《徐仙翰藻》Vol. 4

All depend on the power of the Daoist rites.

Again

When I think of my father’s death, how can a daughter bear such unbearable grief? Though I married nearby, I could not return home to serve and comfort my father, and my wish went unfulfilled. I respectfully pour out my heartfelt sincerity and look up to the divine for guidance toward release. All of this depends on the power of the Daoist rites.

Again

When I think of my father’s death, how can a daughter bear such unbearable grief? Though I married nearby, I could not return home to serve and comfort my father, and my wish went unfulfilled. I respectfully pour out my heartfelt sincerity and look up to Heaven, asking it to hear me.

I remember how diligently my father carried out his duties and how frugally he managed the household. He reclaimed fields and worked hard to expand the family’s livelihood, carrying forward the aspirations of his ancestors. When the family faced many hardships, he did all he could to repay his children’s debts. We know how much we owe him, yet have no way to repay him, and grief is always in our hearts. We had hoped he would enjoy health, peace, and a long life in old age. Who could have imagined that half a lifetime would vanish like a bubble? He was ill for little more than twenty days. The abscess on his back had not yet burst when he died. Now, on the twenty-eighth day after his death—the fourth seven-day memorial—we still hope his soul can be summoned back, while his spirit and awareness have not yet grown dim. To ask the Southern Immortal Realm of Zhulíng to prolong his life, we must ask a Daoist priest to submit a memorial on our behalf.

We implore the divine to bestow blessings, so that the deceased may forever cast off past sins, leave the netherworld, and grasp the opportunity for release. Since there is a Heavenly Realm, may he enter a place of freedom and peace.

Again

My heart is breaking with grief. How can I bear to sever my bond with my father? Even a hundred lives could not repay his kindness; for a young woman to lose her father is a grief beyond endurance. I respectfully express my heartfelt wish and look up to Heaven, asking it to hear me.

I remember my father: although his children’s marriages had all been arranged, he still labored so tirelessly. The burden on his shoulders had not yet been set down when a sore appeared on his back. Like dew dissolving and stars falling, his death fills us with sorrow, like a lotus withering in a dream. The sun and moon have turned, and in the blink of an eye sixty years have passed. I would sing words to summon his soul, as Song Yu did, and dare to submit a plea for redemption like that of Tiying, the filial daughter of the Han dynasty who petitioned to save her father.

We implore the divine to erase my father’s name from the register of the underworld and grant him, without delay, the Golden Register and White Writ—the documents by which Daoism confers divine office or delivers the souls of the dead. May he receive the memorial and be delivered in Zhulíng, and be spared the torments of the underworld, such as the pools of fire and water. May all souls sunk in the netherworld be delivered and ascend together to a realm of joy.

A Petition by a Daughter Establishing the Blood Bowl Rite to Deliver Her Mother: a prayer text for a daughter who establishes a Blood Bowl ritual on her mother’s behalf and seeks her deliverance.

With reverent devotion, I pray: The realm of the dead is vast and boundless, and those who suffer there are as numerous as the eighty-four thousand. The Blood Bowl Scripture contains fifty-three Buddhas, each of whom vows to save all beings. To form a karmic connection of this kind is to achieve inconceivable merit.

I think of myself as a woman who did all she could to care for her mother. Though I held in my heart the filial love of a crow returning to feed its mother, I could not repay her as in the story of Juxu, who returned his mother’s kindness. Now forty-nine years have passed, and my mother’s face and voice are long gone. One hundred and six days have slipped by in an instant—how could I not miss her? I can only rely on the Buddha’s power to awaken her from the dreamlike life she led in the locust courtyard, and help her understand the karmic ties of the past, so that she may attend the pure Dharma assembly and thereby bring good fruits in her next life.

I respectfully welcome all the holy ones of the Three Realms. May their grace extend throughout the ten directions and shine through the eighteen levels of hell, opening every prison gate. May the departed be delivered in every life to come, without having to endure the endless wait of millions upon millions of kalpas. If the true body is already pure, why wash its clothes and headwear with orchid water? If the eye of Dharma is already open and clear, why use a golden lancet to scrape away the film over the eyes? From this day forward, may all things be renewed, may they be born again, and may they be free forever from suffering.

May the King of Hell receive the kindness of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, and may Lady Māyā’s teaching be heard with reverence in Tuṣita Heaven.

Prayer for Delivering My Husband and Daughter

With reverent devotion, I pray: The Most High is compassionate toward all beings, yet why do some fail to live out their allotted years? Since ancient times, all people have had to die—but who has ever pitied the souls of the departed? I cry out in grief and plead, striking the ground in prayer, yet no one hears. I can only lay my plea before Heaven.

I knew long ago that my fate was meager: I never married in all my life. My daughter was still young and ignorant, barely weaned; my husband and I had not been married long. Why could a single illness not be overcome, but in only eight days take my loved one away? Powerless to change this, I am left with a lifetime of regret. O soul, where will you go? I fear you will sink forever into the long night.

With all sincerity, I pray and hope the spirits will understand my grief and pardon the departed for their sins. May they, through their profound merit, receive the talismanic mandates recorded in the Golden Registers and White Tablets. May father and son ascend together to the realms of the immortals, their names engraved in the Jade Chambers and Cinnabar Terraces. May they return to the good path and share in this blessing.

Prayer for Delivering My Husband and Son

Heaven and earth stretch far apart, and the sun and moon endure through long ages. The people who suffer injustice have nowhere to appeal their grievances. In the frost and cold beneath the chill moon, who can understand a widow’s sorrow? I cannot help speaking at length, and once again dare to present my plea. In former lives, I endured many calamities; in this life, I have suffered the double grief of losing those closest to me. My hope that joy would come to our family in the form of a child has, in the end, fallen away like a fleeting blossom. My wish for my husband’s return can only remain an empty longing, sorrowful as a broken mirror that can never be made whole. Since the length of one’s life is fixed in advance, there is nothing I can do. Yet I cannot understand what causes and conditions of good and evil could have brought me to such a desperate plight. Though the living and the dead are separated, I am grateful that merit can help the departed cross over and ascend to heaven. I wish only to entrust these words with a little of my love for my beloved son, and to express my longing for my homeland. Now his face and voice seem still to be here, yet I can do no more than recall him in vain in the silent, deserted courtyard. Where will his spirit go? May the departed be reborn in the Palace of Zhu Ling, the southern underworld of Daoist belief where the souls of the dead are saved; and may all manner of beings in the netherworld likewise return to the wondrous Dao.

A son’s prayer to deliver his father

The august Heavenly Emperor looks down upon the human world, and the August Celestial Sovereign, the ruler of the heavens revered in Daoism, has not abandoned me. A filial son and obedient grandson should devote all his strength to serving the dead just as he served them in life. I am deeply ashamed, fearing that my offering may be empty display and seem excessively flattering. I was fortunate to be born as a son and have, in some measure, inherited the family estate. When drinking water, one should remember its source; so I ought to offer my gratitude at the root and remember my ancestors. A scene stirs my feelings, and I take this occasion to express my longing for them. Though my ancestors’ remains have already been laid to rest in the tomb, all this was guided by the spirits. I am fortunate to have received this opportunity for my ancestors to be delivered and ascend to heaven. How could I fail to give the spirits clear thanks? The souls of the departed no longer look back upon the world of dust, but journey through a realm of darkness and stillness. The kindness of my ancestors is beyond measure. May the spirits bestow blessings upon me. Relying on the power of the Great Dao, may these blessings also reach the netherworld.

A prayer to deliver departed family members

Looking up to the vast heavens, I presume to offer this prayer with all my sincerity. Children all love their parents—who could be without such filial devotion? With humility, I trouble you once again; I have already set out my prayer above. When we reflect deeply, we often feel that whether we care for our parents during their lives or honor and remember them after their deaths, we can never do so fully. In our daily conduct, too, there is little that could be called filial or virtuous. Now we journey to Mount Tai to pay homage to the God of the Sacred Peak, who governs Mount Tai and the realm of the dead, and we wish to return to the Great Dao together with all beings. We earnestly ask that men and women alike turn toward the Dao with sincerity, support and save one another, and attain long life. May the spirits and gods hear these secret words of command used in Zhaijiao rites, and thereby ascend to higher rank, free from further suffering.

Prayer for the Salvation of Fathers and Ancestors

The grace of Heaven and Earth is profound; surely we should honor the virtue by which Heaven covers, Earth sustains, and all things are brought into being. When autumn frost falls and plants wither, who would not feel sorrow and desolation while remembering the ancestors? I respectfully lay bare my heartfelt sincerity and pray to Heaven. I know that, as an ordinary person, I cannot avoid worldly ties, yet I also know how to feel gratitude. I often remember the labors of my father and grandmother, and keep in mind the teachings of my father’s generation and my uncles. To care for one’s parents wholeheartedly during their lives and give them proper burials after their deaths is to fulfill one’s filial duty. How could I fail to offer my utmost sincerity? I should rise early and retire late, striving not to bring shame upon the parents who raised me. How can I repay them? Thus, last winter, in the twelfth lunar month, I pledged to establish a Yellow Register Great Retreat, a Daoist Zhaijiao liturgy performed to pray for blessings and commend the spirits of the dead. In this way, I would express my remembrance and, through the rites, show my reverence in seeking salvation and cultivating merit for them. May Yellow Flowers cleanse the body, and Jade Eyes refine and nurture its substance; may the rites be performed in purity and clarity. May the departed spirits be guided in the Southern Palace and rise to higher rank in the Northern Office; may the talismanic command at last be conveyed and reach Heaven above.

In keeping with the rites and order of human relationships, we feel ever more deeply our reverence for our ancestors. The workings of Heaven follow their own constant principles, and we have truly received the grace of Heaven and Earth, which transform and nurture all things. Today we respectfully establish a solemn ritual altar and earnestly invite the Perfected One to descend and preside over the rites.

We have long been caught up in the dust of the world. Born as later generations, we have received the protection of our ancestors’ merit, and hope this blessing will also safeguard their descendants. Our intentions are upright and sincere; even if we were to report them to ghosts and spirits, our conscience would be clear. We now briefly set forth our wishes and perform a special Zhaijiao (purification ritual), an altar rite for praying for blessings and repaying the gods. We know that our repeated appeals may have caused offense, and only hope for even the smallest chance of receiving grace. We earnestly ask that the Ninefold Darkness, the realm of the underworld, show mercy and deliver the departed, and that the Yellow Registers, ritual documents used in Daoist rites for seeking blessings and delivering souls, be put to use. May the Eight Luminaries, the realms of immortals and spirits in Daoist teaching, shine brightly, so that we may pay our respects to the majestic golden-purple forms. We also pray that blessings flow down to future generations and that grace be granted to our living kin.

The Perfected One’s Words of Repentance

I have heard that humans are the most spiritually endowed of all beings. When we recognize our faults, we should correct them. The gods have no visible form for people to discuss, yet this does not mean they are without fault. A fault lies in acting through human affairs and thus being vulnerable to empty flattery and acts that curry favor with ghosts and spirits. I reflect once more that I hold a sacred rank in the Golden Palace of the Nine Heavens, and that since the beginning of the era of good fortune, I have offered sacrificial prayers and words of repentance.

I have heard that human beings are the most spiritually perceptive of all creatures. When they recognize their own faults, they should correct them. The spirits have no form or trace by which people can discuss them; if we say that spirits have faults, where, then, are those faults? It is simply that spirits act through human affairs, and so they too may be misled by tales of ghosts and strange beings that should not be trusted.

I have thought this over again and again. Your servant holds a sacred rank in the Golden Court of the Nine Heavens. Since the beginning of the Kaiyun era, people have established shrines to worship me and offer me sacrifices. After the Kaixi era, my temples became prominent, and I received an imperial title. Though there are numinous beings that dwell in plants and trees, I still did not understand the mysteries of ascending to sacred realms and cultivating the Way to become a perfected person. Thus I performed purification rites, observed precepts, accumulated good deeds, and established merit, gradually entering the ranks of the immortals. I also took on duties in the underworld and carried them out with care. Yet I remain uncertain in my heart about the true measure of my virtue.

I worry that when I use medicines to save people, I cannot distinguish the properties of herbs such as aconite, prepared aconite, Aucklandia, and poria. When I use writing to admonish the world, I cannot tell which passages contain errors in characters such as “Lu,” “Yu,” “Hai,” and “Cheng.” At times, when I divine, I cannot give people clear guidance; at times, like a wild goose, I cannot bring them to settle together in peace. Sometimes I pray for clear skies, yet rain falls instead, damaging the crops, and people complain of heat and drought. Sometimes I pray for rain, but the skies clear instead, bringing blame upon me—even accusations that the Wind Earl is causing trouble.

Someone might ask: if good and evil bring their due rewards, why does good conduct not always receive a good reward, while wrongdoing does not always bring immediate retribution? The ruins of Lord Guo’s city leave us puzzled. Another might ask: if blessings and misfortunes serve to warn the world, why does a blessing not always bring good fortune, and a misfortune not always lead to calamity, as in the story of the old man at the frontier who lost his horse, where fortune and disaster proved impossible to predict? Some meet untimely, unjust deaths yet refuse to believe that these are matters of fate; instead, they are misled by a spirit medium’s words and give rise to slander. Others, impoverished and beset by hardship, find no way to stand on their own and blame the spirits and demons for their troubles, though they themselves have no power to change things. Some who seek only to profit from sacrifices still refuse to give up meat and fish. In some villages, feasts are held using the kitchens set aside for ritual offerings, violating the rules of purification. In this way, demons and goblins seize the chance to wreak havoc, while evil spirits greedy for sacrificial food become difficult to restrain. When I think of these things, I am filled with fear and trepidation, my heart troubled and uneasy.

Fortunately, the Most High established a compassionate vow, and the Great Dao provided a way of repentance. I respectfully come before the sacred presence and first lay out my faults. I ask to cast off old failings, reform myself, receive pardon for past transgressions, and be warned against repeating them in the future. Let me atone for the wrongs caused by my careless words in the past, and require me to make amends through diligence from now on. I will take stability as my governing principle and dare not stir up trouble without cause or seek merit recklessly. In cultivating myself and carrying out my duties, I will not occupy an office without fulfilling its responsibilities. I will do my utmost to save the living and deliver the dead, uphold the righteous path and eliminate evil, faithfully perform my duties, and repay kindness with loyal service.

I also hope to enter the jeweled orb, accumulate meritorious deeds, and reach the number of three thousand. I do not ask that my virtue be as fragrant as the millet offered in sacrifice; I only hope that the incense of worship may continue for a hundred generations. Your servant’s heart is utterly sincere, and I respectfully submit this petition.

Petition of Thanks for the Enfeoffment of the Perfected One

The exalted Dao is the sovereign of all things; with one heart, we take refuge in and revere it. Above the distant Great Luo Heaven, the supreme celestial realm in Daoist belief, all beings of the Three Realms are under your watchful presence. Why has the emperor’s gracious decree favored us so greatly? The numinous awareness of the gods indeed sees all with perfect clarity.

Our hearts rejoice, and our cheers shake the earth. We are grateful for the grace bestowed upon us, which we know comes from Heaven. We understand that ranks of nobility have their proper order, and that the sixteen characters in the title exceed what is fitting. Ceremonies become disorderly when they are too elaborate, and we are concerned that as many as twelve hundred rites may be excessive. After much discussion, everyone agreed that this arrangement is fitting and good. We therefore respectfully hold a Zhaijiao, a Daoist rite of purification and prayer to the gods, to express our sincere public gratitude.

