《太上洞玄靈寶五帝醮祭招真玉訣》

This scripture expounds an important Daoist ritual known as the "Five Emperors' Offering Ceremony," which teaches practitioners how to communicate with the Five Directional Celestial Emperors through specific ceremonial practices.

The Supreme Dongxuan Lingbao Five Emperors' Offering Jade Instructions for Summoning the Authentic records that the Five True Scripts of the Lingbao Red Texts are celestial writings naturally transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, jointly safeguarded by the Five Ancient Lords (Five Celestial Worthies) and the Five Directional Emperors (East, South, West, North, and Center). According to ancient protocols, celestial immortals and the sacred mountains' deities perform the Lingbao Five Emperors' sacrifice every three years.

Key aspects of the ritual include:

1. Timing Selection:

• Spring: use the days of Jiayin and Yimao
• Summer: use Dingsi and Bingwu
• Autumn: use Gengshen and Xinyou
• Winter: use Guihai and Renzi

Choose the most auspicious "Day of Sovereign Establishment" in each season.

2. Altar Arrangement:

Construct a high altar on a sacred mountain, enclosed on all sides with railings. Set up five gates according to the five directions, each hung with a proclamation (specific content can be found in the Great Covenant Ritual).

3. Offerings Preparation:

Fresh fruits, fragrant tea, jujube soup, and other pure offerings are required. Use eleven clean cups and three new ladles. Arrange two plates, each with five cups, and a third plate with one cup.

4. Ritual Implements:

Spread a five-foot-long crimson silk (scarlet-patterned brocade) on the altar to place the Five True Scripts of Lingbao. Cover the scriptures with a five-foot-long blue-green silk (azure forest brocade), placed behind the seat to symbolize the "blood oath" (using blue-green silk in place of hair).

Special Considerations:

• The altar must be sheltered from wind to keep the incense flames steady and undisturbed.
• The lighting should be moderate to prevent the dispersal of spiritual Qi.
• Adjust seating direction according to the season (e.g., face east in spring).
• Offerings must be fresh and pure, and all utensils must be new and finely crafted.

The scripture emphasizes that if practitioners sincerely follow these protocols, the Five Directional Emperors will respond to their devotion, and the spiritual officials will gladly assist. The key lies in genuine sincerity rather than the lavishness of offerings—only utmost sincerity can connect with the divine. These esoteric rituals must be carefully observed and diligently cultivated.

This scripture documents the specific procedures for the Daoist "Five Emperors' Zhaijiao" ritual, representing an important liturgical text from the early Lingbao tradition.

The ritual preparation requires five blended incenses to be burned in a completely new censer. The presiding priest must dress formally in ceremonial attire, maintaining a soft voice and steady breath during prostrations so the celestial deities may respond and descend. Six silver tablets must be inscribed with talismanic characters (fulu) using cinnabar.

The ritual then sequentially invokes the Five Directional Celestial Emperors and their attendant immortal officials:

1. East: The Green Essence Primordial Lord (Cangdi, the Azure Emperor) is venerated along with the Nine Qi Celestial Lords, accompanied by immortal attendants like the Jade Maidens of Green Loins.

2. South: The Cinnabar Essence True Lord (Chidi, the Red Emperor) is honored with the Vermilion Three Qi Celestial Lords, attended by the Great Cinnabar Jade Maidens of the Scarlet Palace.

3. Center: The Original Essence Primordial Lord (Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor) is worshipped with the Great Emperor Perfected Beings, joined by the Central Yellow Great Emperor's officials.

4. West: The Bright Essence August Lord (Baidi, the White Emperor) is invoked with the Luminous Stone Seven Qi Celestial Lords, accompanied by the Supreme White Jade Maidens.

5. North: The Five Essences Mysterious Lord (Heidi, the Black Emperor) is summoned with the Dark Nourishment Five Qi Celestial Lords, attended by the Night Radiance Jade Maidens.

