《高上神霄玉清真王紫书大法》Vol. 4

At ritual altars and Daoist purification rites (Zhaijiao) and ceremonial assemblies, documents summoning troops and officers may sometimes be burned as well.

Talisman for Summoning the Officers of the Five Sacred Peaks

The incantation says:

By the command of the Jade Purity, descend into the human realm and carry out the order. Officers and soldiers, act at once upon this command. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King.

This method requires writing a formal document to notify the officers and summon the souls of the dead. In the document, write phrases such as, “Descend and obey; officers and soldiers, carry out the order with utmost urgency; hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King.” Add a talisman and burn them together.

Talisman for Summoning the Local Community Deities

The incantation says:

By command of the Jade Purity, take charge of the local troops and generals. The deities of the village community and their shrines must all obey my command. Issue a heavenly talisman, and all quarters will gather and work together. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King.

For this method, write the reason for the request in a formal document. To summon the souls of the dead, use a talisman in the document to call them. To drive out and subdue evil spirits, use the following incantation:

By command of the Eastern Florescence, swiftly summon the righteous deities. The deities in the local community shrine must all obey the command. When the talismanic order arrives, come at once and do not delay. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King.

This talisman and incantation summon the righteous deities of the local community and drive away evil spirits. They may also be used to capture mountain demons and other uncanny beings.

Talisman for Summoning the Divine Empyrean Troops

The incantation says:

By command of the Divine Empyrean, reach directly to the Nine Heavens. The troops under its command number in the tens of thousands. Wherever the talismanic order arrives, carry it out swiftly. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King.

To perform this method, form the prescribed hand signs for the Chen position, gather Qi from the Xun direction, and then write the talisman. When performing the rite at an altar to summon troops for protection, write it in cinnabar on yellow paper and burn it to call them.

Talisman for Summoning the Divine Empyrean Meritorious Officer in Charge

The incantation says:

The Jade Document of the Mysterious Court is an official document used to report merits and convey commands. It governs the affairs of Jade Purity and submits reports to the Three Heavens. When the Supreme God issues an edict, divine light descends at once. I respectfully summon a certain marshal to carry it out in accordance with the law. Swiftly obey the command of the High and Exalted True King of Jade Purity of the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this method, form the hand-seal of the Chen position, draw in Qi from the Xun direction, then write the talisman in cinnabar on yellow paper to summon the divine generals.

Talisman for Summoning the Divine Empyrean’s Direct Talisman Officer

The incantation says:

The Jade Purity King has issued an edict: summon the true talisman officer at once. Report the matter being requested, so that its efficacy may manifest in the numinous capital. Swiftly obey the command of the High and Exalted True King of Jade Purity of the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this method, form the hand-seal of the Chen position, draw in Qi from the Xun direction, and write the talisman on yellow paper. Then prepare a dispatch document, used to convey commands and summon divine generals, and write a talisman on it to call them forth.

Talisman for Summoning the Six Jia Divine Generals

The incantation says:

The Six Jia Direct Talisman Officer, the messenger on duty. Jade Purity has issued an edict: manifest swiftly, at once.

Talisman for Summoning the Six Jia Divine Generals

The incantation says:

The Six Jia Direct Talisman Officer, the messenger on duty. Jade Purity has issued an edict: manifest swiftly, at once. Deliver each matter submitted in prayer. Swiftly obey the command of the High and Exalted True King of Jade Purity of the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this method, form the hand-seal of the Chen position, draw in Qi from the Xun direction, and write the talisman on yellow paper. Then prepare a dispatch document and write a talisman on it to call them forth.

Talisman for Summoning the Direct Talisman Officer of the Day

The incantation says:

The Six Jia Direct Talisman Officer, the messenger on duty. Jade Purity has issued an edict: manifest swiftly, at once. Deliver each matter submitted in prayer. Swiftly obey the command of the High and Exalted True King of Jade Purity of the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this method, form the hand-seal of the Chen position, draw in Qi from the Xun direction, and write the talisman on yellow paper. Then prepare a dispatch document and write a talisman on it to call them forth.

Talisman for Summoning the Duty Merit Officer

The incantation says:

The Duty Merit Officer, the general clerk on duty. Having received the summons of the Divine Empyrean rite, come swiftly at once. Obey the command of the True King of Jade Purity.

To perform this method, form the hand-seal of the Chen position, draw in Qi from the Xun direction, and write the talisman on yellow paper. Then prepare a dispatch document and write a talisman on it to call them forth.

Talisman for Summoning the Duty Merit Officer

The incantation says:

The duty officer and the duty generals and clerks, the divine functionaries who convey affairs for the day, should arrive swiftly when summoned according to the Divine Empyrean method. Hasten in obedience to the decrees of the Most High True King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this method, form the Chenwen mudra with the fingers and draw in Qi from the Xun direction, one of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) directions. Write the summons on yellow paper. Then prepare a pass and dispatch document, and write a summons talisman on it to call the deity.

How to summon the Thunder Deities

The method says: Whenever summoning the Thunder Deities, first purify the altar and remove all defilement. Then report with sincere devotion: “I, the disciple [name], am immeasurably fortunate to have encountered the Great Dao after a thousand years and received instruction from my master, who has transmitted the Great Method to me. Whenever I seek refuge or assistance, how could I dare neglect to report it to the deities? Now, on account of [matter], I respectfully summon [deity’s name]. In accordance with the Taiyi Hidden Book of the Supreme High Primordial Laws, I present this document and pray for the deity’s presence. I respectfully ask that you grant efficacious power.” Then state again what is being requested and the name of the deity being summoned, and pray that the deity descend to the altar and manifest divine authority.

The incantation says:

“Deities of Heaven and Earth, the sun, moon, and stars, of wind and clouds, thunder and lightning: by the command of Perfected Dong of the Nine Heavens’ Sage Immortal Department, I urgently summon the Five Thunder Generals. Descend at once. Hasten in obedience to the decrees of the Shangqing.”

To perform this method, form the Five Thunder mudra, face the Gate of Heaven—the direction designated as the Gate of Heaven at the ritual altar—and click the teeth seven times. Recite the incantation seven times, while visualizing the deity’s arrival. When the incense smoke disperses, take this as evidence that the deity has received the summons. Then report that the requested matter has been completed, and choose a day to send the deity off. After completing the report and covenant rites, explain that the mortal world is an unsuitable place for the deity to remain for long, ask the deity to return to its divine residence, and pray that its grace continue to protect the person concerned. If there is anything to report later, follow this same ritual.

When confronted by fierce ghosts and spirits or malevolent forces that cannot be driven away, the ritual practitioner must fast sincerely, bathe, put on ritual robes, and enter the place where the ritual altar is set up. They burn incense and report the matter to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and the exalted Perfect Rulers of Thunder (deities who govern thunder). Then they establish an altar to sacrifice to Thunder and pray devoutly. They perform the method of pacing the Dipper, following prescribed steps across the stars, and form the Five Thunder Hand Seal, a gesture that summons the power of thunder rites. With eyes closed, they visualize the Four Plum Dragon Kings and their troops appearing alongside the Thunder deities. They then sprinkle water while making the hand seal and shouting angrily, “Thunder deities, go at once and destroy them!” They visualize the divine troops traveling to a place about ten thousand li away. Afterward, they establish the altar again, make offerings to Thunder, and pray. Following the method described above, they perform the rite and visualize the divine troops setting out. After a quarter of an hour, wind should arise: this is the divine troops returning. That night, they establish the altar once more and make offerings in thanks.

Heavenly Thunder and Fire Great General Liu Zhong

With the left hand, form the Qian sign, corresponding to the Qian position in the Eight Trigrams (Bagua). Stand with the feet in a T stance and face north. Visualize receiving thunder Qi, inhale once and store it in the Dantian (energy center), then inhale again and blow toward the hand seal. Click the teeth together nine times. Inhale thunder Qi once more and visualize thunder sounding in the abdomen; then blow black Qi, representing the north, toward the patient.

Earthly Thunder and Fire Great General Li Yongzhi

With the left hand, form the Mao sign, corresponding to the Mao position among the twelve earthly branches. Stand with the feet in a T stance and face east. Visualize receiving thunder Qi, inhale once and store it in the Dantian, then inhale again and blow toward the hand seal. Click the teeth together nine times. Inhale thunder Qi once more and visualize thunder sounding in the abdomen; then blow green Qi, representing the east, toward the patient.

Water Thunder and Fire Great General Song Shouning

With the left hand, form the Chou sign, corresponding to the Chou position among the twelve earthly branches. Stand with the feet in a T stance and face south. Visualize receiving thunder Qi, inhale once and store it in the Dantian, then inhale again and blow toward the hand seal. Click the teeth together nine times. Inhale thunder Qi once more and visualize thunder sounding; the face grows hot, and fire seems to surge up in the mouth. Then blow toward the patient.

Divine Thunder and Fire Great General Zhou Wenqing

With the left hand, form the “Great Sha” mudra, step in the Ding stance, and face north. Visualize the thunder Qi you have received. Inhale, gathering it in the Dantian; inhale again and blow toward the mudra you are forming, then click your teeth nine times. Next, draw in more thunder Qi and circulate the breath until a thunderous sound arises within the abdomen. Then blow the Qi toward the sick person.

Human Thunder and Fire Great General, Zhu Yong’an.

With the left hand, form the “Wei” mudra, step in the Ding stance, and face the “Human Gate.” Visualize the thunder Qi you have received. Inhale, gathering it in the Dantian; inhale again and blow toward the mudra you are forming.

Human Thunder and Fire Great General, Zhu Yong’an.

With the left hand, form the “Wei” mudra, step in the Ding stance, and face the “Human Gate.” Visualize the thunder Qi you have received. Inhale, gathering it in the Dantian; inhale again and blow toward the mudra you are forming, then click your teeth nine times. Next, draw in more thunder Qi and circulate the breath until a thunderous sound arises within the abdomen. Then blow the Qi toward the sick person.

Wind-Summoning Method

Heavenly troops, follow my steps and ride the wind. Come swiftly to aid me in performing this rite and vanquish the fierce demons and evil spirits. Hasten in accordance with the command.

To perform this method, form the “Bo-Si” mudra with both hands and recite the incantation twelve times. A great wind will then arise.

Wind-Stilling Method

Heavenly One, Great Unity, descend below to Mysterious Unity. Vast and surging wind, gather at the command of the numinous astral power. Come when summoned and stop when commanded; do not linger. Hasten in accordance with the command.

To perform this method, form the “Heavenly Slant” mudra with both hands and shout, “Stop at once!” The wind will then cease.

Cloud-Summoning Incantation

The Qi of mountains and rivers, and the essence of the myriad things—grasses, trees, and all beings—gather into clouds like a canopy and billow forth in every direction. Cloud-driving envoys and divine lords who gather numinous Qi, receive the summons at once by command; do not delay. Hasten in accordance with the command.

To perform this method, form the “Zi” mudra with both hands and recite the incantation twenty times. Clouds will then gather and surge forth.

Cloud-Stilling Incantation

The canopy-like clouds of the famous mountains and the Five Sacred Peaks gather to become clouds and disperse to become Qi. Withdraw to the valleys, then return to the realm where the spirits dwell. When I summon you, come swiftly. Hasten in obedience to the command of the Most High True King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this method, form the “Original Master” mudra. The incantation describes the canopy-like Qi of the famous mountains and the Five Sacred Peaks: it gathers to become clouds, disperses to become Qi, withdraws to the valleys, and returns to the realm where the spirits dwell, coming swiftly when summoned. Hasten in obedience to the command of the Most High True King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean.

Pinch the Master’s lineage hand-seal, which represents the transmission of the school. Form the seal with both hands and call out, “Disperse at once!” The cloud vapor will immediately disperse.

Thunder-Returning Seal

My master transmitted this supreme art, and I carry it out by command in the Great Mystery. The command has now been fulfilled, and the source of the evil influences has been driven away. I now command the Thunder Deity to return to its original place without delay. At the call, return at once and obey the orders of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Hasten to comply with the statutes of Xuandu.

Thunder-Sealing Talisman

Recite the preceding incantation while forming the Thunder Seal with both hands, repeating it one hundred times. Draw in the thunder Qi and collect it in a purification bottle, then seal the bottle’s mouth with a talisman. It is used to treat illness and subdue evil spirits. It is said that a sound will immediately occur as proof of its efficacy.

End of Scroll Ten of The Great Method of the Purple Writ of the True King of Jade Clarity in the Highest Heaven of the Divine Empyrean

Scroll Eleven of The Great Method of the Purple Writ of the True King of Jade Clarity in the Highest Heaven of the Divine Empyrean

Secret Method of the Divine Bureau for Praying for Rain

When building an altar to pray for rain, do not allow monks or nuns, women, mourners, people who are ritually unclean, or butchers to come and go near the altar grounds. The workers who build the altar should also preferably eat vegetarian food. To bring a response as quickly as possible, the prefectural authorities should issue an order prohibiting bells, drums, and cymbals from being sounded within the city. If this continues for three days, rain is said to fall. In addition, talismans must be issued at midnight, and money, paper horses, wine, and fruit must be offered to the Thunder Deity as a formal sacrifice.

Opening Heaven’s Gate

When performing the rite, the ritual master must wear black, let their hair hang loose, carry a black flag over one shoulder, and hold pure water in their mouth. Facing northeast, they spray out the water and shout, then recite the “Incantation for Opening Heaven’s Gate”:

The gods assist me in raising clouds; the heavenly troops lend their strength to my work. Spirits and ghosts cross rivers and lakes to guard my appointed time. The three divine generals change the positions of the palaces; all the gods, set out at once. Heaven and earth tremble; the sun and moon shift from their courses. Shooting stars drive off the demon hordes and make them reveal themselves. I carry out this command in my appointed office. Hasten to obey the decrees of the Supreme Emperor.

With the left hand, form the “Hai hand sign” (a Daoist hand gesture) and recite it seven times. Then wave and brandish the black flag toward the Heavenly Gate, set the sword upright on the ground with its tip pointing downward, and sprinkle it with wine seven times. Next, form the “Heavenly Gate seal” (a hand sign for opening the Heavenly Gate), stand upright, breathe once toward the Heavenly Gate, and recite the spell for opening it. To summon wind or pray for rain, recite the relevant spell seven times.

When invoking clouds and rain and praying for the rite to be answered, follow the same steps: wave and brandish the black flag toward the Heavenly Gate, set the sword upright on the ground with its tip pointing downward, and sprinkle it with wine seven times. Then form the Heavenly Gate seal, stand upright, breathe once toward the Heavenly Gate, and recite the spell for opening it. To summon wind or pray for rain, recite the relevant spell seven times.

The Signs of Success in Raising Clouds and Bringing Rain

In spring, thunder rises from the Yin and Mao directions or from the Central Palace, the central direction. In summer, thunder appears in the Zhen and Xun directions, and during the Si and Wu hours. In autumn, thunder returns to the Shen and You directions; in winter, it begins in the Hai and Zi directions. Clouds may be raised and rain brought in any season. In the four directions Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei, the rite is set in motion from the Heavenly Pass, the gateway of the Heavenly Gate.

This is the formula for performing the rite, using “Dengming” as the method for setting the divine generals in motion. “Dengming” is the name used in Daoist magic for determining the positions of the divine generals.

Talisman for Raising Clouds and Bringing Rain

The spell says:

Five Emperors of the Five Directions, Dragon Lords of the Five Regions, receive the command above and bring rain and raise clouds. Heavenly demon Li Jing, earthly demon Yang Qing, the Five Ding commanders, and the Heavenly Origin Yinglong, together raise clouds and bring rain. Hasten to obey the Supreme Emperor’s decree.

In spring, the deity who raises clouds is He Yuanming, and the deity who brings rain is Liu Yuanda; the thunder deity is Tian Hanming, and the lightning goddess is Lady Xu Huainiang.

In summer, the deity who raises clouds is Song Yuanyong, and the deity who brings rain is Zhang Yuanbo; the thunder deity is Tian Zhiming, and the lightning goddess is Lady Jintou.

In autumn, the deity who raises clouds is Yang Yuantao, and the deity who brings rain is Feng Yi; the thunder deity is Tian Yum­ing, and the lightning goddess is Lady Jiang Yan.

In winter, the deity who raises clouds is Yuan Xiangming, and the deity who brings rain is Tang Yuanming; the thunder deity is Tian Taoming, and the lightning goddess is Lady Jidu.

The deity who guides the clouds through the four seasons is called Gu Chengming; the deity who brings rain is called Shuiboli; the Thunder God is called Tian Fuming; and the Mother of Lightning is called Huaihaimeng.

Whenever rain is petitioned for, follow the liturgical procedures to send the appropriate documents. Then enter the Jing chamber, a quiet room used for ritual practice and cultivation, and focus the mind on the powers of the deities. Bring your thoughts into accord with Heaven and Earth. In this way, you can respond to the timing of Heaven and obtain a result. The Way of Heaven is not remote: its workings are clear, and its responses are real.

Sea-Turning Talisman

Make the talisman board from wrought iron. It should be one chi and nine cun long, three cun and three fen thick, and seven cun wide. Of the two talismans, write one in cinnabar; you may also write one on each side of the board. Cast the board into the source of a river or a place where a dragon dwells. If there is no dragon there, first draw a dragon and sink it in the water. After a short while, cast in the board. Perform the ritual steps according to the prescribed method, and before long heavy rain will fall.

Incantation for Sending Forth the Talisman

Six Ding and Six Jia, the Daoist guardian generals; officers of the Five Thunders; Lord of Wind and Masters of Rain; all the sacred beings of the Thunder Department: there has been a long drought without rain. We beseech you to grant aid. Once the Heavenly Talisman arrives, let it bring relief everywhere to lands that are parched and withered. Hasten to obey the commands of the Supreme Emperor.

