《清微神烈秘法》

What is called “Qingwei,” understood symbolically, refers to exalted realms within the highest heavens, such as the Yuluo Xiaotai and the Jade Mountain Upper Capital in the Daluo Heaven, and also to the heavens of Jade Clarity (Yuqing) governed by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun). It originates before Heaven and Earth had separated, at the beginning of undifferentiated chaos—the realm of the Great Brahma and the Great Beginning—where the Most Venerable of the Primordial Beginning dwells. The moment when the One Qi (vital energy), the primordial energy at the beginning of the cosmos, first opened forth light is called the “Root of Heaven.”

The Qingwei method is also called the Shenxiao method, and it is a wondrous method within the Daoist tradition. The Dao (the Way) is the root of all methods, and Thunder is the most honored among all thunders. It is therefore not one ordinary technique among common ritual arts, but a method that receives the primordial One Qi and commands the myriad spirits. It also takes different forms, including the three Qi of Brahma, Clarity, and Radiance, and it bears different names, such as Crimson-Azure, Jade Resonance, Cinnabar Radiance, and the Purple Supreme Spirit.

The thunder talismans, jade writs, and celestial scriptures (Jing) of the Qingwei method are said to have condensed of themselves in the void of space from Brahma Qi when the kalpa-cycle first opened. In the past, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning descended and ordered the Heavenly Perfected Sovereign (Tianzhen Huangren) to take up the brush and write these characters. Each character was one zhang wide, about three meters across. They were stored in the Jade Capital and Golden Towers of the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity, in the keeping of the Five Elder Thearchs.

The numinous writs of the highest grade are used to uphold and govern the kalpa-cycle, generate Heaven and Earth, regulate the movement of water and fire, and awaken spiritual beings. They are the root of the myriad ways. They are transmitted and revealed only once every forty thousand kalpas, for celestial beings to consult and practice. The numinous writs of the middle grade are kept in the Five Marchmounts, the Four Waterways (the four principal rivers), and the dragon palaces and sea treasuries, each administered by the spirits of that place. They are used to guard mountains, rivers, and marchmounts, to open the sources of springs, and to summon dragons so that the waters move; they can also command the immortal hosts of Shenxiao. They too are transmitted once every forty thousand kalpas, for divine beings to consult and practice. The numinous writs of the lower grade are passed down generation after generation by lineage masters who appear in the world, transmitted from mind to mind and conferred by oral instruction, enduring as long as Heaven itself. They are used to pray for blessings bestowed by Heaven, to protect the state, to propagate the Dao and its methods, and to instruct the people of the world. They are also used to command thunder, summon wind and rain, cut down demons and malign spirits, relieve drought and flood, deliver beings of the underworld and of the manifest world, and assist the common people. This is the wondrous Way of the Qingwei thunder rites now circulating in the human world.

The Qingwei method is indeed unlike other methods. A clear-minded practitioner, upon hearing it, can awaken at once. Among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), Geng Metal is primary; among the Five Qi, the “One Qi” is the root; and among the myriad methods, the mind is primary. Its cultivation is simple. One neither clings to deliberate contrivance nor falls into doing nothing at all. One is not bound to visualization (focused contemplation of a particular spirit or scene), does not become trapped in formal ornament, and does not rely on rites such as sacrifice and prayer.

Its subtlety lies in bringing one’s own spirit (Shen) into accord with the counterpart’s spirit, and in making one’s own numinosity communicate with the counterpart’s numinosity. What the Confucians call “extending knowledge and investigating things” speaks of this same principle. In daily life, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one must gather in body and mind so that distracting thoughts come to rest. One neither clings to emptiness nor fails to guard the inner reality, remaining single-minded and undivided. One then reaches a state in which there is nothing to grasp or maintain and no need for visualization, keeping only a single thought of abiding reality.

The practitioner should be as if dwelling before Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) had divided, at the beginning of the chaos of Heaven and Earth, settled within a single aperture inside the round radiance of the void: its greatness has nothing outside it, and its smallness has nothing inside it. At that moment body and mind seem alike not to exist. There is only a point of numinous brightness in the Great Void, naturally illuminating the ten directions. The mind holds no defilement, and the ground of one’s nature (the state in which original nature appears) is unstained by dust. Cultivated over a long time, one can remain utterly still and unmoving, yet still resonate with all things.

Once this state is reached, with a single lifting of the eyes or a single stirring of thought, the generals and commanders seem to throng at one’s side. Here “generals and commanders” refers to the divine generals commanded within the method. In stillness, this is the Dao; in movement, this is the method. The moment the mouth opens to speak, the mind at the same time holds the intention, and the response appears at once. This is the source of the Great Dao and the root of the myriad methods.

Throughout cultivation one must remain pure, concentrated, and single-minded, without a divided heart, entering this state continuously, thought after thought, amid walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. One who can do this may be called a person who understands the Dao, and the essential task of cultivation is thereby complete.

Lineage (Shipai)

The patriarchs and transmitters venerated by this tradition are as follows:

The Founding Master of Qingwei (Clear Subtlety), Gaoyuan Chenzhao Zixu Taichu Yuanjun, whose transmitter was Wei Huacun.

Wanbian Jiuzhen Yuxian Shengmu Taisu Yuanjun, whose transmitter was Zhuang Xu.

Santian Shengshi Taixuan Wangxiang Zhenjun (Perfected Lord), whose transmitter was Zhang Daoling.

Gaoming Dashi Tianji Neixiang Zhenjun, whose transmitter was Xu Xun. Qingwei Yuanshang Shichen Jinque Zhaoning Dongqing Tonghua Miaodao Yuanjun, whose transmitter was Zu Shu.

Santian Shijing Longguang Daoming Yuanjun, whose transmitter was Yao Zhuang.

Santian Shiyu Ziying Yuhui Yuanjun, whose transmitter was Gao Shi.

Dongyang Shangzai Qingxu Xihua Zhenren (Perfected Person), whose transmitter was Hua Ying.

Shenxiao Yushu Shi Qingcheng Tonghui Zhenren, whose transmitter was Zhu Dongguang.

Yunshan Baoyi Zhenren, whose transmitter was Li Shaowei.

Meishan Hunyin Zhenren, whose transmitter was Nan Bidao.

Bishui Leiyuan Zhenren, whose transmitter was Huang Shunshen.

Qingwei Chongdao Shi, whose transmitter was Ye Yunlai.

Qingwei Chonghe Shi, whose transmitter was Zhang Daogui.

Chongyuan Lei Shi, whose transmitter was Zhang Shouqing.

Zixuan Sanli, whose transmitter was Zhang Shouyi.

Here, the transmitters are listed under the title "minister" (chen), which indicates that they received or served the corresponding patriarch's lineage.

Sacred Positions

The principal deity of the rite is Li Zhe, the Celestial Lord Zihuang Taiyi.

The ritual master wears ordinary attire.

Marshal of Qingwei, Shangqing Shenlie Yanglei Shenjun (Divine Lord of Yang Thunder) Gou Liuji: wears a golden crown, has a dark face with three eyes and red hair, and is dressed in golden armor and vermilion robes, with vermilion shoes. He holds a golden hammer and a drill.

Marshal of Qingwei, Shangqing Shenlie Yinlei Shenjun (Divine Lord of Yin Thunder) Bi Zongyuan: wears his hair loose. The rest of his attire is described in the original as repeating the image of Yang Thunder Lord Gou Liuji: a golden crown, a dark face with three eyes, red hair, golden armor, vermilion robes and shoes, and a golden hammer and drill in hand.

At the end, "Marshal of Qingwei, Shangqing Shenlie Yinlei Shenjun Bi Zongyuan" is listed again. The passage concerning Bi Zongyuan's attire and appearance is somewhat jumbled in sequence in the original, so it is preserved here as the original has it. The "Sacred Positions" here refer to the names, ranks, and images of the deities venerated at the ritual altar; their attire and handheld ritual implements serve to identify each divine general.

The spirit-general's image is one with disheveled hair and a deep red face, dressed in black robes and golden armor, stamping his feet and holding an iron tablet in his hand.

