《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 307

This passage is a template document from the Daoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu, used in the Yellow Register Retreat (a Daoist ritual for salvation of the deceased). It lists a series of official petitions (diewen) to be delivered to various deities and underworld authorities.

The first petition is addressed to the Sheling Office (local guardian deity institution) of Yangzhou. It states: We have conducted this zhaijiao ritual and already reported to the celestial emperors of the heavens and the true offices of the Three Realms (divine institutions of heaven, earth, and the underworld). Now, we specially issue this document to request the Sheling Office of Yangzhou to immediately notify all relevant local authorities to assist in absolving the sins of the deceased (name) during their lifetime, allowing their soul to receive the salvational merits. Furthermore, we ask that the souls of all ancestors in this family lineage be investigated, along with any karmic grievances formed in life or death, including all wandering spirits, wronged souls, and those who died untimely deaths from the Six Paths and Four Births (Buddhist concepts of reincarnation and modes of existence). All are invited to the ritual altar to receive salvation, be liberated from their sins, and ascend together to the blessed realms. All of this is to be carried out in accordance with the precepts of the Lingbao Wuliang Duren Jing.

The document concludes with the date of issuance and the signature of the presiding master. Following this, petitions are listed for the Sheling Offices of the other eight provinces (Jizhou, Qingzhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou, Yongzhou, Yuzhou, Liangzhou, and Jingzhou), as well as for the Great Lords of the Eight Directions (Daoist deities governing the cardinal and intercardinal directions). Additionally, petitions are issued to the Five Hells: the Wind and Thunder Hell of the East, the Fiery Pit Hell of the South, the Diamond Hell of the West, the Dark Cold Hell of the North, and the Boiling Cauldron Hell of the Northeast. The content of these petitions is likely similar to that sent to the Sheling Office of Yangzhou, all requesting the assistance of various deities in the salvation of the deceased.

This document from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Scripture of the Golden Book for Salvation and Deliverance) represents a formal Daoist administrative text used in rituals to deliver deceased souls. Functioning as an official notice to various underworld authorities, the term "牒" (die) corresponds to a modern-day official memorandum.

The text first enumerates the specific hells and underworld offices to be notified: directional hells such as the Bronze Pillar Hell of the southeast and the Slaughter Hell of the southwest; the hierarchical hells under Fengdu (the Daoist underworld headquarters), including the Eighty-One Major Hells and the Thirty-Six Major Hells; as well as specialized jurisdictions such as the Three Primes' One Hundred and Twenty Bureaus of the Underworld (the judicial system of the afterlife), the hells overseen by the Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Realms (Daoist paradises), and the Water Palaces' underworld prisons.

Next, it addresses key underworld deities: the Great God of the Dark Waters (Mingling Dashen, who governs the souls of the drowned), the Great God of the Five Paths (Wudao Dashen, overseeing reincarnation), the Underworld’s Office of Deceased Records (the bureaucratic department managing soul archives), the Office of Deceased Records under the Eastern Peak (the registry controlled by the deity of Mount Tai), and the Water Palaces’ Office of Deceased Records. The notice extends to all relevant authorities, including the Nine Bureaus' various hells, the underworld prisons of border regions, and the administrators of the dark pathways between realms.

A special emphasis is placed on formally notifying the Avīci Hell of the Great Iron Enclosure Mountain and the Blood Lake Hell (a specialized prison for women who died in childbirth). Upon receiving this document, these institutions are instructed to immediately absolve the named woman of her alleged sins and grievances. Once the official notice arrives, her soul must be escorted to receive deliverance, undergoing the refining rituals (liandu) to purify her form and partake in the sacrificial offerings.

The concluding section directs the notice to the deities guarding the water and land passes (the gods overseeing the boundaries between yin and yang realms). They are commanded to clear the path for the deceased soul, her ancestors, and any karmic creditors, ensuring unobstructed passage through all checkpoints. The document concludes with the issuance date and the presiding Daoist priest’s signature and seal.

This text reflects Daoism’s highly structured underworld bureaucracy, employing formal administrative procedures to communicate with the afterlife. It demonstrates a systematic approach to soul salvation, integrating ritual, bureaucratic precision, and cosmological order.

