《無上玄元三天玉堂大法》Vol. 17

This reveals the esoteric principles of Daoism's "Divine Tiger Summoning" method. The Northern Dipper Star Lord (a Daoist deity governing souls) holds dominion over human spirits, containing profound mysteries at the core of soul retrieval. Yet most practitioners who frequently employ this method rarely achieve true efficacy, as they focus solely on ritual documents while neglecting its essential techniques.

Here we specifically establish the "Summoning Chapter" method, enabling talismans (Fulu) to swiftly resonate with and summon departed souls, producing immediate results. Although many versions of the Divine Tiger Jade Slips (a type of talisman) circulate in the world, what we transmit here are deeper secrets—their subtleties beyond ordinary comprehension.

Regarding the symbolism of the "Divine Tiger" ritual: Sages employ the tiger to summon souls because the Yin position (northeast) is regarded in Daoism as the Ghost Gate, with the tiger serving as this direction's emblem. Thus, the tiger's image represents summoning power. Today, the altar officer (the presiding Daoist priest) oversees the Divine Tiger Bureau for this very reason.

Without understanding the mysteries within the Dark Profundity (referring to the underworld), the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and humanity) remain chaotic, making it difficult to summon spirits, and the underworld bureaucracy will not comply promptly. Once truly mastered, this method reveals stark differences from common rituals in the world.

Below are listed the names and duties of the Divine Tiger Dark Profundity Inner Bureau's divine officers (a specialized underworld institution for soul retrieval):

• Divine Tiger Reverse-Birth Dark Bureau Jade Maiden Jiang Renkui
• Divine Tiger Purple Origin Lady, Dark Profundity Summoning Inner Bureau Jade Maiden Wei Ziran
• Dark Profundity Summoning Inner Bureau Numinous Official Cui Hao
• Divine Tiger Male Left Jade Registry Officer He ▲ (overseeing left-side affairs)
• Divine Tiger Female Right Martial Phoenix Officer Qiao ▲ (overseeing right-side affairs)
• Divine Tiger Inner Bureau Soul-Retrieving Record-Keeper Numinous Official Li Youjun (managing registers of departed souls)
• Dark Profundity Inner Bureau Heavenly Path Soul-Retrieving Emissary Gao Long (responsible for heavenly realm souls)
• Dark Profundity Inner Bureau Human Path Soul-Retrieving Emissary Ma Zheng (responsible for human realm souls)
• Dark Profundity Inner Bureau Divine Path Soul-Retrieving Emissari Xue Yan (responsible for divine realm souls)
• Dark Profundity Inner Bureau Hell Path Soul-Retrieving Emissary Lei Fei (responsible for hell-bound souls)
• Divine Tiger Inner Bureau Hungry Ghost Path Soul-Retrieving Emissary Zhang Shouhe (responsible for hungry ghost realm souls)
• Divine Tiger Inner Bureau Untimely Death Path Soul-Retrieving Emissary Zhao Gongming (responsible for those who died unnaturally)

These divine officers differ from the regular functionaries serving at the ancestral altar (Daoist ritual platform). They hold specialized roles in soul retrieval, hence their inclusion in the "Summoning Chapter."

This records the divine system and talismanic rituals used in the Daoist "Divine Tiger Soul Retrieval" ceremony. The practice is divided into three main components:

First is the pantheon of the Divine Tiger system, comprising ten envoys divided into inner and outer bureaus. The inner bureau handles soul retrieval across different realms: Zhu Xin governs the Hidden Path (secret passages), Chen Congzheng oversees the Celestial Evil Path (heavenly wicked roads), Ge Sheng manages the Earthly Evil Path (subterranean wicked roads), and Du Ke controls the Waterborne Evil Path (aquatic wicked roads). The outer bureau's three envoys—Zhang Xin, Hou Di, and Wei Kui—are responsible for soul retrieval in upper, middle, and lower regions respectively. Four additional prison envoys (Chen Zhi, Liu Yang, Xu Zhong, and Xu Yu) handle matters related to confining wandering souls.

Next are the specific protocols for using the Divine Tiger Talisman. The incantation essentially commands the Divine Tiger envoys to swiftly locate wandering souls by celestial decree. The talisman must be inscribed with black ink on dark paper or cinnabar, accompanied by a specific hand seal (the Dipper-Grasping Mudra). Prior to formal soul summoning, this talisman must first mobilize the divine generals before official edicts are issued.

Finally, detailed specifications are given for arranging the Soul Retrieval Altar: A lime altar symbolizing the Divine Tiger Prison must be constructed using precisely 2 dou 4 sheng (ancient measurement) of lime in prescribed patterns. A Soul-Summoning Banner is erected at the Ghost Gate (northeast方位), flanked by "Mysterious Darkness Soul Retrieval Altar Talismans" on either side. The center displays two hanging scrolls—an 8 chi 2 cun (approx. 8.2 ft) yellow silk inscribed with the "Great Unity Soul-Guiding Talisman" and a 6 chi 4 cun (approx. 6.4 ft) purple silk bearing the "Purple Origin Nether-Passage Talisman." Twelve cinnabar-inscribed "Three Realms Soul-Searching Talismans" are suspended from the banner pole, nine of which must be burned during the ceremony.

The text concludes by invoking the sacred names and decrees of multiple Daoist deities—including the Supreme Dao Lord, Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Lord of Yu's Abundance, and Lord of Pure Tenuity—to harness their power for "gathering dispersed souls, assembling spirits, and uniting Qi." Special mention is made of the Southern Salvation Celestial Worthy employing Fire Qi (Yang energy) to retrieve wandering souls.