Method of Entering Stillness through Seated Meditation

When sitting in meditation and regulating the breath, visualize yourself as existing before the formation of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate, the primordial state in which heaven, earth, and all things have not yet differentiated), your body within a round light in the void. You may also visualize yourself inside the aperture of that round light. At this moment the Taiji has not yet divided, and body and mind seem not to exist, yet a single point of numinous light remains naturally. It is neither inside the body nor outside it. It is clear and deeply still, bright and vast, illuminating the four directions, beyond even the measure of heaven and earth. Sitting in meditation at dawn and at night is the practice of this method.

Ritual Format for Establishing the "Four-Darkness Outer Altar" in Prayer

At each of the four corners of the outer altar, place a water jar, and set up four "darkness stations," with an incense table at each station.

In this rite, after the Thunder Marshals, Thunder Spirits, and their generals and officials, the teachers and masters of the secondary rank on the left are listed:

Register Teacher and Protector Master Li the Perfected One, Enlightened Teacher Perfected One Hua of Qingxu, True Teacher Lady Mingdao, Sage Teacher Lady Zhaoning, and Primordial Teacher Lady Zixu; offerings are made to them with incense, flowers, lamps, and candles.

Next are listed Sage Teacher Lady Taisu, Mysterious Teacher Lady Ziying, Scripture Teacher Tonghui Ruoruo, and Ordaining Teacher Perfected One Hunyin Nan. The secondary rank on the right then lists the deputy marshals of the rite, the Thunder Spirits, and the talisman envoys.

Talismans and Their Use

The "Talisman for Dispelling Impurity" is used for purification. The two talismans listed here can be used for dispelling impurity, for prayer, for healing illness, for "treating wine," and for washing the eyes and opening the orifices. "Treating wine" refers to a rite applied to conditions connected with drinking.

The "Incense Message Talisman" is written in cinnabar on a piece of incense, or it may be written on paper. One then begins the memorial with the words "Your subject so-and-so, bowing with head to the ground, respectfully submits this report." When using this talisman, silently recite "Long Yu Zhi" three times, silently recite the corresponding formula in the mind, and then silently memorialize "Di Zhen Yi."

The "Talisman for Summoning the Two Thunder Lords" is used to summon the two Thunder Lords. The talisman text contains summoning phrases such as "summoned by the talisman of so-and-so" and "Qingshen Lie so-and-so Bi, Thunder Lord, descend swiftly," and ends with "so-and-so, your subject, acts upon the summons," indicating that the summons is made by command. After this talisman, "Your subject so-and-so, bowing with head to the ground, respectfully submits this report" is likewise written, and "Long Yu Zhi" is silently recited three times according to the method above, the formula is silently recited in the mind, and "Di Zhen Yi" is then silently memorialized.

Thunder Lord Qingshen Lieguo Bi, pray descend at once.

Bi So-and-so, your servant So-and-so, comes in answer to the summons.

The talisman (fu) on the right is to be painted, in the script of the Heavenly Scripture (Tianjing), with the taboo names of the two marshals.

The Altar-Purifying Talisman is used to cleanse and purify the altar ground. The Pure Thearch ascends and takes his place. The efficacious invocation, carried out by decree, is fulfilled.

The Swift-Summons Credential is used to summon and invite with speed.

The Talisman for Summoning the Four Glooms is used to summon the gods of the dark underworld of the four quarters.

The command talisman by which Lord Jade-Thunder, the Brilliant Master, of the Xun quarter of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) enters the water jar is named “Ding Wenguang”; his divine form is a turtle’s head upon a human body. The command talisman by which the Lord of Metal Essence and Flowing Light of the Kun quarter enters the water jar is named “Ding Wenxing”; his divine form is a human head upon a serpent’s body. The command talisman by which the Lord of Cavernous Yang and the Numinous Shade of the Gen quarter enters the water jar is named “Ding Wenda”; his divine form is a human head upon a fish’s body. The command talisman by which the Great Empress of Thunder Blossom of the Qian quarter enters the water jar is named “Ding Wenhui”; her divine form is a human head upon a dragon’s body.

Talismans for Hastening the Summons of the Four Underworlds: Ding Wenguang, envoy of the Xun quarter, bears the talisman urging entry into the water; Ding Wenxing, command-envoy of the Kun quarter, presides over the talisman urging entry into the water; Ding Wenyuan, running envoy of the Gen quarter, bears the talisman that urges entry into the water at flying speed; Ding Wenhui, swift envoy of the Qian quarter, bears the talisman that urges entry into the water with utmost haste.

This is the ritual procedure for establishing the Inner Thunder Altar at the time of prayer. In the left company are offered and arrayed a certain master of the method, marshals, thunder gods, talisman envoys, and merit officers.

Talismans of the Qingwei Transmission of the Teaching for Urging Entry into the Water: Ding Wenyuan, running envoy of the Gen quarter, bears the talisman that urges entry into the water at flying speed; Ding Wenhui, swift envoy of the Qian quarter, bears the talisman that urges entry into the water with utmost haste.

This is the ritual procedure for establishing the Inner Thunder Altar at the time of prayer. In the left company are offered and arrayed a certain master of the method, marshals, thunder gods, talisman envoys, and merit officers.

The Great Masters and Perfected of the Qingwei transmission of the teaching. Purified water. The Celestial Worthy of Universal Transformation by the Thunderclap, Who Responds to the Primordial of the Nine Heavens. Set forth incense, flowers, and candles. The talismanic mandate. The Most High of the Thunderclap, Who Illumines the Turning, the Ultimate Perfected.

In the right company are offered and arrayed a certain deputy master of the method, marshals, thunder gods, merit officers, and generals and clerks.

In the outer altar, one offering table is set for each station. The summons and commands are proclaimed; the Gate of Heaven is established, facing the Door of Earth.

Gods of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of the East, and the pursuing envoy So-and-so of the East; gods of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of the South, and the pursuing envoy So-and-so of the South; gods of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of the West, and the pursuing envoy So-and-so of the West; gods of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of the North, and the pursuing envoy So-and-so of the North; gods of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of the Center, and the pursuing envoy So-and-so of the Center.

The talismanic mandate for founding the altar. Purify the altar and invite the marshals. The three marshals summon the generals. The generals are dispatched, and the summons is extended universally. Orders are transmitted, and all the gods are assembled.

The Talisman of the Primordial Beginning Proclaiming Command over Thunder (Yuanshi Ximing Leiting Fu) is used in the performance of Thunder Rites (Leifa). When the Thunder Altar stands guard over its own quarter, this talisman is to be used together with that arrangement, written in cinnabar on yellow paper.

The talisman marks the five directions and their corresponding Qi (vital energy): the center is yellow-white Qi, the north is black-azure Qi, the west is white-black Qi, and the south is red-yellow Qi; the east is also set out on the talisman. The talismanic writing further includes a “Command-of-Swiftness Talisman,” used to pray that orders be swiftly transmitted and carried out. In performance, the talisman is written in cinnabar on a new brick, placed in the fire, and then set in a jar, so that water and fire stimulate one another. The talisman also bears phrases such as “East conjoined and West radiant, Southern Heaven and Northern Emperor, Central Sun,” together with command-words such as “the prior command moves with swiftness” and “the eastern command, swift, swift”; the text that follows separately lists the “commands of swiftness” for the south, the west, the north, and the center.

If the iron tablet has not yet been put to use, one must first send the iron tablet into the dragon pool and, beforehand, submit a memorial petition to the Emperor; only after the ritual master has inspected and opened the Fulu (talismans and registers) may the iron tablet be cast in.

The form of the memorial reads as follows:

“I submit a memorial requesting that the imperial decree be delivered to the Three Provinces, first to verify and fix the correct celestial degrees and divisions, and to pardon faults and offenses. Thereafter announce to the Dragon Lord of such-and-such prefecture, such-and-such county, and such-and-such pool-cavern: you are to comply with the tablet sent down from Heaven above and carry it out at once. Your servant, now at such-and-such altar, prostrates and awaits the universal bestowal of grace.”

At the end of the memorial one records the year and month, the first day of the month, and the specific hour, as the time of the announcement and its enactment.

