirit, steadies body and mind, guards my form, cuts off the roots of evil, and sets the royal Way straight and clear. The palace halls stand in ordered solemnity. The three lights of the sun, moon, and stars gather there, and Dao accords with nature, allowing one to ascend to the Purple Court, the realm of immortals. The Lingbao talisman mandates, passed down by the Lingbao tradition, benefit all living beings. Their merit extends everywhere, bringing peace to Heaven and Earth.

North

The dark Qi of the northern Heaven circulates and turns. The star Chenxing shines brightly, illuminating Taiwei, the celestial region where the Heavenly Emperor resides. The Venerable Spirit of Darkness, clad in a flying, mysterious feather robe that signifies ascension, guards the gateways of the five directions, inspects Jing and Qi, and captures evil and wrongdoing. Should any evil entity dare to trespass, it will be swiftly cut down and destroyed. The jade talisman issues its command, and the spirits rouse their power in all eight directions. Evil gates are shut, and the righteous Way is opened wide. Light shines upon my body, which gleams together with the sun, moon, and stars. Then I soar through the air, riding the clouds, and ascend to immortality.

Center

The yellow Qi of the center governs all Qi and presides over the immortals and perfected beings. The planet Zhenxing, Saturn, radiates its light across the nine Heavens. Twelve Open-Light Youths bear primordial Qi and fiery essence. Flame-like clouds of scarlet vapor rise upward, illuminating the ritual altar and my body as well. A hundred kinds of evil Qi disperse, driving away countless ghosts. The power of the Divine Incantation of Zhongshan extends throughout the world, bringing the numinous Qi of the five directions to rest and guard. My form then ascends to immortality.

Precious Chapter of the Five Refinements that Bring the Corpse to Life

Precious Chapter of the Qi of Primordial Beginning, Azure Green, Nine Suns, and Brahma Radiance of the Eastern Longhan Era

The Nine Suns turn and revolve, transforming into wondrous Qi. The three lights of the sun, moon, and stars spread the essence of primordial Qi. Amid emerald clouds, numinous script appears; in the green grove, fine flowers and plants flourish. It travels far beyond the Jade Clarity Palace and reaches the distant immortal realm of Penglai. True and wondrous transformations flow through without obstruction, and the spirits ascend to immortality.

Precious Chapter of the Five Refinements that Bring the Corpse to Life

Precious Chapter of the Qi of Primordial Beginning, Azure Green, Nine Suns, and Brahma Radiance of the Eastern Longhan Era

The wondrous Qi of the Nine Yangs circles and flows; the original Jing of the Three Radiances spreads in all directions. In the blue-green clouds, numinous talismanic characters appear, while flowers bloom brilliantly among lush green trees. In the heights, the way leads to the Palace of Jade Purity, the celestial realm where Daoist honored deities dwell; across the vastness, it extends to Penglai and Yingzhou, legendary immortal isles in the sea. The transformations of the true Dao reach everywhere, and its wondrous breath nourishes all things.

The Black Treasure Chapter of the Three Yangs, Brahma-Spirit, and Vermilion Radiance of the Southern Crimson Luminescence

Across the long cycles of the kalpas, a wondrous moment opens. Dragon-shaped script appears amid crimson clouds and rosy mists. The Eight Mighty divine generals race like lightning, while the Nine Phoenixes dispel evil and misfortune. Through refinement and deliverance, one ascends to the Chamber of the Vermilion Sovereign and rises to the celestial realm of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Luminous flames shine constantly; numinous blessings follow the light of dawn, continuing without end.

The Treasure Chapter of the Qi of the Seven Yangs, Brahma-Essence, and Pure Spirit of the Western Yan’kang Era

The August Elder, a Daoist honored deity, stores away wondrous essence. Golden essence gleams, displaying the might of the stars. The evils of the Six Heavens are all destroyed, and the myriad treasures once more reveal their subtle, numinous radiance. Clear, fresh Qi appears at the lofty gates, and a cool light envelops the pure white glow. The Empty Cavern, a name for the Daoist heavens, unfurls its jade reins: the script of the Empty Cavern is written on jade tablets, hence the name “jade reins.” Splendid radiance flies across the Nine Heavens.

The Treasure Chapter of the Qi of the Five Yangs, Brahma-Mixture, and Mysterious Height of the Northern Opening Sovereign Era

The Five Qi unite with the wondrous Dao of Primordial Beginning, and the various heavens merge in the primordial realm of darkness. The divine standards are adorned with black feathers and stream in the wind; jade maidens scatter blue flowers. Purple edicts seal away the treasures of Heaven, while mysterious script appears in solemn majesty before the imperial court. The script of the Mysterious Heaven is dignified and solemn, kept in secret before the Imperial Lord; “austere” conveys its grave majesty. The hosts of demons submit to the teachings of the Supreme Dao, and all lands thereby find peace.

The Treasure Chapter of the Qi of the One Yang, Brahma-Treasure, and Central Spirit of the Central August Sovereign

The yellow primordial Qi of chaos gives birth to the One Qi, which responds to the transformations of creation and condenses into a true form. Those of noble virtue uphold gentleness and receptivity; golden light shines through the depths. The central position is established, governing the nine regions of Heaven; the root is grasped, and the sun, moon, and stars are commanded. Radiance gleams brilliantly across the sky; divine light darts forth, illuminating the Jade Spirit.

