《天心正法修真道场设醮仪》

The Tianxin Zhengfa Xiuzhen Daochang She Jiao Yi (Ritual for Establishing a Jiao Offering at the Tianxin Zhengfa Practice Altar) is a Daoist liturgy (Keyi) for conducting a Zhaijiao purification ritual. The rite proceeds according to the ritual protocol. The Duijiang (the master who assists in presiding over the liturgy) raises the rites, and the Gaogong (the master who presides over the ritual) performs visualization (cunnian, quieting the mind and contemplating) according to the rite. He then intones the "Incantation of the Spirits of the Five Directions," petitioning the spirits of the five directions to guard the altar, drive out malevolent forces, and secure and calm the sacred space.

East

In the Heaven of the Nine Qi of the East (the heaven formed from the nine azure primordial Qi of the east), there dwells the Great Spirit of the Bright Star. His radiance illuminates the east and shines through all nine gates. He turns his torchlight and sweeps away filth and malevolent Qi. The Youths of Opening Brightness make ready and guard my chariot, subduing demons, binding evil spirits, and reporting to the Sovereign. I follow the upright Way of the divine powers and revere the Red Writ and Jade Script (sacred Daoist talismanic script). By the Talismanic Mandate of the Nine Heavens, I send dragon couriers to carry my commands, so that all under heaven may be universally pacified and secured, and I may ascend and become an immortal.

South

In the Cinnabar Heaven of the South, three streams of Qi flow and shine. The star Yinghuo (Mars) turns and casts its light, illuminating the realm of Great Yang through and through. In the heavens are the Red Essence and the Spirit Youth of Opening Brightness, who command the fire troops and guard the Three Palaces (celestial palaces). They cut down evil spirits, bind demons, and exterminate the demon kings. The power led by the Northern Emperor spreads through the eight directions, with wind and fire working together. The Flowing Bells (a Daoist ritual implement) blaze with flames that answer one another; who would dare disobey? The upright Way spreads widely, and I receive the merit of Heaven. May Heaven endure and preserve us, and may this continue without end through billions of kalpas.

West

In the Heaven of the Seven Qi of the West, the star Taibai (Venus) spreads its radiant essence. Its light shines upon the Golden Gate and penetrates the depths of the underworld. Within dwells the Plain Sovereign, titled the Emperor of Spirits. He protects the divine powers, keeps all secure, and guards my body. He cuts off the roots of malevolent forces so that the Jade Way (the upright Daoist Way) is made clear and upright. The palaces stand orderly and solemn, and the three radiances of sun, moon, and stars shine together. In accord with the natural Dao, I ascend to the Purple Court (the celestial court of the immortals). The Talismanic Mandate of Lingbao bestows grace widely upon all beings, and its merit extends to all, so that heaven and earth may be at peace.

Note: In the original, a passage beginning at "merit extends to one" is repeated; the above merges it in translation according to the sense.

North

In the Mysterious Heaven of the North, the Five Qi come and go in their courses. The star Chen (Mercury) shines brightly, illuminating Taiwei (the celestial star palace). The Black Spirit, the Venerable Deity, wears the feathered robes of the flying immortals and guards the Five Gates, inspecting and seizing malevolent forces. If any evil thing dares to trespass, he destroys it with the might of Huoluo. The commands transmitted by the Jade Talisman make divine power shake the eight directions. The gates of evil are sealed and the upright Way of light is opened; may divine radiance shine upon my body, and may the sun, moon, and stars shine together. I ride the void and mount the clouds, and my whole body ascends to become an immortal.

Center

In the original, only the heading "Center" is listed here; no corresponding incantation is recorded.

The Qi (vital energy) of the Yellow Center harmonizes the primordial Qi and presides over the whole host of the Perfected. The Garrison Star (Saturn, as it is called in Daoism) sends forth its radiance and illuminates the Nine Heavens. Twelve Youths of Opening Brightness, bearing primordial Qi and yang Jing (essence), transform into red vapor that streams upward, shining across the whole world and upon us as well. They cause every kind of baleful influence to scatter and retreat, and they seize and bring under control the multitude of ghosts and demons. The Divine Spell of Zhongshan (a Daoist ritual incantation) extends its protection to all under heaven. The numinous Shen (spirits) of the five directions settle and keep guard, so that human beings may rise in flight and become immortals.