The iron tablet is one chi and two cun in length and five cun and two fen in width. On the front, Fulu are written in cinnabar; on the back, the proclamation is written. It is then placed in a bag of blue silk and cast into the water. After this, the tablet is transmitted to the Dragon Lord of such-and-such pool-cavern, commanding him to comply with the tablet’s order and carry it out swiftly. The ritual master burns the talisman and casts it into the pool and, at the same time, holding a sword, sprays purified water into the water, then casts in the iron tablet and offers this prayer:

“Qian Heaven sends down Jing (essence); the great earth accords with the power of the spirits and drives the thunder. Thunder and lightning move; the stars revolve; those who defy Heaven’s mandate are slain and removed. The dragon spirits descend and broadly bestow grace, so that the myriad things are at peace, prosper, and benefit in holding to what is upright.”

During the prayer one again addresses the Dragon Lord of such-and-such pool-cavern, commanding him to comply with the tablet’s order and carry it out with all speed. The blue-silk bag is made of blue silk fabric; if blue luo-silk is unavailable, blue juan-silk may be used instead. The Fulu on the iron tablet are written in cinnabar on the back of the tablet.

Within Qingwei Heaven (one of the celestial realms in Daoist teaching), the vast primordial Qi (vital energy) reaches through the Great Dao (the Way) and bestows grace far and wide. Now a golden talisman and iron edict (a written command made of metal) are used to convey this order.

We reverently receive the command sent down from Heaven and, on that basis, issue the talismanic order.

This golden talisman and iron edict is addressed to the dragon spirit of the pool and cavern at such-and-such a place, in such-and-such a county of such-and-such a prefecture. You are to obey the edict sent down from Heaven. On such-and-such a day and hour of this month, lead the dragon spirits and thunder spirits to the territory of such-and-such a place. There you will raise clouds and rain and sound thunder and lightning, to rescue the people suffering from drought, so that the fields receive ample rain and all things are blessed. When the task is complete, your name will be entered in the registry of the Shangqing Altar. Besides the documents already submitted, you must also report swiftly to the Celestial Court and petition for the bestowal of a mandate of grace. Once this edict arrives, act at once with the speed of a shooting star, and await clear signs of response and reward.

Issued on such-and-such a year, month, day, and hour.

The edict is written on blue paper, and the talisman is drawn in cinnabar.

Your subject, so-and-so, acts in accordance with the decree.

Summon the Thunderbolt Spirits of the Three Heavens, and swiftly fly this memorial to the Mysterious Heaven. The talisman envoy is named Kong Antian.

The incantation is "Zhi Wan Yu" [as in the original; meaning unclear]. His image is as follows: he wears a fire crown bearing the design of three suns, with a blue face and red hair. His whole body is clad in golden armor and a vermilion robe. He holds a precious sword and Fulu (talismans and registers), wears vermilion shoes, and rides a red phoenix.

Talisman for Summoning the Talisman Envoy

This document commissions the talisman envoy to carry the edict and proclaim it. After the Dragon Lord has been summoned, read the document aloud and burn the talisman. The envoy then appears: red-haired, clad in golden armor and a vermilion robe, holding a precious sword and Fulu, wearing vermilion shoes, and riding a red phoenix.

Talisman for Summoning the Talisman Envoy

This document commissions the talisman envoy to carry the edict and proclaim it. After the Dragon Lord has been summoned, read the document aloud and burn the talisman. Then dispatch the dragon spirits to carry out the task. They must show their response and report back on schedule, with no delay or error. When the task is accomplished, enter their names in the registry of the Shangqing Altar. Recite the incantation:

Heaven (Qian) sends down luminous Qi, and Earth (Kun) obediently lets the spirits drive the thunder. The thunder turns the stars of Heaven and executes those who defy the Heavenly mandate. Let the dragon spirits descend everywhere, so that the rain flows freely and all things prosper in accord with the Right Way. Cast the edict into the water.

The first memorandum, setting the deadline for building the altar, has been transmitted by four masters in recent times. [The mark "○ru fei" is probably a Keyi (liturgy) notation; its meaning is unclear.]

Next, put on the helmet and arrange the Three Thunders according to the rite. Use yellow paper nine inches long and five inches wide, write the talisman on it in cinnabar, add annotations in ink, and wrap it in silk floss. Burn it at the altar, or throw it into the censer, while making a proclamation to the Thunder Spirits.

Recite the Heavenly Jing (scripture), and smear the ink on as you write.

This talisman text is used to pray for rain at a certain place. It says that since a certain month there has been a prolonged drought and no rain has fallen. The fields are cracked and dry, the crops are about to wither and die, and the people are anxious and fearful, worried that the harvest will come to nothing. They therefore earnestly petition for rainfall to relieve the crops in the fields. The situation is urgent, and it is hard not to set forth the case; accordingly, the prayer is submitted upward in accordance with the ritual.

A jade talisman is respectfully issued, inviting the two Divine Lords Shenlie Yinyang Goubi—deities who preside over Yin-Yang, thunder and rain, and related matters—to assemble at once. It also invites the deities charged with making daily rounds to bestow rain, the deities who oversee the assigned divisions of the Thunder Gods, the masters who send the rain, and the Dragon Lords of the mountains, rivers, pools, and caverns within this territory, together with the Sheling (local altar deities) and other spirits, to carry the matter out jointly in accordance with the ritual.

A jade talisman is respectfully issued once more, again inviting the two Divine Lords Shenlie Yinyang Goubi to assemble at once and to take command of the relevant Thunder Gods and Rain Gods, the Dragon Lords of the mountains, rivers, pools, and caverns, and the Sheling and other spirits. They are to descend at a certain place at a certain hour on a certain day of this month, summon the hosts of dragons, set the water Qi (vital energy) in motion, ride the wind and drive the thunder, and send down an ample three days of sweet rain, bringing relief everywhere to all living things in the fields of the four directions. Above, this accords with the transformative and nurturing work of the Dao (the Way); below, it answers the urgent wishes of the people. A prompt response is hoped for, so that the will of Heaven may thereby be made manifest.

At a certain hour on a certain day of a certain month in a certain year, I, servant so-and-so, having received the divine command, carry out this matter.

“One Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), two persons fly, three helmets; six rains, seven thunders startle; nine thunders recite the Heavenly Scripture and coat it, ten turns” is an oral formula used together with the writing and recitation of the talisman method. The passage that follows explains how the Fulu (talismans and registers) is made and used: the second talisman, the one employed for the time limit, is written in ink on yellow paper, rolled up and wound with silk floss, and then burned in a fierce fire at a place that can reach the heavenly realm. On the talisman, words such as “recite the Heavenly Scripture and coat it with ink” are written in ink.

The talisman text further presents, in the name of a certain person of a certain place, a petition for rain designated as relief for the field crops. It has already been accepted, and the Thunder Gods are commanded to assemble the Rain Bureau together with the spirits of the mountains, rivers, pools, and caverns and the Sheling and other spirits, to fix a deadline and spread sweet rain far and wide. Because there is concern that the appointed time may be missed and the relief of the drought delayed, a further document is issued to urge them on.

A jade talisman is respectfully issued, pressing the two Great Divine Lords Shenlie Yinyang Goubi to be sure to attend to the matter on schedule and to lead the deities responsible for the daily divisions and the yearly divisions, together with the dragons, the thunder spirits, the mountains and rivers, the pools and caverns, the Sheling, and other spirits, in jointly carrying out the command of the talisman.

The two great divine lords, Gou and Bi of Shenlie Yin-Yang, must answer the summons at the appointed time. They are to command and oversee the host of deities of the sun, the moon, the year, the dragon, thunder, the mountains and rivers, the pools and caverns, and the altars of the soil together with their ordinances. With one heart they are to receive and carry out the talismanic command, send down rain and raise clouds, drive off the drought demon, and relieve what drought has scorched and withered; they are to succor living beings and bring the myriad things back to life. May they extend the grace that cherishes life, rescue the grain seedlings on the point of withering away, and let abundant sweet rain fall everywhere, so that this merit may be accomplished and the Mandate of Heaven made manifest. We respectfully await the passing down of the decree.

In the year, month, day, and hour, I, your servant So-and-so, receive the patent of command and carry it out according to the method.

The Fulu (talismans and registers) above follow the order prescribed earlier; after the talismans are added, they are coated and covered.

