《云笈七签》Vol. 9

She wears a flowing skirt of patterned silk, a brocade shawl embroidered with phoenixes, and a purple sash of spiritual flight. From her mouth she often exhales a dark radiance, directing it toward the Yin Essence Star, causing the star to shine brightly.

When practicing the Way of Flying Steps—a visualization method in which one walks according to the positions of the constellations—visualize this lady’s family name, personal name, and appearance. Place both feet on the Celestial Pivot Star and face the Yin Essence Star. Rest your left hand over your heart and point toward the Yin Essence Star with your right hand. Knock your teeth together nine times, swallow saliva nine times, and hold your breath for nine counts. Then softly recite the spell:

“Mysterious sovereign spirit of the north, open the ninefold realm of clear brightness. Jade radiance shines forth in secret; the stars are arrayed like the warp and woof of the Purple Court. Today I take flying steps according to the stars, and ten thousand paths are made bright. May my hun and po souls become clear and upright, settled and joined to my form. Do not let me fly alone; may I ascend together with the stars of the north. Inhale the mysterious vital essence above, and nourish yourself with Jade Spring. Transform within the realm of the Nine Subtlety, preserve life, and receive the protection of heavenly spirits.”

After reciting, hold your breath for three counts. Then step first with your left foot onto the position of the Celestial Pivot Star; bring your right foot alongside it, and let your breath flow freely.

The third star, Tianji, is the Po essence of the “True Person Star.” Tianji is mighty yet does not reveal its radiance; it lies hidden deep within the Great Void. Its domain extends seven hundred and seventy li, and it faces the southeast gate of the True Person Star.

The star’s presiding deity is titled “Lady Primordial Sovereign of the Numinal Consort of the Upper Essence Palace.” Her surname is Changming, her personal name is Huayun, and her true name is Liuyan. She wears a Dawn Infant precious crown and a robe of brocade woven with flying clouds and luminous radiance, and bears the sash of the Six Mountains and Flying Dawn. She constantly breathes forth the essence of yellow Qi, which she pours into the True Person Star, causing it to shine brightly.

When practicing the method of flying steps, visualize the lady’s surname, personal name, and appearance. Then step with both feet onto the Tianji Star and face the True Person Star. Place your right hand over your heart and point toward the True Person Star with your left hand. Click your teeth nine times, swallow the saliva in your mouth nine times, and hold your breath for twelve breaths. Then softly recite the incantation:

“Numinal Consort, Primordial Sovereign, True Person among the Nine Stars, you govern the workings of Tianji and command all the heavens. Below, you observe the worlds in every direction, roaming amid scenes of purple mist and radiance. On this auspicious day, the Imperial Way is carried out; blessings spread through the nine regions and fall over my body. I shall tread the feathered steps and fly upward, ascending to the Imperial Dawn, standing alongside the Celestial Emperor and enjoying the years of the kalpas forever.”

After reciting, hold your breath for three breaths. Then step forward with your left foot onto the Tianquan Star, bring your right foot forward to stand beside your left, and regulate your breathing.

The fourth star, Tianquan, was formed from the Po essence of the star Xuanming. Its light is faint and indistinct; though hidden, it still shines in response to Xuanming. It lies concealed yet manifest within the Great Void, extends for about eight hundred li, and faces the eastern gate of Xuanming.

The deity of this star is titled “Lady Huahuang, Divine Consort of the Upper Spirit of the Palace of the Celestial Pivot.” Her surname is Kaisheng, her taboo name Yunming, and her true name Yingguan. She wears a seven-tiered crown and a crimson robe patterned with phoenixes, fastened with a belt gleaming like gold and jade. She often breathes forth red vital essence, pouring it into Xuanming and making its radiance bright.

When practicing the “Way of Pacing” (a cultivation method that follows the positions of the stars and ritual steps), visualize Lady Huahuang’s surname, names, and appearance. Then stand with your feet together upon Tianquan, facing Xuanming. Place your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward Xuanming. Click your teeth nine times, swallow the saliva in your mouth three times, and hold your breath for three counts. Then chant softly:

“Upper Spirit Divine Consort, known as Huahuang;

She steadies and guards the Flower Canopy, dwelling in the palace of the north.

On her left, a Jade Maiden attends her; on her right, a numinous youth keeps watch.

She leads the vital essences of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper and the nine rays of light.

May she summon true Qi for me, so that I may tread the Celestial Net and fly;

May my soul and Po ascend together into the hall of the sovereign.”

After reciting, hold your breath for three counts. Then step forward with your left foot onto the position of Yuheng. Bring your right foot forward beside your left, and then regulate your breathing.

The fifth star, Yuheng, is the soul of the Danyuan star. It is very large, dim in color, and its stellar energy surges without shining brightly. It lies deep within the Great Void, has a circumference of 720 li, and faces the gateway on the northeastern side of the Danyuan star.

Within Yuheng dwells a spirit called the Lady of the Central Emperor beneath the Golden Canopy in the Northern Quarter of the Jiming Palace. Her surname is Yuanfang, her taboo name is Shenwu, and her true name is Bo. She wears a crown of purple dawn and flying blossoms, is dressed in a nine-colored robe, and bears jade inscriptions of the Divine Void. White luminous Qi often issues from her mouth and shines upon the Danyuan star, making its light bright.

When cultivating the Way of Flying Steps, visualize this lady’s surname, taboo name, and appearance. Stand with both feet on Yuheng, facing the Danyuan star. Place your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward the Danyuan star. Click your teeth three times, swallow your saliva three times, then hold your breath for three breaths and softly recite:

“Imperial Blossom, Central Consort, you dwell in the Upper Origin. The Nine Dipper stars pour forth radiance, their refined light illuminating the eight directions. Billowing clouds of vapor surge upward, spreading numinous Qi through the Vermilion Chamber. Unite my soul with Heaven and Earth; let body and soul rise together as I ride through the Void. Jade light coils around me as I ride a cinnabar-colored carriage and a purple carriage. Fly toward the Northern Quarter, where I may receive the secret celestial writings.”

When you have finished reciting, hold your breath for three breaths again. Then step forward with your left foot onto Kaiyang, bring your right foot alongside it, and resume breathing.

The sixth star, Kaiyang, is the po-soul of the North Pole star. Kaiyang is bright yet shines with hidden light: it is luminous without dazzling. It extends deep into the subtle recesses of the Great Void, has a circumference of 770 li, and faces the gateway that opens the Northern Cavern beneath the North Pole.

The star’s divine title is “Lady of the Purple Pole Palace, Peace Above, Morning Radiance, Primordial Sovereign.” Her surname is Wang, her given name Yuan, her courtesy name Genhua, and her true name Minghui. She wears a Jade Dawn Cap of Advancement and Worthies, a robe of flying blue-green feathers, and a flowing-gold fire bell at her waist. She constantly exhales green vital energy from her mouth and sends it into the North Pole Star, making its radiance shine more brightly.

When practicing the “Way of Flying Steps”—a Daoist practice of stepping according to the positions of the stars while visualizing them—one should contemplate the Lady’s surname, name, and appearance, and imagine standing on the Kaiyang Star facing the North Pole Star. Place the left hand over the heart and point the right hand toward the North Pole Star. Tap the teeth three times, swallow the saliva in the mouth five times, then hold the breath for five counts and softly recite the incantation:

“Supreme Lord of the Nine Heavens, source of the Yellow Flower; you turn the Jade Pivot, the hub of the Northern Dipper, and command the eight directions. Grant that I may fly-step, treading the Celestial Order and Celestial Framework; let Yin and Yang repeatedly unite and separate, and let the Three and Five transform in intersecting patterns. May I pass freely through the hidden reaches of the eight directions, clad in a robe of dark and yellow feathers, riding a dragon chariot and a jade carriage, flying through the vastness of space. May I enjoy long life and share in the merit of Heaven and Earth.”

After reciting, hold the breath for five counts. Then step onto the Yaoguang Star with the left foot, bring the right foot forward and set it beside the left, and regulate the breath.

Yaoguang, the seventh star of the Big Dipper, is the star soul of Tianguan, and is named Great Radiance. Its light flows through the sky, circling Tianguan. It appears and disappears within the Great Void, extending nine hundred li around it; above, it faces Tianguan’s southern gate, and below, the North Star.

This star is also known as the Lady Jade Radiance, numinous sovereign of the Celestial Turning Palace. Her surname is Duyuan, her formal name is Zhonghui, and her true name is Qiguang. Her hair is arranged in a flying-flower, drooping-cloud coiffure, with the rest falling to her waist. She wears a seven-colored, night-glowing brocade skirt and a nine-colored brocade shawl, and holds the Jade Register of the Nine Heavens’ Mighty Numinous Power. She often breathes forth red vital energy, pouring it into Tianguan and causing it to shine with brilliant light.

When practicing the “Way of Flying Steps”—a method in which one steps according to the positions of the constellations, combined with visualization and incantations—you should contemplate this lady’s surname, formal name, and appearance. Stand with both feet on Yaoguang, facing Tianguan. Place your left hand over your heart and point your right hand toward Tianguan. Click your teeth nine times, swallow your saliva nine times, and hold your breath for three counts. Then softly recite the incantation:

“Heaven and earth turn and revolve; the seven lights shine with great radiance. The nine Qi of the revolving wheel respond above to Jade Clarity. Within them dwells a lady called Radiant Numen. Her mysterious, wondrous light shines upon the nine directions, leaving nothing untouched. Today is an auspicious day, and in the Purple Court I practice the Way of Flying Steps. May my soul rest securely within my body; may I transform within the empty void and pass in and out of the netherworld. Heaven and earth turn in the same wheel as I; through ten thousand kalpas, may I never fall. Preserve me as I ascend to the Upper Origin of the realm of immortals, in accord with the vital essence of the Nine Mornings.”

When you have finished, hold your breath for seven counts. Then step onto Dongming with your left foot, bring your right foot forward beside your left, and resume breathing.

Dongming, a star in the Big Dipper system, is the star soul of Fuxing and is named Essence-Yang Radiance. Its light circles through the heavens, governing the constellations above and spreading through the Great Void, extending nine hundred and ninety… Hold your breath for seven counts. Then step onto Dongming with your left foot, bring your right foot forward beside your left, and resume breathing.

The Eighth Grotto Star, Bright Star, is the soul and essence of the Assistant Star and belongs to the Qi of Yang Brightness. Its radiance shines back upon the heavens, governs the surrounding stars, and spreads through the Great Void. It extends for nine hundred and ninety li around it and faces the Assistant Star’s southwestern gate. It lies above the Heavenly Pass, at the ridge of the celestial roof, and is the gleam of Yang Qi at the North Pole. Its divine title is Lady Great Brightness, Everlasting Sovereign of the Palace of Emptiness and Truth. Her surname is You Sheng, her taboo name is Wu Yun, and her true name is Kong Bian. Her hair is arranged in a drooping, flowery topknot like flying clouds, with the rest falling loose to her waist. She wears a patterned garment of flying gauze and a sash of nine lights. She constantly exhales the essence of green Qi, which pours onto the Assistant Star, keeping it filled with great light of Yang Brightness.

When cultivating the Way of Flying Steps, visualize the Lady’s surname, name, and appearance. Place both feet on Bright Star and face the Assistant Star. Rest your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward the Assistant Star. Click your teeth nine times, swallow your saliva nine times, and hold your breath for three breaths. Then softly recite:

“Three and five fly through the heavens; Heaven and Earth open wide. The Nine Origins turn back the Heavenly Net; the pivot gathers at the Upper Capital. The Celestial Perfected scatter numinous Qi, and the myriad Ways flourish in abundance. Lady, bend down and shine upon me; may this day be auspicious. With flying steps I tread the souls of the stars and constellations, circling along the Jade Net. My head wears the flowered canopy; my feet tread Everlasting Yang. I roam freely in the realm of the Three Pure Ones, transforming without end. May the body of the Immortal Perfected be preserved, and may I naturally live long and enjoy limitless years.”

After reciting, hold your breath for twelve breaths. Then step onto Hidden Origin Star with your left foot, bring your right foot forward alongside it, and resume breathing.

The ninth star is the Hidden Origin Star. It is the soul of the Assistant Star, clear and pure, ethereal and empty. The Hidden Origin Star lies beneath the Canopy constellation, its light concealed within the void. It is surrounded for nine hundred and ninety li, and above it corresponds to the portal southeast of the Assistant Star.

The star’s revered deity is titled the Lady Supreme Sovereign of Empty Mystery and Transformative Spirit. She dwells in the Palace of the Primordial Treasure. Her surname is Ming Tong, her taboo name Wan Xian, and her true name Chang Yang. She wears a seven-tiered jade crown of flying clouds and a brocade robe patterned in blue. At her waist hangs a night candle of nine lights. From her mouth she often exhales black vital energy, which she pours into the Assistant Star above, illuminating the light of the Hidden Cavern.

When practicing the “Flying Steps” method, a visualization ritual in which one steps in accordance with the positions of the stars, you should visualize the Lady’s surname, names, and appearance. Stand with your feet together on the Hidden Origin Star, facing the Assistant Star. Place your left hand over your heart and point toward the Assistant Star with your right hand. Knock your teeth together twelve times, swallow a mouthful of saliva, hold your breath for one count, then softly recite the incantation:

“I tread upon the Celestial Net and fly through the Feathered Gate. I enter and leave the Three Realms, conceal myself and lie hidden, transform my body and image, and multiply into ten thousand forms. I settle the spirit and soul, still and command the vital energy, and refine the immortal soul. My whole body ascends together; I wear a brocade skirt, with flowing bells hanging in crossing strands, and bear tiger patterns at my waist. I cry out and command the Five Emperors, riding the auspicious clouds. I ascend to the Northern Dipper and pay court to the Sovereign Lord.”

When you have finished reciting, hold your breath for one count. Then stand with your feet together on the Celestial Pivot Star and step back and forth on one foot for three rounds. At this point, you need not visualize or recite the incantation again. This is the soul-related rite within the Flying Steps. The visualization and incantation are performed only once, when you first step onto the star’s position. After stepping back and forth three times, return to the Celestial Pivot Star, face the Bright Yang Star, and chant the three sections of “The Feathered Verses of Wandering and Roaming through the Nine Mornings.” Once you have finished chanting, follow the Celestial Net up to the Bright Yang Star and continue the Flying Steps.

“Feathered Verses”

The cloud net hangs down from the celestial order; nine stars, like emerald jade, hang in the empty sky. Purple canopies overlap, reaching to the ridge of the ninth heaven; subtle, mysterious vital energy illuminates the corners of the eight directions. Above, the immortal guests of the Nine Mornings chant the hidden talismanic writings. I tread and roam through the northern heavens, wishing to share the long life of Heaven and Earth.

Riding the carriage atop the Platform of Dark Feathers, I fly to the place where the Nine Origins dwell. The cavern-heaven’s empty realm is deep and vast; a celestial net woven from clouds rises through the sky. A purple jeweled canopy towers over the ridge of layered heavens, while subtle vital essences illuminate the eight directions. Above are the immortal guests of the Nine Dawnings, chanting hidden scriptures. They roam lightly along the Northern River in heaven and dwell for long ages between Heaven and Earth.

Riding the carriage atop the Platform of Dark Feathers, I fly to the place where the Nine Origins dwell. The cavern-heaven’s empty realm is deep and vast; a celestial net woven from clouds rises through the sky. Below are those who seek and gather the true Dao, gazing up at the radiance shining upon the Jade Dawn Palace. They circle three times above Bright Yang, then turn back nine times and enter the cavernous wilderness. With lofty strides, they ascend to the realm of the August Venerable and sing aloud the words of the flying dragon.

Jade Empyrean light shines over the north, while emerald hues glimmer among branches like carved jade. The Platform of the Nine Numina arises from the void, its radiant essence illuminating distant reaches. The Celestial Pass moves amid layer upon layer of darkness, enduring many cycles of tribulation. Mount my feathered carriage and fly swiftly across the Weaver Maiden’s River. Guard your numinous nature, letting it endure and transform within the empty realm; forever forget the myriad things that fill Heaven and Earth.

These three chapters come from the Upper Palace of Jade Purity, a high celestial realm in Daoism. The Jade Youths of the Nine Yangs and the Jade Maidens of the Nine Blossoms often chant them above the Radiant Dawn. Their songs harmonize the body and soul, bringing them into free-flowing accord, and open the numinous realities within the hidden pass.

Those who cultivate the arts of flying steps through the Seven and traveling the Nine Stars must not presume to ascend the Celestial Net or tread upon the Dark Dipper without these songs. If they violate the ordinances of the Nine Stars, the stars will seize their souls and imprison them within the hidden pass beneath the Dipper’s celestial net.

