《太上赤文洞神三箓》

Master Yinju (the Recluse) said: This book was originally titled Chiwen Dongshen Shi (the Red-Script Formulas of Dongshen), and three other transmitted versions are also known. The text mentions Ge, Bao, and others, yet the colophon states that it was handed down from a recipient of the writing in Hanzhong. I compared the circulating copies with one another, arranged them into a single text, and retained the title given in the original.

Two places in the book contain corrupt characters, which I have preserved as they stand. When I was living in the countryside, an enthusiastic Mr. Guo showed me this book. This copy was written with blue and red pigment pastes. The script belongs to the Qi and Liang period: archaic and plain, while the fuzhuan (talismanic seal script, the mystical symbols of Daoist writing) are exquisitely wrought. No date is noted on the book, so it is impossible to determine exactly when it was produced.

I once gave it to my late friend, the Daoist priest Zhang Qiao. Zhang Qiao said that when he tried what the book describes, the results were highly efficacious. Treasuring my late friend’s careful intent, and reflecting that what he said was not without basis, I first collated this book.

At the end it is recorded: the sixth year of the Zhenguan era, the year being renzi, in the month of Chen.

The Upper Section of the Sanlu (Three Registers) says that the Inner Text of the Zhouyi comes from the “place of the Three Jia,” which records the names and titles of the holy ancestors of the farthest lands in the eight directions, together with the “wondrous-practice talisman of the character shang” (a wondrous-use Fulu [talismans and registers] that takes the character “shang” as its essential point).

According to tradition, Fuxi transmitted this text to Shennong. Shennong thereby learned how to sow the five grains and to distinguish the effects of various medicines, so that the people were able to survive. Later, someone obtained the “line diagram” and transmitted it to Zhuan Shi. The Duke of Zhou obtained this text and used it to clarify the principles of the Yi; Jiang Taigong obtained this text and, by covert schemes and stratagems, assisted King Wu of Zhou in overthrowing King Zhou of Shang; Confucius obtained this text and thereupon discerned its profound and subtle principles and expounded the principles of the Yi.

An ancient version of this text records that, in acting according to the methods set out in it, Yao need not have known who transmitted them; yet later ages revered this method. Still later, Guan Yiwu, Sun Bin, and others transmitted it among themselves, and Fan Li and Zhang Liang did likewise. The scripture further says that Sun Bin was the spirit of a white tortoise and was endowed with the Qi (vital energy) of Rongwu. The original contains this sentence, but its precise meaning is unclear.

The scripture also mentions wording such as “Yangshi Fangzhong lun Shangguan Bi,” saying that all of it appears in the original text, though the author had never encountered persons corresponding to it. It then records a method of cultivation: the divine persons say that the divine persons and Perfected spoken of in the Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace) recite an incantation every day, without any need to observe taboos or to choose particular days or matters; after the incantation has been recited continuously for forty-nine days, the spirits come to the “listening palace” (the place of hearing beside the ear).

It is said that the spirits recount all manner of affairs in the human world and report good and evil, fortune and misfortune, beside the ear. Whether it is the relative strength and the victory or defeat of struggles and battles, life or death and survival or ruin, or being robbed without knowing who the thief is, or even seizing bondservants, drawing back those who have rebelled and left, choosing a direction in which to go, seeking profit, visiting the powerful and noble, or pursuing prominence—whatever one undertakes can be inquired into and made clear. Even if one does not yet know whether a matter can succeed, so long as one concentrates and visualizes the spirits, the spirits will come.

The scripture states that the spirits fully know the great affairs of the world, the auspicious omens of the state, profit, emolument, fame, and rank, as well as matters of a thousand years past and of the future. After the incantation has been recited a full one hundred thousand times, any question one asks can be answered. Both spirits wear Daoist robes and can make themselves heard; when questioned, they answer each point in turn. If something is sought in the mind, one first recites the incantation seven times, and the spirits come before the listening palace, already knowing the intention of the person who approaches. One spirit, dressed in green, reports matters beside the left ear; the other, dressed in purple gauze, reports beside the right ear. The scripture says that these two spirits constantly accompany a person’s movements and, when urgent matters are asked about, report at once; whenever they are urgently summoned they come, and there is nothing they do not know.

In the original text, the account of “Yangshi Fangzhong lun Shangguan Bi,” along with phrases such as “the Qi of Rongwu,” is none too clear in meaning, and parts of the explanation of the incantation method are also repetitive.

Within the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) are records of the sympathetic responses of good and ill fortune.

The incantation: at this point the original text has only “□□□□□□□□勑煞摄.” The characters of the spell are missing, and its exact wording cannot be determined.

This deity is a transformation of the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of the sun and moon, and is suited to being commanded on Yin-Yang days such as the zi day and the chou day. Choose a liujia day (a sexagenary day headed by jiazi, jiaxu, and the like), write this talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, and mix the ash with clear water. Recite the preceding incantation two hundred and twenty times, then drip the talisman-ash water separately into both ears, both eyes, the nostrils, and the mouth, seven drops in each place, and drink what remains. After that, write another talisman, recite in the same manner forty-nine times, and wear it on the body. It is said that spiritual efficacy will then appear.

The original text goes on to record that, when summoning and dispatching the deity, one must act according to the directing Gang (pacing the Gang steps in the prescribed ritual manner). If one wishes to send the deity to carry a message, one begins the Gang and performs the method. After sixty days, on encountering a liujiazi day, burn the talisman to ash and apply it by dabbing, then write another talisman and wear it, continuing in this cycle without end. With sincere visualization and the continual burning of incense, it is said that spiritual efficacy will appear. When burning incense and transmitting the talisman, recite the incantation seven times:

“May the bean brazier join with Li Gui; seek a thousand voids and ten thousand sages, and together open the gates of Heaven and Earth.”

