《太上玄天真武无上将军箓》

A devotee who reveres the Dao (the Way), So-and-so, dwelling in such-and-such a township, declares that the year, month, day, and hour of his birth are such-and-such a year, month, day, and hour, and that his destiny stands under the radiance of a certain star-lord of the Northern Dipper. Today he carefully prepares the ritual pledge, knocks his head to the ground, and comes before the gate of the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the Perfected of Mount Longhu, reverently to receive one rank of the Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Supreme Mysterious Heaven—the Daoist Fulu (talismans and registers) conferred under the title of General Zhenwu. He prays that this register will preserve his life and protect his person, lengthen his years, remove disaster and adversity, drive away demons, ghosts, and bewitching spirits, and cut off every inauspicious matter. Should he violate the precepts and covenants of the Keyi (liturgy), he shall bear guilt in the netherworld. All of the foregoing is to be carried out according to the statutes of the Mysterious Gate.

The Great Sage of the Mysterious Heaven, Zhenwu the Unsurpassed General, commands a host of three hundred thousand and comes to deliver, transform, and rescue.

Incantation for Seizing Ghosts and Spirits

The Great General of Qianyuan wears the sun, moon, and stars upon his head; his hair hangs loose in the likeness of the heavenly patterns; his body is endowed with true Qi (vital energy)—the original breath of which Daoism speaks—and his awesome numinous power is glorious as he assists the Great Dao. Turtle and snake are joined in a single body; his nose is like a mountain range; his wide-staring eyes blaze with light; his teeth are like a forest of swords; and in his hand he holds the Seven Stars. Celestial demons and followers of heterodox ways, ghosts, specters, and sprites, on seeing me turn into blood and water and at last scatter into fine dust. The Five Qi of Kui and Gang are my very person; my might extends throughout heaven and earth and fills Qian and Kun. The gods of the four waters—the Jiang, the He, the Huai, and the Ji—the gods of the Five Marchmounts, and the City Gods together with the officers of the soil altars must all obey my command. The Supreme Thearch has issued a decree charging me to rescue living beings. If any petty ghost dares to work harm, seize it, bind it, and bring it forth to await disposition. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

Incantation for Expelling Ghosts and Spirits

Born of the transformations of Taiyin, this is the Jing (essence) and Qi of the station of Water; the Xu and Wei lodges correspond to it in heaven, and turtle and snake are joined as one. Its majestic force courses through the Six Unions (heaven, earth, and the four directions) and can overawe the myriad spirits. However dark the place, it can perceive it; whatever the wish, it can bring it to fulfillment. Through the succession of kalpas it cuts down demons and monstrous sprites, rescues living beings, and brings peace to both household and realm. If any petty ghost seeks to show its form, I need only look upon it once, and the Five Marchmounts will quake and collapse. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!

Incantation for Slaying Ghosts and Spirits

(At this point the original text lists only the name of the incantation and does not provide its wording.)

The Northern Mysterious Heaven (the northern celestial realm in Daoism) is deep, dark, and remote. The Divine Lord Zhenwu (True Warrior) is majestic in numinous power. He can work hundreds of millions of transformations and manifest the true form of Xuanwu (the Dark Warrior). He soars up to the Nine Heavens and descends upon the earth, driving thunder and lightning and racing through the clouds and Qi (vital energy). Leading armies of thousands upon thousands, he sweeps away demons and evil. The Thunder Lord attends him as guard, and the Jade Maiden generals accompany him. Ghosts and spirits are all subdued, and dragons and tigers hide and withdraw. His awesome might holds the Five Sacred Peaks, and the myriad spirits all obey his command. Bells and drums sound together as he patrols between Heaven and Earth. He subdues evil ghosts, shatters the demon hosts, roots out wickedness, and upholds the orthodox Dao (the Way), so that the Qi of the Dao may long endure. This command must be carried out at once—urgently, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

The Jiazi Divine General and the Dingmao Jade Maiden. The Jiaxu Divine General and the Dingchou Jade Maiden. The Jiashen Divine General and the Dinghai Jade Maiden. The Jiawu Divine General and the Dingyou Jade Maiden. The Qi of the Dao endures forever. This command must be carried out at once—urgently, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

The Jiazi Divine General and the Dingmao Jade Maiden. The Jiaxu Divine General and the Dingchou Jade Maiden. The Jiashen Divine General and the Dinghai Jade Maiden. The Jiawu Divine General and the Dingyou Jade Maiden. The Jiachen Divine General and the Dingwei Jade Maiden. The Jiayin Divine General and the Dingsi Jade Maiden.