During the rite, form the Five Thunder hand seal and recite the incantation forty-nine times. Then cast down the talisman, and rain will fall at once.

Sea-Calming Talisman

Incantation:

Five Emperors and Thunder Lords, Four Sages and Lords of Wind; Three Luminaries and the stars of the Dipper; two dragons, hear this command together. The honored one of the Primal Origin summons forth nine currents of cloud. I am the Lord of Wind, acting under the decree of the Celestial Emperor. Hasten to obey the decree of the Thunder Master, whose command flashes like fire.

During the rite, form the Chenwen hand seal. Visualize the Three Luminaries and Three Celestial Towers descending to send rain, while the Thunder Master drives the dragon deities to bring it down with thunder and fire. Recite the incantation eighty-one times, then cast down the talisman; the effect will follow.

Nine-Dragon Talisman

The ritual instructions say: If a drought has lasted a long time, go to a place with flowing water and a dragon pool. Form the Chenwen hand seal with the left hand and hold a brush in the right. Visualize the Ancestral Master in front and the Patriarch behind. Use the brush to write a Nine-Dragon Talisman on the surface of the water while reciting the following incantation:

Incantation:

Dragon Lords of the East, South, West, and North, heed this command! I hold the brush in my right hand, visualize my original master before me and the patriarch behind me, dip the brush into water, and write a Nine-Dragon Talisman. As I write, I recite the following incantation.

Incantation:

Dragon Lords of the East, South, West, and North! By the decree of the Supreme Sovereign, I assist the Dao of Heaven in carrying out its teachings and saving all beings. Now I have come to this place, where the Kang Star’s influence—the Qi of Metal and Fire—stands in mutual opposition. I now write this Fulu and summon the cloud dragons. May their divine power swiftly appear, bringing abundant rain so that the crops revive at once, send up their ears, and bear grain. May they protect the people and ensure a peaceful and prosperous year. Act swiftly, in accordance with the laws of the Supreme Sovereign!

Form the Chen hand seal and recite the incantation forty-nine times; draw the talisman three times, and it will take effect immediately.

Incantation:

The profound Heaven is vast and boundless; the profound Origin is pure and clear as mist. The wondrous movement of pure, numinous Qi never ceases; it steadies and protects the year. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning opens the true Dao, spreading the light of the righteous way. By command, Heaven and Earth are ordered, and the ten directions of the celestial realms are shaken. With divine power, summon and bind the myriad demons. Protect all four quarters; neither wind nor fire dares to move recklessly. Awe the Six Heavens, so that wild, deviant paths may rise no more. The command of the dark talisman protects the year.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning opens the true Dao, spreading the light of the righteous way. By command, Heaven and Earth are ordered, and the ten directions of the celestial realms are shaken. With divine power, summon and bind the myriad demons. Protect all four quarters; neither wind nor fire dares to move recklessly. Awe the Six Heavens, so that wild, deviant paths may rise no more. When the command of the dark talisman arrives, it commands fierce divine troops to subdue and destroy demons and monsters, overturning every evil ghost. Golden light flows and turns; lightning flashes and surges; wind and fire shatter the darkness. Act swiftly, in accordance with the law!

Incantation for Issuing Twenty-Four Command Tablets:

The Supreme Sovereign’s talismanic decree descends, destroying evil spirits in the ten directions. Heaven and Earth carry out the command and summon the various Divine Kings. The deities of the Three Realms who govern the span of life must not come to harm anyone. True officials of the Nine Lands, assemble with a certain person. Whether that person travels through the mountains or crosses the sea, the mountain gods and water emperors shall come to welcome and escort them. Send word to the Five Emperors to protect this person and grant them long life. The stars of the heavens shall also come of their own accord to assist them and bring them honor and prosperity. Act swiftly, in accordance with the law!

Incantation for Casting Down the Twenty-Four Command Tablets.

The three forms of primordial Qi (yuanqi) generated from the Most High Azure Ford; the wondrous, numinous currents of liquid and vapor spread through the primordial heavens. The five kinds of Qi transform into divine power and surge like river waters. Cinnabar pearls emerge, and the light of the Celestial Ladle stars shines in every direction. Mysterious numinous Qi travels like moonlit water; each of the twenty-four spirits possesses its own power. The might revealed by Qi stands firm as a mountain. The Three Ladles can restrain and guard the Nine Subtleties. Numinous nature arises with the flow of water, and the gateways open of themselves. Guard the primordial spirit, preserve the primordial Qi, and ward off intrusions from outside. It endures through tribulations and remains forever; keep it constantly in mind. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Incantation for the Twenty-Four Decrees

Mysterious radiance flows and shines; the divine lords of the five directions descend. The decree makes mountains collapse and waters run dry, extinguishes the dragon fire, and drives away intrusions from outside. It endures through tribulations and remains forever; keep it constantly in mind. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Incantation for the Twenty-Four Decrees

Mysterious radiance flows and shines; the divine lords of the five directions descend. The decree makes mountains collapse and waters run dry, extinguishes the dragon fire, and drives away outside evil and disorder. It exalts the spirits and makes them manifest, shatters ghosts and demons, and brings wicked spirits to ruin. The myriad numinous beings of the four directions and the ten directions all come to protect and support. After wearing the decree talisman, one may pass through the ten directions. The body and primordial spirit are guarded; even through ten thousand tribulations, they will not be harmed. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Incantation for Casting the Talisman and Sending the Ding and Jia Generals

The Supreme Emperor has issued a command, and I follow it, acting according to the Yu step method. Summon the Celestial Ding generals (divine generals of the heavens) at once. Summon Ding, and Ding appears; summon Jia, and Jia appears. Let their numinous power manifest swiftly. Come to the ritual altar and take command of the Celestial Ding generals. I now state the matter for which I summon you; let the celestial troops descend and rise at once. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands of the Mysterious Capital of Shangqing.

In the rites above, on Yang days, use them to command the Six Jia divine generals; on Yin days, use them to command the Six Ding divine generals. When performing the Yang and Yin Dipper steps, proceed according to the Yu step method. Then conclude the ritual and recite:

The numinous power of the Primordial Beginning has now been made manifest; the summons that was presented is complete. Let the summoned generals return for the time being to their proper places. When summoned again, may they manifest their numinous power just as swiftly as before. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands of the Mysterious Capital of Shangqing.

Yang Dipper

Incantation for Stepping the Dipper

Gathering Black and White Together

The incantation says:

The numinous power of the Primordial Beginning has now been made manifest; the summons that was presented is complete. Let the summoned generals return for the time being to their proper places. When summoned again, may they manifest their numinous power just as swiftly as before. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands of the Mysterious Capital of Shangqing.

Yang Dipper

Incantation for Stepping the Dipper

Mix white Qi and black Qi within yourself. Perform the Yu Steps—the steps Daoist ritual masters take when carrying out rites—to mobilize your ritual power and ascend to the position of Yangming. Heaven and earth spin; you tread the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, stepping the astral pattern and aligning yourself with the Nine Spirits. May the gods help me cut down evil essences and destroy all demons. May every calamity disperse, so that I may attain long life and, having attained the Dao, pay audience to Shangqing. In solemn obedience to the commands of the Supreme Emperor, let this be done at once. Yin Dipper.

The above ritual draws on the astral Qi of the Dipper. On a yang day, form the mudra of one’s own master—a hand sign symbolizing one’s transmission lineage—and proceed from the Yang Dipper toward the Yin Dipper. On a yin day, proceed from the Yin Dipper toward the Yang Dipper.

Brief Method for Praying for Rain by Casting a Dragon Tablet

When praying for rain, choose a sacred place imbued with numinous energy, such as a deep pool or a cave, and cast a talisman to summon the dragon. Use the iron talisman prescribed for this method, inscribing it on an iron plate. Before approaching the pool or cave, tread the nine tracks. When you reach the ninth position, which represents the astral method of the dragon’s tracks, you may perform the rite a hundred times and receive a response a hundred times. Begin by crossing your feet at the first position, then proceed in order to the ninth. Recite the incantation and cast the dragon tablet; wind will rise and rain will fall at once.

Incantation for Summoning the Four Corner Gods at the Rain-Prayer Altar

May the Golden Palace send down its sacred might, and the Jade Emperor issue his talismanic command, so that I may receive the Qi of the Supreme One’s Heaven and Earth and proclaim the laws of the celestial realm, rescuing and protecting all living beings. Divine generals guarding the numinous altar, dragon gods defending the ritual ground, come swiftly. In solemn obedience to the Shangqing command, let this be done at once.

Incantation for Sending the Four Corner Gods

I summon the celestial troops and mighty warriors of the four directions: swiftly descend as divine spirits, look clearly upon this place, and arrive at once. In solemn obedience to the Shangqing command, go forth at once.

Incantation for Sending the Four Corner Gods

I summon the celestial troops and mighty warriors of the four directions: swiftly descend as divine spirits, look clearly upon this place, and arrive at once. In solemn obedience to the Shangqing command, let this be done at once.

For the above, use the mudra of one’s own master.

Incantation for Sending Off the Four Corner Gods

Celestial troops who keep watch in the darkness are spirits of the Thunder Bureau. The summons is complete. Please accept my charge, return to your respective abodes, and descend again when summoned in the future. In solemn obedience to the Shangqing command, let this be done at once.

For the above ritual, use the Jade Emperor’s seal, a Daoist ritual seal.

Dragon-Summoning and Rain-Bringing Talismans

Incantation:

Six Ding and Six Jia, guardian deities of Daoism, bring down thunder and lightning and gather the dark clouds. General Who Binds the Dragon and Perfect Lord of Fusang, wherever this talismanic command reaches, the myriad gods follow. In solemn obedience to the command of the High God, the True King of the Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean, let this be done at once.

While performing the above rite, make the Chen hand sign, draw in the Qi of the Xun direction—the southeast—and write the talisman while reciting the incantation.

The High and Lofty True Lord of the Divine Empyrean, the thunder deity honored by the Divine Empyrean school, receives the command of the Supreme Lord and saves and protects all living beings. The Thunder Department commands its troops and generals, while the generals of thunder and lightning await their orders. The Six Ding and Six Jia, guardian generals of Daoism, and the Supreme Unity of the Upper Origin, a revered Daoist deity, are likewise commanded to serve. The Dragon Spirits are summoned to marshal the clouds and bring rain, relieving drought-stricken and parched lands everywhere. Once this order is proclaimed, it must be carried out at once.

This proclamation is issued in the year _, month _, on the first day, at the time of ___.

I, the appointed official, ___, receive this proclamation and act under its command.

In accordance with ritual procedure, visualize the spirits, pace the Dipper and tread the stars, tracing their positions with prescribed steps, draw the talismans and write the proclamation, then cast them into the water. The ritual will take effect immediately.

Incantation to End the Rain and Pray for Clear Skies

The Primordial Lady of Supreme Unity gathers the wind and rain. The rain has been sufficient; it moistens the fields, allowing the crops to grow. May this day be auspicious, and may peace and good fortune endure. Swiftly, in accordance with the laws of the Highest Clarity, perform this rite in the water; let it take effect at once.

Incantation to End the Rain and Pray for Clear Skies

The Primordial Lady of Supreme Unity gathers the wind and rain. The rain has been sufficient; it moistens the fields, allowing the crops to grow. May this day be auspicious, and may peace and good fortune endure. Swiftly, in accordance with the laws of the Highest Clarity.

To perform this method, press the base of three fingers with the hand, visualize the presiding master with disheveled hair, and recite the incantation 120 times. Unbroken heavy rain will then arrive at once.

Ritual for Offering to the Thunder

When performing a thunder ritual, choose six Bing days from the twelve months of the year, for these are the days when the Thunder Gods gather. Fast for three days beforehand, keep yourself clean, put on freshly laundered clothes, and enter the quiet chamber, the place for practicing methods and quiet cultivation. Burn incense to report respectfully to the ancestral masters, and submit a memorial to the Heavenly Province, the celestial administration. At the same time, prepare written petitions informing the gods of the Thunder Bureau, the local City God, the Community Deity who protects the village, and the altar’s Earth God. Ask them to bear witness together and manifest their efficacy.

Then, in order, respectfully invite the holy masters and perfected ones, the thunder generals and officers, the Thunder Master Haoweng, the Thunder Duke, the Mother of Lightning, the Earl of Wind, the Lord of Rain, the Great Immortal of Sudden Fire, the fierce officers of Azure Fangs, the Heavenly Gods who command thunder, the Great Gods of Thunderous Might, the Lords of the Thunder Chariot and Thunder Fire, the adjudicators of the Thunder Bureau, the messengers of thunderlight, the youths who carry the banners, the youths of Purple Light who bear the seal, the divine troops of the Five Directions and Five Thunders, the gods and generals of the office, the Five Thunder messengers, the generals of the Six Jia, the Six Ding adjudicators of the Thunder Bureau, the Six Ding talisman messengers, the Dragon Kings and their retinues, the river messengers, and the Thunder Gods who send forth wind and rain, breathe mist, and raise clouds. Also invite the City God, the Community Deity, the day’s Merit Officer, the Earth God who guards the altar, and all the other spirits, beseeching them to descend together.

Set out the offerings, present wine three times according to ritual, and burn incense as you pray, clearly stating what you seek. Respectfully invite the gods to descend and protect you, and to aid in carrying out the ritual. Ask them to save the people of the state, praying for rain or for clear skies. Pray to receive a response, so that the mysteries of the Daoist arts may be widely revealed. After the ritual, burn paper money.

When making offerings to the Thunder Gods, you must be sincere and reverent in heart. Thereafter, whatever you pray for will receive a response and come to pass.

The Five Thunder Formula

Heavenly Thunder Hand Seal: Form the Yin position with both hands. All five fingers are concealed at the Jia position.

Divine Thunder Hand Seal: Bend the second and third fingers. Press the thumb against the Zi position, then place the fourth and fifth fingers over the thumb.

Dipper Thunder Hand Seal: This is the “Great Dipper Hand Seal.”

Dragon Thunder Hand Seal: Bend the second, third, and fourth fingers, and bend the thumb to press against the Hai position. Press the fifth finger against the thumb and conceal it at the Jia position.

Water Thunder Hand Seal: Bend the second finger and press the thumb against the Chou position. Place the third, fourth, and fifth fingers over the thumb.

Demon Thunder Hand Seal: Bend the second, third, and fourth fingers. Press the thumb against a chosen position without exposing the Jia position. This is called “Earth-Society Command Thunder.”

Ritual for the Great Divine Empyrean Method of Summoning and Commanding

The method says that before carrying out a summoning and commanding—that is, calling upon deities or their attendant officials—one must make offerings nine days in advance: ginseng and poria soup, clear wine, clean fruit, and wax tea. For several days in succession, burn talismans suited to the rite being performed and pray, explaining the purpose of the summons. On the day of the rite, burn paper money, paper horses, and other offerings. First, set out food offerings for the spirits in a clean place, and raise a blue banner nine feet long and nine inches wide. When the rite is complete, burn the offerings and banner together with the paper objects.

Incantation for Summoning the Chief Gongcao Officials

King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean, today you issue your command and descend from the Nine Heavens. Command the spirits to summon and direct the officials in charge of Gongcao affairs. Convey the command through jade script and carry it out according to the laws of Heaven. I bear the true registers; come with me and await your orders. Hasten and obey the ordinances of the Most High True King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean.

I respectfully invite the spirits: command them to summon and direct the officials in charge of Gongcao affairs. Convey the command through jade script and carry it out according to the laws of Heaven. I bear the true registers; come with me and await your orders. Hasten and obey the ordinances of the Most High True King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean.

I respectfully invite the Gongcao chief official of a certain Dao in the Divine Empyrean: come at once to the ritual altar.

For this method, form the Chen-position hand seal. First visualize the deity’s true form, then write the talisman and burn it to ash. After reciting the incantation, blow the ritual breath toward the Xun direction (southeast), then blow it toward the patient. Once the patient has entered the ritual realm, they must state their identity. Then they should swallow the talisman ash for one hundred days, and the requested effects will quickly appear.

Talisman for Summoning the Celestial-Domain Meritorious Official

The Celestial-Domain Meritorious Official is named Jiang Guangfu and commands one hundred and twenty attendants.

The incantation says:

An edict descends from the Nine Heavens, from the Ancestral Lord of the Dao. It shapes the form of the celestial realm and establishes the thirty-two pure heavens. By command, it acts in accordance with the arts, entering the highest and most wondrous realm of truth.

This rite is performed by burning the petition of invocation in an incense burner. Dispatch the Meritorious Official by written document, requesting that the Celestial Dao issue its command, and state the purpose of the purification ritual in the document. Then take a talisman and burn it together with the petition. This official knows the secret methods and prohibitions of the Purple Palace in Heaven, the eclipses of the sun and moon, the waxing and waning of the stars, and the auspicious or inauspicious signs of wind and rain. He governs celestial calamities in the divine offices. Anyone wishing to inquire about or summon help with such matters may seek knowledge from him.

Talisman for Summoning the Terrestrial-Domain Meritorious Official

The Terrestrial-Domain Meritorious Official is named Liu Gang and commands one hundred and twenty attendants.

The incantation says:

The divisions of Dongxuan are clearly ordered, appearing in form layer upon layer. The Qi of the Five Yang penetrates and responds, reaching the dark underworld in all ten directions. The celestial talisman reveals its form, and the Terrestrial Dao opens a path to the spirits.