At the sacrifice, this incantation is to be recited seven times. Begin the practice on a jiazi day, and receive the talisman on a jiazi day. After a full sixty jiazi cycles, offer deer jerky (dried deer meat) and sheep liver. If deer jerky is unavailable, mutton jerky may be substituted. After the sacrifice, the offerings are eaten by the practitioner. This method must not be lightly disclosed; it should be kept secret.

Eastern Zhen Talisman

The deity in the talisman wears azure robes and an azure crown, and in appearance resembles a woman. If there is a question, one may ask the deity about good and ill fortune. Before daybreak, using well-flower water (water drawn from a well in the early morning), face the direction of Zhen and ingest five talismans.

Eastern Gen Talisman

The deity in the talisman wears black robes and a black crown. At the mao hour (roughly five to seven in the morning), using well-flower water, face the direction of Gen and ingest five talismans. It is said that the deity will appear and speak with the person face to face, and that this talisman is highly efficacious.

Eastern Xun Talisman

Before daybreak, using well-flower water, face the direction of Zhen and ingest five talismans.

The original text then repeats the account of the “Eastern Gen Talisman”: at the mao hour, using well-flower water, face the direction of Gen and ingest five talismans. It is said that the deity will appear and converse, and that the talisman method is efficacious.

The Eastern Xun Talisman

The spirit in the talisman wears a blue-green cap and has the appearance of a woman, and in stature is the same size as an ordinary person. Facing the Xun position in the east—one of the directions of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), corresponding to the southeast—one prays that the spirit will come and make known what is auspicious and what is inauspicious. Five talismans are taken down with well water freshly drawn at dawn (jinghua shui, “well-flower water”), while facing the Xun position, and the mind will then open of itself and understanding will arise.

The Southern Li Talisman

The spirit in the talisman wears red clothing and has the appearance of a woman. If one cultivates with single-minded devotion, the spirit will come of its own accord to converse. At the mao hour (about five to seven in the morning), one faces the Li position in the south and takes five talismans down with well water.

The Northwest Qian Talisman

The spirit in the talisman wears black clothing and has the appearance of a man. At the mao hour one faces the Qian position in the northwest and takes five talismans down with jinghua shui, and the spirit will then come.

The Southwest Kun Talisman

The spirit in the talisman wears a yellow cap and has the appearance of an old woman. At the mao hour one faces the Kun position in the southwest and takes three talismans down with jinghua shui; the spirit will come and converse, and it is said to be highly efficacious.

The Northwest Dui Talisman

The spirit in the talisman wears white clothing and a cap, and has the appearance of a woman. It is said to be able to foreknow good and ill fortune and the times, days, months, and seasonal ordinances; to trace those who have fled and seek out thieves; and to learn the whereabouts of people who have drowned, died in battle, or been harmed by tigers or wolves. It can also make the eyes bright and the ears keen, and make names known in advance. Facing the Dui position, one takes five talismans down with jinghua shui.

The Northern Kan Talisman

The spirit in the talisman has the appearance of a woman. It is said to be able to foreknow good and ill fortune and the times, days, months, and seasonal ordinances; to trace those who have fled and seek out thieves; and to learn the whereabouts of people who have drowned, died in battle, or been harmed by tigers or wolves. It can also make the eyes bright and the ears keen, and make names known in advance. The original text records the taking of five talismans as “facing Dui,” a direction that does not agree with this section’s title, “The Northern Kan Talisman.”

The Northern Kan Talisman

The spirit in the talisman wears black clothing. At the mao hour one faces north and swallows five talismans with jinghua shui, and will then obtain spiritual powers, with their efficacy made manifest.

Anyone who cultivates this method should, throughout seven successive periods of seven days—forty-nine days in all—face north each night, burn incense, and light the lamps of the Seven Stars, bow in worship, and recite together the content set out above, then chant the incantation twice. From the second seven-day period until the forty-ninth day, the method may be applied at will, and the results will all accord with what was wished at the time of recitation. The practitioner should not write this method down or transmit it to those of shallow attainment. In carrying it out, one’s resolve must be firm, one’s state of mind pure, and one’s attitude devout. If one is careless, indolent, and disrespectful, it is said that calamity will befall both oneself and seven generations of ancestors.

“The Ancestral Master’s Method of Entering the Night to Dream-Travel the Various Realms, and of the Jade Maiden Bewildering the Soul”: this is the title of the piece that follows. Its general meaning is “the method by which the ancestral master dream-travels the various realms at night, and the jade maiden bewilders the mind and spirit.”

The first item is a method of testing. Have the child lie down and sleep, and begin by reciting an incantation. The spell contains such phrases as “er yue bu dong, zun sheng she.” Fold a sheet of black paper and have the child hold it in the mouth. The sentence “er bo zhe, duo qi zu ji zi shen” is unclear; it may concern two pieces of silk together with seven generations of ancestors and oneself.

The Patriarch’s Nocturnal Dream-Travel through the Various Realms, and the Jade Maiden’s Method of Bewildering the Soul

The first item is a method of testing. Have the child lie down and sleep, recite the incantation first, and then say, “er yue bu dong, zun sheng she.” Fold the black paper and have the child bite it, then cover the head with two pieces of silk. First take two breaths of Qi (vital energy) from the person who has fallen asleep, and recite: “Pursue the Four Great Divine Generals, and summon the Jade Maiden (Yunü) who bewilders the soul.” When the recitation is finished, blow into the mouth of the sleeping child; then, with the thumbs of both hands, knead separately upon the sleeper’s “Sansitai” (Terrace of Threefold Thought). Afterward the practitioner himself falls asleep, and then takes the Qi of the five directions and blows it over the body. The original phrase “ru er wan cha wen” is unclear in meaning. He next sits upright and recites: “Immovable Honored One, sheng she; go and seek it; it has been seen.” He recites again: “Pursue the Four Great Divine Generals; summon the Jade Maiden to bewilder the soul; when I call, return at once.” He then calls the child by the child’s pet name and says, “Get up.”

