《云笈七签》Vol. 16

On the sixth day of the sixth month, one must not break ground. On the seventh day of the seventh month, one must not harbor evil thoughts. On the fourth day of the eighth month, one must not buy shoes or other things worn on the feet. On the ninth day of the ninth month, one must not change the bed mat used for sleeping. On the fifth day of the tenth month, one must not punish others. On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, one must not neglect bathing. On the third day of the twelfth month, one must not neglect vegetarian abstinence, burning incense, and reciting the names of the immortals and perfected beings. Taboos such as these are grave prohibitions strictly observed in both the celestial realm and the human world. The Three Officials, deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, investigate them, and violating them counts as a serious offense. Breaking a taboo may throw a person’s three hun and seven po souls into disorder, or incur the displeasure of the fetus spirit; it may also happen just as the Three Officials are sending down punishment. As a result, nightmares disturb the mind, demons and spirits invade the inner chambers, Jing, Qi, and bodily fluids offend the divine perfected ones, troubles arise one after another, and taboos multiply, while people do not understand why. If you can observe these rules in your cultivation, you have the qualities needed to become an immortal. If you do not obey the celestial prohibitions, you will suffer harm.

Those who receive the teachings and practice must not enter the room of a woman who has given birth, nor look upon a corpse. If they can live apart from such sources of pollution, without visiting or coming into contact with them, they may continue their regular reverence without restriction on the number of days. If their home has no separate space, they must wait forty-five days before performing rites of reverence.

The second volume of the Zhengyi Fawen says: “To believe in the Daoist teachings while also believing in heretical doctrines is to be divided in one’s heart. To harbor divided intentions, be ignorant and confused, or hesitate and waver is to betray the Daoist teachings. Defying one’s master is, according to the law, grounds for reducing one’s allotted years of life.”

The Taishang Huangsu Sishisi Fang Jing says: “Anyone who cultivates the methods of Taiyi or practices the higher methods of visualizing and preserving the spirits must be cautious and must not look upon corpses or bloodstained things. Seeing a single corpse means that one must not practice the methods for a year, and the effects of the preceding year’s cultivation will also be canceled. This is a rule of the Yidi method: it takes account of past transgressions and also obstructs future cultivation. If one sees three corpses within a year, each offense incurs a separate penalty, and the period of abstention from practice is three years for each. If the total number of corpses seen exceeds twenty-four, one may no longer cultivate the methods of Taiyi in pursuit of becoming an immortal.”

All those who practice and receive the superior methods, as well as those who cultivate the methods of Ciyi and Taiyi, believe that the Qi of the body’s Three Souls and Five Spirits constantly permeates one’s head covering and clothes, while the Seven Po and Nine Spirits, together with the remaining Jing and Qi, dwell beneath one’s shoes. Thus, Daoists who study the arts of longevity should not sleep mixed together with others on shared bedding. They should not lend out the coarse cloth garments they wear, lest they become tainted with another person’s Qi. They should also keep their shoes from contact with filth and excrement, and not let miscellaneous people handle them freely, lest the Three Souls be disturbed.

When Daoists practice breathing and harmonizing the breath, visualize spirits, or consume the Qi of clouds and rosy mists in pursuit of longevity, they must be cautious: they should neither eat the Five Pungent Foods, which are forbidden during Daoist purification, nor damage their bodies through wine and sexual indulgence. An ancient spirit said, “The Five Pungent Foods are axes that harm the five organs; wine and sex are coffins that bring about the loss of one’s life.” Only by avoiding the harm of the Five Pungent Foods and staying clear of the dangers of wine and sex can one set out on the path to longevity and gradually approach the Way of the immortals.

When those who visualize and cultivate the Taiyi method wish to offer reverence and make a prayer, they must be cautious and must not actually knock their heads on the ground. Such prostration would set the Nine Heavens in motion and startle a thousand perfected beings; the divine officials would turn back, and the Mudball Palace, the dwelling place of the spirits in the head, would be hung upside down. The Heavenly Emperor would cry out in the upper realm, while Taiyi wept in the Middle Dantian, where the body’s spirits and Qi reside. If this is done repeatedly, visualization brings no benefit: the Three Perfected Ones abandon their palaces, the Seven Spirits scatter, and baleful Qi gathers in the Mysterious Abode, the place within the body where spirits dwell. This is what Taiyi and the Five Spirits most forbid. Therefore, the perfected beings of antiquity only visualized prostrating in their minds. They performed their reverence by circulating Jing and Qi and expressing sincerity, without physically touching their foreheads to the ground to pray to the spirits.

Those who cultivate the “Taiyi” method (following the Way of Taiyi) and the Way of the Perfected must not perform physical prostrations, for prostration is also forbidden by the Emperor Lords and the Five Spirits. When focused on inner contemplation, performing rites, or making prayers, one need only bow inwardly in the heart; there is no need to bend the body.

Shangqing Great Cavern Precepts

Those who cultivate the “Ciyi” method, a Daoist practice of inner contemplation, must not grieve or weep. If grief and weeping stir a response, the Five Spirits will wail in the Upper Palace, their dwelling within the body, while Taiyi, the spirit who governs the body’s divine Qi, will weep in the Central Field, a site of cultivation within the body. This causes the divine Qi to be lost and the vital essence to be depleted; the numinous Perfected depart from the body, leaving only an empty shell standing alone. How could one still hope to become an immortal?

Those who cultivate the “Ciyi” method must not look upon corpses. After seeing one, they must not cultivate for a year, or they will lose a year’s progress. If they see three corpses in one year, they must not cultivate for three years and will lose three years’ progress. Seeing twenty-four corpses means losing the chance to attain the Dao. The account in the earlier Taisu is broadly the same, with only slight differences.

One must not speak of death, nor angrily say that one wishes to die. If one says such things forty times, one can no longer become a Perfected. The scripture regards this as the sin of forsaking life; after three years, the body will perish.

One must not wear garments in the five colors or dress in ornate, beautiful clothing. Otherwise, the numinous Perfected will leave the body, lustful and deviant thoughts will arise within, the mind and spirit will scatter, and the Red Child—the body’s pure and true primordial spirit—will fly away, remaining far from the Mysterious Palace, the dwelling of the spirits within the body. In the end, the physical form will disintegrate, the body will die, and one’s name will vanish. One should wear only plain blue hemp clothing. Then one may chant the Cavern Chapters, Daoist scriptures, throughout the day. Why worry about being unable to ride the clouds and harness dragons, roaming freely in Taiji, the highest immortal realm in Daoism?

Lingbao Precepts

The Zhenxian Neike says: Those who practice the mysterious arts should ordinarily wear hemp clothing and straw sandals; they must not wear luxurious garments. Violating this precept means losing the Dao. If one can keep the precept, one may ride the clouds and harness dragons, roaming freely in Taiji.

Lingbao Precepts

Practitioners of the Mysterious Arts usually wear coarse cloth and straw sandals; they must not wear fine clothing. Those who break this rule will lose their Dao arts. They may bow to their grandparents, their own parents, and people who practice the same method, but they must not bow to those who practice different methods. They must not bow to uncles or any more distant relatives, even if those relatives practice different methods. Those who break this rule will lose their lives. They must not attend or take a seat at festive gatherings hosted by their parents. Even if their parents, siblings, spouse, and children share their faith and vows, they are still blood relatives and must not sit together on the same bed or eat at the same table. People who practice different methods are all regarded as sources of impurity that can taint one’s cultivation. Those who break this rule will lose their Dao arts.

Husbands and wives must not sleep in the same room. If they harbor improper thoughts, they will lose their Dao arts for a long time. They must not sleep in the same room unless they have pledged themselves to one another; they must not sit together on the same bed, eat at the same table, or wear the same garment unless they have made a shared covenant to cultivate together. Those who break these rules will lose their Dao arts.

Anyone who bears a register of numinous offices among the immortals—a talisman and roster conferring an immortal rank—must not casually bow to people, plead with them, or weep before them. They must show respect to their parents, the ruler, officials, and high-ranking officials such as those with a stipend of two thousand shi, provincial inspectors, and the Three Dukes. They must not err in matters of etiquette.

Text on Receiving and Observing the Eight Precepts of Purification

Master Lu Xiujing, of the Liu Song period, respectfully declares:

To the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Dao of Limitlessness, the responsive and efficacious sages, and all the spirits and gods: now certain good men and good women wish to receive and observe the Eight Precepts in a day-and-night purification vigil, in order to discipline body and mind and dispel the sins and afflictions created through the three karmic actions of body, speech, and mind. Therefore, the twelfth section of the Dongshen Scripture says that the most important purpose of purification and abstinence is to bring body and mind into proper order. Only when body and mind are properly ordered can confusion and corruption be avoided. There are many requirements for practicing purification; they are broadly summarized in eight rules:

First, do not sustain your life by killing.

Second, do not take pleasure in sexual desire.

Third, do not steal other people’s possessions for your own use.

Fourth, do not boast by telling lies.

Fifth, do not sustain your life by killing.

Second, do not indulge in sexual desire for pleasure.

Third, do not steal other people’s belongings for your own use.

Fourth, do not make a skill of lying.

Fifth, do not drink alcohol to the point of abandon.

Sixth, do not share a tall, broad, spacious bed with others.

Seventh, do not rely on fragrant oils to adorn and embellish yourself.

Eighth, do not become absorbed in song and dance, taking up the work of entertainers.

Good men and good women gathered here today: if you can refrain from violating these eight precepts, the eight forms of corruption will not arise, and the eight good fruits will naturally come about. If you uphold them over time without fail, you can prolong your life, preserve your vitality, and attain spiritual powers. Therefore, those who observe the fast should receive and uphold the eight precepts, aspire to the true Dao, and cultivate the Dao’s teachings. In this way, you will reach the boundless, and the results you seek will soon appear; all will be as you hoped. The precept-taking ceremony is now complete. Please bow once more, rise, and, having received the precepts, withdraw.

Bathing

The Taishang Suling Jing says: The Most High said that when practitioners of the Dao contemplate the Dadong Zhenjing (an important Daoist classic), they should first purify body and mind, observe the fast, and bathe in fragrant water infused with orchid.

The Taishang Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing says: The Daoist scriptures instruct that on any day when Daoist rites or cultivation ceremonies are held, one should bathe in fragrant water.

The Huanglu Jianwen Jing says: Before upholding the scriptures, taking part in a purification ritual, or reciting scriptures, one should bathe as a sign of sincere and devoted practice. If the Qi and Shen are impure, the hun and po souls will scatter and fall away.

The Zixu Yuanjun Neizhuan says: Those who are resolved to cultivate the inner Dao, nourish the spirit, and seek to become immortals should bathe often, thereby inviting spiritual energy and good fortune. Without bathing, the stale, impure Qi will gather, defiling the Three Palaces within the body—the inner residences associated with the spirit and Qi.

The Xianggong Qingwen Jing says: If a scripture has been soiled, and is not cleansed with fragrant water, the hun and po souls will scatter and fall away, and other ghosts and spirits may restrain and seize them.

The Three Primordial Qualities and Precepts says: On the fifteenth day of the first, seventh, and tenth months each year, bathe at dawn and midnight. Face east and stir the fragrant bathwater thirty-two times with a ladle, turning to the left. Close your eyes and imagine yourself being held and registered by spirits and demons.

Another account says: When bathing on these days and at these times, face east and stir the fragrant bathwater thirty-two times with a ladle, turning to the left. Close your eyes and imagine sunlight shining on your left eye and moonlight on your right. The Five Stars (the five planets) circle your head, clouds of five-colored Qi cover your body, and the Four Sacred Beasts guard you from the sides. When this visualization is complete, click your teeth thirty-two times, then pray:

“The heavens are clear and pure, the primordial Qi is bright and pure, and five-colored radiance shines on high. The sun and moon send forth their light and pour it into my body. Divine, wondrous fluids fill me within; fragrant bathwater purifies and refines my form. Radiance shines and illuminates the Upper Clarity (Shangqing), the Daoist realm of the highest heavens. My breath is untouched by worldly impurities; the Five Palaces (the inner palaces of the spirits of the five organs) receive numinous Qi. Sins are erased in the Three Paths (the three realms of suffering in Daoism), calamities disperse in the Nine Darknesses (the shadowy underworld), evil roots are severed, and blessings arise of themselves. Today I establish a great vow and declare all things before the divine powers.

“My body receives release and transformation, and ascends to the Imperial Court (the palace of the Celestial Emperor).”

When the prayer is complete, tilt your head back and swallow the saliva in your mouth thirty-two times, then begin bathing. After bathing, put on your cap and clothes, then click your teeth twelve times and pray:

“The Five Pollutions are cleansed, and the Eight Radiances (the eight luminous manifestations described in Daoism) are made clear. Today I receive the sacred bestowal; sins are erased and blessings grow. May I long take my place among the Five Emperors and stand alongside the High Spirits.”

When the prayer is complete, go out and enter the room to practice the Dao according to the prescribed rites. Whenever you undergo defilement—the scriptures’ term yan, meaning an impure or polluted condition—you must bathe. Those who cultivate the true and seek the numinous should especially maintain purity; otherwise, they are prone to illness. The scripture says that the True Officials keep account of people’s sins.

To prepare the fragrant bathwater, put equal amounts of bamboo leaves, peach branches, cypress leaves, and fragrant orchid into water. Boil for a dozen or more cycles, then strain out the solids with a cloth bag and add the Five Fragrances. This is the most suitable way to prepare it.

The Ta Dan Yin Shu Dong Zhen Xuan Jing says that the wood fragrance used for the Five Fragrances bath is green agarwood. Its flowers and leaves have five joints, linked together in groups of five. For this reason, it is believed to dispel harmful Qi, calm the hun and po souls, suppress the Qi of ghosts and demons, and summon numinous responses. Because it has this five-jointed form, it is considered beneficial to people. Green agarwood grows mainly east of Canglang, so the divine beings of the East call it “the fragrance of Green Water.”

The scripture also says that burning green agarwood, frankincense, and benzoin resin near the head of the bed can clear the “Five Turbidities”—understood as impure Qi—and drive away the Qi of demons and malign spirits. The incense smoke rises straight up for forty li, breaking through foul, turbid Qi and dispersing mists of evil pollution. Heavenly beings, Jade Maidens, and the Emperor Taiyi descend with the fragrance and rest for a while between a person’s brows. When burning incense at night, one should also regularly visualize these spirits arriving with its fragrance. “Visualization” is a Daoist practice of focusing the mind on spirits or inner images.

The Huang Qi Yang Jing San Dao Shun Xing Jing says that practitioners of higher Daoist methods who cultivate the practice of ingesting the radiant essence of the sun and moon, Golden Essence, Flying Root, and Yellow Qi should, at dawn on the beginning of spring, boil three substances—angelica root, peach bark, and green agarwood—and bathe facing east.

The Xi Wangmu Bao Shen Qi Ju Yu Jing says that one should bathe regularly, and bathe on a Jiazi day, one of the days in the traditional sixty-day cycle. If one does not bathe on a Jiazi day, one should choose a morning on another day of the month and have someone arrange a numinous bath. The number of baths is not what matters; what matters is carrying them out. Bathing can wash away the odor of the corpse and allow the true Qi to enter the body.

The scripture also says: “The Most High undergoes nine transformations and ten metamorphoses.”

The Yixin Jing says: If you step on something filthy or visit an unclean place, you should bathe and wash your body with water to remove the impurity. To prepare the wash, take ten liang of bamboo leaves and four liang of the white inner layer shaved from peach bark. Add them to one hu and two dou of water and bring it to a boil once. When the water has cooled to a comfortable temperature, use it to bathe; it will dispel all kinds of foul influences. This bath can also help ward off damp impediment, the painful obstruction caused by dampness, as well as sores and itching. Bamboo is hollow and white within, while peach wood is believed to repel evil and cleanse impurity, so these two materials are used to clear pollution from the body. After descending to the human world to travel, heavenly beings—the spirits of the celestial realm in Daoist belief—also often wash themselves with this water before returning. Folk methods involving talisman water, prayers, and rinsing or washing are all less effective than this recipe. It is excellent for bathing, but should not be used to wash the hair.

The Sanhuang Jing says: During purification and bathing, one should always wash the body with Five Fragrance Decoction. To prepare it, take one jin each of orchid fragrance, chaste-tree blossom, Lingling fragrance, green agarwood, and white sandalwood. Chop them, add two hu and five dou of water, and boil until one hu and two dou remain. Use this to bathe. The decoction can dispel evil and inauspicious influences and invite the descent of the spirits. Used to wash the hair, it can also treat wind-related headaches.

The Taishang Qichen Sujing says that a bathing ritual should be performed on the first, fifteenth, and twenty-third day of each month. Take one hu of water—some versions say water from the meeting point of three rivers, while another says water from three wells is also acceptable. Add a total of one liang of five aromatic substances: clove, green agarwood, benzoin, frankincense, and aloeswood. Pound them, put them in the water, and bring it to a boil. Then remove the water at once, pour it into a vessel, and place it on the bed. Write the “Illuminating Talisman” and put it into the water.

Before bathing, do not remove your clothes. Face east and click your teeth together twenty-four times. Visualize a canopy of seven stars above your head, with purple clouds filling the entire room. A divine youth scatters incense on your left, while a jade maiden holds a towel on your right. Then take some water into your mouth, tilt your head back, and rinse, three times to each side, while reciting this prayer:

“May the Three Lights—the sun, moon, and stars—shine brightly; may the Five Spirits, the spirits of the five organs within the body, be still and clear. May no drifting clouds obscure the heavens, and no swirling dust rise from the earth. I bathe at the Eastern Well, reborn and transformed in form. Through three purifying washings, I uphold the Nine Precepts, making my body and mind pure within and without. The jade maiden holds the towel, and the jade youth scatters numinous energy. My body is fragrant, my bones cleansed, and I ascend to the Jade Court, the dwelling of immortals. May I preserve good fortune for ages and endure with Heaven and Earth.”