This scripture documents the specific procedures of the Daoist "Soul-Gathering Rite" (Juhun She), primarily used for the salvation of deceased souls. During the ritual, the Five Directions Salvation Deities (deities from the central, western, northern, and eastern directions) are invoked to assist in summoning wandering spirits.

The key steps involve the ritual master forming specific mudras (hand seals, particularly the Dipper Seal) to draw Qi (vital energy) from five directions (northeast, east, south, west, and north) in varying counts, arranging them upon the altar. When the Fulu (talismans) are burned, a chilling wind felt within the ritual space indicates the successful summoning of the departed soul.

The text contains two incantations: the first "Soul-Summoning Spell" harnesses the Yin-Yang energies of heaven and earth to reunite scattered hun (ethereal soul) and po (corporeal soul); the second opens pathways between the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and humanity) to liberate spirits from the underworld's suffering. The "Great Unity" (Taiyi) mentioned governs life and death, while the "Northern Dipper's Divine Tiger" (Beikui Shenhu) serves as the specialized spirit general responsible for soul retrieval.

The ritual document (Zhashi) must be crafted from purple silk measuring three chi in length and 8.2 cun in width, inscribed in yellow ink. Titled "Great Unity Purple Origin Golden Edict" (Taiyi Ziyuan Jinzha), it records the deceased's name, date of death, and other particulars. Finally, the presiding master (an ordained Daoist priest) issues the soul-summoning dispatch in the name of the "Great Sage of the Three Heavens and Celestial Master of the Omnipotent Dharma" (Santian Dasheng Dutian Dafa Tianshi), commanding underworld deities to escort the soul to the altar for salvation.

The entire ceremony demonstrates Daoism's capacity to mediate between Yin and Yang realms through specialized incantations, mudras, and ritual documents. It must be emphasized that such rites require proper training and should only be performed by initiated Daoist priests.

This scripture documents the esoteric Daoist method for summoning and manifesting souls. The ritual master must prepare a white silk soul-summoning banner (a flag for beckoning spirits), determining its dimensions according to the deceased's birth date, then inscribe it with cinnabar-drawn talismanic characters (Fulu) before mounting it on a bamboo pole positioned at the Ghost Gate direction (northeast).

When performing the ritual, the following incantation is recited: "The true talisman radiates jade light, opening the underworld's dark depths. The Big Dipper's seven stars bring vital Qi (energy), while the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, stars) dispel Yin influences. O departed soul, be not afraid; fractured Po (corporeal soul), do not sink into oblivion. Swiftly attach to this sacred banner, refine your form and return to the jade essence (referring to the purified Shen/spirit)." This chant serves to pacify and stabilize the wandering soul.

The method for soul attachment involves: First, the master must visualize (meditate upon) the divine tiger officers and generals. Only after infernal officials have arrived in the visualization can the soul be guided onto the banner. Holding one's breath seven times while mentally visualizing specific talismanic patterns will cause the deceased's spirit to manifest. The text particularly emphasizes that this altar method enables complete soul manifestation, with the deceased's appearance as clear as in life.

For accelerating manifestation, a special activation incantation is used: "The radiance of Taiguang (a stellar deity) generates here, the Youjing (one of the Three Hun/ethereal souls) reforms its body. With the Shuangling (another of the Three Hun) all assembled, quickly manifest with clarity." Tradition attributes this secret method to Han dynasty fangshi (esoteric practitioner) Li Shaojun, who used it to summon Consort Li's spirit for Emperor Wu of Han. The technique requires seven raw silk cloths arranged in the Big Dipper formation, with one star-point burned corresponding to the deceased's natal star. All lamps are extinguished to maintain darkness while the master chants and sprays water, allowing family members standing in the darkened space to witness the deceased appearing exactly as in life.

The silk cloths for manifestation must be arranged in a wooden fence formation, totaling seven pieces. These methods represent the secret transmission of ancient Daoist soul-summoning rituals, requiring precise coordination of talismans, visualization techniques, and ritual implements.

The master said that the esoteric cultivation methods of the Divine Tiger (a Daoist guardian deity) have never been publicly transmitted in the world. Now, as the teachings of the great Dao spread, these secret methods will be passed down to worthy inheritors of the tradition. Those who receive this method should understand that its efficacy is swift and profound, far surpassing ordinary techniques of summoning spirits or capturing souls with the Divine Tiger. It must be guarded with utmost secrecy.

(Here, there are five ancient characters that cannot be deciphered, possibly representing secret incantations or coded language.)

During cultivation, one must visualize the Big Dipper at the middle Dantian (a Daoist term referring to the energy center at the solar plexus) while envisioning the descent of a green-robed immortal youth (a common Daoist celestial figure). Then, exhale seven times in succession, directing the Primordial Qi (the fundamental energy of Daoist cultivation) toward the ritual banner, which will then descend of its own accord.

This passage comes from the seventeenth volume of The Supreme Mysterious Origin: Great Method of the Three Heavens Jade Hall, documenting the secret summoning rituals of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition of Daoism. It requires the integration of visualization (cunsī) and Qi circulation (xíngqì) as part of internal cultivation. The instruction to "exhale Qi seven times" exemplifies a classic Daoist ritual technique, where breath regulation and internal energy are used to influence external phenomena.