Next, the dujiang (the Daoist priest who assists in presiding over the rite) chants, and the ritual drum is sounded twenty-four times.

Next, the gaogong ritual master (the Daoist priest who presides over the rite) issues the censer (burning incense to invite the deities).

Most High Lord Lao of the Unsurpassed Three Heavens, of the Mysterious, Primordial, and Inaugural Three Qi: call forth from within our bodies the Merit Officers of the Three and the Five, the official messengers of the left and the right, the incense-bearing relay dragons and mounted officers of the left and the right, the Golden Lads who attend the incense, the Jade Maidens who carry word and scatter flowers, the direct-talisman officers of the Five Emperors, and the incense officers assigned to this day—thirty-six of each. We ask these divine officers to set their bearing in order and to announce to the earth deity of this place and the orthodox Shen of this territory: I now formally burn incense. At the request of a certain person, in a certain place and for a certain matter, I open a certain zhai, to be held for a certain number of days and nights; and on the day the retreat is dispersed I establish one pure jiao (a pure sacrificial offering rite), setting out a certain number of places (seats for the deities who are honored). May this be made known throughout the ten directions, and may we covenant and pray with the Shen of the Three Realms, so as to seek grace, repent of faults, pray for blessings and the dispelling of disaster, preserve the clan, bring peace to the household, prolong life, and add to the years allotted. May the living Qi of the Correct and True of the Most High and the ten directions descend and flow into our bodies, so that what I petition may quickly rise and be delivered directly into the presence of the Most True and Limitless Great Dao (the Way), and before the Jade Emperor, Supreme Lord of Vast Heaven.

Next, the gaogong ritual master says: “Let each of you officers kneel upright.”

Next, the gaogong ritual master steps forward and receives the Jing (scripture/classic) and registers, together with the parish office (the ritual registers conferred by the Daoist tradition and the appointment that goes with them).

I respectfully ask that the true officers of the five parts of my body, and the merit officers and clerks, set out for the Upper Three Heavens, to take up the duties of enforcing the law, opening and transforming Yin-Yang, conveying people into the Dao, dispersing calamity and scattering misfortune, and releasing disaster and distress. Lords and clerks, twelve in all, please come forth from the ritual registers I have received, and assume the scriptures, registers, and offices of the parish.

I respectfully request that the true officials, Merit Officers, and clerks within my body who govern the five parts of the body set out and ascend to the Upper Three Heavens, there to carry out the statutes and ordinances, harmonize Yin-Yang, transmit the methods of the Dao (the Way), eliminate disasters, and resolve calamities. The lords and clerks named in the falu—the credential of ritual office conferred by the Daoist tradition upon the priest—twelve of each, shall set out as well.

From within the parish, let two of each be dispatched: the Great General Who Plants the Staff and Supervises Merit; the Directors and Vice-Directors of the relay courts of the Front Division for Rendering Merit and the Rear Division for Rendering Execution; the audience attendants who supervise merit in the four divisions; the direct-envoy Merit Officers of the upper immortals and upper numina; the messengers of the left and right offices; and the divine central clerks of Yin-Yang.

All officials who set out shall set their robes in order, put on their caps, fasten their belts, let their cap-strings hang, and compose a dignified bearing. Those charged with enforcing the law shall wear a vermilion-Yang headcloth and a Heaven-Penetrating Crown, a black silk unlined robe, and a dragon-headed sword at the waist. Those charged with bearing documents shall wear a dark-Yin headcloth and a Crown of Nine Virtues, a deep-red unlined robe, and a tiger tally at the waist, and shall hold a jade tablet in their hands.

The direct-envoy Merit Officers take their stations in the four directions; the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Merit Officers stand at the center; and the Merit Officers who cure illness guard my body. The messenger of the left office goes in front, holding the staff of authority; the messenger of the right office follows behind, bearing the banner. The Yang-spirit adjudicating clerks stand on the left, and the Yin-spirit central clerks stand on the right. The Merit Officers of the upper section likewise take their stations in the four directions; the Zhengyi Merit Officers again occupy the center; the Merit Officers who cure illness guard my body; and the messengers of the left and right offices and the divine clerks of Yin-Yang each keep to their posts.