The second is leaving home in a dream. The incantation is: “Om bili xiang qu she.”

The third is sending another person on an errand in a dream. The incantation is: “Chi lun chi sha bei she.”

The fourth is crossing a river by raft in a dream. The incantation is: “Clouds respond and sympathetic resonance is attained; guardian deities, she.”

The fifth is viewing the scenery in the mountains in a dream. The incantation is: “Rebuke the mighty great general; by imperial command, slay—she.”

The sixth is entering, within a dream, the dream of a person of the Yin realm, the underworld. The incantation is: “Summon the Four Great Divine Generals; summon the mandate of the bureau and close the Qi—she.”

The seventh is entering, within a dream, the dream of a person of the Yang realm, the world of the living. The incantation is: “Summon the divine generals by official writ—shu she.”

The eighth is causing someone to roam among the clouds in a dream. The incantation is: “Peng General of the Nine Heavens, summon the mandate of the bureau and close the Qi—she.” The text then records it once more: “Peng of the Nine Heavens transforms the great general’s soul—she.”

The ninth is causing someone to visit the family home in a dream. The incantation is: “The two spirits (Shen) who guard the master’s body are not far—she.”

The tenth is causing someone to wash the eyes in a dream and thereby see ghosts and spirits. The incantation is: “Summon the spirits and dispatch the ghosts, ranged unevenly—she.”

The eleventh method lets a person dream of roaming the Nine Heavens (Jiuxiao). The incantation is: “Open the way, strongmen; transmit the spirit and seize.”

The twelfth method brings someone who has gone away into a dream according to the practitioner’s will. The incantation is: “Baleful spirits, receive, receive; Jade Maidens, restore the soul and seize the dream.”

When drawing the talisman (fu), recite the incantation in a clean, cool, and secluded room. After summoning the deities, sit upright facing north and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper covering the crown of the head. Xuanwu—the northern deity revered in Daoism, pictured as a tortoise and a snake—appears, and the tortoise and snake enter the mouth. Hold the breath, finish the talisman, and blow upon the paper. The talisman must be written with a new brush and cinnabar. If it is to be given to someone else, casually draw two further talismans above the incantation and lay them over it. At night, pass the talisman through incense smoke, burn it to ash in the lamp flame, and swallow the ash with fragrant water; then sleep alone, and the result will come to pass.

When this method is transmitted, on a night that falls on a seven burn incense, light the lamps of the seven stars, and pay reverence, reciting each incantation twice, and continue for seven times seven days—forty-nine days in all—after which it may be used as needed. If one can recite it from memory, the method is all the more efficacious; in practice one must be concentrated and resolute. If the mind treats it lightly or with disrespect, it will not take effect.

A section entitled “Zhiye” repeats the same account: burn incense, light the lamps of the seven stars, and pay reverence, reciting each incantation twice, and continue for seven times seven days—forty-nine days—after which it may be used as needed. Being able to recite it from memory makes the method still more efficacious; in practice one must be concentrated and resolute, and if the mind is careless or disrespectful, it will not take effect.

The Method of Straightening the Head

Write the Seals of the Five Directions (talismanic seals representing the five directions) in cinnabar, burn them to ash, and put the ash into warm water. After reciting the Incantation of the Five Directions and the Incantation of the Sages of Heaven and Earth, wash the head and the eyes with this water.

The Method of Driving Away the Shadow

Prepare five sheets of clean paper and press the Seals of the Five Directions upon the body. Recite the Incantation of the Five Directions and the Incantation of the Various Sages, then recite the Water Incantation and form the Water Seal. Walk ten steps in the moonlight, and the shadow can be made to disappear.

The Method of Burning the Lock with Fire

Form the Fire Seal with the left hand and the Wood Seal with the right. First recite the Wood Incantation, then the Fire Incantation. With the little finger of the right hand write the character “fire” on the ground, then trace the Fire Seal with the right hand, and the lock will open of itself.

The Method of Upholding the Moon’s Brightness

The original text leaves only the title and an incomplete instruction: “Place the Seals of the Five Directions inside the kaolao; at night, as for the method…” The phrase “kaolao nei” and the following “ye zhi fa” are unclear in meaning, and the concrete procedure cannot be determined. The text that follows repeats the content of “The Method of Burning the Lock with Fire”; the title “The Method of Upholding the Moon’s Brightness” then appears again, but no further explanation is given.

The foregoing method: Place the seals of the Five Directions (wufang yin, talismanic seals representing the divine power of the five directions) inside the kaolao. At the second watch of the night, carry the kaolao outdoors; after walking ten paces, set it on its side and silently recite the incantation of the Five Directions together with the incantations of the various holy perfected (shengzhen). Then take the seals of the Five Directions, place them upon the kaolao, and carry the kaolao back into the room concealed on one’s person. Empty out what is inside it, and the whole room will become bright.

Method of Rising

Affix the seals of the Five Directions to the soles of both feet, recite the incantations of the various holy perfected, and form the seals of the Five Directions (forming the mudras according to the prescribed hand gestures). It is said that the body will then feel light and nimble and will rise with the wind, reaching a height of as much as a hundred chi.