We beseech you to accept this appointment and protect the people; may your achievements in safeguarding the human realm once again be made known, and may your noble rank be fittingly established. Reveal your manifest virtue to us, and further grant us the honor of an office in the unseen realm.

Another Petition

The Dao of Heaven is constant, and Heaven’s mandate rests with those who possess virtue. Without virtue, one cannot move Heaven. A sage may not know himself to be divine; only the gods can attain the state of sageliness. We bow our heads to lay bare our sincere hearts, then raise them to make our appeal to the azure heavens.

We remember that this is our homeland, where the people of the village have lived together for generations. The title “Lingji” has been passed down for more than four hundred years, and its vast benevolence still reaches people everywhere. The people’s longing for you and gratitude to you are without end, and so the court has honored you. We have therefore gathered Daoist priests and respectfully held a simple rite, making our covenant known to the gods of the Three Realms. How could we presume to forget the grace bestowed upon us in the past? We have set up an altar to offer thanks to the gods of the Luo Heaven, hoping thereby to express our reverence and sincerity. We also beseech you to descend to the ritual altar and bless the people.

Petition for the Protection of the Grain Crops

Heaven does not speak, yet answers people’s good prayers by sending rain at the proper time. When people make a plea, blessings will come if they pray sincerely. We respectfully offer our wholehearted devotion and look up to the vast heavens.

We remember that we live under the shelter of Heaven and Earth, yet are only temporary residents, like swallows nesting beneath the eaves. If we have shown any disrespect, we should surely mend our ways. We seek nothing else; we only hope to avert disaster. We have received profound grace, and our prayers are nearly fulfilled. Even after receiving blessings, we remain mindful of danger in times of ease. We humbly ask for compassion and will never forget to repay this kindness.

May the young be healthy and the old be strong; may people of every age and both sexes grow up in safety. May the soil below the fields not be flooded, nor the land above left dry, and may the harvest gradually grow abundant.

Again

The people regard grain as a matter of utmost importance and greatly fear Heaven’s punishment. In summer, we are anxious and humbly ask for compassion; we will never forget to repay this kindness. May the young be healthy and the old be strong; may people of every age and both sexes grow up in safety. May the soil below the fields not be flooded, nor the land above left dry, and may the harvest gradually grow abundant.

Again

The people regard grain as a matter of utmost importance and greatly fear Heaven’s punishment. In summer, we pray for an abundant harvest of the five grains and earnestly hope Heaven will set aside its anger and relent. We follow the people’s wishes and present their plea to the vast heavens.

We think of ourselves as people who care for our parents above and raise our children below, with many mouths to feed. The work of spring planting and autumn harvest is truly heavy. As the year’s farming draws to a close, we had thought the crops in the fields were growing well and a good harvest was in sight; yet we worry that weeds and pests may be quietly taking hold. We rely on incense and purification rites to make our offerings, but how can we repent and give thanks? What is more, removing harm makes it possible to bring about what is beneficial, and good deeds will surely bring auspicious blessings.

As the ritual vessels are washed, the water murmurs softly; the offerings are now prepared, expressing our gift of vegetables and other sacrificial foods. At harvest, the crops rustle as they are cut, and the grain piles up in abundance. We look ahead with hope to a plentiful harvest of millet, glutinous millet, and the other grains.

End of Xu Xian Han Zao, Scroll Ten

Twelve. Xu Xian Han Zao, Scroll Eleven

Xu Xian Han Zao, Scroll Eleven

Notice of the Great Luo Heaven Rite, established with the bestowal of an immortal register at the Golden Palace: At the Golden Palace (the celestial court), an immortal register is bestowed and a Great Luo Heaven Rite is established.

The Palace of the True Perfected at the Golden Tower beneath the Three Heavens (a palace where Daoist immortals dwell) has investigated and assigned the offices: to serve as a deputy in the Bureau of Celestial Secrets and concurrently as Chief Minister of the Wenchang Office of Merit and Official Rank. These powers make celestial radiance shine forth and bring auspicious signs to the human world.

Of all beings, humans are the most spiritually endowed, and their nature possesses the Five Constant Virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. A father should love and teach his children; this need not depend on a skill as difficult to put into words as shaping a wheel. Children should be filial, heed their father’s counsel, and look up to him, relying on him as a great tree stands firm. Brothers should take turns playing the chi and xun, two instruments that harmonize with one another, so that the family lives in harmony, like the qin and se sounding together. Friends who treat one another with trust can become renowned for friendship and righteousness, like the Xiao, Zhu, Wang, and Gong families; those who prize affection and loyalty can be like the Xing, Jin, Ying, and Han families. These customs and teachings concern human relationships and must not be abandoned.

The strong must not bully the weak, the many must not oppress the few, distant relations must not take precedence over close ones, and those of low status must not presume upon their elders. Order between high and low should be maintained, and proper distinctions upheld. Then, even through a difficult and winding course, peace may be hoped for; in time, ritual and music, reputation and refinement will flourish. Can this really be credited only to ritual objects such as jade and silk, or musical instruments such as bells and drums?

In spreading instruction and carrying out government commands, one should follow the Way of Heaven and thereby benefit the human world. One should also observe local customs carefully and make a practical effort in human affairs. As for investigating the unseen and the manifest and verifying good and evil, rewards and punishments must be clearly distinguished; this falls within the duties of the City God, the deity who oversees affairs of the underworld in a locality. The true spirits who serve as Earth Altar Officials, overseeing local land and its altar, may quell disasters of flood and fire, bring rain or clear skies at the proper season, allow wild geese to settle in safety, or convey omens through turtle and milfoil divination. If they have virtue worthy of praise and merit worthy of record, they should be promoted and appointed after fair nomination and review.

Those who are stubborn and unenlightened act in ways that are worse than ghosts and spirits; those steeped in old, harmful customs are said to act perversely; and those whose wrongdoing is exposed, yet who knowingly refuse to change, bring calamity upon themselves, and disaster should rightly fall upon them. This office has investigated the matter and, on this very day, completely rectified and abolished these practices. In addition to having already prepared a formal report for submission to the True Offices of the Three Realms, the Daoist celestial authorities, and having forwarded it to the City God, this notice is now issued.

“Proclamation on the Jade Palace Perfected One’s Receiving the Mandate to Bestow Immortal Registers and Establish the Great Luo Heaven Offering”

The Jade Palace Perfected One, under the Three Heavens, oversees this matter, concurrently serving as the signing official of the Mysterious Secretariat of Thunder and the High Minister of the Southern Pole who registers births. The Perfected One harmonizes the myriad things, brings peace to Heaven and Earth, and nurtures and cares for the people. The Perfected One harmonizes the winds for the people’s livelihood and sends rain to nourish all things, regulating cold and heat, Yin and Yang. The Perfected One ensures that people have clothes to wear and food to eat, and that mulberry, hemp, and grain are plentiful, so that life may prosper.

People take form in the world and each bears different duties: men are to act with reverence and fulfill their obligations; women are to honor and uphold their responsibilities. When spirits descend, the moon is the po, the bodily soul, and the sun is the hun, the spiritual soul. Every matter has its own overseer, and official posts and duties are distinct. Through fortunate karmic conditions, living beings may dispel the obstacles of sin and attain release. People should understand the Dao and De, and practice goodness, so that the radiance of their virtue may be handed down to later generations, as Yang Zhen left his family an honored name through his integrity. In this way, descendants may also have the chance to prosper for generations and become nobles and high officials. What human intelligence can attain may at times lie beyond the reach of the dull-witted; what people give may also be precisely what Heaven has bestowed.

As for praying for rain or clear skies, divine officials can communicate upward with the heavenly realm and downward with the underworld. Those who oversee agriculture and crops, and the production of silk and hemp, have each been assigned their duties and should fulfill them well. Those who oversee the circulation of goods in the markets, assess craftsmanship, and make implements should likewise act in accordance with their responsibilities. If anyone follows deviant teachings and fails to understand the fundamentals, thereby bringing demons and monsters into disorder and harming living beings, that person has created their own karmic offenses; even regret will be too late to undo them.

Should mountain and river spirits and ghosts run rampant, or evil creatures such as Taotie and Taowu commit wicked acts, the divine officials in charge will show no leniency and will punish them according to the law: in the world above, their corpses will be whipped; in the underworld, their bodies will be torn apart, then cut down by wind blades and struck by thunder axes. If people commit crimes deserving execution, the punishment is Heaven’s decree. Who has caused this? It is not due to any fault of mine.

Moreover, the divine officials in charge have vowed to uphold what is right and eliminate what is deviant. Their merit lies in saving the living and delivering the dead. Now filial sons and dutiful grandsons have resolved to take refuge; first, their ancestors, stretching back countless generations, shall ascend in accordance with their wishes. There are also lone souls and stranded spirits in the Five Hells and the Three Paths of Woe. Though they have long been mired in suffering, all shall receive Heaven’s grace and be delivered. The relevant documents have already been submitted to the divine offices of the Three Realms and to the City God; a proclamation is now to be issued.

Proclamation Conferring Honor and Making It Known at the Upper Mystery Gate

Respectfully announced: The Nine Qi, the primordial energies that form all things between Heaven and Earth, dwell within the Mystery Realm, which only the spirits can guard. We have received the grace and favor of Heaven. In addition to having submitted the documents to the proper divine offices of the Three Realms and to the City God, we must also post this proclamation to make the matter known.

Proclamation Conferring Honor and Making It Known at the Upper Mystery Gate

Respectfully announced: The Nine Qi dwell within the Mystery Realm, which only the spirits can guard. Countless beings from the ten directions arrive through the void to serve and protect my sanctuary, bearing witness to the Great Dao. Incense smoke curls and rises in rich clouds; lamplight, stars, and moonlight shine together. We bow from afar toward the Nine Heavens and solemnly perform the Three Offerings, the three ritual petitions of a Daoist purification ceremony. All present are reverent and careful as they serve the Celestial Emperor; they must show the utmost respect.

The spirits are vast and magnificent, and can respond to our petitions. Each should consider and fulfill their proper duties. All whose merit is complete will receive deliverance. May the nation be secure and the people prosperous, sharing in the joy of peace. May all divine officials in charge perform their duties with reverence. We invoke the numinous water of the Most High and recite the jade writ of the Primordial Beginning. May the Five Emperors pay homage to the True Spirit, bringing coolness to the organs. May the nation be settled and the people nurtured in simplicity; may demons conceal their forms, ghosts, monsters, and baleful spirits be destroyed, and calamities brought to an end. We submit this petition, trusting it will be received and understood. Therefore, this proclamation is posted.

Text of a Notice to the Purification Ceremony’s Patron, Drafted by the Senior Ritual Master

Respectfully, we believe that people are born and people die, and that the paths of birth and death each have their own destination. In caring for the dead, one should care for them as one does the living… May the nation be settled and the people nurtured in simplicity; may demons conceal their forms, ghosts, monsters, and baleful spirits be destroyed, and calamities brought to an end. We submit this petition, trusting it will be received and understood. Therefore, this proclamation is posted.

I often reflect that human beings are born and must die, yet life and death belong to different realms. The dead should be treated as the living are; the bond between the living and the dead has always run along one continuous line. Could those who inherit the family and belong to the younger generations lack filial devotion? After all, our bodies did not come into being from nothing, and our parents did not abandon us by the water’s edge. Once we understand this, how can we not consider how to repay our parents?

The filial deed of dressing in colorful clothes and acting like a child before his parents to make them happy is the story later associated with “Lao Laizi.” The story of “Gao Yu” tells of one who wept by the roadside, lamenting that he had not cared for his parents in time. Such people and stories are not uncommon even today. In daily life, even offering one’s parents only bean soup and clear water can fulfill the duty of filial care. Why wait until they have died, only then to grieve with irreparable regret, as in the story of the “withered fish carrying a string”? Rather than slaughtering an ox for an elaborate burial, it is better to offer a cup of spring wine and care wholeheartedly for one’s parents while they are still alive.

Some fear that once their parents have passed away, they will have no further chance to show filial devotion. Others take comfort in the hope that their loved ones may still meet them in the spirit world. Through Daoist rites such as setting up a purification offering and observing precepts, one may pray for blessings and deliverance for the dead. Grandparents cherish their grandchildren, and grandchildren in turn should remember their ancestors. Between siblings and between spouses, both the joy of being together and the grief of death’s separation reveal the depth of their affection. A husband and wife are joined as though by a bond formed long ago; at the threshold between life and death, their true feelings become all the clearer. The bonds of kinship are essential to human relations and shape the customs and moral teaching of society.

Even young children know how to love their parents. Fortunately, the Lord of Heaven cherishes life and opens wide the gates of deliverance, so that both the living and the dead may benefit. Now, as the Zhongyuan Festival arrives, we follow the old precedents of Xuandu and join the people in forming a good bond through the universal deliverance of departed souls. May all men and women of good faith each give rise to a good intention, and may all, near or far, take part without hindrance. The merit accumulated is vast beyond measure and can benefit both the living and the dead.

We are honored by the presence of the sponsors of the purification rite at the altar. Taking refuge in the Daoist tradition also embodies the wish to be filial toward one’s family. Though the realms of the underworld and heaven differ, they may not be far apart. Good deeds accumulate like mountains, while evil deeds grow deep as the sea; even a slight deviation may lead to a different outcome. Others may not understand me, but each person should examine themselves.

I know that my learning is shallow, yet I have taken on the duty of presiding over Daoist liturgy. If I had not followed the rites to seek the sages’ guidance and draw lots to determine the appointment, how would I dare sign my name to the official document? Though I lack the power to deliver all people, I can only act in accordance with the Dao. Should anyone serving at the same altar act without loyalty, the ritual laws will impose their own penalties. May everyone act without bias or selfishness, with a rightly ordered heart and sincere intent, so that the work may be brought to completion and virtue and merit achieved. So it should be; so it should be. Understand this; understand this.

May the names of countless generations of ancestors be entered among the ranks of the immortals, and may they encounter the auspicious opportunity of the meeting of the Five Calamities. May the registers of our six kinds of kin and nine generations be inscribed in the realm of longevity, where eight thousand years are counted as spring and eight thousand years as autumn. We respectfully report these matters to Heaven and humbly ask for its clear judgment. This proclamation is therefore issued.

The seventh month of the lunar calendar has arrived: the Zhongyuan Festival, in the first month of autumn. According to tradition, this is the season ruled by the White Emperor, and the day when the Earth Official gathers and examines the dead. Buddhists make offerings at the Ullambana Festival, while Daoists hold a Xuandu jiao, a Daoist purification ritual. Though the two traditions have different institutions and perform different rites, their purposes are connected: both seek to instruct the people and establish good customs, and both remember the ancestors and express filial devotion. At such a time, how could anyone be without thoughts of those they have lost?

The sky stretches far and wide, the autumn air is clear, and silence settles among the plants and trees. Gazing up at the bright moon over Dongting Lake, sorrow gathers in the heart; reciting the lines about the cool breeze at Red Cliffs, one cannot help but lament and weep. Looking at my own shadow, I am moved to grief and sigh: my body, skin, and hair were left to me by my parents—how can I repay them? The fields, houses, clothing, and food they left behind embody the kindness accumulated by our ancestors—how can I repay that, too?