Third Limit. Write in ink on yellow paper, roll the sheet, bind it with five-colored silk thread, and burn it in a fierce fire in the open air. The matters of prayer and petition endorsed on the talisman follow the same form as before, and are written according to the prescribed order of performance and the set time limit.

Recite the Celestial Scripture (Tianjing), and coat the talisman with ink.

Fourth Limit. Memorialize and invite the Master of the Method (the principal deity honored by the ritual art). The slip documents and the talismans written for the Five Masters all follow the previous method. Further add the talismans of wind, cloud, thunder, rain, and lightning, and stamp the Heart Seal (one kind of ritual seal). After coating and covering, set down the brush, and silently recite in the heart, “Zhen summons the Zhou talisman.”

Use yellow paper or blue-green paper, and write with cinnabar and ink. Bind the sheet with five-colored silk thread and burn it in the stove. First apply cinnabar from the outside inward, then apply ink from the inside outward. The manner of endorsing the matters of prayer and petition is the same as before, and the Heart Seal is affixed; after coating and covering, set down the brush, and silently recite in the heart, “Zhen summons the Zhou talisman.”

From “Yinsi” downward, the taboo names of the two generals and the cloud-seal script are first written in red, then overpainted in black so that they stand forth.

Fifth Limit. The talisman form is the same as before, with the addition of the Heart Seal that presses the command. Write on four sheets of black paper, bind and roll them with black silk thread, seal them in a bamboo tube, and burn them in a fierce fire in the open air. First apply cinnabar from the outside inward, then apply ink from the inside outward; write the matters of prayer and petition according to the previous method.

The character “Zhen” may be inserted within the character “Zhou”; the vertical stroke of the character “heart” is written above. Yinsi, Yinsi.

Sixth Limit. Urgently invite the Master of the Method. Write the talismans of the Five Masters in the form given above, and let the matters of prayer and petition likewise follow the previous method. When writing the talisman, further add the two characters “ru wu” (milk-mist), placing them upon the black dots; first apply cinnabar from the outside inward, then apply ink from the inside outward. Write the character “hao” at the place of the character “wei.”

Add again, and add again; the final vertical stroke is written below.

Write in ink on black paper, roll the sheet in black silk floss, bind it, and place it in a bamboo document case. On the “black dot,” first apply vermilion from the outside inward, then apply ink from the inside outward.

This symbol belongs to the character wei (胃). Add strokes several more times, and finally draw a vertical stroke downward through the middle.

Write in ink on black paper, roll and bind it with black silk floss, place it in a bamboo tube, and burn it in a fierce fire in a place where the sky can be seen.

Daozong (the Daoist lineage).

“Seal of Command of the Purple Emperor Taiyi, Heavenly Lord”: within the black dot, paint a milky-white, mist-like pattern.

Seventh Limit: write in ink on black paper, wrap it in black silk floss, place it in a bamboo tube, and burn it in a fierce fire where the sky can be seen. First apply vermilion from the outside inward, then ink from the inside outward. The symbols added by further strokes are the same as in the preceding six Limits. The symbols for hastening thunder, rain, and lightning bolts are to be painted.

This is the character chu (出). Then add strokes several more times, and add the mind-seal, a mark representing intention or ritual power.

Brush method.

Seal of the Daozong.

Eighth Limit: submit a memorial to the Jade Emperor and perform obeisance; deliver the household letter to the Dark Emperor, and ask that Master Mulang be set in motion. Coat the incantation text with pure ink and write it on black paper; the painting and the added strokes follow the foregoing method. When the coating is finished, add in sequence the mind-seal and the Jade Emperor’s mind-seal. On no account perform “dao jia.” Burn it in a place where the sky can be seen.

“Add the compass, and thunder moves in heaven; add the square, and the earth is clear and still.”

The Jade August Supreme Emperor.

Ninth Ultimate Method:

The symbols include forms such as “○口○.” In the middle, also add the strokes of the preceding and following symbols. After the talisman (fu) has been fully drawn, write it again in small characters, superimposed above number six, and solemnly announce it to the Purple Emperor Taiyi, Heavenly Lord. The subtlety lies in oral transmission. The subsequent wording, including “五主垄鶸雇,” appears corrupt or defective and cannot be reliably interpreted.

Recite, and add the strokes of the preceding and following symbols. After the talisman has been fully drawn, write it again in small characters, superimposed above number six, and solemnly announce it to the Purple Emperor Taiyi, Heavenly Lord. The subtlety lies in oral transmission. Recite the celestial Jing (scripture) and apply ink.

Tenth Ultimate Method: the procedure is the same as the foregoing. Recite the celestial Jing and apply ink.

The zhou (冑) character-talisman.

When praying for rain, carry out the steps in order from top to bottom, performing the sequence three times in all.

Raising clouds: inscribe below a directive to hasten the clouds; inscribe below.

Raising wind: write in cinnabar on blue paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman. Hastening wind: write in cinnabar on blue paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman.

Stopping wind: write in ink on yellow paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman; inscribe below a directive hastening the stopping of the wind.

Raising thunder: write in ink on yellow paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman; inscribe below a directive to hasten thunder. Hastening thunder: write in cinnabar on red paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman; inscribe below.

Praying for rain: write in ink on yellow paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman; inscribe below. Bind it with five-colored silk floss to hasten the rain. Hastening thunder: write in black ink on black paper and place it inside the double-circle talisman; inscribe below, and bind it with silk floss to hasten the rain.

Note: The original contains many symbol diagrams and passages that are damaged or appear corrupt. The above follows the legible content in a direct rendering, and portions that cannot be determined are indicated as such.

When praying for rain, characters may be added to the “seven characters of the Kui Dipper” (Kuidou qizi). Adding the character “thunder” (lei) within “prayer” (qidao) produces what is called the Thunder Character Talisman (leizi fu), a subtle and efficacious method for rain prayer.

Characters such as “moon,” “water,” “stop,” “mist,” “cloud,” and “hail” (yue, shui, zhi, wu, yun, bao) may be added to the character “rain” (yu), and these may be used, according to their purpose, to seek rain, stop rain, disperse mist, or seek hail. Five-colored silk threads inscribed with talisman characters may be bound together and used to hasten rain and to hasten thunder. The talisman may also be written on black paper (zaozhi), placed beneath a vessel with two openings, and then bound with silk thread, for use in hastening rain.

The “flying” character talisman (fei) is used for praying for rain, raising wind, raising thunder, and seeking hail, as well as for stopping mist and stopping clouds: wind is raised outwardly, while stopping the wind is done inwardly. The “liang” character talisman is used for praying for rain, hastening rain, and making supplication, and also for stopping wind and stopping thunder. The “treasure” character talisman (bao) is used to summon clouds, rain, snow, lightning, hail, wind, thunder, and mist, and it can further set in motion wind and thunder, clouds and rain, and lightning and hail.

There is also the “Iron Slip Talisman for Striking the Dragon” (dalong tiezha fu), together with the “Eight Talismans for Summoning Generals” (zhaojiang ba fu); the latter may be used in common. On the talismans are written such words as “Edict of the Jade Emperor” (Yudi chi), “command and order” (ming haoling), “thunder” (leiting), and “order” (ling).

The “command character talismans” (lingzi fu) listed on the right are used for the seventh and eighth limits (the time limits, or procedural stages, of ritual performance indicated in the original text). They are written in cinnabar on slips of jiangzhen incense; on the reverse one writes “Your servant So-and-so summons and invites.” They are then placed in the incense burner and burned in a fierce fire. The invocation says:

“I, your servant So-and-so, of such-and-such rank, respectfully address the holy seat of the Ancestral Master: On account of a certain matter concerning a certain person at a certain place, I have already repeatedly issued talismanic commands and proclamations, summoned the thunder gods, and memorialized the celestial court, requesting that rain be sent down. After the rite was performed there was still no response. Having no alternative, I respectfully follow what my master transmitted and, according to the Qingwei method, announce and carry out a certain command and a certain talisman, asking the envoy to attend to the matter swiftly. I have already repeatedly issued talismanic commands and proclamations, summoned the thunder gods, and memorialized the celestial court to request rainfall; to this day there has still been no response. Having no alternative, I follow the method transmitted by my master and once again announce and carry out a certain command and a certain talisman, asking the envoy to convey them upward at once. I respectfully beg the Ancestral Master, in compassion, to look down and grant my entreaty, and specially to bestow an imperial command, so that the officers and generals manifest their awesome numinous power. I await the response and its verification, and will carry out everything according to the instructions previously sent down.”