This scripture serves as an official document used in Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals), specifically addressing potential obstructions during soul salvation ceremonies.

When guiding wandering spirits and deceased souls to the ritual altar for liberation, these spirits must pass through various water and land checkpoints. The document mandates that deities along the route must provide escort and welcome, with no permission to obstruct. Any malevolent deities intentionally blocking the spirits' passage shall be punished according to the Nüqing Gui Lü (Female Blue Demon Statutes) and Lingbao Wuliang Duren Lüling (Numinous Treasure Limitless Salvation Commandments).

The document is issued to three levels of deities:

First, it's addressed to the "Earth Path Merit Officers" (Didao Gongcao), the underworld officials handling documents, requiring them to immediately dispatch notices to all nine provinces, ten districts, and the water-earth divisions of the netherworld. Even if some areas don't receive the documents, all spirits must be enabled to proceed to blessed lands. The deities are also requested to personally await at the ritual altar, where during the ceremony they will announce the talismanic decrees from various perfected deities, ensuring all underworld offices throughout the ten directions and nine darknesses follow the Celestial Emperor's edict to liberate the souls.

Next, it's issued to prefectural City Gods (Zhou Chenghuang), instructing them to notify all relevant local offices. They must personally lead five hundred elite troops to station at the altar beforehand, supervising the ritual, defending against malevolence, dispelling demonic obstacles, mediating disputes, and maintaining order. Their duties include preventing slander and conflicts, averting fires and thefts, facilitating the descent of true numinous beings, and calming wind and rain. Meritorious service will be rewarded accordingly.

Finally, copies go to county-level City Gods and local territorial deities (Dangjing Liyu Si), with similar instructions to coordinate the above tasks.

All documents follow a standardized format, concluding with issuance dates and bearing the signatures and seals of the presiding ritual masters. The documents reference the official style of Yangzhou's Sheling Si (local deity administration), demonstrating the comprehensive spirit management system within Daoist zhaijiao rituals.

These texts are several official petitions (diéwén) from the Daoist scripture Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu, documenting formal requests made by ritual masters to various deities for assistance during religious ceremonies.

The first petition is addressed to deities governing wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. The ritual master implores these gods to restrain clouds and mist, cease storms, and ensure clear skies throughout the ceremony—from the altar’s construction to the completion of the purification ritual (Zhaijiao)—so that the rites may proceed undisturbed. Local City Gods (Chenghuang), dragon spirits of mountains, rivers, and deep pools are also summoned to cooperate.

The second document is directed to the Altar-Supervising Deity (Jiantan Shen), a divine figure in Daoist rituals responsible for overseeing altar discipline and safeguarding the ceremonial space. The master requests this deity to arrive in advance with five hundred elite troops to secure the altar and maintain order during the proceedings.

The third petition is issued to the Protector Generals (Jingguan Jiang) of the local Daoist sanctuary. These divine marshals are asked to assist in delivering documents to the celestial court and to lead fierce spirit-soldiers in guarding the altar. When the master ascends the altar to perform rituals, these generals must help convey sincere devotion, dispel demonic obstructions, and ensure the successful completion of rites for the salvation of departed souls.

All petitions follow a fixed format: they begin by naming the recipient deities, state specific requests in the main body, and conclude with the issuance date and the master’s official title and name. Through such documents, the ritual master establishes formal communication with the divine during ceremonies, embodying the Daoist ritual principle of "divine-human resonance" (rén-shén jiāogǎn).

This is a ritual document used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), primarily involving the priest formally invoking divine powers to deliver deceased souls. The text contains specialized Daoist document formats and celestial hierarchies, which I will explain section by section:

The first part is a "Die Document" (official Daoist correspondence), where the priest respectfully summons principal commanders, deputy commanders, altar supervisors, escort officials, immortal attendants, and jade maidens, requesting their immediate action according to requirements. The document concludes with the date and includes the priest's official title and signature.

