《上方天尊说真元通仙道经》

Upper Chapter on Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Sending Down De (Virtue/Power)

This scripture takes the “Celestial Worthy of the Upper Realm” as its speaker and expounds the “Dao (the Way) of true origin for attaining immortality.” The author of the text is unknown. One volume (juan) is extant. It is included in the Zhengtong Daozang in the Original Texts category of the Dongzhen division of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), and also appears in the Zhonghua Daozang among the scriptures of Daoist methods.

In the upper celestial realm there is a vast heaven brought forth and nurtured by the Qi (vital energy) of the True Origin. There lies the Natural Kingdom of the Nine Clarities. Within the kingdom grow the spirit grasses of the Three Excellences, and the divine trees of the Seven Treasures are planted. Auspicious Qi steams above the crimson city walls, and the jade towers shine in brilliant light. Courtyards of kingfisher splendor, palaces of the Purple Perfected, blue-green doors and windows, vermilion gates, and the immortal music sounded by dragons and phoenixes are interwoven amid a stretch of rosy mist and layer upon layer of azure cloud. All of this is condensed from the Great Origin and transformed from the True Origin; it is the most venerable place among the celestial palaces.

At that time the Venerable of the Celestial Court bore ten honorific titles: Celestial Master (Tianshi), Utmost Sage of the Qian Origin of the Upper Realm; Dharma King of the Upper Perfected of the Great Origin, the Central August; Teaching Lord of the True Origin, Grand August of the Nine Yangs; Immortal Lord of the Primordial Height who opens and transforms the Three Caverns (Sandong); Supreme Thearch of sagely talent, compassion, and mercy, of the pure extension of the Ten Heavens, whose wondrous Dao (the Way) of Great Constancy transforms and equalizes; Most Venerable of supreme De (Virtue/Power), invoked throughout the heavens, pure and serene, who pardons transgression; Celestial Worthy (Tianzun) of Numinous Treasure, Most High of the Limitless Upper Realm; Celestial Worthy of the Dao and the De, Most High of the Limitless Upper Realm; Celestial Worthy of the Upper Realm who, with focused compassion, saves beings from suffering; and Celestial Worthy of the Jade Void, Bright August Sovereign of the Upper Realm.

The divine maidens of the palace attended the Celestial Worthy according to ritual, beating the ritual drums and striking the ornate bells. The assembled celestial maidens then held the fine silks used to pray for blessings, vermilion tassels and blue-green ribbons, and the crimson-cloud emblems that signify auspiciousness. They raised the splendid canopies of the Nine Heavens and unfurled the feather fans of the Five Brilliances. The Celestial Worthy ascended the Cloud Hall of a Thousand Lights, took his place upon the jeweled throne of the Seven Precious Things, and settled upon a white-gold jasper mat, bright with a trailing glow and luminous through and through.

Before long, the Divine Kings who fly the heavens and the Great Saints of Long Life of the Limitless Upper Realm, the great spirits of utmost perfection of the immeasurable highest grade who cherish life and deliver beings, together with the rulers and ministers of the Thirty-Two Heavens, the stellar officials who assist them, and the Perfected Persons, as well as the numinous officers—divine immortals of the Great Balance who dispel calamity and whose vast reach equals Heaven—and countless other gods, all came before the throne of the Celestial Worthy to pay court. The swords and iron worn by the divine persons who guard the Dao rang out sharply, and the banners of the immortal garrisons who drive off evil shone vivid and dazzling.

At that moment true incense rose within the Golden Portal. Its fragrance ascended straight into the Great Void and drifted above the One Qi. Celestial light illumined the domain of the Dao, and brightness reached all eight directions.

Ten immortal lords gazed up at the radiance of the Celestial Worthy and, riding cloud-dragons, arrived at the gate of Daluo Feifan. They reverently paid homage to the Celestial Worthy, stood in attendance amid the morning light, and then led the Celestial Worthy up the phoenix steps (the steps before an imperial palace). At that moment a celestial wind blew of its own accord, and the nine-dragon blossoms swayed in the breeze; immortal music rose in lingering tones, sounding the melody of the eight simurghs. A numinous wind played the mode of the yellow blossoms, and the divine abyss reflected a splendor like azure florescence.

After the immortal lords had offered their salutations, they looked up at the sacred countenance of the Celestial Worthy. The Celestial Worthy shone as bright and resplendent as crimson clouds, dazzling in radiance, with a bearing solemn and exalted, so that the eyes were dazed and one could scarcely raise one’s head to gaze upon him.

Then the Great Brilliance Immortal Lord of the Upper Realm stepped forward and addressed him, saying: “We reverently behold the Celestial Worthy, the Supreme Thearch. You descend upon the Hall of Flowing Radiance and pass in and out of the towers of Congealed Splendor; you arrange the turning of the four seasons and preside over the Seven Governors—the sun, the moon, and the five planets. By immortal writ you make manifest the pure, still, and authentic manner of the Dao (the Way), and by statutes and commands you admonish the teaching of the primordial source of the divinities. Your compassionate light shines upon all living beings, and your sacred grace is bestowed universally upon every quarter.

“We knock our heads and come to have audience at the imperial court, earnestly begging your compassion and mercy. We wish to inquire: as for the movement of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), if it were not for the Supreme Thearch, supremely exalted and supremely luminous, how could the teaching be displayed so clearly? We reverently listen for the sacred voice of the Supreme Sage.”

Note: The “Seven Governors” usually refer to the sun, the moon, and the five planets of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; it is a term of ancient astronomy.

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy lodged the profound and mysterious principle within emptiness, and gathered the realm of silent stillness into the spontaneous natural order. He blended the True Origin—the primordial original Qi (vital energy)—with all things of the world, and returned the Great Simplicity, the undifferentiated primordial state, to the unborn. He dissolved all talk of names and forms, and through chapters hard to put into words, subtle and far-reaching, He came into accord with the Great Dao (the Way).

After a long time, the Celestial Worthy at last spoke: “From where does the Supreme De (Virtue/Power) come? It is born from the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). The Taiji is vast and boundless. It embraces what lies beyond Heaven and Earth, and yet it precedes Heaven and Earth, dwelling in the midst of chaos. From emptiness it gives rise to the myriad beings, and it brings the turbid back to clarity. Gathered in, its limit cannot be found; spread forth, all things display their forms.

“Therefore the sun, moon, and stars are able to pursue their courses, and all things in the world are able to flourish and grow. Its working depends on the One Qi, the original vital energy that constitutes all things and drives their transformations, and its grace extends throughout the Nine Borders, the immensely vast reach of Heaven and Earth. Of all the powers that create and transform the myriad things, not one fails to come from it. Boundlessly vast, it is precisely the Imperial Truth, the true and wondrous Way of the Celestial Emperor; inexhaustibly immense, it is precisely the Primordial Unity, the original oneness of all things.

“It brings stability to the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—and it governs the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The long endurance of Heaven and Earth likewise rests upon the Taiji. The sun belongs to Yang and the stars to Yin, the two aspects of Yin-Yang, and they too all stand beneath the circulation of the True Origin. Thus those who obtain more of the Great Dao are able to maintain harmonious balance and endure for long, while those who lose even a little of the Great Dao gradually wither and perish early. Within the vastness of Heaven and Earth, nothing that has form and name fails to follow transformation and to look up and receive the work of creation.

“The One Qi of the Primordial Unity generates and transforms without cease, vast and without end. I cannot say clearly what it really is; I can only, for lack of a better word, call it the ‘Dao.’ The De of the Dao is so great that language cannot exhaust it. I name its beginning the Mysterious Sage. Its De spreads far and wide; its principles are clear and evident, and its true light shines forth brilliantly. Even wondrous Jing (scripture/classic) and secretly transmitted writings—how could they surpass it?”