When the prayer is finished, face east and remove your clothes. Rinse your mouth three times, then wash your hands and face before bathing. After bathing, turn west and recite this prayer softly:

“Wash away impurity and remove dust and grime; cleanse defilement and restore freshness. Transform my former prenatal body, and let me forever receive the Great Truth, the true energy of the Dao.”

When the ritual is complete, take out the talisman and sink it into a well.

The Supreme Method of Bathing of the Celestial Emperor Lord was handed down from the Primordial Heavenly King. Those who practice it will have fragrant bodies and bones that seem to give off fragrance, and can thereby become emperors. When the method was transmitted to the Celestial Emperor Lord for cultivation, he obtained flowing essence and a purple radiance that enveloped his imperial body.

The Celestial Emperor Lord then passed the method to the Southern Pole High Primordial Lord. After the High Primordial Lord practiced it, fragrance drifted upward to the heavens, where even the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the three highest deities revered in Daoism, could smell it. Later, the method was transmitted to the Great Emperor Lord of Taiwei. As he practiced, divine mushrooms of immortality naturally appeared in the five directions and gathered at his palace. Next it was passed to the Supreme Sage Lord of the Golden Tower. After practicing, his face became lustrous as jade, and his body shone with an extraordinary light. It was then passed to the High Minister Lord, the Azure Lad. After the Azure Lad practiced, fragrance filled the realms of the Three Pure Ones, and light shone in all ten directions.

This wondrous method is not practiced by ordinary people in the world. It is kept secret within the Purple Chamber of the Southern Pole. Only those with the right affinity, destined to become immortals, can obtain this scripture. By practicing according to its words in the Purple Chamber of the Three Origins, the body develops a jade-like sheen, the face shines with a wondrous light, the mind becomes bright and perceptive, and one comprehends the boundless principles. Those able to practice this method can ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

The Scripture on the Release of the Outer Realm says: “Bathe at the Golden Gate and clothe yourself in the radiance of the spirits and deities. Through study, you can unite with the heavenly beings, live a long life, and endure as long as heaven and earth. The lofty realms rejoice and unite; the myriad immortals gather and return. When vital energy is upright and still, and the talismanic bond is formed, you will never again fall into ruin or decline.”

Seven Benefits Gained from the Seven Aspects of Bathing

The Scripture on Bathing the Body and Heart says: “In bathing, inner purity means making the heart empty, still, and free of defilement; outer purity means washing away the body’s dirt. By maintaining the vision of the True One (a Daoist practice of contemplating one’s original nature and primordial Qi) and avoiding attachment to forms of every kind, you can realize the true Way of emptiness and stillness, and form a talismanic bond that will never be endangered.”

Seven Benefits Gained from the Seven Aspects of Bathing

The Scripture on Bathing the Body and Heart also says: “When the heart is pure in bathing, it becomes empty, still, and free of defilement; when the body is pure, its dirt is removed. By maintaining the vision of the True One and avoiding attachment to forms of every kind, you can realize Wuwei (non-action) and rise to the realm of the sages. The heavens record good deeds, and those who prepare the bathing water also earn immeasurable merit.” The Celestial True Sovereign then continued: “…”

The Celestial Worthy did not understand: What are the seven blessings brought by the five fragrant bathing waters—bathing water prepared with five aromatics? How should one practice, and what extraordinary merit does this practice bring? Please explain further.

The Celestial Worthy replied: The five aromatics are as follows. First, bai zhi (angelica root), which drives away the Three Corpses—spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body, encourage wrongdoing, and shorten one’s life. Second, peach bark, which wards off harmful influences. Third, cypress leaves, which draw the attention of perfected immortals. Fourth, lingling xiang (nard), which summons numinous sages. Fifth, qingmu xiang (costus root), which removes impurity and invites true spirits. Each of these five aromatics has these particular effects.

The seven causes of blessing are: first, superior pure water for bathing; second, firewood; third, fragrant herbs; fourth, a bathing robe; fifth, zao dou, a cleansing product used for bathing in ancient times; sixth, a clean towel; and seventh, honey water. These seven causes bring about seven results. First, one is always reborn in China—the Central Land, as it was known in antiquity—and as a man. Second, every part of the body is sound. Third, the body radiates light and the eyes are clear and bright. Fourth, the beard and hair are a deep blue-black, and a halo shines behind the head. Fifth, the lips are rosy, the breath is fragrant, and one has forty-two teeth. Sixth, when the arms hang down, the hands reach below the knees. Seventh, the mind is keen and wise, able to understand the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), the Daoist classification of scriptures.

Auspicious Days for Bathing

Bathing on the tenth day of the first month strengthens the teeth.

Bathing on the eighth day of the second month makes the body light and vigorous.

Bathing on the sixth day of the third month protects one from calamity.

Bathing on the fourth day of the fourth month protects one from lawsuits.

Bathing on the first day of the fifth month makes the body shine with light.

Bathing on the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month makes the body light and vigorous.

Bathing on the twenty-fifth day of the seventh month advances one’s cultivation on the Dao.

Bathing on the twenty-second day of the eighth month protects one from misfortune.

Bathing on the twentieth day of the ninth month wards off the dangers of war.

Bathing on the eighteenth day of the tenth month brings long life.

Bathing on the fifteenth day of the eleventh month frees one from sorrow and fear.

Bathing on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month brings the Jade Maiden, a goddess or immortal in Daoist mythology.

Bathing on the eighteenth day of the tenth lunar month can bring longevity.

Bathing on the fifteenth day of the eleventh lunar month can free a person from worry and fear.

Bathing on the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month can bring a Jade Maiden—a female immortal who attends to the immortals—to serve at one’s side.

The Upper Scripture of the Five Lingbao Talismans of Perfect Oneness in the Cavern Mystery records: The Yellow Emperor said that Tianlao believed beginners in the Dao did not yet understand the qi of Heaven. He therefore bestowed on them the Scripture of the Five Lingbao Talismans. On a clean and auspicious day corresponding to the Eastern Well (a lunar lodge), one should bathe, observe purification and abstinence, cleanse body and mind, and then receive the Lingbao talisman.

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, at the hour of human stillness (when the night is deep and quiet).

On the eighth day of the second lunar month, at dusk.

On the sixth day of the third lunar month, at sunset.

On the fourth day of the fourth lunar month, in the afternoon, when the sun has shifted westward.

On the first day of the fifth lunar month, at noon; on the twenty-ninth day, during the hour of the Snake (from nine to eleven in the morning).

On the twenty-seventh day of the sixth lunar month, at mealtime.

On the twenty-fifth day of the seventh lunar month, at breakfast.

On the twenty-second day of the eighth lunar month, at sunrise.

On the twentieth day of the ninth lunar month, when the cock has crowed three times.

On the eighteenth day of the tenth lunar month, when the cock first begins to crow.

On the fifteenth day of the eleventh lunar month, after midnight.

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, at midnight.

These dates and times are when the qi of Heaven and the Moon’s course correspond to the Eastern Well lodge, making them suitable for meeting the immortals. On these days, one should bathe with fragrant orchid-infused water.

The Lord Lao’s Yellow River Chart for Cultivating the Body and Observing Precepts records:

Bathing on the tenth day of the first lunar month, at the hour of human stillness, can eliminate countless offenses.

Bathing on the eighth day of the second lunar month, at dusk, can eliminate two thousand offenses.

Bathing on the sixth day of the third lunar month, at sunset, can eliminate three hundred offenses.

Bathing on the thirteenth day of the fourth lunar month, at midnight, can eliminate twenty offenses.

Bathing on the first day of the fifth lunar month, in the afternoon, when the sun has shifted westward, can eliminate twenty offenses.

Bathing on the twenty-seventh day of the sixth lunar month, at noon, can eliminate six hundred and sixty offenses.

Bathing on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, at noon, can eliminate seven hundred and thirty offenses.

On the twenty-fifth day of the eighth month, bathing late at night, when all is quiet, can remove seventy kinds of transgression.

On the twentieth day of the ninth month, bathing at sunrise can remove nine hundred and sixty kinds of transgression.

On the twenty-eighth day of the tenth month, bathing at first light can turn white hair black, grant a lifespan equal to that of the immortals, and remove limitless transgressions.

On the fourth day of the eleventh month, bathing at cockcrow can remove twenty-three kinds of transgression.

On the thirtieth day of the twelfth month, bathing at midnight can remove three thousand kinds of transgression.

The Scripture of the Twenty-Four Births of the Cavern Mystery says: The Celestial River pours into the Eastern Well (the name of a lunar lodge). The essence of Stone Radiance and Water Mother, round as the moon, shines upon numinous radiance, while its hidden, mysterious light illuminates the heights of the sky. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (a revered Daoist deity) parts the layers of darkness, and the celestial beings are born with the moon. Bathe in the Pool of Rippling Waters, while a dragon bears the Long Watch flask, a vessel used for bathing. Golden Youths reveal fragrant flowers of beauty, and Jade Maidens scatter the light of the Five Stars. Wearing caps and sashes, wash in Jade Ford and refine the forms of the Five Immortals. The body gives off fragrance, and the gods descend in its wake; riding on the radiance, one ascends to distant heights.

The Scripture of the Forty-Four Methods of the Supreme One’s Yellow Writing of the Cavern Truth says: Whenever one visualizes the Great Dao, observes purification, and expels the Three Corpses (spirits believed in Daoism to dwell in the human body and obstruct spiritual cultivation), one should generally gather the roots of bai zhi and qing mu xiang, boil them in water flowing eastward, and use the liquid to bathe the whole body, driving out blood corpses and foul Qi. The herbs may also be blended into incense and burned to establish communion with the spirits. If qing mu xiang is unavailable, bai zhi alone will do.

The Perfected One of Clear Emptiness says: On every Jiazi day (a day marked Jiazi in the sexagenary calendar), one must bathe.

Lady of the Purple Tenuity says: Blood corpses and foul Qi can be driven out by burning medicinal incense, which establishes communion with the spirits. If qing mu xiang is unavailable, bai zhi alone will do.

The Perfected One of Clear Emptiness says: On every Jiazi day, one must bathe.

Lady of the Purple Tenuity says: Bathing should not be too frequent; this is the nature of the Po (the Yin aspect of the spirit that forms part of the human person). If one’s nature goes against the Po, the Po will resist. This is a way of refining away impurity, and the Po will naturally dissipate.

The True Writings record the words of the Lady of Mount Heng: There is no harm in bathing often; the only difficulty is that people may not manage to do so. Regular bathing can wash away the stench of corpses and allow true Qi to enter the body.

The Upper Scripture on the Golden Chamber’s Deliverance of Life says that those who practice Daoist methods for preserving life and extending their years may choose one of the “Six Gui Days”—days whose heavenly stem is Gui—and obtain one hu of spring water from the north. On their own natal day, the day corresponding to the stem and branch of their birth year, they should then take one jin each of bai zhi, peach bark, and cypress leaves, boil them together, and use the mixture for bathing.

While bathing, they should face the direction associated with their natal year and click their teeth nine times. They should visualize three Jade Youths holding towels on their left and two Jade Maidens bearing incense on their right, with a purple-cloud canopy—a purple cloud cover symbolizing protection—arching over them in front and behind. Then they should softly recite this prayer:

“Heaven and earth are clear and bright; wash away filth and dust. Refine the Nine Passages, so that my body returns to Great Perfection. Let the hundred joints absorb numinous Qi, renewed joint by joint. Let the light of clear emptiness shine within and without, revealing all things. May this day and hour be auspicious, helping me extend my life and years. Jade Youths and Jade Maidens, hold the towels for me; numinous spirits and the purple canopy, crown me and fasten my sash. Let my Nine Passages return to Great Perfection, and my hundred joints absorb numinous Qi, renewed joint by joint. Let the light of clear emptiness shine within and without. May this day and hour be auspicious, helping me extend my life and years. Jade Youths and Jade Maidens, hold the towels for me; numinous spirits and the purple canopy, crown me and fasten my sash. Let me attain long life, rooted together with Heaven and Earth.”

After completing the prayer, they should bathe. When finished, they should return indoors and lie down with their heads facing east. They should apply fragrant powder to their bodies, spreading it evenly over the whole body. Then they should rub their palms together until warm, wipe their faces fourteen times, and softly recite this prayer:

“The sky is bright and the air is clear; my body is now purified. Dust and grime disperse, and the Nine Apertures—the bodily openings such as the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth—absorb numinous Qi. Let my body be transformed and return to the appearance of childhood; let my bones grow anew, my body shine with jade-like radiance, and my face display a golden glow.”

The twelfth chapter of the Dongshen Scripture says that for bathing during the Upper Origin purification fast, one should take three hu of cloud water, four liang of green agarwood, seven liang of true sandalwood, and two liang of black ginseng. Boil the four ingredients together once, then leave the mixture to settle and clear. Adjust it to a suitable temperature, wash the head first, and then bathe. If it is difficult to obtain all these materials, peach bark and bamboo leaves may be chopped and boiled in one or two hu of water, as needed. Once the mixture gives off a fragrance, it may be used for bathing; it can be used both externally and internally, and is said to drive away evil and dispel misfortune.

The bathing room should be clean and fragrant. It should not be near a toilet, a place with stagnant or dirty water, a well, or a stove. One must not encroach on the main hall or the ritual altar, and one must not use an impure place. Toilets, prisons, places where corpses are kept, and main halls used for living are all unsuitable as places for bathing.

Combing, washing, and bathing.

Daoist texts say that when a Daoist priest purifies himself of evil and dispels inauspicious influences, the room used for bathing should be kept clean and fragrant. It should not be near a latrine, directly beside a well or stove, or inside the main hall or ritual precinct. One should not bathe in a filthy place. Latrines, prisons, places where corpses are kept, main halls, and living quarters are all unsuitable for bathing.

Combing the Hair and Bathing

Daoist texts say that when a Daoist priest combs his hair, ties it up, washes it, or lets it hang loose, he should first click his teeth seven times and then recite this prayer:

“Great Thearch, scatter blossoms; Great Spirit of the Mysterious Origin, return. Today is an auspicious day. As I comb my hair and wash away the dust, may I ward off evil and calamity, attain long life, and become an immortal.”

After reciting the prayer, he ties up his hair. When he has finished, he clicks his teeth seven more times. This rite is called “The Inner Method of the Great Thearch Scattering Blossoms and Combing the Hair.” The text says that performing it regularly can keep a person free from illness throughout the year, sharpen hearing and sight, and prevent headaches.

When a Daoist priest bathes, washes his hands, or washes his face, he should first face the water and click his teeth three times, then recite this prayer:

“May the four directions be open and bright, and Heaven and Earth remain forever unchanged. With Mysterious Water, wash away filth and drive off inauspicious influences. The Twin Youths guard the gateways; the Seven Spirits keep watch over the chambers. May cloud fluid, the spiritually potent moisture or water vapor of Daoist terminology, refine and infuse me, bringing harmony and well-being to the ten thousand Qi. May I be rightly aligned within and without, and may this body be preserved.”

After reciting the prayer, he clicks his teeth three times, then washes his hands and face. This rite is called “The Seven Chambers’ Prayer for Washing Away Filth and Dispelling Misfortune.” The text says that performing it regularly can clarify one’s spirit, purify one’s blood and Qi, and ward off all kinds of baleful influences.

Purifying Impurity

Only when the spirit and Qi are still, pure, and empty-bright can the true spirits dwell and remain. When body and mind are sullied, evil influences can invade. To enter a quiet chamber, a place where Daoists cultivate in stillness and perform rites, and contemplate the true Dao, one must remain clean and avoid contact with all kinds of impure things. In this way, good fortune can descend.

After receiving the teachings, Daoist priests and female Daoist officials in particular must avoid impure affairs. They should also observe the relevant prohibitions in other situations where contact is inappropriate.

The Xuandu Regulations, a set of Daoist precepts, stipulate that when a household has experienced an impure event, one may enter only after the last day of the lunar month. A household in mourning is also considered to carry impure influences and should be avoided for three days. If a household is observing a three-year mourning period, then before one hundred days have passed, no one may write Fulu (talismans and registers), submit memorials, pay respects to the gods and perfected beings, or enter a quiet chamber. Anyone who violates these rules will have twelve years deducted from their allotted lifespan.

The Taiji Master said: Daoist men and female officials generally believe that they are not easily affected by impure influences, and that even weeping does not defile them. Only those who wear Fulu (talismans and registers) need to take special care to remain pure. Anyone who has been detained by a county official should, upon release, bathe in fragrant water to remove the impure influences. They may enter a meditation chamber—a pure place for cultivation or ritual practice—only after three days have passed.

According to these taboos, cultivators should not go near corpses, enter the homes of women who have recently given birth, or take ritual meals in mourning households. During the first three days after childbirth and again when the postpartum month is complete, they should also avoid funeral carriages, mourning halls, livestock, childbirth, holding infants, birth impurities, and weeping. They must not speak of death or ill omens. The period before noon is especially subject to taboos; they must not see blood or flesh, or dead birds and animals. When sleeping, combing their hair, eating, or using the toilet, they should not face north. While using the toilet, they must not look at the sun, moon, or stars. They must not eat the meats and fish associated with the twelve double-hours, or the Five Pungent Plants, such as scallions, garlic, Chinese chives, shallots, and asafoetida. When a woman is menstruating, they must not go near her or share a bed with her, take part in a meal for a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), or approach the ritual site. If they have a nocturnal emission, they must likewise remove the impurity according to the prescribed method.

If they see a coffin or funeral carriage, they should immediately visualize fire shooting from their heart and burning the coffin and carriage to ashes, then imagine a fierce wind scattering the ashes. Next, they should close their eyes and turn their attention inward, imagining fire burning within the body until the whole body becomes white. When they see the impure influence disperse, the purification is complete. Another method is to visualize a Perfected One, an immortal who has attained the Dao, wearing the Nine-Phoenix True Crown associated with Fulu. The Perfected One holds pure water in the mouth and sprays it out, dispelling the impure influence.