Next comes a "Zha Document" (official Daoist command), addressed to the Six Destiny Gods (deities governing lifespan) and the Shangqing Lingbao Administrative Bureau (a Lingbao sect celestial institution). Its main purpose is to locate the deceased's soul, pardon their earthly transgressions, and enable the soul to receive deliverance merits. It also seeks salvation for the patron's ancestral lineage, karmic creditors, and wandering spirits from the Six Realms and Four Births (Buddhist concepts of existence cycles), allowing all to obtain merits at the ritual altar and journey together to blessed realms.

The priest further petitions to cleanse negative Qi (vital energy) from the patron's internal and external being, exorcise malevolent spirits, and welcome immortal beings to the ritual platform, extending blessings across both Yin and Yang realms. All procedures follow the Lingbao Wuliang Duren Lüling (Limitless Salvation Code of Lingbao). This Zha document is simultaneously issued to the patron's household Earth God and the Six Destiny Gods.

The concluding section is a "Guan Document" (official Daoist dispatch), addressed to Merit Officer Messengers (divine couriers), detailing twenty-four memorials to be delivered to various celestial deities. These include the highest heavenly realms of Yuqing (Jade Pure), Shangqing (Upper Pure), and Taiqing (Great Pure) realms; palaces of the Northern Pole, Eastern Pole, and Crimson Mound Emperors; and numerous revered deities like the Ninefold Nether Sin-Absolving Heavenly Worthy, Ten Directions Lingbao Heavenly Worthy, Nine Thunder Palaces, and Five Directional Thearchs. Special mention is made of memorials to renowned immortals like the Eastern Florescence Wood Lord Daojun and Western Numinous Golden Mother Primordial Lord, as well as documents for the Mystic Master's lineage (referring to Celestial Master Zhang).

This scripture presents the standard liturgical document format used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), systematically enumerating the honorific titles of deities from the Daoist celestial hierarchy and the underworld pantheon. It serves as the formal petition that Daoist priests submit to heaven and earth deities through incense offerings during major ceremonies.

The document first addresses the Solar Sovereign Emperor (sun deity) and Lunar Sovereign Emperor (moon deity), followed by sequential veneration of the Five Directions and Five Planets True Lords (deities governing the cardinal directions and five major planets), the Southern Dipper and Northern Dipper Star Lords (deities of the six southern and seven northern constellation stars), and the Twenty-Eight Mansions Star Lords (seven stellar deities for each cardinal direction). Next come the Three Officials Great Emperors (the triad of celestial, terrestrial and aquatic deities governing heaven, earth and water realms), along with celestial departments like the Heavenly Ministry Offices (heavenly administrative branches) and the Nine Heavens Offices (governing bodies of the nine celestial realms).

The text notably mentions several key Daoist institutions: the Southern Palace (registry hall for immortal candidates), the Northern Pole Four Saints True Lords Office (administrative seat of the four polar guardian deities), the Numinous Treasure Celestial Immortals Inner Court (advanced cultivation site for Lingbao school adepts), the Southern Chang Upper Palace (hall overseeing salvation rituals), and the Vermilion Ling Fire Office (purgatory for refining departed souls). Each institution holds specific functions in Daoist salvation ceremonies.

The underworld section lists Fengdu Great Emperor (supreme ruler of the netherworld), the Ten True Lords of the Earth Ministry (ten Yama kings), Ninefold Earthly Sovereign Lords (deities governing terrestrial domains), and the Aquatic Realm Fusang Great Emperor (sovereign of water realms). Particularly detailed classifications describe various hell realms, including the Nine Nether Hells, Three Paths and Five Bitternesses Hells, and Eight Difficulties Dark Pass Hells - representing different tiers of underworld purgatories.

The concluding section directs twenty-eight official documents to local deities like the Yangzhou Community Order Office (regional spirit management bureau) and the Eastern Dao Capital Chief Administrator (regional Daoist supervisor), along with various underworld offices. Collectively, these deities and institutions form Daoism's comprehensive cosmic governance system, all requiring ritual notification during Zhaijiao Keyi (liturgical ceremonies).