Someone said: “The Mysterious Sage set down chapters of inexhaustible wonder, revealing Dao and De to Heaven above and the human world, with nothing omitted. Yet our abilities and understanding are shallow, and we are not equal to grasping the intent of the Heavenly Dao. Now we are fortunate to meet the Supreme Lord, whose De is lofty and whose sagely wisdom is surpassing, clearly discerning every affair. We wish to hear the teaching of the Great Dao. We make bold to present this upward to the celestial court, and we earnestly beg the Supreme Lord to bend down and hear our request.”

The De (Virtue/Power) esteemed by the Mysterious Sages—sages deeply versed in the mysterious and subtle—is of three kinds. First is Supreme De, the highest order of Virtue/Power, which is sufficient to help one understand the designs of Heaven. Today we are honored to respectfully encounter the Lord on High, whose De is profound and whose sagely wisdom perceives all things. We wish to hear this grand teaching, and we venture to look upward and seek heavenly grace, hoping that the Lord on High will deign to hear us.

The De esteemed by the Mysterious Sages is of three kinds: the first is Supreme De, the second is Luminous Conduct, clear and penetrating standards of behavior, and the third is the Prohibition of Wrong, the forbidding of improper actions. These three teachings do not differ in essence; only when their discourses are examined separately do the names diverge. Though the names differ, they have never gone against Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), the origin of the cosmos. All are teachings sent down in accord with the Great Dao (the Way), penetrating the principles of mysterious transformation; therefore I, the Celestial Worthy of the Upper Realm, treasure them. If one does not follow mysterious transformation, yet insists on pressing forward along the Way of the True Primordial—the path of cultivation that leads to the True Primordial—alas, how could that ever be achieved?

At this, the Immortal Gentleman of the Upper Realm, Guangling, looked up in admiration and praised the grand discourse, declaring: “The reaches of heaven are remote and vast; the palaces amid the clouds stand lofty and solemn. Within them are persons of sagely brilliance, who open the celestial scriptures patterned like dragon script. Taiji is vast without bound; the True Primordial is as precious as fine jade. When the transforming power of De descends, different teachings receive different names; when one penetrates transformation, the realms have no end. The lofty discourse is clear and luminous; the mysterious teaching is widely proclaimed. Those who can receive this teaching may have audience in the celestial court above.”

At this, the Celestial Worthy again addressed the assembled immortals of the Three Luo Immortal Bureaus, the company of immortal officials of the celestial realm: “In the working of the Heavenly Dao, what is valued above all is guidance and instruction. One must universally deliver both celestials and human beings, so that all attain the realm of ultimate subtlety—leaving the bonds of form and appearance, tending toward the realm of Wuwei (non-action), escaping the suffering of life’s generation and transformation and of being born into the human world, and obtaining the pure and refined True Primordial and a numinous, extraordinary Dao. Now I shall transmit these teachings in the Purple Empyrean, a palace of the celestial realm. Can you who cultivate the Dao take your leave at this and set out upon the path of practice?”

Thereupon, the assembled immortals were all willing to abide by the judgment of the Heavenly Emperor. At that moment the incense burners ceased to breathe forth auspicious Qi (vital energy); flowers burst into bloom, and propitious clouds of smoke rose. Immortal soldiers opened the way, reverently holding the banners; the Tianding (divine generals of the celestial realm) led the procession, precious swords in hand, their divine bearing radiant. The Immortal Lord and his retinue attended the carriage of the Heavenly Emperor. A canopy shaped like the phoenix fluttered in the wind as the dragon chariot advanced. The Heavenly Emperor rode an imperial carriage—the conveyance of sovereigns—upon five-colored auspicious clouds, while his ministers drove dragons of nine-dappled scales. The cinnabar carriage moved slowly forward, lifted into view upon clouds and rosy vapors; white cranes soared, and wind and mist shone among them. Yellow palace towers stood at uneven heights, and the blue-green sky stretched vast and deep.

Scarcely had the stone chimes sounded when immortal music began to play in graceful, winding strains; as the lingering tones of cymbals and bells dispersed, celestial music rang out once more, clear and resonant. Jade maidens waved the ceremonial insignia, flying first from the remote depths of mystery; golden lads beat the rhythm and arrived above the Zixu (the immortal realm symbolized by purple cloud-heavens).

Middle Chapter: De (Virtue/Power) Returns to Original Non-Being

In the immortal realm of Ziqing (Purple Clarity), in the land of emerald clouds, amid wreaths of immortal mist, there was a Taihuang (Grand August Sovereign). He leaned upon a jade desk formed in the shape of a yellow dragon, his bearing grave and solemn; seated in a golden carriage adorned with white scales, the equipage gave forth clear, ringing bells. Zhenren (Perfected Ones, immortals who have attained the Dao (the Way)) guarded the carriage shafts and flew in vehicles wrapped in mist and cloud; divine immortals led the way before them, and the carriage advanced, treading the cloud-Qi. When the wind stirred, radiances crossed and mingled; cloud-vapors drifted slowly, encircling the immortals’ crane cloaks (outer robes made of feathers).

The carriage passed through the Heaven of Qingyang Feishen (Clear Yang and Flying Spirits) and entered the realm of Sanjing Zixiao Miaozhen (the Three Luminaries, the Purple Empyrean, and Wondrous Perfection). Suddenly there came immortal music, clear and long-drawn. The assembled immortals drew near to listen, and the Guangling far away also gazed toward this place. One saw the cloud-Qi bearing the crane terrace gradually recede into the distance, while the wind drew the starry banners, fluttering in orderly array.

The one who presided there was styled the Immortal Lord of Qingdu (the Clear Capital). Looking up at the carriage amid the clouds, he bowed before the desk and announced: “Reverently I gaze up at the Supreme Holy One. You make a progress through the immortal realm of Ziqing, turning about in the carriage of the Nine Yangs, with the clouds of the Ten Splendors trailing behind the carriage. Now that I am fortunate enough to meet you, your servant is truly honored. I earnestly beg you to descend to your servant’s dwelling, and ask that you spare a little regard and bestow a measure of compassion.”

Thereupon, the Celestial Worthy sat calmly and upright. (The original phrase “抑如其梼” is suspected of containing corrupt characters, and its meaning is unclear.) At this moment the various perfected ones—the many immortal perfected who had attained the Dao (the Way)—gazed up with reverence at the Most Holy Celestial Worthy, watching him ride forth in the carriage of the Purple Clarity immortal realm: the chariot of the Nine Yang wound and turned, and the clouds of the Ten Blossoms trailed about the carriage. To have the good fortune now of respectfully welcoming the Celestial Worthy’s descent was truly an honor for this subject. This subject ventures to beg the grace of Heaven, that he might deign to visit this subject’s dwelling, and earnestly implores the Celestial Worthy to spare a little regard and bestow compassion.

Thereupon, the Celestial Worthy sat calmly and upright. At this time the various perfected ones, holding immortal staffs of kingfisher plumage (ceremonial insignia adorned with kingfisher feathers), descended from the imperial palace, raised the imperial carriage of Purple Clarity (the sovereign’s carriage of the Purple Clarity immortal realm), and arrived at the princely residence. Cloud-vapor gathered of itself and turned into towering mountains of cloud; the Qi (vital energy) of the Dao circulated and transformed, and the immortal gardens stretched without bound. The capital of Grand Aurora and the palace halls veiled in auspicious mist—the corridors and side halls lay faintly wrapped in cloud and fog, while the court shone with radiance. Jasper blossoms drifted down from among the clouds, and crimson standards (the red ceremonial insignia of the immortals) were arrayed in profusion below the courtyard. The azure dragon offered treasures in the pool; the white deer came to the railing with lingzhi in its mouth; divine luan moved among the flowers and grasses; and the celestial qilin breathed forth fragrance upon the jade steps. The Supreme Sovereign ascended the seat made of jasper, and the cloud officials (officials of the celestial realm) attended in the golden hall.