Afterward, incense is burned once more, and one visualizes the thunder gods arriving at the ritual altar. One then holds the command tablet and dispatches the generals and officers, reciting: “In this office I respectfully receive the command of the Celestial Emperor, employing and summoning the thunder. I must exert my loyalty to the utmost, assist the transformative work of the Dao, and look up in obedience…” The original text breaks off unfinished at this point.

The talismanic mandate (fuming) is used to dispatch the Thunder Gods, so that thunder roars and lightning flashes, timely rain falls, the thunderclap resounds, grace is widely bestowed, and all living beings are rescued. This is a command issued by Yuqing (Jade Clarity), one of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) spoken of in Daoism. Please do not delay. Wherever the talismanic mandate arrives, thunder and lightning descend and clouds of Qi (vital energy) surge forth. Everything must follow the imperial order, as if swiftly relayed by wind and fire. Issue the command.

Talismanic mandate used in prayer

Wind, cloud, thunder

Rain, lightning, dragon

Urge, mist, thunder-

clap, gather, halt

Great Brahma Water-and-Fire Primordial Heart Memorial (Dafan Shuihuo Yuanshi Xinzhang) (name of a talismanic memorial)

Taboo name of the Dark Emperor: Your servant So-and-so reports and proceeds.

Turtle: Your servant So-and-so reports and proceeds.

Snake: Your servant So-and-so reports and proceeds.

End of the upper volume of the Secret Methods of the Divine Might of Qingwei (Qingwei Shenlie Mifa).

Lower volume of the Secret Methods of the Divine Might of Qingwei

Expelling and Subduing Great Baleful Influences (driving out and ritually subduing major evil afflictions)

First limit: Use yellow silk and write the talisman in cinnabar. On the talisman, paint in the writing, or annotate the matter to be handled. Write beneath “Xiao, your servant So-and-so; Erweng; Gong, your servant So-and-so, reports and denounces; your servant So-and-so reports, proceeds, and stops.” One may also list the master’s name, set out in the form of a proclamation (gao). When the rite is performed, wrap the talisman paper with soft yarn, then place it in the turtle and burn it. The matter annotated should be written according to what is actually to be performed.

Recite the Heavenly Scripture (Tianjing), and paint the writing in cinnabar.

Affix the official seal.

Second limit: Use black paper, and write beneath “Xiao, your servant So-and-so; Erweng; Gong, your servant So-and-so, reports and denounces; your servant So-and-so reports, proceeds, and stops.” One may also list the master’s name, set out in the form of a proclamation. When the rite is performed, wrap the talisman paper with soft yarn, then place it in the turtle and burn it. The matter annotated should be written according to what is actually to be performed.

Recite the Heavenly Scripture, and paint the writing in cinnabar.

Affix the official seal.

There is another form: use black paper and ink, written in the form of a proclamation, and affix seals to both the upper and lower Dusi. First paint with cinnabar from the outside inward, then paint with ink from the inside outward.

Write inside the circle, and fill it in completely.

On the inner side of the Gen position (the northeast; Gen, one of the Eight Trigrams, Bagua), add further writing.

Third limit: Write on yellow silk in cinnabar. Both the front and rear portions are written in the form of a proclamation, and the master’s name is listed. The master performs it, and then raises thunder to strike the baleful influence. When annotating the matter to be handled, write according to the prescribed order and the format of the limit.

Add red at the center.

Add a dot in the middle.

Recite the Heavenly Scripture, and paint the writing in cinnabar.

Fourth limit: Write on yellow silk in cinnabar, wrap it with soft yarn, and burn it in a fierce fire in a place where the sky can be seen. The method of urging it into effect is the same as before. Write it in the form of a proclamation, and add the titles of wind, cloud, thunder, rain, lightning, and the like. Each of the limits that follow also uses these titles.

Add a dot at the center.

Add further writing inside.

Fifth limit: Write on blue-green silk in cinnabar, wrap it with blue-green soft yarn, place it in a bamboo tube, and burn it in a fierce fire in a place where the sky can be seen. The front and rear portions are written in the form of a proclamation, the master’s name is listed, and the master performs it.

Affix a seal in the heart.

Add writing in the heart.

In the original, a number of formulaic talisman phrases, name formats, and directional indications are fragmentary or of unclear meaning; the rendering above retains them according to the original. Places such as “in the turtle” are likewise translated literally according to the original wording.

The Sixth Limit calls for writing in ink on black paper, wrapping the sheet in black silk velvet, placing it in a bamboo tube, and using it according to the method already given.

Heart, one, two, three. Add, add, add, add.

The Seventh Limit calls for writing in ink on black paper and then burning it. The words before and after are written in the “edict style,” modeled on the format of celestial edicts; the rite is performed after the names and titles of the line of transmission have been set forth.

Covered in the heart. Add heart.

The Sixth Limit calls for writing in ink on black paper, wrapping the sheet in black silk velvet, placing it in a bamboo tube, and using it according to the method already given.

Heart, one, two, three. Add, add, add, add.

The Seventh Limit calls for writing in ink on black paper, wrapping the sheet in black silk velvet, and placing it in a bamboo tube; it is then taken to a place open to the light of heaven and burned in a fierce fire. The words before and after are written in the “cavern-petition style,” the format of Daoist memorial documents.

On the right, the xiezhi, its center filled in, with “add” and “again.” On the left, the suanni, with “add,” the heart-seal, and “add.”

All of these talismans are used against great demons and fierce malign spirits, and they may be employed only in urgent circumstances. The five talismans that follow are for dispatching thunder and subduing malign spirits; if the purpose is not to subdue malign spirits, they are not to be used. Prayer and invocation must be made with the utmost sincerity. The rite must not be performed lightly, and this warning should be carefully borne in mind.

The Eighth Limit is the performance of the command talisman. The matter to be dealt with is annotated and then checked and copied according to the actual circumstances. It is written on paper in vermilion and ink, wrapped in silk velvet, taken to a place open to the light of heaven, and burned in a fierce fire. Another account says to use a large incense tablet, writing and annotating on its reverse side.

When the celestial scripture is recited, vermilion is applied first, and the writing is then filled in with ink.

This is “the Iron Slip of the Blazing Thunderbolts of the Nine Heavens,” also called the “Jade Slip.”

For subduing malign spirits:

The “Numinous Petitions of the Three Caverns” issue forth from the Great Void. The gods of heaven, the spirits of earth, the rulers of the Three Realms, the authorities of the soil altar, the City God, and the local numinous officers must all receive and carry them out; those who disobey will have their corpses beheaded. Quickly, quickly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

Text on the reverse, for subduing malign spirits:

Qian Heaven sends down crystalline light, and Kun Earth accords with numinous Qi (vital energy). The sun and moon manifest their images, and the mountains and rivers reveal their forms. Thunder and lightning are driven into motion, and the stars of heaven destroy what is baleful. Heng, Li, Zhen. Everything is carried out in accordance with the edict.

The talisman on the right is used to cut through and treat great baleful afflictions, and to subdue dragons that bring rain, jiao-dragons, and monsters in the water. To make it, take an iron plate one chi and two cun long, three cun and two fen wide, and two fen thick. On the front, write the talismanic script and the proclamation chapters of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) in cinnabar; on the back, write “Qian Jiang Jing Gao” (“Proclamation of Qian Descending in Crystal”), or else a petition slip praying for rain. Used to suppress fierce evil and placed at the appropriate site, it causes the baleful influences to disperse of themselves.

If jiao-dragons or shen-monsters are causing trouble in a deep pool, or if there are places where demonic ghosts seize people and substitute the living for the dead, this talisman may be used to subdue them and restore peace to the locality. If prayers for rain bring no response, write the talismanic seal script as prescribed and cast it into a place where dragons appear, into a pool, or into a cave. One may then move the gods and spirits to respond, raise clouds, and send down rain.

