《上清洞真元經五籍符》

The fourth section of the Shangqing Dongzhen Yuanjing Wuji Fu (Shangqing Cavern of Perfection's Primordial Scripture of Five Registers Talismans) describes a longevity practice involving communication with the Five Great Deities of Taiyi (the supreme Daoist deities) through five specific talismans:

Methods for Using the Five Talismans

During one's birth year, birth month, and birth day (dates corresponding to one's astrological stems and branches), practitioners employ five talismans in these ways:

• Writing all five talismans on brocade pouches to be worn constantly for longevity protection
• Alternatively, swallowing the talisman paper while facing the Emperor's direction during auspicious hours (on one's birth day), reciting the invocation: "May the Five Deities of Taiyi record my birth, granting me lifespan equal to heaven and earth. May the Imperial Lord sustain me through these talismans, preventing decline."

The most potent times for use are the nights of the fifth day of the fifth month, seventh day of the seventh month, and ninth day of the ninth month.

Talisman Crafting Specifications

• The five talismans require distinct materials:
• White paper with azure characters (written in orpiment)
• White paper with cinnabar characters
• Three additional Taiyi treasure talismans (for governing the three Hun-souls and seven Po-souls, summoning the Imperial Lord, and resolving karmic obstructions)
• At solar terms (such as the Beginning of Spring), the "Imperial Lord Summoning Talisman" must be inscribed with cinnabar on white paper precisely at noon, accompanied by specific mantras when ingested.

Theoretical Foundations

These talismans contain the essential Qi of the Three Supreme Mysterious Imperial Lords (highest Daoist deities), functioning through:

• Stabilizing the soul (the "Purple Chamber" refers to the Dantian energy center)
• Harmonizing the body's spiritual energy ("twelve nodes" denote the twelve primary meridians)
• Unblocking the Three Passes (key junctures along the Governing and Conception Vessels) and Twelve Knots (meridian blockages)

The text emphasizes strict adherence to the scripture's methods, as alternative versions prove ineffective.

Special Procedures

The Knot-Releasing Talisman must be written on the inner white membrane of bamboo stalks, whose hollow segments symbolize unobstructed meridians. Three talismans are swallowed during one's birth day or solar terms while facing one's astrologically determined direction.

(Note: The character "䰟" is an archaic form of "Hun" (ethereal soul), while "𩲸" is a variant of "Po" (corporeal soul).)