The Heaven-Sha General and the Year-Sha General; the Earth-Sha General and the Month-Sha General; the Great-Sha General and the Day-Sha General; the Lesser-Sha General and the Hour-Sha General; the Jade Lad who holds the seal and the Divine Generals of the Five Thunders; the Jade Maiden who bears the sword and the stalwarts of the great banner; the Great Deity of the Heavenly Pass and the Great Deity of the Earthly Axis; the messenger on duty for the year, the messenger on duty for the day, the messenger on duty for the month, and the messenger on duty for the hour.

All the talismanic characters above are to be written in cinnabar.

The Zhenren (Perfected One) of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity)—the Perfected One revered by the Zhengyi school of Daoism—says: When good men and faithful women of the world wear and receive the Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Supreme Mysterious Heaven, make offerings to it with sincere hearts, and worship it with reverence, they will gain the protection of the myriad spirits, be freed from every kind of calamity, lengthen their years and increase their lifespan, and enjoy blessings without measure. You should carry this out with reverence.

I, disciple so-and-so, on this day bear the faxin (the pledge-token presented according to the rite) and respectfully go before the gate of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) to receive with obeisance one grade of the Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Supreme Mysterious Heaven. I vow to devote myself to upholding it and to wear it on my person, and I dare never treat this efficacious scripture lightly. If one day I violate this oath, I willingly accept punishment in the underworld, and I dare not resent the methods of the Dao or lay blame upon my revered teacher. All shall be carried out in accordance with the mysterious codes and ordinances.

Here ends the Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Supreme Mysterious Heaven.

I wholly take refuge in this register, wear it, and faithfully uphold it—the Fulu (talismans and registers) document conferred by the Daoist teaching—and I dare not slight or neglect the numinous writ within it. Should I one day break my oath, I willingly accept examination and punishment by the underworld courts; I dare not resent the Great Dao (the Way), nor lay the blame upon my master. I will carry this out strictly in accordance with the ordinances of the mysterious liturgy.

The Register of the Unsurpassed General, True Warrior of the Most High Mysterious Heaven, ends here.

Petition for Requesting Conferral of the Register

Ritual petition for the Register of the Unsurpassed General, True Warrior of the Most High Mysterious Heaven (Taishang Xuantian Zhenwu Wushang Jiangjun lu):

In a certain year, the year-cycle falling in a certain year and month, on the fifteenth day of a certain month at a certain hour, the devotee of the Dao, So-and-so, dwelling in such-and-such a township and place, states: My birth fell in a certain year, month, day, and hour, and my allotted fate stands under the radiance of a certain star-lord of the Northern Dipper. Today, having carefully prepared purification and ritual pledges, I bow my head and reverently come before the hereditary Han Celestial Master (Tianshi) of Mount Longhu, to receive one rank of the Register of the Unsurpassed General, True Warrior of the Most High Mysterious Heaven, and to uphold and cultivate it with reverence.

We rely upon the majestic virtue of the sages: it does not compel by force of might, yet it can resonate with and move all things. The transforming teaching of the Great Dao is beyond measure; whenever one petitions with a sincere heart, a response is granted. This devotee is fortunate to receive the command of the Celestial Emperors of the Nine Pure Heavens, to lead the divine troops of the three realms in the world below, to garrison the North, with merit extending throughout the Nine Provinces. Assisting the Way of Heaven and securing the state, proclaiming moral transformation and practicing humaneness—above, this accords with the mind of the Celestial Emperor; below, it answers the hopes of the people.

The devotee has long followed the true Dao while sojourning in the human world, and now, keeping an oath as firm as metal and stone, respectfully requests that the immortal register be conferred. From this time forth it will be upheld with care and cultivated morning and evening through gradual practice. May the divinities, in their compassion, grant protection, guidance, and deliverance. In this one body and its five limbs, the devotee absolutely dares not neglect the oath first sworn; the whole clan and household likewise wish to rely for long upon the shelter of this precious register. The devotee’s earnest plea is more than words can express; this petition is respectfully submitted to the gate of the Celestial Master.