The Merit Officers of the upper section are stationed above; those of the middle section are stationed in the midst of my body; and the Merit Officers who urge the Qi (vital energy) impel the ten directions. The messengers of the upper section gaze afar toward heaven; those of the middle section survey the eight directions from afar; and the messengers of the metropolitan offices encircle and guard my body. The gentleman-clerks and the tiger braves watch for treachery and deviance. The hook-riders, the commanders of the metropolitan offices, and the stalwart strongmen of heaven keep order. The clerks who uphold the orthodox gather in the spirits; the spirit-devouring clerks gather in the ghosts; the ghost-devouring clerks gather in Qi; the Qi-devouring clerks gather in poisons; the poison-devouring clerks gather in Jing (essence); the essence-devouring clerks gather in deviant Qi; the deviance-devouring clerks destroy talismanic spells; the temple-breaking clerks dispel baleful influences with the firm wind; the mounted-relay clerks transmit the courier reports; and the petition clerks, the flying-dragon mounted clerks, and the rest are all stationed to my left and right and before and behind me.

I ask these officials to hear my report and to notify, each in their charge, the earth god of this place and the true officials of the region. I ask the orthodox gods to inspect and oversee, and to summon the Lords of Universal Peace of the left and the right. The Twenty-Eight Parishes established by the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the Thirty-Six Pure Lodges, the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands, and the Three Hundred and Sixty Famous Mountains, together with the divinities of the Upper Palace of Kunlun and of the grotto-heavens, seas, and sacred peaks; the Three Primordials and Four Beginnings, the Twenty-Four Qi, the Twelve Directing Gods, Grand Year and Grand Yin, the various official lords of the jiazi cycle, and the 236,000 spirits who uphold the true primordial orthodox Qi—all are asked to receive their commands at the proper time and to take part in the business of the petition. The Yi of the east, the Man of the south, the Rong of the west, the Di of the north, and the Three Tai of the center, together with the Divine Lords of the Five Elders and the numinous officers and commanders of the mountains, rivers, streams, and valleys, are likewise asked to present the memorial with sincere hearts.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, of empty non-being and the self-so; the Most High Lord of the Dao of the Limitless Great Dao (the Way); the Most High Lord Lao; and the Jade Emperor, August and Supreme Sovereign of Vast Heaven, Emperor of Highest De (Virtue/Power), the Most High who opens Heaven, wields the talisman, governs the epochs, contains the True, and embodies the Dao; the Holy Ancestor, Lofty Spirit of the Exalted Dao, Great Emperor and Celestial Worthy of the Nine Heavens who commands destiny and protects life; the Great Emperor, Celestial Sovereign of Purple Tenuity; and the Great Emperor of the Northern Pole of Purple Tenuity; the Empress who receives Heaven’s charge and models herself upon its patterns, whose abundant De shines vast and great, Sovereign Earth-Spirit and Great Sage of the Primordial Heaven (the deity Houtu); the Emperors of the Thirty-two Heavens; the Great Celestial Emperors of the Eastern Florescent, the Southern Pole, the Western Numinous, and the Subtle Heaven; the Great Emperor of the Northern Pole of Purple Tenuity; the Sovereign Earth-Spirit and Great Sage of the Primordial Heaven; and the Emperors of the Thirty-two Heavens; the immortals of the Eastern Florescent, the Southern Pole, the Western Numinous, and the Northern Perfected, together with the Lord of the Dao, Utmost Perfected of the Numinous Treasure and Luminous Sovereign, of the Jade Capital and Golden Portal of the Immortal Metropolis, the Jasper Terrace of the Seven Treasures, and the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity; the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors; the Star Lords of the Eleven Luminaries; the venerable stars of the Southern Chronogram and the Northern Dipper; the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water; the Star Lords of the Twenty-eight Lunar Mansions; the Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Center; the Great Ritual Masters of the Three Heavens; the Counselor of the Court of the Celestial Pivot; the sages of the Northern Pole Court for Expelling Evil; the Three Masters of the Numinous Treasure; the Perfected Lords of the Four Saints; the Four Bureaus of the Celestial Administration; the Imperial Lords of the Five Marchmounts; the patron of the purification rite; the ritual master; the Lords of the stars and Dipper of establishment and birth; the True Officers of one’s natal destiny and original chronogram; the venerable deities of the year’s De; and all perfected immortals, together with the officers and subordinates of the Three Realms:

