《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 20

The Supreme Yellow Register Liturgy scripture records the specific ritual procedures for performing the Taoist Yellow Register Ceremony (a major Zhaijiao ritual for salvation of souls and dispelling calamities). The version compiled by Du Guangting (a renowned Tang dynasty Taoist master) particularly details the liturgical sequence for conducting state-sponsored rituals to avert disasters and seek blessings.

At the ceremony's commencement, the presiding priest (referred to as "the minister") reverently bows, visualizing the ancestral masters' protection. This is followed by reciting the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," a mantra invoking protective deities: the priest envisions crimson flames forming a rotating halo of light, celestial radiance purging the eight directions, flowing golden brilliance dispersing demons, and golden talismans (Fulu) summoning deities who arrive riding clouds and dragons amidst floating celestial blossoms, bringing peace to all quarters.

Next, the priest strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times, a signal announcing the ceremony to the celestial realms. The liturgy then invokes the primordial Qi of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing—the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning, the Celestial Venerable of Numinous Treasure, and the Celestial Venerable of the Dao and its Virtue), along with their retinue of thirty-two guardian officials, including merit officers (Gongcao) and jade maidens (Yunü), to descend upon the altar. The priest petitions the local earth god (Tudi Shen) to assist in purifying the ritual space, ensuring the heavens remain untainted and the earth free of baleful influences, so that when the ritual instruments resound, all ten directions are purified.

The final stage involves submitting memorial petitions. Identifying as a "disciple of the Supreme Clarity Mystic Capital," the priest sequentially addresses the Celestial Venerable of the Void Emperor, the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), and all Taoist deities—including the Thirty-Six Celestial Emperors, the Four Directional Sovereigns, the divinities of the Mystic Capital Jade Metropolis (Xuandu Yujing), and the guardian spirits of the Thirty-Six Taoist Scriptures. The priest affirms having heard that the Great Dao (Dao) existed before the separation of chaos, giving birth to all things, and now solemnly conducts the ritual to seek divine protection.

This passage fully presents the core sequence of Taoist Zhaijiao rituals: "inviting the deities—purifying the altar—submitting petitions." Through visualization, incantations, and ritual implements, a sacred space is constructed, embodying the Taoist cosmology of "resonance between heaven and humanity."

This scripture describes the memorial presentation ritual within the Daoist Yellow Register Zhai (Huanglu Zhai) - a grand purification ceremony for redeeming lost souls and praying for blessings. Through incense offerings and prayers, Daoist priests convey human petitions to the celestial realms.

The ceremony begins by extolling the harmonious order of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), emphasizing the sovereign's sacred duty as earthly ruler to harmonize Yin-Yang and nurture all living beings. When the nation faces adversity, officials representing the imperial court conduct this zhaijiao ritual with sincere intentions to rectify circumstances and beseech heavenly favor.

During the "reading of petitions" phase, priests meticulously arrange the sacred altar (Huangtan) according to strict Daoist liturgical protocols, preparing for divine descent. Through ceremonial acts like incense offering (Nianxiang) and oblation, they express devout reverence. The first incense offering honors the "Supreme Treasure of Ultimate Truth" (the highest Daoist teachings), praying that accumulated merit may bless the nation and elevate ancestral spirits to the Three Pure Realms (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing - the celestial domains of the Sanqing).

The second incense offering venerates the "Supreme Treasure of Sacred Scriptures", specifically interceding for the emperor. The prayer's metaphorical language employs "jade candles" symbolizing peaceful prosperity and "jade tree branches" representing national flourishing. Simultaneous blessings extend to imperial consorts, crown princes, and officials, petitioning that civil and military ministers may assist governance to bring universal harmony.

Through this meticulously structured ceremony, earthly petitions ascend layer by layer to the celestial court. Poetic allusions like "fire-mice and ice-silkworms" metaphorically illustrate how even remote regions receive imperial virtue. The ritual concludes with the phrase "harmony unites with Dao in perfection", expressing the ideal state of human-divine communion and cosmic unity.

This passage describes the core elements of the Huanglu Zhai ritual (a major purification ceremony for salvation of souls and dispelling misfortunes) in Daoist practice. Through incense burning, prostrations, and repentance, participants beseech blessings from celestial deities.