This scripture describes the format of official documents used in Daoist rituals for the salvation of deceased souls, primarily consisting of the following sections:

First, it enumerates the entire underworld pantheon to be notified:

• The underworld offices located in sacred grottoes, blessed lands (Daoist paradises), and famous mountains
• Water domain underworld offices such as the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas
• Various levels of hell administration (including the Endless Hell of Great Iron Enclosure Mountain, the Blood Lake Hell, etc.)
• Deities overseeing underworld affairs (such as the Great God of Dark Waters, the Great God of Five Paths)
• Local underworld offices at different levels (City Gods, Village Earth Gods, etc.)
• Seasonal deities governing wind, rain, thunder, and lightning

Next comes the standard document format:

• Indication of the issuance date (using the celestial stem-branch calendar)
• The officiating priest's rank and name
• Declaration that this Vermilion Memorial (red document) is submitted by a certain patron for the salvation of a specific deceased soul

Finally, it lists all the celestial officials responsible for delivering the document:

• Thirty-nine True Officials guarding the Heavenly Gates
• Twenty-four Body Deities cultivated through internal practice
• Various specialized divine messengers (such as Flying Dragon Riders, Phoenix Riders)
• Spiritual officials at all levels responsible for reviewing documents
• Protective spirit troops guarding the document

Such documents constitute a crucial element in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals) and Keyi (liturgical ceremonies). Through these formal memorials, priests report salvation matters to the entire divine bureaucracy, requesting assistance from various deities to help the deceased soul smoothly pass through all checkpoints in the underworld and ultimately attain salvation. The mentioned "Vermilion Memorial" refers to official documents written with cinnabar ink, which hold special efficacy in Daoist rituals.

This document is the "Nine Spirits Flying Step Memorial Petition" used in Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) keyi (liturgy), equivalent to an official memorial submitted to the celestial court. Its primary purpose is for the ritual master to present a petition to the heavenly realms for the salvation of deceased souls, while requesting divine generals to provide protection and escort services.

The text begins by specifying the date of issuance (such-and-such year/month/day of the current Taishui cycle), with a designated ritual master leading the "Office of Nine Spirits Flying Step Memorials" in its execution. This particular ritual is performed on behalf of a patron seeking salvation for a specific deceased soul, preparing to submit the vermilion-inked petition beneath the jade gates of the Sanqing (Three Pure Ones) heavens—the highest celestial realm in Daoism.

The document meticulously enumerates the celestial military escort formation, including: the principal and deputy generals of the purification altar, guardian deities overseeing the ritual platform, and specialized demon-subduing commanders like the Eight Powers Demon-Suppressing Marshal and the Divine Wisdom Ghost-Slaying Captain. Also listed are the Left and Right Divine King Commanders wielding various ritual implements, vanguard and rearguard celestial warriors, and manifestations of the Four Directional Sacred Beasts like the Azure Dragon and White Tiger.

Particular emphasis is given to several formidable generals: the Jade Purity Fire-Casting Myriad-Mile Great General responsible for subduing demons, the Flowing Bell Eight-Charges Great General tasked with clearing the path, and the Golden Axe Forward-Slaying Great General who executes celestial punishments. Other specialized commanders include the Wind-Fire Campaign Great General and the Ghostly Filth Severing Great General, all dedicated to eliminating malignant forces. Additional figures mentioned are the Golden Horse Courier Great General responsible for document transmission and the Shangqing (Upper Purity) Recording Immortal Official who documents merits and faults.

The conclusion stresses that all divine generals must maintain strict vigilance to ensure the memorial's safe delivery to the celestial court. Should any malevolent spirits obstruct the process, they will be punished according to the Xuandu Nüqing Ghost Statutes (Daoist penal codes governing spirit beings), thereby demonstrating celestial authority. The document concludes by restating the date in formal bureaucratic fashion.

This document presents the standard format for liturgical texts used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), consisting of three main components:

The first section is the memorial petition addressed to celestial realms. The ritual master (Daoist priest conducting the ceremony) clearly states his official rank and name, submitting five petitions through the Gongcao (celestial messengers in Daoism) to heavenly palaces including the Qingxuan Palace and Xuanming Palace. Specific notation is made that these are submitted on a particular Jiazi day (60-day cycle date), to be received by the duty-bound Lingguan (spirit officials). The text sternly instructs the Gongcao messengers to deliver these documents accurately without delay, warning of punishment according to the Thunder Code should they fail.