Your servant, through the karmic conditions of former lives, has had the good fortune to practice the teachings of the ritual law. From the day the covenant was sworn, it was agreed that this method would be carried out, that the Truth of the Dao would be reverently upheld, and that the ritual assembly would be honored. I earnestly beg all you divine perfected to look down and examine the utmost sincerity of my heart, and to bestow the grace of relief, salvation, and deliverance. May you divine perfected grant auspicious portents, so that I may receive sacred favor; may I be freed from the entanglements and obstructions of the dusty world, so that the Qi (vital energy) of the Dao—the generative and transformative Qi of the Dao—fills body and mind; may deeds of relief and benefit be widely performed, and unforeseen evil influences driven away. I wish only to rely upon the Holy Spirits, and that they condescend to grant my devout prayer. Your servant, So-and-so, in fear and trembling, bows the head and sets forth this plea with the utmost earnestness, and respectfully submits this memorial.

The Dujiang (the officiant in the ritual assembly who leads the chanting of the liturgical texts) then leads the chant, and each person announces his or her ritual rank.

The Daoist assembly silently recites the Jing (scriptures/classics) and registers they have received, together with their governing offices (the titles of office a Daoist priest holds after receiving the registers).

The Gaogong ritual master (the Daoist priest who presides over the rite), together with your servant So-and-so and the others who have received the scriptures and registers and who hold ritual rank, with sincere hearts jointly address the powers above:

I have heard that, before Heaven and Earth came into being, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun), together with the celestial emperors, the celestial worthies, and the host of gods, immortals, and sages, already existed prior to all things. The Great Dao (the Way) is without form and without sound, profound and mysterious, yet it is the root upon which the generation and transformation of the myriad things depend. The Great Dao widely bestows compassion and delivers all living beings, and it also provides the ritual means by which one may pray for grace.

I, a certain disciple of the Most High, with a heart of sincere and undivided devotion, pray on my own behalf. Now I reverently establish a jade altar and perform the Zhaijiao (purification ritual), respectfully inviting the holy perfected ones to descend. May you briefly depart from the celestial palaces and immortal realms, look down upon the altar, and accept these pure offerings. The disciple, filled with awe, hopes to receive abundant blessings, looks up toward the heavens, and respectfully awaits the holy arrival. I earnestly beg you to descend. The disciple and the assembly, full of earnest supplication, kowtow and bow again, inviting all the holy ones.

Next, the Daoist priest, holding the divine titles in hand, proclaims the invitation to the holy host; then incense is offered, tea is presented, and wine is offered. The priest who holds the stone chime plays the music of the first-offering rite and walks in ritual procession around the altar; then the Buxu ci are chanted (Pacing the Void verses—hymns recited in accompaniment to the liturgy of Daoist Zhaijiao).

One kowtows in worship of the Most High, burns incense, and turns in devotion toward the formless Great Dao of the void. May the radiance of the gods come along with me, and may the wheel of the Law turn three times around. May these mysterious vows cause the four quarters to flourish.

I pay homage to the Taishang (the honorific title in Daoism for the highest venerated deity), burn incense, and turn toward the empty, formless Great Dao (the Way). Radiant light circulates and revolves along with me, and the Dharma wheel also turns three times. I pray that the four quarters may flourish and that blessings and joy may descend upon princes and nobles; that the seven ancestors (the successive forebears of the lineage) may be born into heaven, and that scenes of light may spread forth in brilliant array. I intone and sing, gazing upon the vast Grand Void, and celestial music fills me with delight. All together revere the supreme De (Virtue/Power); this realm is not one with which the immortals of the lower world can be compared. Mysterious forms manifest primordial awakening, and the many immortal perfected come and go, roaming through the void.

