《靈寶領教濟度金書》Vol. 49

The Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Precious Book of Salvation According to the Numinous Treasure Tradition), Volume 49, records the "Nine Mornings Ritual of Processional Practice" (Jiuchao Xingdao Yi) from Daoist purification ceremonies (Zhaijiao). Here we examine the specific procedure for the third day's noon ceremony (Wuchao).

The ritual begins with all participants paying reverent homage to the patriarchs while maintaining pure intention. Next, they recite the "Guardian Spirit Incantation" (Weiling Zhou), which conveys: The Primordial Void Sovereign (Yuanshi Xuhuang, the highest Daoist deity) gathers the primal Qi (Xiantian zhi Qi) and resides within the three celestial realms. Through the method of "seven transformations and nine voids" (Qizhuan Jiuxu, a cultivation term referring to the circulation of Qi), the winds and spirits of heaven and earth manifest in myriad forms. On this auspicious day for the ritual, all demonic forces submit in reverence. Under the radiant morning light, the primal Qi silently circulates. Holding the ritual tally and waving the command banner, flowers are scattered into the void, and the ten directions of the universe rejoice together—kalpas without end. The assembly responds in unison: "In harmony with the Dao" (Yu Dao Hezhen).

Following this, the ritual drum is struck twenty-four times, and incense is lit in the burner. At this moment, the following are reverently invoked: the Three Qi (Sanqi) of the Supreme Three Heavens—Mysterious (Xuan), Primordial (Yuan), and Beginning (Shi)—along with the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun). Also summoned are the divine officers (Gongcao, guardian spirits) cultivated within the practitioner’s body, including the Left and Right Envoys (Zuoyou Guanshizhe), the Golden Youth of Incense Service (Shixiang Jintong), the Jade Maidens of Flower Scattering (Sanhua Yunü), and the Direct Talismanic Emissaries of the Five Emperors (Wudi Zhifu, envoys of the Five Directional Sovereigns)—thirty-two deities in total. Additionally, the local earth god (Tudi Shen) and city god (Chenghuang Shen) are called to protect the altar.

The presiding ritual master (Zhufa Fashi) declares their intention to ascend the altar at noon to perform the ritual, paying homage to the Celestial Venerables (Tianzun) and conveying the prayers of the devotees participating in the ceremony. They beseech the perfect Qi of the ten directions and the wondrous light of the Numinous Treasure (Lingbao) to descend, empowering the master’s body so that their sincerity may swiftly reach the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi).

Finally, the presiding master and all ritual officers jointly petition the following: The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Commencement (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun), the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), and all deities of the Three Realms (Sanjie), as well as the Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures (Sanshiliu Bu Zunjing, the canonical corpus of Daoism) and the Great Masters of the Mysterious Center (Xuanzhong Dafashi), to bear witness to this sacred Zhaijiao ceremony.

This scripture passage describes the deity-invocation segment in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), comprising three key aspects:

First, it enumerates the sacred titles of various perfected beings, including the Western Citadel's Supreme Perfected Lord Wangjun (Great Unity Zhenren), the Eastern Peak's High Minister of Destiny Lord Mao, and twenty-four other perfected officials (high-ranking Daoist immortals who have achieved spiritual cultivation), along with deities from the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm). These divine beings are all invited to descend during the ritual.

Next, it expounds the core principles of Daoist cosmology: During the primordial "Five Supremes" (Supreme Change, Supreme Beginning, Supreme Commencement, Supreme Simplicity, and Supreme Ultimate) period when chaos first divided, the Dao (the Way) began to manifest. The "Three Vehicles" of teaching (Great Vehicle, Middle Vehicle, and Small Vehicle) shine like the sun, while the "Primordial Ancestral Qi" (the most fundamental Dao-energy) generates all things from emptiness. Though divine manifestations appear in countless forms across worlds, the essential sacred mechanism of Dao-nature remains unchanging.