Disciple So-and-so (the name of the person receiving the register), bearing the tokens of faith, comes to the altar of the Dao (the Way), personally states an aspiration, and requests to receive the first rank of the Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Most High Mysterious Heaven—the Daoist Fulu (talismans and registers) of the deity Zhenwu—and further asks to be granted the ritual taboo-name of the True Master, to be reverently upheld for life. On the basis of the petition submitted by the disciple today, an alliance is now declared before Heaven and Earth, and a vow is sworn before the Three Officials (the Official of Heaven, the Official of Earth, and the Official of Water). In accordance with the ritual regulations, the covenant vouchers are divided and the tokens of faith are separately consigned, and the formal transmission and delivery are set forth as follows.

The disciple personally states an aspiration, requests to receive the first rank of the Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Most High Mysterious Heaven, and asks to be granted the ritual taboo-name of the True Master, to be reverently upheld for life. On the basis of the petition submitted today, an alliance is now declared before Heaven and Earth, and a vow is sworn before the Three Officials. In accordance with the ritual regulations, the covenant vouchers are divided and the tokens of faith are separately consigned, and the formal transmission and delivery are set forth as follows.

Register of the First Rank. The Register of the Unsurpassed General Zhenwu of the Most High Mysterious Heaven.

Ritual. The ritual items listed in the Zhengyi Xiuzhen Zhiyao (Essential Purport of Cultivating Perfection in the Zhengyi [Orthodox Unity] tradition).

Ritual taboo-names of the Ancestral Master, the Mysterious Master, and the True Master. The Ancestral Master is Zhang Daoling, Great Ritual Master Who Upholds the Teaching of the Three Heavens and Assists the Primordial, True Lord of Zhengyi Who Penetrates the Mystery, Transforms Divinely, Responds in Stillness, and Manifests Protection. The Mysterious Master (an honorific in the lineage for the master who transmits the methods of the Dao) is Zhang Heng, Successor Master, True Lord of Great Clarity Who Expounds the Teaching and the Wondrous Dao. The True Master (an honorific in the lineage for the master who transmits directly) is Zhang Lu, Continuing Master, True Lord of Great Clarity Who Illumines Transformation and Broadens Virtue.

Ritual taboo-names of the three venerable masters who transmit the scriptures, confer the register, and perform the ordination. The Scripture Master is Zhang Zhengchang, forty-second-generation Celestial Master (Tianshi) succeeding the Han: True Officer of the Southern Bureau of the Scriptures and Registers of Highest Clarity and the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), Senior Minister of the Jade Bureau, and Great Ritual Lord of All Heaven. The Register Master is Zhang Shouchu, forty-third-generation Great Master succeeding the Han: True Arbiter Who Enforces the Law of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) for the Scriptures and Registers of Highest Clarity and the Three Caverns, Perfected One Entrusted with the Teaching of the Numinous Treasure, and Great Ritual Lord of All Heaven. The Ordination Master is Zhang Yuqing, forty-fourth-generation Celestial Master who succeeds to the teaching: Perfected One of Mysterious Transformation Entrusted with the Teaching of the Numinous Treasure and the Precious Registers of Highest Clarity and the Three Caverns, Immortal Arbiter Who Enforces the Law of the Southern Bureau, and Great Ritual Lord of All Heaven.

Ritual names of the masters present at the altar. Master Who Witnesses the Alliance: Master Who Supervises the Ordination: Master Who Sponsors and Recommends: The Celestial Master’s appellation, Zhengying Xiansheng, is Huazhenren (Perfected One of Transformation). Immortal Arbiter Who Enforces the Law of the Southern Bureau and Great Ritual Lord of All Heaven, Zhang Yuqing, forty-fourth-generation Celestial Master who succeeds to the teaching.