Anyone practicing the “Seven Flying Steps”—the method of pacing the Dipper and treading the Seven Stars—and following the Way of the Nine Stars must not presume to ascend the Celestial Dipper or tread the Mysterious Dipper, the celestial region where the Northern Dipper resides, without the corresponding chants and ritual procedures. If one violates these prohibitions, the Nine Stars will seize the practitioner’s hun and po souls and confine them beneath the Dipper’s framework, leaving the person confused and deranged, bereft of their nature, and prone to sudden fits of anger. Within three years, they will surely die. This is not because the Great Dao refuses to let people attain immortality, but because people cannot understand the source of the Great Dao. How could one undertake such an important method without examining it carefully?

The Nine Stars are the foundation of the Nine Heavens, and they were formed from the luminous essence of Yuqing, the Daoist higher heaven. The nine hun souls are the luminous spiritual nature of the Nine Stars. People know only the wonders of treading the Seven Stars, but do not know how wondrous the souls of the Nine Stars truly are. It is not that the Seven Stars refuse to bear people up into the heavens; rather, people’s hun and Shen fear the spiritual souls of the Dipper Stars and dare not rise into the sky with them. To cultivate the Way of the Flying Steps, one should learn the souls of the Dipper Stars, the inner names of the Nine August Ladies, and the secret formulas of Kongchang. If one cultivates according to the diagrams and methods, how could one fail to ascend to Beiyuan, the Northern Heaven, and pay audience in Huachen, the realm where the immortals dwell? This Way is profound and mysterious: it is a treasured secret method kept by Yuqing and not readily transmitted. Even among the middle-ranking immortals, few have received it. Once one understands this method, the Nine Stars will appear within the body, the Nine August Ladies will descend before one’s seat, and the souls of the Dipper Stars, moved to joy, will join in carrying the practitioner up into the inner palace of the Nine Origins.

The Bright Yang Star is the Grand Marshal of the heavens. It administers affairs of state and oversees transgressions. Above, it governs the perfected beings of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it inspects the flying immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks; below, it commands the perfected adepts who are still in training. The merits and faults of every spirit between Heaven and Earth, great or small, fall under its jurisdiction. It will carry the practitioner up into the inner palace of the Nine Origins.

Yangming Star is the Grand Marshal in heaven. It governs affairs of state and investigates wrongdoing. Above, it commands the perfected beings of the Nine Heavens; between heaven and earth, it oversees the flying immortals of the Five Peaks; below, it directs the perfected adepts who cultivate the Dao. It has authority over the merits and faults of all the spirits between heaven and earth, and the weight assigned to each.

Yangming Star extends for nine hundred and twenty li in every direction and is made entirely of glass and crystal. Within it grows a jade tree bearing blue fruit, where golden-winged birds perch. Blue Essence Jade Mushrooms also grow on the tree of their own accord. A single bite can add ninety thousand years to one’s life.

The star has nine gates and four rays of light, whose blazing radiance shines for nine hundred million myriad li. On the star stands a Green City Jade Tower. A perfected adept of the Dipper dwells within, bearing the title “Lord of the Nine Dawns of the Supreme Palace, Green City Jade Tower.” His surname is Shangyun; his secret name is Fayingrong; his courtesy name is Dongdongyang Yaotianchui. He wears a Nine Dawns jade crown and blue feathered robes, holds the Dipper’s dark chart, and sits within the Jade Tower. He also possesses a dark-name jade register, a jade book recording the names of immortals.

Those who cultivate the Dao should learn the Nine Dawns Lord’s hidden personal name, the secret name of a spirit that is not revealed publicly. Knowing it enables one to receive the illumination of Yuchen and the descent of the Bright Star. By practicing this method, one can fly through the open heavens and enter the nine gates.

To practice the Way of Flying Steps, a Daoist method of cultivation that combines visualization with prescribed steps, first visualize yourself standing on Yangming Star. Place your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward the northeast of the heavens. Hold your breath for nine breaths, click your teeth nine times, and swallow your saliva three times. Then close your eyes and visualize the Nine Dawns Lord’s surname, secret name, and appearance. Let your own form remain standing on Yangming Star, then softly recite this prayer:

The Yin Essence Star is the sovereign star in the heavens, governing people’s salaries and official rank. It commands the constellations and also oversees all living beings, including those who cultivate the Dao and seek the Way. The destinies and positions of both Dao cultivators and ordinary people fall under its jurisdiction.

The star extends five hundred and fifty li in every direction and is made entirely of glass and crystal. Within it stands a jade tree bearing black fruit, where golden-winged birds make their nests. Dark Zhi fungus and jade syrup also grow there spontaneously. A single mouthful can extend one’s life by fifty thousand years. The star has five gates, each radiating four beams of light whose flames shine across nine hundred million myriad li. On the star stands a five-colored jade tower, where the Perfected One Pan Kui resides. He is known as “Lord of the Morning Ascending North in the Five-Colored Jade Tower of the Central Origin Palace.” His surname is Yuying, his personal name Xuanshang Dang, and his courtesy name Changyang Wenji Mingguang. He wears a crown of dark essence jade and a robe of dark feathers, and holds a five-colored feather tally as he sits in the jade tower. If a practitioner has registered their mystic name—the name entered in the Daoist immortal register—at the Vermilion Terrace, they can learn Lord of the Morning Ascending North’s secret inner name, a divine name kept from public knowledge. Knowing this inner name allows one to commune with Lord of the Morning Ascending North as he appears in the north and sends down mystic Qi. By practicing this method, one can fly through the heavens and ascend through the five gates.

To practice the method of flying steps, first face the Yin Essence Star. Point the left hand toward the direction associated with your birth destiny, and place the right hand over your heart. Hold your breath for five counts, click your teeth five times, then swallow your saliva five times. Close your eyes and visualize Lord of the Morning Ascending North’s name, written characters, and form. Imagine yourself standing upon the Yin Essence Star, then softly recite:

“Mysterious and wondrous Morning Star, northern spirit, supreme essence of the five Qi; your form is hidden within the Six Cycles, and your heart holds the Radiant Star. Sun and moon shine upon one another, and the Three Lights adorn your form. Today is an auspicious day: I tread the Celestial Dipper and enter the Purple Court, opening the Heavenly Gate above and receiving the blessings of Vermilion Radiance. May my blessings and longevity be without end, and my rank and honor exalted; may every wish be protected, and all I undertake proceed auspiciously and smoothly. Riding the flowered canopy, I soar and roam through Jade Clarity; above, I pay my respects to the Northern Morning and ride together with the Nine Perfected.”

When you have finished reciting, circle the Yin Essence Star five times to the left, then stand facing the direction associated with your birth destiny and hold your breath three times. Next, step with your left foot onto the Assistant Star, then bring your right foot forward to stand alongside the left and release your breath. Do not step on the Perfected One Star; step only on the Assistant Star.

When performing the star-stepping practice, first go to the Yin Essence Star on the left of the Perfected Person Star, one of the positions in the star-stepping method. Turn to the left five times, stand facing the position of your natal star, and hold your breath three times. Then place your left foot on the Bi Star, step forward with your right foot and bring your feet together, while resuming your breathing. Do not step on the Perfected Person Star; step only on the Bi Star.

The Perfected Person Star is the Celestial Officer Star in the heavens, which governs the affairs of immortals. Above, it commands the High Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it oversees the numinous immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks; below, it leads those who cultivate the Dao. All those belonging to the ranks of perfected immortals fall under its authority. Tradition says that this star extends seven hundred and seventy li in every direction and is made of glass and crystal. Within it are jade trees bearing yellow fruit, where golden-winged birds make their nests. Yellow essence and jade fungus also grow there naturally; eating even a single bite is said to extend one’s life by thirty million years. The star has twelve gates, each sending out four rays of light whose flames shine across nine hundred million myriad li.

A Perfected One lives on the star in the Jade Tower of the Yellow Terrace. He is called the Lord Immortal Huachen of the Yellow Terrace Jade Tower in the Palace of True Origin. His surname is Guibing, his personal name is Miaoyin Guang, and his courtesy name is Tongdu Yuandu Ningzhi. He wears the Flying Dawn Treasure Crown and a robe of blue-feathered flying silk, holds the blue register of the Dipper, and sits within the Jade Tower. Those who possess the mysterious name of Fangzhu—a secret name and ritual register held by Daoist practitioners—should know Lord Huachen’s hidden name. Once this secret name is known, Lord Huachen will shine down from the Flower Tower, and the Perfected One will also descend. By practicing this method, one can fly through the vast sky and ascend through the twelve gates.

In practicing the flying-step method, one must never tread on the Perfected Person Star. Instead, place both feet together on the Bi Star; this is called “resting beneath the Flower Canopy.” The Northern Elder, Lord Zhen, said: “If you wish to rise up into the air, do not offend the Perfected One; if you wish to fly, do not step wrongly on the Celestial Net; if you wish to become an immortal, you should pay homage to Huachen.” When performing the rite, avoid the Perfected Person Star, stand on the Bi Star, pay homage to the Perfected One, and present yourself before Huachen, praying to fly up into the sky.

The Bi Star is also called “Emptiness,” and the Assistant Star is also called “Constancy.” “Constancy” refers to constant yang, while “Emptiness” means concealment. The divine hidden names must not be passed on orally. They should be transmitted before Lord Huachen’s divine image, after making offerings to Heaven with a sheep and a goose arranged in ritual order, burning white silk, and swearing an oath. Once you have received this secret name, hold it in your mind and practice accordingly. If you disclose it carelessly, your seven generations of ancestors and your deceased father will suffer punishment by wind-blades.

When performing the rite, stand on the Bi Star, press your right hand against your chest, point your left hand toward the northwest, hold your breath nine times, click your teeth nine times, and swallow saliva nine times. Close your eyes and visualize the surname, personal name, and form of the Lord Immortal Huachen, while also imagining yourself standing still on the Perfected Person Star. Then softly recite the incantation:

Taiwei reaches the true realm and assists the spirits of Huachen. It exhales nine kinds of radiant essence, which condense into purple clouds and mist. Flying rosy clouds stream forth, casting their light across the ten directions of the heavens. Above, it governs the pivot and balance of the Primordial Beginning; below, it guides the immortals. Today I perform the method of flying steps and pray to the Perfected Ones: first, may I gain the ability to travel through the air; second, may I gain the ability to conceal myself; third, may I ascend to Beiye; fourth, may I don dragon-patterned robes, feather garments, brocade capes, and blue skirts, ride a chariot of the Eight Radiances, roam the realm of the Nine Mysteries, enter the celestial constellations, and ride alongside the Celestial Emperor. When the rite is complete, circle the Bixing star seven times to the left, face the Perfected Ones, and hold your breath three times. Then place your left foot on the Xuanming star, step forward with your right foot until it is even with your left, and resume breathing.

The Xuanming star is the celestial star of mobile warfare, in charge of campaigning against rebels. Above, it commands the ghosts and spirits of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it commands the celestial constellations under the Northern Emperor, enabling them to ride alongside the Celestial Emperor. When the rite is complete, circle the Bixing star seven times to the left, face the Perfected Ones, and hold your breath three times. Then place your left foot on the Xuanming star, step forward with your right foot until it is even with your left, and resume breathing.

The Xuanming star is the celestial star of mobile warfare, in charge of campaigning against rebels. Above, it commands the ghosts and spirits of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it commands the Northern Emperor’s Three Offices; below, it keeps watch over the people. All who rebel, disobey Heaven’s mandate, or cause violent disorder fall under its jurisdiction. The star is eight hundred li across, and its entire body is made of glass and crystal. Within it stands a jade tree bearing red fruit, where golden-winged birds roost; cinnabar mushrooms and flowing jade also grow there of their own accord. A single bite extends one’s life by eighty million years. The star has three gates, each projecting four beams of light whose flame-like radiance illuminates nine hundred million li. On the star stands a vermilion terrace and jade tower, inhabited by a Perfected One called “The Mysterious One Above, in the Vermilion Terrace and Jade Tower of the Niu You Palace.”

Flying-canopy Morning Lord (Feigai Chenjun), surnamed Dark Pivot, with the sacred name Fixed Proclamation and Awakening, and the courtesy name Dharma Illumination, Shaking the Celestial Pillar. He wears the Three Blossoms Jeweled Morning Crown, is dressed in a flying robe of vermilion brocade, and holds the Orange of Life and Spirit. He sits within a jade tower. Those whose names are listed in the Jade Register of Mysterious Names—the Daoist register of immortals—should receive the Flying-canopy Lord’s secret name. Once you know this secret name, Flying-canopy will descend and shine upon you, and the Qi of Dark Mystery will also descend. Practicing this method enables you to fly through the vastness of space and ascend within the Three Gates.

To practice the method of flying steps, first stand on the Dark Mystery Star. Place your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward the sky. Hold your breath for nine breaths, tap your teeth three times, and swallow the saliva in your mouth three times. Then close your eyes and visualize Flying-canopy Morning Lord’s surname, sacred name, and appearance, imagining yourself standing still on the Dark Mystery Star. Then softly recite the incantation:

“The Celestial Perfected carry out the Great Dao, tread upon the light and radiance of the sun and moon, and conceal their forms. The stars of the Seven Origins shine brilliantly; the gods of the Nine Mornings gather together. They hold the Celestial Balance in their hands and tread upon flying stars. On the left, the assisting gods in armor of fire; on the right, the Vermilion troops stand guard. Their might shakes the celestial realms in the ten directions, and their radiance spreads through the Highest Clarity realm. First they slay those who plot against the righteous Dao, then they subdue demons and evil spirits. Anyone who dares offend the righteous Dao is punished by the sword. All governed by the Three Bonds submit without exception. They travel and transform, reaching the Flowery Court at will; riding the air and stepping through space, they ascend to the abode of the Imperial Spirit.”

When you have finished reciting, turn left three times, face the sky, and hold your breath for three breaths. Then step with your left foot onto the Cinnabar Origin Star, bring your right foot forward beside it, and regulate your breathing.

The Danyuan Star is the Lord of the Dipper in the heavens, in charge of human lifespans and registers of destiny. Above, it oversees the registers of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it governs the rosters of ghosts and spirits; below, it controls the registers of destiny for Daoist practitioners and all living beings. All the heavens and lands fall under its jurisdiction. The Danyuan Star extends seven hundred and twenty li around, and its body is made of colored glaze and crystal. Within the star grows a red tree bearing white fruit, where golden-winged birds make their nests. The tree naturally produces an ointment refined from golden essence; a single taste extends one’s life by seventy thousand years.

The Danyuan Star has seven gates, each sending out four beams of light whose flames illuminate nine hundred million myriad li. On the star stands a white terrace and golden tower, where dwells a Perfected One who governs order and discipline. His title is “The True Person Who Treads the Record, Golden Kui, Lord of the Seven Mornings, in the White Terrace and Golden Tower of the Palace of the Spirit of Order.” His surname is Shang Kai, his personal name Ming Tongguang, and his courtesy name Zhu Huanyuanbian Wudao. He wears a Seven-Treasure Flying-Heaven Crown and a white brocade flying robe, holds the registers of the Azure Origin, and sits within the golden tower.

If a Daoist practitioner has registered an esoteric name at Kun Terrace, they should learn the Seven Mornings Lord’s hidden name. Once they know it, the Lord of the Seven Mornings will manifest below, and the mysterious Qi of the Danyuan Star will descend. Practicing this method enables one to fly through the vastness of space and ascend through the seven gates.

When practicing the method of flying steps, first face the Danyuan Star. Place the right hand over the heart and point the left hand toward the Heavenly Gate, the passage in the sky. Hold the breath for seven counts, click the teeth three times, and swallow the saliva three times. Then close the eyes and visualize the Seven Mornings Lord’s surname, name, and appearance, seeing him manifest above the Danyuan Star. Then recite softly:

“Fly and tread the Record; ascend to Danyuan. Ride the Kui Star and pass beyond the many lodgings. Call forth the souls of destiny and the Dipper; erase the names from the death register and enter the names of the living, making clear the azure and white registers. When the three are joined as one, the Dao may be attained and life prolonged. May good fortune be enjoyed, and may life endure as long as the eyebrows, living together with all beings in Huachen. Let the body soar and the bones grow light, riding the sunlight and clouds. Clad in immortal robes and feathered garments, with bells sounding all around; radiant with five-colored light, ascend through the seven star gates.”

When the recitation is complete, circle upward around the star seven times, then turn toward the Heavenly Gate and hold the breath for seven counts. Place the left foot at the position of the North Pole, step forward with the right foot and bring the feet together, then resume breathing.