Thereupon, the Immortal Lord burned incense and offered a meal, and presented the offerings to the various perfected ones. After the purification rite had been completed, the Celestial Worthy, the Supreme Sovereign, said to the Immortal Lord: “I received my mandate from the Lord of Jade Clarity (a revered deity of Daoism) and was appointed to the exalted station of the upper realm. I delight in penetrating the principles of luminous perfection, and I preside over the affairs of the celestial realm and the Primordial Great Dao. Looking down upon living beings, I do not know how I ought to plan for them and guide them. They have lost De (Virtue/Power) and strayed from their original source; they do not know how to return to Grand Simplicity (the primordial state before the myriad things had differentiated). Sinking in the dusty world and unable to cease, they fill me with deep compassion.

“Thereupon I sent forth a light of numinous wonder and auspicious blessing, summoned the gods of all the heavens, and resolved to lead the myriad perfected, tour the Nine Heavens, and dispatch powerful perfected officials to carry out teaching and transformation. The teaching of the sage ruler can transform living beings by means of De. De can set Heaven and Earth at peace and cause the myriad things to grow; if people follow De, they too can cultivate and attain the immortal Dao.

“In former times, when the sage ruler taught the people of the world by means of De, neither the beings of Heaven nor the people of the world were able to understand. Only the Perfected Sovereign grasped the principle and recorded it in the Jade Capital. Tracing the matter to its root, what matters most is to prize De. Among the immortal lords of the ten directions, some had never heard the perfected writs, yet because their cultivation of De was profound they attained completion and perfection, and now they hold rank in the immortal bureaus. This is precisely the result of De reaching its highest degree.”

What is called “Heaven and humanity admit of no comparison” is a principle that only the True Sovereign can comprehend, and that he has set down in the Jade Capital (Yujing, the legendary immortal palace where the Celestial Emperor dwells). Traced to its fundamental aim, the teaching prizes virtuous conduct—De (Virtue/Power). The Immortal Lords of the Ten Directions, for example, had at first never heard the True Scriptures (Zhenwen, the sacred scriptures of Daoism), yet their cultivation of De had already reached fulfillment, so that they now hold rank in the immortal bureaus; this is precisely the result of De brought to its utmost.

Your servant’s heart is filled with awe as I reverently behold your exalted countenance. Descending from the Golden Palaces of the Nine Heavens (the celestial palaces on high), you have met the assembled immortals in one quarter of the Jade Capital, expressly setting forth the great Dao (the Way) and imparting instruction to us, your servants. Your servant ventures to ask: what good deeds did the Ten Heavenly Lords (the Heavenly Lords who govern the celestial realms of the ten directions) perform in former times, that they have now been able to become Heavenly Kings? Your servant truly cannot fathom the reason, and earnestly begs the Supreme Holy Worthy to show compassion and resolve this doubt. In the extremity of trepidation, your servant respectfully awaits the Heavenly Worthy’s decision.

Cultivating and establishing virtuous conduct is what the Taishang—the honorific title in Daoism for the supreme deity—values most; those who lose their virtue are prohibited by the Lord on High. Therefore, even those who have attained realization by according with De (Virtue/Power) must still harmonize, preserve, and cultivate these qualities in mutual interplay. Only those who delight in gathering and concentrating Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) can thereafter gain audience with Yuchen, a revered deity of the Daoist heavens. If one does not cultivate step by step and accumulate merit, how can one obtain an exalted station in the celestial realm?

Now I inquire of you all about these matters, and so the Dao of supreme goodness may be set forth at full length. You immortal lords who accumulate virtue and practice goodness formerly, while in the human world, all thoroughly understood the classics of the Three Tombs—the ancient canonical texts—and were also familiar with the seven scriptures. They widely practiced governance by virtue, brought relief to living beings, and in the end their spirits ascended to the heavens of the ten directions.

Above, Chongxu (Penetrating Emptiness), Immortal Lord of the Huangji Taidong Celestial Prefecture (Imperial Ultimate and Great Cavern), once cultivated the highest De and lovingly cared for the people. Below, Chongde (Exalted Virtue), Immortal Lord of the Zhenzhong Wanhua Celestial Prefecture (Needle Center and Myriad Transformations), formerly practiced virtuous governance and loyally served an enlightened ruler. In the Donghua region, Chenhui (Morning Radiance), Immortal Lord of the Qingyang Shenhua Celestial Prefecture (Azure Yang and Divine Transformation), once followed the way of filial piety and fraternal respect, holding in his heart the good deeds of saving life. At the southern pole, Zhuhui (Vermilion Radiance), Immortal Lord of the Danyang Yanming Celestial Prefecture (Cinnabar Yang and Blazing Brightness), accumulated good virtue in his early years and established merit that transcended the dusty world.

Qinghe (Pure Harmony), Immortal Lord of the Xiling Taisu Haode Celestial Prefecture (Western Numen, Great Simplicity, and Vast Virtue), understood the methods of awakening to the Dao, and his conduct was pure and lofty; he expounded the norms of the Three Vehicles—cultivation approaches of differing levels—and disclosed the essential purport of the Four Schools. Yuanming (Primordial Darkness), Immortal Lord of the Beizhen Taiyuan Xuanyi Celestial Prefecture (Northern Truth, Great Abyss, and Mysterious Unity), cultivated Neidan (internal alchemy) and Waidan (external alchemy), following the methods of regulating Yin-Yang; he elucidated the origins of the Four Supplements and revered the profound principles of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), the system by which Daoist scriptures are classified.

Mingwen (Luminous Writ), Immortal Lord of the Genxiang Taiyu Zhongcheng Celestial Prefecture (Gen Region, Great Brilliance, and Central Completion), accorded with the movements of the heavenly seasons and faced the rise and decline of the myriad things and of the age; he recited and studied the teachings of the Three Sovereigns and practiced the way of the Five Constants. Jindao (Advancing in the Dao), Immortal Lord of the Xunjie Daning Danhua Celestial Prefecture (Xun Realm, Great Peace, and Cinnabar Florescence), established Daoist abbeys in order to deliver living beings and carried out the teachings of Keyi (liturgy) in order to rescue the dead; he propagated the methods of the Nine Heavens and upheld the teachings of the Three Realms together with their ritual registers. Zhuhua (Vermilion Florescence), Immortal Lord of the Kunyu Guangning Chengrou Celestial Prefecture (Kun Domain, Broad Peace, and Receiving Softness), at first followed the writings of the Immortal Earl Tongxuan (Penetrating the Mystery) and in the end took as his standard the essential purport of the Perfected Dongling (Cavern Numen). He cast aside what was harmful and chose what benefits body and mind, abiding in the state of Wuwei (non-action) and according with what is natural; from time to time he practiced daoyin, guiding and stretching, in order to nurture the breath, and often regulated his breathing so that primordial Jing (essence) would return. He deeply comprehended the principles of Dongzhen and Dongxuan and accorded with the source of numinous transformation.