How could I ever forget the admonitions left by my granduncle, the Grand Tutor Xie? The property shared with us by my uncle, Attendant Xue, was a great kindness as well. Xie Lingyun dreamed of his younger brother after writing the line “By the pond, spring grass grows.” Han Yu thought of his elder brother when he read in the Spring and Autumn Annals about offerings of duckweed and water plants. And when a certain Yuanwai’s younger sister died, a stone was carved in her memory—how could that not move us to regret? When Huang Tingjian’s sister died, he tore down a wall in mourning—how could that not be heartbreaking? Zhuangzi beat a tub and sang, yet could hardly let go of his affection for his wife; Gong Jiang took to a boat and made a vow, and never broke her pledge. What kind of feeling is this? Others are human, and I am human, too. What can I do but think of them?

Through the long night, it seems I can only entrust my grief to songs that summon the soul and call back the spirit. In the distant Great Luo Heaven, the Daoist realm of the immortals, there is, fortunately, a means of bringing the dead back to life. You all should make this vow in your hearts: practice good deeds and plant wholesome causes. As the current kalpa draws to a close, another 120,000 people must be chosen to serve in the offices of the immortals. Now that the merit is complete, may more than seven hundred men and women gathered here be delivered, their souls rising into the realm of Wuwei (non-action), free at last from the suffering of rebirth.

But what of those who are treacherous within and feign uprightness outwardly; who betray righteousness and forget kindness; who undermine moral instruction and good customs; who honor neither the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers—nor practice the Five Constant Virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness? Can they truly escape the consequences of their actions?

Some are poor when young and wealthy later, then feel ashamed of their former poverty and refuse to speak of it. Others are wealthy when young and poor later, and resent their forebears. As for their kin—ancestors, parents, uncles, spouses, brothers, and sisters—some deliberately disregard the rites of mourning and are ashamed to mention the past. They treat their own family like strangers encountered on the road, as though they knew nothing of them. Some feel no attachment at all, willingly living like beasts, until their ancestral line is left without anyone to rely on. Should such people not feel ashamed before their children and younger kin who earn their living through lowly labor?

I open a gate of skillful means and hold this assembly of equal teaching for you, so that all may participate without hindrance and form wholesome ties together. May the dead and those yet to be born remain within compassion and respond according to their circumstances. May all the departed receive compassion alike, whether they have descendants to make offerings for them or no one to remember them. Even those without shared bloodlines may become kin, gather at the vegetarian feast, and together ascend into the Dharma realm, the pure realm spoken of in Buddhism and Daoism.

I sincerely pray that everyone will open the mind and understand the right principles, cast off the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, and bring the heart into harmony with the natural Dao. From the realm of ghosts, through the realm of humans, may you ultimately enter the realm of the immortals. What I have said is no falsehood; do not take it as ordinary words. This notice is therefore posted for all to see.

I serve the Heavenly Emperor with care and reverence, knowing that fasting and ritual purification have strict rules. As a master who oversees good and evil, I should also act with reverence at every moment, whether entering or leaving, sitting or rising. The spirits are vast and majestic, as though present before our eyes. Though people cannot see or hear them, they cannot be discussed in words. In times of peace as in times of turmoil, we should remain reverent and cautious, and keep our conduct in check.

The statutes in the Golden Register (documents and rosters used in Daoist purification rituals and liturgies) set out clear rules. The system for ranking people and assigning duties is divided into six levels; the three grades familiar to you are standards of assessment, and these matters must indeed be discussed carefully. Ask farmers about farming, and maidservants about literacy: appointments must not depend on private bribes, but on who has real ability. Those capable of doing the work should ride in the same carriage and cross the same river in the same boat as everyone else.

Each of you should carry out your duties with care and set your position in order. Here I instruct those around you: these matters, too, depend on self-cultivation. You must correct your bearing and conduct until they are worthy of admiration. Only those who hold fast with care can enjoy good fortune and emoluments. Therefore, whoever hears this admonition should advance [the character in the original is damaged].

If anyone falls short while following the same standard, they should take responsibility for reporting and correcting the fault. After making an accusation, they must state it three times and perform three bows. Respectfully observe the prohibitions and precepts; after receiving the documents, return the ritual images. When assessing merits and faults, ensure that each receives a fitting response: rewards must not be too small, nor punishments too severe. Do not imagine that gain will come without reflection, or that achievement will come without action. How a matter begins determines how its outcome returns to you. Merit and virtue are of the greatest importance: they begin here and are completed here. All who hear this admonition in advance should follow it. Therefore, let this notice be posted.

Again:

The safety, danger, blessings, and calamities brought about by establishing teachings and setting examples all arise from one’s own conduct and return to oneself. Merit and virtue are of the greatest importance: they begin here and are completed here. All who hear this admonition in advance should follow it. Therefore, let this notice be posted.

Again.

Laws and teachings are established so that people have standards to follow and can distinguish right from wrong. Appointing officials and assigning duties in the world must rely on people capable of bearing great responsibility. When appointing talent, one should recommend people one knows, but also assess their abilities and see whether they have been tested in practice.

Talent should be sought widely and put to use wherever it is found. Even a small piece of copper should not be casually discarded, and not even an inch of iron should be overlooked. Promote the worthy and capable, and dismiss the corrupt and wayward. Recognize the sharpness of Moxie, the ancient sword, and the bluntness of a lead knife. Here, the six stewards, each responsible for one of the six offices, are admonished to be virtuous, harmonious, and united in their efforts. They must not harbor old grudges or cling to past habits.

Who is without fault? What matters is the ability to correct it. Though the state has punishments, it also provides for commutation through payment. Be constantly vigilant, from beginning to end. When going out, give notice; when returning, report in person, showing the same respect as one would to close parents. Presenting an account of one’s achievements and submitting to questioning naturally reflects the proper relationship between ruler and subject.

Accordingly, the following is appended:

Establish a Yellow Register Universal Salvation Retreat, a Daoist ritual service using the Yellow Register liturgy to deliver the souls of the dead universally.

What is profound and difficult to fathom is called sagehood, called spirit. They display their divine might as though standing at people’s left and right. They take uprightness as their virtue and the relief and deliverance of all beings as their merit. We look up to the benevolence and compassion of the Most High and respectfully ask the deity in charge of this office to present our petition. We will cultivate and carry out the practice with still greater reverence, and ask the divine beings to bear witness with their great power.

For a long time we have admired the halls of Confucius; now we temporarily borrow Chen Fan’s couch to welcome worthy guests. The spirits say they will return and wish to enter the gate of the Dao. We hold a purification fast to put body and mind in order, and have prepared just one place at the table. We imagine our guests will be pleased, and will not find the seating cramped or oppressive. We summon them to come, welcome them to their seats, and receive them one after another; though the place is narrow, we will see that each is properly settled. When we meet, it will be as though we are old acquaintances and new friends at once—a gathering rare in a thousand years. Those from afar will come, and those nearby will rejoice too. Why force a distinction between one side and another, or draw boundaries?

At times we will talk about the season’s warmth and chill; at times we will share heartfelt words about family and friends. The hall will ring with laughter and cheerful conversation, and we will join hands in song. What sort of ghosts and spirits are these? They are people just like us. There is no harm in sitting on straw and eating together, and coarse food need not be scorned. If someone has secretly brought a Buddhist image, we should send word to explain the matter. If we do not know where to place the image, we fear it will be left without a proper home. Guests who observe the rites should be welcomed by choice. We are deeply grateful for the host’s warm reception. All the souls who are meant to be chosen and delivered will travel together to the Western Kingdom of Naxi.

“Notice of Prohibitions for the Ordination Altar”

I have heard that the merit accomplished through paying homage traces its origins to the Commandant Kang, a household attendant. He used this practice to repay his parents for their years of loving care, and through it attained the Dao. His filial devotion and benevolence reached such a degree that they are hard to describe fully. Later generations continued this practice, establishing liturgies to deliver and aid both the living and the dead, with merit assessed according to their deeds. This became the foremost of such practices.

Moreover, everyone has loved ones. Who has no parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, spouse, or children? Who does not cherish their own body? The living all hope for peace and long life, free from harm. The dead, too, hope to be brought back to life, even for dry bones to become living people again. Without this kind of merit, it is difficult to rescue and deliver them.

Today, a Zhaijiao purification ritual is being performed for someone, with prayers that the rites conclude in fulfillment and the altar be dismissed. A few days ago, homage was paid and a Yellow Register petition was established—a rite used in Yellow Register retreats to present prayers and submit documents—seeking to deliver those in both the Yin and Yang realms. The Zhaijiao rites were then performed through the night, accumulating merit through the liturgy. The tasks involved are many: without you, the officers and attendants appointed to assist with the rites and convey documents, who would bear witness? Who would carry out the transmission of talismanic commands and proclamations? Who would copy and deliver petitions and memorials? Who would summon back the souls, seeking them out and drawing them near?

You, the generals and commanders who lead these officers, have already taken your posts before the altar. Each of you must fulfill your duties and work together: some stand in front, some to the left; even if your positions at the front and rear are exchanged, each must remain in place. Work with one purpose. Each of you must carry out your duties with respect, without boasting of your own merit or claiming the credit for your efforts. In this way, the living may each find their proper life and together enter a state of benevolence and longevity; the dead may each find repose and together wander in the joyful heavens.

The living and the dead alike receive these blessings. All raise their hands in gratitude, saying that this is the merit of you officers and attendants. On the day your merit is established, your names will be recorded in Shangqing, the exalted celestial realm of Daoism. These are the secret words of the Most High, and they are no falsehood. If there are ill-omened or wicked people—rebellious and disrespectful, unrighteous, lawbreaking, or crooked in heart—who deliberately violate the precepts and let their impure and evil deeds reach the ears of Heaven, you must, in accordance with the laws of the Mystery, the precepts and celestial ordinances of Daoism, punish them thoroughly and leave no danger behind. Officers and attendants, keep your ranks orderly and united, and strive to fulfill your duties. Let this notice be posted.

Our temple is holding a Zhongyuan Xuandu Zhaijiao (a Daoist purification ritual held during the Zhongyuan season). We have specially appointed the officials responsible for carrying it out and instructed them to speak softly, keep silence, and act in accordance with the precepts. All proclamations that are to be issued must be sent out according to the rules.

We respectfully beseech: The Dao abides in the vastness of space, without form or image, so subtle and wondrous that it cannot be named. If one wishes to summon one’s own Yuanchen (a spirit associated with a person’s fate and appointed time), a single call is enough for it to arrive. The true Way is made clear through its own prohibitions; no act that violates the law may be carried out. Now, by the sacred command of the Lingbao talisman and register tradition, we proclaim this throughout the Nine Heavens. The “Red Script” of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning unfolds the myriad laws. The Five Qi contained in the Five Dragons’ divine water are spread out and congeal into spiritual power. Winds gather and mists rise, summoning the spirit-fire steeds of the four directions to descend like fine rain and dense fog.

The City God, guardian of the city and its region, respectfully hears and obeys: I command the Demon Kings to guard the procession and raise the grand insignia of the Great One, Taiji. Let the baleful force of the ominous stars appear at the heavenly gate. The wangliang and other evil spirits shall hide themselves; the chimei, kuixu, and other ghosts shall all be driven away. The women of Wu Gorge shall have no place to practice their sorcery, and the followers of Chiyou shall in the end become nothing but dry bones. You evil spirits, hear this warning clearly: do not recklessly harbor defiling thoughts, lest you bring punishment upon yourselves. If even one of you does so, you will not escape destruction. Think it over again and again; even regret will come too late. In accordance with the precepts of the Mysterious Gate, you are now seized and delivered to the divine generals of the Kui and Gang constellations, to be beheaded and dismembered, and all subjected to the refining flames of the Dragon Fire. Your voices and tracks alike must be captured; not one may slip through. Those who hear this command shall tremble with fear, their hair standing on end; those who see it shall shake in their legs and prostrate themselves in obedience.

To break an oath is to betray trust; the defense of the Dao’s teachings must be strict. May the dark realms of the ten directions be laid bare, and the Eight Radiances of the celestial realms shine forth. May the Three Realms descend together, and may all perfected beings and divine spirits jointly oversee and protect this purification ritual. Attack and subdue the evil spirits on the left from the left, and those on the right from the right. You shall serve as upright generals who protect the Dharma; neither lag behind nor rush ahead. You shall serve as impartial envoys overseeing the purification ritual. Each of you must respectfully fulfill your duties, work together with one heart, and maintain your original resolve from beginning to end. This merit is immense: above, it may deliver the departed spirits of the Seven Ancestral Temples; below, it may save beings in the Three Paths of misery. We further pray that Heaven be clarified through the attainment of the Dao, and Earth made peaceful through the Dao; that we be attuned to the divine spirits, that the ghostly path forever tend toward misfortune and the immortal path forever toward good fortune, and that I may endure forever. This command is hereby issued; it must not be disobeyed or mishandled. Let this proclamation be posted and made known.

Again

The Perfected Ones who serve beneath the Three Heavens Gate in the palaces of the Golden Que and Jade Que respectfully accept the Jade Emperor’s investiture and receive the favor of their master. When all look up to them, they inspire awe; when one acts alone, there is often little response. Though duties must be carried out diligently, one must also assess one’s abilities honestly. Watched by many eyes and pointed at by many fingers, the just and the wicked, the worthy and the foolish, will in the end all face impartial judgment.

It is hard to accomplish anything by going alone, just as one hand cannot clap by itself. One must therefore rely on civil officials and military officers, each applying their own plans and skills. The various generals and clerks stand solemnly at either side, their reputations renowned. They can pass between presence and absence, appearing suddenly before one and then behind. Their former fame is recorded in the histories, and their writings have endured. Now their numinous spirits should be all the more steadfast in their loyalty, becoming a force through which Heaven and Earth establish their renown.

When a talismanic command arrives, obey it and act; do not make a commotion. Each person should take up duties suited to their abilities: craftsmen follow the rules, and physicians identify herbs such as ginseng and poria. First put your strengths to use, then make up for your shortcomings. Servants are responsible for farming, and maids for tending the fire and preparing meals. Each person should do their utmost and carry out the work assigned to them. All should cherish the Yellow Bird’s wish to repay its master by carrying mulberries in its beak and singing sweetly. How could you think that merely delivering food means you have made no contribution?

The assembled divine officials should be like the Yellow Bell, sounding whenever something strikes it, each fulfilling their duty. In handling complicated affairs, they should work with the easy skill of Cook Ding cutting up an ox, meeting no obstacle. Do not grow distant from one another and become like Chu and Yue; trust one another and serve as close and loyal advisers, planning and assisting as Zhang Liang and Chen Ping did. Destroy the demons and post proclamations to inform the city gods, ordering them to obey commands. Save and deliver living beings, following the Most High’s—an honorific for the supreme Daoist deity—original intent to cherish life.

If demonic spirits of the netherworld dare to violate the prohibitions, punish them strictly according to the laws. Deal with wicked offenders who commit crimes outside the city by the ancient codes, through the officers of justice. If they occupy rugged terrain and stubbornly resist, refusing to submit, then, as recorded in the Book of Zhou, let the Marshal carry out their suppression. Protect the gates of the local community and bring stability to the state altars, so that everyone may fulfill their wishes and live in peace, and every household may prosper and grow.