This rite is performed by burning the petition of invocation in an incense burner. Dispatch the Meritorious Official by written document, requesting that the Terrestrial Dao issue its command, and state the purpose of the purification ritual in the document. Then take a talisman and burn it together with the petition. This official governs the waters and soil, crops, insect infestations, floods and wind damage, tombs and caverns, buried treasures, ancient altars, and spring grottoes across the Nine Layers of Earth. Anyone wishing to inquire about or summon help with such matters may seek knowledge from him.

Talisman for Summoning the Human-Domain Meritorious Official

The Human-Domain Meritorious Official is named Zhou Zhengyang and commands one hundred and twenty attendants.

The incantation says:

The six directions—above, below, and the four quarters—each form their own kind. The Qi of the Three Ones gives birth to the myriad things. Together they create complete forms, taking turns to rectify the primordial root. Once the power of the Dao descends, the myriad things transform into a single spirit-being.

These methods burn the invocation text in the incense burner. A formal dispatch document, used to convey orders to divine officials, is then used to send the Merit Officer, a divine official who delivers documents and handles affairs, to petition the human realm. The document should state what is to be reported in the Zhaijiao purification ritual. Afterward, a talisman is burned. This Merit Officer oversees good and evil, poverty and wealth, treachery and harm, filial piety and disobedience, life and death, fortune and misfortune, longevity and official emoluments, and illness among people. It is often active in the human realm. Anyone wishing to make inquiries or summon the relevant beings can learn about them through this official.

Talisman for Summoning the Merit Officer of the Immortal Way

The Merit Officer of the Immortal Way is named Meng An and commands one hundred and twenty attendants.

The incantation says:

“Take charge of your duties and discern the High Immortals. The Perfected Ones determine destiny, and the realms of the eight directions are brought to completion. Heaven protects and supports; this comes first.”

This method burns the invocation text in the incense burner, then uses a formal dispatch document to send the Merit Officer to petition the Immortal Way. The document should state what is to be reported in the Zhaijiao purification ritual. Afterward, a talisman is burned. This Merit Officer oversees the names and numbers of the Celestial Immortals, Divine Immortals, Flying Immortals, Ghost Immortals, and Perfected Immortals, as well as the Immortals and Perfected Ones who dwell in grotto-heavens. Anyone wishing to inquire about or summon them can learn about them through this official.

Talisman for Summoning the Merit Officer of the Spirit Way

The Merit Officer of the Spirit Way is named Gao Chengde and commands one hundred and twenty attendants.

The incantation says:

“Above, in the eight directions of the Upper Origin, movement and transformation unfold, revealing the light of Heaven. The Three Origins and Five Cycles bring auspiciousness to the eight directions. The myriad transformations of creation and change gather into a pattern.”

This method burns the invocation text in the incense burner, then uses a formal dispatch document to send the Merit Officer to petition the Spirit Way. The document should state what is to be reported in the Zhaijiao purification ritual. Afterward, a talisman is burned. This Merit Officer oversees the names, ranks, and numbers of the deities of Heaven and Earth, the spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks, the earth gods of the nine provinces, the City Gods throughout the land, and all other orthodox deities. Anyone wishing to inquire about or summon them can learn about them through this official.

Talisman for Summoning the Merit Officer of the Ghost Realm

The Merit Officer of the Ghost Realm is named Guo Dayou and commands 120 men.

The incantation says: The various kinds of ghosts in the dark underworld take form from condensed Yin energy. Their registers extend throughout the Nine Realms, the many domains of existence, and they can pass through and manifest in nine forms. When counting from one up to seven, one can reach the Golden Zhen, the realm of true spirits as described in Daoism.

For this ritual, burn the invocation in an incense burner. Send the Merit Officer a dispatch written on an official document, asking him to investigate matters of the ghost realm and stating the purpose of the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) on the document. Then burn a talisman. This Merit Officer oversees the names and numbers of ghosts and spirits in the Three Realms, the unruly souls of the Six Caverns and Nine Palaces, and the Twenty-Eight Jurisdictions of the ghost camps. He can provide information about these ghosts and souls, whether one wishes to inquire about them or summon them.

Talisman for Summoning the Merit Officer of Karmic Return

The Merit Officer of Karmic Return is named Zhang Daoyi and commands 120 men.

The incantation says: The teachings of the Orthodox Way have their ranks and regulations and extend throughout the Ten Directions. Through Dao, De, and compassion, they broadly relieve all beings through their karmic deeds. All matters governed by the commands of the True Light Talisman can be investigated.

For this ritual, burn the invocation in an incense burner. Send the Merit Officer a dispatch, asking him to investigate matters of the karmic way and stating the purpose of the Zhaijiao on the document. Then burn a talisman. This Merit Officer oversees the merits and faults, good and evil, of true immortals, cultivators, and ordinary people. He determines rightful karmic ties, agreements made in past lives, debts of grievance, and matters of life and death. He can provide information whether one wishes to inquire or summon.

Talisman for Summoning the Merit Officer of the Five Paths

The Merit Officer of the Five Paths is named Li Zhengguang and commands 120 men.

The incantation says: All sentient beings among the Four Births and Five Paths undergo countless transformations, each with its own destination. Once gathered by the light of Heaven, the talisman’s command can be carried out without hindrance.

For this ritual, burn the invocation in an incense burner. Send the Merit Officer a dispatch, asking him to investigate matters of the Five Paths and stating the purpose of the Zhaijiao on the document. Then burn a talisman. This Merit Officer can identify the solitary souls and lingering spirits among the Four Births and Five Paths: the dead who have no place to return to and remain behind instead of departing.

Incantation for Summoning All Merit Officers

“Jade Documents of the Mysterious Bureau” (talismanic texts of the Divine Empyrean Ritual Bureau) are documents used to perform rites and accomplish meritorious deeds. Place one in an incense burner and burn it while reciting an invocation and petition. Then dispatch the Merit Officers (divine officials charged with carrying out commands) by means of an official dispatch, and petition the Five Paths, stating in the dispatch what is sought through the Zhaijiao purification ritual. Next, take another talisman and burn it together with the document. The Merit Officers invoked here can learn the circumstances of solitary souls and stranded spirits among the beings who pass through the Five Paths (the routes of transmigration) and the Four Births (womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born).

Invocation of the Merit Officers

The Jade Documents of the Mysterious Bureau are official instruments for accomplishing meritorious deeds and carrying out affairs. They govern matters of the Jade Clarity Heaven and report to the Three Heavens. The Supreme Emperor has already issued his command; divine light should descend swiftly. I respectfully summon the appointed Merit Officer to take charge and carry out the command in accordance with the statutes. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High True King of the Jade Clarity Heaven of the Divine Empyrean.

To perform this rite, make the prescribed finger mudra for the Chen position and draw in Qi from the Xun direction (one of the Bagua, associated with the southeast), thereby summoning the Merit Officers.

Designations of the Merit Officers

One hundred and twenty Merit Officers for slaying evil; one hundred and twenty for pursuing and capturing; one hundred and twenty for binding and sending; one hundred and twenty for determining names; and one hundred and twenty Merit Officers of the Joyful Jade Register.

All these Merit Officers wear wrapped headcloths, crimson wide-sleeved robes, and dark green belts. Write talismans to summon them. Each day, Merit Officers stand watch at the ritual altar. They are responsible for assembling troops and attendants, and each has a specific duty. They may be called upon to submit memorials and petitions, check the registers of immortals, pursue and capture malign spirits, or treat illness and slay evil.

Format of the Official Dispatch to the Merit Officers

From the Office of the Most High True King of the Jade Clarity Heaven of the Divine Empyrean:

Our office now summons one hundred and twenty Merit Officers for treating illness on account of a certain matter. Proceed immediately to a certain place and heal the illness afflicting a certain person. Carry out the prescribed measures within a specified number of days. We respectfully command the Merit Officers for treating illness, and also request the divine beings known as the Officials of Bian Que of the Nine Heavens, the Celestial Physicians, the Divine Immortals, the Attendants of the Imperial Pharmacy, and the Spiritually Responsive Protectors of the Mysterious. Treat illness with cinnabar fungus and prolong life with jade crystals, so that every kind of affliction is swiftly dispelled and no illness may intrude. Quickly eradicate the roots of the patient’s illness, including the ghosts of corpse transmission, karmic debts, malign corpses, and lingering afflictions, and keep the patient safe. By the command of the Divine Empyrean, restore health to the channels throughout the body. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes.

Fill in the date according to the Grand Tai Sui, year, month, day, and hour, and carry out the assignment under the commands of the Divine Empyrean.

The ritual master of rank, [surname], affixes their signature.

Another format:

Office of the High and Lofty Jade Purity King of the Divine Empyrean:

This office now, on account of [matter], summons one hundred and twenty Merit Officers for Slaying Evil. They are to proceed immediately to [place] and treat the illness afflicting [person]. The deadline is [number] days; they shall carry out the work as prescribed.

We hereby command the Merit Officers for Slaying Evil: You serve under the command of the Divine Lord of the Jade Court, the soldiers and officials of the Supreme One of the Nine Heavens. The Envoy Who Governs Killing and the General Who Cuts Off Evil, bearing divine weapons in hand, shall slay evil spirits and eliminate their traces without pause. Wherever they encounter ghosts or demons, they shall slay them one by one; wherever they encounter evil influences, they shall wipe out every trace. They shall behead countless beings and cut down countless forms. Heavenly demons and earthly monsters shall instantly turn to dust. Let this be proclaimed to all mountain and marsh spirits: they must not defy the command. With a single sweep of the divine blade, the myriad ghosts shall hide and vanish. Let this be done with all haste, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

Fill in the date according to the Grand Tai Sui, year, month, day, and hour, and carry out the assignment under the commands of the Divine Empyrean.

The ritual master of rank, [surname], affixes their signature.

Another format:

Office of the High and Lofty Jade Purity King of the Divine Empyrean:

This office now, on account of [matter], summons one hundred and twenty Merit Officers for Pursuit and Capture. They are to proceed immediately to [place] and treat the illness afflicting [person].

The ritual master of rank, [surname], affixes their signature.

Another format:

Office of the High and Lofty Jade Purity King of the Divine Empyrean:

This office now, on account of [matter], summons one hundred and twenty Merit Officers for Pursuit and Capture. They are to proceed immediately to [place] and treat the illness afflicting [person]. The deadline is [number] days; they shall carry out the work as prescribed.

We hereby command the Merit Officers for Pursuit and Capture: You serve under the command of the Nine Purities and are charged with pursuing and capturing evil ghosts in all eight directions. The Merit Officers of the Four Dark Realms can ascend to the heavens above and descend into the underworld below. If evil ghosts hide in caves, seize them at once and bring them in; if they hide among mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, seize them swiftly and bring them in. Do not let them escape; in this way, protect the living. Let this be done with all haste, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances.

Fill in the date according to the Grand Tai Sui, year, month, day, and hour, and carry out the assignment under the commands of the Divine Empyrean.

The ritual master of rank, [surname], affixes their signature.

Another format:

Office of the High and Lofty Jade Purity King of the Divine Empyrean:

The ritual master responsible for this matter, because of a certain need, is to summon and dispatch 120 Merit Officers—divine officials who convey orders and carry out assignments—to go immediately to a certain place and cure someone’s illness. The deadline is a specified number of days. The ritual master is to fill in the details of how the work is to be carried out.

Carefully command the dispatched Merit Officers to serve the Nine Perfected (Daoist divine beings) and report upward to the divine offices. Use a dragon cloth as a cord and dispatch the divine dragon. However vast Heaven and Earth may be, seize it alive and escort it to the divine offices. Bind the evil spirits, capture the ghosts, and escort them to the celestial prison. Suspend them by their hands and seize them by their feet, so that they cannot stop suffering. Carry this out at once, in strict accordance with the statutes.

In the year, month, day, and hour of the Tai Sui cycle, this is dispatched and carried out under the statutes of the Divine Empyrean.

The ritual master holds the proper rank and is surnamed [Name], here affixing the seal.

Establishing the Ritual Boundary and Treading the Dipper

Tread the Dipper and its stellar steps, and perform the Thunder Rite, bringing Heaven and Earth into accord. Command General of the Thunder Drum to shout, exhale and spew fire, devour demons and consume ghosts, and wield iron chains.

In the year, month, day, and hour of the Tai Sui cycle, this is dispatched and carried out under the statutes of the Divine Empyrean.

The ritual master holds the proper rank and is surnamed [Name], here affixing the seal.

Establishing the Ritual Boundary and Treading the Dipper

Tread the Dipper and its stellar steps, and perform the Thunder Rite, bringing Heaven and Earth into accord. Command General of the Thunder Drum to shout, exhale and spew fire, devour demons and consume ghosts, and wield iron chains. All manner of evil ghosts will then be bound of their own accord in midair. Restless household ghosts and premature-death ghosts are to be seized with tongs and cast into a cauldron of fire. If any lesser ghost dares to show itself and play tricks on people, violating the Dipper steps trodden by the ritual master, let the heads of the myriad evils fall. Carry this out at once, in strict accordance with the statutes.

Summoning the Soul, Seizing the Po, and Bringing Down the Spirit Talisman

The incantation says:

Nine times nine is the limit of number; the power that brings forth and transforms things was born before Heaven and Earth. The Five Phases move without cease. All living things are nurtured by the Great Dao, and each possesses its own share of the myriad things. Carry this out at once, in strict accordance with the statutes of the Most High, the True King of the Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean.

This rite is performed by writing the talisman on a soul-summoning banner. Use a white banner, three feet and three inches long, and write the deceased’s name along one side. The ritual master then holds a soul cloth and burns a “Returning the Soul, Seizing the Po, and Bringing Down the Spirit Talisman” in the incense burner. The banner will gradually grow heavier. When it reaches the place where the deceased’s spirit tablet is enshrined, the deceased is said to appear in bodily form.

Incantation for Prompt Manifestation

Summon and seize the deceased’s Hun and Po, and bring the spirit down swiftly. The vital energy of the Northern Dipper covers the four directions; the Black Tortoise (the deity of the north) opens the pass. The Vermilion Bird (the deity of the south) stands guard, the Azure Dragon (the deity of the east) transforms and protects, and the White Tiger (the deity of the west) manifests an omen, bringing the assembled gods to rest. As soon as the spirit arrives, let it appear before the eyes. The banner will gradually grow heavier. When it reaches the place where the deceased’s spirit tablet is enshrined, the deceased is said to appear in bodily form.

Summon and seize the souls, causing them to descend swiftly. The vital essence of the Northern Dipper stars shields them; Xuanwu, the deity of the north, opens the portals. Zhuque, the deity of the south, stands guard, while Qinglong, the deity of the east, carries out transformation. When Baihu, the deity of the west, appears, all the spirits are brought to rest. As soon as the rite is performed, the souls of the dead appear before one’s eyes. By the command of the High God, the True King of Jade Purity in the Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

For this method, form the Chen hand-seal with your fingers, draw in Qi from the Xun direction (southeast), and blow it onto the brush. If the earlier method has not made the souls appear, recite this invocation to summon them; they will manifest immediately.

Brush Invocation for the Divine Empyrean Talisman to Deliver Souls from the Netherworld

Jade Purity has issued a command to deliver souls from the netherworld far and wide. Wherever the light of Heaven shines, the roots of sinful karma are cleansed away. By the command of the High God, the True King of Jade Purity in the Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

Dispersing the Form

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues a talismanic decree, gathers the Qi of the Upper Origin, and informs the spirits at the gates of the Three Realms and the various heavens: Wind and Lake open the void; the myriad Qi return to the Immortals and the Perfected. Within the Jade Register of the Primal Cavern, the souls of the dead are given new life. For the hidden souls in the Nine Springs, the roots of the earth are severed; their bones rise again and the dead return to life. At that time, they ascend in rank. The Three Offices and Nine Bureaus lessen their evil roots and draw them out through the Earth’s Gate, enabling the nine generations of ancestors to ascend to immortality.

Gathering the Form

Invocation:

Jade Purity issues a talismanic decree to deliver souls from the netherworld far and wide. At the touch of Heaven’s light, sinful karma melts away like ice. By the command of the High God, the True King of Jade Purity in the Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

Another Talisman

Invocation for Consecrating the Talisman

The souls of the dead suffer greatly; they should turn their thoughts toward the spirits. The radiant golden talisman-light of the Lord of the Empyrean, Jade Purity, appears and strikes fiercely at the gates of the Yellow Springs. It releases you from your bonds in the netherworld, freeing you from sinking into the depths and allowing you to rise. After being refined in Knife-Lī Heaven, you transform and ascend to the Cinnabar Court. By the command of the Celestial Worthy, the High God, the True King of Jade Purity in the Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

Brush Invocation for the Divine Empyrean Talisman to Break Open the Hells

The Celestial Worthy of Jade Purity issues a command in the realm of Jade Purity. The decree of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning must be carried out at once. The Ninefold Dark Underworld, the Great Spirit of Fengdu, the spirits who investigate affairs in the famous mountains, and the officials of the Water Palaces must all obey. All embodied beings under the jurisdiction of the ten directions, and all the sinful karma committed by the souls of the dead, are to be pardoned by heavenly decree. By the command of the Celestial Worthy, the High God, the True King of Jade Purity in the Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

By the method above: Make the Chen sign with the fingers, gather black Qi, breathe onto the brush, and then write.

Releasing the Form

On the cold nights of the Nine Springs, deep in the underworld, may the shadowy, frigid abyss at once behold the light. May its radiance pierce the nine layers of darkness. Reverently obey the command of the Venerable Celestial Worthy, True King of the Highest, Jade Purity of Divine Empyrean.

By the method above: Make the Chen sign with the fingers, gather black Qi, breathe onto the brush, and then write.