The North Star is known as the star that governs promotion and advancement in the celestial realm. It commands the Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens, centrally oversees the flying immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains, and leads those who cultivate the Dao. All who cultivate diligently and succeed, attain the Dao, and advance through the stages of practice in due order fall under its authority.

For seven hundred and seventy li around the North Star, the landscape is made entirely of colored glaze and crystal. Black trees grow there, bearing white fruit, and serving as roosts for golden-winged birds. Dark fungi and water-jade also grow there naturally. It is said that eating a single bite of these numinous substances can extend one’s life by fifty thousand years.

The star has eight gates, each radiating four beams of light whose brilliance shines across nine hundred million myriad li. On the star stands a dark terrace and a jade tower. There dwells a Perfected One who makes his rounds by patterned steps, titled Lord Jade Dawn of Flying Splendor, Master of the Central Terrace in the Dark Chamber of the Palace of Commemorated Brightness. His surname is Mingling, his personal name is Changming, and his courtesy name is Yuandong Yuanchang Shangyuan. He wears a crown of flying essence and splendor, is clad in purple brocade robes for flight, and holds a jade tally of the Nine Dippers as he sits within the jade tower. Practitioners whose dark names have been registered on the Golden Terrace should know Lord Flying Splendor’s hidden name. Once they know it, Lord Flying Splendor will manifest below, and the North Pole will send down its mysterious Qi.

Practicing this method of the Dao enables one to fly through the Great Void and ascend within the eight gates. To cultivate the art of flying steps, first visualize yourself standing on the North Star. Place your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward the Golden Gate. Hold your breath for eight counts, click your teeth three times, and swallow the saliva in your mouth three times. Then close your eyes and visualize Lord Flying Splendor’s surname, personal name, and appearance. Next, click your teeth and rise to your feet on the North Star, then softly recite the incantation:

The celestial bodies move according to the numbers three and five, while the Qi of the Central Origin circles and flows. Treading the positions of the Canopy Star, steering the Northern Dipper, and riding the Yang Qi of dawn, I move forward, freed from the bonds of fate, wandering among the clouds. Today is an auspicious day. I look upward in reverence toward the Way of the immortals. May my name be inscribed on a jade slip and entered in the purple register of immortals. May I wear a blue tunic and feathered robe, with a red mantle and brocade skirt. May the Eight Luminaries’ Elixir Carriage—the vehicle of the immortals in Daoist teaching—carry me up to the Immortal Gate, so that I may become an immortal minister and ruler of the northern heavens. I beseech the gods to fulfill my wish according to the incantation I have spoken, and to make it come to pass exactly as requested. When the ritual is complete, turn upward, tread the astral pattern for eight circuits, then face west and hold your breath eight times. Place your left foot at the position of the Celestial Gate, bring your right foot up beside it, and then breathe.

The Celestial Gate Star is the star of the Lord of Heaven, governing the pivot on which the movements of Heaven and Earth turn. In performing the method, follow the course of the four seasons: face west and hold your breath eight times, then place your left foot at the Celestial Gate and bring your right foot up beside it before breathing.

The Celestial Gate Star is the star of the Lord of Heaven, governing the pivot on which the movements of Heaven and Earth turn. The growth and transformation of the four seasons, the fortunes and reversals of Heaven and Earth, as well as cycles of calamity and periods of reunion, all fall under its command. For nine hundred li around the star, the ground is covered with glass and crystal. There grows a Threefold Blossoms Tree bearing five-colored fruit, where golden-winged birds come to rest. Between its branches, nine-flavored medicinal fungi grow naturally. Swallow one mouthful, and the body shines with nine colors; one’s lifespan can reach ninety thousand years.

On the star stands a gate that emits nine rays of light. It gathers in the Qi of the Nine Heavens, and its radiance shines across nine hundred million myriad li. Above the gate are nine tiers of jade towers, where dwells a Perfected One who rides a dragon. His title is “Lord of the Nine-Tiered Jade Tower of the Palace of the Gate’s Assembly, Master of Clouds, Nine Origins, Northern Canopy, and Dawn.” His surname is Mysterious Pivot, his name Turning Radiance, and his courtesy name Assembly of Origins, Enduring Brightness, Heavenly Disciple. He wears a jeweled crown of the Nine Origins and a nine-colored brocade robe, holds the Seal of Radiant Spirit, and sits within the jade tower. If a cultivator’s name is recorded in the jade registers of the imperial chart of the Nine Heavens—the celestial register of names—then they should learn the Northern Canopy Lord of Dawn’s secret name. Once they know it, the Northern Canopy Lord will descend and shine upon them, and the Mysterious Qi of the Celestial Gate will also descend. By practicing this method, one can fly through the vastness of space and ascend within the gate of the Celestial Gate Star.

When practicing the method of flying steps, press your left hand over your heart while standing on the Celestial Gate Star, and point your right hand toward the Earth Gate, the entrance to the earthly realm. Hold your breath for one count, click your teeth three times, swallow your saliva three times, and close your eyes. Visualize the Northern Canopy Lord of Dawn’s surname, name, and appearance, as though you yourself were standing on the Celestial Gate Star. Then softly recite the incantation:

When the rite for the movement of the celestial bodies and the star passes begins, first align your body with the Star of the Heavenly Gate (a star in the region of the Northern Dipper). Place your left hand against your chest and point your right hand toward the Earthly Portal (the direction indicated by your feet when facing north). Hold your breath once, click your teeth three times, then swallow the saliva in your mouth in three portions.

Close your eyes and visualize the family name, sacred name, and appearance of Lord Beigai Chen (a star deity in Daoism). Imagine yourself standing on the Star of the Heavenly Gate. Then softly recite the spell:

“The Heavenly Origin turns the star passes; the earthly order shifts in step. The Nine Spirits cross and course; the Three Powers and Five Phases unfold in sequence. The stars of the four directions and seven lodges drift; the Five Directional Emperors travel back and forth on their celestial circuits. Receive the mystery and step into the void; ascend to the Jade Pivot (a star position in the Northern Dipper region). Clad in the stars and treading the stars, I hold the flowing bell, my divine might shining forth. Those who follow me will prosper; those who oppose me will decline. I follow the Way of Heavenly Truth, and the road stretches clear for ten thousand li. My body rides a blue-green carriage into the sky; my soul rises and my form soars aloft. Far from calamities and tribulations, I ascend into Taiwei (the celestial palace).”

When you have finished reciting, turn once around at the star position, then face the Earthly Portal and hold your breath once. Next, rotate your left foot and stamp on the star position, step forward with your right foot and bring it alongside, then resume breathing.

The Auxiliary Star is the star where the Celestial Worthy and the Jade Emperor reside. It is called “Constancy,” meaning the enduring Yang Qi, and governs the affairs of flying immortals. It commands the Nine Heavens and oversees the Nine Earths; the immortal officials of the Five Sacred Peaks and the Four Rivers (the four great waterways) are all under its authority.

Within nine hundred and ninety li of the Auxiliary Star, everything is made of colored glass and crystal. There grows a Qinghua tree, on which the Nine-Sound script appears of its own accord. Blue birds and three-legged birds perch in its branches, and it naturally produces glazed Zhiying fungus, an immortal herb. A single bite enables one to become a perfected immortal alongside the Jade Emperor. Within the Auxiliary Star itself, there is also an area extending ninety li, with the same sights: colored glass and crystal, Qinghua trees, Nine-Sound script, blue birds and three-legged birds, and glazed Zhiying fungus that can bring one to the Dao.

The Auxiliary Star has eight gates, connected to the Qi of the eight directions. Each gate has four rays of light, whose flame-like radiance shines above the Nine Heavens. Within the star stands a jade tower filled with purple Qi, where the Perfected Person of the Threefold Destiny wanders. This Perfected Person is titled “Supreme Lord of the Purple-Qi Jade Tower in the Emperor’s Seat Palace, Lord of the Nine Mornings.” His surname is Jingchang, his name Chang Wuweng, and his courtesy name Xuanzie Kongzheng Shang Kaiyan. He wears a flying-essence jade crown and a nine-colored robe, holds a fire bell, and sits within the jade tower.

If a Dao cultivator has a mystic name in Shangqing (the Daoist celestial realm)—that is, if their name is entered in its registers—they can learn the Supreme Lord’s hidden name, the true name a deity does not readily reveal. When someone knows this hidden name, the Supreme Lord descends and shines upon them, and the mystic power of the Auxiliary Star also descends. By practicing this method, one can fly through the vast sky and ascend into the eight gates.

To practice the flying-step technique, stand above the Auxiliary Star, place the right hand over the heart, and point the left hand toward Yinghuo, the Mars star. Hold the breath for three counts, click the teeth three times, swallow the saliva three times, then close the eyes and visualize the Supreme Lord’s surname, name, and form, remaining above the Auxiliary Star. Then softly recite the incantation:

“Heaven and Earth cross and turn; the Threefold Destiny joins the spirit. Step upward among the stars of Heaven; fly through the Nine Stars. In the left hand, grasp the hidden scripture…”

Heaven and Earth converge and cover one another, while the three kinds of life-breath join with the spirits. The practitioner steps upward across the celestial constellations, seeming to fly among the Nine Stars. In the left hand is a secret talismanic text; in the right, a feather scripture. The practitioner bows to the Venerable Emperor and receives a title bestowed by the Celestial Emperor. Then, passing beyond the Huagai star, the practitioner ascends to the Purple Court.

Today, as the Way is performed, every kind of good fortune gathers. The blessings received are deep and enduring, and long life is enjoyed forever. Feathers grow from the body, and the practitioner ascends to the Heaven of Jade Clarity. When the rite is complete, circle the stars and step upward three times, then face south and hold the breath for three breaths. Next, turn the left foot and step onto the Bishi star again; bring the right foot forward and place it beside the left, then breathe freely. Stepping on the stars, holding the breath, and walking in this way are Daoist ritual practices known as pacing the Dipper and circulating Qi.

Bishi is the true star of the Great Emperor, also called “Emptiness.” “Emptiness” means that it often disappears from sight and governs transformations that have no fixed pattern. Bishi extends for nine hundred and ninety li in every direction. Its body is like colored glaze and crystal, and within it stands a tree of the Three Blossoms, which naturally produces jade registers of the Nine Heavens. On the tree is a phoenix with a golden beak, holding a fire bell in its mouth. The radiance of the Seven Luminaries arises naturally within the star. If one can swallow a mouthful of this radiance,

one can take one’s place among the perfected beings beside the Great Emperor.

Bishi has nine gates that connect with the Nine Heavens. Each gate has four rays of light, whose flame-like brilliance shines beyond the Eight Extremities into boundless space. Within the star are also the radiance of a jade terrace and purple palaces. If one can swallow a mouthful of this radiance,

Union with the Great Emperor, and thereby become a Perfected One. The stars have nine gateways that converge with one another and connect to the Nine Heavens. Each gateway has four rays of light. Their flame-like radiance shines in all directions, reaching to the boundless center.

Within them are jade terraces and purple palaces, where the Three Yang Perfected Ones come and go. One is titled “Imperial Perfected Lord Yuanchen of the Jade Tower and Purple Palace in the Most Venerable Palace.” His surname is Youkong, his personal name is Kongwuxian, and his courtesy name is Yinyuanjuemingyanghuiyouliaoyuan. He wears a flying-heaven jade crown and a robe embroidered with dragons of the Nine Heavens. Holding the Imperial Seal, he sits upright in the Purple Palace. If someone has a mysterious name registered in the Nine Heavens and learns the Imperial Perfected One’s secret name, knowledge of these things enables them to conceal their form and hide their presence. Practicing this method allows one to ascend within the nine heavenly gates.

To cultivate the method of flying steps, stand on the star Bi. Press the right hand against the heart and point the left hand toward the Northern Dipper’s pole star. Hold the breath for five counts, click the teeth three times, and swallow the saliva seven times. Then close the eyes and visualize the surname, personal name, and appearance of the Imperial Perfected Lord Yuanchen.

Next, step back and stand on the star Bi, then softly recite the incantation:

“The Dao joins with the Three Subtle Ones; by the power of the mysterious void, ascend and become a Perfected One. Leave the ordinary world and enter the void; conceal the form and pass through the heavenly barrier. Float and fly to the farthest reaches in all eight directions, riding purple clouds and stepping among the Nine Heavens, transforming without end. Roam across the Northern Canopy and summon Gouchen; whatever is sought or wished for will be fulfilled. May life endure as long as Heaven and Earth, preserving one’s years and lasting like the light of dawn.”

After reciting, turn five times at the star position, then face the Northern Dipper’s pole star and hold the breath for seven counts. Next, turn both feet to the left, return to the star Yangming, and stand with the feet together. Starting from Yangming, circle the nine stars in sequence using the Yu step, a Daoist ritual method of treading the stellar positions. Make nine circuits back and forth, then stop. After this, there is no need to visualize or recite the incantation again.

When finished, return to the star Bi and sit upright. Lean back and rest, visualizing the Nine Dawn Lords covering the body as before. With the eyes closed, visualize yourself within crimson clouds, riding the Celestial Net—the framework governing the movement of the stars—as you rise into the air toward the gates of the Nine Heavens. Turn with the Celestial Net for nine circuits. When this is complete, imagine your body falling from the sky and sitting again on the star chart. Then rub your eyes nine times and press the openings of your ears nine times. Recite the “Great Incantation of the Circumference of Heaven,” click the teeth nine times, and, facing northwest, recite the incantation:

The Lofty Nine Spirits and the August Lord of Hua. Gaze up at the stars in the heavens, then turn back and pass through the Three Luminaries (the sun, moon, and stars). Rub the area at the gates of both ears nine times with both hands. Then recite the Great Spell of the Circuit of Heaven and click the teeth nine times. Facing northwest, say:

Lofty Nine Spirits, August Lord of Hua! Command the stars in the heavens, turning back and passing through the Three Luminaries. Change with the four seasons and cultivate through the Five Phases to become an immortal. On this day I cultivate the true Dao and summon all the spirits throughout the world: the Five Sacred Peaks, the Four Rivers, numinous mountains everywhere, and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—all come to protect my carriage. The sun surges like lightning; the Six Yin release clouds. Fierce beasts are driven away, and the myriad kinds of spirits scatter in every direction. Poisonous dragons devour ghosts and demons, and the roots of evil are subdued. Those who plot against me will be punished; those who offend me will meet with distress. Those who cherish me will enjoy long life; those whose hearts turn toward me will become immortals. I bear a spirit tally on my body and wear the Seven Primordials (the spirits of the Big Dipper). The radiance of the Flowing-Gold Fire Bell shines upon me. I wear a canopy on my head and tread on auspicious clouds; I hold the essence of Heaven in my mouth and grasp Heaven’s Gate in my hand. I transform ceaselessly in the void, multiplying into thousands of forms and changing without limit. The powers of Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire manifest of themselves. I perform the Yu Steps, pacing around the Nine Gates, entering and leaving the Three Pure Ones’ heavens, and enduring as long as Heaven and Earth.

When the recitation is complete, click the teeth three more times and swallow the breath fourteen times; then the rite is finished. The practice of the Way of the Nine Mornings is now complete. To cultivate the Way of the Nine Mornings, choose together an auspicious day in the first ten days of the first, seventh, fourth, or tenth lunar month, or of the first month of each season: the fifth or ninth day, or the first day. Perform the practice at dawn. In the second, eighth, fifth, or eleventh lunar month, or in the second month of each season, then together…

It is to be performed as prescribed at noon on the fifteenth and nineteenth days of the first half of each month, and at midnight on the twenty-fifth and twenty-ninth days of the second half of the four designated months: the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth. Choose one of these six dates each month and perform the rite three times a month, for a total of thirty-six times a year. This corresponds to the number of degrees traversed by the Qi of the Nine Heavens as the Celestial Gate turns its wheel: 360 degrees. Whenever you practice the Dao on these dates, write down the names of the Nine Heavens. The scripture says this can carry you through the cycle of Yang Nine and Six Hundred (a cycle of calamities in Daoist belief) and protect you from the great flood disaster. After nine years of practice, you will be able to fly along the Celestial Ladder and stride upward, riding through the air and stepping beyond its bounds—in other words, ascending high into the sky by means of the flying-step method and traveling through the heavens.

The Golden-Slip Text of the Mysterious Diagram of the Nine Mornings says: “Those who practice the Dao of flying through the Nine Mornings should also follow the dates for treading the Celestial Ladder, cultivating both methods to advance the path of ascension. The Mysterious Dipper (a stellar deity akin to the Northern Dipper) will repeatedly inspect them. If practicing the two methods together, first cultivate the Nine Mornings method, then the method of treading the Celestial Ladder. The incantations for these two methods are different, but at their root they belong to one and the same method.”