Then the Dujiang (the person in the ritual space charged with proclaiming and chanting the liturgical texts) leads the chant, and each announces their own name and office.

The Daoist assembly silently recites the Jing (scripture/classic) and registers they have received—the Daoist scriptures and the credentials of conferred registers—together with their governing posts (Daoist ritual offices).

Your servant so-and-so, who holds the status of Gaogong ritual master (the ritual master who presides over the rite) and who has received the scriptural registers and a ritual rank, together with the disciples of the Taishang, so-and-so and others, sincerely presents this memorial:

We respectfully invite the supreme sages of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the lofty perfected of the Four Emperors, the Imperial Lord of the Golden Portal, the High Minister of the Pure Capital, the stars and constellations of the whole heaven, the gods and immortals of the great earth, the awe-inspiring spirits of the Three Realms, and the host of sages of the ten directions.

Your servant has heard that all living beings, with the azure heaven above their heads and the earth beneath their feet, receive the grace of the Great Dao that brings the myriad things into being; and that, in enjoying the bounty, food and drink, and Qi (vital energy) between heaven and earth, all depend upon the creative transformation of the many gods. All who live within this territory are bathed in the favor by which the Great Dao nurtures the myriad things. Yet the multitude receive this grace while remaining dull and unaware—how then could they know how to repay it?

The disciple of the Taishang, so-and-so, declares: In the past, relying on the protection of the Great Dao, I was able to behold the scriptures and their regulations. I wish to draw near the pure gate of the teaching and vow to receive the office of primordial perfection. Looking up to the care and fashioning of the venerated gods, I am all the more firm in my reverent heart. Therefore, expressly at a certain place and for a certain matter, I carefully follow the regulations of the Keyi (liturgy), broadly practice cultivation, establish the ritual space and altar, and respectfully pray that the true gods will descend. I hope to receive their grace and long preserve peace and tranquility.

We respectfully wish that the supreme sages turn their divine light toward us and that the numinous immortals look down and inspect; that they briefly descend and stoop to observe our sincere hearts. Reflecting on this earnest prayer, it truly arises from a heart that has always devoutly taken refuge. The memorial documents of the disciple of the Taishang shall now be read and presented.

The memorial is then read aloud, and the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) ritual master is led forward.

The memorial documents of the disciple of the Taishang have been submitted and respectfully announced. We ask the venerated gods to deign to hear and read them, to examine them a little and grant pardon, and especially to bestow vast grace, so that endless blessings may gather. Your servant has heard…

The Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)—the three realms of Jade Clarity, Upper Clarity, and Great Clarity honored in Daoism—are profound and beyond fathoming, and every sage reveres them. Their realm cannot be seen with the eyes or heard with the ears, nor can words make it plain. Now the disciples of the Most High reverently serve Heaven and turn their hearts to the great Way (Dao). They study the mysterious oral instructions transmitted by Fazhen and cultivate themselves according to the Mysterious Teaching. Even so, they still fear that faults committed in the past will draw hidden punishment. They therefore now follow the liturgy (Keyi) with special care and solemnly raise an altar for the purification ritual (Zhaijiao), welcoming the exalted perfected of the three realms, the venerable deities of each realm, and inviting the many sages of the Nine Heavens to descend. Pure offerings are reverently set forth, in hope that the immortal spirits will come.

They pray with reverence that the mind set on the Dao be pure and undivided, and that worldly entanglements disperse; that this temporarily transformed body be protected, so that the way of cultivating the true may be realized. Thereafter, long life and lasting vision, with practice complete and merit fulfilled; grace extending widely to the living and the dead, and blessings long sheltering teachers and those who uphold them. Your servant, together with the disciples of the Most High and the rest, is grateful and earnest in the extreme, and respectfully kowtows and bows again.

Incense is then offered and wine presented.

The keeper of the chime—the one who sounds the qing and signals the course of the rite—then presides over the secondary offering service, that is, the second presentation of offerings.