Releasing the Form

On the cold nights of the Nine Springs, may the shadowy, frigid abyss at once behold the light, piercing the nine layers of darkness. Who would dare disobey and refuse to honor the command of the Celestial Emperor? The Vajra divine generals destroy the punishments of hell. Wind and thunder disperse; the fires of punishment become cool pools of water; darkness turns to warmth and peace. The chariot of fire is no longer sent forth; the boiling cauldrons are extinguished, the bronze pillars destroyed, and the punishments of cutting and dismemberment halted. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues this decree: wherever the talisman arrives, let the souls of the dead be summoned at once, so that their spirits may leave Fengdu and Mount Dai and escape the Iron-Enclosing Mountains. Whether guilty or innocent, all must be pardoned immediately; none may disobey. The guardians of the Three Realms and all the gods must respectfully carry out this command.

Talisman-Urging Incantation

The radiance of Jade Purity of Divine Empyrean shines into the darkest places. Suffering in the cold springs dissipates, and the nine hidden prisons of the underworld collapse together. When the spirit kings of Fengdu receive the summons, they immediately halt the punishments. The prison lords and wardens proclaim that they will carry out the will of Heaven. The true scriptures of the Dao dissolve the hidden prisons and destroy the gates of hell. A numinous radiance proclaims the summons, transforming wandering souls. As the radiance shines, Divine Empyrean draws in the souls of the dead; receiving the light of Heaven as it descends, it saves the spirits everywhere. Wherever the command of the Jade Purity Celestial Worthy arrives, let the hidden prisons be destroyed; none may delay.

The general who guards the gates, acting on the command of the Great Sovereign, must swiftly open them and give form to the myriad ghosts. The true light of the Northern Emperor shines through the netherworld. Spirits of the dead, spirits of the dead, come all and receive the light. As the radiance shines, Divine Empyrean draws in the souls of the dead; receiving the light of Heaven as it descends, it saves the spirits everywhere. Wherever the command of the Jade Purity Celestial Worthy arrives, let the hidden prisons be destroyed; none may delay. The general who guards the gates, acting on the command of the Great Sovereign, must swiftly open them and give form to the myriad ghosts. The true light of the Northern Emperor shines through the netherworld, bringing all the spirits of the dead into the light.

The Jade Purity talismanic decree commands the Three Officials, the gods who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water: the Nine Offices and Four Departments, the Five Sacred Peaks and Nine Netherworlds, the Six Grottoes and Ten Palaces, the Office of the Springs’ Winding Paths, and the officials in charge of Fengdu. In accordance with this talismanic command, release the souls of the dead everywhere and let them leave the prisons of hell. Hasten and obey this command, in accordance with the statutes.

General Command: Incantation for Two Talismans

The talismanic command of Divine Empyrean is issued to the Nine Netherworlds. The divine generals and officials of all the heavens must carry out the command as soon as they receive it. All souls suffering punishment are pardoned and allowed to ascend to Heaven. Hasten to obey the command of the Venerable Celestial Worthy, True King of the Highest, Jade Purity of Divine Empyrean.

These two talismans are edicts issued by the Lord on High. First, take in the Qi of the Divine Empyrean (the Qi used in the Divine Empyrean tradition) and blow it onto the talismans, then recite the edict incantation. The Qi of the Heavenly Gate must also be used to blow upon them.

During the ritual, whenever these two talismanic edicts are to be reported or read aloud, first kneel before the Three Treasures (the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters) and make a formal report. After reading them, summon the Divine Empyrean Earthly Circuit Merit Officer, a divine functionary who conveys documents, and have him carry the edicts to the Five Sacred Peaks and famous mountains, the Northern Court of Luofeng (the Daoist realm of the underworld), and the Springs of Darkness and Watery Gates (a name for the underworld). He is to proclaim them widely and summon back the soul of the deceased. This is how the power of these two talismans is put to work.

True Talisman on a Jade Tablet of the Upper Origin, for the Three Lords of the Three Heavens of Jade Purity

The three primal Qi rise up, their vapor shining brightly, while the four quarters stretch into the distance. The ancestors of every generation and the souls in the underworld are to be notified far and wide. The deceased is brought back by the power of these two talismans.

True Talisman on a Jade Tablet of the Upper Origin, for the Three Lords of the Three Heavens of Jade Purity

The three primal Qi rise up, their vapor shining brightly, while the four quarters stretch into the distance. The ancestors of every generation, the wandering souls, and the souls of the dead are all to follow Heaven’s command. In Great Yin (the realm of the underworld), they undergo rites such as the recording of dates and the refining and deliverance of souls, after which they may attain immortality. Their sins and blessings, prohibitions, and karmic ties from past lives are all to be examined. All departed souls are to be delivered. The dead souls are reborn, their bodies renewed, and they ascend to the heavens.

Edict Incantation

Revered Spirit of Taiyi, gather in the true Qi. Spirit of Taiyi, protect life and stabilize the spirit and soul, bringing life to peace. Draw down the Qi of Jade Truth from above for me, and spread it below throughout the court of the Purple Gate. The Jade Scripture reaches upward; the Muddy Pellet (the dwelling place of a spirit within the head) shines brightly. The ancestors of seven generations rejoice together and ascend together to Highest Clarity (the pure realm of the immortals). May this body enter the realm beyond form.

Tablet Text

The white tablet issued by the Three Heavens is an edict of Jade Purity. Make its contents known to the High Heaven above, the prison wardens on the left and right, the officials in charge of the records, and the divine lord of the heavenly prison. Ask them to deliver a certain person, remove grave offenses, and block the source of evil, so that body and spirit may ascend together and proceed to the Heavenly Gate to pay audience to the Heavenly Emperor. Blessings and wisdom will arise of themselves, and the person will serve the Dragon Carriage, roaming freely and at ease while the true Dao endures forever. This command is to be carried out accordingly and swiftly conveyed by the wind-and-fire post messengers.

On a certain day and month of a certain year in the sexagenary cycle, at an auspicious hour chosen at the ritual altar, this tablet is proclaimed and issued.

This tablet is made of xiang wood. Blessings and wisdom will arise of themselves, and the person will serve the Dragon Carriage, roaming freely and at ease while the true Dao endures forever. This command is to be carried out accordingly and swiftly conveyed by the wind-and-fire post messengers.

On a certain day and month of a certain year in the sexagenary cycle, at an auspicious hour chosen at the ritual altar, this tablet is proclaimed and issued.

The “Right Tablet” is made from xiang wood, measuring seven cun long, four cun wide, and three fen thick. It is used when presenting offerings to rescue and elevate ancient emperors and empresses, helping them ascend beyond this world. For delivering the souls of the dead, a separate proclamation is provided.

“Precious Proclamation of the Inner Tones of the Nine Heavens: Vermilion Writ in Golden Script for the Zhongyuan Festival”

Incantation for Empowering the Talisman

When the Lord Sovereign encounters and joins with the pure primordial Qi of Lingfan, he bestows talisman registers and summons the myriad spirits with the dark qi of rectitude. He then summons Jade Truth Qi from above, causing it to fill the space between my eyebrows. The Qi of the Primordial Oneness gives rise to the Lord Sovereign’s numinous radiance; the Three Pure Essences make me an immortal. I ride the wind and take my sustenance, mounting a flying chariot to ascend straight to the lofty Celestial Court. May the Dao’s Qi endure forever.

Tablet Text

The Supreme Emperor issues a talismanic command, conveying it to the Three Officials, the divine authorities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water. Great gods who preside over the celestial prisons and underworld, please rescue and elevate the ancient generals, ministers, and officials, along with worthy men of the Nine Merits and Seven Virtues, and their souls. May all the gods together receive this command and protect their body and spirit, escorting them to attend court before the Emperor. Release them from sins and enmities, dissolve their debts of grievance, and unite them with the Dao. Let their spirits ascend to the Jade Gate and endure through refinement and deliverance. In all matters, act in accordance with this proclamation, transmitted by the wind-and-fire courier.

On a propitious day and hour chosen at the ritual site, in the [year, month, and day] of the sexagenary cycle.

The “Right Tablet” is made from cypress wood, measuring nine cun and nine fen long, three cun and nine fen wide, and three fen thick. Its text is written in five columns. It is used to deliver and elevate ancient generals and ministers, as well as worthy men and officials of the Nine Merits and Seven Virtues. For delivering the souls of the dead, a separate proclamation is provided.

On a propitious day and hour chosen at the ritual site, the proclamation is made.

The “Right Tablet” is made from cypress wood, measuring nine cun and nine fen long, three cun and nine fen wide, and three fen thick. Its text is written in five columns. It is used to deliver and elevate ancient generals and ministers, as well as worthy men and officials of the Nine Merits and Seven Virtues. For delivering the souls of the dead, a separate proclamation is provided.

“Numinous Talisman of the Dipper for Deliverance from the Cycle of Life and Death”

By command, this red talisman extends the lives of departed souls in the netherworld and delivers them. The Three Heavens pardon their sins, so that all suffering souls may receive relief, escape the cycle of life and death, and cross beyond confusion. Sever the causes of death, release their bonds, and refine their forms. By the compassionate grace and Jade Edict of Heaven, the spirits of the netherworld are pardoned. The light of the Three Platforms shines brilliantly, illuminating the dark world beneath the springs, so that even the shadowed depths of the Ninefold Netherworld may see the light. Enable the departed spirits to be reborn along the Five Paths, continually rising onward through the power of wind and fire, ascending beyond the heavens and attaining the realization of immortal truth.

Incantation for Empowering the Talisman

On the left is the true Qi of Lord Wuying and Master Xuanchong.

The True Spirit Wuying (a Daoist deity) gives rise to the Purple Sovereign, a revered deity. The three kinds of primordial Qi combine to form musical notes such as gong and shang. Summon true Qi to guard the bladder, channeling it through the upper, middle, and lower Dantian and gathering it in the Cavern Chamber, the divine chamber within the body. This enables me to become an immortal and transform my appearance and complexion; to ascend into the clouds to an immortal lodge and enter the Golden Hall. May I unite with the Great Dao and become a true immortal.

The Brief

The sacred characters of vermilion script and jade writing, used in Daoism to convey divine commands, ascend to the Purple Court in the heavens. May Heaven show compassion and grant pardon, saving the beings in the dark, cold reaches of the Three Realms. May the guilty souls in the Ninefold Darkness, the spirits of ancestors from countless generations, suffering souls, and wandering spirits all have their registers of guilt erased and the roots of their harmful karma destroyed, and swiftly reach a place of rebirth. May their Qi and consciousness be at peace, and may they receive Heaven’s compassionate pardon; may their consciousness ascend to the Jade Gate, the heavenly palace. Purify the spirit and refine the body, making the true heart clear and bright; sweep away darkness and obscuration, and attain the Dao and become perfected. Once this command is issued, wind and fire carry it swiftly onward.

On the year, month, and day recorded by the sexagenary calendar, choose an auspicious time at the ritual site to write this brief and present it to Heaven.

This tablet is made from Xiang wood. It is nine cun and nine fen long, three cun and nine fen wide, and three fen thick. Its text is written according to the directions of the Five Phases and is used to deliver the souls of the deceased among the people. This talisman can save souls from the endless night of the Northern Yin Underworld and send them to Zhul ing, the place where Daoists perform rites of refinement and deliverance, before they enter the Southern Palace anew. Those of the highest attainment who obtain this talisman may ascend to the Golden Palace; those of middling attainment may rise to Qinghua, the immortal realm of the east; those of lower attainment may, through the refinement and deliverance of their souls, attain the Dao and become perfected, forever escaping the evil destinies. Those who cultivate perfection in life and receive an immortal office may also use this talisman to advance to a higher rank.

True Talisman of the Jade Tablet for the Heavenly Court of the Local Sanctuary

The divine characters of the Five Directions unfold and spirits are established everywhere. Forever deliver beings from the Three Paths of suffering, dispel the calamities of the Ninefold Darkness, swiftly erase the registers of guilt, and utterly destroy the roots of harmful karma. In the upper realm, no forms or colors remain to obstruct; primordial Qi governs the Upper Origin. The souls of the dead undergo refinement and deliverance, are transformed into immortals, and regain human form. They pass beyond the bounds under my jurisdiction and naturally receive divine radiance and an immortal escort. The true gods who oversee the rite escort all beings, making their consciousness clear and bright as they depart, riding on purple clouds.

Incantation for Empowering the Talisman

This refers to the true Qi issued by Baiyuan Dongyang Jun, Yulingbiao, a Daoist deity.

Dongyang Yuling makes the souls shine with golden radiance, glittering within the Qi. Primordial Qi governs the Upper Origin. The souls of the dead undergo refinement and deliverance, are transformed into immortals, and regain human form. They pass beyond the bounds under my jurisdiction and naturally receive divine radiance and an immortal escort. The true gods who oversee the rite escort all beings, making their consciousness clear and bright as they depart, riding on purple clouds.

The passage on the right concerns the true Qi of Baiyuan Dongyang Lord Yuling. The Qi of Dongyang Yuling causes the souls to radiate golden light, shining brightly within the Qi. Essence Qi thereby gathers and becomes firm, while spirit Qi enables a person to live forever. It can draw a person out through the Earthly Gate—the entrance to the underworld—and return their foundations to the state of an unborn infant. It also enables them to ride the true Qi upward to Yuqing, the pure celestial realm inhabited by Daoist deities. May the body ascend and become immortal.

A “bamboo-slip text” is an announcement written on a ritual slip:

The lofty jade slip bears the talismanic mandate of the Three Heavens, the Daoist celestial realms. It opens the eight gates of the upper realm and the thirty-six prisons, where officials administer the various offices, and sends the announcement far away to the Emperor’s Abode, where the Celestial Emperor resides. May the deceased, [name], be pardoned for the transgressions committed in life and be delivered to the heavens of the lofty jade palaces above. Thereafter, may they return to their proper station, with their Qi returning to the mysterious realm of the Limitless. All the above is to be carried out in accordance with the mandate and conveyed by the wind-and-fire courier.

On the year, month, and day of the Grand Duke Jupiter, place this slip in the ritual space and proclaim its mandate at an auspicious hour.

What follows “True Talisman on a Golden Slip of Yuqing” is a talismanic text. It prays that the luminous, mysterious Qi will open the way to deliver the dead; that Yin-Yang Qi will transform into the power of fiery refinement and refine the souls of the deceased. May their souls be born anew, gather Qi, and become immortal through nine cycles of cultivation. May the path to fortune be opened, Heaven’s Qi return to the body, the hundred spirits become manifest, and the true path be restored.

A “commanding incantation” is an order and spell recited while performing a ritual:

The Lord of the Central Bureau of Destiny, who governs lifespans and registers of fate, presides over the original true Qi of the luminous beginning.

The Lord of Destiny who determines the years of life protects the immortal’s name, so that it may be entered in the register of the Southern Palace and reported to the Imperial Lord. With the Great One’s Talisman for Delivering Souls, used to deliver the spirits of the dead, may the roots of their worldly karma be received and they be delivered. Their blessings are without end; may they all receive the mandate of the Jade Capital, the celestial palace, and attain eternal life.

The “bamboo-slip text”:

The golden slip of Yuqing bears the divine mandate to deliver the deceased. This announcement is sent to the prison officials, the attendants who oversee restraints, the officers who administer punishment, and the officials in charge of records and penal affairs. It orders them to open a path of deliverance for the deceased, [name], so that their soul may be refined and cleansed, their consciousness clarified, and they may ascend to the Mysterious Gate, the passage between the underworld and the immortal realms. May their record of offenses be erased and their cultivated merit brought to completion, so that they may ascend to life in the lofty heavens of the Nine Pure Ones and enter the realm of true Wuwei (non-action). All the above is to be carried out in accordance with the mandate and conveyed by the wind-and-fire courier.

On the year, month, and day of the Grand Duke Jupiter, place this slip in the ritual space and proclaim its mandate at an auspicious hour.

The slip on the right is made of cypress wood. It is nine cun and nine fen long, three cun and nine fen wide, and three fen thick. Its text is written in Five Phases script. Write the talismanic seal script in vermilion, form the Chen hand sign by setting the fingers according to the ritual directions or time, gather and draw in the Qi of the Divine Firmament, face southeast and exhale, then proclaim the mandate in the ritual space at an auspicious hour.

The petition is made on a slip of cypress wood, nine cun and nine fen long, three cun and nine fen wide, and three fen thick. Write the text on the slip in five lines. Write the talisman in cinnabar, form the Chen hand-seal, gather the Qi of Divine Empyrean, then face the Xun direction (southeast) and blow.

Refinement Methods

Fire Refinement: Set out eighteen tables in a row. Place an incense burner on each table and kindle a strong fire with incense in each burner. Starting with the head, refine in sequence through to the life talisman, carrying out eighteen procedures in all. The ritual master forms the Jade Purity hand-seal. For each procedure, recite the incantation that corresponds to the talisman, then cast the talisman into the fierce fire in the incense burner to burn it.

Water Refinement: Use a pool measuring either nine cun or nine chi; in any case, take the number nine nine times. The pool may be made of metal, stone, wood, or brick. Use nine measures of water in the pool. Place an incense burner at each of its four corners, kindle a strong fire with incense in each, and envelop the pool in mist. After reciting the prayer, the ritual master casts the body-refinement talisman into the pool so that the sponsor of the purification ritual can see the departed soul being delivered. If it does not appear, recite the urging incantation again to make it appear. If the refined form does not resemble a human being or has become an animal, switch to fire refinement. If it takes human form, continue according to the purification ritual’s procedures, guiding the departed soul across the ritual bridge and up to the platform of heavenly rebirth. The specific method depends on the circumstances.

Body-Refinement Talisman

At the head of the talisman, write the incantation for summoning the departed soul. If the soul does not appear, recite the urging incantation again. If the refined form does not resemble a human being or has become an animal, switch to fire refinement. If it takes human form, continue according to the purification ritual’s procedures, guiding it across the ritual bridge and up to the platform of heavenly rebirth. The specific method depends on the circumstances.