Youyuan (Hidden Source), Immortal Lord of the Qianwei Taihao Qingle Celestial Prefecture (Qian Dimension, Great Brilliance, and Pure Joy), once listened with wholehearted attention to the instruction of the Celestial Worthy Siming (Controller of Destiny) and also diligently cultivated the liturgical methods of the Great Dao of Hunyuan (Primordial Chaos). He distinguished Yin from Yang and black from white, and employed the way of the Mysterious Female—a conception of cultivation whose essentials are the union of Yin and Yang and generative transformation born of emptiness and stillness. He ingested celestial Qi and thereby sustained and nourished essence and spirit; he took immortal medicines in order to subdue the yin po-souls and refined the divine elixir in order to transmute the yang hun-souls. He absorbed the clear Qi of the two luminaries, sun and moon, and of the Seven Primordials, and embraced the harmonious Qi of heaven and earth in the eight directions and of the five planetary stars. Thereupon he preserved and nourished the Qi of True Unity and of Primordial Unity, and discerned the line-images of Initial Nine and Top Nine; in the end the inner elixir was brought to completion within the body, and the outer cultivation was likewise fulfilled.

All of you immortal lords formerly refined Shen and refined Qi, and also refined bodily form and substance. When ingesting elixir medicines they were without the least doubt, and they studied the medical writings of the Flame Emperor; in nurturing body and mind they had their proper methods, and they pored over the works of Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor. Thus, in the world their virtue was complete and their minds lucid; they grew weary of the dusty realm and departed from it, their fleshly bodies transformed and their spirits and souls sloughed off the old, and in broad daylight they ascended as immortals. Riding the clouds, they roamed at ease in the heaven of the Purple Pole and returned to the original source of Taisu (Great Simplicity). Even so, they had still never heard the true writs in cloud-seal script—the sacred characters and scriptures of the Daoist heavens.

Thereupon his bodily form was transformed into a wondrous body of metamorphosis. In broad daylight he attained immortality and departed, riding the clouds up into the realm of the immortals. He roamed at ease within the Purple Pole (the celestial realm) and returned to the Origin of Great Simplicity—the primordial Qi (vital energy) from before Heaven and Earth were divided, the original breath of the myriad things. This was already a state beyond which nothing further could be added; moreover, there were still those who had never heard the Cloud-Seal True Writs, the talismanic script and Jing (scripture/classic) of the celestial realm.

At this time the Immortal Lord of the Pure Capital, an immortal official of the celestial realm, raised his gaze to receive the grace of Heaven and said, “Your De (Virtue/Power) is vast indeed; all of us who serve as your subjects have together come under its transforming influence.”

At that moment the Perfected of the Purple Void of the Upper Realm, a perfected being of the upper celestial realm, was endowed with a Dao (the Way) and Qi that were pure, upright, lofty, and wondrous, and his appearance was divinely refined. Green-haired and wearing a yellow cap, clad in a crane-feather cloak and robes like clouds, he stepped out from the ranks, bowed, and addressed the Celestial Worthy: “Your servant has respectfully observed that the sacred De of our teacher, the Supreme Thearch, is displayed in the Phoenix Palace, the celestial palace, and that wondrous chapters of the Jing circulate through the cloudy heavens, gathering the source of the myriad wonders so that the vast host of numinous beings may all hear them. Your servant hopes that your sacred carriage will descend upon Kunlun, universally bestowing compassionate instruction and grandly opening words of teaching. I earnestly beg a sagely decision specially granting this.”

The Celestial Worthy said, “To discern the hidden and the subtle and to penetrate wondrous principle is for the sake of setting forth the orthodox Dao of the Former Master; to exalt the great Dao and open one’s mouth to proclaim it is to carry out the mandate of Heaven conferred by the Later Sage. Since you have made this request, the heart of the matter lies in the deliverance of all living beings. This is the finest of good deeds—how could I refuse?”

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy commanded the lords of the Nine Heavens and the kings of the Ten Extremes, dressed in garments patterned with mountains, to form an honor guard of starry banners, and ordered the celestial troops and immortals of the upper realm to accompany them. Bearing the kingfisher-plume celestial insignia—celestial regalia adorned with kingfisher feathers—they set foot upon the cloud-road of the Purple Void. No sooner had the sounds of the jade chimes at the Gate of Heaven ceased than the notes of the xiao flutes within the Door of Earth rose all together. Palace halls condensed into form and then returned to their source; pools and marshes flowed, transformed, and reverted to the Primordial Beginning. Clouds of Qi wheeled about, numinous beings followed in attendance, and radiance flickered in the wind. Gazing far off toward Kunlun, they departed on an immortal journey.

Scripture Spoken by the Celestial Worthy of Heavenly Unity of the Upper Realm on the True Origin and the Dao of Communion with the Immortals: Lower Chapter on the True Origin and Communion with the Immortals

The Nine Clarities, the lofty and remote celestial realms, stretch far and without bound, holding within them the celestial realm of Kunlun. The One Qi—the source-breath of Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things—blends and condenses, gathering in elegant beauty upon the mountain ridges of Linxi. The celestial mountains rise steep and high; the streams murmur; clear currents circle and flow; spirit pavilions and cloud-cities stand towering among them. Amid the mist and cloud, the immortals of the various heavens stand arrayed in ranks, their regalia set in order, holding the kingfisher-plume standards, the insignia of the celestial realm. The xun and the chi, ancient wind instruments...

The assembled immortals gave forth clear, ringing tones like jade stones striking one another. They were seen reverently welcoming the processional retinue of the Heavenly Emperor and entering together the mysterious and splendid gardens of the immortal realm. There purple mist curled about and divine light shifted and changed; palaces rose amid the clouds, and the courtyards resembled the Dragon Palace. Yang Jing (essence) condensed and transformed into immortal officials, who stood upon the Phoenix Steps (steps adorned with phoenix patterns). The Celestial Worthy ascended the jade altar and mounted the precious throne. The Tianzhen (perfected beings of the celestial realm) stood in attendance as guards, waiting respectfully before the seat.

At this time the Perfected of the Purple Void, together with the immortal officials serving as Attendants of the Dawn in the immortal palace, struck bells and stone chimes, burned incense and scattered flowers, chanted the chapters of jade-toned sound, presented gold coins as a rite of courtesy, bowed their heads in refuge, and waited respectfully for instruction. The Celestial Worthy above said to the Perfected of the Purple Void and the others: “In former times, the profound and mysterious Zhenyuan (the primordial root of the cosmos) came from the Great Dao (the Way) and opened the beginning of empty mystery. Its divine marvel, united as one, cannot be portrayed by form or appearance. When Taichu (the primordial age before Heaven and Earth had separated) began, it rose to the Nine Heavens and condensed into seal script. Those who recognize it are naturally able to revere it. The Supreme Lord of Wondrous Non-being enfeoffed it and was the first to set in motion the transformations of Hongmeng (the chaotic state before Heaven and Earth had separated); he further commanded the Heavenly Perfected Sovereign to continue the record of the years of Longhan (an ancient era in Daoist legend). Thereupon the Yunzhang (the writing of the celestial realm) was established and transmitted, becoming a scripture treasured by the immortal capital. These are not clamorous, extravagant words, but profound and refined chapters. I have been fortunate to receive the instruction of the Dadong (an important Daoist scripture and teaching), and therefore I practice the method of transformative instruction. Since you have raised a question, I shall now expound it.”

At this the Perfected, having heard the teacher’s compassionate instruction, bowed once more, knelt long upon the ground, and with lowered head said: “Your servant has heard that Heavenly De (Virtue/Power) is profound, far-reaching, and mysterious, and that the manifestation of the Great Dao is without end. As for the principle of the origin of De, your servant has already received clear instruction, and wishes to request the bestowal of the Yunzhuan (scriptures written in the sacred writing of the celestial realm), hoping to be granted permission. Looking up to holy De, I earnestly beg that special instruction be conferred.”

The Celestial Worthy said: “Your question is well asked. Without mysterious and deep reflection, who could pose such a question? What was said before, however, was only a brief explanation. You wish to seek the instruction of the Dao and the Yunzhuan; since permission has already been granted, look up to holy De and hear me specially proclaim for you the sound of the teaching.”