Ritual names of the masters present at the altar. Master Who Witnesses the Alliance: Master Who Supervises the Ordination: Master Who Sponsors and Recommends:

Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhengying said: The Most High (Taishang, a revered deity of Daoism) established the teaching and transmitted it from generation to generation, so that later students might learn it. True masters through the ages have all honored these precious instructions and guided those with a destined affinity, and thus the transmission has continued without interruption. Because of the blessings accumulated by my ancestors, our house has for generations received the grace of the state. I have inherited the master-lineage of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) school and revived the ancestral succession of the Tianmu line. The ritual registers, however, have been handed down to the present across a great span of time; I have therefore selected fine wood, carved printing blocks, and printed the books, so that they may endure and be transmitted for long ages. As for the precepts and the observances one must keep, together with pity for all living beings and a heart of compassion, from ancient times there has been no one who attained the Dao (the Way) who did not understand these principles. Faithful devotees who ascend the altar to receive the registers should all purge distracting thoughts, render their minds clear and pure, and continually accumulate good deeds and merit, so that the wishes they seek may perhaps be fulfilled. From this they may transcend the ordinary and enter the mysterious realm. Since they have already made a clear declaration and sworn a covenant, how could they fail to observe it with care?

Celestial Master Guangwei, the True Person (Zhenren), said: My family, by means of the Fulu (talismans and registers) of the Most High, has delivered the human world and the celestial realm, blessing and safeguarding the state, for more than one thousand five hundred years. The ancestors’ admonitions are already perfectly clear; there is no need to add further praise. My ancestral True Lord was fortunate to encounter an enlightened dynasty in which all under Heaven was brought into unity, and he was the first to receive honor. The Daoist priests and Buddhist monks of Jiangnan all came under his authority. Since I succeeded to the teaching, I have passed through three reigns and have repeatedly received the court’s favor. On the occasion of the new sovereign’s accession, the court specially bestowed a distinguished honorific title, praising my rigor and sincerity as comparable to True Person Xujing and my reverence and solemnity as approaching True Person Chonghe. It further granted office according to Tang dynasty precedent and conferred enfeoffment in imitation of the investiture of the domain of Liu. The court charged me to perform good works and transmit the registers of ritual methods, to carry on the ancestral enterprise, to pray for blessings, and to dispel the calamities of the people. I reverently accept the imperial instruction and pray that Heaven grant the state a lasting destiny of blessing; how dare I not be respectful and diligent? I shall transmit the ordination registers and the Fulu, so that the transforming teaching may be made still more manifest. In this way, above, I may answer the Son of Heaven’s illustrious appointment, and below, I may bestow the imperial grace upon the people, so that they receive peace and blessing. May everyone practice these teachings with a sincere heart, and thereby welcome great blessings and felicity.

The sponsoring master of the Zhengyi Mysterious Altar, holder of the Shangqing scriptures (Jing) and registers of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), so-and-so, now sponsors the faithful devotee of the Dao, so-and-so, who comes forward to receive the Register of the Unsurpassed General, Zhenwu, the Perfected Warrior of the Mysterious Heaven of the Most High, and to take refuge in it, wear it, and faithfully uphold it. This altar has already prepared the register for him. May he practice it with a sincere heart, and thereby welcome great blessings and felicity.

The sponsoring master of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Mysterious Altar—the master at a Zhengyi altar responsible for recommending disciples to receive registers—and holder of the scriptures and ritual registers of the Shangqing school and of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), So-and-so, now recommends the faithful devotee of the Dao, So-and-so, to receive the Register of the Supreme General, Zhenwu (the Perfected Warrior) of the Mysterious Heaven of the Most High, a Daoist ritual register conferred upon the devotee, and to take refuge in it, wear it upon the person, and reverently uphold it.

This altar, having already prepared in full the circumstances of receiving the register together with the related documents, and having in person respectfully invited the Perfected Celestial Master (Tianshi), successor in the Zhengyi teaching, and reported the matter to the Ancestral Celestial Master, the Perfected Lord of Orthodox Unity, and, beyond transmitting the ritual register in accordance with the Keyi (liturgy), specially issues this petition as certification, so that the recipient of the register may follow the teachings and put them into practice. Should the covenant oath be violated, that person shall personally bear the punishment prescribed by the Daoist precepts and regulations.

Petition Requesting Transmission of the Register of the Supreme General, Zhenwu of the Mysterious Heaven of the Most High