The second section contains purification edicts for the ritual altar. As the master prepares a Huanglu Great Ritual (major salvation ceremony for deceased souls) on behalf of the patron (ritual sponsor), concerns about altar contamination by impure Qi (vital energy) prompt the issuance of edicts summoning the Lingbao Tongzhen Demon-Subduing and Impurity-Banishing Spirit Official (specialized deity for purification). Detailed instructions call upon the Nine Phoenix Spirit Officials and other deities to jointly sprinkle purified water and wield divine weapons, thoroughly cleansing all impurities from the ritual space to ensure flawless ceremony performance.

The third section comprises gateway documents for ritual commencement. The master again dispatches three petitions via Gongcao messengers, addressed respectively to the Mysterious Master (Daoist venerated deity), Zhengyi Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling), and Lingbao Ritual Supervision Grand Master (deity overseeing ceremonies). These similarly specify exact dates and the master's credentials.

These documents exemplify the meticulous nature of Daoist ritual practice: communicating with deities through prescribed formats, with each procedural step assigned to specific divine functionaries, while emphasizing document accuracy and sacredness. The recurring phrase "Year Month Day of the Grand Jupiter" reflects distinctive Daoist chronometry, representing the sacralization of temporal dimensions.

This scripture follows the standard format used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), consisting of two main sections:

The first half serves as the formal opening of the altar-establishing document, addressed before the "Five Ancient Celestial Sovereigns" (the five supreme deities in Daoism) and the "Three Palaces' Great Emperors" (the Three Officials), submitted to the "Three Masters of Lingbao" (the three patriarchs of the Lingbao tradition). The document specifies the exact year and identifies the presiding ritual master by their religious title and name.

The second half contains the official dispatches (Daoist administrative documents) sent to various divine realms, inviting celestial beings to protect the ritual altar. It first summons the guardian deities belonging to this altar, including immortal officials and jade maidens, then sequentially invites:

1. The guardian spirits of the Three Caverns scriptures (core Daoist classics)

2. Immortal officials from the Lingbao Celestial Immortal Court

3. Divine troops from the Shenxiao True King's Mansion

4. Inspecting celestial generals from the Nine Heavens Life-Supervising Bureau

5. Instructing celestial generals from the Shangqing Child-Beginning Mansion

6. Demon-subduing celestial generals from the Mysterious Numinous Jade Pivot Mansion

7. Immortal clerks from the Azure Mystery Yellow Register Left Bureau

8. Golden boys and jade maidens from the Celestial Pivot Bureau and the Exorcism Bureau

9. Messaging generals from the Jade Pivot and Jade Mansion

10. The altar's principal and deputy generals, Dharma protectors, and altar-supervising deities

Finally, the document instructs these deities to collaborate with local gods including the Eastern Peak Taishan Mansion, city gods (Chenghuang), and territorial deities (Tudi) to jointly inspect the altar's surroundings, ensuring the ritual's purity and solemnity. Their specific responsibilities include: supervising the cleanliness of offerings, expelling malevolent forces, mediating disputes, eliminating gossip and slander, preventing fires and thefts, regulating wind and rain, and punishing those with ill intentions.

These contents reflect the characteristic "communication with the divine" aspect of Daoist purification rituals, where formal documents are used to mobilize the hierarchical powers of celestial and local deities, providing sacred protection for rituals aimed at delivering deceased souls.

This scripture is an official document used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), serving as an invitation from the ritual master to various deities, requesting their presence to safeguard the altar.

The master first declares: Any act of defiling the altar or offending the deities will be met with severe punishment from the celestial court. Upon the successful completion of the ritual, a memorial will be submitted to the heavens to commend the deities for their efforts, ensuring their labor is not in vain—all in accordance with the Lingbao Wuliang Duren Lüling (Infinite Salvation Precepts of Numinous Treasure).