◎ Treading the Celestial Ladder

The Lord Emperor of Taiwei once taught the Lord of the Imperial Clarity Grotto of Truth a method of cultivation called “Treading the Celestial Net and Soaring through the Earthly Records.” Rely on the Dark Dipper and climb the star leaders; receive and guide the Nine Perfected Ones, and ride a flying dragon. Roam through the Three Fates and drift across the Two Lives; strengthen the Three Treasures and avoid the Six Harms. Hide within the Six Yin and enter the Six Cycles; guard the Celestial Hero and protect your lifespan. Visualize the Primordial Assistant and tread the Great Support; use the Flowing Cinnabar Chamber and ascend to Wenchang. By cultivating in this way, moving among the Nine Paths, one eventually takes a place among the Nine Elders. After twenty years of practice, one receives an immortal scripture and becomes a Perfected One of Shangqing.

Ordinary people think the seven stars are close at hand, but they do not realize that the path traveled when treading the Celestial Net is in fact very long. If a Daoist knows only that the Celestial Net can be trodden, but does not understand that the souls do not travel along with the body, they will tread the Net with an empty body in vain: the spirits will not accompany them, and all their effort will come to nothing. This is not because the body cannot travel with the souls, but because the souls fear the might of the seven stars and dare not follow the body upward. As a result, the three hun souls cannot be gathered in, and the seven po souls scatter in every direction.

To tread the Celestial Net, first clear the mind and spirit and remain empty and still. Do not give rise to thoughts of grief or sorrow, and do not be attached to the pleasures of wealth and splendor. Then circle around three times, ascend to the star positions, and recite the invocation. In this way, the two spirits of soul and body cross the numinous pass together, and body and mind open into ease, as if one had suddenly forgotten oneself. Once body and mind are purified, begin treading the Net, always maintaining the feeling of walking through empty space. After one year of practice, one can ward off evil influences; after two, avoid calamities of war; after three, escape death; and after four, become an Earthly Immortal. A thousand kinds of calamity and ten thousand kinds of evil spirits will not dare approach. Thereafter, blessings and celebrations are without end; one can also command spirits and ride a flying dragon. Taiji bestows numinous fungus, and the Jade Emperor sends immortal attendants. After twenty-seven years of practice, one becomes a Perfected One of Shangqing.

When treading the Celestial Net, one must not cross it sideways. The boundaries drawn by straight lines connecting the stars are called the “Net.”

Violating the rules of the Transverse Heavenly Dipper is regarded as severing the Dao of Heaven and is a grave taboo. Stepping on the Perfected Ones’ stars while pacing the Dipper is also a serious taboo. Anyone who commits either offense must remove their headscarf and bow repeatedly to the Dipper configuration—the diagram of the Heavenly Dipper—to atone.

The Heavenly Dipper diagram is made of cloth, nine feet long and six feet wide, with the star positions drawn on it. The stars are drawn in blue ink and the Dipper lines in cinnabar ink. The diagram is normally kept in a clean box. Before each performance of the Dipper-pacing rite, incense is burned, then the diagram is taken out. Seven jade maidens attend the writing attendants, and seven jade youths guard the stars. When women perform the rite, red silk is used.

The method for pacing the Heavenly Dipper transmitted by the Lord of the Great Tenuity says that, according to the superior method transmitted by the divine Perfected Ones, one should first burn incense at the ritual site and hold one’s breath seven times. Then walk three circuits around the outside of the Northern Dipper’s star positions, beginning at the Yin Essence star and circling to the Yang Brightness star. Only after completing the circuits should one resume breathing; then one may step onto the positions of the seven stars and continue pacing to the Yang Brightness star.

Next, face the Yang Brightness star and hold your breath again. Silently recite: “Great Dipper of Yang Brightness, Mysterious Pole of Literary Prosperity, please let the soul and spirit of [name] travel together through the Heavenly Dipper.” After reciting, step onto Yang Brightness with the left foot, then onto Yin Essence with the right, silently reciting: “Northern Pole of Yin Essence, Jade Pivot of the Most High, please let the soul and spirit of [name] cross together over the Divine Ford.”

Then step onto the Northern Pole with the left foot and silently recite: “Heavenly Radiance of the Northern Pole, return to the Mysterious Constellations; please let the soul and spirit of [name] arrive together at the Mysterious Pass.” Next, step onto the Heavenly Gate with the right foot, bring the left foot forward alongside it, and resume breathing. Then make a fuller invocation and hold your breath once.

If you do not walk the entire Heavenly Dipper, you may resume breathing at the Cinnabar Origin star, hold your breath again, and softly invoke: “Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—the Five Phases propel one another; the Seven Stars shine brightly, the Heavenly Dipper…”

The Five Phases—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—set one another in motion. The seven stars of the Northern Dipper shine bright, and the celestial framework holds the greatest authority. The Assistant Star flourishes, while the Aiding Star dispels decline. The Nine Perfected Ones of the Great Supreme, the Supreme Ultimate and Taiwei, the Three Offices’ Jade Emperor, and the three venerable divine beings can all drive away evil and wrongdoing. Heaven turns and Earth revolves; my soul and corporeal soul accompany me, making me a flying immortal. True light surrounds me and never fades. My name is entered in the Golden Chamber, and the Jade Gate opens before me. I ride a dragon into the sky, shining alongside the sun and moon, and roam the Upper Clarity (the higher celestial realm in Daoist teaching). I wear robes of deep green, with bells ringing as I travel. My left foot treads upon flashing lightning, and my right hand commands rushing thunder. The ten thousand kinds of earthly demons lie prostrate and dare not pursue me; those who watch me with malice are cut down and destroyed. The Heavenly Emperor orders Jade Maidens to guard and attend me on my return, joining my soul with the Real and my corporeal soul with the spirit, so that my body ascends in flight with them.

Inverted-Stepping Method

Stand firm at the Heavenly Pass (a directional point or step in the ritual), turn to face the Northern Pole, and pray softly:

Supreme Primordial Star, Purple Spirit of the Canopy, Jade Chamber of the Northern Pole, conceal and preserve my image and shadow, and nurture and transform my vital energy. Mysterious Terrace of Taiwei, Jade City of the Nine Perfected Ones, grant that I, [name], may become a flying immortal and walk in the Cloud Court. Step backward and ascend, flying to heaven.

Inverted-Stepping Method

Stand firm at the Heavenly Pass, turn to face the Northern Pole, and pray softly:

Supreme Primordial Star, Purple Spirit of the Canopy, Jade Chamber of the Northern Pole, conceal and preserve my image and shadow, and nurture and transform my vital energy. Mysterious Terrace of Taiwei, Jade City of the Nine Perfected Ones, grant that I, [name], may become a flying immortal and walk in the Cloud Court. Step backward along the Celestial Dipper’s pattern, restoring soul and corporeal soul to life together. Ride a dragon to the Flower Palace and become a worthy one who has attained the Dao. Wear a jade pendant on the left and tie a golden bell on the right; fasten a tiger-patterned belt and wear a dragon-patterned skirt. Let out a long cry to summon the celestial troops. Ride the light of the Three Pure Radiances and ascend in flight to Upper Clarity.

When the prayer is complete, hold your breath. Raise your left foot and step toward the Northern Pole, then raise your right foot and step toward Danyuan. Next, raise your left foot and step toward Xuanming. Then move your right foot forward until it is level with your left, facing the star of the Perfected One. Resume breathing and pray softly:

The Nine Essences of Taiji (the nine kinds of vital energy transformed from the Supreme Ultimate) and the High Sovereigns and exalted perfected beings descend from the realm of Primordial Clarity, then conceal themselves within profound Yin. They protect and nurture a certain person, leading that person to cherish the Immortal Way. The Jade Terrace suddenly opens wide, and the eight gates of the Golden Hall stand open. They pray for that person to receive and wear the immortal scriptures, to be clothed in crimson robes embroidered with dragons, to assist the Purple Tenuity Palace—the residence of the Celestial Emperor—and to become a ruler of the later sage age. Riding ten flying dragons, they travel in a carriage of numinous radiance beneath a dark canopy. Their name is inscribed on the Primordial Register, alongside the Sun and Moon.

When the invocation is complete, hold the breath again. Step with the left foot on the Star of Assistance, then with the right foot on Yin Essence; next step forward with the left foot on Yang Brightness, and finally bring the right foot together with the left. Then resume breathing and recite softly:

Heavenly Dipper, upright Yang; the Dipper lodges move in their courses, rising and setting. Turn the Primordial Mechanism forward, and set the Numinous Guideline in motion behind. Settle the hun and po souls and bring them peace; gather them in and make them whole, so that the souls and body ascend together to the heavenly realm. Look upward and behold the Golden Gate, the High and Exalted Great Sovereign. On the right, support the Immortal Mother; on the left, support the Immortal Father. The body shines with purple and emerald radiance, clad in a dragon robe and tiger garment, wearing a true headcloth and jade ornaments; a halo appears around the neck. Hold a divine bell in the hand and wear a golden pendant at the waist. Recite the wondrous seven transformations of the Cavern of Truth (Dongzhen), one of the classifications of Daoist scriptures. All things first emerge from Nonbeing, then become sovereign. Fly through the Nine Paths, dwelling at the Dipper lodges and climbing the Dipper’s handle. The Great One (Taiyi), an important heavenly deity, leads the way; Xuanlang follows behind. He reveals the secret formula to a certain person, so that they may ascend while seated and leave the world while standing. Master the essential method of moving in reverse, and you will take your place among the Immortal Ministers. The Five Viscera naturally come to life and accord with the Way of Heaven. Whatever you wish will match the thoughts in your heart; whatever you seek will come readily to pass. All manner of evil spirits and calamities are subdued and made to withdraw and disappear. Any malevolent force that harms me is punished by Heaven and vanishes like water extinguishing fire.

The Method of Moving in Reverse

Hold the breath again, form a mudra with the right hand, and recite: “One may ascend while seated and leave the world while standing; master the essential method of moving in reverse, and you will take your place among the Immortal Ministers. The Five Viscera naturally come to life and accord with the Way of Heaven. Whatever you wish will match the thoughts in your heart; whatever you seek will come readily to pass. All manner of evil spirits and calamities are subdued and made to withdraw and disappear. Any malevolent force that harms me is punished by Heaven and vanishes like water extinguishing fire.”

Hold the breath once more and turn rightward three times outside the Dipper stars, starting from Yang Brightness. After circling once, return to Yang Brightness, resume breathing, and recite:

O Most High Perfected One, and Supreme Lord of the Seven Luminaries—the august deity who governs the sun, moon, and five planets—grant that I may seek long life by moving against the course of the stars and ascend to the source of the celestial realm. Let me rise as an immortal and enter the Purple Gate, the portal to Heaven.

Then hold your breath. Place your left foot on the star position of Yangming and your right foot on the star position of Yinjing. First step forward: place your right foot on the star position of Xuanming, then your left foot on the star position of Danyuan. Next place your right foot on the North Pole star position and your left foot on the Heavenly Gate star position. Bring your right foot alongside the left in front, then resume breathing and recite this invocation:

“Seven transformations turn and revolve; I ascend to the Jade Lodgings among the stars. The Six Cycles assist me, and the Three Guiding Principles of Heaven and Earth accord with my steps. The Jade Emperor looks to the left; the Most High turns to look back on the right. Teach me to ride the stars and ascend along the wondrous celestial path. Grant me ascent to immortality and the blessing of deathlessness. Let me roam the Highest Clarity, ride the splendid Three Su, wear a green skirt of gold and blue, and enter and leave the Nine Abodes. The Northern Sovereign bows to me; the Southern Perfected One gives thanks to me. My name is inscribed on the Immortal Terrace, and I can transform myself in countless ways. Let me ride the stars and ascend along the wondrous celestial path. Grant me ascent to immortality and the blessing of deathlessness. Let me roam the Highest Clarity, ride the splendid Three Su, wear a green skirt of gold and blue, and enter and leave the Nine Abodes. The Northern Sovereign bows to me; the Southern Perfected One gives thanks to me. My name is inscribed on the Immortal Terrace, and I can transform myself in countless ways. May I befriend the sage sovereign and help bring about Great Peace. May every wish in my heart be fulfilled, and may all things go smoothly. Whoever bears ill will toward me shall suffer the punishments of execution by the sword and cremation by fire.”

After completing the three sets of steps—moving forward, backward, and in reverse—raise both feet and place them together on the star position of Yangming. Rest your right hand over your heart and point your left hand toward Xuanming. Hold your breath for three breaths, click your teeth twenty-one times, and swallow your saliva twenty-seven times. This rite is called “Seizing the Dipper,” the ritual of stepping according to the positions of the Northern Dipper. Then recite softly:

Yangming Taisu Shen, a divine being in Daoist belief, dwells in the Yellow Chamber of the Celestial Stars, a divine palace among the stars. In the palace is a great deity: with his left hand he supports the Supreme Sovereign, and with his right he governs the High Perfected, the immortals of exalted rank. He holds a dragon pattern in his mouth and wears emerald robes embroidered with tiger designs like fine brocade. A jade talisman hangs at his waist, and a lotus crown rests on his head. He moves in and out of the realm of emptiness. His body gleams with golden light and jade hues; his bearing is lofty and solemn. He is called “Yangming,” and treads upon crimson clouds.

He recites a Cavern Chapter, a Daoist scripture, grants me a hidden book of secret teachings, and instructs me in pacing the stars by the prescribed ritual steps. After circling three times, I stand at the position of the Northern Dipper and forget myself. He makes me a flying immortal, so that I rise beyond the void and travel through the air. My name is entered in the registers of the Shangqing immortals; I ride a dark chariot drawn by dragons. Wherever my thoughts turn, all that I desire and delight in comes to pass. The Three Venerable Ones are united in virtue, allowing my hun and po souls to flow through my body. Then I circle three times, stand at the position of the Northern Dipper, and forget myself. He makes me a flying immortal, so that I rise beyond the void and travel through the air. My name is entered in the registers of the Shangqing immortals; I ride a dark chariot drawn by dragons. Wherever my thoughts turn, all that I desire and delight in comes to pass. The Three Venerable Ones are united in virtue, allowing my hun and po souls to flow through my body. He also summons divine officials, jade maidens, and jade youths. If anyone seeks to harm me, let thunder, lightning, and raging winds punish them, thwart their treacherous schemes, cut off their tongues, and banish them beyond the four quarters.

When the invocation is complete, visualize yourself suddenly forgetting your body within your heart. After a long while, conclude the practice. Once the ritual of pacing the Northern Dipper is finished, raise both feet toward the Yin Essence Star, one of the stars of the Northern Dipper. Place your left hand over your heart and point toward the Perfected Star with your right hand. Hold your breath for three counts, click your teeth three times, and swallow the saliva in your mouth three times. This practice is called “Climbing the Dipper’s Handle and Entering the Grand Tenuity.” The brief invocation says:

Yin Essence and Mysterious Simplicity (divine beings associated with Yin Essence), and the ornate palaces and Gate of Life in the abodes of the immortals: within them is the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Lord of the North Pole. The phoenix’s wings are neatly arranged. It wears an ornate collar and a blue-green skirt, a tiger-shaped bell at its waist, and a cinnabar-colored crown adorned with lingzhi. It is known as “Yin Essence” and is the lord of the Great High One.

It passes a secret scripture of cultivation to a person, enabling them to tread among the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper, climb the star Kui and ascend, and at last journey to the Spirit Gate, the passage into the immortal realm. In cultivation, one must restrain the Seven Po (the seven souls that make up the human spirit’s activity) externally and control the Three Hun (the three souls described in Daoism) internally. Refine away the worldly entanglements among the Seven Po, and cherish the fetal spirit among the Three Hun. When the souls guard the body, they can attain immortality together and ascend to Shangqing, the lofty realm of the immortals, restoring the breath and making the countenance like that of an infant. Whatever the heart aspires to will come to pass, and no desire among the myriad kinds will be difficult to fulfill. If evil people cause trouble, consign their bodies to death through the Three Officials, the divine offices governing Heaven, Earth, and Water. This power can awe the Six Heavens, the celestial realm in the Daoist pantheon, and command the gods.

After completing the rite of climbing the star Kui, place both feet together on the star Bi. With feet joined, face the star of the Perfected and bow four times. Then kneel, hold the breath for four counts, click the teeth four times, and swallow the saliva four times. This rite is called “Receiving the Perfected,” meaning to receive and draw in the Qi of the Perfected.