The keeper of the chime then chants the Great Hymn on Learning Immortality:

Those who study to become immortals must cut off vain and restless thoughts and let each thought continue and accumulate. When thoughts are disordered, they disturb the spirit (Shen); when the spirit is agitated, there is nowhere one is free of being pulled about. Clear away stray thoughts so that mind and spirit settle into calm emptiness and stillness, and one may then, in quiet detachment, enter the silent void. Seek the scriptures (Jing) and methods as urgently as hunger and thirst seek food and drink, and hold your resolve as firmly as metal and stone. May you keep the road that leads to soaring immortality, and by the Five Numina deliverance talismans—talismans (Fulu) linked with the numinous vital energy (Qi) of the five directions—obtain deliverance.

With deep sincerity your servant respectfully addresses:

the Imperial Seat of the Northern Asterism, the August Lords of the Sun and Moon, and the venerable stars of the Five Planets and the Four Luminaries—

To the Imperial Seat of the Northern Asterism, the August Lords of the Sun and Moon, the honored stars of the Five Planets and the Four Luminaries, the Great Sages of the Northern Dipper and the Southern Asterism, the presiding Three Officials, the Perfected Lords of the Five Emperors, the stars of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, all the sages of the Court of the Celestial Pivot, the Great Ritual Master of the Mysterious Center, the Great Ritual Masters of the Three Heavens, the Three Masters of Jing (scripture/classic), Registers, and Ordination of the Lingbao tradition, all the sages of the Northern Pole Court for Expelling Evil, and every perfected spirit seated in full assembly, together with the stellar images of the entire heavens:

I respectfully report: such is the merit of the Supreme Minister of the Pure Capital in assisting the mysterious teaching and transformation, and such is the grace of the great deities of the Purple Palace, who protect all living beings and bestow their favor without partiality. You manifest your awesome numinous power as the time requires, observe the myriad things, and practice benevolence and virtue. This disciple respectfully kneels and sets forth this petition, hoping that you will look down in compassion and clearly discern what is prayed for.

This disciple, one beneath the gate of the Most High, followed in earlier years the orthodox teachings and methods of the Dao (the Way), and was fortunate to serve as a zhiguan, a Daoist office responsible for Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and the affairs of the parish. I resolved to cultivate the Dao and keep the precepts, holding in my heart the wish to rescue all living beings, carrying out the regulations of Keyi (liturgy), attending the rites and presenting petitions, and wearing numinous talismans. Relying on the benevolence of the Supreme Emperor to bring relief everywhere to the sufferings of the people, I therefore reverently set out the zhai feast and invite the divinities to descend. I pray that grace may broadly cover all things, so that from grasses and trees to living beings, all may receive blessing and protection.

I respectfully wish that the mind of the Dao be firm and upright and that the power of the rites flourish; that the true Qi (vital energy) of this whole body be preserved and the offenses of successive lifetimes be removed; that merit increase for teachers and for those who protect and support, and that grace extend to all living beings. Looking upward, I ask the divinities to examine this clearly, and that what is prayed for may be fulfilled. This disciple, together with the fellow disciples of the Most High at the same altar, earnest in heart to the utmost, respectfully kowtows and offers reverence again and again.

Incense is then offered three times, and wine and broth are presented.

The qing master, who strikes the chime and guides the sequence of the rite, then performs the service of the three offerings.

The keeper of the chime, who is charged with the chime and with announcing the sequence of the rite, then intones the hymn for leaving the hall.

The Dao takes the establishment of the zhai as its first concern; with diligent cultivation one may ascend to the Golden Towers, the palace towers of heaven. Therefore the Great Bridge of the Dharma is set up, to liberate all living beings universally. After the kindnesses of former lives have been repaid, the mind of the Dao naturally becomes transcendent and stirred to vigor; one’s own person ascends in flight to the capital of the immortals, and the ancestors of seven generations are all likewise released.

This disciple once more reports with a sincere heart:

We respectfully invite and petition the Sovereign Lords of the Five Sacred Peaks, the dragon gods of the Four Seas, the famous mountains and Grotto-Heavens (scenic realms where immortals and perfected beings dwell), the Jinglu hermitages and Blessed Lands (quiet places of cultivation and lands of blessing), the Ten Continents and Three Islands (the legendary maritime paradises where immortals are said to dwell), the Four Great Rivers and the hundred streams, the immortal officials who oversee the duties of every quarter, the great sages who have attained the Dao (the Way) and ascended to perfection, the officers of the celestial realm, the celestial gods of the earthly offices, the officials of the immortal realm, the numinous officers who hold the Fulu (talismans and registers, the credentials of Daoist ritual office), the deities who govern the affairs of the netherworld, the orthodox gods of every place on water and on land, the mighty spirits of the Three Realms, and the supreme sages of the ten directions.