Incantation Written at the Head:

May the departed soul’s head and face appear, and its body be restored to complete human form. Whether male or female, may its bones be transformed and made to communicate with the spirits.

Incantation for Dispersing the Form:

Divine water flows from the Jade Pool; fiery radiance flows from Vermilion Mound. By the power of the Jade Eyes, refine and transform the body; with Yellow Flowers, cleanse its form. I report this above and dispatch one hundred thousand divine troops, so that the departed soul may ascend to the Jade Palace and enter the Imperial Court. Let this be carried out swiftly in accordance with the laws of the Most High True King of Divine Empyrean and Jade Purity.

Incantation of the Ten Heavenly Stems

The Six Jia and the Six Heavens: the talisman’s response begins to shine forth. The Six Yi gleam in pairs; the Six Bing blaze like fire. The Six Ding flash with radiance, while the Qi of Wu and Ji appears at the center. The Six Geng sprout forth; the Six Xin rise upward. The Six Ren are the Nine Qi; the Six Gui return to the One and take form. The True King receives the command and gathers all the Qi, uniting them as one. The Golden Body has nine methods of instruction, and the two portals of Water and Fire join together. By the command of the High Supreme True King of Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

Talisman Incantation

In the Upper Origin—the vital energy in the upper part of the body—there is a True Spirit who guards and secures the Muddy Pellet, the inner alchemy site in the head. In the Middle Origin—the vital energy in the middle part of the body—there is a True Spirit who steadies the Crimson Palace, the inner alchemy site where the heart resides. In the Lower Origin—the vital energy in the lower part of the body—there is a True Spirit who guards the Gate of Life, the vital aperture in the lower back. When the radiant Qi of the Three Origins converges, life can be preserved and made enduring. Summon the True Spirits and call forth the vital energy, so that the breath rises and descends naturally. Transform and refine the marrow until the bones become an immortal body. This is the command of the High Supreme True King of Divine Empyrean. Carry it out at once.

Talisman Incantation

In the Upper Origin there is a True Spirit who guards and secures the Muddy Pellet; in the Middle Origin there is a True Spirit who steadies the Crimson Palace; in the Lower Origin there is a True Spirit who guards the Gate of Life. The radiant Qi of the Three Origins converges, preserving life and making it endure. Summon the True Spirits and call forth the vital energy, so that the breath rises and descends naturally. Transform and refine the marrow until the bones become an immortal body. Feathers grow, and one rises into the air, soaring beside the Imperial Lord. By the command of the High Supreme True King of Divine Empyrean, carry this out at once.

When performing these three incantations, face east, draw in the Qi of the southeast three times, and refine and cultivate yourself according to the prescribed method. The talisman is swallowed in the same way: recite the general incantation as you do so, then swallow the talisman.

Incantation for the Ritual Master to Refine the Body

The creative power of Heaven and Earth gathers into Qi and gives form to human beings. The left eye is the sun, the right eye the moon. The sounds made by the ears, nose, throat, and tongue ascend to Heaven. The spirits within the spleen, liver, and gallbladder dwell constantly in the five apertures. Each of the Five Phases has its own ruler, and together they protect the human form. The divine generals Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui, come swiftly to guard and protect. By the command of the Supreme Lord, carry this out at once.

The ritual master performs this method according to the formula handed down by the founder of this lineage, drawing in the Qi of the Gate of Heaven and taking it into the body. This talisman is a method for refining and cultivating the body.

Incantation for the Body-Refining Water-Relief Talisman

The twelve Earthly Branches—Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai—and the ten Heavenly Stems—Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui—are all divine lords. Each of the twelve divine lords performs its own task, gathering the true Qi. When the full number is present, the true Qi condenses and transforms into the Five Phases. The true Qi descends, passes through, and fills every place, gathering all things and bringing the true Qi to completion. Receive the Qi of the purple clouds and swiftly proceed to the palace gates of Jade Purity. I, by the command of Jade Purity, order the Original Qi to descend swiftly and condense.

With the right hand, form the Jade Ji mudra, then form the Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui mudras in sequence. The twelve divine lords gather, and true Qi condenses into a number of ten. When the count is complete, true Qi condenses into form and transforms into the Five Phases. True Qi descends and flows through, fully drawing in true Qi and taking form. Riding the purple clouds, swiftly proceed to the palaces of Jade Purity. By the command of Jade Purity, I order primordial Qi to descend swiftly and take form.

This concludes the forming of the Jade Purity mudra.

Incantation to Hasten the Vision

Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin; the Five Directions open through and become truth. Dao Qi transforms, and the true form appears at once. By the command of Jade Purity, I order primordial Qi to descend swiftly and take form.

This concludes the forming of the Jade Purity mudra.

An Alternative Incantation for Refining the Body

Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding: remove impure Qi and bring the spirits to life. Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin: gather upright Qi and give it form. Ren, Gui: bring Jing and Qi to life, restoring the original true form. By the talismanic command of the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning, ascend to Zhuling, an immortal realm in Daoism. Swiftly obey the ordinances.

Inner Invocation for Refinement and Deliverance

The assembled gods each take charge of their duties. With a pure Dharma body, refine the physical form and deliver souls sunk in the netherworld, suffering and unable to move on. Leave behind this illusory body, burdened by desires and marked by deficiencies, and pass through the profound gate that is formless, without attachment, and without attainment. May your Jing-soul return to the realm of Mo. Though dead, be as one not dead; be freed from the sins that lead to the hells. Reborn, may you enjoy the status and pleasures of the human and heavenly realms, and pass through the profound gate that is formless, without attachment, and without attainment. May your Jing-soul return to the realm of Mo. Though dead, be as one not dead; be freed from the sins that lead to the hells. Reborn, may you enjoy the pleasures of the human and heavenly realms.

Precious Petition for Longevity through the Supreme Divine Empyrean Yellow Register True Talisman

Now, according to my place of origin, I, a Daoist disciple named So-and-so, sincerely make this petition: I hold a ritual praying for life in the year of my birth cycle. The star lord of the Northern Dipper associated with my birth cycle watches over me. From the time I was born until today, how could I have been entirely free of faults in family life and worldly affairs? Have the three karmic actions of body, speech, and mind, and the six faculties of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, not been at fault? I have respectfully heard that the Most High proclaimed the Covenant of the True and Precious Register. It is indeed a bridge to deliverance, attained through cultivation in advance. Therefore, I sincerely take refuge in the Great Dao and pray to receive this Precious Petition for Longevity, so that in this life I may preserve my life and cultivate the Dao. If this body must eventually depart, I can rely only on the Daoist rites for deliverance. I respectfully follow what the scriptures say:

In the Jade Clarity Sacred Realm, the highest celestial realm of Qingwei in Daoist belief, the Great Luo Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning once taught the immortals and sages of the heavens, along with the deities who administer the affairs of the Three Realms, about the causes and conditions of life and death and the methods of preserving life through cultivation. When a person’s allotted years come to an end, they must rely on rites of deliverance if they hope to be saved. The scripture records:

Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning taught the immortals and sages of the heavens, and the officials in charge of the Three Realms, about the causes and conditions of life and death in the Great Hall of Blessings in the Fragrant Grove Garden. At that time, the Perfected One Who Relieves Suffering came forward and reported to the Celestial Worthy: “I have seen that in the Ninefold Netherworld and the Northern Office of Mount Luofeng, the Celestial Worthies Who Relieve Suffering from the Ten Directions all enter the underworld to rescue and deliver the souls of the dead who are enduring suffering.”

The Celestial Worthy then addressed everyone gathered there—the four assemblies attending the ritual: “If you can receive and uphold the Golden Register and White Writ, documents recording the names of those who have received the precepts, the Ninefold True Wondrous Precepts, the numinous talismans of long life, and the true talismans for relieving suffering, you can dispel grave offenses in the underworld, and your names will be entered in the Nine Palaces. Deities such as the Fate-Observing Youths, the Awe-Inspiring Spirits Who Protect the Precepts, the Five Emperors’ Talismanic Envoys, and the clerks of the Six Palaces will then protect those who have received the precepts, following the records in the register.

“To cultivate blessings in the netherworld in advance, disciple So-and-so has established an altar according to ritual procedure and is performing the Grand Yellow Register Offering to the High Perfected of the Three Realms, a major Daoist purification rite for averting calamity and delivering the dead. With reverence, disciple So-and-so invites the ritual master So-and-so and the register master So-and-so to transmit this method, the Treasure Proclamation of the Yellow Register of the Supreme Covenant with the Perfected. May those who receive and uphold it become a bridge in this life, guiding others across danger, and a boat that delivers the dead of former generations. May they also protect the body and preserve life, overcome tribulations, and dispel calamities. Those who receive and uphold it must not divulge or slight the sacred scriptures. They must honor and observe them, put them into practice as instructed, and comply in all things with the proclamations.”

The Celestial Worthy gave these admonitions:

First, be diligent and conscientious in your duties, and loyal to your ruler.

Second, be respectful and humble, and be filial in serving and supporting your parents.

Third, do not kill. Show compassion and help all living beings.

Fourth, do not engage in illicit sexual conduct. Keep yourself upright and act with integrity toward others.

Fifth, do not steal. Value what is right, and when necessary, accept loss yourself.

Sixth, do not give way to anger or use violent fury to bully others.

The seventh precept is: Do not deceive, flatter, or harm good people.

The eighth precept is: Do not be arrogant or disdain the Way of Supreme Truth (the highest truth and state).

The ninth precept is: When following the Dao, do not be of two minds.

All these precepts were spoken personally by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. To receive them sincerely and put them into practice brings boundless merit, can relieve calamities and suffering, and possesses spiritual power beyond measure. Listen respectfully to the decrees and follow them accordingly.

The Precepts for Protecting Life and Prolonging the Years through the Great One were also spoken personally by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. To receive them sincerely and put them into practice brings boundless merit, can relieve calamities and suffering, and possesses spiritual power beyond measure. Listen respectfully to the decrees and follow them accordingly.

Incantation for the Great One to Protect Life and Prolong the Years

The Dark Heaven issues a mighty decree, offering universal salvation to all beings. The sacred Fulu (talismans and registers) shines forth, and the names of the people are entered in the Pure Capital, the celestial abode of immortals. Their names are recorded in the Golden Register, a list used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals) to record merit and pray for blessings and the removal of calamities; all past offenses are thereby erased. Their spirits ascend to the azure heavens and rise beyond to the Great Void, the highest realm of emptiness.

May this be carried out according to the laws and ordinances of the Dark Heaven.

Incantation for Communing with the Spirits, Prolonging Life, and Protecting the Body

The Supreme True Ones of the Primordial Heaven, the paired radiances move together. On the left, protect my seven Po souls, which sustain the body’s vital functions; on the right, gather my three Hun souls, which govern the spirit and life. Make my spirit clear and grant me long life. True One of the Great One, act in accordance with the laws and ordinances of the Precious Writ.

Incantation of the Lord of the Jade Void of the Supreme Sovereign

Venerable Spirit of the Great One, gather in the True Qi, the primal energy of the primordial state.

May the Great One protect my life and keep my spirit secure and my life at peace. Receive the True Qi for me above, and spread it below through the Court of the Purple Portal, the body’s palace in the context of Daoist inner cultivation. May the Jade Scripture shine with clarity, and may the Muddy Pellet, the upper Dantian in the head, gleam brightly. May seven generations of ancestors rejoice together and ascend to Shangqing, the higher celestial realm in Daoism. May my body enter the realm of the formless.

True Talisman of the Jade Slip of the Upper Origin

Incantation of the Jade Emperor, Lord of the Supreme

Lord Diqunling, bestow the descent of the Brahma True Qi.

The Lord issues the talismanic decree and summons the myriad spirits with pure, upright energy. Receive the Jade True Qi above, and let its radiance fill the space between my eyebrows. The Primordial Undifferentiated State gives birth to the radiance of the Emperor; the Three Substances, the three kinds of refined or immortal energy in Daoist teachings, form my immortal body. Riding a flying carriage, ascend straight to the lofty realms of the immortals. May the myriad Qi remain forever.

The inner celestial sound of the Nine Heavens causes precious radiance to fill the space between my eyebrows. The Primordial Undifferentiated State gives birth to the radiance of the Emperor; the Three Substances form my immortal body. Riding a flying carriage, ascend straight to the lofty realms of the immortals. May the myriad Qi remain forever.

Precious Proclamation of the Inner Sound of the Nine Heavens

Incantation of the Lord of the Purple Dawn of the First Sovereign

On the left, Lord Xuanchong, the Son of Wuying, bestow the descent of the Shu True Qi.

Wuying Shenzhen (a divine name) gave rise to the Purple Emperor (the Heavenly Emperor of Ziwei). Three kinds of primordial Qi blended together, forming the Qi of musical tones such as gong and shang. Summon and draw in true Qi to guard the bladder, so that it may pass through the Three Dantians (upper, middle, and lower energy centers) and gather in the Grotto Chamber (a place within the body where deities are visualized). May it make me appear with the countenance and radiance of an immortal, fly up to the cloud palaces, and enter the Golden Hall. May I become one with the true Dao and remain so forever.

True Talisman for Ascending to Perfection in the Dipper, Transcending Fate, and Escaping Life and Death

Incantation of the Lord, the Heavenly Emperor of Taiwei

The above is the true Qi of Lord Yu Lingbiao of Baiyuan Dongyang.

The Qi of Dongyang Yuling makes the hun and po souls shine with golden radiance, sparkling within the Qi. Gather Jing and Qi, summon true Qi, and stabilize body and mind. Command the spirit to endure without decline, so that one may live forever. Remove the Earth Gate (the portal leading to the underworld), and return the foundation of life to the state of an infant in the womb. Ride upon true Qi and ascend to the Heaven of Jade Clarity. May my body soar aloft and become immortal.

True Talisman on Jade Tablet for the Heavenly Court of This Sanctuary

Incantation of the Lord of Purple Essence of the Three Origins

The primordial Qi of Lord Zhangren of the Central Department of Life Command, Liming.

Lord Zhangren, who determines the years of life, protect those who cultivate immortality and extend their years. May the document be clearly written. May I fly up and become immortal.

True Talisman on Jade Tablet for the Heavenly Court of This Sanctuary

Incantation of the Lord of Purple Essence of the Three Origins

The primordial Qi of Lord Zhangren of the Central Department of Life Command, Liming.

Lord Zhangren, who determines the years of life, protect those who cultivate immortality and extend their years. Write the document in the Southern Palace and present it to the Lord Emperor. The Talisman of Taiyi for Delivering Souls (a talisman for rescuing and delivering souls) removes the roots of karmic burdens accumulated over many lifetimes. May blessings be boundless; may all people receive and obey the teachings of the Jade Scripture. May I attain long life forever.

Golden Document of Jade Clarity

True talismans and registers (Daoist talismans and documents) cause roots of goodness to flourish: record blessings and emoluments in the green register, and erase names of the guilty from the black ledger; dissolve enmities and eliminate all transgressions. They are forever a bridge across life and death, keeping people from falling into the evil paths of rebirth. Reverently carry out the talismanic commands of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, so that practitioners may continually ascend in rank and everything may be carried out according to the commands.

On the year, month, and day of the Grand Duke of the Year, this is transmitted at the great purification altar.

The transmitting master, the junior signatory subject, a Daoist of the surname X, carries out the command.

True Talismans for Submitting Documents in the Four Seasons

The above talismans should be written on the jia-yin day that falls on the day of the Beginning of Spring.

The above talismans should be written on the jia-wu day that falls on the day of the Beginning of Summer.

On the year, month, and day of the Grand Duke of the Year, this is transmitted at the great purification altar.

The transmitting master, the junior signatory subject of the surname X, carries out the command.

True Talismans for Submitting Documents in the Four Seasons

The above talismans should be written on the jia-yin day that falls on the day of the Beginning of Spring.

The above talismans should be written on the jia-wu day that falls on the day of the Beginning of Summer.

The above talismans should be written on the jia-shen day that falls on the day of the Beginning of Autumn.

The talisman shown on the right—a Fulu used in Daoist ritual arts to summon, protect, or convey the commands of the gods—should be written on a Jiazi day after the Beginning of Winter.

Inner Inscription

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning issues the true writings of Jade Clarity, instructing the celestial ministers, the deity who guides the departed at the Upper Palace of Nanchang, the Great Lord of Long Life, the Great Sima Deity, Elder Han, the Six Offices of the Southern Dipper, the offices of the pivot and its agencies, the divine court of Great Mystery, and the deities who govern the Three Realms, the boundless divine lands, the offices of the winding springs, the northern capital of Luofeng, and the Three Offices and Nine Courts: they are to investigate and judge the underworld in every place with the utmost rigor.

Rescue all suffering departed souls and deliver countless wandering spirits. Quickly erase their registers of sin and destroy the roots of evil. Do not detain them. Dispatch divine soldiers to guard their bodies and souls. Quickly eliminate the three kinds of evil karma and cut off the roots that lead to the underworld. Let the departed souls fly beyond the Five Gates and have their names recorded in Great Mystery. Let the demons protect their bodies and enable them to ascend to the Southern Palace.

The departed souls are refined at Vermilion Mound and transformed into immortals. They are forever freed from the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and the Eight Difficulties; they pass beyond the Three Realms and are no longer obstructed at the gates of Heaven. Let the Five Emperors guard their bodies, so that they may ascend freely into Highest Clarity. Once the talismanic command of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning is issued, they must be promoted at the appointed time; they must not be concealed or detained. All the gods must obey and carry out the command without exception.

In the year, month, day, and hour of the sexagenary cycle, write this text on a slip and proclaim it at the purification altar.