They may also write the “Talisman for Dispelling Impurity” in cinnabar (see the talisman manual). While writing it, they should click their teeth three times, recite “Radiant Unity, Heavenly Emperor of the Sun,” and hold their breath. Place the talisman in water and stir the water counterclockwise three times with a small knife, visualizing the Big Dipper reflected in it. Then recite: “All kinds of impure ghosts, flee at once to a distance of ten thousand li. If you do not flee, I will slay you. White Youth of the West, act with all haste in accordance with the statutes!”

The hundred kinds of plague demons flee at once to a place ten thousand li away. If they do not flee, they will be put to the sword. White Youth of the West, obey the law and act swiftly! Then hold a mouthful of water and spray it out; all foul vapors will disperse.

Do not bathe on New Year’s Eve, and do not wash your hair on New Year’s Day. In ordinary times, bathe once every five days and wash your hair once every ten days, using peach branches and bamboo branches.

Paying Homage

The Ritual for Facing the Perfected says: On the first and fifteenth days of each month; the Three Primordial Days—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordial Days; the Gengshen, Jiayin, and Jiazi days; the Eight Seasonal Festivals; the Three Assembly Days; and one’s birth-sign day, among others, one should perform the rite of paying homage to the deities. If any of these dates coincides with a day considered unsuitable for ritual, such as Wuchen, Wuxu, the Heavenly Father, or the Heavenly Mother, or with an ordinarily inauspicious day, the rite must not be performed.

On the day before the rite, purify yourself by bathing in peach-branch water, as described in the Chapter on Removing Defilement. You must also abstain from scallions, Chinese chives, leeks, garlic, cheese, and similar foods. On the day of the rite, change into clean clothes and bathe again in peach-branch water.

Holding an incense burner, go to the entrance of the Jing—a quiet chamber where Daoist practitioners establish an altar and cultivate the Way. Knock your teeth together three times and softly recite: “Jade Maidens who guard the Jing, and Four-Brilliance Merit Officers who protect this chamber and transmit its petitions, I am about to pay homage. Please help my petition reach the proper authorities.” Then open the door, step in first with your left foot, and walk to the incense table. Set the burner on the table. Hold the ritual tablet and stand upright. With your eyes closed, knock your teeth together three times, visualizing Jade Youths and Jade Maidens standing on either side of the incense table. Then kneel three times and pinch the incense. When finished, rise and stand straight, bow slightly, and activate the incense burner as you recite:

“Great High Lord Lao, Mysterious Origin and Fivefold numinous Power, summon the Merit Officers, the Left and Right Dragon and Tiger Lords, the incense-bearing envoys, and the True Gods of the Three Qi. Hasten to submit and report this petition to the Three Heavens’ Great High Lord Daoist Lord of Mysterious Origin. I am now about to burn incense and pay homage to the Perfected. May I receive the Nine Heavens’ True…”

The Most High Lord Lao, Mysterious Origin and Fivefold Numinous Power, will summon the merit officers and messengers (divine officials who convey prayers), the Lords of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger at his left and right, the incense-bearing messengers, and the True Gods of the Three Qi. They will swiftly submit a report to the Dao Lord of the Most High, Mysterious Origin, of the Three Heavens. Now, with sincere hearts, disciples burn incense and bow before the True Gods. May the true and upright life-giving Qi of the Nine Heavens descend within the disciples, so that what they report may swiftly reach its destination and be presented to the True Mysterious Origin, Great Dao Lord in the Purple Tenuity Palace of Great Clarity. After speaking this invocation, rise and focus your thoughts on arriving before the Golden Gate (the palace gate where Daoist immortals dwell), then bow twice. Kneel upright, click your teeth twenty-four times, and say:

Of the Zhengyi Alliance with Might (the name of a Daoist school), I, disciple So-and-so, bow my head and wish to entrust my body, spirit, and life to the Dao. To the Great Clarity Mysterious Origin, Boundless Great Dao, Most High Lord Lao; the Most High Elder; the Heavenly Emperor Lord; the Heavenly Emperor Elder; the Lords of the Nine Elders and Immortal Metropolises; the Elders of the Nine Qi; the countless layers of Dao Qi; the twelve hundred officials and lords; and those beneath the jade steps of Great Clarity:

By good fortune from blessings accumulated in former times, I have been able to practice the Daoist teachings. Yet, not daring to presume upon my own worth, I venture to pray for long life. I have vowed to accumulate merit and cultivate De. I humbly ask that the grave offenses I have committed from former lifetimes up to the present be forgiven and completely erased, and that I be allowed to begin anew and make amends for past wrongs. May the spirits and souls of my ancestors through nine generations be freed from the Nine Depths (the depths of the underworld) and ascend to Heaven. May my cultivation of the Dao attain utmost sincerity and purity; may I be removed from the registers of the dead and entered into the Mysterious Register (the record of Daoist clergy and their cultivation achievements). May everyone in my household share in good fortune and peace. The blessing that allows us to live and flourish depends entirely upon this.

I, disciple So-and-so, bow my head and make this report with due care. If there is anything else to bring forward, it may be stated freely, but without excessive detail. When the invocation is complete, bow twice more, then prostrate yourself at the place of worship, hold the written petition, bow your head, and pat your cheeks. Afterward, make another invocation before the incense burner.

The incense officials and messengers, the Lords of the Left and Right Dragons and Tigers, the incense bearers, and the righteous spirits of the Three Qi should cause the essence of the Golden Elixir and jade fungi to descend naturally upon the place where the True Gods are worshipped. The hundred spirits and assembled perfected beings will gather before this incense altar and help me cultivate the Dao, so that I may accord with the Most Perfect, bring blessings to my whole family, and extend grace to all under Heaven. The immortal youths and jade maidens attend to the incense smoke and carry the matters prayed for upward in a report, directly before the Most Perfect Lord Emperor.

When burning incense, do not turn around to look back. Turning back will offend the true Qi and bring inauspicious responses. Do not make noise either. Remain quiet until the ritual is completed before dawn.

The Method for Secretly Paying Homage to the Perfected One of Great Simplicity and Praying to the High Immortals

Those who have received the supreme instructions of the Great Cavern, practice the method of Feminine Unity, or recite the Scripture of the Five Mornings and Golden Radiance of the Great Elixir, Hidden and Mysterious, should secretly pay homage each month at night to the Three Primordial Lords of Great Simplicity—the three honored spirits within the Palace of Great Simplicity. The dates depend on the month: the tenth day of the first month, the ninth day of the second, the eighth day of the third, the seventh day of the fourth, the sixth day of the fifth, the fifth day of the sixth, the fourth day of the seventh, the third day of the eighth, the second day of the ninth, the eleventh day of the tenth, the twelfth day of the eleventh, and the thirteenth day of the twelfth.

That night, burn incense in a quiet bedroom, face north, and inwardly visualize the three honored spirits. Then bow twice. When the homage is complete, sit or lie down as you wish. Bow your head again and pray silently:

I respectfully address the Great Dao of the Most High; the Three Primordial Emperor Lords of the Jade Dawn, Great Simplicity, and Purple Palace in the High Void; the Yellow Elder of the Center; Wuying; Baiyuan; the Jade Emperor; the Five Elders, High and Perfect; and the Jade Lord, Mysterious Emperor of the Imperial Essence of the Great Ultimate. I, (name), am a disciple of the Three Radiances of the Great Cavern. On this auspicious night, as the Nine Gates of Heaven open, I respectfully submit this report to the Most High, the Great…

Pray to such deities as the Plain-Faced One, the Three Primordials, and the Jade Emperor True Lord, seeking to live long in this world and enjoy endless life. In time, ride a carriage of yellow dawn light, a dragon chariot adorned with a green canopy, and travel to the Purple Court, the palace of Heaven. There you will command the myriad spirits and attend and guard the Sovereign Lord of the Four Luminaries and Great Simplicity. After completing the rites, continue to practice in this way regularly, and do not let others know. This is the secret method transmitted by the Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate for paying homage to the Three Primordials by day and making ritual obeisance and prayers at night.

Long ago, Ji Zhongzi of Chang’an knew none of the other Daoist methods and had practiced neither the arts of the Great Elixir nor the methods of the Three Primordials. He happened to obtain only this secret method of paying homage. After practicing as instructed for thirty years, he was able to ride the clouds and harness the wind, ascending to Xuanzhou. The immortals Wang Lübing, Zhao Shuangcheng, Fan Shuyou, Guan Ping’a, Li Mingyan, and Ansheng also ascended to the immortal palaces of Kunlun through practicing this method. Some dwelt in Shenzhou, while others lived in the Three Profound Palaces.

The central point is this: practice this method on one day each month. There are also four specific days each year, distinct from the days for the usual practice of walking the stellar pattern and from the days of the Birthday. Whether these dates coincide or fall on separate days, complete the star steps as usual, then perform the salutations according to the hour that applies. If a Jiazi day, one of the Eight Seasonal Nodes (the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, or Winter Solstice), and a date associated with one of the four seasons coincide, walk the pattern only once, but perform the salutations twice, beginning with the King Star. If you wish to walk the pattern and perform the salutations separately, salute the Celestial Pole at noon and the Central Origin at midnight.

The dates for practice in spring are the first day of the first month, the twentieth day of the second month, and the twenty-seventh day of the third month.

After completing the star steps, stand upright inside the Dipper Ladle—the part of the Big Dipper formed by its seven stars—and face east. Gaze at the Year Star (Jupiter), visualizing it as corresponding to the liver. After completing the steps, remain standing above the Assistant Star. Turn to the left, step down with the left foot, and enter the Dipper Ladle. Stand beneath the Celestial Pivot Star, between the Yin Essence Star and the Assistant Star, facing east, with the right foot drawn in beside the left. Hold your breath and lower your gaze. Visualize the Year Star’s vital essence condensing into a round pearl that emits a blue-green light. It descends from the sky and flies into your mouth. Part your lips slightly to receive it, then swallow, visualizing it going straight into your liver, where its radiance illuminates you from within and without. Remain still for a moment, then breathe normally again and open your eyes. Practice in the same way with the other stars, following each star’s own color and its corresponding organ.

Next, bow again. Place your feet firmly and perform the kneeling bows, taking care not to trespass on the stellar pattern—the positions and route followed when stepping among the stars. During the bows, keep your knees aligned with the pattern; otherwise, the ritual will not conform to proper procedure. Next comes the silent recitation of the invocation.

The primordial spirit of Jupiter, the Ninefold Origin of the Wood Duke, and the mysterious Qi of Yang Radiance all enter the body. After reciting the invocation, click the teeth nine times. Then rise, turn to the left, and step away from the position of the Celestial Pivot star. If it is a Jia day in the sexagenary cycle, continue circling the Three Terraces stars to the left. If it is not a Jia day, walk left to the mouth of the Five-Star Guideline. Follow the same procedure for worship at other times of year.

The summer dates are the eighth day of the fourth month, the sixth day of the fifth month, and the eighteenth day of the sixth month. Straighten the body and enter the bowl of the Northern Dipper. Face south, gaze at Yinghuo (Mars), and visualize its form in the mind. Then bow again and kneel, silently reciting:

“Primordial Spirit of the Upper Origin in the South, four lights of yang fire, Zhongli of the Vermilion Waters—please descend to the cinnabar chamber.”

After reciting the invocation, click the teeth nine times, then rise and depart.

The autumn dates are the seventh day of the seventh month, the twentieth day of the eighth month, and the ninth day of the ninth month. Straighten the body and enter the bowl of the Northern Dipper. Face west, gaze at Taibai (Venus), and visualize its form in the mind, as though it were in the lungs. Then bow again and kneel, silently reciting:

“Supreme Mystery in the West, sevenfold passage of Metal Essence, the two emperors of Jade Origin—please cause the breath to return to the fetal brain.”

After reciting the invocation, click the teeth nine times, then rise and depart.

The winter dates are the fifth day of the tenth month, the third day of the eleventh month, and the sixth day of the twelfth month. Straighten the body and enter the bowl of the Northern Dipper. Face north, gaze at Chenxing (Mercury), and visualize it in the kidneys: in the tenth and eleventh months, in the left kidney; in the twelfth month, in the right. Then bow again and kneel, silently reciting:

“Mysterious purple star of the North, golden chariot and water origin, dragon embryo transformed into spirit—please descend into my body.”

After reciting the invocation, click the teeth nine times, then rise and depart.

The Jiazi days and the eight seasonal-node days, which mark important changes in the solar terms, have a different ritual. Straighten the body and enter the position of the Assistant star in the bowl of the Northern Dipper. Then enter the space between the Yin Essence star and the Assistant star, face the Perfected One star, and bow in reverence and kneel. Facing the Perfected One star, visualize Saturn and imagine it within the spleen. Then bow again and kneel, silently reciting:

“Taiji’s nine truths, flowing forth to nourish the Yin root; the One flies away, then returns, entering the Muddy Pellet” is a prayer to be recited silently during visualization. After reciting it, click the teeth together nine times. Then rise and visualize the Star of Restraint—the Daoist name for Saturn—guarding the Spleen. Bow twice on your knees, offering a silent prayer in your heart. When the prayer is complete, rise and go outside. On a Jia day—that is, a day marked by the Heavenly Stem Jia in the sexagenary cycle—walk the steps of the Three Platforms. On any other day, walk the steps of the Five Stars.

Practice in this way for fourteen years, and the essences of the Seven Stars will descend and transform into divine beings. Immortals will also arrive, riding flowing luminous Qi and clad in mottled clouds of cinnabar and dark hues. They will honor you as an Immortal Official and bestow a true talisman upon you. Once your practice is complete, you will be able to ascend to the Clear Realm and rise to the Palace of Great Subtlety. A commentary says that the Lords of the Five Sacred Peaks, the Perfected Ones of the Four Extremities, and the Perfected Ones of the Supreme Ultimate each offer gifts; the specific details are recorded in the scripture.

Paying Respects to the Lord of Jade Dawn

The days for paying respects to the Lord of Jade Dawn are the fourth day of the first month, the eighth day of the second month, the fifteenth day of the third month, the eighth day of the fourth month, the ninth day of the fifth month, the sixth day of the sixth month, the seventh day of the seventh month, the eighth day of the eighth month, the ninth day of the ninth month, the fifth day of the tenth month, the third day of the eleventh month, and the twelfth day of the twelfth month.

The Most High Lord of the Great Dao, the Lord of Jade Dawn, a revered Daoist deity, ascends to the Jade Firmament’s Hall of Pearls at noon on these days to look down upon the world. Those who aspire to uphold their integrity and travel far in search of the Dao may face north at sunrise on these mornings and bow twice. They may also pay their respects in a quiet chamber, or set up an altar in a courtyard, burn incense, and bow facing north. Even if rain or snow falls, they may perform the rite indoors in a quiet chamber. During the rite, they should state their wishes, saying: “Your humble disciple, so-and-so, a small figure amid the dust of the mundane world, respectfully submits this petition to the revered deity…”

The most exalted and honored Jade Dawn Mysterious Emperor Great Dao Lord, a revered deity of Daoism: I, your disciple, long for the true Dao and aspire to become an immortal. With a sincere heart, I turn toward you and pay my respects. I humbly ask you to look upon me and accept my heartfelt prayer. Please forgive the calamities and trials I have endured through countless past lives, and the transgressions of this life. Let me study the Dao and cultivate myself, receive your response, and see my wish fulfilled: to live long, transcend the world, and ascend to the cloud palaces to serve the immortals. When the prayer is complete, swallow the saliva in your mouth thirty times. Then prostrate yourself on the mat and knock your head against it, settling your body and mind and becoming fully reverent. After a while, rise and kneel upright, then swallow saliva again.

◎ Paying Homage to Lord Green Lad

Lord Green Lad of the Eastern Sea, an immortal who dwells there, often ascends the Eastern Glory Terrace on Mount Fangzhu on a Dingmao day to gaze in all directions. On this day, practitioners may face the sun and bow twice, performing the rite at sunrise.

On a Dingmao day, go to a courtyard or a place set up for ritual, arrange an incense table, and pay homage according to the prescribed rites. If the sun cannot be seen from your dwelling in the early morning, face the faint light of dawn in the east and perform the rite. Mount Fangzhu lies east of Kuaiji, slightly to the south. In summer, when the sun rises in the northeast, you need not always face the sunrise; instead, face toward the direction of Mount Fangzhu. In rain or snow, visualize Lord Green Lad in a quiet room and pay homage to him.

For the rite, kneel upright and say:

I, the lowly male disciple So-and-so, one of the myriad people as base as dung, respectfully submit this petition to you:

The Supreme Lord of the Jade Brightness, Azure Protection, and Golden Gate of the Nine Subtle Mysteries, High Minister and Great Director of Fate, Master of High Dawn, Lord of the Azure Florescence and Jade Brightness, Little Youth of the Eastern Sea (a revered Daoist deity):

Because the mortal world is defiled and my karmic offenses are profound, I wish to turn toward the Dao of purity, stillness, and emptiness. I beg to receive the blessings I seek, and look up to the divine lord for compassionate salvation. As for the judgments and punishments imposed on me by the netherworld and the human world, I also hope the divine lord will pardon me and remove my karmic hindrances, so that I may join the ranks of the immortals and serve and pay my respects to the deities in their celestial realms.

After speaking, bow low and prostrate yourself, making body and mind reverent and sincere, then bow once more. Afterward, you may practice the method of ingesting the Sun’s essence. From the ninth month through the first month of the following year, face toward the Sun at sunrise. In the other months, after bowing, turn to face the Sun and practice methods such as ingesting Flying Blossoms, Water Mother, Pursuing the Sun, and the Five Emperors. You may also simply absorb the Sun’s vital essence and swallow it in nine portions.

◎ The Hidden Court Method of the Embryonic Origin

Practitioners of this method must not weep or shed tears, nor spit excessively, since these actions deplete the body’s fluids and overly weaken the throat and brain. Thus, Perfected Ones and Daoist adepts often practice breathing exercises and swallow their saliva to regulate the body’s six fluids.