Method of Crossing a Ford

On meeting a river ford, place the Earth seal beneath the sole of the foot and recite the Earth incantation together with the incantations of the various holy perfected. One can then enter the water as if walking on level ground and cross over without even realizing it.

Method of the Wisdom Eye

Place the seals of the Five Directions on a lamp and burn them to ash, then pour the ash into two dou and two sheng of jinghua water (jinghua shui, well water freshly drawn at dawn). With the left hand form the Fire seal, and recite the incantations of the various holy perfected together with the Fire incantation; with the right hand stir the water three times, then wash the eyes with the water. It is said that one will then be able to see the shadow realm (yingjie).

Method of Invisibility

Press the seals of the Five Directions against the body or the head, recite the incantations of the various holy perfected, and then walk into a crowd. It is said that others will be unable to see one. The method may also be used to peer at valuables, but one must not give rise to greed.

Method of Shrinking the Earth

Place the seals of the Five Directions on the soles of the feet and recite the incantations of the various holy perfected. It is said that one can then walk a thousand li in a single day.

Method of True Purity

Burn the seals of the Five Directions to ash and swallow them, washing them down with water that flows toward the east, while reciting the incantations of the various holy perfected and the incantation of the Five Directions. If one takes this continuously for five or seven days (whether five days or seven days the original text does not make clear), it is said that desire can be cut off completely and that one will remain forever free of desire.

Method of Sending Forth the Spirit

On the eight nodal days (bajie: the four seasonal onsets, the two equinoxes, the two solstices, and similar solar-term days), write the divine seals of the Five Directions in cinnabar. Blend the seal-talismans with pure incense, burn them to ash, and ingest them in a clean room. Then sit upright, recite the incantations of the various holy perfected and the Wood incantation, and form the Wood seal. It is said that one can then send forth the spirit (chushen) and come and go toward the east, west, south, and north, the circumstances being the same in each direction.

Method of the Five Simulations

Wood simulation: Press the Wood seal against the body, recite the incantations of the various holy perfected, then concentrate upon the “wood ni” at the top of the head (a term of the original text whose meaning is unclear), and form the Wood seal. When one is amid a grove of trees, it is said that one can merge into a single body with the trees, so that other people cannot see one. This is called the “Wood simulation” (mujia).

Fire simulation: It is carried out toward the east, the west, and the other directions; the method is the same.

After the statement that “for the Fire simulation, east and west are both the same,” the original text once again gives the heading “Method of the Five Simulations” (wujia fa), but it does not go on to explain the remainder of the content.

Press the wood seal against the body and, while reciting the incantations of the various sages together with the wood incantation, form the wood seal. In a grove one can then merge with the trees so that others cannot see one. This is called the “wood disguise” (mujia).

Press the fire seal against the body, recite the incantations of the various sages and the fire incantation, and then form the fire seal. One can then become like fire: one may enter fire without being burned, and when one draws near grasses and trees they give off smoke and flame. This is called the “fire disguise.”

Press the metal seal against the body, recite the incantations of the various sages and the metal incantation, and then form the metal seal. One will then have no fear of blades and swords. This is called the “metal disguise.”

Press the water seal against the body, recite the incantations of the various sages and the water incantation, and then form the water seal. One can then merge with water and will not drown. This is called the “water disguise.”

Press the earth seal against the body, recite the incantations of the various sages and the earth incantation, and then form the earth seal. One can then merge with the earth, so that even face to face one cannot be seen. This is called the “earth disguise.”

The Method of the Corpse Disguise

Burn the seals of the five directions—the ritual seals representing the five bearings—to ash, mix the ash with perfumed water, and ingest it for seven days in succession. Each morning recite the incantations of the various sages forty-nine times, then recite the divine incantations of the five directions and form the divine seals of the five directions. On the seventh day one will die. It is said that even if the death lasts as long as ten years, this will not impede the method.

The Method of Circular Radiance of the Five Directions

Burn the seals of the five directions to ash, mix, and ingest the mixture. On the second day of each month, before daybreak, recite the incantations of the various sages and the divine incantations of the five directions, and form the seals of the five directions. A five-colored circular radiance will then appear in the mouth, and by means of it one may observe things yet to come.

A Method for Bringing Paper Objects to Life

Dry the seals of the five directions with powdered incense, then cut them with scissors into the shapes of various objects. Recite the divine incantations of the five directions and the incantations of the various sages. Separately, burn the water seal to ash, take one sheng of well water, recite the water incantation and form the water seal, and sprinkle the water over the paper objects. It is said that these objects will then transform along with the water. The sense of the final sentence—“all things transform in accordance with the water, and that is all there is to the great interdiction”—is not entirely clear.

A Method for Making Trees Blossom in the Twelfth Lunar Month

Take an apricot tree or a peach tree and work the rite with the fire seal and the water seal. Then pour two dou and two sheng of freshly drawn water over the tree while reciting the water incantation, the fire incantation, and the earth incantation. It is said that the tree will immediately burst into bloom.

Method of Planting Wheat

Take one sheng of wheat and, on ground fifty paces long and fifty paces wide, form raised beds (fields divided into separate planting plots). Burn the seals of the Five Directions (ritual seals representing the five directions) to ash. Soak the wheat together with two sheng of well-flower water (water drawn from a well at dawn), while reciting the incantations of the various sages and the divine incantations of the Five Directions, seven times for each incantation.

Sow on the eighth day of each month at the you hour (five to seven in the evening); by the xu hour (seven to nine at night) the wheat seedlings will have emerged. At the yin hour (three to five in the early morning), water the entire field with the divine seals of the Five Directions, and water it once more at the chen hour (seven to nine in the morning). At the si hour (nine to eleven in the morning) the wheat forms ears; at the wu hour (eleven in the morning to one in the afternoon) it ripens and may be harvested. After five sheng and five ge of wheat have been gathered, finish reciting the fire incantation and then consume it. Within ten days one will have no wish to eat breakfast; it is said that this can prolong life. This is what is known as the “method of abstaining from food.”