What a fine question you have asked! Without far-reaching reflection, who could pose such a question? What I said before was brief, and the principle had not yet been fully explained; now I shall set it out for you in detail.

The vast void has no bounds, and the perfected accord with what is natural. The mystery of that boundless, undifferentiated expanse, and the profound, unfathomable principle of the Great Void, are the root of manifestation and concealment, and the source of wondrous non-being and wondrous being. It cannot be understood by seeing or hearing; even when it is transmitted and put into practice, how could it be easily grasped? Only the formless true Shen (spirit) is precious, and that formless true Shen is itself the source of the primordial Jing (essence) of the Great Simplicity. The primordial Qi (vital energy) born from this source—the original Qi of the cosmos—is numinous and meets no obstruction.

How exalted is primordial Qi! It runs through above and below: rising, it becomes the vast, surging wind; descending, it bears the richly abundant water. Between wind and water, primordial Qi is present. The mysterious void is immense, and numinous Yang is deep and far-reaching. The Mysterious One is called the Father and receives the Qi of the Masculine One and of Wuying; primordial truth lies deeply stored within the gentle, yielding Way of Kun. The True One is called the Mother and receives the Jing of the Feminine One and of Baiyuan. The two aspects of Yin-Yang join to form the Great One. The Great One carries out generation and nurture and manifests divine transformation; the Three Ones are brought forth by the Jade Infant, the Nine Ones are distributed to constitute the forms of the myriad things, and the many spirits come to court the Imperial One, honoring it as their lord.

Thus the One Qi blends and coalesces, and the Nine Yang thereby lay their foundation. Its Qi is clear, empty, and subtle, hard to apprehend; moving and spreading through the dark and remote depths, the Qi of Great Harmony is generated without cease. Transformation gradually unfolds, and so the perfected of high antiquity appear. Later there are also the unsurpassed exalted perfected. In high antiquity, when chaos began to divide, they entreated the divine emperor to set Heaven and Earth in motion, separating clear Qi from turbid Qi.

They seem to do nothing, yet they bring the myriad things to completion; they seem not to enact transformation, yet transformation occurs of itself. Thereafter they elucidated the great Dao (the Way), displayed the numinous seal-script (sacred talismanic writing), recorded graphs, and left instructions; these writings are also called the Cloud Chapters. They settled the heavenly realms, presided at the center, governed the eight directions, and generated the Five Constants (the basic norms that sustain Heaven, Earth, and human relations). Thus the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and human beings) and the Nine Qi all receive the grace of the true origin.

Through the Way of Dongzhen (Cavern of Perfection, one of the Three Caverns, Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), the wondrous cycles of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water)—water, wood, fire, earth, and metal—are brought forth, and the myriad things thereby take form upon the earth. The primordial numen turns the Qi of the six climatic influences—wind, fire, heat, dampness, dryness, and cold—so that mysterious Qi is spread through the heavens. The Qi of Yin-Yang shifts and circulates with the four seasons, and the myriad things therefore grow. Reverting Yin, Lesser Yin, and Greater Yin proceed in order; Lesser Yang, Yang Brightness, and Greater Yang follow in succession, ending and beginning again, joined like a ring. This is the root of the highest spirit and the master of wondrous transformation.

Later, the radiance of the Emperor of Dongshen (Cavern of Spirit), of Primordial Undifferentiation and Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), descended into the world. The Primordial Worthy of Dongzhen further commanded the Mysterious Sovereign, Lord of the Great Dao, to write out the Cloud Chapters expressly and to designate them the True Writs (the sacred scriptures revered in Daoism). Although the text speaks of the resplendent wonder of Wuying’s birth, it also holds the profound intent of the mysterious darkness. The True Writs were engraved on red crystal jade and adorned with characters the color of cyan auroral mist. They are instructions handed down from the celestial realm, not ordinary words of the world. The Jing (scripture) was placed in a cinnabar-sealed pouch and installed in the Pavilion of Blue Auroras; divine light descended and gathered, and the scene was like clouds and mist. Afterward it was secretly stored in the Jade Bureau of the Celestial Perfected King of Shenxiao, where the Central Minister, the Immortal of the Great Void, led the fierce celestial troops in guarding the precious Keyi (liturgy), the cloud seal-script, and the True Writs.

When the kalpa of Kaihuang arrived, the Worthy of the Lofty Supreme Great Existence issued a decree to the Heaven of Jun, specially charging me to proclaim this scripture. He ordered the Immortal Duke of the Metropolitan Bureau of Great Mystery and the Perfected Lord, Upper Minister of the Celestial Pivot, to open the loft where treasures were kept, take out the scriptures not yet transmitted, and bestow them upon me. I received the charge, bowed in thanks, and withdrew, and was thus able, without limit or end, to expound the great Dao and instruct the many.

These are the supremely spiritual and supremely wondrous talismanic seals of the Celestial Worthy of Daluo; if not you, who else could bear them? Should one meet the great cycle of Heaven and Earth and encounter the time of nine and six—that is, years when strength increases and fortune flourishes—one may then mount the cloud carriage, ride the wind-drawn team, and transmit this cloud seal-script as an enduring teaching, widely imparting it and delivering living beings. Is this not excellent? Let the beings of heaven and the multitudes of the human world recite and understand it, so that the cultivation of this day may be brought to completion.

One need only carry out the heavenly decree to receive with reverence the imperial mandate, transcend the dusty world, leave the vast, surging sea of suffering, and ascend to the immortal realm where night never falls. Borne in a carriage of the azure luan, one enters the capital of the Purple Mystery, attends court in the palace of the Cinnabar Gate-towers, and roams the gardens of the Mysterious Park. Thereby one penetrates the Qi of the Dao, returns to the true origin, and partakes of transformations beyond conception and too wondrous for words. Is such sacred merit not beautiful?

Thereupon, the appointed Immortal Keeper of Writings of the Blessed Numen of the Imperial Ultimate (the immortal officer in charge of the documents of the immortal realm) transmitted the Red Jade Scripture of Great Non-Being (a red-jade text concerning the Dao (the Way) of Great Non-Being). The writing radiated light on every side; its brilliance gathered and transformed into gorgeous, many-colored splendor, and was delivered to the Perfected of Purple Vacuity (Zixu Zhenren). The Perfected received the text, bowed reverently in prayer, and made his intention known to the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun):

“The De (Virtue/Power) of the Celestial Worthy is lofty and vast. Wishing to spread abroad the profound meaning of the cloud-seal script (yunzhuan, the cloud-shaped talismanic script of Daoism), he has revealed it to celestial beings and humankind. To save those in the world who are benighted and burdened by accumulated ills, so that all may receive the teaching and transformation of the Dao—this is a grace specially conferred through the Celestial Worthy’s compassionate instruction. I know well that my own capacity is limited, and that the secret instructions I have received are not yet complete; yet, having accepted the Celestial Worthy’s charge, how dare I not comply? Now, respectfully obeying the command, I reverently expound it for all.”

The Celestial Worthy said: “If you truly wish to propagate these ancient seal scripts and cloud chapters, and to clarify the Dao of Primordial Mysterious Pervasion (Yuanshi Xuantong) within the Dongzhen (one of the Three Caverns of Daoism), you must bring your De into accord with the immortal Jing (scriptures), with nothing left wanting. If you can accomplish this together with me, and, following the turn of the times, deliver and transform the many, then it is indeed, just as you have said, a great undertaking.”