On each of your personal destiny days—the days whose earthly branch matches that of your birth year—face the corresponding direction, click your teeth three times, and make a salute in your heart. Then pray softly:

“Taiyi guards life; the three kinds of original Qi unite and become the Real. The Embryonic Origin within the inner chamber reveals the numinous light above; the mother is Xuan, the father Yuan. They give life to my five viscera and hold fast my spirit. They pour Jade Fluid downward and pay homage upward to the Mud Pill, the Daoist name for the central part of the brain. At night, I refine and nourish the seven Po souls; in the morning, I harmonize the three Hun souls. On the right, I summon Jade Florescence; on the left, I call Golden Dawn. May I become an immortal, command the numinous officials and spirits, keep my vital fluids abundant, and fly through the celestial realms in all ten directions.”

After praying, salute the four directions in your heart, then click your teeth three times. This is called “the Mount Tai invocation for birth: the Way of the Hidden Court and Embryonic Origin.” The scripture says that regular practice can keep the Hun and Po souls settled and lead to longevity and immortality.

On the mornings of the third, ninth, and sixteenth days of each month, face the sun and perform nine prostrations and nine bows (the rites of kneeling and cupping the hands in salute). You may also perform the rites inwardly, in your heart alone. Then tilt your head back, click your teeth together twenty-four times, and softly recite this prayer:

“The souls of Heaven are bound together in nine layers; the Exalted Lord and revered spirits, the Sun’s essence of light, the Golden Gate transformed into immortals. I, a humble cultivator named Renjia, presume to offer a few modest words. Today I report to Heaven and set forth eight wishes, humbly asking that these ritual prayers be granted and looking up to receive the grace of the mysterious Dao. The Azure Dragon and Vermilion Phoenix guide a purple carriage; five-colored auspicious clouds weave together, and the Six Qi stir up mists of dust. The lofty gods look down upon me, and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water send down true Qi. The two celestial lights of the sun and moon wind around each other, and my heart rejoices in the cultivation of the Dao. My mind grows clear, my hearing keen, my sight bright, and my complexion fresh and radiant. My body becomes light and strong, my bones seem to rise aloft, and my face shines. I take on the form of a feathered robe and ascend in flight to the Imperial Dawn, where the Celestial Emperor resides.”

When the prayer is finished, gaze up at the sky, draw in the Sun’s essence, and swallow it in forty-five portions. After practicing in this way for three years, your eyes will become clear and far-seeing, able to discern without limit; your face will show a golden radiance, and your body will produce jade-like fluids. If you can practice for nine years, your body will cast no shadow, and you will fly through the empty, mysterious reaches of the sky. If clouds obscure the sun, you can practice in a quiet room through stillness and visualization; this, too, can bring you into resonance with nature.

In addition, on the nights of the fifth, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth days of each month, at the hour when the world has settled into stillness, face the moon and perform nine prostrations and nine bows. You may also perform the rites inwardly, in your heart alone. Tilt your head back toward the moon, click your teeth together sixteen times, and recite this prayer:

“The soul’s essence and the spirit of the body, born together with the Nine Heavens, the Stone Light and the Water Mother…”

The essence of the Hun and the spirit of the Po were born together in the Nine Heavens. They are like essence within stone and a mother within water. The Great Yin—the moon—is clear and bright. The essence of the Hun and the spirit of the Po wander through the Moon Palace, cultivating and refining themselves within the Golden Court. When the two luminaries, the sun and moon, unite with their source, it is a time of auspicious clarity. The numinous Qi of the eight directions meets and flows through. May my cultivation reach completion; may I attain radiance, grace, distinction, and flourishing vitality; may I become a spirit and an immortal, and ascend to Shangqing, the Daoist realm of subtle purity. After reciting, raise your head and draw in the moon’s essence. Swallow forty-five times, then stop.

The Sovereign Lord of the Hun’s Essence is the Commissioner of Fate of the Nine Heavens. He commands the Hun’s essence throughout the Nine Heavens and also governs the destinies of later students. The Sovereign Lord keeps watch in the Golden Court at the Gate of the Sun. The Sovereign Lord of the Po’s Spirit is the Chancellor of the Nine Heavens. He governs the Po’s spirit throughout the Nine Heavens and also oversees the registers of later students. The Sovereign Lord keeps watch in the City of Linlang within the Moon Palace.

Those who cultivate the higher Dao should constantly visualize, whether morning or evening, sitting or rising, lying down or breathing: the sun above the head and the moon within the mouth; the Sovereign Lord of the Hun’s Essence in the Niwan, the inner divine court at the center of the head; and the Sovereign Lord of the Po’s Spirit in the Ming Tang, the inner divine court near the space between the eyebrows. Hold these images in the mind and envision them before the eyes, so that their forms remain faintly visible. After more than a year of such practice, you will be able to see their true forms, and the colors blue and white will become distinct. After nine years of practice, you will be able to fly through the air. Continue visualizing the sun above the head, the moon within the mouth, the Sovereign Lord of the Hun’s Essence in the Niwan, and the Sovereign Lord of the Po’s Spirit in the Ming Tang. Hold these images in the mind and envision them before the eyes, so that their forms remain faintly visible. Then you will be able to ascend, enter the Hall of the Morning Lamp, and roam and feast upon Rainbow-Reflecting Mountain.

Paying Homage to the Three Primordial Lords of Great Simplicity (The Three Primordial Lords are revered deities in Daoism. Those who have received and practiced the method of the Cavern Chamber should pay homage according to these instructions. Those who have not practiced this method must not perform the rite.)

On the nights of the ninth day of the first month, the eighth day of the second month, the seventh day of the third month, the sixth day of the fourth month, the fifth day of the fifth month, the fourth day of the sixth month, the third day of the seventh month, the second day of the eighth month, the first day of the ninth month, the tenth day of the tenth month, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and the twelfth day of the twelfth month, around the hour of the Rat—near midnight—wait until the bedroom is quiet, face north, and bow six times. When the bows are complete, rise and kneel. (Set up an incense table and dress properly. First bow twice, then bow once more, and kneel upright as you say:)

I respectfully address:

The Most High, the Great Dao, the High Holy Jade Morning Lord of Great Simplicity in the Purple Palace, the Eight Spirits and Three Primordial Lords; the Central Yellow Old Lord, the Un…

Reverently reported:

To the High Saint of the Great Dao, the Jade Morning, Great Simplicity, Purple Palace, Eightfold Spirit, Threefold Origin Lord; the Central Yellow Old Lord; the Imperishable White Origin Supreme Emperor; the Five Elders, High Perfected Immortals; and the Supreme Ultimate, August Essence, Three Sovereigns, Jade Lords:

I, a disciple of the Three Radiances of the Great Cavern, respectfully offer this prayer with a sincere heart on an auspicious day and quiet night. May this prayer reach the Supreme Jade Emperor, the Perfect Lord, who grants me long life in this world and unending years. May I then ride the Yellow Dawn Dragon Carriage to the Purple Court, command the assembled spirits, and receive the protection of the divine spirits of the Four Luminaries. Once the rite is complete, let no one else know of it.

The Threefold Origin Lord of Great Simplicity is a goddess. Her virtue gathers in the realm of the Void, and her divine rank stands high above, at the level of the Supreme One. She is charged with teaching and governing the perfected immortals of the heavens and with ordering the myriad forms of primordial Qi between Heaven and Earth. Though the Threefold Origin Lord is a woman, through long communion with jade-like spiritual energy she took form in the Void, in the lofty reaches of the dawn sky. There she gathered mist and scattered rosy clouds, becoming the honored sovereign of the Jade Perfected and the Great Dao.

Whenever the Threefold Origin Lord travels, the sun and moon seem to lose their brilliance. Her blazing radiance stirs the roots of things; winds from the eight directions raise waves, and fierce gusts shake the hidden depths. Her light extends for ninety thousand li. Dawn Qi dances in the heights, crimson clouds spread thickly across the sky, and yellow auspicious clouds coil in layers around her. At that time, the Five Elders, Divine Lords, clear the way for her; the Supreme Emperor supports her carriage; the Western Emperor bears the ceremonial standards; and the Eastern Florescence Emperor waves the banners. The nine heavens turn around her, and clouds of mist rise even in the realm of the Great Void. The hidden primordial Qi spreads faintly, linking the scenes in all eight directions. With a glance she surveys the highest realms; between looking up and looking down, she takes in the vast expanse of Heaven and Earth. How great is the exalted Threefold Origin Lord of Great Simplicity!

At night, in a secluded chamber, one should often visualize the Threefold Origin Lord entering the room, bow to her inwardly, and pray in silence without interruption. In this way, one’s wishes will be fulfilled, and all things will proceed in harmony. This is called an essential practice by which the Perfected reach the spirits and the immortal Way.

Grand Lady of the Three Origins of Great Simplicity, a revered deity of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, wears robes like purple clouds, a nine-colored brocade mantle, and a feathered skirt woven with dragon patterns. On her head is the Dawn-Supporting Feather Crown, adorned with precious jade. At her waist hangs a golden-flowing fire bell. She holds a tiger tally and a dragon book, and sits upright in the air. Beneath her knees are clouds of the Three Simplicities, green, vermilion, and azure, thickly swirling around her as if crowning her with clouds.

The Grand Lady of the Three Origins of Great Simplicity often chants:

“Great Nonbeing connects with Jade Clarity; sun, moon, and stars, the Three Luminaries, shine through the heights of the sky. The Qi of the Eight Simplicities circles in the morning wind; clouds disperse, and flying spirits appear. A round wheel is cast toward Kongtong, its golden light illuminating the essences of heaven. Jade radiance gathers into the Five Elders; purple mist turns the celestial chariot through the heights. Riding the breath, I sweep across the hidden, mysterious abode; following nature, I support the path ahead. My golden form shines across the nine directions; my jade body leaps through the cool, clear heavens. The Hidden Youth turns to look back; the old return to youth. The Emperor One guards the Mudball Palace, while the Nine Perfected protect Yellow Tranquility. My gaze reaches beyond ten thousand kalpas; I share the enduring life of the Nine Heavens.”

When visualizing the Grand Lady of the Three Origins of Great Simplicity during cultivation, one should recite this chant. The scripture says that it is a hymn of the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity, used to harmonize the body with the Qi of the hun and po souls. When visualizing the Grand Lady, imagine her hair arranged in a triangular, cloudlike drooping coiffure, with the rest falling to her waist. The Dawn-Supporting Crown rests atop her coiffure. If a practitioner visualizes her with sincere devotion, she may appear in the Purple Chamber, the inner alchemical chamber of visualization, and beside the practitioner. At that time, the Jade Maidens of Great Simplicity, the Realized Ones of the Three Treasures, and others will also descend to the practitioner’s side. Those who practice this Way should often dwell alone, apart from others. This applies to other practices as well; solitude is not required only for this one.

Fascicle Forty-Two: The First Section on Visualization

The method for visualizing the thirty-nine true spirits of the Scripture of the Great Cavern (from the Scripture of Thirty-Nine Chapters)

The Young Lad of Taiwei

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the High and Supreme August Lord, one should visualize the Young Lad of Taiwei, Gan Jingjing. Her true Qi is a vivid red. It enters through your Mudball Palace, then spreads downward throughout your body…

When reciting the Jing of the High and Supreme Void Emperor Lord (Gaoshang Xuhuang Jun Dao Jing), visualize the celestial spirit Gan Jingjing, the Little Lad of Taiwei Heaven. His red true Qi shines brilliantly as it enters through your Niwan Palace, the spirit residence in the head, then spreads downward throughout your body and comes to rest beneath the root of the tongue, where the blood gathers. After completing the visualization, offer this prayer softly:

“True Qi flows downward, filling the hidden passes within me. It stills the spirit and guards Jing and Qi, blocking the source of life’s decline. The Jade Scripture brings wisdom to clarity and connects me with the myriad spirits. May it bring me the true Dao, preserve my life, rescue my seven ancestral generations, and enable them to return as embryo immortals, reborn and transformed into immortals.”

When the prayer is complete, breathe in the red Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, pray again:

“In Heaven there is a hidden spiritual treasure that can prolong life, called ‘the Qi above the Bright Beam.’ It guards my Lower Gate, the portal in the lower part of my body, and protects me beyond the Gate of Life, deeper within. Then summon the Feathered Lad of Increased Origin Qi, and have them gather before the corridor of the Green Chamber, the spirit chamber within me. Let them loosen the many bonds upon my seven ancestors, so that they may leave their roots on the wind, move their bodies and spirits in accord with the Heavenly Dao, master transformation, and enter the mysterious realm.”

The Hidden Text of Jade Clarity (Yu Qing Yinwen), the secret scripture of the Jade Clarity realm, contains another prayer:

“Primordial Qi does not arise from an ordinary source. It takes shape by receiving numinous Qi through the Five Paths, the roads associated with the netherworld and reincarnation. Yin and Yang, female and male, rest in spirit and Qi and undergo transformation; countless hidden realms stand in solemn array. The jade tones resound through Great Harmony, and every kind of chant issues from Primordial Qi. The immortal court undergoes nine transformations, and all the many, varied things return to unity. The Dao of transformation can accord with the Void, bringing all things together within the palace of the Emperor Lord.”

These are the secret texts of the High and Supreme prayer. If they are disclosed, the seven ancestral generations will be held to account.

○ The Revered Spirit Taiyi

When reciting the Jing of the August Sovereign and Jade Void Lord (Shanghuang Yuxu Jun Dao Jing), visualize the Revered Spirit Taiyi, Wuyoushou, and the myriad transformations of true Qi returning to unity. The Dao of transformation accords with the Void, and all things enter together into the palace of the Emperor Lord. These are the secret texts of the High and Supreme prayer. If they are disclosed, the seven ancestral generations will be held to account.

○ The Revered Spirit Taiyi

When reciting the Jing of the August Sovereign and Jade Void Lord (Shanghuang Yuxu Jun Dao Jing), visualize the Revered Spirit Taiyi, Wuyoushou. His purple true Qi blazes with radiant light as it enters through your Niwan Palace, then spreads to the portal beneath the Jade Pillow, at the back of the Niwan Palace. After completing the visualization, offer this prayer softly:

“Taiyi protects my nature and life, steadies my spirit, and makes my life secure. May Taiyi summon the Qi of the Imperial Perfect Ones for me from above, then spread it downward through the court of the Purple Gate, the place within me called the ‘Purple Gate.’ The Jade Scripture reaches upward and brings the Nine Origins, the levels associated with primordial Qi and the heavens, into clarity. May my seven ancestors rejoice together and ascend together into Shangqing, the Daoist immortal realm of Highest Clarity.”

When the prayer is complete, breathe in the purple Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, pray again.

At birth, one receives a destined lifespan, and the physical body must one day die. The formation of the fetal enclosure also hinders the hundred spirits within the body. If one can release the bonds of the fetal enclosure, the root within it can disperse. Then the ancestors of seven generations may all enter the palace of the Imperial Lord, and one’s own form may unite with the immortals. The immortals will gather in the Jade Hall, while the ancestors of seven generations are born into the Southern Palace. Ancestors and descendants together govern and discern the principle of beginnings, seated peacefully side by side like children. Ten thousand perfected spirits guard the body; this is the day when the light hidden within first appears.

The One Sovereign (a spirit who governs the deities within the body) harmonizes Yin-Yang, guards the gates of the hundred spirits, and seals the doors against the ten thousand evils. Between the Nine Palaces, the practitioner receives the divine mandate. The spirit who oversees prohibitions summons the Director of Destiny (the deity who governs lifespan and the registers of fate); three days later, the practitioner pays homage at the Mudball Palace (the divine abode within the head).

○ The Imperial Lord

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the August Jade Emperor and Lord, visualize in your mind the Imperial Lord’s Yanling Brahma Qi turning into a dense purple radiance. It enters through your own Mudball Palace and spreads downward to the Outer Palace of the Purple Gate between your eyebrows. After completing the visualization, offer this quiet prayer:

The Imperial Lord grants the talismanic mandate; pure Qi summons the myriad spirits. Above, I welcome the Jade Perfected to fill this place, and let the breath spread between my eyebrows. The primal Qi blends and gives birth to the Imperial Lord’s radiance; the Three Pure Qi make me an immortal. Riding in a resplendent dragon carriage beneath its jeweled canopy, I ascend straight to the lofty pavilion.

After the prayer, draw in the purple Qi three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, pray again:

Fuchen (a Daoist deity) raises the first light of dawn; purple clouds shine upon the secluded mountain slopes. The radiance of Dongyuan is brilliant and abundant, its bright light illuminating the four quarters. The wondrous scene of the Primordial Beginning stretches far beyond the horizon; clear Qi descends in solemn profusion, revealing the splendor of luminous emptiness. The palaces of the Nine Heavens welcome their Jade guest, while songs of ascent to the heavens ring out in the golden halls. The worthy practitioner is permitted to attend the Imperial Lord and command the chariot of the netherworld. The ancestors of seven generations release the root-knot of the fetal enclosure; in every generation, they become members of the immortal household.

The Hidden Writings of the Jade Clarity contain another prayer:

The Vermilion Emperor sets the precious pearl in motion and guards the Gate of Death; above, the Red Child, the Mysterious Emperor, gathers the Qi of the Dao of Heaven. He is also called Bo Wushang, and is the first of the Three Origins (the Daoist triad of Heaven, Earth, and Water). May he support and nurture me, so that I may ascend in a cloud carriage and dwell forever in the halls and pavilions of the immortals of Highest Clarity, while the ancestors of seven generations all become immortal lords.