Method of Planting Millet

Take half a sheng of millet. On ground fifty-two paces long and fifty-two paces wide, burn a wood seal to ash, mix it with well-flower water, and irrigate with the mixture. By the shen and you hours (three to seven in the afternoon) the seedlings will have sprouted; at the xu hour they form ears; and at the zi hour (eleven at night to one in the early morning) they are harvested.

In a clean room, thresh the harvested millet and air-dry it for two days. Then take half a sheng, boil it into porridge, and eat it. It is said that this can keep a person from aging.

Method of Seeking Rain

Bury the seals of the Five Directions in the ground, recite the incantations of the various sages and the water incantation, and then form the water seal (a hand seal representing water, formed according to the ritual method). Rain, mist, and frost will descend. If one wishes them to stop, form the fire seal and recite the fire incantation.

Method of Transforming Wind

Bury the earth seal in the Xun quarter (the southeast), recite the incantations of the various sages and the earth incantation, and then form the earth seal. A great wind will immediately arise, blowing down trees and shaking mountains. If one wishes the wind to stop, form the wood seal and recite the wood incantation.

Method of Producing a Fleshy Topknot

The original text has only the title here, with no specific content.

Burn the seals of the five directions—the ritual seals used for the five quarters—to ash, mix the ash with fragrant water, and take the dose for five to seven days. Each day recite the incantations of the various holy perfected ones, and a fleshy protuberance will grow upon the crown; the body will become pure and luminous like lapis lazuli, fully endowed with the various features among the thirty-two marks, and will become a bodily form out of the ordinary. After two talismans have been put to use, recite the incantation again. First click the teeth five times; a greater number is better. While reciting the incantation, call upon the deities. Should an emergency arise, one may also call upon the deities in the heart to come to one’s aid. Give the water over which the incantation has been spoken to the patient to drink, and wind will be unable to intrude, water unable to seep in and do harm, and deviant demons will withdraw at once.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and the Jade Emperor together receive the imperial command; the Jade Emperor likewise receives the decree jointly. Lord Lao makes the petition, and hundreds and thousands of auspicious omens proceed in obedience to the command.

Method of Incanting the Brush to Write Talismans

Recite seven times the incantation, “By the power of Divine King Heisha, the Black Slayer, the ten thousand ghosts lie beneath the brush.” When the recitation is finished, puff Qi (vital energy) upon the brush, and then draw the talisman with the brush. Write out a separate talisman and give it to the patient to take.

Method of Incanting Water to Be Consumed Oneself

Recite: “Cool and refreshing, cool and refreshing; dragon and tiger conjoin to form a body. Neither hungry nor thirsty, I receive the Way (Dao) of long life. Quickly, quickly, carry this out in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.”

Method of Incanting Fruit to Give to the Patient

First click the teeth seven times, and recite: “Changzhen, the Ever-Perfected, descends and brings the efficacy to fulfillment; the ten thousand illnesses cannot intrude. Quickly, quickly, carry this out in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.” Incant this five times.

Formal Procedure of Practice

At midnight, in the hour of zi, prepare two swords in a quiet chamber, mark out on the ground an area of two zhang and three chi, and enclose the boundary with ash of mulberry firewood. Prepare forty-nine willow branches, seven lamps, seven incense burners, two zithers, one bow, two arrows, two sets of brush and inkstone, two new felt mats (each five chi long), one bowl of plain congee, five to seven fruits of the season, and two bowls of pure water. After each object has been properly placed according to its direction, begin the invocation. Invite the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning to descend riding upon light, come to the ritual seat, and be seated. Invite the Great Emperor of the Northern Pole to descend riding upon light, come to the ritual seat, and be seated. Invite the Star Lord of Jia and Yi in the East, the Virtue (De) of the Year—the stellar deity who governs the fortunes of the year—to descend. Invite the Yinghuo Star Lord of Bing and Ding in the South—Yinghuo being Mars—to descend.

With reverence we invite the Star Lord of Taibai of the West, of the stems Geng and Xin—the stellar deity corresponding to the Metal phase—the True Lord of the Chronographic Star of the North, of the stems Ren and Gui—the stellar deity corresponding to the Water phase—and the Star Lord of the Garrison Star of the Center, of the stems Wu and Ji—the stellar deity corresponding to the Earth phase.

Reverently set down the name of such-and-such a person of such-and-such a household, specifying the year of birth, the heavenly stems and earthly branches, and the surname. On a given day of the present month, observe the precepts and purify the body, establish the altar, offer incense, tea, and sacrificial gifts, and recite the incantation:

“Heaven, by obtaining the One, is clear; Earth, by obtaining the One, is at peace; and I, by obtaining the One, receive a numinous response. Heaven above covers me, Earth below bears me, the sun and moon shine upon me, the radiance of the five colors aids me, and the five stars assist me in carrying this out. Summon them in haste, and let them come at once! Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!”

Methods of Forming the Seals

The “Heaven-character seal”: the middle fingers of both hands face one another, and the tips of the middle fingers press upon the crease at the middle joint of the Heaven finger.

The “Earth-character seal”: the two feet are crossed to form a cross.

The “Wood-character seal”: the thumbs of both hands press the Palace of Zhen (one of the Bagua, the Eight Trigrams), which stands for the East; facing East, draw in five breaths of Qi (vital energy).

The “Fire-character seal”: the thumbs of both hands press the Palace of Li, which stands for the South; facing South, draw in three breaths.