Kneeling, softly recite the incantation:

Nine Essences of Taiji, luminous truth of the Upper Origin, the upright pivot grasps the balance; exhale and inhale purple mists; golden radiance and jade reflections,

Its august radiance shines across the ten directions of the heavens. It governs the sun, moon, and stars, harmonizes Yin-Yang, and regulates the primal Qi of Heaven and Earth, renewing all things. It dwells above the stars at the center of Heaven and holds the key to the profound mysteries. Its residence is the Golden Chamber and Jade Gate, a place of passage in the north. Riding the Qi of the Eight Radiances, it travels freely through the realm of Great Primordiality.

It wears brocade robes patterned with dragons and garments patterned with phoenixes, with a green skirt patterned with tigers. It carries a red banner, wears a green ceremonial sash, and dons a purple feathered robe edged with seven ornamental bands. A divine talisman hangs from its waist, and it wears a ceremonial crown. It resides above the nine heavens and roams below among the celestial depths. Calling itself the Jade Emperor, it is the supreme true god of the nine heavens.

Taking pity on a certain person devoted to the Dao, it bestows a secret Dao scripture upon him. He personally ascends to the star position of Big Dipper’s Assistant, pays homage to the numinous lord, and prays to receive a cinnabar text, thereby forming a bond with the Dao through which he may attain life. May he govern the affairs of the Three and Five in the celestial realm and fly through the mysterious regions of the eight directions. May the Qi of his five organs naturally become abundant, making him a high-ranking flying immortal, fit to serve the Jade Emperor and become a minister to the sages of later ages. May he hold high office among the immortals and ride a cloud chariot through the skies. May all he seeks come to pass, and may no evil force trouble him. If anyone harbors ill intent and seeks to harm him, may that person’s true form be exposed and their household destroyed.

Once the rite for ushering in the true spirits is complete, place both feet together on the star position of Mysterious Darkness. With the right hand, touch the heart; with the left, point toward the Cinnabar Origin star. Hold the breath three times, click the teeth twenty-one times, and swallow the saliva three times. This step is called “treading the Dipper,” a ritual of stepping according to the stars’ positions. Recite the invocation silently, saying:

The divine light of the grotto-heavens circles back and withdraws into the Mysterious Darkness, a deep and shadowy realm. Qi fills the Great Void, the vast and boundless expanse, coming and going without form. It hides at the edge of Heaven and lies concealed beneath the earth, pervading the realm beyond life. Suddenly, you ascend the Heavenly Bonds, the governing paths of the celestial realm, and step into the Purple Court, the palace in Heaven. You look north toward the chamber of thunder and south toward the city of lightning. The many scenes dazzle and bewilder the eye, and their original forms no longer appear. The sights shift and flow indistinctly; with a reach of the hand, you can make them manifest. If you wish to conceal your form, you must know my name. Dwelling in the lofty reaches of Nothingness, you pass through nine transformations and enter the realm of the Mysterious Darkness. As you sit or rise, visualize the Six Jia, the six Jia deities who protect the body; pay homage to and command the Six Ding, the six Ding deities. Once you are granted a hidden text, a secret method of concealment, you can tread among the Dipper stars and walk between the stars. Looking up, you see the August Sovereign, a revered celestial deity, wearing a robe and headcloth in cinnabar red and blue. He holds a numinous light and wears a jade bell at his waist.

Pray upward for ascent to immortality, to endure alongside Heaven, with your name entered in Taiwei, a celestial star region, and your form transformed as you rise into Shangqing, a high celestial realm in Daoism. Pray downward for the art of transformation, which can make sights vanish and conceal the body; then all things will go as you wish, and wherever you go, you will be safe. If anyone seeks to harm you, use divine weapons to destroy them. The Golden Root Upper Text of the True Scripture of the Supreme Ultimate says: “When you ascend to the Mysterious Darkness and tread among the Dipper stars, you can conceal your form. If you wish to transform, you should know my name; turn Heaven and Earth around, and all things will take shape at once.” Whenever you enter the Mysterious Darkness or wish to conceal yourself, visualize this name in your mind.

After completing the Dipper-treading ritual, place both feet on the Star of Dan Yuan, a star in the Northern Dipper. Rest your left hand over your heart and point your right hand toward the North Star. Hold your breath three times, click your teeth three times, and swallow your saliva three times. This step is called “Treading the Guideline.” Then recite this prayer softly:

“Supreme One of the Nine Terraces, the Mysterious Guideline of Dan Yuan: outwardly, you govern the pivot of the Northern Dipper; inwardly, you govern the order of the Dao of Heaven. The light of the Golden Palace shines without, and the radiance of the Jade Court glows within. There dwells a supreme deity named the Crimson Child, who presides over ‘Treading the Guideline.’”

“The Soft Prayer says”: Recite softly:

The Most High Ninefold Terrace, the celestial platform high above the heavens, governs the mysterious laws of the Cinnabar Origin, the offices concerned with the pivots of the heavenly realm and the principles by which they operate. It administers the Northern Dipper’s hub outwardly and sets the order of Heaven right inwardly. The golden gates of the celestial palace shine outward, while the jade courtyard glows within. At its center dwells the Supreme Deity, called the “Crimson Child,” who rules from the crimson chamber of the Cinnabar Origin.

The Crimson Child wears a green-cloud robe embroidered with patterns, with a dragon-patterned mantle and tiger-patterned garment. In his right hand he holds the Imperial Register, a celestial roll or talismanic register; in his left he grasps the Dipper’s Guiding Stars, the star positions marked by the handle of the Northern Dipper. He treads upon colored clouds and wears a purple crown. A flowing bell hangs at his right side, and a jade pendant is fastened at his left. He bestows a hidden text, a secret script used in Daoist cultivation, upon a person, enabling them to travel in accordance with the celestial order. The practitioner prays to ascend and become an immortal, riding a wondrous chariot alongside dragons, with their name entered in the Cinnabar Terrace and the Jade Hall of Taiji, where the immortals of the celestial realm dwell. Wherever they go and whatever they seek, blessings and good fortune will answer their wishes. May anyone who treats them with malice perish. Attending them are divine officials, jade maidens, and jade youths.

After completing the method of “treading the celestial order,” place both feet together on the position of the North Pole Star. With the right hand, touch the heart; with the left, point toward the Celestial Pass Star. Hold the breath for three counts, click the teeth three times, and swallow the mouth’s saliva three times. This sequence is called “treading the Dipper’s Guiding Stars,” a ritual of stepping on specific star positions combined with visualization and spoken formulas.

Pray softly:

Above the mysterious heavens, beneath the purple canopy of the North Pole, the Great Perfected One roams beyond the Nine Heavens. A green canopy and flowing robes, fastened with golden bells and blue sashes; jade light hangs at the waist, and deep, mysterious clouds envelop the body. Bestow a hidden text upon this person, so that they may rise among the Seven Qi, ascend to the realm of pure emptiness, wander among mist and rosy clouds, and meet the Perfected Ones. I pray to ascend and become an immortal, with my name entered in the Cinnabar Chamber. May I fulfill my wishes wherever I go, free from disaster and harm. If anyone treats me with malice, may that person be wounded and brought to ruin.

Then recite once more: “By the method of treading the Dipper’s Guiding Stars, bestow a hidden text upon this person, so that they may rise among the Seven Qi, ascend to the realm of pure emptiness, wander among mist and rosy clouds, and meet the Perfected Ones. I pray to ascend and become an immortal, with my name entered in the Cinnabar Chamber. May I fulfill my wishes wherever I go, free from disaster and harm. If anyone treats me with malice, may that person be wounded and brought to ruin.”

After completing the method of treading the Dipper’s Guiding Stars, place both feet together on the position of the Celestial Pass Star. With the right hand, touch the heart; with the left, point toward the Celestial Pass Star. Hold the breath for three counts, click the teeth three times, and swallow the mouth’s saliva three times. This is called “riding the dragon.” Pray softly:

Above the highest heavens are the Seven Extremes, the Daoist realm of supreme heights. The Purple Tenuity Enclosure, the starry region where the Celestial Emperor dwells, lies far beyond the mortal world. Beyond the jeweled, mysterious Golden Chamber is the Jade Gate. It revolves around the Nine Palaces and harmonizes the Heavenly Pass. At its center is a revered deity named the Purple Sovereign. He grants someone a secret scripture and carries that person on a dragon, traveling upward through the nine heavens and descending to the earthly realm. Riding a vermilion carriage amid auspicious clouds, dressed in dark and emerald robes, with a dragon tablet at the waist and a tiger-patterned cap on the head, he embraces and nurtures all things and instructs the flying immortals. He frees someone from the name of death, allowing them to endure alongside Heaven and Earth. Riding the dragon and treading on the Northern Dipper, he brings blessings wherever he goes; whoever bears ill will toward me will meet wind blades and be consumed by fire.

When the dragon-riding rite is complete, place both feet together on the Assistant Star. Hold the breath once, click the teeth three times, and swallow a mouthful of saliva. This step is called “Traveling through the Three Fates, turning one’s steps at Heavenly Radiance.” Then silently recite the invocation:

“Assistant Star of the Supreme Ultimate, essence and Qi reside at the Purple Pass. Nurture and protect life; cherish and guard the spirit and soul. The Golden Chamber opens once more, and I may pay homage to the Assistant Lord. Please grant someone the hidden scripture, so that they may travel freely, be enrolled among the Sage Emperors, ascend through the nine heavens, wear a golden cap, carry the token of a perfected person, and enter and leave the gates of the grotto.”

After “Traveling through the Three Fates” is complete, turn and walk to the place where the spirit and soul are guarded. The Golden Chamber opens once more, and I may pay homage to the Assistant Lord. Please grant someone the hidden scripture, so that they may travel freely, be enrolled among the Sage Emperors, ascend through the nine heavens, wear a golden cap, carry the token of a perfected person, and enter and leave the gates of the grotto. After “Traveling through the Three Fates” is complete, turn again and walk to the Support Star. Place both feet together on the Support Star, hold the breath once, click the teeth three times, and swallow a mouthful of saliva. This step is called “Lingering among the Three Yangs, entering and leaving the Three Lives.” Then silently recite the invocation:

In the Mudball Palace within the Great Void—the Daoist upper Dantian, located in the head—dwells the Celestial Worthy of the Purple Palace. He is the essential truth within the wondrous and mysterious Void, and precedes the Heavenly Emperor. In the celestial realm he is called the Jade Emperor; within the human body, he corresponds to the Mudball Palace. When his power is invoked, he suddenly manifests, and primordial Qi flows through to the highest heavens. Jing-Qi enters the Hall of Light, the palace within the head, strengthening the embryo-origin and augmenting the hun and po souls. Red Mountain opens once more, allowing one to draw near to the numinous origin. The left hand gathers the essence of sunlight, while the right hand receives the Qi of the moon. Flames stream for ten thousand spans around the body; one wears a skirt of blue-green silk woven with gold and a girdle of heavenly bone, with a splendid crown upon the head. Once a certain secret talismanic text has been bestowed, one may pass through the gates of Heaven. One may pray to ascend and become an immortal, command the myriad spirits, gather the gods of every direction, and attain blessings and Virtue as vast as mountains.

When performing the rite, always face north and hold the hidden text in the hand. One may also consult the written instructions while observing the stars; there is no need to recite them silently in the dark before performing the rite. In spring, one treads the Seven Stars, a practice called “Walking the Three Guiding Lines.” In summer, one treads the Seven Stars, called “Treading the Six Cycles.” In autumn, it is called “Bringing Forth the Six Harms”; in winter, “Ascending the Six Severances.” Here, “walking” and “treading” mean stepping among the star positions according to prescribed directions and sequences. These are rites of the Daoist tradition of walking the astral pathways and treading the Dipper.

Volume Twenty-One: Section One, Heaven and Earth

General Preface on Heaven

The Scripture of the Orthodox Method of the Three Heavens says: The True Kings of the Nine Heavens and the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning were both born before primordial Qi first appeared. At that time, the light of Heaven had not yet emerged. All things were knotted together in a dense, turbid mass, not yet clarified. The expanse was deep and obscure, boundless, and immersed in a formless Void. This state of darkness and chaos lasted for more than seventy kalpas. Then wondrous, mysterious light began to divide, and the nine kinds of primordial Qi came into being. Each kind of Qi appeared at an interval of ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety years from the next. Clear Qi rose, becoming lofty and bright; turbid Qi descended and spread below. The True Kings of the Nine Heavens and the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning received their being through natural gestation, and were therefore honored as lords of the Nine Heavens.

Only after the nine Qi had gathered did the sun, moon, and stars become manifest; then the nine True Emperors appeared. The three upper True Emperors were born at the highest reaches of Clear Tenuity Heaven; the three in the middle were born in Yu Yu Heaven; and the three below were born in Great Red Heaven.

The Jing of Jade Capital Mountain says: Jade Capital Mountain stands above the Great Luo Heavens in all eight directions and is the center of the universe through all ages. On the mountain is a city of seven treasures; within the city is a palace of seven treasures, and within the palace is a mysterious terrace of seven treasures. Seven-treasure trees grow there naturally. The branches and leaves of a single tree can cover one layer of heaven; eight trees can cover the Great Luo Heavens in all eight directions. This is the dwelling of the Lord of the Great Dao, the Supreme, Boundless, and Void Sovereign (a revered Daoist deity).

The Great Cavern Scripture says: The Great Darkness (a realm of utmost depth and distance) lies above the Nine Heavens. Its dark Qi reaches far into the distance, remote from the Nine Mysterious Depths (a place of profound and distant mystery). Only those who recite the Jade Scripture of the Great Cavern can connect with it. Then the Jade Emperor rides the Red Cloud (crimson vapor) to open a path, while the Great Darkness is draped in green clouds and comes into the light.

The Primordial Beginning Scripture says: The Great Luo realm (the highest tier of heaven) has no ruler; only the Great Brahma Qi (the primordial breath pervading the heavens) contains all the heavens. The mysterious realm above the great void, too, can be reached only by those who recite the Jade Scripture of the Great Cavern. Then the Jade Emperor rides the Red Cloud to open a path, and the Great Darkness is draped in green clouds and comes into the light.

Above the great void are naturally formed clouds of five colors, blue and yellow in hue, called the Yellow Heaven. Above the Yellow Heaven is the Blue-Green Heaven, blue-green in color. Above that is the Azure Heaven, blue and deep, vast and clear. Thus the hymn says:

Above the Three Realms lies the remote and boundless Great Luo Heaven; there is no source of form or color, and clouds rise in layer upon layer.

◎Treasury Registers of the Three Realms

○The Four Upper Heavens

The Scripture of the Numinous Books of the Heavens says: “Flying steps to enter Northern Clarity” means reaching Northern Zhen Heaven, where the Four Heavenly Emperors dwell above the Three Realms. In the upper realm, the four emperors correspond to the summit of the Jade Capital of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). They can manifest in response to all things and guide living beings toward salvation. In the middle realm, they govern the four directions and eight regions within the Three Realms, directing the movement of the Five Qi. When the emperors descend, their forms cannot be seen, yet they can permeate all things and bring forth the heavens. Each person, too, corresponds to a region of heaven. The celestial instruments or star positions known as the Jade Pivot and Jade Balance, the Thirty-Six Emperors, and the Five Dipper Chiefs all symbolize the human brain. Taken together, these four symbols form this system of correspondences.

Thus, the Scripture of Expounding the Teachings says: The Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings lies above Jade Clarity and at the summit of the Nine Heavens. At each of the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—the four emperors command the directional lords of the Three Realms to tour the world and open the gate of salvation, rescuing those who cultivate the Dao and establish purification altars for Zhaijiao (purification rituals).

The commentary of the former master says: “Northern Clarity Heaven is the Northern Dipper.” It also says: “Beneath the Northern Dipper, at the upper palace of Kunlun; therefore, the human head corresponds to Kunlun in heaven.” Some people of shallow understanding regard this teaching as mistaken and use it to reject the worthy. They believe Kunlun is in the south, and that, when viewed from there, the Central Dipper is Northern Clarity. But they have failed to understand this: if the Northern Dipper lies farther north than the Central Dipper, then where exactly is Northern Clarity in the north?

Now, according to the Scripture for the Salvation of Humanity, the Eastern Dipper governs the span of human life, the Western Dipper records people’s names, the Northern Dipper determines death, the Southern Dipper governs life, and the Central Dipper is the Great Chief, overseeing all spirits. This is what is meant by “the Five Dipper Chiefs of the world.” From this, we can see that the Northern Dipper lies beyond the Central Dipper to the north.