The document then formally invites three groups of deities:

The first invitation is extended to the supervising officers and generals of the Beiji Quxie Yuan (Northern Pole Demon-Dispelling Court), a major Daoist divine institution responsible for exorcism. The master states that a request has already been submitted on a specified date for the dispatch of judges, clerks, and soldiers to guard the altar. The deities are now formally invited to don their solemn ritual attire, lead their ceremonial procession, and join forces with the local officers and soldiers.

The second invitation is addressed to the supervising officers and generals of the Dongyue Taishan Fu (Eastern Peak Mount Tai Administration), the foremost of the Five Sacred Peaks, which governs underworld affairs. The content mirrors that of the Demon-Dispelling Court, requesting that the divine troops sent by Mount Tai collaborate with those from the Demon-Dispelling Court and local officers in protecting the altar.

The third invitation is directed to local deities such as the Chenghuang (City God) and Lidi Tudi (Neighborhood Earth Gods). The master has already sent prior notice, and now formally invites the chief officials of the Chenghuang Bureau and local Earth Gods to dress in full regalia and lead their elite troops in working harmoniously with the divine soldiers from the Demon-Dispelling Court and Mount Tai to safeguard the altar.

Each document concludes with the date of issuance and is signed by the presiding master, including their official title and name. These documents reflect the meticulous nature of Daoist Zhaijiao rituals, employing formal decrees to mobilize divine forces at all levels to ensure the smooth progression of the ceremony.

This scripture serves as an official document used in Daoist rituals for the salvation of deceased souls, specifically addressing deities of the Divine Tiger pantheon. The text begins by identifying the officiating priest's rank and name, forming one of the eleven standard edicts (specifically designated for the Divine Tiger Lords He and Qiao) in the "Eleven Official Summons" series.

The document declares that the ritual altar has been established and salvation ceremonies are imminent. It requests divine assistance in gathering the targeted deceased souls—including their karmic creditors, wandering spirits from the six realms of rebirth, and those who suffered untimely deaths—to receive deliverance through ritual merit. This mobilization requires the deities' majestic authority and talismanic summons.

The edict specifically invokes the Divine Tiger Lords He and Qiao from the Northern Dipper's Mysterious Model Bureau (Beikui Xuanfan Fu), along with their subordinate soul-retrieving emissaries, the Seven Jade Maidens, and affiliated officers from the Dipper Constellation system, the Yellow Register Court (Huanglu Yuan), and the Eastern Florescence Life-Directing Bureau. These envoys are instructed to wield sacred instruments—including jade warrants issued by Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun), Dipper Command Talismans, and Soul-Summoning Registers—to traverse the ten directions, three realms, and all netherworld departments (such as the Luo Feng Hell). Their mission encompasses retrieving specified souls from the Three Officials' nine bureaus, mountain ranges, and water domains to prepare them for ritual purification, celestial audience, food offerings, and alchemical refinement at the altar by the appointed date.

Simultaneously, the summons extends to stranded souls from all six rebirth paths—victims of violence, accidents, or neglect—who must attend for ritual cleansing, fasting offerings, precept transmission, and transformative refinement before their ascension. The deities are sternly warned against delay or concealment, with emphasis on immediate execution comparable to enforcing the Nüqing Edict and Soul-Extraction Statutes.

The document concludes with the issuance date and the priest's reiterated signature. A parallel edict is simultaneously dispatched to the Three Divisions of Divine Tiger Soul-Retrieving Emissaries.

(Note: The Divine Tiger system comprises specialized Daoist deities for soul retrieval; the Northern Dipper's Mysterious Model Bureau governs postmortem spirits; the Yellow Register Court oversees salvation rituals; the Nüqing Edict represents a foundational underworld legal code in Daoism.)

This scripture contains formal petitions (official documents) used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), through which the ritual master summons various deities to assist in the ceremonial proceedings. The text comprises five distinct summons issued to different divine offices:

The first petition is addressed to the Three Departments of Soul-Retrieving Envoys from the Northern Dipper’s Mysterious Model Office, commanding them to swiftly join forces with the two Great Sages Shenhu (Divine Tiger) and Heqiao, as well as the Seven Jade Maidens (female deities) from the Daosheng (Rebirth) Mysterious Bureau.