The “Metal-character seal”: the thumbs of both hands press the Palace of Dui, which stands for the West; facing West, draw in two breaths.

The “Water-character seal”: the thumbs of both hands press the Palace of Kan, which stands for the North; facing North, draw in two breaths.

The “Soil-character seal”: the thumbs of both hands press the Central Palace, which stands for the Center, and one draws in five breaths.

For each hand seal the gesture is opened, and the incantation is then recited. The scripture says that these incantations are verses spoken by the assembly of holy beings, and that whenever they are applied according to the particular matter at hand, they prove efficacious.

Incantations of the Holy Ones of the Five Directions

The Wood incantation: “Nangmo sanmanduo, motuonan dieluoye suopohe.”

The Fire incantation: “Nangmo sanmanduo, motuonan ye suopohe.”

The Metal incantation: “Nangmo sanmanduo, motuonan poluowanye suopohe.”

The Soil incantation: “Nangmo sanmanduo, motuonan boluoboweiye suopohe.”

The Water incantation: “Nangmo sanmanduo, motuonan hongye suoyehe.”

The hand seals above are to be used together with the “Dragon-Startling,” and seals are carved from jujube wood, each measuring two cun and two fen on every side.

Divine Incantations of the Five Directions

The Wood-and-Water incantation: “Nangmo sanmanduo, motuonan hongye suoyehe.”

(Characters in the text such as “bo,” “shi,” and “shen” may be special graphs introduced in copying or in particular editions. The precise positions and manner of forming the hand seals likewise depend on the diagrams or technical traditions employed in the original book; what is given here explains only those portions that can be made out from the written wording.)

The seal on the right is to bear an inscription in the form of a dragon. It should be carved from jujube wood, and each side of the seal face should measure two cun and two fen.

Divine Spells of the Five Directions

The Wood Spell (muzha, the divine incantation of the Wood phase among the Five Phases, Wuxing) decrees and commands the Great Golden-Crown Wheel King of Sovereign Freedom of the East; the Fire Spell decrees and commands the Great Golden-Crown Wheel King of Sovereign Freedom of the South; the Water Spell decrees and commands the Great Golden-Crown Wheel King of Sovereign Freedom of the North; the Metal Spell decrees and commands the Great Golden-Crown Wheel King of Sovereign Freedom of the West; and the Earth Spell decrees and commands the Great Golden-Crown Wheel King of Sovereign Freedom of the Center.

Only a recipient who is worthy, wise, and possessed of De (Virtue/Power) may receive the transmission. If a person of shallow virtue rashly receives the method, calamity will implicate the nine ancestors—nine generations of forebears—and will also fall upon that person.

The Method of Ritual Reverence

The dates for ritual reverence are the first day of the first month, the second day of the eleventh month, the third day of the third month, the fourth day of the fourth month, the fifth day of the fifth month, the sixth day of the sixth month, the seventh day of the seventh month, the eighth day of the eighth month, the ninth day of the ninth month, the tenth day of the tenth month, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and the twelfth day of the twelfth month.

One who cultivates this method should choose a clean room and diligently offer incense morning and evening. On each of the dates above, sacrificial announcement and prayer should be made, with sincere reverence, and this should be kept up year after year. One must not begin with diligence and later grow slack; the practice should be maintained with single-minded devotion and continued without interruption.

The method for setting up the altar and arranging the offerings appears, in the original, to contain missing or corrupt characters, and cannot be reliably interpreted here.

The Most High Mysterious Thousand-Gold Register

The dates for using this method include the first and the seventh of the first month, the third of the third month, the fifth of the fifth month, the seventh of the seventh month, the fifteenth of the ninth month, and the Eight Nodes (bajie, the eight nodal points of the solar terms in the Daoist calendar). Whenever a sacrifice is performed, the Golden Register must first be ingested.

The original text then goes on to say that, when sacrifice is offered on these dates and on the Eight Nodes, one must first ingest the talismans of the twelve double-hours, then write one porridge talisman, burn that talisman to ash, and grind and disperse the ash in an inkstone; after it has been blown away, the Fulu (talismans and registers) are written once more.

These twelve talismans are to be burned to ash, divided into nine portions, and taken with water each morning. When the method is received, one pure mat corresponding to the relevant stellar configuration should be used; if no pure mat is available, the ground should be swept clean and used instead. The offerings are ordinarily three vessels each of incense, lamps, tea, and wine; fruit and the like may be prepared as one wishes. The Fulu are written facing north.

The First Capital-Thread Talisman, the Second Receiving-the-True Talisman, the Third Heavenly Jia Talisman, the Fourth Earthly Jia Talisman, the Fifth Human Jia Talisman, and the Sixth Penetrating-Eyes Talisman (all names of Fulu, talismans and registers). Facing north, I burn incense and respectfully invoke the Most High Primordial Sovereign, True Lord of the Wondrous Dao, the Chief Supervisor of the Immortals of the Nine Heavens, the envoys of the Nine Heavens, together with the deities of the Azure Dragon on the left, the White Tiger on the right, the Vermilion Bird in front, and the Dark Warrior behind, praying that they bestow grace and protection and grant that what I seek be fulfilled as I wish.

I have already kept a pure fast and cleansed myself, burned incense, sprinkled wine, stood upright, and bowed in salute. I respectfully invite the True Lord of the Northern Dipper, the Lady of Purple Tenuity, the King Father of the East, the Queen Mother of the West, the River Earl, the Rain Master, the deities of the Twelve Palaces, the Chief Ministers of the Six Jia, and the envoys of the duty talisman, so that what I seek may be fulfilled as I wish and I may be able to receive this talisman.