Heaven stands like a protective screen, rising lofty and majestic and presiding in honor over the four quarters; the earth has condensed into form and firmly anchors the five directions. Together the gods receive the gracious favor of the Celestial Emperor and, each in his own charge, govern the affairs of the human world. With respect and sincerity we set forth our intent, and we earnestly beg the gods to look down in compassion, examine it, and bear witness to it.

In the rite of transmission and ordination, the disciple of the Most High declares: I have long revered the mystery of the Great Dao, and I have vowed to wear and uphold the true talismans. To accomplish the merit of saving all living beings, one must rely on the way of cultivating perfection. We therefore lay out ample pure offerings, present fragrant incense, purposely establish the altar, and reverently perform the Jiao rite (a Daoist ritual of praying to the gods, averting calamity, and seeking blessing).

We earnestly pray that the heart of Heaven will help people fare smoothly, and that the gods will draw near to protect the people of the world; that evil spirits will be entirely destroyed in the Ninefold Gloom (the deep, dark netherworld), and that divine might and gracious virtue will extend to all things everywhere. Then the common people and the subjects of the realm may enjoy peace and well-being, and together joyfully uphold a Yao Heaven (an image of an age of great peace); and the methods of the Dao may flourish and endure, aiding their lasting prosperity and continuing without cease, like the dynastic fortune of the Zhou.

Your servant and the disciples of the Most High are grateful and earnest in the extreme, and respectfully perform the kowtow and bow again. When the Keyi (liturgy) of transmission and ordination is read aloud, it is proclaimed here and offered together with qianma (paper money, paper horses, and the like burned as offerings in the ritual).

The gods are then invited in succession, one after another.

Your servant, with deep and weighty sincerity, respectfully addresses on high the Highest Emperors of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the supreme deities venerated in Daoism), the perfected immortals of the ten extremities, and the divine spirits of the seas and the sacred peaks.

Your servant and the disciples of the Most High are grateful and earnest in the extreme, and respectfully perform the kowtow and bow again. When the Keyi of transmission and ordination is read aloud, it is proclaimed here and offered together with qianma.

The gods are then invited in succession, one after another.

Your servant, with deep and weighty sincerity, respectfully addresses on high…

The Celestial Emperors of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the perfected immortals of the ten directions and the furthest realms, the spirits of the seas and mountains, the immortal hosts between heaven and earth, the officials of the Three Realms, and all deities possessed of awesome numinous power: the rite of the triple offering has now been completed, and the words of prayer will not be stated over again. We respectfully ask the perfected spirits to linger a moment and not hasten to withdraw their ceremonial retinue. Reflecting that too long a delay might give offense to the gods, our hearts are filled with reverence and trepidation. We respectfully wish that the perfected spirits of the upper realm each return to the Jade Towers (the immortal palaces), and that the sages of the lower realm likewise return to the immortal bureaus (the offices of the immortal realm). The deities have already condescended to descend upon the altar of the jiao, and the blessings they bestow will surely come down on this auspicious night. Your servant, together with the disciples of the Most High and the others, moved by grateful attachment, praying with devotion, and hoping for divine grace, respectfully performs the rite of prostration and a second bow, and reverently sends the gods on their way.

The zhiqing (the Daoist office responsible for striking the stone chime to cue the stages of the rite) then chants aloud the hymn for sending off the gods:

The gods turn back in chariots of five-colored auspicious clouds, singing the songs of the nine stanzas as they travel aloft; in an instant they surge up into the high heavens and depart far away, leaving no trace. Incense smoke drifts thickly over the jiao altar; the gods’ mysterious grace spreads throughout heaven and earth, and blessings and emoluments extend over mountains and rivers. Gazing afar toward the road by which the immortals return, they ascend, free and at ease, to Daluo Heaven (the highest immortal realm spoken of in Daoism).