The second summons specifically calls upon the Seven Jade Maidens of the Shenhu Daosheng Mysterious Bureau, instructing them to immediately collaborate with the two Great Sages Shenhu and Heqiao, along with the Three Departments of Soul-Retrieving Envoys and other divine generals, to carry out the task of summoning and capturing wandering souls.

The third petition is directed to the officials, generals, and clerks of the Numinous Treasure Jade Metropolis’ Mysterious Terrace Inner Bureau, ordering them to promptly unite with the divine generals of the Shenhu system and the deities of the Northern Dipper’s Great Unity Mysterious Darkness Bureau.

The fourth summons is issued to the pursuit officers of the Shenhu Jade Bureau, requiring them to coordinate their efforts with the soul-retrieving officials at all levels and the deities of the Jade Metropolis’ Mysterious Terrace Inner Bureau.

The fifth petition is sent to the pursuit officers of the Golden Tower’s Inner Terrace, similarly instructing them to join forces with the soul-retrieving officials, the Shenhu Jade Bureau, and the deities of the Jade Metropolis’ Mysterious Terrace Inner Bureau.

Each petition concludes with the date of issuance and is signed by the presiding ritual master, who includes their formal religious title and surname. These documents exemplify the meticulous procedures in Daoist rituals for mobilizing divine assistance through official correspondence, primarily employed in rites for the salvation of deceased souls.

This scripture presents the official document format used in the Daoist Yellow Register (Huanglu) purification ritual (Zhaijiao), primarily employed in rites for the salvation of deceased souls. The recurring term "official dispatch" (die) refers to the formal documents that Daoist ritual masters issue to deities during ceremonies.

The ritual master first addresses a dispatch to the Yellow Register Court (Huangluyuan) - the Daoist institution specifically responsible for soul salvation - requesting the dispatch of Pursuing Officers (Zhuishe Guanjian), divine functionaries tasked with summoning deceased souls. Subsequent dispatches are then sent in sequence to various divine bureaus including the Azure Mystery Yellow Register Left Bureau (Qingxuan Huanglu Zuofu), the Numinous Treasure Wish-Fulfilling Myriad Offices (Lingbao Ruyi Wansi), and the Universal Salvation Court of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Pudu Yuan).

These documents invoke specialized deities including: the Luminous Night Soul-Summoning Deity (Yeguang Zhaohun Shen), the Soul-Searching and Soul-Guiding Office (Xunhun Yinhun Si), and the Soul-Pursuing Office (Zhuihun Si) - all departments specifically dedicated to locating deceased souls. The texts also invoke fifty-seven Great Deities, thirty-six Perfected Persons (Zhenren), and thirty-six Generals responsible for salvation rites. Finally, they summon the Three Realms Soul-Pursuing Messengers (Sanjie Zhui Hun Shizhe) and Five Directions Soul-Pursuing Generals (Wufang Zhui Hun Jiangjun), instructing them to join forces with the Divine Tigers (Shenhu) of the Northern Eminence Mysterious Model Bureau (Beikui Xuanfan Fu), the Two Great Sages He and Qiao (He Qiao Er Dasheng), and the Threefold Soul-Pursuing Messengers.

Each document bears the date of issuance (according to the current celestial cycle year, month, and day) along with the ritual master's official title and name. The recurring phrase "following the same format as the He/Qiao dispatch" indicates these documents should follow the previously established template used for communications with the Two Sages He and Qiao. These dispatches are ritually burned in specific ceremonies, symbolizing their delivery to the celestial deities.

This scripture records a Daoist ritual document for the salvation of departed souls, primarily consisting of two parts:

The first half is the formal dispatch (diewen) issued by the ritual master to the underworld. The master first declares their identity and official position, then explains the purpose of the ceremony: a deceased person who committed sins during their lifetime now suffers in the underworld, deprived of sunlight. Having petitioned the celestial court (Jinque) on a specified date and time, the master received approval from the Jade Emperor to extract this soul from the underworld. The celestial decree is now transmitted to all levels of underworld officials, commanding them to immediately escort the soul to the ritual altar. On the appointed day, through the banner-raising ceremony, the soul will manifest to receive salvation. The master also summons other ancestral spirits from the deceased's family lineage to attend.