Precious Invocation of the Purification Offering

East

South

West

North

Center

For all the rites above, form the Chen mudra with the fingers to guard the ritual platform, and write using the energy of the Xun direction. During the purification offering, use it to seal and guard the altar.

Heavenly Script in the Simplified Seal Script of the True King of Divine Empyrean

By command of the High and Exalted Jade Clarity King of Divine Empyrean: all ghosts and spirits between Heaven and Earth must obey and carry out the laws.

The seal script above consists of thirty signs.

True Talisman on the Jade Slip of the Northern Dipper of Divine Empyrean

Form the Xun mudra with the fingers for this talisman; use it to guard the altar during the purification offering.

Heavenly Script in the Simplified Seal Script of the True King of Divine Empyrean

By command of the High and Exalted Jade Clarity King of Divine Empyrean: all ghosts and spirits between Heaven and Earth must obey and carry out the laws.

The seal script above consists of thirty signs.

True Talisman on the Jade Slip of the Northern Dipper of Divine Empyrean

Form the Xun mudra with the fingers for this talisman, direct energy from the Chen direction, and breathe it onto the talisman.

Divine Empyrean Northern Dipper Jade Slip Talisman for Dispelling Calamities

Divine Empyrean Northern Dipper Jade Slip Talisman for Healing Illness

Divine Empyrean True Talisman for Warding Off Fire

End of Volume Eleven of The Great Method of the High, Supreme Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King’s Purple Writ

Volume Twelve of The Great Method of the High, Supreme Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King’s Purple Writ

The Divine Empyrean Rite of Precepts for Protecting Immortals, Quelling Demons, and Safeguarding the Orthodox

The True King said: Those who are wise, worthy, and virtuous should live in the world by honoring the Great Dao, revering Heaven’s intent, and harmonizing with the spirits. They should take loyalty and filial devotion as their foundation, refrain from every kind of wrongdoing, and widely cultivate roots of goodness. Whatever they undertake should serve to help and deliver living beings. Without relying on teachings and precepts, how could they restrain themselves and remain steadfast on the right path?

Long ago, in the Palace of Purple Clarity at the Supreme Ultimate, beyond the towering ramparts of the Great Vermilion Sun of Zuyang, the Venerable Heavenly Worthy of Great Compassion, True Origin and Divine Treasure, transmitted the utmost Dao to me and instructed me to teach those who would later seek immortality and study the Dao. Cultivating the Dao and practicing its methods must proceed step by step; precepts are the essential foundation. Precious models and rules are kept secret among the scriptures of the Purple Palace. They include seven grades of precepts and nine classes of scriptures. The texts are written in cloud script and arranged in layers, treasured in jade cases and boxes for books of the pistil pearl. On the jade towers of the Radiant Terrace and throughout the ninefold heights of Heaven, the precepts and methods are everywhere manifest and everywhere able to bring deliverance.

Precepts teach people, from the earliest stages of cultivating the Dao, to restrain desire and put an end to transgressions and wrongful conduct, gradually advancing toward the state of immortals and sages. Today, those who study the utmost Dao follow the prescribed forms and perform the rites, bowing before the sacred Worthies. Those holding ritual office should first proclaim the nine precepts of the Heavenly Worthies of the Eight Radiances and Nine Heavens, thereby demonstrating the merit of purification and cultivation. Officials, return sincerely to the Dao and listen attentively.

Hymn of Wisdom

In accordance with the prescribed forms, the rites are performed and bows made before the sacred Worthies. Those holding ritual office should first proclaim the nine precepts of the Heavenly Worthies of the Eight Radiances and Nine Heavens, thereby demonstrating the merit of purification and cultivation. Officials, return sincerely to the Dao and listen attentively.

Hymn of Wisdom

First, the Heavenly Worthy of Divine Empyrean, Ruler of Heaven, Long Life, Primordial Sage, and Utmost Virtue proclaims the Precept for Quelling Demons. You should realize the profound and wondrous Dao of the Void Sovereign, which gave birth to Heaven and Earth and the two Qi of Yin and Yang. The primordial virtues of the three luminaries—the Sun, Moon, and stars—bring forth the myriad things. Spirits, immortals, and sages assist Heaven and Earth in bringing life to all things. Do not be led astray by the heterodox teaching of extinction, and do not presume to exalt yourself, lest you fall into the demonic realm. Those who can keep this precept will attain the reward of ascending to immortality.

Second, the Celestial Worthy of the Vermilion Heaven, Peace, and Responsive Transformation, the Lord of the Dao, proclaims the “Precept for Restraining Evil.” Reflect on how an emperor or ruler of a state receives the Mandate through talismans and governs the people, extending moral instruction in all directions and nurturing the people of the world with benevolence. Do not believe in demonic and wicked acts, lest they give rise to rebellious and perverse thoughts. Nor should you indulge yourself in arrogant and treacherous conduct, or you will fall into the various evil paths. By keeping this precept, you can receive the reward of wealth and honor.

Third, the Celestial Worthy of the Azure Heaven, the Primordial Truth and Precious Radiance Who Cherishes Life, proclaims the “Precept for Opening One’s Nature.” Reflect on the kindness of your parents, who toil and labor to raise their children. Always cherish filial devotion and frugality, respectfully serving your parents and ensuring that they can enjoy their food and drink in peace. Do not disobey them, or you will fall into hell. By keeping this precept, you can receive the reward of longevity.

Fourth, the Celestial Worthy of the Jade-Green Heaven, Who Brings Forth All Life, Opens the Clouds, and Transmits the Dao, proclaims the “Precept for Cultivating the Self.” Reflect on how Heaven gives life to all things and nourishes them. All things are only entrusted to us temporarily, so we should not begrudge them. Always give your possessions to those who are poor and in need. If you let greed drive you and do nothing but demand more, you will fall into a state of ruin. By keeping this precept, you can receive the reward of abundance.

Fifth, the Celestial Worthy of the Jade Heaven, the Bright Primordial One Whose Awe-Inspiring De and Virtue Shine Like Crystal, proclaims the “Precept for Guarding the Heart.” Reflect on how all living beings receive primordial Qi and, through the turning of causes and conditions, take on forms of many kinds. Do not kill living creatures at will merely to satisfy your appetite, and do not use your power to bully those of lower status. If you harbor malicious thoughts, you will sink into the cycle of rebirth. By keeping this precept, you can receive the reward of wisdom.

Sixth, the Celestial Worthy of the Great Heaven, the Bright Radiance Whose Flowing Light Is Pure and Luminous, proclaims the “Precept for Quieting Thought.” Reflect on how pursuing wealth and splendor harms life and damages one’s nature, while lustful and improper conduct depletes Jing and disrupts one’s original purity. The laws of the world cannot tolerate such behavior, and the unseen punishment is severe. The pleasures of wealth and desire are only fleeting illusions; once immersed in them, it is hard to break free. When thoughts entangle you without end, you will fall into all manner of distress. By keeping this precept, you can receive the reward of purity.

The Seventh Precept, proclaimed by the Heavenly Worthy of Universal Aid at the Azure Origin Pass of Langxiao, is called the “Precept of Prudence and Caution.” One should remember that all things in the world are busily going about their lives, each with the ability to discern what is right and proper. Do not regard others as foolish and harbor hatred or envy toward them. Anger and insulting others are evil deeds. To delight in slandering the worthy or secretly framing the good is a grave offense against the Way of Heaven; it will plunge one into impatience and rage. Those who uphold this precept will receive the reward of peace and well-being.

The Eighth Precept, proclaimed by the Manifested Heavenly Worthy of the Twin Towers and Harmonized Radiance of Zixiao, is called the “Precept of Protection.” One should remember that numinous power guards the self and gives the body radiance. Even when entering a mountain of treasures, one should steady the mind and remain unmoved by external things. Do not associate or dwell with people whose intentions are misguided and conduct improper, nor become involved in deviant paths; otherwise, one will fall into indolence and backsliding. Those who uphold this precept will receive the reward of steadfastness.

The Ninth Precept, proclaimed by the Heavenly Worthy of Utmost Wonder and Empty Transformation at the Central Pole of Jingxiao, is called the “Precept of Benefiting Others.” One should remember that all living beings in the dusty world bear the corresponding consequences of their own deeds and undergo many kinds of suffering and distress. Therefore, one should give rise to vast compassion and use appropriate means to help them. Even the smallest good deed should be steadily accumulated; do not delay through habit or indulge in idleness. Those who uphold this precept will receive the reward of realizing the True Origin.

The True King said: These are the Nine Precepts of the Taiji. If you practice them consistently throughout your life, without slackening, you will subdue demons and spirits within and summon the perfected spirits from without. By maintaining purification and keeping your thoughts clear as you advance in the Supreme Way, you can prevent all manner of dangers and calamities from drawing near. You can also command the Six Ding—the six guardian generals spoken of in Daoism—and drive away all evil. When your cultivation and merits are complete and your spiritual rank attained, you may ascend to immortality in broad daylight. How could you fail to observe the precepts? How could you fail to strive diligently?

When Daoists enter the purification hall and in their daily conduct, they should face the sacred image and keep themselves in check. After the purification rites are complete, they should bow three times to the supervising officiant and the ritual preceptor before leaving, and do the same when they return. Anyone who violates this rule will be formally reported and investigated in the presence of the preceptor, and will certainly be punished without leniency.

For use by the Jade Office.

When someone submits a petition seeking treatment for an illness caused by madness or malevolent spirits, the ritual master must first question them in detail. Only after confirming that a ghost or demon is indeed attached to the person may the master complete the petition. Then the master burns incense and reports verbally to the Patriarch, the Ancestral Master, and the Perfected Master, asking them to relay orders to the officials and generals in the divine offices, who are to stand ready for assignment.

After making the report, the master writes a dispatch and sends the two generals, the Left and Right Commanders, leading ten thousand troops. They first surround the patient’s house and release two talismans. The master orders the generals to supervise and press the gods, including the Director of Fate, to arrest at once the ghost or demon afflicting a certain person. They must not let it escape, and must hold it for further disposition by the ritual bureau. If the spirit is outside the house, they are to notify the local community shrine and have it escorted promptly to the patient’s home.

The master summons the divine generals and troops to set out, and tells the person who submitted the petition to return home and prepare incense. On arrival, the master forms the “troop-deploying mudra” (a hand sign for summoning and dispatching troops, also called the mudra of the master’s own lineage), then visualizes the person going ahead as the Great General of this bureau, charged with capturing and destroying the spirit. Next, the master burns a talisman and commands a large force of generals and troops, imagining the sound of drums and gongs as they surround and capture the evil spirit from all sides—front and back, above and below.

The master performs the Yu steps (the steps used by Daoist ritual masters when conducting rites) and proceeds to the patient’s dwelling, continuing all the way to the Gate of Heaven. Forming the Heavenly Warrior mudra, the master visualizes all those accompanying them transforming into Heavenly Warrior Immortals, the divine troops of the celestial realm. On seeing the malevolent spirit, the master forms the Dipper mudra and the Thunder-and-Fire mudra, and releases a “Thunderclap Talismans for Searching Out Evil.” The master visualizes thunder and fire burning the spirit and driving it all the way to the door. Then the master performs the Yu steps again, forms the Yin, Mao, and Wu mudras with both hands, and enters the house, visualizing the two Dipper constellations above the head and the Dipper’s guiding star pointing forward.

On reaching the hall, the master stands with their back toward the direction indicated by a missing character in the scripture and faces the direction of the Dipper. After burning incense, the master orders the divine generals, officials, and troops to summon the malevolent spirit at once to appear and await judgment. The master then has someone support the spirit as it is brought out, forms the Heavenly Warrior mudra as prescribed, and visualizes the Heavenly Warrior Immortals going to search for and capture it.

When the master sees the patient, they form the Heavenly Warrior mudra for subduing evil with the left hand and the Dipper mudra with the right, then press the left-hand mudra against the patient’s side. The ritual text next uses the arrangement of stars and Dipper constellations to guide the visualization of the different parts of the master’s body, directing their light to gather in the chest. The master then forms the Chen mudra with the left hand and loudly interrogates the spirit: “What kind of evil ghost are you, harming the people? I have come under the command of the Lord on High to investigate. You must answer truthfully. If you conceal even the slightest thing, you will be subjected to interrogation by torture.”

After issuing this command, the master clenches the right fist and draws in the left elbow, visualizing the Heavenly Warrior Immortals interrogating the spirit. If it still refuses to submit, the master forms the Heavenly Warrior seal to restrain it and stabs its mouth with a vajra pestle. If it still will not confess, the master confines it in fetters, releases a Thunder-and-Fire Thunderclap talisman, and forces it to speak.

After questioning the spirit repeatedly and confirming that the matter is true, the master orders the divine generals to take it into custody and commands that the patient be restored to calm at once. The patient is then made to swallow a talisman. The master must burn incense throughout the day, praying that the divine generals completely seize the malevolent spirit and escort it under guard to the appropriate divine office for lawful disposition.

Capturing Fierce Ghosts and Spirits

If someone submits a formal complaint claiming that fierce ghosts or spirits are causing trouble, and repeated ritual interventions have failed to banish them, the circumstances should be recorded in detail when the complaint is received. A memorial should be sent swiftly to the Celestial Emperor and the Three Masters, the Five Sacred Peaks should be notified, and a document should be sent to the City God. Nearby spirit shrines may also be informed, and a date set for them to assemble and go together to the household concerned. They should capture and destroy the troublesome ghosts, then establish a prison to interrogate them, investigate the circumstances, and decide how to deal with them.

At dawn on the appointed day, first summon Yang Shun, the General Who Pursues and Captures in the Eight Directions, and the General Who Leads the Vanguard, then petition Heaven for troops and commanders. Next, dispatch in order the divine generals and numinous officials of the local prefecture, sending them out to the distance (“ten jia” may be a specialized term in the original). Carry out the remaining steps according to the preceding ritual.

On entering the household, make a hand seal with the left hand to subdue evil and walk through the prescribed steps, treading as in the earlier method for subduing malign forces. Follow the Diji Dou stepping pattern straight into the main hall, with your back to the Kui Star and facing the Gang Star. Loudly summon the local prefecture’s clerks and soldiers, and urgently command them to lead the troops, inspect and arrest the Five Roads, the Earth God, and other deities connected with the household. Capture them all and bring them to the ritual altar to await judgment.

Establish a prison in the local prefecture, interrogate the captives, and issue instructions. Then make the hand seal, hold the Evil-Subduing Seal, and visualize the officials and generals arranged on either side. If, while carrying out the rite to capture evil, you can neither see nor hear the troublesome entity, consider it captured. Next form the Cangue Seal and direct it toward the entity, then burn the talisman that summons the Responsive Cangue Ghost General. Afterward, form the Ziwei Seal, follow the Jiaoqian Budou stepping pattern, and loudly recite, “Ziwei curse, Qian family, Kun spirits,” to bind and restrain it.

If the malign force still will not submit, use the Golden-Dao Numinous Official to subdue it. Form the Heavenly-Ding Seal and recite the Heavenly-Ding incantation, visualizing the Heavenly-Ding strongmen from the ten directions flying down from the sky to bind it. If it still cannot be seen, swallow a talisman for treating illness and use a talisman to subdue evil to suppress it; this is said to be highly effective.

Destroying Evil and Demolishing a Shrine

The original next gives the title “Destroying Evil and Demolishing a Shrine” for a ritual method.

If someone submits a petition reporting a shrine that is not listed in the state’s official sacrificial rites, or malevolent spirits among the mountains, forests, or trees that repeatedly cause disturbances, bewitch women, encroach on fields and homes, and make improper demands for offerings, carefully record the details and submit a report to the authorities. Request that the troops and horses of this prefecture, the Celestial Strongmen from the Ten Directions, and the local deities listed in the sacrificial register go together to deal with the matter.

At dawn on the day of the operation, first use the Talisman for Suppressing Evil. Take four wooden boards, each seven cun long and three cun wide, and draw the talismanic inscriptions on them. Once this is done, burn incense, perform the steps of the interlaced Qian-bu Dipper, transform the spirit, and send a flying memorial to report the cause of the calamity to Heaven. Then perform the steps of the Earth-Record Dipper and dispatch the military marshal with attendants bearing the talismans to enter the shrine directly.

During the ritual, form the hand seal of one’s birth year and focus the mind on the Chen position; summon the divine clerks and visualize them on the left. Form the Northern Emperor seal with the right hand, and visualize the Three Masters—the three patriarchs revered in Daoism—and the Great Emperor of the North Pole commanding the troops and horses, Celestial Strongmen, the Six Jia and Six Ding, the Daoist guardian generals, and the Thunder Bureau that subdues demons, all standing in the clouds behind oneself. Next, form the Tixing seal, still holding the hand seal with the left hand. Form the Northern Emperor seal with the right hand, and again visualize the Three Masters and the Great Emperor of the North Pole leading the aforementioned divine generals in attendance. Then form the Ziwei seal and visualize the Great Emperor of the North Pole, the Three Terraces, a group of star officials, and the Northern Dipper naturally covering the crown of one’s head. Next, perform the Flying Dipper seal and visualize the seven stars arranged in a crisscross pattern, covering the shrine.

When you reach the shrine, perform the steps of the Flying Celestial Dipper and the Earth-Record steps, then form the Commander-in-Chief seal. Call out loudly, one by one, to the troops and generals mentioned above, ordering them to hurry and seize all the malevolent spirits. Then burn the Talisman for Commanding Demons, Vanguard, and Evil-Slaying Ghosts, and order the ghost bandits to obey commands and come forward to be captured. Next, activate the Thunder-and-Fire Talisman and command thunder and fire to burn the malevolent spirits completely. The ritual master visualizes lightning flashing and thunder crashing, flames filling the sky, and the clerks and soldiers shouting as they seize the spirits.