When reading the Dao Jing of Lord Zichen, the Supreme Sovereign, visualize the two divine perfected beings on your left, Young Master Wuying and Elder Xuanyuan. Their true Qi shines like radiant jade light. It enters through the Niwan Palace—the spirit chamber at the center of the head—and spreads downward to the portal beneath the left armpit, behind the liver. When the visualization is complete, offer a quiet prayer:

“Divine Perfected Wuying was born of the Purple Emperor. The Three Qi blended to form the tones of gong and shang. Draw in true Qi and settle it in the bladder, letting it flow through the Three Dantian and gather in the Grotto Chamber, the spirit chamber within the body. Bring me immortal transformation, so that my appearance shines anew like cinnabar; let me rise through the clouds to the halls of the immortals and enter the Golden Gate.”

When the prayer is complete, draw in the jade light and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, pray again:

“May the spirit be calm and the Qi flow freely, connecting above with Heaven; pass beyond the Earth Gate and through the Gate of Heaven. Conceal the breath in the four directions, and spread the Seven Stars. Fly through the depths, and let the Sun and Moon take root within me. Guard the Golden Treasury and cherish the Jade Treasures; command the myriad spirits. Who is the Immortal King? I have become perfected. Conceal and preserve the Yin and Yang Qi, so that the mysterious Qi may reach in all directions. Condense blue Qi within the body, calling it Yanchang, with the courtesy name Heying, to harmonize life and lengthen one’s years. Let the mysterious Qi return within, making the inner self secure and full. Each day I cultivate the path to perfection and ascend to the cloudland of the immortals.”

Lord Baiyuan Dongyang

When reciting the Dao Jing of the Great Tenuity Heavenly Emperor, visualize Lord Baiyuan Dongyang on your right. His true Qi shines like golden light. It enters through the Niwan Palace and spreads downward to the portal beneath the right armpit, behind the lungs. When the visualization is complete, offer a quiet prayer:

“Dongyang, suffused with numinous power, brings forth and exalts the souls. The golden light gleams, the essence of Qi. Draw in true Qi and secure the spirit, so that life may endure. Uproot the source of darkness and return to the beginning, like an infant. Ride the morning light and harness the Qi; ascend to the realm of Jade Clarity.”

When the prayer is complete, draw in the golden light and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, offer another quiet prayer:

This blessing says: May Dongyang (a divine spirit and vital energy in Daoist belief) manifest its efficacy and protect the body, opening the Gate of Death—the vital passage that leads to decline and death. May the Three Corpse Worms, impure entities believed to dwell in the body and obstruct cultivation, leave through the body’s portals, while the source of the Nine Zhen—the pure, upright true Qi—enters within. May blockages and stagnant blood in the womb be dissolved, and may proper spirits arise in every joint throughout the body. May the corpse calamities afflicting seven generations of ancestors be dispelled, and calamities threatening descendants be removed. When dark Qi rises in profusion, may it be cut down.

Then one recites another blessing in a low voice: May Dongyang manifest its efficacy and protect the body, opening the Gate of Death. May the Three Corpse Worms depart and the source of the Nine Zhen enter; may stagnant blood and blockages in the womb be dissolved, and proper spirits arise in every joint throughout the body. May the corpse calamities of seven generations of ancestors be dispelled and calamities threatening descendants be rooted out. May the dark Qi be cut down, severing the source of death in the womb. May generation after generation receive Dao and De, and may those who come after become immortal officials of the rank of the Imperial Immortals. Who are the Imperial Immortals? They are the descendants of seven generations, passed down from one generation to the next. May the ancestors enter the Dandu, the palace city in the immortal realm, and sit together at the Gate where Jing and Qi converge.

The Elder Scribe of Fate

When reciting the Jing of the Lord of Purple Essence of the Three Origins, one should visualize the central Lord, the Elder Scribe of Fate, a deity who governs lifespan and the registers of destiny. His true Qi shines like purple clouds, entering the body through one’s Nivan Palace, the upper Dantian in the head, then spreading downward to the Crimson Palace, the heart chamber, where the heart is located. After completing the visualization, recite in a low voice:

The deity who governs fate determines my lifespan; the Elder Lord protects me and brings me to immortality. Record my name in the Southern Palace, and present it before the Emperor Lord. May I become an Immortal King in every generation, and may the root of calamity afflicting my descendants for seven generations be removed. May blessings never end. These words are recorded in the Jing of Jade.

Then visualize once more the Qi of purple clouds entering through the Nivan Palace and spreading downward to the Crimson Palace, the heart chamber. After completing the visualization, recite another blessing in a low voice:

The deity who governs fate determines my lifespan; the Elder Lord protects me and brings me to immortality. Record my name in the Southern Palace, and present it before the Emperor Lord. May I become an Immortal King in every generation, and may the root of calamity afflicting my descendants for seven generations be removed. May blessings be endless. These words are all found in the Jing of Jade. When the blessing is complete, inhale the Qi of purple clouds and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jing of Jade.

After reciting it, offer this blessing:

May the Three Origins converge and guide the spirit and soul back to their infant-like original state. Receive the light, guard the lower gate of the body, and quietly abide in the mystery as you await the bright moon. Thus Yin and Yang are blended and the foundation made firm; the key mechanism shines, and the divine chariot is brought to completion. May blessings extend to seven generations, calamities disperse, and the mysterious life force be nourished. May the light be guarded throughout the Six Directions, the four quarters of heaven and earth, and may it surpass the spirits of the Brahma Heavens. May all beings live and flourish together, then suddenly ascend to the Jade Court in the immortal realm. The true infant spirit wanders there, clad in feathered robes and receiving the mandate to become immortal. May good fortune endure for ten thousand myriad years, and blessings spread through a thousand thousands. May the bones shine like jade, the blood vessels receive the spring of nectar, and may life rejoice with Heaven and Earth and endure as long as the sun and moon.

The Hidden Writings of the Jade Clarity also gives this blessing:

May blessings and merit extend to all seven generations of the family; may sins and karmic burdens be erased in the Three Evil Paths (the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals). A wondrous, subtle breath sweeps through the realm of the Nine Mornings, drawing in true Qi and carrying it into the Palace of the Great Emperor. The Five Immortals accompany Taiyi, a revered Daoist deity, and dwell together in the deep, lofty expanse of the heavens and the land of jade springs. There they enjoy enduring joy between Heaven and Earth and live as long as the sun and moon. The Hidden Writings of Jade Clarity also offers this prayer:

May blessings and merit extend to all seven generations of the family; may sins and karmic burdens be erased in the Three Evil Paths. A wondrous, subtle breath sweeps through the realm of the Nine Mornings, drawing in true Qi and carrying it into the Palace of the Great Emperor. The Five Immortals accompany Taiyi and dwell together in the deep, lofty expanse of the heavens. They then withdraw to the Chamber of Highest Clarity and reside in the Chamber of the Feather-Bright Emperor.

○ Lord Peach Child

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the True Yang Primordial Elder, the Mysterious One, visualize Lord Peach Child, whose courtesy name is Dao Kang, in the Gate of Life, an important bodily site for the vital breath of life. His true Qi, like yellow clouds, enters through your own Muddy Pellet, the upper Dantian inside the head, then spreads downward to the area beyond the Gate of Life in the navel. After completing the visualization, pray:

True numinous spirit, upright god, your name is Lord Peach. You unite with the breath of the Palace of Life and guard the Gate of Life. Enable people to enter the immortal Way and obtain true Qi, revealing auspicious clouds of treasure. May the ancestors of seven generations all be reborn and receive the blessings of the immortal realm at dawn.

After the prayer, inhale the yellow cloud-breath and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, pray softly:

Perfected Ones of the Five Peaks and the Four Guests of the Register of Destiny, summon the gods who administer the registers to come swiftly, guard the registers of immortals, and govern the people. As I rise, may I carry my tally and proceed; may the cloud-dwelling officials who bear banners be restrained. Fragrant winds blow from the eight directions; all traces and smoke of evil spirits are cut off. The gods come together before the Imperial Lord and bow as subjects ten thousand times. Extend my entry in the register of life, and transfer my name into the Jade Gate. Support the Five Elders and guard them with care, so that I may leave the world of dust.

The Hidden Writings of Jade Clarity also offers this prayer:

Supreme Lord Shifeizi, also called Hejingyan, is the king of the Gate of Life and can summon the myriad gods. They come at once and gather at the Gate of Jade Feathers, obeying the command to dispel calamities, bring them to an end, and join blessings together. May I dwell above in the Jade Hall and be listed among the immortals for generations.

○ The Upper Crimson Child

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the Three Primordial Lords of the Upper Origin and Great Simplicity, visualize the Heavenly Emperor, the Upper Crimson Child, in the Muddy Pellet. His true Qi, like a precious radiance, enters through your own Muddy Pellet and then spreads to the Nine Apertures at the Muddy Pellet’s Gate. When you have completed the visualization, pray softly:

The Crimson Child of the Upper Origin, a child deity of the heavenly realm of the Upper Origin, is called the Supreme Perfected. Clad in a feathered robe like flying clouds, he shines amid purple clouds of Qi. He rises to greet the radiant light and meets the guests of the Celestial Emperor. Their precious radiance shines upon me, causing wings to grow from my body so that I ascend through the nine heavens. When the recitation for the ritual is complete, imagine swallowing the precious radiance three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite this invocation:

The Child’s Radiant Essence, a child deity, possesses both divine power and majesty. His form accords with the Three Forms and moves along the Nine Paths. He wears crimson garments and steps in accordance with the rites, entering and leaving the heavenly realm of the Upper Origin and traveling along the inner steps of Taiji, the Supreme Ultimate. Know me, and you will attain long life; contemplate me, and you will not decline. No signs of weeping will appear in a person; by relying on him, one can avoid evil and wrongdoing. If you wish to know where I dwell, ask in secret of Taiwei, the high celestial realm within the heavenly court. The Jade Emperor of Taiwei, who dwells in the Taiwei Heavenly Palace, moves with the Three Forms along the Nine Paths. He wears crimson robes, steps in accordance with the rites, enters and leaves the Upper Origin, and travels along the inner steps of Taiji. Know me, and you will attain long life; contemplate me, and you will not decline. No signs of weeping will appear in a person; by relying on him, one can avoid evil and wrongdoing. If you wish to know where I dwell, ask in secret of the Jade Emperor of Taiwei. The three sacred spirits travel back and forth, protecting me on either side as we ascend together. They cause the Six Viscera, the organs within the body, to unite with the Qi of the Primordial Cavern, their radiance shining as brightly as the sun and moon. The Hidden Writings of Jade Purity also say:

The Nine Paths move in harmony, and the Five Elders each dwell in peace. Dongyang, a deity, holds the register of names and is called Yuling. The parents and ancestors of seven generations are restored to the womb and reborn. Once accumulated karmic debts and offenses have been dispelled, blessings will increase. Then ascend further into the Hall of the Emperor and receive the bestowed book of cinnabar radiance. Ever traveling with Boshiyuan, a deity, through the celestial courts of the Three Realms, one wears a golden headcloth and feather ornaments, with precious radiance encircling the body. The Jade Wheel turns north, commanding and governing the crimson troops.

The Central One, Lord of Cinnabar

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the Three Essences of the Purple Perfected of Shangqing, contemplate the Central One, the Primordial Lord of Cinnabar, in the Crimson Palace, the palace where the heart resides. His true Qi is the color of sunlight. From the top of your head, where the spirit resides, it enters your body and then spreads downward to the portal of the great vertebra at the back of your neck. After completing the contemplation, softly recite this invocation:

The True Lord of the Central One is called the Moving Pearl. He rises to receive the light of the sun and pours it into my body. The precious radiance of the three true spirits becomes a jade talisman that protects life. May my lifespan extend for hundreds of millions of years and never end. May feathered robes grow upon me, as I ascend the Way to Heaven.

The Central Perfected Lord, a perfected lord who dwells within the human body, is called “Moving Pearl.” Invite the sunlight to pour into my body. The precious radiance of the three true spirits gathers into a jade talisman that protects life, granting me a lifespan of countless millions of years without end. My body grows feathered robes, and I ascend to the Great Dao in Heaven. When the ritual is complete, inhale the sunlight three times and stop, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, offer this prayer:

Heaven has nine souls, which must be discerned; the Dao has three perfected ones, who must not leave the body. The divine Emperor One transforms and appears, giving rise to the myriad things; Flowing Pearl stills its radiance, and purple clouds billow with mist. Seven times they travel back and forth, as the three lights—the sun, moon, and stars—shine upon the perfected spirits. The talisman of Taiyi’s essence brings me close to the spirits. The Marshal of Fate holds the moon in his mouth and breathes upon my lips; the Five Elders hold the sun in their mouths, enabling me to inhale three times the breath that brings ease. The Most High Lord of the Dao is intimately joined with me, leading me up the heavenly steps and carrying me to the realm of Supreme Perfection.

○ Yellow Court Primordial King

When reciting the Dao Scripture of the Primordial Lord of Azure Effulgence and Yang Peace, visualize the Yellow Court Primordial King, the spirit who dwells in the Yellow Court, below the Gate of Life. His true Qi is the color of moonlight. It enters through my Niwan Palace, the inner cultivation site above the head, then spreads downward to the two areas called Wan-jian and the lower portal beneath the Axle. After completing the visualization, offer this prayer softly:

Below dwells the True Primordial King, called Beginning Bright Essence. The Three Sovereigns hold the talismanic mandates; with a golden contract, they guide me across into the Immortal Court. Invite the Qi of the vision; let the breath spread and cover my body. The feathered carriage gleams among the cloud nets, carrying me up to the Upper Clarity realm. When the prayer is complete, inhale the moonlight three times, then stop and recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, offer this prayer:

The five organs and their many knots give rise to numerous illnesses. Dark One, Forest Void opens the passages and loosens the constrictions, dispersing stagnation and eliminating illness, so that the spirit becomes full and vigorous. When the prayer is complete, inhale the auspicious radiance three times, then stop and recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, offer this prayer:

The five organs and their many knots give rise to numerous illnesses. Dark One, Forest Void opens the passages and loosens the constrictions, dispersing stagnation and eliminating illness, so that the spirit becomes full and vigorous. Auspiciousness fills and brightens body and mind; the shadow of calamity vanishes completely. The heart of the Immortal Dao grows firmer day by day, while the path of death is severed month by month. I unite and blend with the Nine Divine Lords, and accord with the talismanic mandate of Emperor One. The Seven Spirits uphold the mandate, and the Lord enters the inner chamber.

○ Ninefold Perfected Lord of Prosperity

When reciting the Dao Scripture of the Sovereign Clarity Lord of the Cavern of Perfection, visualize the August Ninefold Perfected Lord of Prosperity in the Niwan Palace, the spirit within that palace. His true Qi appears as a vast expanse of blue light. It enters through your Niwan Palace and spreads downward around the mouth. Offer this prayer:

The nine true spirits first came into being in the Primordial Origin, the primal Qi from which Heaven and Earth began. They are called the Primordial Spirits and each transforms into one of the Three Luminaries—the celestial phenomena of the sun, moon, and stars spoken of in Daoism. They summon wondrous radiance from above, spreading luminous Qi to the gates in the four directions. They guard the spirit, preserve the immortals and perfected ones, deliver the ancestors of seven generations, and enable the practitioner to ride the luminous Qi as it rises and travels, paying homage to the Three Primordials, the three celestial deities of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordial eras.

After completing the rites, inhale green Qi three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite this prayer:

The seven kinds of primordial Qi scatter and then settle; the Qi of the Great Beginning’s primordial chaos returns to clarity and stillness. The Six Jia deities assist the hun and po souls, while the power of the Six Ding deities flows into the body. Three true spirits enter the stomach, their numinous fluid spreading through the body and making it shine. The Qi of the five talismans rises to the Supreme Sovereign, while the Mudball Palace, the inner spirit center in the head, remains ever alive.

After swallowing the Qi of the Nine Stars, recite the Jade Scripture again. When you have finished, recite this prayer:

The seven kinds of primordial Qi scatter and then settle; the Qi of the Great Beginning’s primordial chaos returns to clarity and stillness. The Six Jia deities assist the hun and po souls, while the power of the Six Ding deities flows into the body. Three true spirits enter the stomach, their numinous fluid spreading through the body and making it shine. The Qi of the five talismans rises to the Supreme Sovereign, while the Mudball Palace remains ever alive. The light of the Nine Stars shines down, and together with the sun rides in the Mother’s chariot, the conveyance of the immortals. The spirit travels to the farthest reaches of the eight directions, turns back beneath the canopy of the chariot, and, accompanied by the twin infants, ascends to the Purple Chamber, the sacred palace of Daoism, wearing a feather-blue scarf and robe. The parents among the ancestors of seven generations are also restored to life.

○ Lord of the Eight True Spirits, Embracing the Radiance

When reciting the Scripture of the Supreme Great Simplicity Lord of the Way, visualize the Lord of the Eight True Spirits, Embracing the Radiance, within your gallbladder. His true Qi takes the form of yellow clouds. It enters through your Mudball Palace, then spreads downward through your back and joints. When the visualization is complete, softly recite this prayer:

The eight true spirits gather and form the divine brightness. From it, divine brightness arises in the Nine Heavens, bearing the title Lord of the Northern Terrace. He dwells constantly within the Three Unions and summons the luminous Qi of the true spirits, which flows down into my body. My body gives forth purple radiance, drawing me into intimacy with the Celestial Emperor. I join hands and hearts with the Five Elders, the celestial deities of the five directions, and remain forever linked to the Great Immortal.

When you have finished, inhale yellow Qi three times and say: “The Lord of the Northern Terrace dwells constantly within the Three Unions and summons the luminous Qi of the true spirits, which flows down into my body. My body gives forth purple radiance, drawing me into intimacy with the Celestial Emperor. I join hands and hearts with the Five Elders and remain forever linked to the Great Immortal.” Then inhale yellow Qi three more times and recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite this prayer:

In every life, I receive the Celestial Emperor’s care, and all gather within the layered gates. In the Purple Chamber, the five spirits merge; my hun and po souls are constantly cherished and protected. The seven gates within my body receive immortal radiance, and my five organs fill with jade Qi. Together we cross the heaven of water and fire, clothed in the flourishing radiance that brings harmony to the four directions. At last I return upward to the Imperial One, a revered Daoist deity, and face your hun and po souls.