As the ceremony begins, three incense sticks are lit, their ascending smoke symbolizing direct connection with the celestial realm. Devotees devoutly pray to the "Three Supreme Masters" (referring to the highest triad of deities: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun), hoping these meritorious deeds will permeate the Three Realms (from the highest Sanqing heavens to the deepest Nine Netherworlds), dispelling calamities while safeguarding national peace and imperial health.

The "Ritual Directions and Repentance" segment follows, where participants chant the "Three Invocations" to express aspirations: flourishing lineage, thriving Daoist teachings, the ascension of seven generations of ancestors to paradise, and their own eventual transcendence through Dao cultivation. Threefold prostrations are then made to Daoism's supreme objects of veneration: first to the "Limitless Great Dao" (primordial source of the Dao), second to the "Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures" (collective term for all Daoist classics), and third to the "Great Master of Mysterious Center" (referring to Laozi).

Finally, the presiding Daoist priest, identifying as a "Disciple of Shangqing's Mysterious Capital," petitions the deities once more, declaring their qualification to conduct this sacred ceremony through karmic affinity from past lives, now possessing the divinely bestowed "Jade Texts and Golden Tablets" (sacred scriptures) and "Turtle Registers with Tiger Talismans" (ritual credentials).

The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist concept of "resonance between heaven and humanity," where specific ritual protocols facilitate divine communication to achieve blessings and calamity prevention.

Having left behind the tranquility of mountain forests, I (the practitioner) now wander lost in worldly turmoil, having neither achieved meritorious service for the nation nor attained the realm of ascendant immortality. With nothing but sincere devotion, I seek to repay the grace of Heaven and Earth's creative power. Moreover, the establishment of merit and propagation of the Dao should prioritize assisting the state. Now facing calamity, I prepare offerings with deep concern for the nation and its people, diligently observing purification rituals (Zhaijiao).

Following the decree of the Supreme Nine Heavens (the highest Daoist celestial realm) and the teachings of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) scriptures, I burn incense, light lamps, recite scriptures, and practice the Dao. I know well that the great Dao of non-action (Wuwei) responds to sincerity as its foundation, while mystical divine power originates from perfect devotion. When perfect devotion manifests in the human realm, it surely moves Heaven above. Humbly I beseech the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Ten Directional Saints, and all celestial deities to extend boundless grace of pardon and bestow immeasurable blessings.

May the ancestral sins of the imperial house and current sovereign be absolved, purifying the source of divine radiance and illuminating the light of Virtue (De). Let Heaven and Earth find peaceful order, calamities be dispelled; may all nations live in harmony and all creatures exist in concord. May sun, moon and stars shine brightly, wars cease, and plagues vanish. May violent offenders be destroyed, dragon spirits dwell in harmony, and celestial soldiers eradicate wickedness. May winds and rains come seasonally, crops flourish abundantly, and all living beings find their proper place.

May suffering souls in hell realms receive liberation through this repentance ritual; may all creatures comprehend the great Dao. May the four seas be free of raging waves, all rivers flow smoothly to the ocean; whether noble or commoner, may all share in universal peace. May all life receive the transformative teachings of the Dao, demonstrating both the Heavenly Venerables' universal salvation and fulfilling our devout disciples' sincere aspirations.

Vows:

First Vow: May the great Dao remain pure and non-active (Wuwei), widely opening the gates of teaching to enlighten all beings, granting grace even to the ignorant. May all practitioners diligently cultivate themselves, ascending together to celestial realms, sharing the longevity of Heaven and Earth, forever free from affliction.

Second Vow: May celestial qi (Qi) remain clear and luminous, enveloping all creation, protecting true spirits. May the four seasons maintain harmonious climate, the nation remain stable, and people enjoy abundant clothing and food. May all beings receive universal aid, blessings extend to all things, preserving Heaven and Earth eternally without disturbance.

(Note: The Yellow Register Retreat is a major Daoist ritual performed for imperial households and state affairs, emphasizing the resonance between sincere cultivation and cosmic forces to achieve national stability and universal salvation. References to "burning incense and lighting lamps" and "scripture recitation with ritual circumambulation" describe specific ceremonial procedures, while "three paths and six destinies" refers to the various realms of samsaric existence including hells, hungry ghosts, and animal rebirth.)