For each directional deity, the presiding priest performs the grand ceremony of "Five Incense Kowtows" (burning incense with full prostrations) while reciting specific summoning incantations (such as "Descend through the Gate of Green Splendor and Primal Yang"). Finally, all celestial beings from the Nine Heavens, mountain deities of the Five Sacred Peaks, and river gods from the three realms are collectively invited to descend.

Note: The Five Emperors refer to the Daoist Five Directional Celestial Emperors, governing the east, south, center, west, and north respectively, corresponding to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). This zhaijiao ritual aims to communicate with celestial deities through specific liturgical protocols to obtain divine blessings.

This is a ritual procedure from the Daoist scripture Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Wudi Jiaoji Zhaozhen Yujue (The Supreme Jade Instructions for Offering and Summoning the True Five Emperors), detailing the ceremonial worship of the Five Directional Sovereign Emperors. The entire process must strictly adhere to the ancient protocols handed down from the Daoist paradise of Xuandu (Mystic Metropolis), otherwise the celestial deities will not descend, and misfortune may be incurred.

Ritual Steps:

1. Preparation Phase:

• Inscribe the sacrificial texts on five wooden slips using cinnabar.
• Set up five incense altars.
• Observe fasting and purification, fumigating the sacred altar with incense.
• Prepare offerings such as jujube soup and fresh fruits.

2. Formal Ceremony:

(1) The presiding priest introduces themselves: stating their hometown, age, and the time and lineage of their initiation into the Daoist methods.

(2) Invite the Five Directional Sovereign Emperors in sequence:

• East: Summon Sovereign Emperor Lingweiyang (Green Emperor), the Celestial Lord of Nine Green Qi, and other deities.
• South: Summon Sovereign Emperor Chibiaonu (Red Emperor), the Celestial Lord of Three Cinnabar Qi, and other deities.
• Center: Summon Sovereign Emperor Heshushu (Yellow Emperor), the Great Emperor’s True Being, and other deities.
• West: Summon Sovereign Emperor Yaopobao (White Emperor), the Celestial Lord of Seven Bright Stone Qi, and other deities.
• (The section for the North is incomplete in the original text.)

3. Ritual Details:

• Kneel and prostrate after reciting the invocation for each direction.
• Arrange the inscribed slips according to their respective directions, burying them beneath the central altar at the end.
• Pray for the descent of the Five Directional Sovereign Emperors to partake in the offerings.
• Maintain a reverent and devout mindset throughout the ceremony.

Note: The Five Emperors refer to the celestial sovereigns guarding the five directions in Daoist belief, corresponding to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and five colors (green, red, yellow, white, black). This jiao offering is a crucial Daoist ritual for blessings and must be conducted precisely according to liturgical (Keyi) protocols.

This passage describes the specific procedures and devotional content of the Daoist "Five Emperors Offering" ritual (Wudi jiaoji). Here's a vernacular explanation:

First, recite the Northern Scripture (Jianwen) following the same method as before, reverently inviting the Black Emperor (Heidi, sovereign of Northern Water Virtue) from the Hidden Chivalry Bureau of the North, the Celestial Lord of Mysterious Nourishment and Five Qi Energies, the Supreme Numinous Lord, the Jade Maiden of Nocturnal Radiance, and all deities of the Northern Quarter to descend. Then recite the Scripture of Multitudinous Numinous Beings (Zhongling jianwen), inviting the host of spirits from the Nine Heavens, mountain deities of the Five Sacred Peaks, water gods of the Four Great Rivers (Yangtze, Yellow, Huai, and Ji), the Three Officials (Heaven, Earth, Water) and Nine Bureaus, terrestrial immortals and jade maidens, and flying transcendents from the Five Peaks. (Note: When inviting the Five Directional Emperors and the Eastern Perfected One—six deities in total—one must perform twelve prostrations.)