I further respectfully invite the Azure Emperor of the East riding the Azure Dragon, the Red Emperor of the South riding the Red Dragon, the White Emperor of the West riding the White Dragon, the Black Emperor of the North riding the Black Dragon, and the Yellow Emperor of the Center riding the Yellow Dragon. May the Five Emperors of the Five Directions acknowledge that I am able to receive this talisman.

I again respectfully invite the Five Emperors of the Five Directions each to send down the ethereal and wondrous Qi (vital energy) of the divine spirits and, riding the five dragons, to come to the altar, each taking their place, willing to come to the altar to receive the Fulu, so that what I seek may be fulfilled as I wish.

Offering incense once more, I respectfully invite the Azure Emperor of the East and the Azure Dragon, the Red Emperor of the South and the Red Dragon, the White Emperor of the West and the White Dragon, the Black Emperor of the North and the Black Dragon, and the Yellow Emperor of the Center and the Yellow Dragon each to send down the ethereal and wondrous Qi of the divine spirits to enter my body; and I further wish that the orthodox Qi of the celestial configurations of the Five Stars enter my body. May my hun and po souls not be disturbed by malign spirits, and may no manner of evil harm be able to injure me; may spirits and ghostly hosts obey my command, and may what I wish to flourish indeed flourish.

The subordinate officials of the River Earl, the true officials of the duty talisman, the governing officials who preside by the ritual law, the twelve divine officials, the Five Jia deities of the upper and lower realms, the Earl of Wind, and the Rain Master likewise all send down the ethereal and wondrous Qi of the divine spirits to enter my body. May I thereby become thoroughly open in Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue/Power) and enter into resonance with the spirits: in the heat of summer I do not feel the scorching heat, and in the cold I do not feel the bitter cold; when hungry I am filled, when I meet danger I am kept secure, and when I put the Fulu into practice they prove efficacious.

The invocations above are to be carried out at once in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

The blessing prayer then says:

Respectfully inform all the deities: the wine and food for this sacrificial rite are exceedingly meager and hardly sufficient as an offering. We beg the gods to pardon us, and we ask each deity to lead the hosts under their command and accept these offerings. After bowing twice, take the wine and drink it yourself, and pour what remains into a river flowing eastward. Then take out the Dulu talisman and the Sanjia talisman and swallow them. After that, take the Nazhen talisman and place it in an azure cloth pouch. When the offering is presented, pray that the deities will pardon us, and ask each deity to lead the hosts under their command and accept the offerings. After bowing twice again, take the wine and drink it yourself, pour what remains into a river flowing eastward, and once more take the Dulu talisman and the Sanjia talisman and swallow them. Then place the Nazhen talisman in an azure cloth pouch and wear it in the hair bun.

Burn the Tongmu talisman to ash and mix it into water. After the ash has settled, wash the eyes with the clarified water. It is said that one can then see the earth spirit and hear it speak, and can also hear the words of ghosts and spirits; this ability may remain with a person for a long time. When the sacrifice is over, the related items should be sent off.

The Dulu Talisman, the First

Whenever Fulu (talismans and registers) are used, the talisman should be written in cinnabar one day beforehand, and nine copies prepared for swallowing. The day of the rite may be the seventh of the first month, the third of the third month, the fifth of the fifth month, the seventh of the seventh month, the fifteenth of the eighth month, or the ninth of the ninth month. Write the Fulu late at night, when all is still and the stars are fully arrayed; burn incense and recite the incantation:

“Tiangang patrols its course; the sun, moon, and stars fill the heavens. Burn the Fulu and cause the breaths to submit; Jiujing Dujun descends and issues the edict. May all the talismans swiftly take effect, guard my body, and ever serve as my support. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances—carry this out at once.”

The Nazhen Talisman

Write this talisman beneath the Northern Dipper. Whenever a talisman is written, first finish reciting the incantation, then write it in cinnabar, and, according to the year, month, day, and hour, intone one’s own name. The incantation is:

“Lady Xuanyuan, whose heavenly nature delights in purity, reveres the mysterious and wondrous Great Dao (the Way) and carefully upholds the celestial talismans. Seize and gather the spirits; subdue ghosts and demons. May the gods of Heaven bless me, the gods of Earth bear me up, the sun and moon shine upon me, the celestial gods guard me, and Hebo ferry and aid me. May all evils submit to me, and the true spirits stand watch over me. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances—carry this out at once.”

The Tongmu Talisman, the Third

Place it in a blue-green (qing) bag and wear it on the hair bun. This talisman (fu) is to be written on the eight festival days—the eight nodal days (bajie) of which Daoism speaks. It is said to make the ears keen and the eyes bright, and to enable one to converse with ghosts and spirits. Write the talisman in cinnabar, burn it to ash, soak and rinse the ash with water, then wash the eyes with the talisman water and drink it. It is said that one can at once speak with ghosts and spirits. After the spirits have been summoned, this talisman should be burned.

Before writing this talisman, first burn incense and recite the incantation:

“The sun is my father, the moon is my mother, and the Five Stars are my elder brothers. I command the host of ghosts and spirits to submit and obey. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.”

Heavenly Jia Talisman, the Fourth

The deity of the Heavenly Jia Talisman is surnamed Qing and styled Wengong. It is said to know the patterns by which the stars of heaven move and change, to be able to command the stars and the moon, and to make people see them manifest their forms. This deity has the shape of a human body and also bears the image of a celestial serpent, with feet like a dragon and a body like an ox, and shoes on all four feet. This deity brings people joy.