Now let us examine the original text of the Correct Scripture of Numinous Books. It says that the Heavenly Worthy taught: These four chapters are all wondrous works through which the Four Heavenly Emperors save lives. They correspond respectively to the sacred lands of the four directions, and each transmits the teaching suited to its direction. The Scripture of the Eastern Chapter says that in the Eastern Florescent Palace of the blue heaven of nine Qi, the Great Lord Blue Youth sealed the scripture in a treasured case of blue jade and stamped it with the seal of the Origin Beginning’s nine Qi. The Scripture of the Southern Chapter says that in the Upper Palace of Vermilion Mound in the southern cinnabar heaven of three Qi, the Supreme Primordial Lord of the South Pole sealed the scripture in a treasured case of red jade and stamped it with the seal of the Great Cinnabar’s three Qi. The Scripture of the Western Chapter says that in the Western Florescent Palace of the white heaven of seven Qi, the Queen Mother of the West sealed the scripture in a treasured case of white jade and stamped it with the seal of the Great Purity’s seven Qi. The Scripture of the Northern Chapter says that in the Origin Beginning’s Upper Northern Palace of the dark heaven of five Qi, the Great Lord Jade Dawn sealed the scripture in a treasured case of dark jade and stamped it with the seal of the Great Mystery’s five Qi. This clearly shows that the East is called “Eastern…”

The Eastern direction is called Donghua, the Southern direction Nanji, the Western direction Xiling, and the Northern direction Beizhen. As stated earlier, Beizhen lies above the Three Realms, in the highest heaven. The Four Directional Heavenly Emperors govern the realms below it and are linked to a heavenly domain that oversees the generation and transformation of the four seasons. This does not refer to the positions of the five Dippers over the course of a single day.

According to the Correct Scripture of the Numinous Writ, these are the four Heavenly Emperors above the Three Realms, with their proper names and positions; it says nothing about the names or positions of the five Dippers within a single day. The current account alone omits the Northern direction and treats the Center as the above. It is unclear whether there should be a still higher heaven of Beizhen. This is the source of the doubts that have arisen among people both ancient and modern: errors were passed down one after another.

On further examination, the meaning of the former masters’ teaching is this: the thirty-two heavens overlap one another vertically, and may also be regarded as belonging to a single heavenly domain. In the arrangement of the twenty-eight lunar lodges, some have mistakenly used the Central Dipper to govern the Northern direction, thereby omitting the North and treating the Center as the above. But calling the Center the above is also an error.

The saying, “When the Nine Heavens were first formed, they overlapped above and below and were also one heaven,” compares them to the Nine Palaces on earth. The Heaven of Yudan, one of the Four Brahma Heavens, rests above with the highest Qi. It was first established at the Zi position, in the First Palace. This means that the First Palace is also the highest, first heaven among the Four Brahma Heavens.

It is appropriate to compare the heavens to the human body: the head symbolizes Kunlun, and the eyes symbolize the sun and moon, corresponding to what lies above and below. But if we consider only the body as the body and the world as the world, we cannot then extend the analogy to the four heavens symbolized by the head, which lie above the Three Realms and are ruled by the Four Heavenly Emperors. Nor can we extend it further to Mount Yujing and the Great Luo Heaven above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing).

Thus the Scripture of Hidden Notes on the Great Cavern says: “Mount Kunlun reaches upward to the nine Qi and becomes the wheel of the Jade Pivot, situated in the midst of the great void.” Since the Central Dipper is above Mount Kunlun, the Gate of the Great Luo Heaven must also be above Mount Yujing. The Scripture on the Generation of the Spirits says: “Flying immortals attend the Jade Palace, while ministers of the four positions encircle the radiant wheel.” All this lies above the Central Dipper of the Three Realms. Therefore, the Gate of the Great Luo Heaven and the Jade Palace of Yujing must also be above Mount Yujing.

It should also be made clear that within a single heaven, each of the Three Realms has its corresponding position, layered above and below. Their arrangement differs from the configuration on earth. If the above is treated as the below, the order of above and below is reversed, and the Four Heavenly Emperors are omitted as a result. There would then be no way to discuss the realms of Donghua, Nanji, Xiling, and Beizhen. Where, then, should they be placed?

The Middle Four Heavens

The Illustrated Map of the Three Realms says that the thirty-two heavens are arranged in sequence, each with four directions and each level containing four heavens. The levels adjoin one another, their Qi passing from one to the next as they rise like a whirlwind. Each heaven is complete in itself; there are no additional eight directions.

Some may ask what this account is based on. What kind of weather prevails in the heavens? If heaven has no eight directions, it cannot correspond to Earth’s Nine Palaces. Without a true center, there can be no central Big Dipper. If there are no Nine Qi above and no eight directions below, where do the “thirty-five divisions” and the “Eight Radiances” come from? The human body, too, is said to contain the “Three Ones” and the “Three Origins”; the Nine Palaces unite as one, and within them dwell such divine beings as the Emperor One and the Great Unity Emperor. How, then, can one say that the Three Realms contain neither the Three Origins nor the thirty-six emperors? If there is no “Three Ones” at the center of the Three Realms, where do the “Three Ones” within the human body come from?

Earlier scholars saw that the Scripture of Hidden Annotations and Precious Instructions says the Dark Steps and the Fuxi Terrace lie in the northeast, in the Gui sector, a place called the Dark Heaven. The Heavenly Steps begin at the Fuxi Terrace, wind upward along an edge shaped like a ram’s horn, then enter the Brahma Realm and ultimately reach the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the three pure realms in Daoism). After reading this passage, they mistakenly said that the four heavens in the Three Realms also lie in the northeast, in the Gui sector, and called them the Dark Heaven. Since the Fuxi Terrace is in the northeast, in the Gui sector, does that mean the Three Realms as a whole are there too? If not, this account is a misunderstanding and a mistaken interpretation of the scripture.

Here, “Fuxi” refers to the thirty-six heavens adjoining one another above and below, with a Heavenly Gate set between them. All of this is connected to the central Big Dipper and its celestial pivot. The twenty-eight lunar lodges in the four directions rise level by level, which is why this is called “Fuxi.” Thus the scripture says that the Dark Steps and the Fuxi Terrace are in the Dark Heaven of the northeast. It also says that each of the thirty-two heavens above and below contains seven lunar lodges, and that each of the four directions is itself called a “heaven.”

The “four heavens” here refer to the Qi of the four directions: the east is the Blue Heaven of Nine Qi, the south the Cinnabar Heaven of Three Qi, the west the White Heaven of Seven Qi, and the north the Dark Heaven of Five Qi. Each direction has a heaven of Qi, so they are called the “four heavens”; this does not mean that four additional layers of heaven exist beyond the celestial realm. The Scripture on the Salvation of Humanity says: “Circling the Dipper and passing through Ji, traversing the Five Constants in their cycles, the thirty-five divisions bring the total Qi to the Primordial Origin.” This, too, shows that each of the thirty-six heavens contains seven lunar lodges and thirty-two emperors. The Great Emperor Heaven of Yellow Zeng lies in the Ji lodge, at the eastern point of origin.

In the heavens, the Northern Dipper and the Asterism of the Winnowing Basket both lie at the northernmost edge. Thus the scripture says that the Northern Dipper moves past the Winnowing Basket and courses through the measures of the Five Constants. This shows that the Three Realms together contain thirty-six heavens, each with a central Northern Dipper, the Pivot of the Jade Axis. The twenty-eight lunar lodges in the four directions each correspond to a celestial Jade Pivot and Jade Balance.

The twenty-eight lodges support and move with one another in the heavens. They connect above to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and link the heavenly passes above and below. They do not form another layer of heaven, rising upward like a whirlwind shaped like a ram’s horn. The scripture therefore explains that each of the Three Primordials governs the eight directions. The heavens have nine kinds of Qi (vital energy); the Nine Palaces above and below align with the central palace. This arrangement is what is called the Three Realms.

If the thirty-two heavens within the Three Realms are also arranged in the four directions and the four intermediate directions, where then are the heavenly passes above and below, and the Nine Palaces? Such an arrangement would lose its order, like the Nine Palaces on earth. Therefore, the “Three Realms” described here are not the same as the single layer of heaven commonly spoken of.

Scriptures such as the Chart of the Yellow River and the Five Refinements say that a single layer of heaven has twenty-eight lunar lodges, with seven in each direction. Within the Three Realms there are also thirty-two heavens, distributed across the four directions and the four intermediate directions. But if the heavenly passes above and below and the Nine Palaces were arranged according to this account, they too would be as disorderly as the Nine Palaces on earth. Thus, the arrangement of a single layer of heaven differs from that of the Three Realms.

Another account groups the twenty-eight lunar lodges of a single layer of heaven into four sets of seven, one set for each direction, and takes them to represent the Three Realms. Beyond the twenty-eight lodges are four remaining stars, located above the central Northern Dipper. It also divides the Three Realms into four groups of seven positions, arranged along the sides as the “Mysterious Enclosure,” to accommodate the twenty-eight heavens of the Three Realms. Four additional heavens are placed beside them, together called the Four Persons. In this way, the twenty-eight lodges of a single layer of heaven and the twenty-eight heavens and Four Persons of the Three Realms form thirty-two positions, but their arrangements differ, as do the sizes of the areas they encompass.

As for how a single layer of heaven corresponds to the four directional heavens on earth, the Scripture of the Perfected Ones’ Oral Instructions says that within the Central Dipper are the positions of five Dippers: Yangming is the Eastern Dipper, Danyuan the Southern Dipper, Yinjing the Western Dipper, and the North Pole the Northern Dipper; one star of the Heavenly Pass serves as the Central Dipper. It also says that above Xuanming, the Perfected Ones hold that…

The constellations are regarded as the central pivot of the Northern Dipper system. Above them lies the mysterious and remote celestial realm. The perfected ones say that a day is divided into thirty-five levels; ascending further reaches the celestial realm where the Emperor of the Upper Origin resides, making thirty-six levels in all.

The ranks named together in the scripture as “the four persons of the upper realm” correspond, according to such scriptures as the Red Writ and the Register of the Nine Heavens, to the thirty-two heavens, which are separated vertically and each have their own Qi and destiny—their own celestial level and course of fortune. Add the Four Brahma Heavens, and together they are called the Thirty-Six Emperors of the Three Realms. This account differs from the view that arranges the heavens side by side in the four directions of a single heaven.

The Diagram of the Three Pure Ones says that the Dark Qi, Primordial Qi, and Primal Qi formed the three realms and three heavens. The nine heavens described in the Scripture of the Generation of Spirits lie beneath these three heavens, with three heavens assigned to each realm. Another account selects twenty-seven heavens from the thirty-six heavens of the four directions and places them beneath the nine heavens, assigning three to each and combining them into nine heavens by the arrangement of “one single and three paired.”

But with this arrangement, it is difficult to explain whether each of the nine heavens again gives rise to heavenly realms from the eight directions, how the upper and lower levels correspond, and where each is established. For this reason, the Scripture of the Great Cavern says that the Dark, Primordial, and Primal Qi each give rise to twenty-four emperors from the eight directions, while each of the nine palaces gives rise to seventy-two palaces from the eight directions. This shows that the nine heavens described in the Scripture of the Generation of Spirits do not follow the “one single and three paired” arrangement. The nine Qi permeate the gates of heaven and connect the upper and lower realms, embodying the generative transformation of the Three Caverns—the three systems of Daoist scriptures and teachings—and thus the Three Lights are established. Each of the Three Vehicles divides into three, thereby establishing the Nine Emperors. The nine Qi transform and each give rise to three heavens, collectively called the three realms and thirty-six heavens.

If all nine heavens are arranged beneath the three heavens according to the “one single and three paired” pattern, their upper and lower levels overlap, leaving only six layers of heaven. If heaven were formed from accumulated Yin Qi, six layers might be explained. But heaven is formed from accumulated Yang Qi, so it should have nine layers. In that case, the nine ranks would not correspond to either arrangement of layers. And where, then, should the upper and lower nine palaces be placed? For this reason, the Red Book says that heaven has nine gates, and that the three Qi revolve through nine successive manifestations. This shows that the Three Primordials and Nine Heavens should form nine layers of heaven.

The Dao De Jing says, “The Dao gives birth to One.” “One” here refers to Primordial Qi and also to the Primordial Heavenly Worthy, who manifests in response through Primordial Qi. From this wondrous One arise the Three Caverns. The Five Talismans of the Numinous Treasure Scripture says that the Three Caverns correspond to the Heavenly Worthy’s three heavens of the Three Dukes; the three Qi then give rise to nine Qi, which correspond to the Heavenly Worthy’s nine heavens of the Nine Ministers. The nine Qi each give rise in turn to three heavens, thereby establishing three sets of nine, or twenty-seven ranks. Above, these twenty-seven ranks are called the Heavenly Worthy’s twenty-seven heavens of the Great Officers. To bring these twenty-seven ranks into correspondence with the three Primordials of the Nine Heavens, each Primordial has twelve ranks; together, these make the thirty-six heavens of the Three Caverns.

The text says that the Three Pure Ones descend and give rise to the three realms, generating innumerable levels downward from the eight directions. Their number reaches “five hundred million, fifty-five thousand, five hundred and fifty-five hundred million,” and so on without end. All things within the three realms receive their endowment from the Three Pure Ones and are established level by level according to this structure. That is what this passage means.

The “side-by-side alignment” discussed here has another meaning as well. The Scripture of the Nine Ways of Returning to the Origin and Flying Through the Heavens in the Cavern of Truth says that among the heavens of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), there are thirty-six thousand ranks of celestial offices. They include officials, dukes and ministers, senior officials, marquises and earls, and others. Their administrative offices are arranged in the same way and govern one another. These orders descend and take form throughout the Three Realms, extending across the heavens and the human world. Celestial beings and all things receive this Qi (vital energy), each embodying a portion of the “wondrous unity of the Supreme Dao.”

These ranks include the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, the twenty-seven Senior Officials, and the eighty-one Primordial Officers.

The 120 commanderies, 1,200 counties, 12,000 townships, and 36,000 pavilions all receive the same kind of Qi. Some arise on their own, while others combine with one another. In this way, they become the foundation from which divine beings are nurtured and all things are transformed into existence. The Nine Heavens are not arranged alongside them in sequence.

Different accounts of the diagrams of the Three Realms have circulated. One account is inaccurate: it claims that after the Three Pure Ones’ Nine Qi descend, they transform into one heaven within each of the Three Realms, while the remaining Qi take on nine different colors. Another account is also flawed. It claims that the Three Pure Ones’ Nine Qi each form a heaven of their own, then descend to become the Three Realms. In fact, they ascend to receive the source Qi. The earlier accounts did not explain how the five colors arise together.

Thus the Lingbao Jing says: beginning with the “Great Treasure,” the first descent is to “Wondrous Unity.” Wondrous Unity begins with the “Origin”; the Origin gives rise to the “Mysterious”; and from “Three,” all things are brought forth. Everything receives its inheritance through this successive unfolding.

The scriptures Jiutian Shengshen, Xuanmen Lun, and others describe the generation and transformation of Qi as follows:

At the beginning, “chaotic Qi” emerges from chaos. It is azure in color, forms the Heaven of Boundless Yudan, and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the highest class among the sages of the Three Heavens. Chaotic Qi then gives rise to “cavernous Qi,” which is scarlet. It forms the Heaven of Highest Meditation and Goodness and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the middle class among the sages of the Three Heavens. Cavernous Qi then gives rise to “vast Qi,” which is blue-green. It forms the Heaven of Brahma’s Supervision and Suyan and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the lowest class among the sages of the Three Heavens.

Next, primordial Qi gives rise to “min Qi,” which is green. It forms the Heaven of Silent Doushu and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the highest class among the perfected of the Three Heavens. Min Qi then gives rise to “scenic Qi,” which is yellow. It forms the Heaven of Untroubled Joy and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the middle class among the perfected of the Three Heavens. Scenic Qi then gives rise to “hidden Qi,” which is white. It forms the Heaven of Cavernous Origin, Transformation, and Responsive Sound and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the lowest class among the perfected of the Three Heavens.

Then, mysterious Qi gives rise to “blending Qi,” which is purple. It forms the Heaven of Spiritual Transformation and Brahma’s Assistants and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the highest class among the immortals of the Three Heavens. Blending Qi then gives rise to “flaming Qi,” which is blue-green. It forms the Heaven of Lofty Void and Pure Clarity and brings forth three grades of divine ranks belonging to the middle class among the immortals of the Three Heavens.

Next, the Qi of Rong arose from the Qi of Yan. The Qi of Yan was jade green and formed the High, Empty, Pure, and Clear Heaven. Beneath it were three more heavens, representing the three ranks of middle immortals. Later, the Qi of Yan arose from the Qi of Yan. This Qi was black and formed the Heaven of No Thought, No Bondage, and No Desire. Beneath it were three more heavens, representing the three ranks of lower immortals. Thus, each of these nine kinds of primordial Qi had its own luminous color. Together they formed the Three Realms and thirty-six heavens above. The Qi of the Three Realms then spread downward, giving rise to the three worlds; descending from the eight directions of the Three Pure Ones, it went on to form the various heavens within those three worlds.