After the deity-invocation ceremony, present five offerings of sacred water (xiangtang), burn incense, and make this personal declaration: "Due to karmic connections accumulated in past lives, during this turning of the celestial kalpa, I've been fortunate to encounter this enlightened age where the Dao flourishes, allowing my humble self to receive sacred scriptures like the Numinous Treasure's Five Chapter Crimson Texts (Lingbao wupian chishu) and the Five Talismans Precious Scripture (Wufu baojing). Yet though I've revered these texts with sincere devotion, my shallow practice has failed to resonate with the divine. I constantly fear my heavy karmic burdens may sink me deeper into worldly dust. Now, through heaven's compassion, I can express my sincerity—maintaining prolonged purification fasts (zhai), visualizing deities, accumulating virtue—with the aspiration to transcend life and death. Still, my cultivation remains insufficient.

On this auspicious day, having bathed and purified myself, I make offerings to the Five Directional Numinous Lords, the Five Ancient Celestial Worthies (the supreme five deities of Daoism), and the Five Directional Emperors. I tremble with reverence as these exalted ones condescend to descend. Following my master's transmitted ritual procedures, I establish this blood oath written in cinnabar (danqing): I shall maintain strict secrecy in my practice, never divulging these esoteric methods. After completing five cultivation cycles (wudu), I will then proclaim my covenant with the divine. I pray to receive authentic talismans (fu) and sacred diagrams, that I may gain divine protection—whether climbing mountains, fording rivers, or traversing forests—to fulfill all righteous aspirations. May metal and stone part before me, may I commune with spirits and receive all rightful petitions. When gathering medicinal herbs, may mountain spirits (shanjing) not hide their treasures, may malevolent entities never harass, may tigers, wolves, or venomous creatures cause no harm. May jade maidens and divine attendants accompany me, may the Five Emperors' numinous Qi (qi) infuse my body to stabilize the five viscera, granting keen perception and enlightened understanding to foresee fortune and misfortune. May the Three Corpses (sanshi, the three malevolent spirits within the body) and Nine Worms (jiuchong, disease-causing parasites) be utterly eradicated, may extraordinary hairs (a sign of immortality) sprout from my flesh, that I may swiftly attain the Dao. All this depends upon the Supreme Emperor's boundless grace."

This scripture documents the ritual procedure of the Daoist "Five Emperors' Zhaijiao (purification ritual)" ceremony. As a crucial sacrificial rite in Daoism, it primarily involves offerings to the Five Directional Celestial Emperors (East, South, Center, West, North) and various deities to seek blessings.

The ceremony begins with the chief officiant (referred to as "this minister") performing prostrations with reverent devotion. Libations are then presented sequentially to the five directional deities:

1. East: Offerings to the Azure Emperor Lingweiyang, the Nine Qi Celestial Lord of Green Sprouts, and other deities

2. South: Offerings to the Red Emperor Chibiaonu, the Three Qi Celestial Lord of Cinnabar, and others

3. Center: Offerings to the Yellow Emperor, the Great Emperor's Perfected Being, and others

4. West: Offerings to the White Emperor, the Seven Qi Celestial Lord of Bright Stone, and others

5. North: Offerings to the Black Emperor, the Five Qi Celestial Lord of Mystic Nourishment, and others

After each directional offering, incense is burned and prostrations made to respectfully send the deities back to their celestial realms. Subsequent rites honor the myriad spirits of the Nine Heavens, mountain gods of the Five Sacred Peaks, and river deities.

The ceremony concludes with burying inscribed bamboo slips containing prayers beneath the five directional gates (East, South, West, North, Center). The central gate's slip receives special veneration for hosting the assembly of Perfected Beings.

The scripture specifies this zhaijiao should be performed triennially, completing three cycles over nine years before cessation. Daoist master Zhang Chengxian particularly emphasizes that sincere devotion constitutes the most essential requirement—only through utmost sincerity can one commune with the divine. He systematized this ritual into a formal liturgy, admonishing practitioners to observe it scrupulously.

Belonging to the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) tradition—a major Daoist school—this ceremony summons authentic spiritual presences through veneration of the Five Directional Emperors, serving as vital cultivation practice for Daoist adepts.