The “Cloud Seal Script of the Three Heavens” is the writing of the Dao (the Way) in its mysterious, wondrous, and supremely true form. The Dao is vast without bounds, profound and hard to fathom, seeming at once to be and not to be, and continuing without end. Boundless and immense, it originally had no name. The chaos before Heaven and Earth had separated was likewise without limit; only afterward, passing through the “Five Greats,” did things gradually come into being. The Dao is silent and empty, yet from this it begins to move and transform. Between stillness and movement, and between change and clarity, the myriad things respond.

The Mysterious Lord brings the myriad things into being, and the Yellow Mother nurtures souls. The surging, harmonizing Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang spreads and intermingles, and the forms of the myriad things gradually become distinct. “Primordial Azure” establishes a covenant and marks the gateways of the eight directions, so that the myriad kinds may be generated and sentient beings nourished. The supreme primordial Qi is vast and abundant. Though it has no written characters, it is nowhere absent, spread through the four directions like warp and weft. The primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth circulates without rest, nourishing all things and continuing unbroken from antiquity to the present.

The De (Virtue/Power) of the immortals extends everywhere, and their cultivation returns to an undifferentiated, settled wholeness. They harmonize grace and bounty, steady the mountains, and transmute the root of true Qi. Within the Mud-Pellet Palace dwells the Emperor One; within the Cinnabar Origin is the Yang Infant. The Crimson Palace shines in splendor, and the Yellow Court is filled with the Qi of Great Harmony. When the work of cultivation is complete, one may ride the clouds and ascend to the palace-capitals of the upper realms. The Daluo Heaven is vast and remote, and within it stands the Palace of Jade Clarity. The lord of the teaching descends with instruction, setting forth the principle of being and non-being. Once the Way of the Nine True Ones is opened, the original root of life becomes deep, far-reaching, and lucid.

Chapter: “The Wondrous Unity of Being and Non-being”

Yin and Yang, female and male, alike issue from the Primordial One. As primordial Qi transforms, Shen (spirit) and illumination are born. The constant Dao abides at the beginning of the Great Commencement, and the mysterious source is transformed into Qi.

When subtle, it enters deep into the realm of wondrous being; when vast, it fills Heaven and Earth. By visualizing the Holy Lord, one may guard true nature and the true spirit. “Yinchen Taishi” and “Yanghua, the Honored Qi” are sacred titles in the scripture (Jing). Light emerges and auspicious signs appear; the spirits set forth in solemn procession to receive the rites.

What the realm of the Empty Cavern honors is the enclosing, upholding, and opening of precious wonder. The divine phoenix beats its wings and dances, and a white-gold radiance appears in the Jasper Fields. The Three Blossoms manifest, the Cinnabar Mystery shines forth, and the ninefold gates of Heaven stand arrayed together with all the heavens. Wondrous creative transformation enables all beings to be delivered and to advance toward long life.

Chapter: “The Primordial Dao of Dongzhen” (one of the Three Caverns)

“The hollow void penetrates the True; Wu Ying and Bai Yuan. Vast numina leap forth, long do the Five Emperors expand the immortals. Rousing and bestowing upon the Nine Abysses, wondrous transformation connects and brings life forth…” This passage is garbled in many places and cannot be reliably deciphered. The sense of the phrases that can be made out is roughly this: the true Dao (the Way) is deep and secluded, yet freely penetrating; wondrous transformation can run through all things and bring living beings into being. The practitioner should refine and nurture subtle Qi (vital energy), cultivate secret methods, make body and spirit (Shen) long-enduring, and penetrate the vast Dao. The remaining fragmentary lines should not be forced into an interpretation.

Thereupon the Perfected of the Purple Void (Zixu Zhenren, the title of a Daoist immortal) bowed in salute toward the one above and took his leave. He mounted a divine steed and departed as though treading the clouds and rose-colored mists. Immortal music struck up, and its sound shook open the music of heaven. As he left, attendants bearing azure canopies and yellow banners, together with celestial officers wearing star crowns and robes of cloud, accompanied him, and the many subordinate officials all trod the emerald mist. The mist drifted slowly, and with it the gate of heaven opened.

At that time the perfected and the immortals of the various heavens repeatedly listened to the compassionate and exalted discourses of the Void Sovereign (Xuhuang, the title of a Daoist high deity). They said, “We are truly fortunate to have received the sage’s grace. The sage has clarified the mysteries of the transformations of the true spirits, and has also made plain the principle by which Primordial Qi (Yuanqi, the fundamental Qi through which heaven and earth generate the myriad things) runs through life.” The whole assembly was gladly and fully convinced, and looked up in reverence to this lofty teaching. Together they offered praise and chanted the Buxu (verse in praise of the immortals, used in Daoist ritual); the singing seemed like celestial immortals riding the clouds and flying out from the grotto-heavens.

In the hazy immortal realm of spontaneity there dwells the free and unfettered Lord of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Zun, a Daoist high deity). As far back as the Kaihuang Kalpa (Kaihuang jie, a Daoist reckoning of cosmic ages), the scripture (Jing) had already been handed down, and transmitted to the present day it has become cloud seal script (Yunzhuan, the seal-script form used in Daoism for writing scriptures). It elucidates profound principles and also proclaims the true meaning of Dongzhen (one of the Three Caverns, Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen, a classification of Daoist scriptural teachings). The great Dao is vast and penetrating; the wondrous origin spreads and circulates; divine transformation accords with pure stillness and the hidden dark. What, in the end, do these principles mean? Their fundamental aim is to save and deliver the many. If a person can turn toward the teaching of the great Dao, they may ascend like the clouds and go to serve in the palaces of the Imperial Lord.

The immortals took their leave and withdrew, each riding the clouds back to the heavenly palaces, the palace compounds of the celestial realm. At that moment the jade dragon raised its head, and in its chanting roar there appeared a majesty wreathed in rosy light; the golden luan stretched its neck and cried long, singing a song like the dance music of heaven. The immortals of the Juntian, the center of the heavens, wore a solemn bearing, raising the precious swords of the Nine Palaces and brandishing the Ten-Absolute spirit banners, the spirit banners used in Daoist ritual. Our Celestial Worthy of the Upper Realm looked pleased, riding in a chariot drawn by divine dragons and adorned with jade, upon which was held high the jeweled canopy of the carriage bells, the ceremonial canopy of his retinue.

The celestial maidens, graceful in posture, held jade pots filled with fuqu, that is, lotus flowers, giving off a clear and rich fragrance; the immortal ladies, lovely in appearance, carried the golden censers of the Wondrous Cavern, auspicious incense curling within them. They waved the banner of Great Transformation and Beholding the Marvelous, a banner symbolizing the transformations of the Great Dao (the Way) and its mystery, and struck the cadence pieces of True Splendor and Jasper Light, musical instruments used to mark the rhythm of ritual. The morning songs and music offered in attendance on the Celestial Worthy sounded forth, clear and pleasing to the ear. Divine troops escorted the progress, and banners streamed in the wind.

An auspicious breeze gently stirred collars and sleeves, setting the pendant jades chiming; auspicious clouds slowly gathered, encircling the chariot and likewise winding about the colored robes. As the Celestial Worthy was about to return to the celestial palace, the palace of heaven, he first advanced above the river of stars. Thereupon the blue-green books recorded the phoenix-script Fulu (talismans and registers), and the dragon-seal incense in the elixir cauldron gradually died away. Ah—on Mount Kunlun the clouds drift and fly, and osmanthus blossoms fall like rain, filling the heart with delight; the scene of palace and altar gathers and then disperses—where now is the sound of the golden cymbals?

The transformations of the heavenly realm reach a state of utmost marvel, mysterious and profound, dim and hard to fathom; it is a realm resembling neither wind nor dew, dwelling in a faint subtlety that seems at once to be and not to be. The True Origin returns to the foundation of the Primordial Beginning, the undifferentiated primordial state of the cosmos, and empty stillness, the realm of pure quiet and emptiness, returns to the root of the Nameless.