Do not boast of your achievements. I will assess your merits and grant rewards. The ritual vessels, music and dance, and offerings used in the sacrifices must all be prepared with due solemnity and care; do not bring shame upon the spirits. Before the incense and offerings, regularly pray for the emperor’s longevity. Each of you should carry out your duties respectfully and not occupy your post in idleness. This proclamation is therefore posted for all to understand.

Again

Medicinal materials such as jade tablets, cinnabar, green lingzhi, and red arrowroot are all to be gathered by physicians. Wooden structural components such as large beams, small brackets, rafter supports, and short rafters depend entirely on the skilled hands of carpenters. Since each of the chosen materials has its own excellence, each should be put to use according to its nature.

We now inform the Generals of the Upright Altar and the Emissaries Supervising the Purification (divine officers who guard the ritual altar and oversee Daoist purification rites): you respond in unison and seek out your own kind. Your forms are truly upright and your voices truly clear. Attend the Four Spirits and repel harmful foes from beyond ten thousand li, so that fox spirits and other uncanny beings tremble with fear. May you rise in might, imposing as jackals and wolves blocking the road, leaving crafty hares no way to escape; may you be strong as tigers and leopards ruling the mountains and forests, yet retain benevolence, so that you have no adversaries. When dispatched under orders, heed commands whenever matters arise, and observe my prohibitions.

If any subordinate deliberately indulges demons and baleful influences, allowing them to run rampant, or knowingly violates taboos against impurity, they shall be cut down and punished. Some may hide like foxes and rats beneath the banners; others may be seized at will, like chicks shut in a cage. Punishments may be light or severe, but right and wrong must be judged fairly and clearly. Do not mistake numinous lingzhi for decayed grass, or auspicious birds for ordinary fowl. Heaven’s laws are strict. The proclamation is to be made public so all may know.

Now the passage to the Mudball Palace (the upper Dantian in the head) has been opened, and seats laid out. We respectfully await the emperor’s ceremonial guard and imperial carriage. In the procession, some raise the Hongyi standard in front and plant tiger banners behind; others hold white pennants in their right hands and wave yellow axes in their left. None may disobey the orders; each must unite in purpose and do their utmost. Since their efforts will be great, rewards for merit will not be begrudged. When their merit and virtue are complete, their names will be entered in the register of veteran generals of the Southern Palace, and they will be granted longevity, abundance, health, and peace, as a modest repayment of the host’s wishes. This notice is hereby issued so that all may hear and understand. Let it be posted publicly.

Also: written by the deputy liturgy officiant.

Those who accumulate hidden virtue will surely receive blessings unseen by the people of the world; those who accumulate manifest virtue will surely leave behind a notable reputation. Today, the Two Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens, who dwell in the celestial realms of the Nine Heavens, are ranked among the immortals and serve in the Nine Heavens. How could the full extent of a person’s virtue be measured lightly?

You officers and generals can see them, hear them, and speak and interact with them. You have no doubt about this and understand it clearly. You ought to work together wholeheartedly to help them accomplish their great work.

If there are treacherous and sinister people who secretly cause trouble like ghosts, act inauspiciously and against the righteous way, behave arrogantly and disrespectfully, and defile and ruin themselves, then I command you to carry out Heaven’s punishment with reverence: those whose crimes are minor are to be escorted to Kuigang, a place associated in Daoism with stars and divine generals; those whose crimes are grave are to have their limbs severed and suffer the ultimate penalty. In this way, Heaven will be clear, Earth will be at peace, and the spirits will display their efficacy.

When you have earned merit, I will report it to the heavenly court on your behalf, so that you may be admitted to the ranks of the immortals and serve in minor official posts. Why, then, should you serve as flags and drums for people to command in the human world? If you do not attack the enemy on the left, nor the enemy on the right, and you fail to obey the command, the fault is yours. The Perfected Ones’ celestial spirit generals will also call you to account for this. This is like a tempered steel blade that slaughters a thousand oxen each day, yet is kept unused in its case: the shame is not mine. You should all understand and carry this out.

Therefore, let this notice be posted.

This notice is addressed to the five marshals Yao Bian, Wei, Zhao, Diao, and Wu.

Whenever the bright moon rises and the season of White Dew arrives, time passes and people cannot help feeling sorrow and remembering the dead. With the gods of Heaven and Earth above, may all who take part in the rites make some effort to observe purification and restraint, and to keep their hearts upright and reverent. Through this occasion, may they cultivate merit.

The ritual space is now clean and in order, and the rites are prepared. First, we are concerned for the departed. If they have fallen into the three realms of suffering—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—it is difficult for them to escape. How, then, can they be delivered and raised to higher realms? Since the underworld has divine officials in charge, those presiding over this rite must speak fully and fulfill their duty.

I inform you, brave warriors: each of you is to serve, following commands like hawks and hounds. By my order, proceed at once. You can fly and transform, entering and leaving the unseen. Search throughout the underworld, find where the departed belong, and determine which dead are to be delivered at this assembly. Escort them here, and urge them widely to leave their present haunts: they cannot remain where tigers and leopards roam, as the “Summons to the Recluse” by the Lesser Hermit of Huainan says; nor can they linger in the bellies of river fish. For this reason, recite “Rhapsody on Lamenting Qu Yuan” by Jia Yi, the Grand Tutor of Changsha, to summon the wandering souls.

Who will sing praises for the Confucians, compose a battle lament for the bones left to dry at Xianyang, and free the wronged spirits of Changping? Su Wu was held by the Xiongnu for nineteen years. According to the story, he herded sheep while holding his staff of office, until even its wool had worn away. Did he truly return to Han because a wild goose carried a letter? The story of Ding Lingwei returning in the form of a crane may not, either, have involved a real immortal crane. These tales call to mind Zhang Han, who resigned and returned home longing for water shield and perch, and stir sympathy for Tao Yuanming’s devotion to pine and chrysanthemum. O departed souls, departed souls, return to your former homes! The time has come; do not let it pass. From this day forward, all may begin anew. We look up to Heaven’s compassion and earnestly ask that sins be forgiven.

A pardon by golden decree has now been established; arrangements have been made outside the gate, and swift relay horses carry the news. Since the departed have shown no wolfish intent or resistance to instruction, they should not be rebuked by prison officials such as the Ox-Head guards. Though warrants for their arrest were properly issued, they were not imprisoned because they were guilty. To display them in the clothes and caps of prisoners would bring shame upon the people. They must not be detained; all are to be released.

The Daoist tradition offers compassionate means of deliverance. Who would resort to the trick of stealing a dog just to slip past a checkpoint? The Way of the Immortals is free and untrammeled; who needs to borrow a road and imitate Zu Yu’s deceit? The world is so vast—where else should the departed go? How could Scholar Niu lose his way, or Bo Ji become a bewitching ghost? The elder was drunk midway along the road; how would Fu Qi dare take the chance to cause trouble? Do not let the departed suffer the hardship of Chen and Cai, nor let a petty man like Zang Cang obstruct them.

Should lesser ghosts recklessly block their way, seize them and bring them in according to the dark laws. Go forth and carry out these orders with care. If you fulfill your mission with all your strength, your names will be entered in the celestial registers on the day you earn merit. Even serving as guards of the Three Realms and being welcomed by the Five Emperors would be no lowly station. You must also turn back the departed souls of the Nine Depths, free the Seven Ancestors from their nocturnal torments, and deliver all beings without limit. This command is hereby issued. Do not disobey or delay. Let this serve as notice.

Liturgical text recited during the Blood-Pond Salvation Assembly.

We respectfully declare: In Yuzhou there is a vast pool, eighty-four thousand xun across in every direction, boundless and without end or shore. At the Universal Radiance Assembly are fifty-three Buddhas, endowed with the great vows of supreme sages and with great compassion. They have widely opened the means to relieve living beings and deliver the dead. How could we fail to consider the karmic consequences of the past and the future?

We were born into the world of Jambudvipa, the human realm, and took birth as women. When we think of raising children, did we not leave behind defilements that seemed to perfume the heavens and touch the earth? Before we had time to repent and cleanse ourselves of our offenses, our hearts were already as fearful and uneasy as if walking on thin ice. We deeply fear that on the day of Gengshen our offenses will be counted one by one. From the year Guisi onward, we have sought to remove these faults. Some do so to repay their mothers’ kindness; some to cultivate blessings and virtue for themselves; some pray to be reborn in the Pure Land; and some build in advance a bridge to the farther shore. Fortunately, our merit is now complete, and we hope that both the living and the dead will benefit.

On the third day of the third month, a golden figure appeared as an auspicious sign beside the winding stream. A Buddha who shared Sakyamuni’s title and name manifested the scene of Vulture Peak, opened the scripture, and preached the Dharma, vowing to save all people. We therefore respectfully invited four or five virtuous and learned ritual masters to establish an altar and conduct rites through the night.

Before the Karmic Mirror Stand and in the Hall of Yama, we sincerely bow to the Daoist Master Who Saves from Suffering. Within the Begging Bowl Hermitage and beside the King’s Table, we bow our heads and take refuge in Bodhisattva Mulian. We make offerings to the sages and worthies of the ten directions, invite the Eight Compassionate Ones, and dedicate the merit to the holy assembly gathered here. The power of the rites reaches throughout heaven, earth, and the waters below. It opens the roads of the underworld, summons the souls of the dead, and guides them to recognize the return path indicated by the white clouds.

We recite spells and offer ambrosial food; we light lotus lamps to dispel the darkness of the nine tiers of hell. We bathe the dead in fragrant orchid water, bringing coolness to all thirty-six joints of their bones. We also arrange a night meal for the King of the Scorched-Face Ghosts and give alms to beings throughout the Asura realm and elsewhere. Then we summon the dead again and guide them to recognize the way home. We recite spells and offer ambrosial food; we light lotus lamps to dispel the darkness of the nine tiers of hell. We bathe the dead in fragrant orchid water, bringing coolness to all thirty-six joints of their bones. We also arrange a night meal for the King of the Scorched-Face Ghosts and distribute food widely to beings of the Asura realm, as well as to lonely wandering souls, stranded spirits with no refuge or return, and beings suffering in the five woes and three paths of torment. May all sentient beings attain perfect awakening. After they receive the precepts, we issue them certificates of deliverance as proof.

We respectfully pray that the dead may be rescued and delivered, their souls journeying through the Western Regions to see with their own eyes Guanyin in the Lapis Lazuli Garden. May those who cultivate blessings in advance for themselves enjoy a lifespan as steadfast as the Southern Mountain and serve the Queen Mother at the Jade Pool. May the Buddha’s sun shine ever more brightly, and may peace and joy fill both the human world and the heavens.

I, Lü Dongbin, summon and draw in the souls so that they may be reunited. Moreover, today is the third day of the third month, the birthday of the Great Sage of Sizhou, a Buddhist protector deity honored in popular belief. He rescues living beings and benefits all things, appearing as Guanyin Bodhisattva with a thousand hands and eyes, freely saving those who suffer. He vows to relieve suffering and also takes the form of the King of the Scorched-Face Ghosts, a deity who oversees the offering of food and aid to hungry ghosts.

Disciples of the Buddha, if you wish to ask about the causes and conditions of your past lives, sit down and listen to me. Swallowing charcoal to disfigure oneself is foolish and may even be deceitful. Why offer up a piece of uncarved jade only to lose both feet? Some bit through their teeth and died because they were eager to establish military merit; others swallowed their tongues and died because they were ashamed to speak about affairs of state. Their names are recorded in the histories and will not be erased, yet one’s body, hair, and skin come from one’s parents and should not be damaged lightly.

Qu Yuan cast himself into the Miluo River, while Bo Yi and Shu Qi starved to death on Mount Shouyang; their integrity is worthy of admiration. One man was banished eight thousand li away to Chaozhou, a remote land thick with miasma. Another drifted at sea for nineteen years, stranded amid the ice and snow of the northern wilderness. They suffered injustice with no way to appeal, yet became renowned for keeping their integrity. The uncle of a ruler of Lu once appeared in a dream to King Zhao of Yan. An offspring of Panhu left his name in the time of the Gaoxin clan. Ding Lingwei returned as a crane, while the immortal woman Liang Ji became a cat. Though these beings once had human hearts, they later fell into the path of beasts.

What does it matter to me to wear a gold seal at my waist and a purple robe? Yan Hui lived on coarse food and water, yet never lost his joy. Some hurry about serving others and become slaves; others read widely in the classics and histories and become scholars. In life there are high and low stations—who can remain unchanged forever? Evening rain and morning clouds call to mind the old dream of the goddess of Mount Wu. Prepare the carriage and horses, and the soul can travel with me to Pangu Valley. One person left a single shoe on a mountain ridge and drifted away; another left a jade coffin before the hall—where, in the end, did he go? Some were killed by tigers, others by snakes; the ghosts of the Ruo’ao clan have no one to depend on. What sort of person was the Master of Yuling, who chose poverty rather than submission? All living beings suffer amid calamities.

Now that death has come, all forms return to emptiness. In the world there are eighty-four thousand kinds of tiny creatures, as well as three hundred and sixty kinds of birds, beasts, fish, insects, and scaled creatures. I have heard that mynah birds recite “Amitabha Buddha,” that a clam once transformed into Guanyin, that sparrows can play the scriptures, and that white geese can listen to the Dharma.

Tonight, the donor, So-and-so, and others have established an altar in the Yuqing Hall of Lingji Eastern Palace for the entire night, and have also set out a food offering for ghosts and spirits, opening the Dharma gate wide. Whether sentient or insentient, whether awakened early or late, now that we have come here, how should we live together? A gentleman does not contend with others; a humane person does not nurse old grudges. Do not form factions and praise one another, and do not cling to the notion of “the mark of the person” and “the mark of the self,” as though self and others truly existed as separate things. Do not build barriers between one another, harbor anger or delusion, or cling to likes and dislikes.

The more ghosts gather close to one side, the weaker the other may appear. They fight and swallow one another, like the snipe and the clam. You may be north of the sea and I south of it, but do not suppose that different customs mean we have nothing to do with one another. Look across the three thousand great thousand worlds, the vast cosmos described in Buddhism: where are there truly seventy-two kinds of people so unequal in rank? Excellent—so it is. May no one starve to death in the wilderness again; may the Buddha’s compassion bring relief to all living beings.

When the water is muddy, wash your feet; when it is clear, wash the fringe of your cap. Keep yourself clean when the time calls for it, and take office when the time calls for that. Put on more clothes when you are cold, and eat when you are hungry—is this not comfort and joy? Escape the gate of ghosts and recognize the road to Heaven. Do not become lost by clinging too rigidly to precepts. You should believe, receive these teachings, and put them into practice; heed this counsel. This notice is hereby posted.

Proclamation for Dismissing the Assembly and Paying Homage at the Gate

Humbly, you ghosts and spirits, hear the command: though you have already known death, you may not yet understand how to attain new life. A purification feast is established so that the minds of the multitude may be brought into order; do not worry that the number is small, only worry that the intentions are not complete. Therefore simple mats are set out and all the deceased souls of the ten directions are summoned. You come in crowds, so numerous that you seem to be right before my eyes; you seem to have thoughts, yet seem to have no thoughts, and are neither with thoughts nor without thoughts; you seem to have sentience, yet seem to have no sentience, and are neither sentient nor insentient.