Third Vow: May the earth eternally sustain all beings without exhaustion, remaining steadfast and unshaken, with seas never overflowing. May the nation enjoy stability and the people prosper, the living nourished in health and the deceased resting in peace, with grace pervading all ten directions. May crops flourish abundantly, commerce thrive daily, and all things receive the bountiful virtue (De) of the earth.

Fourth Vow: May the sun and moon shine perpetually without eclipse or obscuration, their waxing and waning measured yet radiance ever-present. May their sacred brilliance illuminate all celestial realms, dispelling every darkness, safeguarding the world through calamities, and ensuring peace across generations. May their blessings descend universally, nourishing all sentient beings.

Fifth Vow: May the stars shine in harmony with the sun and moon, revolving to illuminate the ten directions. May each constellation remain steadfast in its position, moving along righteous paths, shielding the nation from disasters, bringing tranquility to the four seas, and prosperity to all under heaven.

Sixth Vow: May the four seasons alternate in timely order, with harmonious climates free from calamity or pestilence. May plagues vanish, the world know peace, harvests abound, the nation grow mighty, and the people rejoice.

Seventh Vow: May auspicious clouds condense primal Qi (vital energy), floating aloft to form celestial canopies. Gathering mysteriously without form, dispersing to fill the firmament. May immortals dwell among mortals, befriending perfected beings, with grace widely bestowed. May the nation thrive, the people cherished, all beings universally aided, granting humanity longevity.

Eighth Vow: May winds and rains arrive seasonally, nourishing all creation. Bathed in this moisture, may all things grow vigorous, state reserves overflow, and people's lives prosper.

Ninth Vow: May the Five Sacred Mountains stand majestically in their ordained directions, towering and sublime, harboring celestial palaces within. May they safeguard the nation's enduring fortune, preserve the heavenly realms eternally, deliver all beings, and receive universal reverence.

Tenth Vow: May rivers and oceans remain boundless in their embrace, nurturing even the tiniest creatures. Profound yet gentle, moistening all creeping life, with celestial and earthly realms celebrating together, time enduring like stone.

Eleventh Vow: May sovereigns govern flourishing kingdoms, with all four quarters peaceful and harmonious, free from warfare. May heaven and humanity sing joyfully, with auspicious signs appearing frequently. May teachings flourish, virtuous governance spread widely, all people celebrate, and eternal bliss prevail.

Twelfth Vow: May all living beings, whether already born or yet to be, receive divine protection for survival and growth. May all perceive the primordial Qi (vital energy) and bask in sunlight's nourishment. May plants and fruit trees withstand winter un-withered, all things attain deliverance, vitality overflowing. May all unite with the great Dao (the Way) and return to original purity.

Returning the Brazier Ritual: O Messengers of Incense, Dragon-Tiger Lords of left and right, and all attendant spirit-officials—let this disciple's place of worship to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning spontaneously manifest golden elixir (Jindan) and jade-green numinous herbs. May all perfected immortals gather before this incense brazier, granting that this disciple's pursuit of the Dao (the Way) may attain realization, and quest for immortality achieve fruition.

(Note: The Returning the Brazier ritual marks the conclusion of Daoist purification ceremonies (Zhaijiao), symbolizing the ceremonial return of invoked deities to celestial realms while seeking cultivation success. "Golden elixir and jade herbs" refer to precious alchemical substances in Daoist practice.)

This scripture passage depicts the culminating moment of the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai) - a ritual for redeeming lost souls and seeking blessings - when divine beings descend to bestow their grace.

As the Zhaijiao ritual ceremony reaches its conclusion, immortal youths and jade maidens (celestial attendants in Daoism) from the ten directions gather to stand guard. Incense smoke rises in curling tendrils, fragrant as orchid blossoms, while the memorial petitions previously presented by the ritual master (Fachuan) are swiftly delivered before the supreme Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), one of Daoism's highest deities.

The phrase "exiting the gate" signifies the ritual's imminent conclusion, permitting participants to leave the sacred altar space. This text originates from the 20th scroll of the Supreme Huanglu Retreat Liturgy (Taishang Huanglu Zhaiyi), documenting the solemn moment when divine resonance manifests and petitions ascend to heaven. It embodies the Daoist belief that sincere ritual practice can commune with celestial beings, bringing blessings to both the visible and spirit worlds.