○ Lord of the Seven True Spirits, Mysterious Yang

When reciting the Jing of the Dao of the Sovereign of the Center among the Four Elders Above, visualize seven true spirits in your left kidney, called the Lord of Mysterious Yang, and seven true spirits in your right kidney, called the Lord of Mysterious Yin. Visualize the vital energy as black clouds entering through the Mudball Palace (the inner spirit dwelling above the head), then spreading downward to the Earth Gate at the very bottom of the back, where the tailbone lies—the body’s lower passage. When the visualization is complete, offer this prayer softly:

“The Seven True Ones give rise to an imperial radiance; the energies of the eight directions move, bringing peace to the constant Dao. Above, I summon the child in the sun, whose round pearl shines upon my form. The circling wind mingles with the hidden realm, so that I may enter the mysterious state of the Great Cavern Scripture. Draw me out of the distress of the Earth Gate and raise me above the nine heavens.”

When you have finished praying, draw in the black Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, pray again:

“The abundant spirit writings of Taiyi (a revered Daoist deity) raise me upward, draw me out of the distress of the Earth Gate, and lift me above the nine heavens.”

When you have finished praying, draw in the black Qi again and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, pray again:

“The abundant spirit writings of Taiyi raise me to the Chamber of the Cavern (the dwelling place of spirits within the body). Within the Six Directions are the Three Guest Spirits and the Lord of Destiny, who governs lifespan and the register of fate. They hold the registers of names and ride upon radiance, mounted on dragons. On the left they turn the numinous light; on the right they fan the divine wind. The Hidden Pearl rises high, encircled by fragrant radiance. I gaze broadly into the Great Nonbeing, refine the Five Penetrations—the powers by which body, mind, and spirits communicate—and purify my hun and po souls. May hidden places become light as feathers; may my souls be refined in the empty, mysterious realm. Summon the hundred spirits and complete the merit of the Moon Emperor. May my ancestors of seven generations be reborn in peace and prosper in blessing. May I return from old age to youth and recover the mysterious state of youthful innocence. Above, I pay court in the Divine Empyrean; golden light shines in the ten directions. I ride the flying Jade Wheel, pluck the golden instruments, and strike the jade bells.”

The Six True Elemental Lords

When reciting the Jing of the Dao of the Great Lord Above at the Jade Dawn, visualize six true spirits in your lungs, called the Lord of the Upper Elemental Jade. Visualize the vital energy as white clouds entering through the Mudball Palace, then spreading downward into the twelve gates along the outer sides of the neck—the twelve passages through which Qi flows. When the visualization is complete, offer this prayer softly:

“The six true spirits shine in splendor; their white radiance is abundant and bright. Turn back the radiance of the Supreme Emperor and ascend to the Elixir Land, where Qi and essence are cultivated within the body. Summon the true spirits to descend and flow through me, filling me with Jade Frost, a metaphor for purified vital energy. Let feathered robes fly and clothe me in the garments of immortals. Cross water and fire, and fly up to the Divine Capital, where the immortals dwell.”

When you have finished praying, draw in the white Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, pray again:

“The nine unions and three separations, images of Yin-Yang Qi transformation in Daoist cultivation, spread radiance through the purple palace. The Elder Lords of the Five Directions stand upright and majestic; the Imperial One (a revered Daoist deity) ascends to the Divine Capital.”

When you have finished praying, draw in the white Qi again and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, pray again:

When the nine breaths unite and the three breaths separate, the breath in the Purple Palace spreads throughout. The five Celestial Elders stand with dignity and authority, while the One Sovereign, the revered deity who governs the gods, protects the spirit. The Director of Destiny, who governs lifespan and the registers of life, presents the registers and carries out the Three Origins—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins of Daoism. The tree of the fetal womb is cut down, and the root of the blood corpse is severed forever. With vermilion fire, turn the light back upon the fetal origin, sending Qi back to the Mudball Palace, the cultivation site in the head. I unite with the Nine Purities, bringing all the gods into the Great Unity. My body ascends to the Jade Chamber, rides with the Golden Immortals, and wanders freely amid Primordial Simplicity, roaming above the Three Heavens. My name is entered in the immortal registers of Chonghua; my branches and descendants flow on into the mysterious realm. In every generation, I become a revered one within the Dao and enjoy great blessings for a long time. Above, I inherit the realm of Jade Purity; below, I settle the Gate of Life, the root of life. The five organs shine with essence, and the crown of my head bears the Sun Soul. I retain a lifespan as long as an eon, and my postcelestial body remains preserved.

○ Five True Lords Who Nourish the Light

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao Lord of the Great Way of Highest Clarity, visualize the Five True Lords Who Nourish the Light—the five true deities who nurture radiance—within the spleen. Imagine true Qi appearing as jade light and golden hues. Let it enter from your Mudball Palace and spread downward to the deep root-gate of the throat. When finished, offer this prayer softly:

“The Five True Ones spread numinous Qi, whose breath reaches the Nine Mysteries, the profound and wondrous heavens. Golden light shines; jade Qi transforms into saliva. May all the gods be at ease together, bringing peace to my body and mind. The Round Light presents my register of life; the Great One records my name in the Nine Heavens and grants me the Eight Radiances Chariot, that I may drive a dragon and ride purple mist, unite with the palaces of the Three Emperors, and be protected through millions upon millions of eons.”

After the prayer, visualize and swallow the jade light and golden true Qi three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, pray again:

“At dawn I ascend the Terrace of the Nine Radiances; at dusk I enter the Gate of Divine Empyrean. The Great One records my name in the Nine Heavens and grants me the Eight Radiances Chariot, that I may drive a dragon and ride purple mist, unite with the palaces of the Three Emperors, and be protected through millions upon millions of eons.”

After the prayer, visualize and swallow the jade light and golden true Qi three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, pray again:

“At dawn I ascend the Terrace of the Nine Radiances; at dusk I enter the Gate of Divine Empyrean. The Divine Master of the Great One—also called ‘Three Come, One Jar’—holds my talisman register in his left hand and brings the Lord of Dongyang, a revered Daoist deity, in his right. He establishes my birth meeting in the Purple Chamber and sets the five spirits to mingle and spread in turn. The mingled Qi flows into the imperial immortal palace, severing the root of death for my ancestors of seven generations, dispelling the Qi of the five poisons, and preventing saliva and vital fluids from scattering and mingling. May my body of blood and flesh be transformed, and a Golden Origin arise within the imperial palace. May the roots of suffering in the Three Paths be severed, may I attain the rank of a Celestial Immortal in every generation, remain always in the company of the King of Radiance, and preserve my primordial Qi through the eons.”

○ Four True Lords of Clear Radiance

When reciting the Jing of the Dao of the Great Way of Taiji, Lord of the Primordial Radiance, visualize the Four True Clear-and-Bright Lords within the liver. Their vital energy appears as blue clouds, entering through your Niwan Palace—the abode of spirits above the head—and then spreading downward to the gateway of the stomach, beneath the fatty membranes. When the visualization is complete, quietly recite:

“The Four True Ones are everborn; their blue radiance gathers essence and Qi. Surrounded by the Four True Clear-and-Bright Lords, the blue Qi is bright, lovely, pure, and clear. It guards the ramparts and settles within the precious Court of Jade Radiance, guiding me upward to the Upper Origin. In a moment, looking up and down, it commands the Five Spirits and removes the fundamental burdens of sin borne by my ancestors for seven generations, enabling me to retain the beautiful infant body—the pure spiritual body sought by practitioners.”

When you have finished reciting, guide the blue Qi into your mouth and swallow it in three portions. Then recite the Jing of Jade. When you have finished, recite:

“The imperial chamber and my body unite; one Way transforms into ten thousand forms. This is the Imperial One—the Qi of the imperial Dao in its unified state. The White Emperor, Radiant and Pure, shines with golden clouds that reflect the light of the sun. In the deep, mysterious darkness, spirits are concealed and transformations unfold in secret. He commands my five talismans, enabling me to unite with Heaven. Jade radiance covers me, freeing me from death and illness. May my ancestors of seven generations ascend beyond to the Elixir Chamber; may their wombs and foundations alike be released, and may the decrees of death be abolished forever. May the Emperor bestow the Five Origins upon me. May I return to the number three times seven, and may my six viscera become clear and vigorous. May I receive the golden writ and feathered registers, become an immortal perfected one in every generation, be entered in the wondrous registers of the mysterious realm, and pass abundant blessings to my descendants, so that every generation may prosper without hindrance.”

○ Three True Ones, Lords of Primordial Birth

When reciting the Jing of the Dao of the August Beginning, Purple Void Primordial Lord, visualize the Three True Lords of Primordial Birth within the vital essence and blood. Their vital energy appears as red clouds, entering through your Niwan Palace and then spreading downward into the source beneath the nostrils. When the visualization is complete, quietly recite:

“The Three True Ones shine forth in brilliance; cinnabar Qi flows and circles back, mysteriously joining the Nine Radiances—the nine numinous visions—and the Lords of Birth of the Three Caverns. Red-cloud Qi enters through my Niwan Palace and then spreads downward into the source beneath the nostrils.”

Then recite again:

“The Three True Ones shine forth in brilliance; cinnabar Qi flows and circles back, mysteriously joining the Nine Radiances and opening the golden gates of the Three Caverns. I ascend to welcome the Vermilion Youth, the red-colored child deity; the road of the Five Sufferings opens wide. I sever the root of death and ascend in flight together with the sun’s soul. I transcend the Ten Realms and rise to the Jade Steps.”

When you have finished reciting, guide the red Qi into your mouth and swallow it in three portions. Then recite the Jing of Jade. When you have finished, recite:

The seven kinds of primordial Qi intermingle and blend. The One Emperor, a divine being who governs primordial Qi and protects body and spirit, returns the Qi to its source. Stagnation and blockages within the body gradually disperse; life continues, the path to death is sealed, and the root of reproduction is cut off. The Five Zang organs bring forth radiance, and the Six Fu organs shine like gold. The One Emperor protects the body, while the Director of Destiny, who governs the lifespan, protects the spirit. The Five Talismans open the gates to immortality, and the Five Registers, the celestial rosters, record the names of those who ascend to immortality. Practitioners become kings within the Dao from generation to generation and receive the lasting protection of the Imperial Master. Fragrance spreads among the dragon windows; the essence of life returns, and clouds of mist rise. Seven powers join together and reach the highest realm; radiance from the eight directions responds to the nine tiers of heaven. The primordial Qi circulates at its source, fluids flow back, and the Six Abysses, the six depths within the body where Qi and essence gather, are brought under control and joined together. The practitioner’s name is entered in the register of immortals of Shangqing, and primordial Qi gathers in the still realm of the immortals. The Returning Wind frees one from death, and the One Emperor is joined to the practitioner. The Five spiritual powers pass through one another, and the seven powers converge, together bringing new life in Shangyuan, the celestial realm of Shangqing.

○ The Two True Lords of Firm Jade

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Lord of the Upper Age, the True One Without Heroic Spirit, visualize the Two True Lords of Firm Jade, the two true spirits who guard the joints of the bones, within your bone joints. True Qi, the color of emerald clouds, enters from your own Muddy Pellet, the upper Dantian in the head, and spreads downward through the Great Granary, the stomach, and into the Five Zang and Six Fu organs. When this is complete, offer a quiet prayer:

“May the Two True Ones firmly guard the way of the spirit and vital energy, and fill the Three Passes, the key openings through which essence and Qi flow, with abundant breath. May Metal Qi and Jade Qi blend, and the Muddy Pellet become firm and complete. May they communicate upward with the Emperor’s Qi and spread downward to the Golden Gate, the portal of Qi within the body. May all the Qi mingle and transform, opening into radiance and joining with my immortal soul. May seven generations of ancestors ascend together, and may the root of life and death bound to the womb be extinguished. May we preserve the Dao and De from generation to generation and enjoy peace and happiness forever.”

When the prayer is complete, draw in the Qi of the emerald clouds and swallow it in three portions. Then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting it, pray again, saying:

The hun (one of the three aspects of a person’s essence, vital energy, and spirit) arises from the formless and is distributed throughout the nine heavens. The Dao (the Way) manifests through the Three Realms—Heaven, Earth, and Humanity—and often roams through the Crimson Palace, where the heart spirit dwells. When the three palaces converge and give rise to transformation, they become the Purple Chamber, the spirit chamber within the body. To reach the Purple Chamber, first pass through the Luminous Hall, a place within the body where divine beings reside. Its guardian spirit is named Taokang. There, wind and clouds gather thickly; the atmosphere is both clear and cool. Block the apertures of desire and cut off the roots of attachment.

The sage spirit there is named Qi, and the perfected one is named Jiao. If practitioners can understand these things, they will open the Golden Gate. Two eminent sages suddenly appear on either side of it: the one on the left is called Funing, and the one on the right, Jingyan. This is Jingzhong Bo, who will lead you up to Yuchen, the realm of immortals. Funing and Mother Jing have become immortals through the generations; their abundant, layered numinous splendor all receives the grace of the Heavenly Emperor.

The One True Lord of Heaven’s Essence

When reciting the Scripture of the Central Yellow Elder Lord of the Dao, visualize the One True Lord of Heaven’s Essence in your heart. The true Qi (vital energy) is the color of crimson clouds. It enters from your Niwan, the upper Dantian in the head, then spreads downward to the four Qi openings in the chest. When you have finished, quietly recite this invocation:

“The One True guards the heart and commands the hundred spirits. The hundred spirits continually arise and gather in my Crimson Chamber. I welcome the jade Qi from above, allowing the six fluids—the body’s secretions—to settle and be stored. Red numinous light opens the spirits and pulls out my seven roots, the roots that bind body and mind, so that I may transcend the Three Paths of suffering and ascend to the southern realm of immortals.”

When you have finished the invocation, draw in the crimson Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture.

After reciting it, say this invocation:

“Di Yi turns the wind and Qi, causing them to unite with Taokang. Numinous Qi circulates and brings forth good fortune, filling the Jade Hall above. Let these breaths mingle and converge, entering and leaving the Imperial Chamber, the abode of the spirits. When three and five unite as one, you will surely become an immortal lord.”

When you have finished the invocation, draw in the crimson Qi again and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, say this invocation:

The First Emperor, the divine spirit who rules over all things, turns the wind and vital energies and joins them with the energy of Taokang. They flow forth, bringing blessings, and carry the blessing energy up to the Jade Hall. Blend these energies together and let them enter and leave the dwelling of the Emperor Lord. When Three and Five unite as One, one can become an Immortal Lord. The Sevenfold Mysterious Parents—the souls of ancestors and descendants—are released; corpse energy disperses and resentful entanglements are undone. Through ten thousand aeons and a thousand years, all can ascend to become high immortals. The bent joints are settled, and the vast, abundant energy can spread freely.

The Master of Destiny and the Emperor Lord’s attendant protect my body and make the Numinous Pellet Palace—the divine chamber in the head—firm and secure. The Celestial Perfected of Taiwei Jade Radiance wear feathered robes and raise their banners. The souls embrace one another for a long time, and every bone is filled with divine energy. The Spirit King makes the body’s fluids rise, enabling one to pass beyond the gate of death, become a companion to the high immortals, and hold the honored place of a guest in Jade Clarity.

○ The Perfected of the Nine Origins

When reciting the Scripture of the Inner Landscape of the Lord of the Way, the Highest Perfected of Blue Essence, visualize the Perfected of the Nine Origins—the nine primordial divine beings—and summon them under your command. Their true energy becomes clouds of five colors. It enters through your Numinous Pellet Palace and spreads downward to the Gate of Hidden Dawn beneath the left ear, an aperture used in visualizing the spirits and guiding the energy. When finished, offer this prayer in a soft voice:

Essence of the Nine Heavens, open the gates of Heaven and the portals. Let the energies of the Eight Radiances unite and reach upward to the Golden Chamber. Within the imperial chambers of the Three Origins, restore the aged to youth. Let the energy of Jade Radiance pour in and nourish me, refining and transforming my appearance. Riding the purple carriage of soaring clouds, carry me upward into the sky.

When the prayer is finished, draw the clouds of five colors into the mouth and swallow them in three portions. Then recite the Jade Scripture. When finished, offer this prayer:

Celestial Youth of Taiwei, ever at the Emperor Lord’s side, is named Jingjing and has the surname Gan. He joins in form with the One and Primordial, wears red robes, and holds the registers of the Five Talismanic Mandates and a jade table. When the Emperor Lord descends, he oversees communication with the gods. May I unite and merge with the One and Primordial. May the Master of Destiny secure the Numinous Gate and bring the five viscera together in harmony. May the Imperial Immortals guard my dwelling and destroy the roots of evil. Let the Three Energies grow abundant and spread; let the clouds of five colors circle eight times, so that I may ascend into the clouds, ride a dragon-drawn carriage, and fly in radiant splendor.

○ The Soul of the August One

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Primordial Lord of Jade Worthies of the Sun’s Nine Qi, visualize the “Soul of the August One” (the divine soul described in the scripture) ascending upward and returning to its source. True Qi the color of dark clouds enters through your Niwan (a Daoist cultivation site inside the head), spreads downward, and settles at the “Gate of Fuchen” (the aperture named in the scripture) below your right ear. Pray softly: “May I ascend into the clouds and ride in the shining carriage drawn by dragons.”

The Soul of the August One

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Primordial Lord of Jade Worthies of the Sun’s Nine Qi, visualize the Soul of the August One ascending upward and returning to its source. True Qi the color of dark clouds enters through the Niwan and spreads downward, settling at the Gate of Fuchen below your right ear. Then pray softly:

“Supreme True One of the August One (the high celestial deity associated with the August One), who sees through all and is born in the Cinnabar Chamber (the inner chamber of cultivation within the body): vermilion radiance shines upon the blue light, and a brilliant glow spreads outward. The sound of the Great Origin rings clear, resounding through the nine heavens; dark gold descends alone, making a pure, ringing sound. I welcome the Jade Radiance (the celestial realm’s light and splendor) from above and unite it with my spirit hall. Riding the void, I soar through the air and feast in the Jade Capital (the fabled celestial realm.”