Whether old or young, all sit in order of seniority and rank; whether noble or lowly, none are divided into high and low. With a compassionate heart, I wish you to give rise to a pure mind and see the five-colored auspicious clouds. At night you should listen to the Feathered Forest of the Southern Palace (Nangong Yulin) expound the Dharma, enjoy the food of the Eight-Flavor Heavenly Kitchen, and hear the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) from the Western Regions expound the scriptures. Why wait until you suffer and wander like preta ghosts, why wait until you grow haggard and thin from longing? You should take refuge in the Dao Treasure (the Dao and scriptures revered in Daoism) and escape the jurisdiction of the ghost officials. May you all receive the grace of deliverance and forever cut off sinking into suffering. Once the water of sweet dew is sprinkled, may you be fully nourished. May you all ascend together to Shiqing Heaven (the Heaven of Primordial Green), and be free from arbitrary speculation, willful insistence, stubborn opinion, and self-centeredness.

Auxiliary Words on the Merit of Universal Salvation

Humbly gazing at the mountains and ridges, one borrows the name of the Southern Mountain to wish for longevity; one pays homage at the Yuefu (the office of the mountain gods), visits the Purple Mansion (the dwelling of Daoist immortals), and registers one’s name. On the third day of the third month, the sky is clear and the air fresh, and the dust and defilement of the six retributions and six consciousnesses are all cleared away. May the deceased plant good fruit at the Dharma assembly on Vulture Peak (Lingshan) and grow golden lotuses in the Yuzhou Pool.

Those who hold a straw mat to summon the soul and deliver the deceased may see the image of Maya (Queen Maya, mother of Shakyamuni Buddha). That beautiful woman with a flower pinned by her temple—may she go to the land of Thailand. These rituals serve as a ford to ferry people out of suffering and will forever stand as evidence. Hereby proclaimed.

Proclamation Instructing the Ghosts of the North and South Temples

A person is called a human being while alive and a ghost after death. The ghost’s spirit and soul return to the earth, while its hun returns to Heaven, and so prayers may be addressed to Heaven on its behalf. In accordance with the ritual canons—the Daoist rules governing ceremonies—fasting feasts are laid out on a wide scale, to form bonds with all beings. We also hope to do good through this place. Do not think that a well, though shallow and narrow, cannot provide for many fish; pine and cypress groves, though not extensive, can still shelter flocks of birds. No one will be left out.

I announce this to you in advance: orchid leaves are held to drive away ill omens, and fresh flowers are scattered to proclaim the Great Brahma, the pure and boundless realm spoken of in Daoism. Lamps and candles shine together beneath the moon, while ritual banners flutter in the dawn breeze. I wish to aid the departed souls—is there any way more fitting than this?

People eat rice and wear fine brocade, all hoping to secure food and warmth. I, too, wish to tend the horses and oil the carts, so that they may travel freely. How could I bear to see anyone weep alone? Thus, even departed souls a thousand miles away may come here. Boats will be sent directly to the caves where flood dragons dwell; the locked gates at passes guarded by tigers and leopards will be thrown wide open. Settle yourselves, each of you. What is there to doubt?

Though the dead, like skulls in a dream, no longer dwell within the years of the human world, if we lose our bond of trust, we are like members of one family who have turned against each other. We are all neighbors, acquaintances, and dear friends. Why should there be barriers or distinctions between us? I first make these words known to you all: do not make a commotion.

The presiding local deity should be asked, for a time, to serve as a Bodhisattva who exhorts people to do good. Heaven above and Earth below have both truly heard the prayers of dutiful sons and obedient descendants. The southern pool of fire and the northern pool of water can cleanse the departed souls’ bodies and refine their inner substance. Let all, noble and humble alike, ascend beyond. This notice is hereby proclaimed.

Proclamation to the Departed Souls

Lü Sheng’s life and destiny did not originally belong to you. From now on, you should bring him back from death to life. The Dao is inherently Wuwei (non-action). If from this point onward you turn your heart toward the Dao, seize the moment to awaken and grasp your opportunity, you can answer to the destinies and karmic ties of former lives. The merit you gain will be beyond measure. The life of the immortals is supremely joyful: in the east are the grottoes of Penglai and the halls of Qingqiu; in the west, the city of Tianyong and the terraces of Xuanpu; in the south, the mountains of Qingdu and the palaces of Flowing Fire; and in the north, the precincts of Great Mystery and the lodges of Purple Void.

From ancient times to the present, countless ages have passed in these places. This realm lies millions of miles from the other. Ordinary people cannot reach it, nor can they hear of it. It is the land where the great sages of the ten directions roam and rest, and where the high perfected beings revered by Daoism gather across the Three Realms. Governance there is relaxed and simple, and the people are unassuming. Food and clothing are naturally abundant, and their features are handsome. There is no rank or status, poverty or wealth, right or wrong, self or other, taking or giving, nor love or hatred. All things grow without ever truly coming to an end; they appear, yet do not cling to form. Generations follow one another, enduring through kalpas. The sun and moon shine constantly, wind and rain arrive in season, the four seasons are harmonious, and the five grains flourish.

There are wondrous flowers and sweet greens, each with its own unusual name, as well as numinous fungi and auspicious plants beyond description. Many strange beasts bear five-colored markings, alongside nine-colored phoenixes and three-legged birds. Beasts called “Ben” are also plentiful, and centenarian turtles are common. Jade dogs bark at night, and golden roosters announce the dawn. Cloud-wreathed mountains stretch into the distance, and great rivers flow in abundance. To enter this world is to encounter an entirely different scene: deep and shadowy, boundless and endless, blended in primordial confusion, as it was before Heaven and Earth were divided. One might think oneself born in the remote antiquity before Fuxi, only to discover that one has already arrived at the beginning of the kalpa before Heaven and Earth were formed. If you could be born and grow up there, would you not be joyful and glad?

You spirits of the dead wish to ask about the condition of the other realm. Having heard the wondrous teaching, I have made the Daoist rites here a bridge to guide you across, thereby forming good bonds with all beings. So I have established a Xuandu Jiao purification ritual, making the altar solemn and still; opened the official documents that lead to the underworld; summoned the Celestial Physician; and performed liturgies such as the Divine Tiger’s Performance of the Youth. Following the prescribed rites, I perform the Hunyuan register ritual; pay homage and repent; receive precepts and transmit talismans; make offerings to all ten kings; and proclaim gratitude to the Three Realms. I expound the scriptures and begin their recitation. Lamp light dispels the darkness, while measures of food in the ritual vessel are distributed freely in an unobstructed fast for the spirits. Then you will bathe in the Flower Pool, wash away the accumulated obscurations of the past, open the road through the underworld, and prepare for today’s journey. Do not look back. Set your steps firmly.

Proceed five zhang, and a treasure pearl, green as millet, hangs in the dark and mysterious void. The ninefold gates of Heaven open. Follow the path from the Great Floating Brilliance Land upward to the Heaven of Primordial Azure. All that has been said above is true and trustworthy; you must obey. Therefore, this proclamation is posted.

The Gold Spirit, who governs the season of autumn, acts according to the proper time; Shaohao, the legendary ancient emperor who ruled over autumn, presides over the seasonal order. The Central Origin Festival is the day on which the registers of the dead are reviewed, while the seventh day of the seventh month is a day for celebrating birthdays. These are old customs recorded in the Record of Seasonal Customs in Jingchu. The people and scenery before my eyes stir my feelings: fallen leaves in the courtyard make me lament the passing of time, and the cold clarity of the dew makes me grieve as I gaze at my own shadow. What is past cannot be recovered; how can what has departed ever be brought back?

I would like to follow Song Yu’s example and compose a “Summons of the Soul,” but fear that even if the departed spirit were summoned, there would be nowhere to settle it. I would like to emulate Jia Yi and write an “Elegy for Qu Yuan,” yet lament that the dead have already gone and can no longer understand what I feel. Now, to inquire into the way of life and death, one must first enter a universal salvation assembly. The Most High has scriptural rites for rescuing the suffering and delivering the dead; the Lingbao tradition has liturgies for bringing the dead back to life and restoring the lifeless. This is an important path toward transcending the worldly realm, through which one may seize the opportunity to realize the Great Dao. The first question is: What is life, and what is death? When practice reaches its ultimate point, one is no longer attached to life and death.

Now the host of the retreat, So-and-so, has raised this intention and wishes to open a gate of expedient means. If the departed have awareness, let them come and take refuge. Go straight to the place of weeping at Mount Xian; the spirits should ascend to this place. The Right Altar seals and returns the documents, and every spirit makes its way there. Once the spirits have descended, the ritual banquet is no longer bound by the human world. To the east lies the wilderness of Wangmai, to the west the land of silence, to the south the court of Kunlun, and to the north the palace of Xuanyuan. These places, it seems, are all contained within the space of an inch. Go straight there, and you will reach the Beginning-Cyan Heaven. The spirits travel freely, without restraint or obstruction. Gather the countless beings and take them into a grain of millet within the void—a tiny thing that stands for a realm vast beyond measure. Summon the youths of the Five Directions, who will lead the way, holding lotus flowers. Therefore, this proclamation is issued so that all of you may hear and understand. Let this notice be posted.

Proclamation on Dispersing the Court Assembly and Paying Homage to the Lower Realm

The Daoist official Li burns the documents; this is the reason Zhang Ji is released from the goblet rite. When the Merit Officer proclaims the scripture, the lotus flowers lead the way. Therefore, this proclamation is issued so that all of you may hear and understand. Let this notice be posted.

Proclamation on Dispersing the Court Assembly and Paying Homage to the Lower Realm

Li Daoguan burned the documents; this is how Zhang Ji came to set down her wine cup and form a bond. When the Merit Officer—a divine official in Daoism who conveys documents and proclaims decrees—expounded the scriptures and teachings, he was showing the way by which the departed could ascend beyond this world. The account was recorded in biographies, and the reputation for spiritual efficacy has been passed down through the ages.

How lamentable that you dwell at the shadowy gates of the Six Realms and in the three paths of suffering, the places where beings endure the pain of rebirth. Long have you been trapped in dark night, unable to see the light of sun or moon. Through one eon after another, reborn many times over, how could you know of the immortal realms beyond the clouds and rosy mists? Tonight, at this very moment, you have come to this ritual assembly. Whether you stand to the left or the right, compose yourselves and make your bearing solemn. Though there is an order of rank here, there is no distinction between noble and lowly. Whether you come from the south or the north, why distinguish between Han and foreigner? Whether you died recently or have long been a ghost, what difference is there?

Since we have met and come to know one another, forming a bond as deep as that of Chen and Lei, there is no need to divide into factions under banners, as the Niu and Hou families did. I have true words; listen carefully. How can eating fern shoots compare with enjoying the immortal food of the Celestial Kitchen? How can clothing yourself in lotus leaves compare with wearing immortal garments woven from cloud silk? Even one as gifted as Su Neihan (Su Shi) could not escape worries about hunger and cold. Would a person like the top graduate Wang not also hope for food, clothing, and warmth?

Now, with a single drop of clear soul-water, we transform it into a nectar teaching that reaches throughout the vast universe. The Fuli world lies far away in the Beginning-Cyan Heaven; from the Realm of Form onward, there is also the Formless Realm. Mount Tai is the Eastern Peak’s divine court, entered through the Lesser Heavenly Gate and then the Greater Heavenly Gate. Do not fall again into delusion; let us all return to the Great Dao.

How pitiful you are, wandering souls. In life you drifted like duckweed; after death, it seems all things have come to an end. Why, then, should you still be burdened by food and the body? Perhaps your souls have yet to find a place of rest, and that is why such thoughts arise.

Drink a cup of jade nectar, and countless feelings well up within; pound the dark frost to its last, and only then does cloud-essence appear. As I understand these lines, could they really mean that fine food is not delicious enough? Weave a purple silk robe like mist and clouds, toil at the work, yet have no heart for laughter and cannot even be bothered to straighten your clothes. As I understand their meaning, could they really mean that soft, warm garments are not enough to wear?

I would not presume to speak rashly about the affairs of celestial immortals. As for spirits, they too must rely on human offerings to act: grain and cooked food are used in sacrifices, while silk is buried as an offering. Does this mean that grain and silk are what spirits depend on to live?

Confucius said, “Eat coarse food, drink plain water, and use your bent arm as a pillow: joy is found in this.” Zilu said he would gladly share his carriages and horses and his light, warm furs with his friends, and would not regret it even if they wore them out. Mencius said that if mulberry trees were planted around homes, people aged fifty could wear silk; he also said that if a hundred acres were farmed without missing the proper seasons, a family of eight would not go hungry. These words of the sages, recorded in their sayings and books, were all spoken for the people of this world.

The starving man beneath the mulberry tree is a tale of someone who collapsed from hunger there and later became a brave man devoted to righteousness. The affection for the coarse silk robe tells of someone moved by an old bond because of a single robe, nearly losing his lord as a result. To wear straw sandals and spin and weave hemp—how frugal! To gather lotus leaves for food and eat chrysanthemums—how austere and pure! Clearly, food and clothing are what people depend on to live; they cannot go without them for even a day.

More sorrowful still are the bodies strewn across the level sands of battlefields, the dead departing with grievances, as though Heaven and Earth themselves were stricken with grief. After death, their bones remain in a foreign land, and their souls become ghosts in a neighboring state. If no one comes to mourn and make offerings, what can they do? Duke Cheng of Wei dreamed of Kang Shu, who said that someone had taken away his sacrificial offerings. The ghosts of the Ruo’ao clan, too, once feared that no one would sacrifice to them, leaving them hungry and distressed. Whether the sacrifices will continue is beyond anyone’s knowing. What can be done?

Consider the mantis catching a cicada, the hound chasing a hare, the chicken pecking at insects and ants, and the falcon catching mice and sparrows: all seek food, with no evil intent. The Golden-Clad Gentleman, the Master in Black, and all the creatures that weave brocade or make powder may be ignorant, yet each seeks prosperity and security in its own way. Bees gather nectar from flowers; flies buzz about; mosquitoes drone; lice bite; ants swarm around the cooking pot; moths rush toward the flame. All beings born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or transformation cling to life. There is no other reason: each takes its own life to be of utmost importance.

Since you know how precious life is, you must also have awareness and discernment. Why not turn your hearts toward the Dao? Tonight you partake of the food offered in my ritual, wear ritual robes, and listen as I proclaim the words of the teaching. May all the wandering souls throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds—the vast universe, in Buddhist terms—whether attached to someone or unattached, with thoughts or without thoughts, embodied or formless, belonging to all ten classes, cease their craving. May you give rise to no fear or suspicion, and cling no longer to the distinction between self and other. Then all of you may be delivered and proceed straight to a pure realm of rebirth.

Travel south to the wilds of Wangmai; rest in the north in the Land of Silence; enter the depths of the netherworld in the west; and pass eastward into the light of primordial chaos. There is no Heaven above and no Earth below. Free and untroubled, how joyful it must be! Therefore, these words of admonition have been written so that all may know them. Let this proclamation be posted for all to read.

A son of the Lü family (the surname of the host of the ritual) had a grandson, and that grandson in turn had a child. How could we forget the kindness of those who have nurtured us, generation after generation? After death, people become ghosts, and ghosts may be reborn as people. Inevitably, they suffer through cycle after cycle of tribulation. This act of merit is supreme above all.