Finally, it vividly depicts the solemn altar setup by the ritual sponsor: The sacred space features symbolic decorations including the Crow Wheel (sun motif) and Lion Throne (ritual seat), adorned with precious canopies and vermilion banners. The Moon Chime (ritual chime) resonates like a dragon's call, while the Wind Sheng (Daoist mouth organ) produces phoenix-like tones, creating a radiant, sanctified atmosphere. Through such meticulous rituals, practitioners seek divine blessings of "life-restoring grace" to liberate departed souls and bestow fortune upon the living.

Technical terms like "Infant-Charm" (Ying-Cha) and "Tender-Child" (You-Hai) refer to harmonized Yin-Yang energy states in Neidan (internal alchemy) practice, while "Azure Precepts" (Qing-Lü) and "Cinnabar Scriptures" (Dan-Zhang) signify the sacredness of Daoist disciplines and texts. The passage embodies the Daoist belief that sincere ritual practice can commune with deities, balance Yin-Yang, and deliver all beings—demonstrating the religion's soteriological vision.

This scripture describes an elaborate Daoist zhaijiao ritual (a ceremonial practice for worship and blessings). At high noon, the priests ascend the altar platform to prepare for the sacred ceremony. They begin by lighting incense, allowing the curling smoke to rise upward as an offering to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities): the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), and the various immortals dwelling in the Palace of Clarity and Subtlety.

During the ritual, the priests kneel in devout prostration, offering their entire being to the divine. They pray that these meritorious deeds may protect the nation and its altars of soil and grain, enabling ancestors across generations to ascend to the immortal realms. Special blessings are invoked for the emperor, praising his civil and military achievements, with hopes that his virtue (De) may match heaven and earth like the ancient sage-kings.

During the second incense offering, the smoke now honors deities including the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Tianzun) and the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity (Ziwei Dadi). The priests pray that these merits may deliver the seven generations of ancestors belonging to the ritual patron (the host sponsoring the ceremony), allowing the departed souls to return to their primordial source and ascend riding the primal qi of chaos. The entire ceremony brims with gratitude for divine grace and yearning for transcendence beyond life and death.

The text employs distinctive Daoist imagery: "imperial dragon carriage" symbolizes the descent of celestial worthies, "white jade three qi" refers to the essence of heaven and earth, "purple-gold billion rays" describes the solemnity of divine thrones, while terms like "primordial chaos" (Hongmeng) and "boundless expanse" (Hanman) represent the undifferentiated state of cosmic beginnings. Together, these images construct a sacred religious space, showcasing Daoism's salvific functions for delivering souls and invoking blessings while averting calamities.

This scripture passage depicts a Daoist zhaijiao (ritual purification ceremony) scene, consisting of several key elements:

First, the ritual master intercedes for the devotees (jiazhu) by praying for the erasure of death records (the Registers of Northern Fengdu) and the addition of life blessings (the Registers of Southern Ascension). Using purified ritual implements (the jade ruler) and celestial symbolism (the Dipper's rotation and dragon's movement), he invokes the descent of the Nine Ling Vital Qi (nine primordial energies) and Eight Radiances (eight auspicious lights) to bestow blessings upon participants while dispelling misfortunes.

The text then describes the incense-offering ritual, where the master leads devotees in presenting incense to the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun). The rising smoke symbolizes the ascent of prayers to the celestial realm, while simultaneous offerings are made to the Five Directional Emperor-Old Ones (Wuling Xuanlao), the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity (Ziwei Dadi), and earth deities like Houtu. These petitions seek divine compassion to liberate souls from the underworld (Luofeng), transforming the Mountain of Knives and Forest of Swords into sacred groves, and the seas of ice and fire into lotus ponds.

The latter portion continues the supplications: May practitioners (reclusive scholars of misty forests and wandering adepts of cloud-waters) comprehend the "nine returns and seven reversions" (neidan terminology describing the cyclical refinement of jing, qi, and shen), enter profound mystical states undisturbed by demonic obstructions, and ultimately realize the true Dao. All participants, through repentance of transgressions and veneration of the sacred, achieve unity with the Dao (daohezhen).

Concluding with formal invocations, the presiding master leads the assembly in reverently summoning the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, thirty-two celestial emperors, and all sacred beings to descend upon the ritual altar. The passage fully manifests the zhaijiao's religious essence of "communicating with the highest heavens above while delivering the netherworld below."