If one wishes to see this deity, one should prepare incense, fruit, wine, and dried meat in a clean room, write the talisman at the hour of zi (zishi) on white silk five inches wide, place it in a blue-green bag, and conceal it in the hair bun. First recite the incantation:

“Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang) join in harmony, and all affairs proceed smoothly. The envoy who carries out the mandate of the talisman comes and goes with me, east and west. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.”

Earthly Jia Talisman, the Fifth

The deity of the Earthly Jia Talisman is said to be able to discover the hidden corpses of the world (bodies buried underground), buried treasures and objects, and the locations of tombs. This deity is surnamed Zhuo and styled Wugong; it has the appearance of a woman, wears cloth garments, goes bareheaded, and rides a blue-green dragon. When it first appears, it brings a feeling of joy.

This talisman is written in cinnabar. After three shouts, the deity will arrive. Recite the incantation:

“Mild and bright; the earth is yielding and heaven is firm. I shall respectfully inquire and carefully ascertain good and ill fortune. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances of the Most High (Taishang).”

Human Jia Talisman, the Sixth

The spirit in the Renjia Talisman (fu) is surnamed Jin and named Hua. Its form resembles a woman, with skin half red and half blue-green. It wears red clothing and rides a horse, and its face is like that of a human being. Beside it are two figures lying prostrate, each holding a mouli, a kind of weapon or implement. The spirit’s complexion is pale; it has only one eye and no nose. It can discover where a household’s bondservants have fled, and it can also determine the whereabouts of fathers and sons who have been separated for many years. If someone comes to inquire, the spirit can point out where they are.

Write this talisman in cinnabar and wear it in the hair bun. Keep the spirit’s name in mind, and before long the spirit will arrive. At the first offering to the talisman, use wine and dried meat; after that, no further offerings are required.

The Wu Talisman: the seventh is the Talisman of Dispatching Illness. This talisman is the envoy of the Lord of the Northern Dipper, who constantly patrols the human world. If anyone utters curses and does evil, going against the Dao (the Way) of Heaven, the spirit will cause that person to fall ill and will shorten that person’s life. When someone in a household suddenly develops sores or swellings, goes blind, or contracts some other illness, all such cases are likewise dealt with by this spirit. If the sick person dreams of scenes of peace and ease, one may offer incense, tea, and cakes, so that ghosts and spirits will not dare to cause harm and the patient may be at peace.

This spirit has the form of a woman. It wears black clothing, bends at the waist, holds a pear in its hand, and rides a donkey. Its surname is Zhuan and its name is Eji; it is also called Ebao. Write this talisman in cinnabar and place it beside the patient’s head; it is said that the illness will then be cured. If the illness breaks out again, write the talisman in ink, write the patient’s name on it, place it in the dian, and then burn the talisman over a fire; it is said that the illness will not return.

The incantation says: “Envoy of the Northern Lord, please ride the spirit donkey to the patient’s side, and release the patient from the blame that has been incurred. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances!”

The eighth is the Imperial Register Talisman, which may be used regularly. The spirit in the talisman is surnamed Liu and named Kesiyishu; it is also named Changfeixing. It knows the fortunes and misfortunes of the human world, as well as subtle and hard-to-fathom matters of good and ill fortune. The spirit wears celestial robes and a splendid crown, travels by riding the clouds, and can foresee wind and rain, abundant or failed harvests, and the changes of the seasons.

Write this talisman in cinnabar, place it in a blue-green cloth pouch, and wear it inside the lapel at the chest. Thereafter, whenever one thinks of it in the heart, the spirit will come together with the talisman. When one asks about a matter, it is as though one sees with one’s own eyes the spirit answering face to face, and the spirit declares what is auspicious and what is inauspicious. The incantation is as follows:

The sun is my father, the moon is my mother, the bright star is my elder brother, and Taiyi (a divine name in Daoism) is my friend. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances (jiji ru lüling, an imperative formula in Daoist incantations, meaning that the command must be carried out at once).

This is the talisman method of the Envoys of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian shizhe, the celestial divine messengers spoken of in Daoism). Those who aspire to seek the Dao (the Way) and hope for long life may learn it. One must first draw the Dulu talisman, the Tongmu talisman, and the Sanjia talisman, then draw this talisman, and recite: “Taiyi is a friend. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.”

This is the talisman method of the Envoys of the Nine Heavens. Those who aspire to seek the Dao and hope for long life may learn it. One first draws the Dulu talisman, the Tongmu talisman, and the Sanjia talisman, and only then may one draw this talisman. If someone seeks to have a matter accomplished, it is said that the matter will then be brought about of itself. Practitioners of the highest grade may fulfill the fruit of the Dao, become superior immortals, and ascend; practitioners of the middle grade may become earthly immortals; practitioners of the lowest grade, after their practice, may serve as earthly officials and obtain the corresponding emoluments and ranks.

Wilderness Talisman (Kuangye Fu)

If a household has forgotten where a grave lies, draw this talisman in cinnabar, write the name of the deceased beneath the talisman, then close the eyes and recite the incantation:

“Dim and deep, remote and obscure—my talisman formula. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.”

When the recitation is finished, open the eyes; tradition holds that the soul of the deceased will then arrive. Ask where the grave is, and the soul will explain of its own accord. This talisman is a spirit-summoning talisman, also called a Kanhe talisman (a talisman for summoning and verifying spirits).

It is said that these talismans are all carved on the stone walls within Huashan Cave. When writing them one must be concentrated and reverent; this talisman is said to be able to gather and control every kind of ghost and spirit. Write it in cinnabar. If one goes to another person’s home to inquire about a matter, the spirits of the kin in the household, the door gods, and the Ao spirit (the deity so named in the original text) will all come forward, explain what is auspicious and inauspicious, and be able to state their own names, dwelling places, and the circumstances involved.