There are three thousand great thousand worlds. Today, the host of the ritual and others have the good fortune to meet on the day of the Earth Official’s Great Pardon and to hold a ritual assembly of the Celestial Worthy at the Mysterious Capital. Since we cherish the dead and honor our ancestors, how could we care only for ourselves and withhold kindness from others? We therefore summon all ten classes of lonely souls and release them from every kind of suffering. Giving clothing to the cold and food to the hungry offers only temporary relief. The living are like wanderers adrift, while the dead seem at rest. Why have these lonely souls come here? May each of you keep to your proper place. Do not bully the weak, repeating the battles between Jin and Chu; do not harbor resentment and seek revenge, keeping alive the enmity of Wu and Yue. Do not regard one another as enemies aboard the same boat, or fight among yourselves under one roof. Do not destroy one another like two tigers locked in combat, or bring disaster upon yourselves by devouring one another like insects. Rather than quarrel and struggle, let everyone break down the barriers between them.

When one understands that “form is not form, and emptiness is not emptiness”—a Buddhist expression for insight into form and emptiness—the road to the other shore can be seen as entirely free of wind and waves. Only a filial child can extend filial devotion to others, and a person of benevolence does not begrudge the practice of good deeds on a wide scale. Though this act of merit began as something done for ourselves, how could we ultimately bear to withhold its blessings from everyone? In the dark realm of the underworld, a single leap can carry you up to Yuxiao Terrace, a Daoist celestial pavilion. Recognize the hundred-foot stairway and tread it with firm steps. Keep to the profound precepts, and do not fall astray.

Food should suit a person’s taste. It may be sumptuous fare rich in fat, or coarse meat. Clothing should adorn the body. It may be humble hemp cloth or costly fox and raccoon furs. People cannot do without these things, but how can ghosts enjoy them?

Alas, living beings are deluded, drifting aimlessly through the four kinds of birth—womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born—and the six realms, the six destinations of transmigration. Ghosts cannot hear sounds and have no mouths; even if food were available, how could they eat it? They cannot see forms and have no bodies; even if clothing were available, where could they wear it? Why, then, do they continue to fall into misery and suffering? It is all because they give rise to craving and attachment.

Duke Jin sent a voice claiming that he had become an ox: having a voice was like having a mouth, and so he could hope to obtain food. Fu Shenghua took the form of a pig: having a shape was like having a body, and so he could hope to wear clothes. Why, then, do they continue to fall into misery and suffering? It is all because they give rise to craving and attachment.

When people are driven by hunger and cold, how can they spare a thought for propriety and righteousness? Now that we have come here, what should we do? Do not keep striking a sharp awl with a blunt mallet, nor scorn others for their shortcomings, only to suffer fierce blows and pain. What is there for gentlemen to quarrel over? Do not be like Han Lu and Dongguo, locked in mutual strife, or like the yellow sparrow and the mantis, each devouring the other.

Instead, be like Lu Kang and Yang Hu, who reconciled the old enmity between Wu and Jin. Be like You Yu and the people of Hu and Yue, bringing those once far apart together as brothers. Why not meet as if we had always known one another, sit on mats of grass, and travel together? When we travel together, however, let us follow our elders. Those who come may come, and those who leave may leave; each may ask where the departed are bound. I offer the kindness of warmth and enough to eat, so that you will no longer suffer from cold and hunger.

The sacred lamp shines everywhere like the sun, and all beneath heaven share its light. The Dharma-water falls everywhere like sweet rain, moistening all in the sky. Let us together cultivate merit and build such a bridge—a path that helps living beings cross beyond suffering. Hand in hand, let us ascend the jade steps and move forward together, making progress side by side. Merit is inscribed in the Golden Register, the Daoist document or roster for seeking blessings and averting calamity. Who is first, and who is last? For now, let us all be equal kings and come to the Universal Assembly, where offerings are made equally without distinction of status. Let this notice be proclaimed to all: everyone must comply, and no one is to make a disturbance. So let this notice be posted.

The dark, deep gates stand tightly shut, and the long night has no end. Let us set aside for now the boundless array of circumstances and speak first of the six paths of samsara in which living beings dwell. Though the Four Formless Heavens have neither shape nor color, they have not escaped the illusory absurdities of the Form Realm. Sentient beings throughout the Three Realms cannot leave behind illusion and change. Is there no deceit in the tale of soldiers drilling and forming ranks inside an orange? Nor can the legend of a jade ring left in a lotus flower sever the ties of human affection. Even beings who manifest in different Dharma realms and are called celestial immortals may still harbor human feelings—how much more so the spirits and deities?

Among ancient sites in mountains and rivers, ritual platforms, community shrines, and efficacious temples, bells ring and monkeys cry; the temple of the Southern Marchmount is revered for its spiritual efficacy. Tales of horses carved in stone and dreams prompted by iron objects have likewise been fulfilled in stories of yellow oxen and the like. Even those reputed to possess miraculous powers may still be worshipped and partake of blood offerings. As for beings with eyes and ears, who would choose to see and hear only on behalf of others? And who with a mouth and a body would willingly endure hunger and cold? Should we not think carefully: if they truly desired nothing, they would surely have no such attachments.

The man who returned the jade bi—where is that jade bi now? The man who died to offer up his state—did the state ever endure because of his sacrifice? The horse at Chaoyang refuses to move, and people keep saying there are eight thousand li to go. The paper boat at sea cannot give birth to milk, and nineteen years have already passed. Before one could rest one’s head on a spear, the spear was already lost; before one could row with an oar, the oar was already gone. Though the human soul does not decay like rotten wood, fame and achievement in the end are always like illusory flowers.

Some people pay no heed to wealth and rank; others shut their ears to right and wrong. They live as recluses, rinsing their mouths with streams and resting their heads on stones, fishing beneath the moon and farming among the clouds. The alchemical furnace may still stand, but the incense smoke within has long since turned to ash. The Buddhist shrine for meditation may remain, but the practitioners’ bones and bodies have already become dust.

Then there are physicians and diviners among the Nine Schools, along with performers skilled in various arts. They amuse themselves with dwarfs, yet in the end cannot escape Confucius’s condemnation; they treat displays of magic as strange and demonic, and so invite Duke Mu’s ridicule. They walk tightropes and wield swords, risking their lives; they drill turtle shells and crack tiles for divination—why can they not foresee their own fortunes and misfortunes? Why set traps and schemes when brute force would do? And how can struggles for profit through writing and money compare with the practical use of transport by boat and cart? Though living beings are born alike, how can they know that their circumstances after death will differ?

Some face the enemy in battle and give their lives for their country. Even with their tongues cut out, anger still burns in their eyes; even as their livers are eaten, their bodies refuse to yield. When a raging fire sweeps across a mountain, surely more than one snake suffers. The waters of the Miluo River stretch on without end; when Qu Yuan cast himself into them, he did not choose to cling to life like everyone else. The crow did not know to flee and was eventually chopped into a mess of flesh. Those who cannot distinguish good from bad and listen only to one side meet the fate of Lord Hengshan of Chu, who was boiled alive. The man who learned to imitate a bear’s roar to frighten others had exhausted his schemes; few who make their living catching snakes survive for long.

Too much wealth invites disaster, yet people boast in vain of their riches. Long indulgence in sexual pleasures harms the body, leaving only regret for beautiful women. Such things are everywhere in the world. What can a silent person say? It is pitiful that you have not found a fitting way to live. Why, though innocent, do you walk toward death?

To gape and wait for food—how can one not be ashamed of a swollen belly? To go naked is all the more reason to feel shame over tattered clothes. A thin-lipped mouth is sharper than a crow’s beak; a slender neck is almost like a crane’s. The women of Xiashan are often mistaken for apes, but how could the people of Fu village turn into tigers? Some beings are born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or transformation; some are covered in scales or grow feathers. Though they lack human intelligence, they too aspire to the Dao. Such are the beings of the ghost and animal paths.

Whether famous or unknown, whether claimed by a master or belonging to no one, all living beings and departed souls who come here have their reasons. Do not let those of low rank overstep their elders, or distant relations take precedence over close ones. Do not let the strong bully the weak, or the many oppress the isolated and vulnerable. Help one another, as fish moisten one another with the foam from their mouths; do not lash out like a trapped beast with nowhere left to turn. Are people of the South Sea and the North Sea different only in their customs? Do the people of Qin and Yue have no compassion for one another?

Make the law and the principles of human feeling clear, and even those meeting for the first time can become as close as old friends. We now establish the seat of the Equalizing King and invite everyone to attend the universal salvation rite. Is it not a joy to have enough food and clothing? Cultivate virtue and cleanse body and mind; by keeping yourself pure and advancing without cease, you can reach the far shore of the Dao whole and sound, and walk hand in hand toward the ranks of the immortals. These words are no empty talk. Please listen carefully. This notice is therefore posted for all to see.

Human beings are more spiritually perceptive than all other creatures because we understand the grace with which Heaven and Earth nurture all things. We therefore feel deep sorrow and longing when remembering our kin. The power of Creation—the force by which Heaven and Earth transform and nurture all things—brings forth every kind of living being. Though the sun and moon are said to shine impartially on all, thunder still has the might of its fury.

Today, Liang, a follower of the Dao, remembers the labor his father spent building a home and is grateful for the loving kindness his grandfather showed in sharing food. He has yet to repay his grandmother for raising him, and he dares not forget the words of instruction and encouragement from his granduncle. Earlier, he selected a burial site on Baishui Plain and arranged the funeral according to the divinations of the Green Crow—the geomantic art of choosing a site. He did his utmost to show filial devotion and promised to perform meritorious rites for the deceased, hoping to bring them blessings. Yet he did not expect matters to be delayed until now, and fears he has failed to honor his promise. So he has chosen an auspicious day and prepared a modest offering on Baishui Plain to express his respect.

We respectfully ask the commissioned divine officers and generals to compose themselves and purify the spirit altar first, then summon and instruct the spirits of the dead in the lower realm. As for those fierce and stubborn spirits who harbor rebellious intent and band together to do evil, if their baleful energy spreads and their hearts are like wolves’, they are like rats spying on a high wall or mantises foolishly trying to stop a carriage: they know nothing of yielding, stubborn as witless horses. The anger of the people will not tolerate them, and divine might will be made manifest. In accordance with the laws of the mysterious realm, they will be seized and handed over to Kui and Gang, divine generals who administer punishment and subdue evil spirits.

As for the solitary spirits who deserve pity, have no one to appeal to, and remain stranded, now that they have come to this ritual assembly, they should form joyful and wholesome bonds with one another and not give rise to divisions between “you” and “me.” The resentments and enmities formed in the past should all be resolved one by one. Those gathered here today may also speak a little of their old ties. Some of you may once have been friends; others, neighbors. Your bonds were fragrant as orchids and as firm as metal and stone. May you use this opportunity to find a way forward, and may I live up to everyone’s hopes.

Those who are hungry should be given food, so that they no longer waste away. Those who are cold should be given clothes, so that they need not stand beside me naked and exposed. May the waters of Canglang wash your feet, and pure spring water cleanse your thoughts. May you awaken through this, rise to a higher state, and no longer sink in confusion and delusion. May you ascend the jade steps and gaze from afar upon the immortal realm, where clouds tower high and the Golden Palace—the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor—shines bright. Is it not a joyful thing to be able to ascend? This instruction is now issued; let all concerned take note and act accordingly.

The penal laws of the world above and the statutes of the underworld were never different at their source; they are grounded in the same principle. How far apart are Heaven and Hell? In truth, they lie no farther apart than a single thought in the human heart. Daoists often say that the underworld truly exists; when noble men discuss the matter, however, they invariably say it does not.

Now a female disciple who follows the Dao is grief-stricken. She thinks of how the life of the revered Lord Lao (a Daoist deity) So-and-so has reached its appointed end, and of his incurable carbuncle on the back. She fears that death will separate him from his family, and that idle talk in the world will leave her mind unsettled. Without the merit of burning incense, spiritual cultivation, and other practices, what could enable the dead to be delivered?

Therefore, I inform the Inspectors of the Fast, the Generals of Direct Service, and the other divine officers, as well as the hounds and flying eagles who serve as divine officials: follow my direction, investigate, and report what you find. Drive the demon foxes and wicked crows far away; let the moon shine clear again and the dark mists subside. Let word reach the Three Realms above and the Nine Springs below, so that every imprisoned soul obeys the amnesty. Order the relevant divine officials to establish the facts of the case and report how it is to be resolved.

Demand the charges from the ox-headed jailers—the ghost officials who hold souls in the underworld—and forbid them to harm the dead with hearts as treacherous as wolves. From what code of punishments do the file and pounding block, the boiling water and flames come? In what law book are the fire bed and iron register recorded? The dead have nowhere to kneel and plead their case; they can only cry out to Heaven, with no path forward. They should be released and no longer detained.

Let all stranded spirits and lonely souls, and all beings among the Four Births and Six Paths, come together to this ritual assembly and form good ties. Do not look down on others because their station is low, or use your power to bully the weak. Do not divide yourselves into “you are you” and “I am I”—how then could you escape strife? Nor should you remain apart, each confined to the north or south. May everyone gather joyfully: those nearby rejoice in their hearts, those far away return in faith; voices call and answer, people talk and laugh shoulder to shoulder, and sing hand in hand. When each person awakens compassion, that is equality.

Clear water can wash a hat’s ribbons, and muddy water can wash one’s feet. Who can say that people immersed in the world’s mire are beyond saving? When hungry, eat; when cold, put on clothes. But surely one’s lifelong aspiration is not merely to have enough food and clothing. Now that you have turned toward the Great Dao, you may ask the way to rebirth, leave the gate of ghosts, and attain deliverance. The moment must not be missed. How could you fail to seize this chance, when Heaven and all beings rejoice in their meeting? Souls, return! The place you go is the realm of Dao and De, empty and still.

Alas, what is called “death” is a return; to return is to go back to the Dao (the Way). The Dao takes for its root what has no form: it is dark and still, distant and unfathomable. I truly cannot force words to explain where the departed spirit goes. She lived in the human world for thirty-seven years, never knowing where she would go, until suddenly her life ended at this moment. Yet if we seek the reasons, it is not that there were none.

Earlier, the woman’s illness showed no sign of improving. Then someone spoke a few absurd and baseless words, unsettling everyone’s minds and leaving them dazed, as though drunk or dreaming—like being struck by a hot wind carrying poison, or buried beneath the mist and dust of the southern frontier. The patient suffered repeated bouts of distress. Who could have guessed that two pathogenic forces, known in ancient times as the “Two Hard Ones,” would secretly invade the depths of her heart and abdomen? And because the woman died young, her family’s grief, longing, and unceasing cries grew ever heavier; even gentle treatment could not help. The spirits of Xiang County did not manifest their power. Beyond Mount Huangxu, where she has finally gone, no one can know.

Day gives way to night, and in the blink of an eye five days have passed. Day after day, month after month, she grows ever more distant from the human world. Without the Dao’s power to protect her, who could point the lost toward the way and guide the departed spirit from here back to the Dao? The frost is cold, the moon chill, and a solitary crow cries in sorrow. You, too, will be changed by this scene. Even with the fortitude of heroes and hearts hard as wood or stone, how could you remain unmoved by the grief of orphans and widows, without sighing deeply for them?

Therefore, cultivate compassion, sincerely practice in devotion to the Dao, protect against and dispel evil influences, and do not allow deviant teachings to prevail, lest they bring pollution and turbidity. Nothing can be a greater merit than enabling the departed spirit to return to the Dao.