When the prayer is finished, inhale Qi of dark clouds, swallow it in three portions, and then recite the Jade Scripture. After reading it, pray again:

“The nine palaces unite as one; my form enters the Emperor’s Dawn (a celestial realm), ascends to the Purple Chamber (a heavenly palace), and receives the command to summon the True Immortals. Gather and deliver the souls, govern the hundred spirits, bring peace and joy to my ancestors of seven generations, and remove the source of suffering. Deathly Qi disperses, and blessings and prosperity fill the carriage. May you ascend to the Great Empyrean, riding the sunlight and driving the clouds. The Five Emperors of the moon accompany the wheel of the sun’s essence; Yujiang, Yifu, and Biaojing ascend together.”

The Purple Plain Left Origin Lord

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Primordial Beginning’s Nine Essences and Golden Flower Radiance, visualize the Purple Plain Left Origin Lord (a goddess venerated in Daoism) appearing in the form called “shadowy and lush, without edges” (the divine form described in the scripture). True Qi the color of radiant clouds enters through the Niwan and spreads downward through the space between the head and face. After completing the visualization, pray softly:

“From shadowy lushness, the True One is born; from the True One, radiant emptiness is born. The numinous light shines and sparkles, while purple Qi blends in harmony and fills the space. Draw flowing saliva from above and spread it downward through my inner palaces…”

The murky, stagnant Qi transforms into true Qi, and true Qi in turn gives rise to a clear, empty vision. A numinous light shines, while purple Qi spreads everywhere. Above, flowing saliva is drawn in; below, it spreads throughout my body palace. Water and fire arise within my body, and my form is transformed into a radiance like jade. Like a flying immortal borne aloft beneath a feathered canopy, I ascend into the realm of the spirits, receive the jade scriptures and books of the immortals, and join their lineage. When the recitation is complete, draw in the Qi of the radiant clouds three times and stop, then recite the Jade Scripture. When that is complete, pray:

Auspicious saliva flows from the Western Field, the place within the body where spirits are visualized and Qi is refined. The Great Emperor takes my hand and leads me, summoning perfected immortals of the highest order to remove and disperse impurities and sever the root of death. Above is the First Heavenly Emperor, titled Mysterious and Condensed Heaven. His light shines across the Six Directions, purifying and stilling the Muddy Pellet Palace, the spirit chamber in the head. He is supreme above all, enabling me to enjoy lasting peace, take my place in the Jade Emperor’s register of immortals, and stand alongside the Morning Emperor. Radiance rises from the Five Palaces; the Six Fluids, the saliva cultivated within the body, surge forth like the source of a dragon. Deep and pure, they return to the Great Simplicity. The light of Mysterious and Condensed Heaven shines across the Six Directions, purifying and stilling the Muddy Pellet Palace. May I enjoy lasting peace, take my place in the Jade Emperor’s register of immortals, and stand alongside the Morning Emperor. Radiance rises from the Five Palaces; the Six Fluids surge forth like the source of a dragon, deep and pure, and return to the Great Simplicity. Lush rosy clouds transform into golden saliva; the myriad immortals come to pay court, and the spirits of the Five Peaks stand in orderly ranks. Mysterious transgressions sink away and dissolve, while blessings bestowed by Heaven rise like smoke. Carved beams guard the Gate of my Life and protect the Gate of Death for all time. I ascend into the Jade Chamber and am invested with the rank of Golden Immortal. In the Jade Hall of Heaven, I often meet with the worthy lords and emperors; dwelling amid the Nine Heavens, I pass through long ages and remain peacefully at rest.

The Central Primordial Lord of Yellow Talisman

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the Nine Emperors, the Lords Above, and the Master of Destiny, visualize the Central Primordial Lord of Yellow Talisman—a divine lord associated with the Yellow Talisman and the central primordial Qi—in the form of a rounded radiance and a yellow blade, together with the brilliance of true Qi and the morning vision. See these descending from above into your Muddy Pellet Palace, then spreading downward through your chest and abdomen. When the visualization is complete, pray softly:

The radiant light of the Nine Heavens gives rise to splendor, shining over the vast expanse of space and illuminating the Purple Tenuity, the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor. It reaches upward to the Qi of the Central Yellow, and the hundred spirits descend and circle around. May fundamental afflictions be removed and suffering dispelled; may the Eight Difficulties, the eight obstacles encountered in cultivation, be suddenly undone, and may seven generations of ancestors rise together. May blessings and good fortune be boundless. May I become an immortal and ascend together with the Eight Radiances, the perfected beings or realms of the immortals. When the prayer is complete, draw in the Qi of the radiant glow three times and stop, then recite the Jade Scripture. When that is complete, pray again:

May the vital spirits of the Great Thearch and the eight deities of the Yang Hall disperse the Qi of death and open the eight calamities, so that my ancestors of seven generations may ascend to Heaven together, receive abundant blessings, and allow me to attain immortalhood and ascend alongside the immortal realms of the eight directions. When you have finished reciting, inhale the Qi of radiant brilliance three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reading it, recite this invocation:

May the vital spirits of the Great Thearch and the eight deities of the Yang Hall disperse the Qi of death and merge it with the Qi of all beings. The One Thearch (the exalted deity who governs the gods) receives the celestial chart.

The Three Origins converge in radiance; the Nine Perfected are at peace, and the Seven Spirits are settled. May I transcend all hindrances and pass beyond the obstruction of ghostly troops; ascend to the Thearch’s Dawn and behold the splendor of the Jade Court. The Dark Mother stabilizes my name in the registers; the Five Palaces (the palaces within the body where the spirits of the five viscera reside) open in clarity. May the womb-root (the womb and the source of life) perish, and the stain of blood be wholly stilled. May my ancestors and parents of seven generations receive blessings and ascend to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). May Wuying Mingfu (a Daoist deity) govern my immortal scriptures; may Guangshen settle my breath, and may Green Hui sever the link to the netherworld. Seal the Gate of Death, and let the Qi of Great Chaos once more fill life. May I dwell forever at the Feathered Terrace, firmly guard the divine Qi in the Chamber of the Five Elders, be entered in the registers of the palaces of Shangqing, and uphold De on the day of the Seven Origins. Ascending, I reach the Jade Empyrean; descending, I unite with the One Thearch.

White Su, Right Primordial Lady

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the Three Primordial Lords of Heavenly Emperor Shangzhen Jade Radiance, visualize White Su, Right Primordial Lady, Qiming Xiaoren (a Daoist deity). The true Qi, like the moon’s essence, enters through your own Niwan Palace (the upper Dantian in the head), ascends to the Jade Empyrean, and descends to unite with the One Thearch.

White Su, Right Primordial Lady

When reciting the Scripture of the Way of the Three Primordial Lords of Heavenly Emperor Shangzhen Jade Radiance, visualize White Su, Right Primordial Lady, Qiming Xiaoren. The true Qi, like the moon’s essence, enters through your own Niwan Palace, then flows downward, passing through the lower gate and the lower abdomen, all the way to both feet. When finished, softly recite this invocation:

White Su, Qiming, came into being together with the Nine Heavens; riding a plain bridle in the lofty void, she floats through the immortal realm of Jade Clarity. Turning back to the true Dao and attaining the immortal Dao, she spreads Jing and Qi in the eight directions; reaching into the deep and subtle, she makes radiant, refined Qi shine with brilliance. May I become inwardly clear and open, with the five apertures (the openings of the five sense organs) bright and unobstructed. May the Divine Lord come to wander and behold, and may my Dao practice be brought to fulfillment.

When you have finished reciting, inhale the Qi of moonlight three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reading it, recite this invocation again:

The soul is generated by the Nine Qi, and Qi transforms into Shen (spirit). The Qi of the Five Elders converges, while the Qi of the Great One transforms a person into an immortal perfected being. The twenty-four Perfected Ones restore the body to its original state. The Qi of the Nine Bends sinks into the lower gateway, guarding life and enabling a person to rise lightly like a white cloud. The Six Palaces within the Yellow Court—the six inner chambers of the body—nourish the root of life. The embryo’s Qi gathers at the womb tree, while the seed is planted on the mountain of death. Once these are restrained and governed, the root of death can be severed forever. When the registers of talismans and names are clear, and golden light shines upon the jade pavilion, one can remain forever a revered person of De (Virtue/Power), receiving the Dao’s blessings in every generation, ascending between the sun and moon, and ultimately becoming a companion of the Celestial Emperor and the perfected immortals.

○ The Director of Destinies in the Sun

When reciting the Scripture of the Great One, Lord of Prohibitions of the Upper Origin, envision the Director of Destinies in the sun—a deity who governs human lifespan, life, and death—welcoming the Qi of new life. In this way, one remains forever a revered person of De, receiving the Dao’s blessings in every generation, ascending between the sun and moon, and ultimately becoming a companion of the Celestial Emperor and the perfected immortals.

○ The Director of Destinies in the Sun

When reciting the Scripture of the Great One, Lord of Prohibitions of the Upper Origin, envision the Director of Destinies in the sun welcoming new life. The Three Blossoms of true Qi enter through your Niwan, the inner cultivation point above the head, then spread downward to the gateway of the left hand. When this is done, softly recite this prayer:

The Four Great Ones ascend to Heaven; the Heavenly Origin returns. The Three Blossoms shine forth, and the Director of Destinies soars in radiance. Summon immortals for me; may the Seven Ancestors disperse. Ascend to the Great Void, where sun and moon shine with equal brilliance.

After the prayer, draw in the Qi of the Three Blossoms and swallow it in three gulps, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite this prayer:

The Great One, Wuyou, gathers and transmits the office of the Northern Emperor. The elder Laozi of the Mysterious One travels to and fro, holding the tally in his hand. The Original Element governs the talismans and registers; the White Origin keeps to the way of Yin and softness. Divine light shines brilliantly. Clad in rosy clouds, I ascend to the imperial palace and take my place among the seats of Zhenling, mingling with the Qi of the Five-Day Chamber. White Qi nourishes what grows upward; the Azure Lord arranges the Way of flourishing. My left hand carries Jing (essence) and Qi upward to the gateway; my right hand embraces the infant of harmony.

I generate the essence of the sun and moon and become a companion of the King of Red Qi. The light of the Eight Radiances illuminates Niwan, and the inner Grotto Chamber, the dwelling place of the spirit of the heart, grows bright and clear. The infant transforms into a crimson child; the Qi of Mixed Li gives birth to a jade countenance. The Five Ways bring forth luxuriant golden blossoms, placing me among the Lords of Upper Clarity. The Seven Ancestors are freed from darkness and obstruction. I myself ride the divine wind, wandering above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), and joyfully return to the realm of infant children.

When reciting the Dao Jing of the True Morning Lord of the Yellow Chamber in the Primordial Void, visualize Fangying, the Peach Lord within the moon, at the height of her fullness. The luminous Qi of the moon enters through your Niwan Palace, the cultivation site inside the head, then spreads downward into the palm of your right hand. When this is done, softly recite:

“Within the Yellow Chamber of the Primordial Void, the one in the moon is named Fangying. On the left, a feast is set at the Vermilion Countenance Terrace; on the right, the Immortal Emperor’s court is attended. In the Chamber of the Three Blossoms of the Feast’s Radiance, the first life of my divine spirit takes shape. May we fly together into the hidden and mysterious realm, and may my ancestors of seven generations regain their youth.”

After reciting this invocation, breathe in the moonlit breath and swallow it in three gulps, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite:

“The Nine Primordials guard the True Dao; the Five Emperors entwine with one another. The lords within the sun and moon draw near to you. The Qi of the Great Confluence commands the Three and Five, bringing scattered souls back together. Golden light shines through all the joints and limbs; jade fluid restores the spirit. Radiance arises from the palaces of the Five Viscera. White Qi moves like smoke, filling the realm of the Three Pure Ones. Precious fluid wells up in the Purple Chamber, opening the immortal gate above and closing the gate of death below. Let my name be entered on the feathered registers and presented before the Jade Emperor. Let my parents and ancestors of seven generations be given life anew in the Southern Veranda. Use the tiger tally to subdue evil spirits, and the dragon banner to summon the divine beings. With the Golden Book of Taiyi, summon and bind the Three Officials; erase my name from the registers of the dead and engrave it in the register of the Jade Perfected. Preserve my life, that I may share the longevity of the Most High and live as long as the sun and moon.”

The Youth in the Left Eye

When reciting the Dao Jing of the Primal Lords of the Four Perfected Ones Who Govern the Supreme Ultimate, visualize the youth within your left eye flying on clouds. The luminous Qi of the sun enters through your Niwan Palace, then spreads downward into your left eye. When this is done, softly recite:

The primordial Qi (vital energy) of the Great Beginning fills the four directions, and the essence and Qi of the Primordial Lady shine forth. The sun’s radiance flows abundantly everywhere, and the luminous lad shines brightly. The paired lights of the sun and moon illuminate one another, passing through my Bright Beam—the channel within the body for circulating Qi and visualization. The Three Dantian (energy centers)—upper, middle, and lower—open the realm of truth, and the Dao I cultivate unfolds from this. Clad in a robe woven from feathers, I ascend through the air to the Jade Capital, the celestial palace of the immortals.

After reciting this, draw in the radiant light and swallow it three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite: “The radiance flows abundantly everywhere, and the luminous lad shines brightly. The paired lights of the sun and moon illuminate one another, passing through my Bright Beam. The Three Dantian open the realm of truth, and the Dao I cultivate unfolds from this. Clad in a robe woven from feathers, I ascend through the air to the Jade Capital.” After reciting this, draw in the radiant light and swallow it three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite:

“I ride the blended primordial Qi, circling and stabilizing the Nine True Mounds, the numinous mountain where immortals dwell. I nourish the radiance of the Child of Great Prosperity, so that the feathered pearls gather side by side. From this are born the nine revered spirits and the many sovereigns; the luminous scene of the grotto-heaven turns in an instant. The burdens of seven generations of ancestors are released, and accumulated impurities are at once cleansed. In every generation, people may be born into good fortune, and the Distant Ancestors receive books of immortality. I rise in body to the Palace of Great Rosy Clouds, riding a dragon chariot to feast in the Jade Void Palace. I ascend to pay homage to the Sovereign of Highest Clarity, and am granted the privilege of serving him and receiving his protection.”

The Lad in the Right Eye

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the True Man of the Four Dippers and the Lord Who Scatters Blossoms at the Seven Mornings, visualize the Dawn Infant, the divine figure within the right eye. True Qi, like the radiance of the moon, enters from my Mudball—the upper Dantian within the head—and spreads downward into the right eye.

When this is complete, recite softly:

“Light scatters as the Seven Mornings fly; radiance spreads throughout the Three Origins—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian—and blends and gathers into the realm of truth. Summon the moon’s soul from above and send numinous Qi down to me. Open the gate of my immortality, so that seven generations of ancestors may ascend together and pay homage to the Sovereign.”

After reciting this, draw in the moonlight and swallow it three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite:

“May the Three Pure Essences be firmly arrayed above; the Old Lord’s divine Qi is born from the Dao. May it secure my hun and po souls, let me roam in peace, and protect me as I become the Sovereign of the Six Directions—the honored ruler who governs heaven, earth, and the four quarters.”

After reciting this, draw in the moonlight and swallow it three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite:

The Three Pure Essences—the three subtle, pure forms of Qi spoken of in Daoism—are firmly arrayed above. Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) uses the wondrous Dao to bring forth all things and settle my hun and po souls, so they no longer wander. He protects my head and joins it with the Six Directions, above and below and the four quarters. Sorrow and suffering vanish into the dark gate; deathly Qi is sealed beneath the earth. As Lord Di Yi, the revered deity who governs the gods within my body, I dwell in harmony with the gods of the six organs. My heart is like a bright mirror, peacefully settled in the chamber of cinnabar mystery; harmonious Qi fills the Niwan, the spirit chamber within the head. My body shines with golden light, and the register summoning those who will attain immortality calls the Perfected Ones. White Qi spreads in layer upon layer, and the hundred gods thereby shine with radiance. I shall endure as long as the sun and moon; my name will remain forever in the immortal registers. In every generation I shall uphold the Dao and De, forever an immortal of Heaven. In stillness I turn inward and gather my spirit; at last I ascend to the Imperial Dawn, the celestial realm.

○ The Lad of the Lungs

When reciting the Scripture of the Lord of Yellow Radiance at the Center of the Hours, visualize the lad in the lungs, “Plain Radiance,” the name of the lung spirit. True Qi passes through the five gates and shines forth. It enters from the Niwan in the head, descends and spreads to the Gate of the Lungs’ Canopy, the spirit chamber of the lungs, then rises to reach the lads in the two eyes. When the visualization is complete, quietly recite this invocation:

Lad Plain Radiance, nine layers of yellow clouds coil around you; the flying wheels of the Azure Terrace turn, and the three spirits join their strength to unite with the Real. You are called “Mystic Radiance Above,” and rank among the guests of the August Sovereign. You govern the Gate of the Lungs’ Canopy and reach upward to the lads in both eyes.

When the invocation is complete, quietly recite this one:

Lad Plain Radiance, nine layers of yellow clouds coil around you; the flying wheels of the Azure Terrace turn, and the three spirits join their strength to unite with the Real. You are called “Mystic Radiance Above,” and rank among the guests of the August Sovereign. You govern the hundred gods and lead me into the purple clouds.