In the original text, the passage from “about to return within the celestial palace” to “where now is the sound of the golden cymbals” is repeated once.

Here ends the Shangfang Tianzun Shuo Zhenyuan Tongxian Daojing, the Jing (scripture/classic) in which the Celestial Worthy of the Upper Realm expounds the True Origin and the Dao of communion with the immortals.

Shigong of the Great Clarity addressed Ziming and said: “I have heard that progress in one’s studies depends on the disciple’s unceasing application, while the methods of the Dao (the Way) must be transmitted by the teacher. Although the disciple begins by learning from the teacher and receiving the first instruction, seeking out the fundamental principle ultimately depends on one’s own inborn nature. Thus Bo Le, a man skilled at judging horses, cannot turn an inferior horse into a thousand-li steed, nor can an excellent craftsman work coarse wood and stone into pillars and beams. Rotten wood cannot be carved, and a wall built of dung and earth cannot be whitewashed.

The Zhenyuan lu says: The founding patriarchs and former masters were pure, still, calm, and plain, according with what is natural, and devoted themselves wholly to enabling people to attain long life. Yet living beings are blinded by desire and craving; how could they not thereby incur blame? The highest sages teach the world with compassion and always do their utmost to rescue them.

While a person is alive in the world, the body may become unwell: a mild case becomes a minor illness, and a severe one develops into grave disease. If one then meets with various calamities, one may also be harassed by ghosts and demons. At that time one should face the Gate of Heaven in the northwest, burn incense, and reverently recite the titles of the following ten exalted deities. The first is the Celestial Master (Tianshi), Utmost Sage of Qianyuan, of the Upper Realm; the second, the Dharma King of Supreme Perfection, Central Sovereign of Great Non-Being; the third, the Teaching Lord of True Origin, Great Sovereign of the Nine Yang; the fourth, the Immortal Lord of the Unsurpassed Three Caverns Who Opens Transformation; the fifth, the Supreme Thearch of the Ten Heavens who, pure in extending sagely capacity and moved by compassionate pity, transforms all equally through the wondrous Dao of Great Constancy; the sixth, the Most Honored One of Supreme De (Virtue/Power), pure and still, who pardons transgressions in response to the titles of the many heavens; the seventh, the Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure, the Limitless Most High of the Upper Realm; the eighth, the Heavenly Worthy of the Dao and the De, the Limitless Most High of the Upper Realm; the ninth, the Heavenly Worthy of All-Pervading Compassion Who Saves from Suffering, of the Upper Realm; and the tenth, the Heavenly Worthy of the Jade Void, the Brilliant Sovereign, of the Upper Realm.”

What is meant here by “reverent recitation” is that, after incense has been burned, one bows respectfully and recites the honored titles; facing the Gate of Heaven in the northwest is the direction of veneration prescribed by the scripture.

The Daozang, the comprehensive collection of Daoist scriptures, is preserved in ornate cases, and the immortals honor the titles of the Celestial Worthies. In the blessed places of the mundane world, people propagate the scriptures of the Most High. If one worships and recites them with reverence and sincere faith, the living receive blessings and protection; if one offers incense and flowers, the dead may be reborn in the heavens. May all people alike partake of these efficacious graces. If one further requests talisman water, healing may also be obtained.

Thus the talisman is Heaven’s token of trust, and water is one manifestation of the Dao (the Way). When the Qi (vital energy) of the Dao is taken into the body, peace and well-being naturally follow. On the days Jiazi, Jiayin, Jiachen, Jiawu, Jiashen, and Jiaxu, one should worship with single-minded reverence the Wise Divine King of the Upper Regions, the Great General of the Equal Heaven, the Superior Numinous Lad of the True Primordial Medicine Immortal, and the other deities, praying that they descend, exert their divine power, and diffuse primordial Qi so as to cure illness, expel evil, and remove calamity. The prayers that follow are all to be offered in this manner and need not be named again. On the Three Primes and Eight Nodes, the major festivals of Daoism, the cloud seal-script of the True Primordial of the Upper Regions—the Daoist talismanic script of that True Primordial—is to be written on blue-green paper.

Incantation:

In the beginning of the Primordial Commencement, all came into being of itself. The Qi of Green Yang is deep and luxuriant; its mysterious transformations are vast, empty, and boundless, measureless and without form.

Primordial Qi congeals into lands and realms; fragrant vapors spread through the world and become the allotted names of the myriad things. They cover all the heavens and universally nourish living beings.

Palaces amid the clouds stand like a golden net, lofty and towering, within the realm of Highest Clarity (Shangqing), one of the heavens venerated in Daoism. All twelve ranks attain the utmost honor and manifest primordial essence (Jing).

Sounds clear as jade reach into the obscure and subtle; the mysterious echoes ring pure as fine jade. When the chant is uttered, the Imperial Lord and the Perfected descend into the court.

Divine majesty bends and shines forth, bestowing grace, and I reverently offer worship to the superior spirits. May I stand as high as Heaven and shine together with the sun, moon, and stars—the Three Luminaries.

Forever preserved within the Great Void, I shall not be overthrown through the cycles of the kalpas. I respectfully obey the command of the Most High Imperial Lord. Let the decree be swiftly enacted.

In the sexagenary cycle (liushi jiazi) corresponding to each person—the cycle for reckoning days formed by combining the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches—one selects the appropriate days in sequence and performs worship according to the complete ritual.

On the days Yichou, Yimao, Yisi, Yiwei, Yiyou, and Yihai, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Power (Youli Shenwang), the General of Heavenly Power (Tianli Jiangjun), the Youth of the Upper Mystery (Shangxuan Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Bingzi, Bingyin, Bingchen, Bingwu, Bingshen, and Bingxu, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Wisdom (Youhui Shenwang), the General of Great Majesty (Dawei Jiangjun), the Youth of the Upper Prime (Shangyuan Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Dingchou, Dingmao, Dingsi, Dingwei, Dingyou, and Dinghai, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Majesty (Youwēi Shenwang), the General of Heaven Above (Tianshang Jiangjun), the Youth of the Upper Void (Shangxu Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Wuzi, Wuyin, Wuchen, Wuwu, Wushen, and Wuxu, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Form (Youxiang Shenwang), the General of Heavenly Penetration (Tiantong Jiangjun), the Youth of the Upper Emptiness (Shangkong Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Jichou, Jimao, Jisi, Jiwei, Jiyou, and Jihai, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of De (Virtue/Power; Youde Shenwang), the General of Heavenly Light (Tianguang Jiangjun), the Youth of the Upper Immortals (Shangxian Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Gengzi, Gengyin, Gengchen, Gengwu, Gengshen, and Gengxu, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Numinous Power (Youling Shenwang), the General of Heavenly Wisdom (Tianzhi Jiangjun), the Youth of the Upper Perfected (Shangzhen Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Xinchou, Xinmao, Xinsi, Xinwei, Xinyou, and Xinhai, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Awe (Youwèi Shenwang), the General of the Heavenly Numen (Tianling Jiangjun), the Youth of Upper Wisdom (Shangzhi Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Renzi, Renyin, Renchen, Renwu, Renshen, and Renxu, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Vision (Youjian Shenwang), the General of Heavenly Fruition (Tianguo Jiangjun), the Youth of Upper Form (Shangxiang Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

On the days Guichou, Guimao, Guisi, Guiwei, Guiyou, and Guihai, one worships with single-minded reverence the Divine King of Penetration (Youtong Shenwang), the General of the Heavenly Canopy (Tiangai Jiangjun), the Youth of Upper De (Shangde Tongzi), and the other deities of that assembly.