As for the destinations called the Way of Heaven, the Way of Humanity, the Way of the Gods, the Way of Hell, the Way of Ghosts, and the Way of Animals, they are remote and still, beyond our understanding. They are bound to the Dao, yet people cannot see their forms or hear their sounds. Since this is so, why give rise to greed, anger, and delusion, and spend all day laboring over worldly affairs? Now that you have come here, you should understand: food and clothing have been provided for you, so you need no longer suffer cold or hunger. From this day onward, you should hear the true Dao and free yourselves from delusion. The East is no place to dwell; the South no place to remain. To the West lie flowing sands, and to the North, flying snow. None is a place where you can settle for long. Is it not time to turn your hearts toward the Dao? May all you departed spirits ascend together to the farther shore of the Dao. Even the carefree joy of Zeng Xi, playing music at the Rain Dance Terrace, cannot compare with this peace and happiness. Understand this.

Therefore, this notice is hereby posted.

The duties of the Fu Lü (spiritual officials who subdue and deliver wandering souls) concern the truth that life and death alternate like day and night, an enduring natural order throughout the ages. Ghosts and spirits, meanwhile, follow the workings of Yin-Yang, cycling endlessly from beginning to end. A single thought of good or evil sends a person down one of two paths, toward suffering or joy. When the mind and spirit grow clouded and turn against reason, one chases illusions and loses sight of what is real.

Fortunately, we live in an enlightened age, when rites of universal deliverance have been established to save the souls of the dead, and the teachings and canons of the Mysterious Dao are being spread. Through these rites, people can express their respect for elders and loved ones, and widely practice the humane virtue of aiding the world and saving others. Such kindness is profound, and the good fortune of encountering it is rare.

You wandering souls are adrift in the netherworld, stranded in a long, unending night. Know that the six paths of rebirth stretch far and wide: those who remain deluded chase external things and become entangled by them; those bound by karmic ties cling to form and are in turn burdened by it. You sink along shadowed roads and lie scattered in desolate places. Some cry out beneath the stars and moon; others lament in wind and rain. No one offers you sacrifices, and nowhere can you be buried. Though far away at the ends of the earth, which kin or friend can you rely on? You gaze at fragrant grass beneath the setting sun, grieving that you can never return to your homeland. These thoughts are truly heartbreaking.

Fortunately, people of understanding have established a Golden Register retreat, a Daoist purification ritual for praying for blessings and delivering souls. The Most High, the Daoist title for the supreme deity, has therefore opened the palace of Cinnabar Mound to reveal to you the wondrous method of rebirth and grant you the auspicious conditions to escape the suffering of death. May you cleanse away your sorrow and purify your thoughts, and together receive the Precepts of the Nine Perfected. May you obtain warm clothing and ample food, leave behind the afflictions of the Five Sufferings, and roam freely forever, without hindrance or attachment. This notice is hereby posted.

End of Volume Eleven of The Elegant Writings of Immortal Xu

Volume Twelve of The Elegant Writings of Immortal Xu

Memorial on the Construction of the Lingji Palace

I see that construction of this temple has been underway for six years. Recently, the water in the eastern pond has dried up again, robbing the deities and visiting guests of a beautiful place to enjoy. More than ten thousand roof tiles are still needed. Many people come from near and far to seek the spirits’ protection, and many speak of their hardships. Can it be that no one is willing to offer help?

It took three years to build the house, yet there were still people who could not resist criticizing it by the roadside. A mountain nine ren high cannot be considered complete if even one basket of earth is missing. May we, the Perfected Ones—immortals who have attained the Dao—see clearly and respond with numinous efficacy. Fellow cultivators, be steadfast and persevere with care, from beginning to end. Now the temple buildings are finished, and the construction work is complete. Yet we are concerned that the eastern pond may again run dry, while the inscribed hall to the west is at risk of leaking through its roof. Look out across the ten directions, and everywhere you will find donors; raise your eyes three feet, and the spirits are watching. Do not think that because no wine was set out at the rites, nothing can be done. Once the ritual has been performed, perhaps even the fragrant cassia can be added to the medicine basket, making up what is still lacking. It can be put to use just now, so we appeal to everyone for contributions.

Counting out the rice grain by grain to cook a meal reflects only the narrowness of our own vision. May those with means give generously and bring their benevolent hearts to fuller expression. Since we are making offerings on behalf of the spirits, why not give with joy?

Petition for the Construction of the Divine Kitchen

Shi Xiang established shrines among the people, leaving behind virtuous achievements that have endured for more than a thousand years. Marquis Chen was willing to preside over the village’s communal sacrifices, and in doing so secured a reputation for all time. They did this not merely to slaughter animals and prepare food, but to make the rites of sacrifice more dignified. The new temple buildings are complete, adding to the grandeur of the local mountains and rivers. But when we look back at the old kitchen, its walls have been worn down by wind and rain and are on the verge of collapse. The rise and decline of temples may follow the turns of fortune, but their founding and repair ultimately depend on people. In the past, we raised funds for a building by the roadside; now we must raise its beams and build it. When people of resolve plan together, the divine kitchen can be completed. How splendid it will be! May it be built on a grand scale, with food prepared and offerings presented here, and the rites performed here, making the temple more solemn and dignified.

I respectfully submit: the five skandhas, the five elements that make up the human body and experience, are all empty. Who would have thought that all the Buddhas throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds attained Buddhahood through cultivating the mind within? May this great aspiration be carried out. When people travel far, they can rest and eat here; in this way, perhaps the temple will become splendid and flourish.

Appeal for Funds to Build Yuqingtang

I respectfully submit: the five skandhas are all empty. Who would have thought that all the Buddhas throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds attained Buddhahood through cultivating the mind within? Accumulating good deeds and cultivating virtue is precisely Yuqingtang’s purpose in encouraging people toward goodness. This is an excellent place to cultivate merit and accumulate virtue, much like a pure land. I have heard that when this bright hall was built in the first year of Xinglong, there was a shortage of Zhongtong paper currency. Anyone who gives willingly and gladly will naturally have the Buddha as witness. In this life, one forms good ties in this life; even a donation of a single coin carries the merit of that coin. Trees must be felled and sawn, and old tiles and walls must be removed, before rebuilding can begin. With these plans and preparations in place, we wait in stillness for the day when even a brick can be ground into a mirror. I respectfully set down this brief appeal for donations and ask for your support.

Appeal to Invite a Monk to Lead the Fundraising for the Renovation of Yuqingtang

I respectfully submit: the hundreds of millions of transformation bodies—forms in which the Buddha appears to save sentient beings—fill innumerable worlds and particles of dust, and all can attain Buddhahood. Every place in the worlds of the ten directions can become a site for cultivating the Way. Do not look down on what you see before you; value, too, the teachings you have heard. They should be brought from there and established here. May all sentient beings be saved; for this reason, we must not forget our homeland.

Our great master was originally the Venerable One of Aofeng. Yuqingtang has its own incense lineage of Huyan, the local tradition of worship at the temple hall. Whether in visible form or not, we hope the departed may form good ties that lead to the realization of Bodhi. Now we encourage people to form such ties and make donations, fortunate to have the aid of the Kinnara, a Buddhist guardian deity. Since people have once hung lamps and offered their arms to the Buddha, why should they hesitate to give their flesh and lives? The east and west walls now need repair, so that wind will not blow in from the sides and rain leak through the roof. May the hall be grand in scale and renewed in splendor; may the work proceed smoothly from start to finish and bring boundless merit. From this day onward, this karmic undertaking will be complete.

Appeal for the Renovation of Yuqingtang

Lu Shifang traveled from the Southern Continent to the Northern Continent to raise funds, enduring years of hardship and practice. He moved from the Eastern Land to the Western Land and was originally a Buddhist disciple. Do not blame an elderly monk for finding it difficult to speak up and urge people to give. With firm resolve, no undertaking is difficult.

A venerable patron donated his wealth to pave the ground and build an aranya, a quiet place for spiritual practice, where everyone could cultivate goodness and accumulate merit. The Hall of Accumulated Goodness and the Hall of Lasting Blessings are both ritual centers dedicated to Dingguang Buddha. One should take to heart the karmic consequences of the present and the future, and from now on wholeheartedly strive for renewal.

The palace halls were built high and splendid, with vows reaching far into the future. Thirty thousand dan of earth were brought in for the project, at great expense; thousands of people were recruited to take part, and the undertaking was immense. Everyone donated generously, giving all they had. The palace halls are untouched by wind or rain, making it seem that the Dragon Kings and heavenly guardians, too, are praising the work.

With this brief petition, I visit the homes of the wealthy and invite everyone to arouse the mind of Bodhi—to seek awakening and act for the benefit of others—and to practice compassion, joy, and generosity on a broad scale. May those endowed with virtue and blessings receive blessings beyond count, limitless and boundless, until the entire project is complete from beginning to end. Then all will raise their hands to their brows in reverence and gaze upon it for generations.

“Petition for the Building of the Ciji Palace”

I respectfully recall Lü Dongbin, the immortal of Bohai, and others, who gathered Jing and Qi and manifested as the thirty-two majestic forms of the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Their sacred traces appeared in Tongcheng, where the incense of their compassionate aid to the world has continued for more than two hundred years. Though temples have been built in many places as sites for enshrining deities and Buddhas, performing rites, or cultivating the Way, they all bear the same name.

Today this hall has fallen into disrepair. Is rebuilding it with timber and earth difficult, or easy? I earnestly ask all patrons to bear witness together and help the monks fulfill their vow. A donation of just one tile or one rafter can help bring this work to completion. May we set aside distinctions and boundaries and together form good affinities on a broad scale. If good intentions from all sides can be brought together, work can begin and be completed that very day. Once built, the halls will spread their wings like a phoenix, their ridges soaring high in splendid scale. Bells will ring amid the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs, while the teachings of the scriptures will spread far and wide. Thus will coarse blue cloth be transformed into fine silk, and the auspicious sign of white scorched cloth will appear once more.

May these offerings serve as a bridge for aiding and liberating living beings for generations to come. Their blessings and merit are beyond measure, and their results beyond imagining. The story of gold spread across the ground was said to have given Sudatta, the famed donor of ancient India, the causes and conditions for attaining Buddhahood. By burning incense and making a vow to Heaven, I hope to follow the example of the man of Huafeng, who prayed for Emperor Yao’s long life on behalf of a sage ruler. With this brief petition, I respectfully invite all patrons to contribute.

Petition for Drawing Lots and a Poetry Contest at Wenxing Hermitage

I respectfully submit that Wenxing Hermitage intends to repair its buildings, though its rise or decline seems already determined by fate. If a gathering at the thatched hall cannot be brought about, it is like a painted cake that cannot satisfy hunger. Whether to stay or leave, to act or be still, is not something people can decide by their own efforts. On an earlier occasion, you all honored me with a visit, but I was unable to receive you in time. Heaven above and Earth below may bear witness; my sincerity is known to them both.

Favorable times and beautiful scenery have rarely come together since antiquity. Now we mean to reopen the old shop and give everyone a chance to laugh together. Those near and far are, I believe, all former hosts and old acquaintances. Please do not say that returning for a second visit is not worth a single coin. What is done rightly now can make amends for what went wrong before; the past is past, and we need not pursue it further. So long as neither side harbors ill will, we can remain on good terms in the days ahead. Let us reopen the old shop and gather once more in laughter. May we meet each other as if for the first time, keep our word, and continue striving forward.

Petition for Repairing the Aofeng Qilong Temple

Fulu Flag Cage Mountain holds a true dragon vein and auspicious site, as described in fengshui. Its mountain paths twist and turn, with peaks circling one another. To catch a giant turtle, one must first claim its head—just as a fine place gives rise to outstanding people. Though the woods here are dense and shadowed, they shelter an ancient temple of solemn dignity. Local people have worshipped the deities here for generations, and the incense offerings have continued for a thousand years.

The ancient temple has long lain in disrepair; its rise and decline follow their own appointed course. Now it is time to plan its renovation and jointly divine an auspicious day. The new temple may have eaves that sweep up like birds’ wings and decorations resembling bright phoenixes, but there is no need for excessive splendor. May the completed temple bring a peaceful scene of crowing roosters, barking dogs, and people living securely. May both the deities and the people rejoice, and may peace and harmony prevail throughout the community.

After discussing the matter, everyone agreed, and all should share the effort. Even a small house to be rebuilt cannot at the outset be supported by a single timber. The community lives under the deities’ protection; surely someone will be willing to contribute beams. Households of high, middle, and low means should each give what they can. The donor register may be written out many times; there is no harm in recording contributions truthfully. Let the era name Zhiyuan be written again and again, as all await Heaven’s gift of good fortune and the people’s health and peace.

Prayer for Repairing the Community Bridge

Fulu Bridge is already three hundred years old. Its foundations have deteriorated, seemingly unable to escape the course of decline. In the eleventh month, the people built a simple bridge so that villagers would no longer suffer when crossing the river, and they were willing to contribute together. The effort also depends on the elders making a great vow, writing down the era name Zhiyuan, and awaiting Heaven’s gift of good fortune, health, and peace.

Prayer for Repairing the Community Bridge

Fulu Bridge is three hundred years old. Its foundations have deteriorated, seemingly unable to escape the course of decline. In the eleventh month, the people built a simple bridge so that villagers would no longer suffer when crossing the river, and they were willing to contribute together. This undertaking requires the elders to make a great vow, and it also depends on monks donating surplus grain and property so that the funds may be sufficient. To sow good causes and bring good results to fruition is a principle worth pursuing. The people do not regard completion as the end; they will seize this opportunity to do good and build up blessings. Travelers passing back and forth will no longer face danger or obstruction, and the blessings will extend to their descendants, bringing lasting prosperity to the family.

Prayer for Building a Bridge and Establishing the Chou’nian Ritual

The western wall of Lüyi Relay Station has already been repaired, and the eastern wall must also be restored. This is a major undertaking. Before doing business, we must first make the rules clear and then discuss personal favors; money and principle must be kept distinct. Empty talk alone gets nothing done. We must first put up capital before we can expect a return. Even a skilled cook cannot prepare a meal without rice; without the means, do not pretend to be an expert. Since you have tasted pear with goose meat, and these are peaceful times, why not contribute the money in common use? Raising thirty shares will not place too great a burden on anyone. Buy lots, divide into groups, and then gather to discuss the matter. If you win the top prize, it will be an elegant occasion, and everyone will praise you. Even a little planning can bring some support. Friends and relatives are all watching, so there must be no deception or evasion. Do not handle the matter at hand carelessly or dishonestly. Money in this world, so long as it is continually spent and circulated, can keep turning without end. Let the Thousand Character Classic serve as the record, enter the accounts under the character “Thousand,” and make an agreement with one another. By forming good ties among the people, we can bring the merit to completion. I have set down these rustic words on a whim, hoping to move the hearts of the young.

Appeal for Road Repairs

Respectfully submitted: The roads around Lüyi serve as routes for people traveling back and forth, convenient thoroughfares leading to distant places. Road repairs require everyone to discuss the matter and work together. By forming good ties among the people, we can bring the merit to completion. I have set down these rustic words on a whim, hoping to stir the hearts of the young.