Great Thunderbolt Talisman of the Concealed Celestial Script of the Primordial Beginning of Qingwei (Qingwei Yuanshi Yinfan Dapili Fu)

The writing on the back of this talisman is the same as that of the previous one. It is used to suppress lesser goblins and Jing (essence) specters, as well as cases in which jiao-dragons, shen-monsters, fish, and dragons cause trouble or burst riverbanks. Where evil beings dwell in springs, or in other places frequented by demons, this talisman may also be used to suppress them. The scripture (jing) says that the baleful influences will immediately flee a thousand li away.

Proclamation Mandate of the Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Gaoming)

Jade Clarity, Supreme Clarity, and Great Clarity.

The three talismans listed on the right may, in an emergency, be added for use together with the previously mentioned “Eight-Nine-Ten Limit Talismans.”

The six talismans above are used to treat evil; in especially grave circumstances, these talismans may be employed in addition.

Thunder Talisman of the Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Leifu)

It is used for prayer, for wearing on the person, and for treating illness, and may also drive out evil through fumigation. It serves generally for all these purposes.

Thunder Yang Seal Script and Thunder Yin Seal Script (Yin-Yang)

One-Qi Talisman and One-Qi Jade Talisman

The uses listed in the scripture include treating illness with Qi (vital energy)—that is, what Daoism calls qi—circulating Qi to hasten childbirth, and swallowing talismanic substances when treating illness.

One-Qi Precious Talisman

It is used to secure a residence.

The scripture then lists a number of talismanic characters and talisman names, such as “Qi Douji,” “Your servant So-and-so receives the proclamation and carries it out,” “Xiqi,” the “Talisman Sent Down to the Controller of Fate,” and the “Talisman Sent Down to the City God,” and notes that some are used to treat illnesses caused by evil while others serve generally for prayer and healing. The original also says, “one character, one talisman, one use”—that is, each character is taken as a talisman of its own and employed according to its particular purpose, and all may prove efficacious.

It later lists further talisman names such as “Zhao Leifu,” “Sheng Guangwei,” the “Heavenly Net Talisman,” and the “Talisman Sent Down to the City God,” and again notes that some of them are used to treat illnesses caused by evil. Graphs in the original such as “dianzhou” and “xingzhou,” together with parts of the talismanic writing, appear to depend on the talisman diagrams or to have suffered errors and omissions in copying. From this passage of text alone, their exact written form and meaning cannot be determined with certainty.

The Celestial Net deity Zhao Zhang, the Earth Net deity Lü Xuan, the Heavenly Stalwarts and Strongmen of the Five Directions, and the Dharma-Protecting Divine Kings of the Ten Directions are asked to guard at once the household of a certain person. The evil ghosts that cause trouble are to come swiftly before my Kuigang—the stellar-divine position in Daoist ritual arts used to summon and command divine generals and to subdue baleful influences—and submit to restraint. Let deliverance be carried out at once, in strict accordance with the statutes and commands of the Supreme Thearch. This spell is written inside the iron talisman.

Text on the Reverse of the Fierce Talisman

Qian Heaven sends down bright light, and Kun Earth accords with numinous Qi (vital energy). The sun and moon follow their constant courses, and the mountains, peaks, rivers, and great waterways each display their forms. Thunder and lightning are set in motion, and the stars of heaven destroy what is malignant. In accordance with the principles of heng, li, and zhen, all is carried out by command.

Year, month, day, and hour: the day on which the command is carried out.

The officer holding rank, your servant So-and-so, having received the talismanic patent, carries out the command.

This talisman is used to suppress evil demons. It is made of an iron plate nine cun long, four cun wide, and three fen thick, round above and square below, and seven characters are written on the iron plate in the configuration of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper.

The Two Divine-Fierce Talismans

The three characters “Shen Lie Ling” are helmet-script characters. They are used to expel evil and treat illness, and their efficacy is most marvelous.

For treating jaundice, it is made of an iron plate nine cun long, four cun wide, and three fen thick, round above and square below, and seven characters are written on the iron plate in the configuration of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper.

“The Two Divine-Fierce Talismans.” “Shen Lie Ling.”

What follows is fragmentary illustration and text on talisman methods and their use; some phrases are difficult to read coherently.

A talisman may be written in vermilion on yellow paper, or in ink on double-layered black paper. The diagrams also mark ways of binding it with five-colored floss threads, black floss threads, and the like, as well as wording such as “add treatment within the treatment.” The names and uses include the Chonglie, Tuitui, Heat-and-Cold, Thunder-Treats-Evil, Flying-Treats-Evil, Behead-Evil, and Chongliang methods; the “Celestial Scripture of the Primordial Beginning” method, whose oral formula is “first, urgent; second, swift; third, command,” which may be used together with talismans of various kinds and carried out according to the formula; the Talisman for Dissolving Grievances and Subduing Evil, the Talisman for Cutting Away Evil and Fumigating Illness, and the Cavern-Void Five Thunders Talisman for Seizing the Hun Soul and Restoring the Po Soul; the use on the talisman of the person concerned’s own name characters; the Talisman for Treating Manic Evil, for which the text gives “Zhang Dazhuang” as an example and notes that it is used for beheading evil; the Talisman for Attacking Shrines, Removing Balefulness, and Fumigating Evil; the Shangqing Fierce-Character Talisman and the Tianyi Jade Talisman, which may be used to fumigate and treat the Qi of evil illness, and for which there are also records of swallowing after treatment; the Zixiao Jade Thunder Talisman, used for praying for thunder and for treating illness; and the Talisman for Summoning, Directing, and Commissioning the Various Gods, together with the Talisman for Seizing the Hun Soul and Restoring the Po Soul.

Because this passage is interspersed with talisman diagrams, damaged characters, and what appear to be errors of reading, the specific format of writing, the manner of binding, and the steps of application cannot be fully determined from the surviving text alone.

Used when one prays in the Thunder Rites (Leifa), this is a talisman (fu) for summoning and commanding the gods.

The character lian, “to gather.”

To summon a particular deity, write on the talisman: “Supreme Clarity (Shangqing), Divine Fierceness—Thunder Lords Gou and Bi, descend at once.” If a subordinate minister is ordered to make the summons, write: “Bi so-and-so, minister so-and-so, summons by command.”

After this talisman has been drawn, silently recite the Celestial Scripture (Tianjing), and inscribe on the talisman the taboo-names of the two Thunder Lords.

The Flying Talisman of the Five Thunders of Supreme Clarity’s Divine Fierceness is used to transmit the talismanic mandate.

The Inner Chapter of Divine Fierceness gives the taboo-names of the two spirits Suan and Xie. It must not be used for minor matters, lest one incur censure.

The Talisman of the Primordial Beginning’s (Yuanshi) Mandate Commanding the Myriad Spirits into Service is for general use in prayer and in the conduct of affairs. Within the talisman write: “Within the numinous, Kun is still and Gen comes to rest.” Kun and Gen are trigrams of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams).

The Talisman of the Mysterious Scripture of the Primordial Beginning for Hastening the Myriad Spirits into Service is used in prayer and in the conduct of affairs.

On the Incense-Seal Talisman for Summoning the Myriad Gods, write: “Primordial Ancestor Hei; Flying-Heaven Emissary Wang Fu.”

The Talisman for Summoning the Myriad Gods is used for a given matter. Write the words on a slip of incense that serves as a token: “Yin Thunder Divine Lord Qiong; Yang Thunder Divine Lord Qi.” The forms of the Yin Thunder Divine Lord, the Yang Thunder Divine Lord, and the emissary are said to be formed of the quintessential radiance of the sun and moon, and they command the thunder. Brilliance flashes about their bodies, and colored light shines upon what lies below. Turn this talisman toward the ten directions, and it takes effect at once.

The Divine Talisman “Yin Yu Yang Tianjia” is used for a given matter. Write the words on a slip of incense that serves as a token: “Yin Thunder Divine Lord Qiong; Yang Thunder Divine Lord Qi.” The forms of the Yin Thunder Divine Lord, the Yang Thunder Divine Lord, and the emissary are said to be formed of the quintessential radiance of the sun and moon, and they command the thunder. Brilliance flashes about their bodies, and colored light shines upon what lies below. Turn this talisman toward the ten directions, and it takes effect at once.