Therefore, the Scripture of the Nine Heavens says: “Beginning with the Heaven of Brahma-Practice and Great Clarity above, the nine kinds of primordial Qi of the Three Realms descended and formed the three worlds. Each level of heaven had its own color and came into being by receiving the corresponding Qi; at the beginning, the five colors were not mixed together.” The reason that accounts now in circulation have become confused can thus be understood.

The Scripture of the Inner Sounds of the Various Heavens says that the thirty-two heavens were all formed from five kinds of Qi in combination. The Qi of the empty void congealed into written forms; these writings are the Five True Writings, the Daoist term for the true writings of the heavens. The Five True Writings generated the five directions, ran through the Five Phases, corresponded to the five organs, and combined into the two Qi of Yin and Yang. The four seasons also arose through this process of generation and transformation. These correspondences arose from the combination of the Qi of the five directions; they did not come from nine kinds of Qi mixing to produce five colors. It is therefore mistaken to combine the five colors into clouds and make them intermingle, coil around one another, and mass together.

The Final Four Heavens

Earlier accounts call the “Four Brahma Heavens” the “Heavens of the Four Classes of People.” But according to the Scripture of the Genealogy of the Nine Heavens, the Three Realms developed in response to change into thirty-two heavens. Beginning with the Brahma-Practice Great Purity Heaven above, Qi gradually flowed downward, first arising within chaos. Chaos was blue-gray and gave rise to twenty-two thousand streams of blue-gray Qi. Once this Qi had cleared and condensed, it formed the Heaven of Jiayi. This shows that the Heaven of Jiayi is the first and highest of the Heavens of the Four Classes of People. These heavens are neither the Four Brahma Heavens of Great Purity nor the Four Heavens of the Heavenly Kings.

“Emperor” here means one who rules over the eight directions; only upon reaching this level is one called an emperor. As for the Great Void, Supreme, Ever-Transmuting Heaven; the Great Luminous Jade, Lofty, Ascendant Heaven; the Dragon-Transformation Brahma-Crossing Heaven; and the Great Ultimate, Equalizing-Peace Heaven of Jiayi, do they all belong to the same heaven? The Northern Heaven of Five Qi, the Dark Heaven, corresponds to the light of the four directions, and each direction is itself divided into eight lesser heavens.

Thus, the thirty-two heavens of the Three Realms overlap above and below. Generated from the categories of the Three Origins, they may also be said to have originally been a single heaven. They are then distributed among the four directions, each occupying its proper position and arranged in nine tiers. When set in correspondence, the heavens above and below connect with one another. The Eastern Heaven of Nine Qi, the Azure Heaven, lies in the Eastern Florescent Heaven of the Three Realms; the Southern Heaven of Three Qi, the Vermilion Heaven, lies in the Southern Pole Heaven; the Western Heaven of Seven Qi, the Pure Heaven, lies in the Western Numinous Heaven; and the Northern Heaven of Five Qi, the Dark Heaven, lies in the Northern True Heaven.

The Scripture of the Five Talismans says that when they rise, they become the Five Clouds, and when they transform, they become the Five Qi. The Lingbao Scripture also says that the five scriptures give birth to Heaven and Earth and nurture the spirits everywhere. They are the mysterious source of the Three Realms, enabling Heaven and Earth to endure, guarding the Five Qi in the numinous halls, and governing the passage of kalpas through the three gates. We can therefore see that, in the upper register, the five scriptures correspond to the positions of the Four Heavenly Kings above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). In the middle register, they correspond to the celestial sovereigns of the four directions in the Three Realms: these are the four Brahma heavens of Great Purity, comprising eight heavens in each direction, with a total of thirty-two imperial lords and eight progenitors of the heavens. In the lower register, they correspond to the twenty-eight lunar mansions and thirty-two emperors within a single heaven. They are also arrayed in the four directions, each with nine tiers; this may likewise be described as the five pure lands of the four directions within a single heaven.

According to works such as the Shangqing Scripture and the Treatise on the Mysterious Gate, above the Three Realms are eight tiers of heaven called the “Eight Pure Heavens.” Only after the Three Pure Ones sent down their Qi did the Three Realms come into being. Among the Eight Pure Heavens is the Great Purity Heaven; more specifically, the Brahma-Practice Heaven of Great Purity gave rise to the four Heavens of the Four Classes of People: Jiayi, Dragon Transformation, Great Luminous, and Ever-Transmuting. The Scripture of the Dharma Wheel says that those who transcend the three nets and eight difficulties, and escape the realm of extinction, are like those who shed their birth membranes; they can then see the Eight Pure Heavens in a clear, open expanse. The Four Brahma Heavens lie clearly beneath the Three Pure Ones and at the summit of the Three Realms; above them are the Eight Pure Heavens. When the Three Realms reach the end of a kalpa, twenty-eight of their heavens will be destroyed. But the Eight Pure Heavens and the eight heavens including those of the Four Classes of People remain untouched by kalpa destruction. Hence they are called the “Eight Pure Heavens of the Three Realms.”

Some say that, within the Three Realms above this point, light exists on its own: these heavens shine naturally without the aid of the sun or moon. According to this account, the eight heavens above belong to the pure heavens, and the Four Classes of beings in the celestial realm are all included within them. These eight heavens will never face a kalpa and be destroyed, which is why they are called the “Eight Pure Heavens of the Three Realms.”

Others say this is merely a corrupted account, an extravagant claim made without warrant. Each person should examine the matter carefully; once it has been verified, doubts can be dispelled. Why speak of the “Three Pure Ones and the Three Realms”? The states of ordinary people and sages differ in rank; being and nonbeing are not the same, and activity and stillness each have their distinctions. The Realm of Desire has six levels of heaven, where beings manifest six kinds of desire. Above it is the Realm of Form, with eighteen levels of heaven. The lower six heavens gradually relinquish desire and turn instead to craving for forms; the middle six gradually relinquish pleasure in forms.

As one rises further into the Six Heavens—the six levels within the Realm of Form—both form and mind gradually become purified through cultivation. Then one enters the Formless Realm. The four subtle substances that make up the body of form, along with the many sensations arising from form, sound, fragrance, and taste, are gradually relinquished. Consciousness, too, is gradually let go; all dependencies and attachments are forgotten. One then ascends into emptiness and enters a realm beyond form and appearance, free from birth and death.

The highest realms of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) are subtle and wondrous, beyond comprehension. There, precious light of nine colors shines without relying on the sun or moon. There is neither day nor night, and nothing comes or goes. As for the human bodies within the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—which arise through the convergence of causes and conditions, the Scripture of the Cavern of Truth (Dongzhen Jing) says: In Heaven there is one Qi, from which the five Qi arise. The five chapters of true writing join together to form the body of life. Yin and Yang unite to form the body; the body is like a dwelling, the mind is its master, Shen is its root, and life arises through Shen’s responsive activity.

Thus Shen is lodged within the convergence of the five Qi, which together form consciousness. Shen also joins with Yin and Yang to form the hun and po souls. When a person’s six faculties of consciousness are pure, they respond by giving rise to six forms of wisdom. When the six desires are clouded and disturbed, one becomes mired in the six Dusts—form, sound, fragrance, taste, touch, and mental objects, which lead people to attachment. Therefore, when the physical body’s life ends, the Yang hun returns to Heaven and the Yin po returns to Earth. The po remains with the bones and becomes the master of the corpse. Shen receives all the transgressions and blessings accrued over a person’s life. It then takes up residence in a new life, responds to different Qi, and is reborn among the Four Births and Six Paths, the various forms of life and modes of rebirth. This process of being born in response to one’s affinities occurs both above and below Heaven, though the degrees of purity and turbidity differ.

Within the Three Realms, all beings born through transformation respond to Yin and Yang. And where there is Yin and Yang, how could there be no sun and moon? When immortals cultivate the Dao and attain the corresponding rank, they possess their own immortal radiance and need no help from the sun or moon. Their spiritual powers shine clearly and can be seen throughout the Three Realms. In realms still touched by desire for form and the burdens of worldly dust, however, the two luminaries, the sun and moon, nourish all things together. There are sun and moon, day and night, and the sun, moon, and stars shine upon the world. The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, the star groups that encircle the heavens, follow shifting courses; the constellations sometimes change position, and the celestial realms too have cycles of tribulation. Heaven and Earth alternate in recurring cycles, passing through the hundred-and-six cycles of cosmic change.

According to the Scripture of the Nine Heavens on the Generation of Life by the Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Jiutian Shengshen Jing), the sun, moon, and stars, Yin-Yang, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), the people, and all things are generated by Heaven and Earth. From this we can understand that the sun and moon exist throughout the Three Realms.

According to the Mysterious and Wondrous Scripture (Xuanmiao Jing), the sun, moon, and stars, Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), as well as human beings and all things, are transformed through the Way of generation. From this we can understand that the sun and moon exist throughout the Three Realms: the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm.

The Mysterious and Wondrous Scripture also says that beyond the world we inhabit, above the worlds in all eight directions, are layers of Luotian, a level of the Daoist heavens, arranged one above another. There, too, are the sun, moon, five planets, and twenty-eight lunar lodges—the twenty-eight groups of stars by which the ancients divided the sky. Their celestial arrangement is identical to that of the heavens above Nantiān Xià Yànlì, with no difference between them.

According to the Treatise on the Gate of Mystery and the Great Cavern Scripture, perfected beings in different heavens use different names for the sun. The perfected beings of the Nine Heavens call it “Zhuoyao Luo”; those of the Three Heavens call it “Yuan Guang Wei”; in the Great Plain Heaven it is “Miao Jing Huang”; the perfected beings of Shangqing call it “Jiu Yao Sheng”; the immortals of Taiqing Heaven call it “Tai Ming”; in Taiji Heaven it is “Yuan Ming”; and in Yuxian Heaven it is “Wei Xuan.” The perfected beings of Donghua call it “Zi Yao Ming,” and also “Yuan Zhu,” “Shi Hui,” or “Tai Ming.” The sun is also called “Yu Yi,” and the moon “Jie Lin.” The light of the sun and moon also takes form atop the human head as the eyes. Thus the Scripture of Jade Capital Mountain says: “Between each lowering and raising of the gaze, visualize the Most High; the radiance of Hua Jing’s Qi blossoms from the Dantian. Look to the left and draw Yu Yi near; glance to the right and carry Jie Lin with you.” This describes using visualization in cultivation to draw the images of the sun and moon into the body. The people of Puming Heaven all have eyes, and the sun and moon in the Three Realms are likewise like human eyes.

The Diagram of the Three Realms says that at the center of the heavens in each realm stands Mount Kunlun, also called Mount Sumeru. This mountain is vast and towering, blocking the four quarters like a screen. The sun and moon circle around it, taking turns to create day and night. When the sun reaches the eastern region of Lu, …

In regions where the sun rises in different directions, when it reaches the south at noon, people in the Fuli realm think the sun has only just risen. When the sun is due south at noon, people in the Yeni realm likewise think it has only just risen. When the sun is due west at noon, people in the Yudan realm think the sun has only just risen; when it is due north at noon, people in the Eastern realm also think it has only just risen.

Although the positions of the stars associated with the four seasons now align, the lengths of day and night at the winter and summer solstices are not the same. If the sun traveled around a mountain, day and night should be equally long in all four directions. Since sunrise and sunset occur at different times in different places, this shows that no mountain peak blocks the sun. Its shape alone is hard to use as evidence, but we can also examine sunrise closely. If a mountain obscured the place where the sun rises, then by noon in the east the south should already be growing bright. And when the sun first rose in the south, its shape, reflected against the mountain, should resemble half a mirror standing upright.

Today, Mount Tai has a peak called Sun Viewing Peak. From afar, the sun just rising above the horizon looks like half a mirror appearing horizontally. This shows that the newly risen sun is not reflected by a mountain. Suppose the sun rises from the place of Mount Sumeru—the immense mountain at the center of the world in ancient cosmology—and the mountain is not tall enough to obscure it. Then we can know that the sun rises at the horizon.

Thus the Yizheng says: “A line is an imitation; to imitate is to take an image. The hexagram images imitate the images of Heaven, and so the line images are formed.” When the sun is below the horizon, it corresponds to the Mingyi hexagram of the Classic of Changes, which signifies light being injured. This is night, when Yang Qi descends and Yin Qi rises. When the sun climbs above the ground, Yang Qi rises and Yin Qi descends; thus the sun above the ground corresponds to the Jin hexagram, which signifies light advancing.

In the afternoon, as the sun gradually moves westward, Yin Qi is beginning to grow and Yang Qi to decline. This shows that Yin and Yang revolve like the celestial armillary sphere, bringing day and night into alternation. If the sun merely traveled around a mountain, the sphere’s motion would have to stop. Why, then, would the measured lengths of daylight differ from one direction to another?

In the second and eighth months, the lengths of day and night are roughly equal. In the other months, days and nights are longer or shorter, and they also differ between north and south.

At the winter solstice, the month marker (the calendar system that assigns months to the twelve Earthly Branches) is at the Zi position. The sun travels to its southernmost point, bringing the shortest day and longest night. The sun rises at the Xun position and sets at the Kun position. It travels leftward through the region of night. The nineteen positions in the three directions of the northwest and east are all in darkness. Divided into the five night watches, night covers these places. The Si, Bing, Wu, Ding, and Wei positions are in daylight. In other words, the three directions of the northwest and east are all in darkness, while only the south is in daylight. This shows that the differences between day and night caused by the sun and moon are not due to mountains blocking their light.

At the summer solstice, the month marker is at the Wu position. The sun travels to its northernmost point, bringing the shortest night and longest day. The sun rises at the Gen position and sets at the Qian position, moving leftward from Gen through the region of daylight. The nineteen positions in the three directions of the east, south, and west are all in daylight. Only the five northern positions—Hai, Ren, Zi, Gui, and Chou—are in darkness. This again shows that the alternation of day and night is not caused by mountains blocking the sun and moon.

On the day of the summer solstice, the sun rises at Gen and sets at Qian, while the east, south, and west are all in daylight at once. On the day of the winter solstice, it rises at Xun and sets at Kun, while the northwest and the three directions of the east are all in darkness at once. Since the sun travels around the mountains, each direction in turn becomes bright. In light of this, is the sunlight described in this section really blocked by mountains?

Furthermore, if the sun rises at Gen and sets at Qian at the summer solstice, then Mount Kunlun should be near the Zi position. The sun is already far from the mountain; it should not be farther still. Why, then, do some people raise the objection that the sun is blocked by mountains? If Mount Kunlun extended northward for hundreds of thousands of li, it would no longer lie to the east. Yet when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, the southern Mao region is said to be where the sun has just risen…

It is also said: When the Bright Moon “is established at Zi” (the month marker falls at the Zi position, indicating the monthly course marked by the Earthly Branches), it is the winter solstice. The sun rises in the Xun direction (southeast) and sets in the Kun direction (southwest). Since Mount Kunlun is where the sun shines, it should be moved to the southern Wu position. If the people of this place are not in the south, they should live north of Mount Kunlun. Since this mountain is regarded as the center of Heaven and Earth, its position should not move. If it does not move, that means the sun and moon do not shine upon this mountain.

It is also said: The course of the four seasons and the paths illuminated by the sun and moon should likewise be determined by the southern Wu position. If this place is not in the south, people should live north of Mount Kunlun. Since this mountain is the center of Heaven and Earth, its position should not move. If it does not move, that means the sun and moon do not shine upon this mountain.

The annual course of the four seasons corresponds to the cycle of the sun and moon’s conjunctions and is used to establish the Lülü (the twelve pitch standards used in antiquity to tune musical notes and mark the solar terms). Each month’s marker is paired with its corresponding “conjunction lodge” and deity name. The first month, established at Yin, conjoins with Hai and is called Zhengming, meaning “summoning all things and bringing them to light.” When the month marker is at Mao, the conjunction lodge is Tiankui; at Chen, Congkui; at Si, Chuansong; at Wu, Xiaoji; at Wei, Shengxian; at Shen, Taiyi; at You, Tiangang; at Xu, Taichong; at Hai, Gongcao; at Zi, Daji; and at Chou, Shenhou.

The month markers for the twelve months are each paired with their corresponding conjunction lodges and deities, and the order of the seasons is determined by means of the Xuanji Yuheng (an ancient instrument for observing celestial phenomena). The seven lodges in the four directions move in alternation through day and night. From this it follows that the Lülü should be the same throughout the world. The Lülü in the south likewise begin with the month marker at Zi and the conjunction lodge Daji, followed by the month marker at Chou and the conjunction lodge Shenhou, proceeding in the order of the twelve months.