Hymns of Praise from the Outer Altar

Every rite performed outside the ritual enclosure should have the salvation of the dead as its purpose in every line; this is certainly no small matter. What is more, the donors are mourning their loved ones and grieving deeply, so singing songs and tunes in such a setting is especially inappropriate. I have therefore selected existing verses and added a few of my own, in the hope that they may help the rites proceed and lend the ceremony a dignified elegance.

Verse for Opening the Directions (by Zhao Mingju)

First chant this verse, then open the directions—that is, open the ritual space. Four people chant it in succession, praising its meaning as they go.

The Six Glasses turn back their chariot, leaving the cold springs of the netherworld; city walls, towers, and pavilions gradually fade into the dusk’s mist.

The night watch’s water clock has just sounded, and people have already fallen silent; the gate to the underworld remains open, while ghosts turn to dust.

How will the Jade Luminary Assembly—the Daoist purification ritual—proceed? The deities who oversee the various regions must remain steadfast in their protection.

To reach the vast realm without obstruction, one must rely on the True Announcements (Zhengao), a Daoist classic, to proclaim the way and guide the journey.

Verse for the First Summoning of the Gods

Newly composed. Chant in four tones under the title “Great Sage, Immortal Origin, and Teaching Lord.”

The gods ride dragon chariots together, descending from the Purple Pure Heaven; the deities of every quarter are summoned, and their banners raised.

The gods come from all directions, arraying themselves in ranks among the clouds to hear the sound of the imperial retinue.

Verse for the Second Summoning of the Dead

The netherworld’s halls are layered with cold, and suffering souls are sealed within; the Celestial Lady Qing issues a gracious heavenly decree.

The spirit aunt opens the way, summoning the dead to travel in peace; the talisman clerks hurry to carry out the command, swift as galloping horses.

Verse for the Third Summoning

The Great Dao’s compassion is profound, shining into the darkness of the Six Destinies; with a compassionate boat upon the sea of suffering, it saves all beings.

Though the Purple Altar is steeped in a long night, a means of salvation is still opened; the souls of the dead rise into the Great Moulding—the creative energy of Heaven and Earth—and return to the One Qi.

Verse for the Ritual Bath

First recite together the Sanskrit verses of the Eight Heavens. The ritual master visualizes the true Qi of the Thirty-Two Heavens entering the bathwater, then chants this verse. After the chant, a young attendant recites a text and introduces the rites that follow.

It is because the defilements within the heart are so hard to wash away that the body drifts through the sea of suffering, never attaining purity.

Until the burdens of harmful deeds and obstacles have been cleared, it is difficult to behold the pure divine light with reverence.

A golden dragon bears the water of the Gengshen day, while jade maidens distribute incense before the imperial throne. Having undergone three rounds of incense fumigation and three ritual baths, the practitioner composes their appearance, treads upon light and shadow, and rises through the void to pay homage to the Most High, an honorific title for the supreme deity in Daoism.

Newly Added Bathing Liturgy

The deceased previously summoned and recommended for deliverance have received a gentle decree, allowing them to leave the cold, shadowy realm. They follow the talismanic officials, divine messengers who convey talismanic commands, and arrive swiftly, as though they had come without walking. When they glimpse the tall banner pole in the distance, they respond to the summons and come forth. Before paying homage before the hall and receiving the talismanic precepts, they must first cleanse their bodies, cultivate virtue, and arrange their robes and headwear. With reverence, they rely on the protection of the divine incantation and invite the talismanic command to descend, then bathe in orchid-infused water. During the rite, the Four Spirits guard them, while the Nine Qi tightly surround them. The bathing liturgy is now proclaimed; please follow its prescribed ritual.

Hymn to the Dharma Bridge

May this offering be made throughout the boundless realm of the sacred perfected ones, and may the incense smoke spread to the ten directions. May we ride the platform of seven treasures, sending down light to illuminate the world of the Five Turbidities, the realm filled with afflictions and impurity. May we forever deliver beings in the human and heavenly realms, so that all may ascend the Dharma Bridge, the path that leads beings to liberation. May we attain the state of Wuwei (non-action) together, practice diligently, and never turn back.

Those who gather together to take part in the ritual assembly sincerely entrust their lives to the sacred host of the Ten Directions and the guiding youths of the Five Spirits. May they bestow their compassion, show special mercy, and deliver all living beings.

The sea of desire in which living beings dwell is deep, and it is easy to drown in it. We should seek out where it begins. The far shore of the Dao is lofty and difficult to reach; who can extend a helping hand? Whether people remain deluded or awaken determines whether they ascend to higher realms or fall into the lower world. How pitiable that living beings are trapped in a turbulent age: love and desire gather into a sea, and violent waves surge to the sky. Greed and anger churn like breakers, while every kind of ingrained habit builds up little by little from the smallest beginnings. People chase after external things and sink into ruin; everywhere before our eyes lie the dead. Those who can turn inward and reach the far shore are rare in the world. Is there truly no method of ferrying these drifting, drowning beings to safety?

The Most High, a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity, takes pity on all living beings trapped in the depths and establishes a subtle method as a bridge across the waters. He appoints the Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions as firm pillars leading to the far shore of the sacred realm, and commands the youths of the Five Spirits to serve as the landing and bridge to the realm of the Dao, guiding living beings out of delusion and to the other shore. Even across thirty million li of Weak Water and through five hundred billion layers of fierce astral winds, one can reach the realm of carefree freedom in the space of a breath. The key lies in the source within the heart: reflect on yourself and follow the power of the teaching. The more fully you do so, the greater the help you receive.