This scripture passage depicts a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, presenting three key dimensions of the ceremony:

The text first enumerates the supreme pantheon of Daoist deities, including the "Most Sacred Luminous Sovereign Dao Lord of Numinous Treasure" (one of Daoism's highest deities), the "Great Master of Mysterious Centrality" (patriarchal transmitter of the Dao), and the "Twenty-Four Perfected Persons" (immortals who attained the Dao), along with renowned transcendents like the Sovereign Lord of Western Citadel, the Great Unity Perfected Being (Taiyi Zhenren), and Patriarch Mao of the Maoshan tradition. These divine beings collectively form the sacred assembly invoked for blessings during the salvation ritual.

Next, it describes auspicious cosmic phenomena: the eight directions radiate with sublime cloud-enshrouded Qi (vital energy), the heavens manifest mysterious blessings, while the earth emits propitious vapors. These natural wonders symbolize the descent of divine presence. The mentioned "golden tablets and jade scriptures" refer to sacred Daoist texts believed to be transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoism's supreme deity), containing the profound power to deliver sentient beings.

Finally, the passage details the ritual's salvific purpose: the patron (zhai host conducting the ceremony) seeks liberation for the deceased. The scripture explains how the departed, during their lifetime, became迷失本性 (lost their original nature) through emotional attachments and violations of moral principles, resulting in postmortem suffering in the three wretched paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal realms) and five afflictions (birth, aging, sickness, death, etc.). By establishing ritual platforms (locust-apricot altars and mushroom-lotus seats) and making supplications to the deities of the ten directions (Shifang) and the Three Officials of heaven, earth, and water (Sanyuan), the ritual aims to cleanse the soul's transgressions, restore its primordial spirit (Yuanling), ultimately liberating it from the three realms to be inscribed in the celestial register (Xianji), attaining the serene state of carefree transcendence.

This scripture records the prayer text and ritual procedures of a Daoist purification ceremony (Zhaijiao). The presiding priest (zhai master) first expresses gratitude for celestial benevolence, beseeching divine protection: may worldly conflicts be resolved ("sparrow-horns and rat-teeth" metaphorically denote petty disputes), families prosper in harmony (the "nine clans" signify all relatives), heaven and earth remain pure and luminous, the sun and moon shine brightly, mountains and forests stay tranquil, and agricultural endeavors yield abundant harvests ("mulberry and hemp" represent crops). Furthermore, they pray for auspicious omens like white unicorns and crimson wild geese to appear, allowing ritual music and moral teachings to spread throughout the land, while malevolent entities (the mythical Yu creatures and demon foxes) find no place to hide.

The text then describes the vow-making segment of the ritual: when the priest (self-referenced as "your servant") ascends the altar at noon to perform the ceremony, through visualization techniques (a Daoist cultivation method called cunxiang), they perceive the manifestation of sacred treasures such as golden-liquid cinnabar elixirs (jinye danbi) and numinous mushroom blossoms (zhiying). Countless deities (bailing zhongzhen) gather around the incense smoke. The priest prays that cultivators may attain the Dao and achieve immortality, that devotees participating in the ceremony (zhai masters) receive blessings, and that both the deceased (you, the hidden realm) and the living (xian, the manifest world) equally receive divine grace.

During the ritual, divine messengers like the Incense Official Envoys and guardian deities such as the Left and Right Dragon-Tiger Lords (hufa shen) assist in conveying these petitions. The prayers hope such sincere devotion will swiftly reach the sacred hearing of the supreme deity—the Jade Emperor of the Most High, Limitless Great Dao, and Ultimate Truth (one of Daoism's highest divinities).

Finally, the scripture documents the ceremony's concluding procedures: after chanting the exit hymn, the priest descends from the altar, marking the successful completion of the entire ritual. This passage originates from the 49th volume of Lingbao Lingjiao Jidu Jinshu (Golden Writings on Salvation Through Lingbao Teachings), an important liturgical text of the Song Dynasty Lingbao school of Daoism.