Then drive iron talismans into the ground at the four sides of the shrine. Form the Heavenly Pass and Earth Axis seal, and visualize forces from all four directions pressing against one another, leaving the ghost bandits nowhere to flee. Finally, reward the clerks and soldiers. This method is powerful and must not be used often.

Method for Inviting Rain During Severe Drought

From within a sealed room, call out and visualize that the malevolent spirits have been seized. Then drive iron talismans into the ground at the four sides of the shrine. Form the Heavenly Pass and Earth Axis seal, and visualize forces from all four directions pressing against one another, leaving the ghost bandits nowhere to flee. Then reward the clerks and soldiers. This method is powerful and must not be used often.

Method for Invoking Rain Against Excessive Yang

Prepare a secluded room and clean it thoroughly. Set out twelve portions of wine and a rooster as offerings to the commanders of the Demon-Subduing Division. Holding a sword and facing Xun (the southeast), mark out three layers of ritual boundaries. Place wine cups, incense, lamps, tea, and fruit on the altar.

Following the ritual, perform the steps of the Dipper (a prescribed walking pattern) before the door on the Xun side. Visualize yourself transformed into a divine general, then point the sword toward Xun and recite loudly: “By the command of the Supreme Lord, I urgently set the Demon-Subduing Division in motion. I call each commander by name and summon the envoys of savage thunder from the Five Directions. On [a specified day] this month, join me in swiftly searching every stream source and pool or cavern for the Dragon Gods. Command them to hasten to [a specified place] and rescue the people throughout the world, parched and withered by drought. I have now, in accordance with ritual law, prepared sacrificial blood wine and paper money to reward the Thunder Division. On the appointed day and hour, rain must fall abundantly. You must not defy my command.”

After reciting the incantation, pour out the wine. Use the sword to kill the rooster, let its blood drip into the wine, and stir it with the tip of the sword. In your mind, visualize the gods of the Thunder Division stationed in the Five Directions, coming before the altar to receive the offerings. When the ritual is complete, dig a pit on the Xun side and bury the paper money and blood wine in it. Then place the sword in the pit and bury it as well before leaving the secluded room. Make a rain-invoking talisman according to ritual law and send someone to deliver it to a place inhabited by Dragon Gods. On the appointed day and hour, thunder and rain will break out, bringing relief to the people suffering from drought. Afterward, give thanks for Heaven’s grace.

Praying for Clear Skies

Praying for the skies to clear.

Practicing the Flying Heavenly Dipper Steps (a prescribed way of walking used to summon and command celestial deities) can subdue the celestial deities. Treading the Earthly Pattern (another ritual step) can bring the earth spirits—the local land deities—under control. How can anyone govern the ghosts and spirits of the three realms, establish merit, and accumulate De without knowing the methods of Flying the Dipper and Treading the Earthly Pattern? Without them, all that effort is ultimately in vain.

This method can be used when facing void demons, violent winds and torrential rain, or when crossing the sea, climbing mountains, or confronting danger. For example, when performing the method for subduing violent and malevolent forces, coordinate the left and right hands in sequence and in reverse, while walking the steps backward. Then fly the Dipper and tread the Earthly Pattern, pointing with the right hand toward the direction from which the calamity comes. The method can be used against void demons and violent winds and rain, or when crossing the sea, climbing mountains, and facing danger. As it is performed, wild ghosts and evil forces will fall, and the clouds and rain will disperse. Demons and monsters will be destroyed, and prolonged rain will no longer harm crops, people, or livestock.

If a storm breaks trees, the ritual master changes into the likeness of a divine general and wears the corresponding ritual vestments. The master walks the steps in sequence, then performs them in reverse. Recite the “Flying and Treading the Earthly Pattern Incantation” three times, then point the right hand toward the clouds and declare aloud: “By the command of the Supreme Emperor, I order you to stop the violent winds and prolonged rain at once. Dragon spirits who govern wind and rain, promptly receive this command, gather in the clouds, and cease the rainfall.” The wind and rain will stop. If they do not, perform the rite again and call upon the Dragon-Binding Divine Officer, a divine general who uses magic to restrain dragon spirits, to subdue them. The method is said to be extremely efficacious. Then submit a memorial to the Three Masters of the Supreme Emperor, revered Daoist deities, and issue a written notice to the dragon spirits responsible for rainfall, ordering them to stop the wind and rain immediately.

Form for Submitting an Oath of Transmission at the Altar: A prescribed format for submitting a document pledging commitment to the transmission at a Daoist altar.

A person from a certain village and district, holding a certain office, with the surname So-and-so, of a certain age, and born in a certain year, is under the patronage of a particular Lord of the Northern Dipper. This person has repeatedly reflected on being merely an insignificant mortal in the world. Admiring the teachings of Daoism, they have come in person with a sincere heart and prepared offerings, presenting themselves before a certain Lord to ask for the transmission of the Secret Method of the Most High Divine Empyrean for Long Life, Protection, and Preservation of the Immortals, together with its complete set of talismans, diagrams, seals, and formulas.

The disciple vows to assist Heaven in spreading its teachings, serve the state, aid the people, preserve life, cultivate the true Dao, root out evil, and return to the proper path. After receiving the methods, the disciple will cherish them forever and will never dare to violate the master’s instructions, transmit them to anyone unworthy, or divulge the ritual texts. Should the disciple ever break this vow, they willingly submit to punishment by the Three Officials, suffering torments like blades of wind and bringing calamity upon their ancestors, who will never be pardoned. The disciple will not blame the Daoist methods or the master. I respectfully submit this petition and report the matter, humbly asking the ritual master, in compassion, to present a request on my behalf, establish the altar, and confer the transmission. I dare not decide this on my own and respectfully await the ritual instructions.

On the day and month of a certain year, under the current Tai Sui, the undersigned, of a certain surname and holding a certain ritual rank, affixes a seal to this petition.

Requesting an instruction and awaiting a response.

The undersigned, holding a certain ritual rank, your minor official, of the surname So-and-so.

Your official, So-and-so, reports: I have now received the application for initiation delivered by the petitioner. Seeing that the vow is sincere, I dare not refuse. I respectfully risk death in submitting this petition, which I dispatch directly before the throne of the Ancestral Master, the Most High Divine Empyrean Jade Purity True King, Great Emperor of Long Life. I humbly ask the Ancestral Master to show mercy and issue an edict informing the Purple Palace’s Bureau of True Registers—the celestial office responsible for these matters—to investigate whether the above-mentioned transmission disciple, So-and-so, has committed any transgression and whether they are fit to receive the transmission.

Your official respectfully risks death in submitting this petition once more. I humbly ask the Ancestral Master to show mercy and issue an edict instructing the Purple Palace’s Bureau of True Registers to investigate whether this person has committed any transgression and whether the transmission should be conferred. I respectfully beseech Heaven’s grace to send down an indication, so that your official and the transmission disciple, So-and-so, may clearly receive an unmistakable response in a dream and proceed accordingly with the transmission rite. I am filled with awe and fear, bow twice, and respectfully submit this memorial for your consideration, awaiting your edict. Respectfully submitted.

On the day and month of a certain year, under the current Tai Sui, your official, So-and-so, holding a certain ritual rank, submits this memorial.

Certificate of Authorization for a Newly Initiated Disciple

To those under the Three Heavens:

At the request of a certain official, [name], I recommend [name]. This person is naturally simple and sincere, steadfast in purpose, reveres the high and perfected deities (Daoist exalted gods), and often takes refuge in the Great Dao. He has a strong desire to aid the state and relieve the people. He is willing to receive the secret methods of the Most High Divine Empyrean for protecting immortals, so that he may preserve his life and guard his person, assist Heaven in carrying out its teachings, eliminate evil spirits, and help the people. The details of his birth year, month, day, and hour are as follows: … His destiny falls under the scrutiny of the Lord of a certain Northern Dipper star. We respectfully await instructions.

Recommending Master: [list ritual rank]; I, [surname].

Supervising Master: [list ritual rank]; I, [surname].

Initiating Master: [list ritual rank]; I, [surname].

The Great Divine Empyrean Method is the gate to which all methods return. Besides, the principles I speak of are easy to put into practice. Can it be that you find it difficult to make an effort to follow them in your heart? You should be granted the office of “Disciple of the Most High Divine Empyrean, Assistant in Bringing Peace and Transformation,” so that you may practice the Great Divine Empyrean Method and serve as a Co-Registrar in the Secretariat of the Right Hall Army. I, [surname], hereby confer the corresponding rank.

The Great Divine Empyrean Method is the gate to which all methods return. Besides, the principles I speak of are easy to put into practice. Can it be that you find it difficult to make an effort to follow them in your heart? You should be granted the office of “Disciple of the Most High Divine Empyrean, Assistant in Bringing Peace and Transformation,” so that you may practice the Great Divine Empyrean Method and serve as a Co-Registrar in the Secretariat of the Right Hall Army. Submit the report in this format.

This certificate is issued by command of the Jade Emperor of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). Once this order arrives, carry it out accordingly.

Initiating Master: [list ritual rank]; I, [surname], issue this decree.

True Master: The Perfected Lord Han, Elder of the Office of the Nine Heavens, Who Adds to the Years, Determines Destiny, and Cherishes Life.

Ancestral Master: The Great Emperor of Qinghua.

Founding Master: The Great Emperor of Longevity.

Format of the Precept Certificate

The Office of the Great Divine Empyrean Method of the Jade Clarity Palace issues this certificate to disciple [name]:

Disciple [name] has stated that, with a hunger and thirst for the Dao, he has made a resolve as firm as metal and stone to inherit the Orthodox Teaching and has requested instruction in its secret essentials. Your diligence and sincerity are truly commendable. This matter has already been reported to the Imperial Court, where the Heavenly Emperor resides, and submitted to the Office of the Perfected. Now, in accordance with Daoist liturgical regulations, we carry out the order to transmit the profound teachings. The gods of the heavens will all oversee the initiation; the assembled sages will bear witness, while divine generals assist and official troops guard the proceedings. This enables you to take up the corresponding office, serving as proof of your advancement on the ranks of immortality. In accordance with the credential, you should kneel and receive your office title. You must also faithfully observe and put into practice the precepts listed here. The specific provisions follow.

When an appointment is conferred, the heavens keep watch and examine the recipient; the assembled saints bear witness, the divine generals lend their support, and the officials and troops provide protection. Only then may the recipient assume the corresponding office, and the appointment serves as proof of entry into the ranks of the immortals. The recipient should kneel and accept the title of office in accordance with the ritual documents and credentials. The precepts set out below must be observed sincerely.

First, three precepts to uphold:

First, do not violate Heaven and Earth.

Second, do not defy your parents, teachers, elders, or friends.

Third, do not violate your master’s conduct rules or instructions.

Next, five precepts for conduct:

First, refrain from craving women or wealth.

Second, refrain from killing living beings or harming sentient creatures.

Third, refrain from strange and deviant conduct, greed and jealousy, and unrestrained excess.

Fourth, refrain from partiality and crookedness, and from flattery and fawning.

Fifth, refrain from erratic moods and repeated lapses in self-control.

Next, seven principles of upright conduct:

First, make upright conviction the foundation of doing good.

Second, devote yourself to upholding the right Way and truth, so that your intentions accord with the will of Heaven.

Third, be loyal to the state and filial to your family, and keep harmony among your relatives.

Fourth, follow your teachers’ and elders’ instruction with sincere and upright conviction.

Fifth, treat your close kin and relatives with integrity and harmony.

Sixth, firmly refuse to heed rumors that stir up disputes, so that crooked affairs cannot disrupt the right Way.

Seventh, buy and sell at market prices, using fair and accurate measures and scales, and conduct your dealings justly.

Next, six rules against accepting crooked or improper petitions:

First, do not accept a petition if you find that the petitioner is driven by resentment or jealousy, or behaves in a deceitful, disorderly, or unclear manner.

Second, do not accept petitions concerning fraud, deceit, theft, or other matters whose circumstances are obscure.

Third, do not accept a petition from someone who seeks Fulu by claiming to lend or borrow property, then recklessly deploys officials and troops, thereby harming living beings and endangering lives.

Fourth, do not hear a case brought by someone who, out of a sense of injustice or jealousy, seeks revenge or another person’s life.

Fifth, do not hear a case involving property of unclear origin, when the dead return to claim or seize it and the circumstances seem to involve deceitful manipulation.

Sixth, do not hear a case in which a commoner’s grievance has already been investigated and judged, but the person continues to make false accusations against officials, seeking to punish or take revenge on them.

The matters above are set out as stated.

One must respectfully follow the prescribed liturgical rules and standards, without violating the regulations or rites. One must persevere in cultivation and practice, and diligently tend the incense offerings. One must observe the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, and wear the Six Jia talisman insignia—Daoist Fulu used for protection and the performance of rites. One must preserve life and safeguard the body, assist the Way of Heaven, and serve the state.

Should locusts or other crop pests bring famine, floods or droughts disrupt the balance, spirits and monsters cause harm, or the people suffer illness and hardship, one must act in accordance with the rules to subdue evil and pray for calamities to be averted, whatever the scale of the matter. One must not amass wealth, curry favor for private gain, break sworn pledges, or disclose or treat lightly the methods’ secret essentials. One must help the teachings flourish and spread, so that all beings may turn toward them in faith. The Way of Heaven watches over us here and now; one must strive to carry out these duties. This document is hereby issued.

Issued in the cyclical year of the Grand Year, on a certain month, day, and hour.

The Recommending Master shall state the full title of the ritual office, then sign and seal with the surname [surname omitted].

The Supervising Master shall state the full title of the ritual office, then sign and seal with the surname [surname omitted].

The Initiating Master shall state the full title of the ritual office, then sign and seal with the surname [surname omitted].

Supplementary Notice

Office of the Great Method of the Jade Clarity Divine Empyrean:

This office has received a report concerning a person from a certain village and district, who carries credentials and is proceeding to the residence of a certain lord to receive instruction in the High and Supreme Secret Method of Protecting the Immortals of the Divine Empyrean. In addition to having already reported the matter to the three venerable masters, this office now lists the person as a disciple of the High and Supreme Divine Empyrean, Peaceful and All-Transforming Assistance. The person is ordered to practice the Great Method of the Divine Empyrean and is granted the ritual office of “Associate Scribe of the Right Hall Army and Registrar of the Assembly’s Secretariat.” This notice is therefore issued for acknowledgment.

The document above is delivered to the named person to keep. The Divine Empyrean Jade Writ (the talismanic scriptures of the Divine Empyrean school) and the Secrets of the Jade Terrace encompass all things and can gather and command the myriad beings of the world. If you cherish and uphold these methods, you can dwell among the wonders of the Dao and summon the myriad gods to descend swiftly. When the mind and spirit are still and free from restless movement, they can commune with all things. How could you fail to strive with diligence and sincerity, praying upward for blessings from the divine immortals? If you begin diligently but later grow lax, agreeing with your words while betraying them in your heart, the numinous officials of the methods—divine clerks who oversee and record—will note your merits and faults without the slightest error. You should have the Five Emperors (the celestial emperors of the five directions) proclaim your merits, and not let the Three Officials (the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water) record your offenses. Do not betray the teachings of your masters and elders; be sure to follow them diligently. Carry out what this document sets forth. Strive with diligence and sincerity, praying upward for blessings from the divine immortals. If you begin diligently but later grow lax, agreeing with your words while betraying them in your heart, the numinous officials of the methods will record your merits and faults with the utmost precision. You should have the Five Emperors proclaim your merits, and not let the Three Officials record your offenses. Do not betray the teachings of your masters and elders; be sure to follow them diligently.

Posted on the [day] of the [month] in the [year] of the Grand Marshal.

Recommending Master: [state the ritual rank], surname [blank].

Supervising Initiation Master: [state the ritual rank], surname [blank].

Initiating Master: [state the ritual rank], surname [blank].

Form for an Edict of Promotion

By command of the Three Heavens’ Court:

According to a report submitted to the Jade Palace, a practitioner of the Dao, [name and rank], has followed the prescribed liturgy and, on the [day] of the [month] in the [year], assisted Heaven in its transformation and instruction, and helped the state and relieved the people. Following an examination by [blank] and a recommendation attested by [blank], a request is made for promotion in accordance with the liturgy, with appointment to the immortal rank of [rank]. Let this be carried out.

The official named above is humble by nature, devoted to cultivation, and observant of the precepts. He has aided the people far and wide and accumulated profound merit; all the heavens celebrate his achievements. He should be appointed to the proposed rank of [official title], in accordance with the command of the Supreme Emperor, as set forth above. When this talismanic document arrives, carry out its instructions. In all matters, act according to the commands and ordinances of the Most High, the True King of the Jade Purity of the Divine Empyrean.

The official named above is humble by nature, devoted to cultivation, and observant of the precepts. He has aided the people far and wide and accumulated profound merit; all the heavens celebrate his achievements. He should be appointed to the proposed rank of [official title], in accordance with the command of the Supreme Emperor, as set forth above. When this talismanic document arrives, carry out its instructions. In all matters, act according to the commands and edicts of the Most High, the True King of the Jade Purity of the Divine Empyrean.

[Day] of the [month] in the [year] of the Grand Marshal.

Recommending Master: [state the ritual rank], surname [blank].

Supervising Initiation Master: [state the ritual rank], surname [blank].

Initiating Master: [state the ritual rank], surname [blank].