All these days within the six jia decades (liujia xun) are occasions for reverently saluting the True Primordial Spirits (Zhenyuan Shen), the deities spoken of in the scripture (Jing).

On the days Guichou, Guimao, Guisi, Guiwei, Guiyou, and Guihai, one should with a sincere heart pay homage to the assembled spirits (Shen), including Youtong Shenwang (the Divine King of Penetrating Communion), Tiangai Jiangjun (General of the Heavenly Canopy), Shangde Tongzi (the Youth of Supreme De [Virtue/Power]), and the other deities.

On these six Gui days, the homage paid to the immortal and divine host of Zhenyuan (the True Origin) carries one and the same prayer: that they rescue and protect all living beings and grant them peace and joy.

If someone swallows this object, disasters can be removed. It not only dispels calamity and resolves misfortune, but also treats illness and heals disease. So long as one is single-minded and sincerely reverent, a response will be stirred, and one may obtain the Formula of the Nine Perfected (Jiuzhen)—the wondrous methods of which Daoism speaks.

If someone wears this object, it can protect the person. It not only safeguards the body and settles the primordial spirit, but also brings blessings and eliminates disaster. It is, moreover, a treasure recorded in the golden registers and purple slips, and in the green characters of the Jade Capital. When ordinary people thereby gain health and tranquility, this is called planting a great field of merit. Within that field of merit one cultivates the unsurpassed Dao (the Way) of the True Origin; when merit and practice are complete, one can ascend as an immortal.

According to a careful reading of the Shengji Jing (scripture/classic): if someone, on the twenty-ninth day of each month, worships and recites the ten honored titles of the Celestial Worthy of the Upper Regions, that person will not fall into hell in time to come. The Yuxiu Jing says that when a good person is near death, the ancestors will of themselves proceed to the Realm of Spontaneity in the Upper Regions and be reborn according to their wishes. Next, the Preface to the Diagram of the Celestial Officials says that the source of the Dao is emptiness and non-being, and that from the vague and elusive the myriad things come into appearance. The Qi (vital energy) of the myriad things is primordially harmonious and gently interfused, and, following the cycles of transformation, begins to differentiate and take form. Subtle and wondrous images manifest in the realm of mystery, and palaces are arrayed in places of purity; faint and minute forms secretly coalesce, opening grotto residences in famous mountains. The Primordial Sovereign existed before emperors possessed of physical form; spontaneously and independently transforming, he stood transcendent as the ruling lord. Deep, limpid, and secluded in stillness, he can yet, through sympathetic response, commune with the myriad things—truly how great he is.

The Yujing Jing says that the immortals of the Ten Blossoms assemble and that purple mist congeals into palaces. This shows that the Dao of the sages is plain to see, and that when Dao and De are cultivated to completion one can become an immortal. Thus King Xuan accords with the pattern of affairs and does not cling to any fixed judgment of what may or may not be done; the Most High governs by Wuwei (non-action), yet there is nothing he cannot accomplish. The Mysterious Sovereign mounted a white deer and ascended to heaven; the Yellow Emperor bestrode a fire dragon and transcended the world. Dwelling on high in golden halls and resting secure on jasper terraces, they all understood the Dao of long life. Seen in this light, these records have a firm basis and are by no means empty or false.

Cultivating the Dao (the Way) and establishing De (Virtue/Power) may be understood, in broad terms, as comprising five levels.

The first is to cultivate the Dao in oneself: to quiet the inner mind, to render one’s disposition open and cheerful, to cherish primordial Qi (vital energy), to nurture and regulate Shen (spirit), and to reduce selfish motives and desires. In this way one can add to one’s lifespan and prolong one’s years, and can also rid oneself of every kind of false and hypocritical conduct. Only when one possesses De of this sort does one’s conduct become that of a True Person who has attained the Dao.

The second is to cultivate the Dao within the family: the father is loving and the children are filial; brothers are affectionate and harmonious; husband and wife trust one another and are worthy, good, and virtuous; and the household, high and low, lives together in concord. When De is practiced to this point, the family’s blessings more than suffice.

The third is to cultivate the Dao in the village community: honoring and providing for the elderly, caring for and nurturing children, and instructing those of shallow understanding, so that the common people are harmonious and united and those above and below trust and respect one another. De of this kind can then endure.

The fourth is to cultivate the Dao in the state: the ruler keeps faith and the ministers are loyal; the business of the court proceeds without obstruction; the institutions of ritual and music flourish of themselves; the hundred officials each attend to their own duties; calamity and disorder do not arise; and the five grains and material wealth are abundant. De of this kind is then full and complete.

The fifth is to cultivate the Dao throughout all under heaven: without relying on verbal persuasion, people can still be morally transformed, and without harsh commands and instructions the world can still be well governed. Affairs are handled with ease and in accord with what is natural, so that the myriad things are harmonious and interconnected; every household can dwell in peace and keep to propriety; and transformative teaching even reaches distant foreign lands. De of this kind then extends throughout the world.

Those who practice in accord with the Dao and establish De are able to live long; those who go against the great Dao and abandon De will die.

Thus in heaven there are four groups of stellar officials who investigate human affairs. They lie between the lunar mansions Xu (Emptiness) and Wei (Rooftop), near the Ren star (the “Human” star), and are charged with overseeing the human world. The two stars of the Director of Destiny (Siming) govern people’s merit and fault, their lifespans, and the granting and withdrawing of rewards. The two stars of the Director of Emolument (Silu) govern salary, official rank, clothing, and food. The two stars of the Director of Peril (Siwei) govern arrogance, unrestrained indulgence, and improper conduct. The two stars of the Director of Wrong (Sifei) govern deviant thoughts, delusion, and selfish motives.

Heaven’s intent is bright and manifest, and the work of inspection is clear and evident; the stellar officials of heaven also descend into the human world. The sun and moon at every moment illuminate and examine the affairs of the age. Is this not worthy of people’s careful reflection, so that they may understand the principle within it?

Background note: The names Siming, Silu, Siwei, and Sifei here are titles of Daoist stellar officials, expressing the idea that the celestial realm inspects human lifespan, fortune and emolument, and conduct. In the original text, the sentences on “cultivating the Dao in the village” and “cultivating the Dao in the state” contain repetition and displaced passages; this rendering treats them separately according to context.

This passage consists mainly of pronunciation notes for rare characters in the Jing (scripture/classic), covering phonetic annotations for the upper, middle, and lower sections. There are no continuous scriptural sentences that can be translated. Some characters and words appear more than once, and toward the end a number of characters have become garbled and cannot be identified.

The opening lists the pronunciations and fanqie spellings of characters such as 栥, 摐, 翇, 比, 戍, 吹, and 告; among them, words and characters such as 有间, 无间, 见, 馤, and 軴 are also given pronunciation notes. The middle section marks the readings of characters such as 羾, 浩, 涆, 累, 黅, 衣, and 熠. The lower section lists the readings of characters such as 岘, 阇, 思, 汜, 斁, 奭, 墿, and 櫜; a long stretch that follows cannot be read reliably because the characters are corrupted, and at the end the pronunciations of characters such as 卤, 暠, 考, 蹻, 吭, 搿, and 皇 are again indicated.

Here, “音某” means that the pronunciation is stated directly, while “某某切” is the traditional fanqie method of phonetic notation, in which two characters are used together to spell the reading of one character. These pronunciation notes serve only to help the reader recite and recognize rare characters; they are not the scriptural text itself.

The wording here appears to contain omissions or to require a note on textual collation: after “不可无,” one suspects that the text should be supplied as “不可无名”; two characters may be missing before “元真”; and the character “物” has been restored on the basis of the context.