“Yin yu yang tianjia” is the writing within the talisman.

The characters yin and yang are used as follows: before noon, use yang; after noon, use yin. In prayer, the treatment of illness, the hastening of childbirth, and all such matters, they are said to take effect at once.

“Yin Chong, Yang Chang.” The two characters of Yin-Yang are used to command the thunder and to pray for clear skies or rain, and they may ordinarily be used in all such cases. In performance one follows the Zhai method (purification rite). At the time of the noon audience, visualize a nine-colored radiance: hot Qi (vital energy) arises from below the navel, rises to the space between the eyebrows, and becomes a golden radiance of nine hues shining throughout the altar court—the place where the rite is held—thereby subduing the hun and po souls and summoning the divine perfected.

Yang Guo, the talisman envoy commissioned by patent of the Qingwei Immortal Capital, wears a heaven-thrusting futou headdress. The outer corners of his eyes are sharp and long, and his face is like that of a beautiful woman. Clad in golden armor and black robes, he holds a tally of authority and rides an azure dragon (qinglong).

The Summoning Talisman and the Hastening Talisman: after this talisman has been drawn, silently recite “Zhao chi dun xuanyang yiyu.”

Yang Guo of the Qingwei Immortal Capital: Yang Guo is a divine general, a Shen (spirit), of the Qingwei Immortal Capital (Qingwei Xiandu). He wears a futou cap that thrusts upward toward the sky, the corners of his eyes protrude, and his face is like that of a beautiful woman. He is clad in golden armor and black robes, holds a tally of authority, and rides an azure dragon.

Summoning Talismans and Hastening Talismans

When the following talisman (fu) is used, one silently recites the summoning incantation “Chi Dun Xuan Yang Yi Yu.”

Jade Talisman of the Qingwei Immortal Capital for Commissioning the Thunders

It is used for swift summoning.

Talisman for the General Summoning of Talisman Envoys

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the designated talisman envoy descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

When this talisman is written, one silently recites the summoning incantation “Zhi Dan Yi Qin.” The summoning incantation of the general-summoning talisman is the same as that given above.

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the designated talisman envoy descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

Talisman for Summoning the Local Earth Spirit

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the orthodox spirit of the local earth descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

Tian Zhong, Talisman Envoy Commissioned by the Pure Capital

The summoning incantation is “Dun Yang Xuan Bian Yu.”

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the designated talisman envoy descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

Chen Rongchen, Talisman Envoy of the Thunder-Fire Laws and Ordinances of the Nine Heavens

The summoning incantation is “Fang Qi Yu.”

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the designated talisman envoy descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

Yang Jie, the Swift Talisman Envoy

The summoning incantation is “E Jia.”

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the designated talisman envoy descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

All of these talismans can regulate the various thunder spirits of the Three Realms. They are also known as the subtle secret writings transmitted by the various scriptures (Jing) and the various lines of the Dao (the Way). Another account calls them the “Supreme Dao of the Azure Void” (Bixu Zhidao), for use within the circle of seats on the right.

Faith-Incense Talisman of the Primordial One Qi

This talisman is written upon incense and offered with silent prayer, in order to command the generals and commanders of the thunder spirits. Here Qi (vital energy) is the Primordial One Qi.

“The Primordial One Qi regulates all the thunders of the Three Realms” is the subtle secret writing transmitted by the various scriptures and the various lines of the Dao. Another account calls it the “Supreme Dao of the Azure Void,” for use within the circle of seats on the right.

Faith-Incense Talisman of the Primordial One Qi

This talisman is written upon incense and offered with silent prayer, in order to command the generals and commanders of the thunder spirits.

The Wondrous Dao by Which the Primordial One Qi Commissions and Employs

This talisman is used to put into service the great thunder spirits of the Three Qi and the Three Realms, so that there is nowhere they do not penetrate and nowhere they are not present.

Talisman of the Primordial Talismanic Mandate for Employing the Myriad Spirits of All the Heavens

A talisman of authoritative command.

Talisman for the General Summoning of the Talisman Envoys of All Departments

The talisman reads: “By talismanic command, let the designated talisman envoy descend at once. Disciple So-and-so, acting under orders, summons and invites.”

Talisman Form Appended after the Pass-Dispatch

This is the talisman form attached after the pass-dispatch (in Daoist ritual, the documentary format for transmitting commands and writings).

It is used to command official generals and talisman envoys to convey upward such documents as memorial petitions, scriptural submissions, and the like.

Dispatch Talisman Ordering the Thunder Spirits to Carry Out Their Charge

Reverse Text of the General Command

An edict of command.

Talisman for the General Summoning of the Thunder of the Three Qi

In the heart, silently recite the incantation “Yi Hong Chang.”

Summon a certain Marshal to descend swiftly; the disciple So-and-so, acting on orders, respectfully invokes him.

Talisman for Summoning the Four Duty Messengers

Summons Talisman for the City God (Chenghuang) and Directorate of Fates (Siming) Dispatch Talisman

First write the character "冑," then draw the talisman; first write the character "月," then draw the talisman.

Talisman of the Two Flyers: used to expedite all kinds of matters.

Talisman of the Two Swift Characters: used to expedite all kinds of matters.

The Qingwei Tianzhen Dongjing (Scripture of the Cavern of Perfected Heaven of Qingwei)

If the year brings locusts, flooding, or failed harvests, this talisman may be used to make a proclamation to the great deity in charge of the grain seedlings, as well as to the City God, the Earth God, and other spirits.

Dongyuan Divine Spirit Talisman

Silently recite the "Secret Mantra of the Dongyuan Divine Spirits" in your heart, then write this talisman.

The Pivot of Thunder commands every kind of ritual deity in the Three Realms, as well as the City God, Earth God, and other spirits.

Dongyuan Divine Spirit Talisman

Silently recite the "Secret Mantra of the Dongyuan Divine Spirits" in your heart, then write this talisman.

The Pivot of Thunder commands every kind of ritual deity in the Three Realms. This is an exceedingly subtle and marvelous secret script. When using this talisman, there is no need to appoint generals; the Thunder deities flying to and fro, on seeing it, need not have it sealed or endorsed. In every performance of this rite, first prepare one piece of incense: write with cinnabar on yellow paper; write the expediting talisman with cinnabar on blue-green paper; write the urgent talisman with white pigment on black paper. Burn it in a place where the sky can be seen, and a response will come of itself.

Above the talismans listed here, the characters for "wind, cloud, thunder, rain, lightning" may be added. This is by the True Lord of Purple Radiance and Cinnabar Efflorescence, Wondrous Dao (Ziguang Danhua Miaodao Zhenjun), Xu Ying.

Visualize the True Lord of Purple Radiance and Cinnabar Efflorescence, Wondrous Dao, seated upright within a circular wheel of light. This method is universally applicable.

Wind, cloud, thunder, rain; fog, lightning, snow, hail, clear skies; cloud, rain, thunder; cloud, thunder; wind, clear skies, hail.

Within the circle, use the seal "Seal of the Thunder Bureau of the Supreme Director of the Primordial Beginning's One Qi (Qi)." Petition once, expedite twice, transmit tokens of credence three times, govern four times, and pay court to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning five times.

The above may be written on incense, on paper, or in empty space, visualizing it as set within golden light.

Key Secrets of This Method

Old Yin and Old Yang symbolize Heaven and Earth, Qian and Kun; Young Yin and Young Yang symbolize the Sun and Moon, Kan and Li.

Red above and black below symbolize Fire and Water in "Not Yet Completed" (Weiji); black above and red below symbolize Water and Fire in "Already Completed" (Jiji).

When treating illness or expelling evil, the character "五" may be added to the talisman. [Note: "井中" appears to be a talisman-method marker; the original does not explain it.]

Qi Character Talisman

The character "炁" (Qi) is used for hastening childbirth and treating illness; the character "冑" is used for hastening childbirth.

Cinnabar Efflorescence Jade Protection Spirit Chapter: used for protecting the fetus and hastening childbirth.

"呒吲"

"曲延": used after childbirth.

Talisman for Resolving Grievances and Subduing Evil

Used to treat swelling disorders.

Five Primes Life-Protecting Talisman

"嘬": used for hastening childbirth.