Form for a document requesting the temporary assignment of troops and horses from Mount Tai

Jade Purity Divine Empyrean Great Law Bureau:

On a certain day and at a certain hour this month, our Bureau submitted a petition to the Jade Purity Court of the Divine Empyrean and issued a Calamity-Command Talisman, requesting the temporary loan of a number of troops and horses from Mount Tai to go to a certain place and treat a certain person. This person has been ill for a long time, and medicine has had no effect. Our Bureau has determined that the illness is indeed being caused by evil spirits acting in collusion. Our Bureau will therefore join forces with the officers and troops to search out and capture the evil spirits and eradicate the cause completely. We hereby submit this report.

We respectfully prepare this document for submission to the Eastern Peak Court of Mount Tai, the divine court responsible for the spirits and troops of Mount Tai. We earnestly request that capable troops and brave commanders be ordered and dispatched to reach the place where the incident occurred as soon as possible and join in the rescue. Once this good work is completed, please report back immediately and proceed in accordance with the statutes.

We have presumed to trouble your august authority and await your review and reply. Respectfully submitted.

In the year, month, and day of the Grand Marshal, submitted by the appointed officer, So-and-so.

Memorial for Returning the Troops and Horses

Jade Purity Divine Empyrean Great Law Bureau:

Yesterday, on a certain day and at a certain hour of a certain month, our Bureau sent a document reporting back and proceeded in accordance with the statutes.

We have presumed to trouble your august authority and await your review and reply. Respectfully submitted.

In the year, month, and day of the Grand Marshal, submitted by the appointed officer, So-and-so.

Memorial for Returning the Troops and Horses

Jade Purity Divine Empyrean Great Law Bureau:

Yesterday, on a certain day and at a certain hour of a certain month, our Bureau submitted an order talisman to the Court of the Jade Purity King of the Divine Empyrean, requesting the temporary loan of a number of troops and horses from Mount Tai and dispatching them to a certain household in a certain place. We gratefully acknowledge that the Court of the Sacred Peak promptly dispatched troops and horses to our Bureau. The matter has now been settled, and rewards for merit have been distributed individually. The borrowed troops and horses should now be sent back to the place from which they were originally dispatched. We hereby submit this report.

We respectfully prepare this document for submission to the Eastern Peak Court of Mount Tai and earnestly request that the relevant offices be instructed to hand over and receive back the troops and horses originally dispatched.

We have presumed to trouble your august authority and await the enlightened scrutiny of the gods. Respectfully submitted.

In the year, month, and day of the Grand Marshal, submitted by the appointed officer, So-and-so.

Form of a Life-Preserving Dispatch

The Jade Purity Divine Empyrean Great Law Bureau issues this dispatch to the Bureau of the Southern Dipper for Sending Down Life, which oversees the sending down and preservation of life:

Our Bureau, in accordance with the registered place of origin…

A female Daoist disciple submits this petition: I am now pregnant and nearing childbirth. I deeply fear that karmic debts and old grievances accumulated in the past may bring retribution and obstruct the delivery. I also worry that the child about to be born may be attacked by fifteen kinds of fierce demons and unrighteous ghosts, and die young. I was born in the Lower Origin cycle of the Jiazi year, and have encountered this undeserved calamity; therefore, I submit this petition to report it.

Wherever this petition arrives, dispatch the immortal officials and the Great Spirit Who Watches Over Births (the deity who protects women in childbirth) at once to my home. Have them direct the Lords of Destiny, the Earth God, and the other household and local deities to guard the woman in childbirth, So-and-so, so that she may deliver safely at an auspicious hour and mother and child may be reunited, secure and unharmed. I also pray that the power of the divine protect the child. The divine office responsible for this matter must put the people’s peace and safety first and must not delay. Respectfully submitted.

Submitted on the [day] of the [month], in the [year] of the Grand Year.

The ritual master’s title and name: Ritual Master So-and-so. Signature.

Petition Form for Preserving the Pregnancy and Ensuring the Birth of a Son, with Commentary

Name and title: Your junior servant, So-and-so.

I humbly submit this petition, looking up to the power of Heaven and Earth to nurture and transform. On reflection, I may have overstepped in my conduct, and I am willing to accept Heaven’s punishment. Yet when I received the Dao, I swore to follow the Dao’s transforming teachings, instruct the people, and relieve the sick and suffering. Whenever someone makes a plea, how could I dare not submit it? I respectfully submit the petition delivered to the altar by So-and-so, requesting that action be taken to stop this matter. I have reviewed the document. It does indeed contain a record concerning the fetus, and the person it names is clearly identified. I dare not conceal anything, and respectfully copy the document here and submit it:

Patriarch, High and Exalted True King of Jade Clarity in the Divine Empyrean, Great Emperor of Long Life,

Lineage Master, High and Exalted Jade King of the Divine Empyrean, Great Emperor of Green Florescence,

True Master, Lord Elder of the Office of Increase of Years and Lord of Destiny in the Nine Heavens, True Lord Who Cherishes Life and Loves the Good, Kānhǎn.

With reverence, I pray that Heaven’s compassionate will look down upon the petition submitted by your servant. Please grant the grace of the Nine Heavens’ Great One, the Nine Immortal Perfected Lords—divine beings who oversee the affairs of the relevant celestial realms—and forgive the deliberate transgressions and unintended errors committed by a certain person and his wife, Lady So-and-so. In particular, arrange a pregnancy for them that will bring forth a boy or a girl, fulfilling the hopes of the people.

I also pray that you dispatch the officials of the Nine Heavens’ Great One who protect pregnancies and dispel evil to descend together, and that they specifically drive away from this person the General of Fetal Harm of the Northern Dipper, the Lord of Fetal Injections and Fetal Aversion, and the nine kinds of malign beings. May they prevent contagion from passing between infants, so that this person’s descendants will not come to an end. May the Most High—the revered Daoist deity—cherish the giving of life and grant this petition. To have it approved would be to receive Heaven’s awesome authority and great grace. Your servant’s crimes merit ten thousand deaths; I respectfully submit this memorial and await the imperial decree. I respectfully present this memorial.

On a certain year, month, and day, your servant of the appointed rank, of the So-and-so family, respectfully submits this petition.

A Further Petition to the Elder of the Nine Heavens

Your servant of the appointed rank, of the So-and-so family.

Your servant humbly and sincerely sets forth these thoughts, looking up to Heaven for its grace: may a certain person be forever spared worry, calamity, and misfortune, and long be free from the suffering that men and women endure through contagion and hereditary affliction. In addition to the memorial already submitted to the High Perfected King of Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean, revered by the Divine Empyrean school,

I respectfully submit this petition separately, praying that a certain person be forever spared worry, calamity, and misfortune, and long be free from the suffering of contagious and hereditary afflictions among men and women. In addition to the memorial already submitted to the High Perfected King of Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean,

I respectfully submit this petition to the following Perfected Lords:

The Perfected Lord of the Elder of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; the Perfected Lord of the Ten Thousand Blessings of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; the Perfected Lord in Charge of Fate of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; the Perfected Lord Who Keeps the Registers of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; the Perfected Lord Who Keeps the Counting Rods of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; the Perfected Lord Who Dispels Evil of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; the Perfected Lord Who Registers Names of the Nine Heavens’ Great One; and the Perfected Lord Who Records Good Deeds of the Nine Heavens’ Great One.

Nine Heavens Supreme Unity True Lord Who Protects Life (the divine lord who oversees the protection of childbirth):

I respectfully beseech you to look with compassion upon the petition I submit and to issue a special edict, dispatching the Nine Heavens Supreme Unity officials, generals, clerks, and troops who subdue evil to go together to a certain household. Let them drive away the Northern Dipper General Who Kills Fetuses; the divine lord who afflicts fetuses and brings them harm; the Flower Father and Flower Mother; the calamity at the Yellow River Bridge; and nine kinds of evil beings, including the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Heavenly Dog, Fumo, Mountain Ghost, and Flying Celestial. Please sever the ties through which these beings pass calamities affecting children from one to another, so that the family’s descendants will not be cut off in the future. I also beseech you to bestow the primordial Qi of the Nine Heavens’ orthodox truth and infuse the bodies of a certain person and his wife, of the certain surname, so that from now on she may conceive without difficulty and the fetus may grow and take shape, forever free of the distress of calamities passing between male and female. If this petition is granted, I shall be grateful for Heaven’s kindness. I have offended divine majesty; my crime deserves death ten thousand times. I await the divine command. Respectfully submitted.

In the year, month, and day of a certain Tai Sui year, the petitioner of a certain surname, holding the rank of [rank], submits this petition.

Petition for Rain

Your petitioner, of the certain surname, holding the rank of [rank] and the lesser office of omen reader:

I respectfully understand that the nature of the Dao follows what is natural, and that teachings also open convenient paths. Any sincere prayer will surely meet with a response. I have now received a petition from certain local disciples who follow the Dao: since a certain time this year, the drought has been severe and rain has been slow to fall. The crops and seedlings have all withered, and the people are anxious and afraid. With the end of the year drawing near, they fear there will not be enough clothing and food; if the delay continues, they also worry they will be unable to pay the grain tax on time. Without relying on prayer, how can a good harvest be obtained? They have sent their petition to the local administrative office and requested action. I have received it and understand how urgent their appeal is. I dare not refuse; I have carefully copied it for submission and now present it at the risk of my life.

Patriarch, Jade Clear Supreme Emperor, Primordial Beginning Heavenly Worthy:

I respectfully beseech the Heavenly Worthy, in your compassion, to issue a special edict…

Merciful Heaven has specially issued an order, directing the relevant offices to carry it out. I humbly request that the Generals Who Command Thunder, Clouds, and Rain; the Six Ding and Six Jia (protective deities in Daoism); the Five Thunder Messengers; the officials of the Thunder Bureau; the Earl of Wind and Master of Rain; the Dragon Kings who bring rain; and the other deities be dispatched to the rain-prayer altar I have established. Let them gather and perform their rites, sending down abundant rain to relieve the parched fields and revive the crops. I have presumptuously disturbed Heaven’s majesty and deserve ten thousand deaths. My heart is fearful and unsettled. I bow my head twice, respectfully submit this memorial, and await Heaven’s decree. Respectfully reported.

On the [year], [month], and [day] of the sexagenary cycle, your servant [name], holding the rank of [rank], submits this memorial.

Notice to the City God for Healing the Sick

The Office of the Great Method of Jade Clarity and Divine Empyrean (the institution that performs rites of the Divine Empyrean school) sends this document to:

The Office of the City God, Chief Administrator of [prefecture or province] (the divine office overseeing local City God affairs).

This office has received a petition from [name], requesting aid in healing. A celestial talisman and talismanic water were issued earlier for the patient to swallow, but so far no improvement has been seen. Inquiry confirms that the evil spirit mentioned above is indeed fierce and stubborn; therefore, a separate document must be issued to deal with it.

Upon receiving this document, please investigate the circumstances and immediately borrow, for a time, the power of your mighty officers and subordinates. Send them to the home of [name] to subdue the evil spirit and make it leave that household’s boundaries at once. If you do not act as this document directs, the matter will surely be entered in a report to the Divine Empyrean Imperial Preceptor, handled according to the law, and followed by the appropriate punishment. So ordered.

On the [year] and [month] of the sexagenary cycle, command the evil spirit to leave that household’s boundaries at once. If it does not obey this document, the matter will surely be entered in a report to the Divine Empyrean Imperial Preceptor, handled according to the law, and followed by the appropriate punishment. So ordered.

Issued on the [year], [month], and [day] of the sexagenary cycle.

Signed by [name], holding the rank of [rank].

Dispatch to the Office for Subduing Demons

The Office of the Great Method of Jade Clarity and Divine Empyrean:

This office has received a request from [name], who has still not recovered. Inquiry confirms that an evil god below has strayed from the righteous way, gathered accomplices, and recklessly sought sacrificial offerings. It fears no Daoist rites, is stubborn and deceitful, and has wronged and harmed the people. It occupies a household’s residence alone, yet its harm is great; therefore, a document must be issued to expel and punish it.

This posted proclamation commands the Great General of the Thunder Formation, Flowing Gold, and Fire Bell; the Great General of Thunderclap and Execution; the Great General of Thunder and Fire; and the two Great Generals known as Thunderclap Haohei and Lihei, together with their troops, to proceed immediately to the home of the sick person. Regardless of the distance or the origins of the evil spirits, they must capture every evil spirit causing trouble, drive them out of the territory, and send them far away. It also commands the household gods, including the God of Destiny, to do their utmost to protect the family each day and prevent further calamity. Any delay will be investigated and punished according to regulations. This proclamation is hereby issued.

Posted on the [day] of the [month] of the [year] of the Grand Marshal.

Official rank: [surname], with seal.

Memorial submitted to the Perfected One Zuo Xuan:

The Jade Clarity Divine Empyrean Great Dharma Bureau (the bureau overseeing thunder rites in the Divine Empyrean school):

At [hour] on [day] of this month, this bureau received a report. Earlier, on [day], we had already issued a warrant to the God of Destiny and other gods of [family name], ordering them to expel the evil spirits causing trouble and make them leave this place. Yet after a long time, there has been no sign of the order taking effect, so this matter must be reported.

We respectfully submit this memorial:

We beseech the True Master, the Perfected One Zuo Xuan, to issue an order dispatching the Thunderclap Divine Officers and the Heavenly Troops (divine generals and celestial soldiers in thunder rites) to [family name]’s home to investigate the cause of the matter described above and capture the evil spirits. The outcome must be made clear and manifest, and the order must take effect, so that the people may be spared sudden calamity. We await the gods’ clear sign of approval. Respectfully submitted.

On the [day] of the [month] of the [year] of the Grand Marshal, official [surname] submits this petition.

By talismanic command, officials of this prefecture:

The Jade Clarity Divine Empyrean Great Dharma Bureau orders you to go to [family name]’s home, investigate the cause of the matter described above, and capture the evil spirits. The outcome must be made clear and manifest, and the order must take effect, so that the people may be spared sudden calamity. We await the gods’ clear sign of approval. Respectfully submitted.

On the [day] of the [month] of the [year] of the Grand Marshal, official [surname] submits this petition.

By talismanic command, officials of this prefecture:

The Jade Clarity Divine Empyrean Great Dharma Bureau:

After the responsible bureau receives the petition, it grants permission to issue a healing talisman. It orders the two great generals who oversee this prefecture’s altar and command its troops, together with the spirit officials and all the generals and functionaries, to go to the patient’s home and carry out their duties. Regardless of the rank or distance of the deities worshipped or entrenched in the home, and regardless of whether they are fierce and intractable, they must be seized, bound, and escorted out of the territory. The household’s presiding Siming deity, who governs the family’s registers of life and its fortune and misfortune, and the other deities are also to be strictly warned: from now on, they must not show favor or indulge evil spirits, allowing them to cause harm as they did before. The illness Qi is to be driven from the patient’s body so that, after the patient takes medicine, its power can circulate and take effect, the spirit can return to the body, and the hun and po souls can be at peace. There must be no disobedience; upon the talisman’s arrival, carry out these orders at once.

Issued on an auspicious hour, day, month, and year under the Tai Sui’s jurisdiction.

Signed and sealed by the bearer of the ritual rank, a person surnamed [X].

Proclamation Accompanying the Talisman for Delivering the Hidden Souls

Bureau of the Great Method of the Jade Clarity Divine Empyrean:

After the responsible bureau receives the petition, it respectfully prepares the offerings and ritual implements required for the sacrifice, requests that a Zhaijiao purification ritual be performed, and, in accordance with the prescribed rites, announces the Jade Clarity Precious Register Talisman for Delivering the Hidden Souls. This proclamation is therefore issued.

Blank talisman.

Proclamation accompanying the Great High Divine Empyrean Jade Clarity Precious Register Talisman for Delivering the Hidden Souls:

This proclamation is addressed to the gods of the ten directions and the three realms; the boundless divine regions; the Three Officials and nine bureaus; the 120 offices; the registers of water and fire sins; the examining officials of the Five Emperors; the inner and outer palaces and caverns of Fengdu; the five prisons, nine hidden springs, and winding streams; the nine layers of earth and the sources of the twelve rivers; the local gods of the nine provinces; and all the gods of the underworld. Deliver the soul of the deceased [name], swiftly release it from the register of offenses, and eradicate its evil roots. Do not detain it; it must be raised to a higher station in a short time. Let the myriad gods escort it directly to a blessed place between the human world and Heaven, where it shall receive transformation according to the deceased’s rank and be reborn in a fortunate land. Let all act in accordance with this proclamation, which is to be carried by the wind-and-fire relay messengers.

Issued at an auspicious hour on a day, month, and year under the Tai Sui’s jurisdiction.

Bearer of the ritual rank: a person surnamed [X].

Jade Purity Bureau of the Divine Empyrean Great Rite (the Daoist Divine Empyrean school’s office responsible for ritual affairs):

Upon receiving the application, this Bureau has carefully prepared the tokens and ritual implements required for the offerings. In accordance with the liturgy, we now conduct a purification rite and, following established ritual regulations, announce and issue the Jade Purity Precious Register’s True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells. This notice is hereby promulgated.

Blank talisman (space left here for the talisman to be filled in or drawn).

The notice of the Jade Purity Precious Register’s True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells, issued by the Most High True King, is as follows:

The Northern Yin Fengdu (the underworld), the inner and outer celestial palaces of the Six Caverns, the Thirty-Six Hells, the Hell of No Interval, the Hells of the Nine Depths, the Hells of the Spring and Winding Waters, the great and small Iron-Enclosing Mountain Hells, and all the gods holding office in the underworld’s dark courts, where souls are tortured through the long night, must all obey the true text of this talismanic command. The True Talisman for Breaking Open the Hells is hereby issued:

All the places of the underworld mentioned above, and all the gods of its dark courts, must obey the true text of this talismanic command. Let it shine with radiance and illuminate the hidden realm. The punishments of those suffering in the dark underworld must cease; beatings and torments must end, and the raging fires of the Hells must be extinguished.