The gaogong ritual master (the ritual master who presides over the jiao rite) then performs the restoration of the officers:

Your servant reports that the jiao rite has come to an end. The gongcao envoys previously dispatched (divine clerks charged with transmitting documents and handling affairs) all return to your servant’s side. They enter through the Gate of Myriad Wonders; those who were formerly on the left return to the left, and those on the right return to the right, ascending at ease to Daluo Heaven.

The gaogong ritual master then performs the restoration of the officers once more:

Your servant reports that the jiao rite has come to an end. The gongcao envoys previously dispatched all return to your servant’s side. They enter through the Gate of Myriad Wonders; those who were formerly on the left return to the left, and those on the right return to the right. The directly commissioned gongcao are charged with leading, inspecting, and keeping them in order. Each is to return to his original place, without confusion. When they are summoned hereafter, they must arrive at once, all in accordance with established precedent.

The gaogong ritual master then performs the restoration of the censer:

Envoys of the incense officers, Dragon Lords and Tiger Lords of the left and right, and all the numinous officers who attend the incense fire: we ask you to cause the place where the jiao has been established to bring forth of itself golden liquor, cinnabar and azure, and the bloom of numinous mushrooms (auspicious spiritual substances spoken of in Daoism), and to have the hundred numinous officers and the host of perfected immortals gather before this incense burner. We respectfully wish that the disciples of the Most High, and your servants who receive blessing, may be granted grace extending through the ten directions. We ask the immortal youths and jade maidens to guard and escort the incense smoke, swiftly conveying the sincere prayers previously presented and delivering them directly before the throne of the Utmost Perfected, Limitless Great Dao (the Way), the Jade Emperor, Supreme Deity of the Vast Heaven.

The zhiqing then chants aloud the Huaxia Zan (Hymn of Huaxia).

All are then led to the place where the memorials are burned, and they stand there in ranks.

All are then led to offer incense, present the written memorials, and pour the wine libation; after performing the rite, they withdraw.

The zhiqing then chants aloud the Huixiang Zan (Hymn of Dedicating Merit).

By the merit of the jiao offering just performed—the Daoist rite of setting up an altar for sacrifice and prayer—we respectfully pray that Disciple So-and-so of the Most High, together with all present, may through these good deeds accomplish the supreme Dao (the Way). All bow in accordance with ritual.

Next, all rise.

Next, the assembly is led forward to offer incense, the prayer text is read aloud, wine is presented, and all then bow and withdraw.

Next, the keeper of the chime—the one who strikes the chime and signals the stages of the rite—leads the singing of the dedication hymn, the verse that turns the merit of the rite into a prayer.

By the merit of the jiao offering just performed, we respectfully pray that Disciple So-and-so of the Most High, together with all present, may through these good deeds accomplish the supreme Dao. All bow in accordance with ritual.

Next, the high-merit master—the ritual master who presides over Daoist Keyi (liturgy)—recites the dedication text, praying for good fortune:

This is offered for Disciple So-and-so of the Most High, to seek gracious protection, to repent of faults, to accumulate blessings and virtue, and to dispel calamity. We respectfully invoke: the Great Holy Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning; the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure of the Limitless Dao; the Most High Lord Lao; the Celestial Worthy of Purple Clarity Who Bestows Blessings; the Celestial Worthy Who Prolongs Life and Increases the Allotted Years; the Celestial Worthy of Long Life Who Preserves the Vital Mandate; the Celestial Worthy of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) Who Protects the Body; the Celestial Worthy of the Nine Palaces Who Wards Off Calamity; the Celestial Worthies of Numinous Treasure of the Ten Directions; the Perfected of Great Compassion, Canopy of the Sun; the Perfected of Great Mercy, Stillness of the Moon; the Perfected of Nanchang Who Prolongs Life; the Perfected of the Jade Treasury of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing); and all the immortals and sages of Jade Capital Mountain. The merit of these holy and perfected ones is beyond conception.

Next, the keeper of the chime leads the singing of “The jiao rite is now complete,” and the disciples leave their places.