The second half is the memorial (zouguan) addressed to the celestial court. Referring to themselves as "your subject," the master reports having conducted multi-day rituals according to zhai purification rites for a disciple's deceased relative. Expressing concern about insufficient spiritual power to move the underworld authorities, the master humbly requests the celestial court to issue a great amnesty decree. May this grace spread like wind through the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and water) and resonate like thunder through the Nine Dark Hells to liberate suffering souls.

The text mentions "Northern Culmen" (Beiji) referring to the Great Emperor of the Purple Tenuity, "True Offices of the Three Realms" (Sanjie zhensi) as the deities governing heaven, earth, and water, "Mount Luo" (Luofeng) as the Daoist Fengdu hell, and "Quanqu" as the underworld river. The entire ritual demonstrates Daoism's characteristic of connecting heaven and earth through liturgy (keyi). The master must simultaneously petition the celestial court and command the underworld, using sacred documents as the medium for soul salvation.

This scripture records a ritual document for redeeming departed souls from the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Scripture of Numinous Treasure Salvation). The core content shows a Daoist priest, in the role of a ministerial subject, submitting a memorial to the Celestial Court to request an edict of pardon for the deceased.

The priest first reverently prepares the document according to ritual protocol, petitioning the Jade Pure Realm (one of Daoism’s highest celestial domains) for a great amnesty. He reports to the Celestial Court, expressing the hope that countless lost souls suffering in the underworld may all be redeemed, return to the world of the living, receive the grace of the Heavenly Emperor, and attain liberation.

The text mentions submitting a duplicate of the memorial to the Taixuan Shuji Sansheng (Three Offices of the Pivotal Mechanism of Supreme Mystery, an important celestial administrative body in Daoism), emphasizing that no action is taken without proper authorization. It then lists the titles of several high-ranking divine beings—such as the Jade Pure Upper Minister Celestial Lord and the Supreme Mystery Upper Minister Celestial Lord—requesting them to relay the appeal to the Sanjing Shangdi (Three Pure Supreme Deities, Daoism’s three highest divinities) so they may bestow the decree of pardon.

The final section outlines the formal dispatch procedure, specifying that the Gongcao (celestial functionaries) are to deliver the memorial to the Gates of the Three Heavens and the Taixuan Shuji Sansheng, with a designated jiazi day for the Lingguan (Numinous Officials) to present the petition. The document concludes with the officiating priest’s rank and signature, followed by the phrase She Guan ("Pardon Authorization"), marking it as an official decree for the souls’ redemption.

The entire text reflects the meticulous structure of Daoist salvation rituals: first, devout supplication; then, formal administrative procedures for hierarchical submission; and finally, the dispatch of divine messengers to deliver the appeal. This embodies Daoism’s religious-administrative system of "governing celestial affairs through human protocols."

This document is a formal dispatch (diewen) used by Daoist priests during the Jin Tan (Forbidden Altar) ritual performed for the patron (zhai zhu) of a Zhaijiao (purification ritual). According to Daoist protocols, having received the amnesty decree from the Yuqing Heaven (the highest celestial realm where the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign resides), it has now been proclaimed at the Xuan Tan (mystical altar where rituals are conducted).

Special notice must be given to the Earth Office's merit officials (Gongcao, underworld functionaries), instructing them to immediately deliver this pardon to all rulers of the Nine Nether Hells (the deepest hell realms in Daoist cosmology) and every underworld administrative bureau. They are commanded to comply fully, assisting in the salvation of departed souls without concealment or delay. May the celestial will to deliver all beings manifest swiftly, transmitted with the speed of wind and fire.

Issued on [date] by the presiding priest [name and title].

This text originates from Volume 307 of the Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Book of Lingbao Salvation Teachings), a formal liturgical document used by the Lingbao school for salvation rituals. The mentioned "Forbidden Altar" refers to the purification ceremony preparing the ritual space, while "Great Amnesty" reflects the Daoist concept of absolving souls of their karmic offenses through ritual intervention.