Since the world is one and the same, the sky above its four directions is also one and the same and should not be divided by mountain ranges. Later, when the Eight Radiances (the celestial visions described in Daoist teaching) were expounded, the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, and stars) accorded with them as well. The Five Writings of the Perfected and the two forms of Yin and Yang are interconnected; all these matters appear in the “Jade Capital Flowing Radiance” section. When someone asked about the meaning of the scriptures, the answer explained their practical application.

Some have raised the question that this account rests on a single thing that lasts through 160 cycles. It also says that the Three Pure Ones send down their breaths, which pass through and sustain life, bringing peace to the western lands of the Rong; yet none of these claims is explained clearly. Some say that this “heaven” is an abode within the earthly realm; others say that it is a world formed by karmic retribution. Thus, nearby it does not belong to the Six Desire Heavens, while farther away it is not counted among the twenty-eight heavens of the Three Realms.

One level higher is the Great Sovereign Yellow-Tseng Heaven. The dwelling place of its celestial beings is called the Desire Realm, the lowest level of heaven. Some people of limited understanding ask on this basis: within the Three Realms, each of the three origins has twelve life-giving origins, making thirty-six in all; every heaven contains the Three Realms, and the forms of the heavens are alike in this respect. The Four Brahma Heavens and the Eight Pure Heavens lie above, while primordial Qi flows down through them. If this is an abode within the earthly realm, what other name of heaven does it have? If it is a world of karmic retribution, what breath formed it? What does it connect to above, at the pivot of the celestial movements, and what region does it govern below? To which tier of heaven do the earthly realm and the world of karmic retribution below it each belong?

“Heaven” means what is above, what is high. Because it extends broadly overhead and covers all things, it is called heaven. Earth lies below and supports all things with its solidity, so it is called earth. Heaven above and earth below each have distinct levels. Within one heaven, the upper region belongs to the Mysterious Pivot; above that heaven lies a still higher celestial realm. The celestial beings within this heaven are those of the Great Sovereign Yellow-Tseng Heaven.

Within the Three Realms, the five kinds of birth are alike, but each level of heaven contains two kinds of karmic retribution: good and evil. The lifespans attained through karma differ: those born from inferior karma live briefly, while the highest class of immortals can live for nine million years. The lifespans in the Pure Lands of the five directions are all fixed, and the immortal realms—such as cave chambers and empty palaces—also differ in rank. Immortals may pass a brief moment at leisure playing chess, while a long time has elapsed in the human world. In the tale of the woodcutter who climbed a mountain and met an immortal, only two days passed before he returned to the human world to find that more than two hundred years had gone by. The lifespans of the various kinds of immortals are described in detail in later chapters. Here, the text simply distinguishes the purity and defilement of the lower realms, and clearly explains their relative distance and rank: the Qi of the Three Pure Ones descends as primordial Qi, which in turn gives rise below to the forms of the Three Realms.

Immortals ascend to the rank of perfected sages by following the methods of practice appropriate to each of them. Although the immortal Way is rooted deep within the Three Realms, the Xiaomo Jing says that the exalted realm of the Three Pure Ones has thirty-six heavens, while below, the Three Realms also have thirty-six Heavenly Emperors. Even when the Three Realms reach the end of a kalpa and are consumed by its fire, the immortals of the Three Caverns—the perfected beings within Daoism’s Three Caverns scriptures and lineages—remain unaware of the conflagration.

From this we can see that good and evil coexist in the world under the same heavens: those who do good enjoy blessings and long life, while those who do evil suffer disgrace and meet an early end. The pure and the impure realms each have their own heavens and earths; on the vast earth and deep below it, too, there are people who cultivate the higher Way. The author first lists the twelve errors discussed above, explaining that careful examination makes the other principles clear, while a detailed study of the charts and registers reveals the essentials of entering the Way. What follows sets these points out one by one and answers the questions raised earlier.

The Four Brahma Heavens and the Thirty-Two Heavens of the Three Realms

The Most High says: The Desire Realm has six levels of heaven, in this order: first, the Great Sovereign Heaven of Yellow Zeng; second, the Great Bright Heaven of Jade Completion; third, the Clear and Bright Heaven of He Tong; fourth, the Mysterious Embryo Heaven of Universal Nourishment; fifth, the Origin Bright Heaven of Literary Manifestation; and sixth, the Seven Luminaries Heaven of Ma Yi.

These six heavens of the Desire Realm still have form, color, and desire. Male and female Yin-Yang energies unite, and beings are born from the womb. Because desire is their defining feature, this is called the “Desire Realm.”

The Second Heaven of the Realm of Form contains eighteen heavens. The seventh is called the Heaven of Emptiness Beyond the Balance, the eighth the Heaven of Supreme Ultimate Veiled in Obscurity, the ninth the Heaven of Red Radiance and Harmonious Yang, the tenth the Heaven of Mysterious Brightness and Reverent Splendor, the eleventh the Heaven of Luminous Brightness and Ancestral Fluttering, the twelfth the Heaven of Bamboo’s Fall and Imperial Eggplant, the thirteenth the Heaven of Empty Brightness and Hall of Radiance, the fourteenth the Heaven of Contemplative Brightness and Tranquil Uprightness, the fifteenth the Heaven of Mysterious Brightness and Reverent Celebration, the sixteenth the Heaven of Great Brilliance and Supreme Jade, the seventeenth the Heaven of Primordial Foundation and Vast Ascent, the eighteenth the Heaven of Great Peace and Imperial Cliffs, the nineteenth the Heaven of Manifest Stability and Supreme Wind, the twentieth the Heaven of Beginning Yellow and Filial Vastness, the twenty-first the Heaven of Great Yellow and Elderly Weight, the twenty-second the Heaven of Thoughtless River Journey, the twenty-third the Heaven of Upper Fold and Ruan Delight, and the twenty-fourth the Heaven of Unbounded Tan Vow.

These are the eighteen heavens of the Realm of Form. The scripture says that beings in the Realm of Form still have bodies, but no desires. Yin-Yang union does not occur there, and its inhabitants are born through transformation. They feed only on fragrance and no longer suffer the burdens of bodily waste. For this reason, it is called the “Realm of Form.”

The third level is the Realm Without Form, which contains four heavens: the twenty-fifth, the Heaven of Bright Courtyard and Lofty Crossing; the twenty-sixth, the Heaven of Deep Connection and Primordial Cavern; the twenty-seventh, the Heaven of Han’s Favor and Wondrous Accomplishment; and the twenty-eighth, the Heaven of Elegant Joy and Highest Prohibition.

These are the four heavens of the Realm Without Form. The scripture says that beings there have no desire for form, and their bodies are exceedingly subtle; they are also free of attachment to bodily form. Yet they still have bodies, which may extend for hundreds of li in length. They themselves are unaware of this, and only perfected beings (those who have attained the Dao through profound cultivation) can see them. For this reason, it is called the “Realm Without Form.”

The Four Brahma Heavens spoken of by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning are the twenty-ninth, the Heaven of Constant Blending; the thirtieth, the Heaven of Jade Sublimity; the thirty-first, the Heaven of Brahma’s Measure; and the thirty-second, the Heaven of Jia Yi.

Above the Four Heavens is the Heaven of Pure Practice. Above it lies the Upper Clarity Heaven, also called Jade Capital, Mysterious Metropolis, and Purple Tenuity Palace. These realms are governed by the Most High Lord of the Dao, a revered deity in Daoism, and are accessible to perfected beings who have attained the Dao.

Below the Four Heavens are twenty-eight heavens divided among the Three Realms, each ruled by an emperor. The inhabitants of the heavens are those who, while alive, upheld the highest wisdom and accumulated good deeds, thereby ascending to heaven. They have ample food and clothing without effort, can fly freely from place to place, and live in ease and joy. Yet they remain subject to birth and death, and their lifespans vary. The inhabitants of the lowest heaven live for ninety thousand years; the lifespan increases with each higher heaven.

An Overview of the Five Directions of Heaven and Earth

The Scripture of Hidden Origins and Inner Writings on the Chapter of Foreign Realms says: “The five directions of heaven and earth each have forces that regulate the Qi of hardness and softness, keeping heaven and earth from collapsing. Twenty billion myriad li beneath the ground lies a moist layer. Twenty billion myriad li farther down is the Marsh of Golden Grain; another twenty billion myriad li below that is the Marsh of Diamond Iron; and another twenty billion myriad li down is the Water Marsh. Eighty billion myriad li beneath the Water Marsh lies the Great Wind Marsh. Another five hundred and twenty billion myriad li down is the framework that holds heaven and earth together and keeps them from sinking. The sun, moon, and stars can move because wind bears them aloft. If practitioners of the Dao do not understand the depths and forms of the layers beneath the ground, they will be like the Five Emperors, able only to manifest their forms in foreign lands.

“The East is called Fuyudai. It lies ninety thousand li away, and its farthest reaches are the Ruins of Haolin. The sounds in its land are inscribed as ming-he…”

In the east, ninety thousand li away, beyond the reaches of the Wildwood Waste, lies the kingdom of Fuyudai. Its name in foreign speech is the kingdom of Heluoti. The land is evenly shaped and round, and its surface gleams like jade ointment. It has no hills and extends nine hundred thousand li in every direction. Its people stand two zhang tall and live for four hundred years.

The kingdom has six kinds of inscribed vocal sounds, classifications established by the High and Supreme Primordial Qi for foreign peoples of the Hulao kind. The High and Supreme One often chants these sounds to teach the Hulao, showing them that foreign lands, too, have a Way of immortality. The people all bow and recite these sounds, and so they live for four hundred years without dying before their time. If practitioners learn the colors of the foreign lands and regularly chant these six sounds, they will receive signs that immortal officials of the Hulao kind are protecting them. After nine years, they will naturally be able to travel through the kingdom of Heluoti, converse with the Hulao, transform and ascend by flight, and roam the farthest reaches of the eastern realm.

In the south, three hundred thousand li away, beyond the reaches of the Dongyang Wilds, lies the kingdom of Yanfuli. Its name in foreign speech is the kingdom of Yishapeng. The land is flat and vast, without rises or dips, and its surface is cinnabar-colored. It extends eight hundred and ten thousand li in every direction.

Its people stand two zhang and four chi tall and live for three hundred and sixty years. The kingdom has six kinds of inscribed vocal sounds, classifications established by the High and Supreme One for foreign peoples of the Yue Lao kind. The High and Supreme One often chants these sounds to teach the Yue Lao, showing them that their own land has a Way of immortality. The people all bow and recite these sounds, and so they live for three hundred and sixty years without dying before their time. If practitioners learn the colors of the foreign lands and regularly chant these six sounds, they will receive signs that immortal officials of the Yue Lao kind are protecting them. After nine years, they will naturally be able to travel through the kingdom of Yishapeng, converse with the Yue Lao, transform and enter the Cinnabar Palace, and fly through the Dongyang realm in the south.

The western land of Kuyani lies seven hundred thousand li from here, at the end of the Ridge of Haosu. Its people call their country “Niwilüna.” The land has many high hills and meets the Western Gate of Heaven. Its soil is pure white as jade, and it stretches 680,000 li from east to west. The people there stand sixteen chi tall and live for six hundred years.

The country has an inscription of six sounds, recited in six kinds of voice. The High One placed it among the foreign tribes of the Dilo. The High One often sings these sounds, teaching the Dilo that this country has a teaching of immortality. Everyone in the land pays reverence and chants these sounds, and so they live for six hundred years without dying before their time. If a practitioner understands the colors of the foreign lands and regularly chants and cultivates, they can receive the protection of the immortal officials of the Dilo. After nine years of practice, they will naturally be able to travel to Niwilüna, speak with the immortal officials of the Dilo, fly through the open sky, and explore the Ridge of Haosu.

The northern land of Yudan lies five hundred thousand li from here, at the end of the Court of Shuyin. Its people call their country “Xuntaluo.” The land is flat and open, with long-flowing waters and dark, moist soil. It stretches 580,000 li from east to west. The people there stand twelve chi tall and live for three hundred years.

This country also has an inscription of six sounds, which the High One placed among the foreign tribes of the Qianglao. The High One often sings these sounds, teaching the Qianglao that this country has a teaching of immortality. Everyone in the land pays reverence and chants these sounds, and so they live for three hundred years without dying before their time. If a practitioner understands the colors of the foreign lands and regularly chants and cultivates, they can receive the protection of the immortal officials of the Qianglao. After nine years of practice, they will naturally be able to travel to Xuntaluo, speak with the immortal officials of the Qianglao, fly through the open sky, and feast in the Court of Shuyin.

Above the Nine Heavens, in a realm of clear, empty brightness, there is a place called the “Land of Emptiness, Inscribed with the Primordial Essence of Azure Chaos and Natural Spontaneity.” There are no colors, forms, bodies, or shadows there. The world is made of azure Qi, extending upward without limit and encompassing the heavens on every side. The High Jade Emperor and the myriad sacred sovereigns and perfected beings of Heaven all receive the root of life from this place. Their lifespans are immeasurable, reckoned only in kalpas, the longest spans of time.

Within this realm of emptiness are also sounds known as the “Six Inscribed Tones.” The Primordial Beginning, the Daoist deity Yuanshi Tianzun, classified them among the “Teachings of the True Sovereign and Natural Spontaneity.” The exalted ones chant these tones to extend the lives of the assembled immortals and to help them understand the immeasurable truths contained within the mysterious emptiness. The Jade Emperor and the myriad sacred sovereigns and perfected beings in this land all bow and chant these tones, thereby attaining immeasurable longevity.

Those who study and cultivate the Way, if they understand the realm of emptiness and chant and practice these tones, can summon the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, as well as the Five Emperors of the five directions, to their place of cultivation, where they will impart wondrous spiritual tones. After nine years of cultivation, they will be able to ride the floating clouds and ascend into the great empyrean of Jade Clarity.

The China described in this scripture—a sacred realm—lies beneath an immense wind-filled marsh, 52 billion li above the earth. It supports the foundations of the earth and keeps it from falling; its soil is the color of the essence of gold. Its name is commemorated in six sounds: “Land of Boundless Treasure and Truth in Great Harmony.” Mount Kunlun, the sacred mountain at the center, stands at its very heart.

China is also another name for one of the heavens. There stands the Palace of Pearls and Jewels in the Mysterious Garden, a lofty place that reaches the heavens and serves as a residence for the perfected immortals who soar through the air. China extends 12 billion li in every direction. Its people are nine feet tall. They all practice daoyin—methods of breath regulation and bodily stretching for health—and may live as long as 1,200 years.

The six sounds inscribed in the country’s name serve as its mark; they are the rank that the Most High established for China. The Jade Emperor, Lord of the Most High, chants these sounds to teach China’s elders, so they know that their land has a teaching of immortality. The people all practice the Way of Highest Clarity, and perform rites and chant the six sounds. In this way they can live to 1,200 years without suffering a sudden or premature death.

If practitioners understand the character of China’s land, chant the six sounds, and cultivate themselves accordingly, they can receive the protection of the immortal officials of Canglao. After nine years, they will naturally be able to speak with Canglao, perceive the vast expanse of space, and ascend to Highest Clarity.

The inner inscriptions of the heavens and the thirty-six kinds of sounds within the Nine Earths have existed in the numinous void together with the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. They take their names from what arises spontaneously, appear between the Nine Mysteries, and spread outward to foreign lands, where they become the thirty-six kinds of sounds. Heaven and Earth each have thirty-six levels: above are thirty-six Heavenly Kings, corresponding to thirty-six realms; below are thirty-six Earth Emperors, corresponding to the thirty-six heavens. The Heavenly Kings govern the true Dao, while the Earth Emperors oversee the affairs of immortals.

If cultivators do not know the inner sounds of the celestial realm, the Heavenly Kings will not enter their names in the register. If they do not know the sounds of the underworld, the Earth Emperors will not erase their traces, and they will be unable to enter the immortal realm. If they can see these written forms and receive the corresponding oral instructions and methods of sound, the Heavenly Kings will watch over and protect them in the unseen world, while the Seven Sages will record their deeds in writing. The Western Earth Emperor oversees the registers of immortals; the numinous tortoise of the West confirms their names; and Donghua, the Eastern Immortal Realm, records them. The Earth Emperor erases cultivators’ bodily traces, causing their footprints to sink into the Nine Yin, the depths of the underworld, and recommends them for entry into Shangqing, the higher immortal realm. The Five Spirits reverently guard them, and the worlds of the ten directions support and welcome them. Thus cultivators may journey through the Six Realms, pacify all fierce spirits, defeat the dangers posed by weapons, and bind the celestial demons.