Appeal for Road Repairs

Respectfully submitted: The road through Lüyi sees frequent traffic and is an important route to distant places. The bridge at the pagoda is close by, yet it is a vital crossing between the two villages. Recently the floodwaters have risen, and the once level road has nearly been cut off by water. Everyone wants to see the work done, but one person alone may not be able to make this road passable. If we do not find a way to repair it now, the fields may again suffer from flooding. Water that gathers little by little will eventually cause great harm. Even stones can be piled into a mountain; how much more, now that we live in peaceful times, should we raise money to repair the road? With everyone’s help in building the embankment, travelers will no longer need to worry about taking a detour. Together, we will form a bond of goodness and restore this place that belongs to all. Once the road is repaired, travel will be secure, and the first leg of the journey to the capital will be behind us.

Appeal for Repairs to the Creek Embankment

Respectfully submitted: The waters of Lü are held back by embankments—how could they overflow and bring disaster? Only when the fields are free from both drought and flood can we hope for a good harvest. Even mountains and river valleys change over time; how much more, as the years pass, may Yin-Yang fall out of balance and leave many harmful consequences. We now intend to rebuild the embankment and clear the channel…

(Fu Lü: an old place name or waterway name whose precise referent is unknown.) The waters of Fu Lü once had embankments, so how could they have flooded and caused disaster? As long as the fields are spared both drought and waterlogging, a good harvest can be expected. Yet hills and valleys may change over time. As the years pass, Yin and Yang can fall out of balance, leaving many troubles in their wake. Now we wish to rebuild the embankments and restore the water to its former course. Many ox carts will be needed to haul stone to hold back the current; layers of earth must be piled up into high walls to withstand the floods.

This work follows the lay of the land and calls for ingenuity, but it also requires money and labor. Landowners and tenant farmers alike, whether their fields lie high or low, should join in considering the lasting interests of future generations. Once the proposal is put to paper, people will take up their tools and come forward to help with the construction. If the water breaks through on the east, it will flow west; whatever happens upstream will inevitably affect those downstream. We must not shrink from the labor of channeling the Jing River into the Wei River; there are also ways to dredge the Ji River and drain the Huai River. If the project succeeds, the granaries will surely be filled with grain. The blessings gained will be many: first, prosperity; second, longevity.

Draft Petition for Establishing a Ritual Site to Gather Blessings

May Heaven grant great light and may prosperity endure for generations. May those who lived during the Hongwu era, having accumulated good deeds, all receive the Five Blessings and peace. How much more so now, when towns and villages alike enjoy a peaceful age: may all join in cultivating good fruits, each making a personal resolve to do good. Scholars and officials, both civil and military, together with the common people, have gathered to respectfully request that this petition be composed. May blessings and virtue spread far and wide, and may their bounty descend. In this third month, the people and local residents hold rites of repentance and disaster-aversion. May auspiciousness gather through all four seasons and endure; may everyone enjoy long life, good health, flourishing households, and thriving families.

Petition for a Jiao Ritual of Prayer and Disaster-Averting

May discordant influences disperse and harmonious Qi gather, so that calamities may be dispelled and danger brought to an end. The Way of Heaven is profound and difficult to fathom. May blessings and virtue spread far and wide, and may their bounty descend. In this third month, the people and local residents hold rites of repentance and disaster-aversion. May auspiciousness gather through all four seasons and endure; may everyone enjoy long life, good health, flourishing households, and thriving families.

As baleful and discordant energies recede, auspicious and harmonious energy arises. Only then can disasters be averted and calamities brought to an end. The Dao of Heaven is deep and unfathomable, while human affairs are right before our eyes; therefore people pray to the spirits with sincere hearts, asking them to bestow blessings. At the first stir of a thought in the heart, the spirits know it; and whatever we do, we must bear the corresponding responsibility. Precious incense does not grow here, and candles and ornate lamps, too, must often be obtained with the help of neighbors and friends. Why not uphold the bonds of mutual aid in the community and shared well-being, and pray together to hear the joyful sounds of a peaceful and prosperous age?

Thus, the noble person thinks of calamity and takes precautions in advance. Do not dismiss a small wrong as harmless and fail to correct it and pray for its dispelling. Good and evil depend on one’s own conduct, while Heaven silently protects those who cultivate hidden virtue. We humbly pray that the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking may carry from household to household in every direction, and that auspicious blessings may be bestowed upon the people, bringing grace to all and allowing them to live in comfort and peace. If one knows what is good but does not do it, how can that be called doing good?

Memorial for Welcoming the Five Manifestations, Celebrating and Praising the Buddha’s Birthday

We humbly pray that the blessings of the Buddha’s appearance in the world may be bestowed upon the people, allowing all to live in comfort and peace. If one knows what is good but does not do it, how can that be called doing good?

Memorial for Welcoming the Five Manifestations, Celebrating and Praising the Buddha’s Birthday

The Buddha’s appearance in the world is truly a foundation revered by all through the ages. All sentient beings in the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—come to attend the gathering of the Five Spiritual Powers. The myriad spirits rejoice in harmony, and people across the Four Seas look up to the Buddha and take refuge in him.

With reverence, we praise the Buddha’s exalted status: he practiced through three great asamkhyeya kalpas, immeasurably long periods of cultivation, and attained realization through practice across many successive lifetimes and kalpas. Now the auspicious eighth day of the fourth lunar month has arrived; fortunate signs appear, and blessings descend from the Nine Heavens. Once more, the udumbara flower, a rare and auspicious blossom of legend, is seen. At his birth, the Buddha pointed one hand to Heaven and the other to Earth, vowing to deliver all beings, sages and ordinary people alike.

We, the undersigned, Si Xuan and others, are mindful of the Buddha’s profound virtue and know that gratitude has its source. Some of us are registered commoners; others make their homes upon the water. Though we have not put aside the six senses and six desires, we still hold this observance each year to express our gratitude. Here we have prepared pure offerings and respectfully invite the World-Honored One above, asking the Buddha to bear witness, so that all may understand the Dharma together and move toward awakening.

We humbly pray that the Tathagata will manifest his Dharma-body, transcending defilement and purity, arising and passing away. May blessings of every kind descend upon all, granting them long life, prosperity, advanced age and good health, and flourishing households.

Memorial Inscribed for the Blood Bowl Assembly

Women who bear and raise children inevitably endure many hardships. A mother’s ten profound kindnesses are difficult for her children to repay, even if they were to sacrifice their lives. Some mothers are still alive, yet their children have not cared for them as fully as they should. Others have passed away, yet their children have not yet performed rites to honor them and bring them blessings. How could these thoughts not move us? We should repay our mothers’ kindness and remember our roots. As their children, we should understand the natural bond between parent and child.

Fortunately, the True Person—the revered immortal—was indeed wise and far-sighted. Understanding the compassionate and expedient intent of the Most High, the supreme deity honored in Daoism, the True Person therefore established the Blood Basin Assembly, a Daoist ritual gathering to pray for deceased mothers, confess transgressions, and guide them toward deliverance. It is conducted according to rites of enshrinement and repentance, so that both the living and the dead may benefit from Daoist liturgy, with relief and salvation offered far and wide. The Celestial Worthy Who Relieves Suffering, a revered Daoist deity who rescues those in distress, is the very embodiment of compassionate giving. It is wrong to say casually that Buddhist monks and Daoist priests have nothing to do with one another. Śākyamuni Tathāgata once said that Laozi was his later incarnation. This shows that such merit is beyond comprehension. Buddhism and Daoism each have their own teachings, yet neither rejects the work of saving people and aiding the world.

Without careful planning, how could anything be gained? Without careful planning, how could anything be accomplished? Why would we not build such a bridge to lead people across the sea of suffering? Only in this way can the aim of deliverance be fulfilled, and the rite serve as its proof. May all people take refuge and offer their reverence, and may every assembly be brought to a complete and perfect conclusion.

In the land of Fuli, a Daoist immortal realm, jewel-like pearls the size of millet grains appear, never more than five zhang apart. The pond of Yuzhou transforms into a lotus throne. These visions have always been present within the space of an inch—that is, within the human heart or mind. To express your sincerity, set down the reason for this undertaking.

The title is “Petition for a Great Ritual for Heaven Held After the True Person’s Investiture.” It opens by saying that the True Person received a jade investiture and was honored with the favor of the Venerable Master; silver money… Ma Hui…

Seeing you receive the jade investiture document bestowed by Lüzu and enjoy your teacher’s favor, and now obtain two silver seals and joyfully accept the state’s generous grant of grace—such things have been rare since antiquity. I never expected to witness them with my own eyes today. Though your resolve is firm, like water wearing through stone, it is hard to avoid feeling that your body is light and your feet heavy. Looking back on this journey, you may feel that all this running about was not worth half a coin.

I hear that good fortune has come one thing after another. Why not simply hope that it will proceed smoothly and reach a perfect conclusion, like the casting of a bell in the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang? Please do not hesitate to set aside some Zhongtong paper notes (Yuan dynasty currency) as support, so that this undertaking can continue and be brought to completion. I, too, will strive to press on; you need not make the threshold as hard to cross as a blacksmith’s forge. We have traveled back and forth for two thousand li, and this connection between us is surely no accident. We have labored up and down for seven or eight years, and this good fortune and virtue surpass what came before. If you hold good intentions in your heart, you should let joy arise.

The title is “Memorial for the Perfected One’s Bestowal of an Immortal Document” (a document concerning the Perfected One’s granting of an immortal credential). I respectfully observe that the Perfected One Lingji has already received the Celestial Master’s official memorial, been favored with grace, granted an honored title, and enabled the flourishing of the incense offerings and the faith they represent. Though there are many matters to attend to, the prescribed rites and regulations must not be neglected. I therefore present this brief memorial and pay a visit to each eminent household, hoping to bring this undertaking to fruition. To bring this auspicious occasion to completion is to gain boundless merit and virtue.

The Fulu Temple has enshrined the two immortals, Fu and Lü, for four hundred years. A divine image once appeared at Ao Peak, and the Heavenly Emperor bestowed a sixteen-character heavenly investiture, written as a text in phoenix script. Old and young alike marvel at it; officials and gentlemen come to pay their respects. People arrive joyfully, in great numbers. I therefore make this earnest request.

In the past, a divine image appeared at Ao Peak, and the Heavenly Emperor bestowed a sixteen-character heavenly investiture, written as a text in phoenix script. Old and young marveled at it, while officials and gentlemen came to pay their respects, arriving one after another in delight. I took this occasion to express my sincere petition, and I also asked the spirits to grant blessings and make them manifest. What we see before us seems familiar to us all, yet once we begin to speak, it is hard to put into words. Is this bond not worth giving something for?

The blessed land of Dragon and Tiger—what Daoists call a spiritually endowed place for cultivation—is more than twenty stages away. The precious incense made with borneol and musk could hardly be obtained in exchange for a mere handful of earth. To seek what lies beyond the heavens, one must offer worldly wealth. Those who have already resolved to give, and those who have yet to do so, please meet this appeal with sincerity. If you are willing to lend a hand, do so readily; do not be like someone who hesitates and draws back.

I do not seek extra wealth for myself; this is also an arrangement made in advance for what came before. I earnestly ask that the names be carved and recorded on the pagoda, so that each tier may rise higher than the last. Looking up to the sages and following the example of the divine, let us offer our repeated wishes: ten thousand years, ten thousand years, and yet another ten thousand years. In this way, one may cultivate virtue for oneself and repay the kindness of the state above. My words are plain and lacking in elegance; please do not turn me away with other excuses.

When the Lü family first began this undertaking, everyone responded with enthusiasm. When it comes to giving money and goods, one should not think only of getting oneself off the hook; yet when it is time to speak up, one hesitates and finds it hard to say anything. Now this record of merit is set down before everyone, as though the spirits were right here beside us, and it deserves to be regarded with reverence. Who has no joyful heart? Everyone has the willingness to give. The sums collected earlier, both before and after, were substantial, yet they were spent quickly. If fundraising can no longer continue, with whom can we discuss the matter, and why should we come here at all? When matters reach a critical point, the truth becomes clear.

Do not let accounts that were never settled dishonor the pledges made before. If you now add your name as a donor once again, there will be no need to decline later. Once this good work is completed, many blessings will naturally follow. The Daoist Liao once associated with Han Yu and learned from his strengths; Meng Changjun was not blamed by Feng Xuan, presumably because he had no debts outstanding.

We reverently invite the Perfected One of Numinous Aid to descend, and pray that he ward off disasters and dispel calamities. The spirits are upright and wise; seeking their protection and blessings is a wish people have always shared. Long life, wealth, peace, and ease: though the workings of creation leave no sound or trace, the Dao has its own means of response. We respectfully perform the rite of conferring the Great Grotto Treasure Registers upon the Perfected One of Numinous Aid. Above, we report to the celestial court and pray for sacred illumination; below, we protect the state and bring peace to the people. The rite should follow the liturgy for dispelling evil forces and upholding the Orthodox Way, serving as a path to cultivating the Dao, attaining perfection, and ascending to the Immortal realms. This grand merit is beyond compare and will also benefit the people.

The dragon horses and fine steeds can still gallop; for now, let us provide one hundred thousand in funds from Changlu. The black oxen and yellow calves may each remain at their proper work, enabling people to enjoy the blessings described in the “Great Plan” and auspiciousness like that of the fifth and ninth lines. Let everyone give their utmost and join in bringing this good work to completion.

We reverently gaze upon the Perfected One of Numinous Aid: since he has already attained the ranks of the Immortals, an immortal likeness should be fashioned for him and adorned in a manner befitting a perfected immortal. For now, let us provide one hundred thousand in funds from Changlu. The black oxen and yellow calves may each remain at their proper work, enabling people to enjoy the blessings described in the “Great Plan” and auspiciousness like that of the fifth and ninth lines. Let everyone give their utmost and join in bringing this good work to completion.

With reverence, we gaze upon Perfected One Lingji, a revered Daoist deity. Since he has been admitted to the ranks of the immortals, he should be provided with attire suited to his status. In the past, his official robe and tablet were gifts of imperial favor; now, his boots and bamboo hat are garments appropriate to the time. These two sets of clothing are not suitable to wear together, so for now they should be kept in safekeeping. Nor is it suitable to continue using his original attire. Therefore, an image of the Sacred One, in a dignified and holy form, is to be made in the inner hall, with the Dao as his body. [One character before “crown” is missing.] The azure-cloud crown and radiant feather fan blend harmoniously with the Perfected One’s image; such a statue is not something human hands can easily accomplish. If donors of merit lend their support, the blessings and virtue of their good deed will be beyond measure.

With reverence, we say that the Perfected One manifested his true form during the Yuan and Ming years. All who saw him beheld his purple-gold countenance; in an instant, he fell silent and vanished without a trace. Given this, why cling to a body fashioned from clay? It is enough for the statue’s expression to resemble the Perfected One and conform to ritual and convention. When he once served in Jin, he wore garments bestowed through imperial favor; now, in Lu, a shrine is being established for him, and he wears a Zhangfu cap, the ancient headwear of Confucian scholars. Though dressed according to the customs of the age, he can hardly avoid attracting comment from others. Since he has received the favor of the Son of Heaven, the statue’s form should follow the Nine Emblems, the system of patterns on ancient imperial robes. This requires hiring artisans, and surely the cost will be no less than a string of cash? May donors of merit each contribute gold or silk and work together in sincerity to bring this undertaking to completion. Such an act is deeply meaningful. This is what reverence entails; is it merely a matter of looking at an outward smile? Respectfully offered with best wishes.