When the invocation is complete, guide the luminous Qi, swallow three times, and then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting it, make this invocation:

The Two Elders stand at my left and right; the Imperial Hun cannot be separated from me. The Qi of the Three and Nine transforms above and below; Great One stands at its center and becomes its root. The Five Spirits protect my register of life, and the god in charge of destiny seals the gate of my death. The Nine Palaces unite as one, the Six Directions are clear and bright, and the inner spirits of the Real appear. Those in the world who encounter the books of immortals receive blessings and lasting good fortune. The Five Elders sit facing me, and the sun and moon become my companions. Great One comes to welcome me and leads me up to the Imperial Dawn. The accumulated blood and Qi of my ancestors through seven generations will all be drawn out from the root. They return to the womb and go back to the Southern Palace to be born anew, becoming subjects of the Imperial Chariot. You and I feast together in the Jade Hall, clothed in the robes of the Imperial Wheel. In every generation our names are entered in the immortal registers; we wear feathered robes and raise ceremonial banners. Our descendants flourish, and blessings and good fortune extend to those who follow. For ages I shall be an Immortal Earl, commanding the myriad gods.

○ The Lord of White Qi in the Womb

(The text here gives the heading “The Lord of White Qi in the Womb,” followed by the words “Imperial Wheel,” and so on.)

When reading the Scripture of the Dao of the True Emperor Li of the Upper Realm, the Later Sage of the Golden Palace (Jinque Housheng Taiping Li Zhen Tiandi Shangjing Jun Dao Jing), visualize the divine lord Wuxuanzi, who governs the white Qi within the womb, and the divine lord Xuanguizi, who governs the essence and spirit of Taiyi. Visualize true Qi appearing in the colors of the Three Florescences. Let it enter from your own Niwan (the place within the head where spiritual awareness resides), spread downward through the five organs, and gather at the root of the throat. When you have finished, offer this prayer softly:

The Golden Palace shines forth the light of Jade Clarity; white Qi reflects the cinnabar glow. Bright radiance circles the golden bell; the five-colored Qi reveals the Three Florescences. Saliva flows and settles in the chamber of rest, congealing into the first sprout of my life’s root. The jade talisman summons the hundred spirits; golden might subdues the demons. Protect me, that I may endure through countless kalpas; grant me knowledge of the immortal Dao and discernment of what is baleful and wicked.

After the prayer, draw in the Qi of the Three Florescences and swallow it in three portions. Then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, offer this prayer:

Heaven above brought forth the eight Qi and made them converge in the imperial realm. The five spirits uphold the talismanic mandate; the spirit who governs destiny assists and guides me. Remove my name from the register of the dead and cleanse the defilements of the netherworld. Undo the bonds of seven generations and let blessings continue into the Jade Court. The accumulated filth of blood and the suffering of sinking into the depths are both purified beneath the light of the Three Pure Essences. Let me ascend to heaven and unite my spirit with the Emperor. In this life, let me form an affinity with the immortals and attain all that I seek. Let my years grow like seeds in the sun, and my life take root like a plant in the lunar court. Return me to the pure, unknowing state of the womb and transform me once more into a child. May my life be as long as Heaven, and my years endure alongside the sun and moon.

When reading the Scripture of the Dao of the True Lord Pengshi, the Later Sage of the Primordial Scene in the Great Void (Taixu Housheng Yuanjing Pengshi Zhenjun Dao Jing), visualize Ying, the divine lord who governs the green Qi within the knot. May your life be as long as Heaven, and your years endure alongside the sun and moon.

When reading the Scripture of the Dao of the True Lord Pengshi, the Later Sage of the Primordial Scene in the Great Void, also visualize the two deities Anyanchang, the divine lord who governs the green Qi within the knot, and Baogutong, the essence and spirit of the Primordial Lady. Visualize true Qi like jade radiance entering from the Niwan, spreading downward through the five organs, and gathering at the upper opening of the stomach. When you have finished, offer this prayer softly:

The nine numinous powers unite, and the two true deities are profound and mysterious. Above the Great Void rise tier upon tier of heavens, reaching upward to Taiyi. Yin and Yang, female and male, mingle together in the wondrous chamber of the immortals. Ascending, I transform into one of the nine immortals; descending, I loosen the bonds of the womb. Let my ancestors of seven generations rejoice, and release me from the five kinds of suffering. Let me soar upward and let my original form undergo a wondrous transformation.

After the prayer, draw in the Qi of jade radiance and swallow it in three portions. Then recite the Jade Scripture.

Plant blessings and merits beyond the Nine Heavens, so that the deceased’s body may pass beyond the gates of the underworld. Release seven generations of ancestors from accumulated hardship, and cut down the withered tree that symbolizes sorrow and suffering. Let the deceased return to the Palace of Vermilion Fire, the Daoist abode of the immortals, and regain life at the Gate of the Nine Mysteries. May true Qi grow day by day. Then recite the Jade Scripture.

When you have finished reciting, offer this prayer:

Plant blessings and merits beyond the Nine Heavens, so that the deceased’s body may pass beyond the gates of the underworld. Release seven generations of ancestors from accumulated hardship, and cut down the withered tree that symbolizes sorrow and suffering. May the deceased return to the Palace of Vermilion Fire and be reborn at the Gate of the Nine Mysteries. May true Qi grow day by day and calamities diminish day by day. May you ascend to the Chamber of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the immortal realm where the Three Pure Ones are enshrined, and ride the wind to the Radiant Court, where immortals dwell. May your lifespan accompany the Mother of the Moon, and your years endure as long as those of the Sun Emperor. May ancestors of every generation be entered into the registers of the immortals and regain the vigor of youth. May blessings extend throughout heaven and earth in all directions, and may they enjoy eternal life.

The Lord of Black Qi in the Section

When reciting the Daoist Scripture of the Elder of the Nine Qi of the Great Mystery Capital, Lord of the Immortals, visualize Binlai, the Lord of Black Qi in the Section, and the two divine beings born on the hidden terrace from the essence and souls of the Imperial Perfected. True Qi, glowing like jade, enters through your Niwan (the upper Dantian in the head), spreads downward, and reaches the mouth of the Nine Intestines, where it settles beneath the source. When the visualization is complete, pray softly:

How remote and profound is the realm of Great Mystery! The Highest Spirit is born from black Qi. The Imperial Perfected shines with penetrating clarity; the Nine Qi gather in the divine abode. Divine power transforms and commands the ten directions. Suddenly the realm opens, revealing the first light. May all the Perfected refine me and make me an immortal; may all the gates throughout my body settle naturally into stillness and purity. May the entanglements of the womb-line of seven generations of ancestors be severed, and may nine generations of ancestors ascend to the Hall of Blessings. I call upward to the Radiant Child in the Scene; may he join me as we ascend to immortality in a flying carriage.

After the prayer, guide the jade light through your body and swallow three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. May all the Perfected refine me and make me an immortal; may all the gates throughout my body settle naturally into stillness and purity. May the entanglements of the womb-line of seven generations of ancestors be severed, and may nine generations of ancestors ascend to the Hall of Blessings. I call upward to the Radiant Child in the Scene; may he join me as we ascend to immortality in a flying carriage. After the prayer, guide the jade light through your body and swallow three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, offer this prayer:

The emperor’s spirit and soul cast their radiance into the depths, forever guarding the life gate that sustains all beings. The hidden corpse spirits, yin spirits believed to lurk within the body and harm life, are destroyed and withdraw. The hun and po souls find peace, and the spirit and mind return to calm. The Dark Mother, a Daoist deity, turns back the light, enabling one to serve the august emperor and become a Jade Immortal. The Right-Life Great One, a deity who governs the life span, grants longevity, and his blessings descend upon the person.

One attends a banquet in the northern Shangqing Immortal Realm and is counted among the Jade Guests. One’s face shines like sunlight, and one’s years stretch on like the moon and drifting clouds. One dwells for long ages in a golden immortal palace, alongside the light of dawn. Worries are dispelled, ailments of the stomach are calmed, and the suffering of the Three Paths, the three realms of hardship described in Daoism, is uprooted. Blessings and De accumulate in the Cinnabar Mystery, while joy fills the Mudball Palace, an aperture for cultivation in the head. The hundred spirits merge with the Qi of the Emperor One, and the body undergoes a great transformation, revolving like a returning wind. A body withered like wormwood is restored to life; its appearance changes, taking on the form of an infant. In every generation, one enters the Hall of Immortals and ascends, level by level, to the feathered immortals’ palace. Even after many great calamities, one’s immortal years continue to grow like the sun and moon, and one’s rank becomes ever more exalted.

Lord of Yellow Qi in the Womb

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Lord Lao of the Eight Scenes of Shangqing, visualize the ancestral Lord Zuming Che, the Lord of Yellow Qi in the Womb, together with the essence and soul of the Celestial Emperor, governing and regulating the two spirits of the viscera within the body. Visualize true Qi as yellow clouds entering the body from the Mudball Palace and spreading downward to the root of the two openings of the small intestine. When this is complete, recite the following blessing in a soft voice:

“Shangqing shines upon the Mysterious Terrace; the Eight Scenes ride the Dao of Heaven. Yellow Qi joins with the divine perfected ones, and the essence and soul meet the Emperor’s son. May the Great One revise my register of fate; may the Five Talismans protect me and make me deathless. Take me with the immortals in their shared carriage, following the light of dawn. May the returning wind restore me to my original form. Uproot my suffering and rescue my seven ancestral generations; may the Nine Mysteries, the nine ancestral generations or classes of wandering souls, rejoice as one.”

After reciting the blessing, inhale the yellow clouds three times and swallow them, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite this blessing:

“May white clouds join with divine light, riding pure Qi to gather at Taiwei, the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor. May I attend court in the chamber of the Emperor One and loosen my sash on the steps of the August One. The Golden Gate opens; the Three Yangs summon me to ascend and return. Raise the spirits within my body and cover me with the power of Great Radiance. May the great treasure of the Nine Florescence shine upon my form and summon the clouds, joining me with the perfected spirits. May fragrance spread and summon the numinous spirits. I take in the bright image of the moon and return to the womb to be born anew. May my years abide in radiance and my allotted lifespan no longer be in peril. May I become an Immortal King, forever preserving Shangqing, receiving the true scriptures in every generation and dwelling in the Jade Court of wondrous radiance.”

Lord of Red Qi in the Blood

When reciting the Scripture of the Jade-Treasure King and Green Lad of the High-Morning Master of the Eastern Florescence Palace of Fangzhu, visualize the lord of red Qi in the blood, “Mixed Separation,” and the spirit deity who governs one’s destiny and essence, “Sui Wu Qing.” Envision yourself becoming an Immortal King, protecting the Shangqing Immortal realm, receiving the true scripture life after life, and dwelling in a wondrous, splendid jade court.

The Lord of Red Qi in the Blood

When reciting this scripture, visualize the two deities in the blood: the lord of red Qi, “Mixed Separation,” and the spirit deity who governs one’s destiny and essence, “Fa Niuzi.” They take the form of red-cloud-like true Qi, entering through your Niwan Palace (the upper Dantian in the head) and spreading downward between the joints and channels throughout your body. When the visualization is complete, offer this prayer softly:

“Morning light shines upon the eastern clouds, and cinnabar radiance illuminates the high heavens. The two true deities assist the divine lineage, and the seven numinous splendors spring forth in brilliance. The Five Elders descend before the imperial throne; the Great One protects the Lad. Brocade-like clouds light up the dark, long night, their brightness reaching through layer upon layer of the profound depths. The registers of talismans record seven generations of ancestors, and the Pole Star receives the spirit of the unborn. The High-Morning Master beholds the cloud chariot and sends it to bear me upward in a flying vehicle. May the bonds rooted through countless ages be removed, so that I may joyfully set out upon the path of cultivation through ten thousand kalpas.”

When the prayer is complete, inhale the red-cloud Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. After reciting it, pray again:

“The Five Paths turn and merge; from them the Seven Gates first divide. The Southern Harmony deity establishes the order, and the White Emperor appears in form. The efficacious signs regulate the hun and po souls; flourishing fortune protects the spirit. By upholding the talismanic mandate, I ascend into the clouds and dwell in a jade chamber. My name is entered in the jade register of the Immortal realm, and life after life I become a Celestial Immortal. The roads to the three evil destinies are blocked and cut off; the forces that destroy life’s foundation are dispelled, the Qi of death sinks and vanishes, and the wheel of calamity no longer turns. Blessings descend layer upon layer, and celebrations gather in the wondrous, splendid realm of mystery. My name is recorded in the Jade Hall, and life after life I abide within the immortal gate of Dao and De.”

The Primordial Father and Mother of the Highest Mystery

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Nine Elders and Immortal Sovereign of the Great Emperor of Fusang, visualize the following: above, the Mysterious Origin Father, Gao Tongsheng; below, the Mysterious Mother, Uncle Fire King; the Imperial Sovereign, the Great One of the Deep Darkness; the Nine Emperors, Venerable Spirits of the Bright Sun; the Great Sovereign’s Essence-Soul, Yang Tangyu; the Heavenly Emperor’s Nine Gates, whose Soul Register Returns to the Dao; and the Heavenly Register Emperor’s Soul, Zhaoyuan, the Seventh Spirit of Aqi. Visualize true Qi gathering into the form of a lotus. Let it enter through the Niwan Palace—the place within the head where spiritual awareness resides—and spread downward to the root of your allotted life, the place where the womb formed. When this is complete, softly recite the invocation: “Returning to the Dao; the Heavenly Register Emperor’s Soul, Zhaoyuan, the Seventh Spirit of Aqi.”

Next, visualize the lotus formed from gathered true Qi entering the body through the Niwan Palace and spreading downward to the root of your allotted life, the place where the womb formed. When this is complete, softly recite:

“Origin Father and Mysterious Mother, the Qi of the Seven Perfected; Divine Lord and Great Emperor, the Nine Elders in their appointed places: secure my life, deliver me beyond the ten realms. May sun and moon bear the same tally, and the Nine Emperors unite their tokens. May the demons that govern destiny sit in their places, and the myriad spirits come to pay homage. May I rise three times upon the floating radiance, and may the staff of thunder protect me for ten thousand generations.”

After reciting the invocation, swallow the lotus Qi three times, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished, recite this invocation:

“Primordial Mystery gathers radiance, shining above and crowning Fuchen. The Great Emperor transforms his radiance; in an instant, it blends and separates. Entering the five repositories within me, strengthen my Jade Root. With the paired chariots of the Great One, join the wings and raise the wheels. Rise with me, turning back toward the Golden Gate. May my years and days be blessed and flourishing; may my body become the treasure of a Golden Immortal. May prosperity flourish through every generation, true talismans endure, and the Mysterious generations continue unbroken. May my name be written in the Spirit Pavilion. Let the fragrance of my wings rise as incense and smoke; may blessings reach all my descendants, and joy overflow at the Emperor’s Gate.”

This invocation petitions for mysterious radiance to gather, illuminate, and protect the scripture reciter. It asks the Great Emperor to transform his divine radiance and send it into the reciter’s five organs, strengthening the foundation of cultivation. It also prays for union with the deity Taiyi, ascent in a feathered carriage, and entry through the Golden Gate; for long life and the attainment of a Golden Immortal’s body; and for blessings to extend to future generations and the reciter’s name to be entered among the immortals.

○ The Three Plain Venerable Lords

When reciting the Scripture of the Dao of the Jade Lord, Master of the Ten Thousand Blossoms of the Lesser Abode of Jade Truth, visualize the Three Plain Venerable Lords: Lao Jun Laozhangshang, the Left Immortal of Zhengyi, Zhongchengzi, and the Right Immortal of Zhengyi. Here, “Three Plain Venerable Lords” refers to the names of divine perfected beings revered in Daoist scriptures.

When reading the Daoist Scripture of the Jade Lord Who Governs the Diagram of Little-You, Jade Truth, and Ten Thousand Splendors, visualize three divine beings: the Venerable Lord of the Three Pure Essences, Lao Jun Laozhang Shang; the Left Immortal of Orthodox Unity, Zhong Chengzi; and the Right Immortal of Orthodox Unity, Qu Wenzi. Imagine the genuine Qi within them merging into clouds of yellow, white, and black. Let these enter through your Niwan Palace, the cultivation site inside the crown of your head, then spread downward to the philtrum beneath your nose. When this is complete, offer a quiet prayer:

Jade Truth gives birth to the radiance of the sovereign; Ten Thousand Splendors rises upon the clouds. The Three Elders assist the Two Immortals, together guarding the cavern of the Gate of Death. Divine light shines forth; the Seven Splendors arise. Even decayed bones receive renewal and transformation. Thus you ascend beyond the Three Realms, escape the Five Sufferings, enter beyond the Nine Heavens, and look upward toward the vermilion sun in the heights.

After the prayer, draw in the three-colored genuine Qi and swallow it in three portions, then recite the Jade Scripture. When you have finished reciting, pray again:

The Gate of Life gathers and joins essence and Qi; the Six Qi mingle, and the Seven Qi divide and transform. The Great One governs the registers of names; the deity in charge of destiny governs the hun spirits. The First Emperor stabilizes the body; Wuying guards the hun and po souls. The Great One returns to the Purple Chamber, carrying out the talismanic command of the Emperor Lord. The Womb Tree, symbol of the mysterious old root of fetal birth, is cut down and utterly destroyed, severing the source of the bloodline. The Seven Ancestral Spirits are born anew. The deity in charge of destiny governs the hun spirits; the First Emperor stabilizes the body; Wuying guards the hun and po souls. The Great One returns to the Purple Chamber, carrying out the talismanic command of the Emperor Lord. The Womb Tree is cut down and utterly destroyed, severing the source of the bloodline. The Seven Ancestral Spirits are born anew. Your still shadow transforms into vapor, and you ascend to unite with the Celestial Lord of Dawn. Your shadow reflects the sun and moon, and your life span is joined to Heaven.

Radiance upon radiance gathers, and all the deities come to meet the Highest Venerable. Your name is entered in the world’s book of numinous beings and recorded within the purple register of immortals. Riding the clouds of the Three Pure Essences, you hold a banquet in the north and welcome Gaoyuan. Thus you are titled an Immortal King and a Perfected Being of Highest Clarity.

○ The Central Mysterious One, Laozi

Recite the “Mysterious Isle Two…”