Childbirth-Hastening Talisman, Guo.

Talisman for Opening the Passes and Pulses

This section mainly lists the names of Fulu (talismans and registers) concerned with postpartum care, protecting the fetus and hastening birth, treating illness, and summoning Shen (spirit) and commanding thunder, and it explains how these Fulu are used. The original contains many talisman diagrams and incantations, together with wording that appears incomplete or corrupt, so that the full meaning is difficult to determine from the text alone. What follows is a reading based on what can be made out.

“Postpartum Talisman for Relieving Calamity and Moving the Blood,” “Chapter for Protecting Shen,” “Protecting the Fetus and Hastening Birth,” and the like are talisman names used for postpartum regulation, protecting Shen, protecting the fetus, and hastening birth. The “Talisman for Resolving Grievances and Subduing Evil” is used to resolve grievances and subdue evil; “Treating Swelling” is used to treat swelling; the “Five-Origin Talisman for Protecting Life” is used to protect life; and the “Talisman for Opening the Passes and Unblocking the Vessels” is used to open and unblock the channels and vessels. “Establish a correspondence so as to treat the hundred illnesses before birth” means using the corresponding talisman methods to treat the various illnesses of pregnancy. The “One-Qi (vital energy) Talisman” and the “Three-Qi Talisman” are specified for protecting the fetus.

The wording “Thunder treats consumption and worms; the subordinate Controller of Fate burns it” means, in broad outline, treating consumption—an old term for certain chronic wasting diseases—by thunder methods and having the talisman burned. The “Talisman for Treating Poison from Tigers, Flood-Dragons, Snakes, and Weapons” is used against toxic harm or injurious calamity caused by tigers, jiao flood-dragons, snakes, and blades. The text that follows says that, when entering mountains and forests, one may wear the Fulu listed on the right and recite the incantations given there.

From “Marvelous Use of the Helmet-Character Talisman, for Treating the Various Illnesses” onward, the symptoms for which the Fulu are principally indicated are listed, including diarrhea in the six domestic animals, malaria, heart pain, belly pain, lower-back pain, disorders of kidney Qi, throat discomfort, calamitous diseases of the six domestic animals, epidemics, pain throughout the body, problems of the hands and feet, sweating, and eye pain. The “Jade Talisman of the Pure, Subtle, Wondrous Dao (the Way) That Opens Heaven” is a talisman name. The talisman should measure two cun and four fen both horizontally and vertically; the “Seal of the Celestial Treasure Dao Lineage” is stamped on it, once at the head of the talisman and once at the tail. What follows records the office, title, and name of the person who performs the rite, and, in the prescribed ritual form, lists the titles of the line of masters through whom it is transmitted.

From “Inner Taboo-Names of the Three Heavens” onward, the text lists the names of talismans and incantations used for inviting masters, inviting marshals, and carrying out the methods, such as the “Incense-Faith Talisman for Inviting the Master,” “Inviting the Master and Thanking the Marshal,” “Opening Heaven, Connecting the Walls, and Flying Thunder,” the “Expedient Five-Opening Talisman of the Primordial Beginning,” “Penetrating the Earth,” and the “General-Use Incense-Faith Talisman for Inviting the Master.” Among these, the “Incense-Faith Talisman” is a Fulu used to invite masters and communicate with Shen. The “Cross Celestial Jing” (scripture/classic), the “Celestial Worthy of Universal Transformation by the Thunder-Sound of the Responsive Prime of the Nine Heavens,” and others are related scripture titles or divine titles. The original says, “The three talismans on the right may pacify, secure, and treat illness,” meaning that the three talismans listed on the right can be used to pacify and secure a place and to treat illness. The final words, “Heaven’s course already,” appear to be an unfinished sentence, and no specific meaning can be confirmed from them.

The Passing Envoy

Note: The following eight talismans (fu), installed at year’s end to secure and protect the residence, can drive out pestilence and malign Qi (vital energy).

“On the fifth day of the fifth month, the Festival of Heaven’s Center, official calamities and disputes of mouth and tongue are utterly extinguished”: The following fourteen talismans are written in cinnabar on the fifth day of the fifth month and installed for protection. They can expel what is inauspicious, and a response will soon be felt.

“Blessing, Longevity, Health, and Peace”: The following four talismans can secure and protect the household and bring the home to peace.

“Cutting Away the Inauspicious”: The following four talismans can pacify and protect the dwelling and drive out evil spirits.

Qingwei Proclamation to the Myriad Spirits: The Cavern Memorial

Office heading: Respectfully, on the grounds that so-and-so, because of such-and-such a matter, reverently issues a written proclamation and petition, the Cavern Memorial (dongzhang) is promulgated.

The Cavern Memorial above is submitted in memorial and petition as follows:

A certain Thunder God is requested to act according to this text and to carry the matter out swiftly in obedience to the statutes and commands of the Cavern Memorial bestowed by Yuanshi.

Issued downward in such-and-such a year, month, day, and hour.

The ritual master’s name and rank are set forth, spirit generals are dispatched, and the matter is handled according to the rite.

The Swift Flying Dragon Cavern Memorial

The memorial text above may be written on brick or tile, or on an iron plate, then cast into a dragon pool and fastened securely with a rope. After it has been cast into the pool, if a response appears, it is taken out at once.

Talisman for Summoning and Commanding the Two Commanders

The talisman above is used to dispatch the two commanders named in the incantation, Yulou and Yuzha.

Qingwei Heavenly Treasure Family Letter

I, inheritor of the teachings and a remote-generation descendant surnamed so-and-so, have this day fasted and bathed, and I knock my head to present this letter before the Jade Void Minister-Chancellor, the Purple Sovereign, the Supreme Unity Heavenly Lord. This disciple’s station is humble; I am only a minor clerk within the teachings, relying on the shelter and support of the Dao (the Way) and its methods. The ranks of generals of the Thunder Department guard me day and night. This disciple’s heart is full of worry and fear, yet I have no means to repay their service.

Some days ago this disciple received a written petition submitted by so-and-so of such-and-such a place concerning such-and-such a matter… [The original text is fragmentary from this point; the following words, “ling ci nan mou…,” are incomplete in meaning.]

Having received the protection of the methods of the Dao (the Way), and having been guarded and attended day and night by the gods of the Thunder Ministry, I have nonetheless remained anxious and fearful, not knowing how to repay them. Yesterday I received a complaint submitted by a certain person of a certain place concerning a certain matter, and the affair is difficult to decline. I reflect that, since I inherited the ritual lineage, in practicing the methods and cultivating myself I have often felt my De (Virtue) insufficient and my responsibility grave—many faults, and very little efficacy. Now the situation is urgent, and I dare not slacken in the least. I earnestly beg the compassion of the Daoist tradition: let everything still be carried out according to the ritual decree sent down by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun).

I respectfully present this letter, humbly hoping for your mercy. I earnestly request that the ancestral masters of the ritual lineage specially grant an opportunity to submit a memorial, so that a report may be made to the celestial court and an edict of aid issued. Please transmit an order to a certain thunder god, fixing a certain day and hour of this month, to proceed to a certain place and carry out retribution according to the ritual decree. In this way the Great Dao may perhaps be propagated, and both the human world and the celestial realm may turn toward the orthodox Way. To offend the majesty of the Celestial Emperor fills me with fear and unease; I beg forgiveness, and ask that this matter not be made public.

In a certain year, month, day, and hour, the inheritor of the methods, styling himself a great-great-grandson of the lineage (the self-designation by which one who inherits the ritual lineage expresses his generational relation to the ancestral masters), of a certain surname, respectfully submits this.

Outer envelope

This is a family letter. It may be used when a matter is urgent, and must not be disclosed at will.

By the command bestowed by the Celestial Emperor, prayer is able to achieve sympathetic response. The wording should be brief, written in ink on white paper, sealed on the outside with a horn-seal (an envelope closed in a horn-shaped manner), and then bound with five-colored silk thread. When this has been completed, it is entrusted to the two Thunder Lords Gou and Bi (the divine generals of the Thunder Ministry indicated here) to assist in carrying it and presenting the memorial.

Secret Methods of the Divine Might of Qingwei (Qingwei Shenlie Mifa), lower scroll.