《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 22

This passage records the "Morning Ritual for Pacifying Dwellings" from the Huanglu (Yellow Register) Zhaijiao (purification ritual) in Daoist liturgy. The ceremony begins with priests paying respects to their masters according to protocol while maintaining a reverent state of mind.

Next comes the recitation of the "Guardian Spirits Incantation," used to summon protective deities: "The azure yang qi illuminates the four directions, the solar cycle brings forth numinous energy. Divine tigers expel malignant forces, while celestial generals shake golden bells to suppress wickedness, subduing ten thousand kinds of demonic creatures. The ninefold subtle Dao circulates, the eight directional mighty spirits gather vital essence. A thousand perfected immortals verify the records, as the three realms of heaven, earth and water become purified. To the left we summon the Central Yellow Divine Lord, to the right command the Six Ding Generals. Seven transformations and eight harmonies accord with celestial law—the sacred teachings manifest in solemn grandeur. The Great Dao flows unimpeded through the three realms, auspicious clouds and numinous qi permeate the void, resonating with the imagery of the Yellow Court (referring to the Dantian within the human body)."

Subsequently, twenty-four strikes of the ritual drum are sounded, symbolizing communication between heaven and earth. The priest invokes the three primordial qi (Xuan, Yuan, and Shi) from the Three Pure Ones (Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure) of the supreme three heavens, along with the descent of the Most High Lord Lao. Simultaneously, they summon thirty-two protective deities within the body: the Central Three-Five Merit Officials, Left and Right Emissaries, Golden Lad of Incense Service, Jade Maiden of Message Conveyance, Five Thearchs' Direct Talismans, Daily Incense Officials, and others—commanding them to prepare and report to the celestial deities. Local earth gods and city deities are also urgently summoned to assist.

The priest prays for the Dao qi from the Jade Pure realm and the wondrous light of Numinous Treasure to descend, flowing into their own body and all participants, purifying both inside and outside the ritual space. May the heavens be free of turbid qi, and the earth severed from demonic traces. The tinkling sounds of ritual implements vibrate through the ten directions—all is solemnly purified, ten thousand demons dare not intrude, as pious hearts reach up to the celestial court. May all petitions swiftly reach the sacred hearing of the Supreme Limitless Great Dao and the Jade Emperor of the Natural Golden Portal of Void-Nonbeing.

Finally, participating priests each announce their ritual rank (indicating their standing in Daoist cultivation) and collectively make this reverent declaration: "To the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning from Void-Nonbeing, the Most High Lord of the Limitless Great Dao, the Most High Lord Lao, the Jade Thearch, the Ten Directions' Perfected Saints, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Thearchs, the Jade Void Thearch, all venerable deities of the Jade Capital of Mysterious Metropolis (the highest Daoist paradise), together with the Numinous Treasure scriptures, Mysterious Center Masters, Five Directional Thearchs, Nine Earthly Sovereigns, and all true numinous beings—we humbly report: Having heard how the Celestial Worthy gestates and transforms all creation, how the Great Dao manifests boundless virtue, how yin-yang qi forms physical bodies, and how the myriad beings thereby originate, completing..."

This scripture describes a scene from the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Zhaijiao) – a grand ceremonial practice for redeeming deceased souls and praying for blessings while dispelling misfortunes. It depicts the cosmic structure: above, the clear heavens suspend the sun, moon, and stars; below, the turbid earth spreads with mountains, rivers, and seas. Various deities perform their respective duties, while the Five Directional Celestial Emperors (in Daoism, the sovereigns governing the east, west, south, north, and center) guard their assigned domains.

Daoism holds that all human constructions, from imperial palaces to ordinary dwellings, correspond to cosmic principles. The presiding Daoist priests declare their pedagogical responsibility to offer blessings for the nation and its people. They meticulously arrange the ritual altar according to strict ceremonial norms, configuring it like the pattern of heaven and earth. Colorful dragon banners are hung in the ten directions to demonstrate devotion to the Three Pure Realms (Sanqingjing, the three highest celestial abodes where Daoism's supreme deities reside).

The ritual involves three incense offerings: the first prays for the emperor, wishing the nation to be as stable as the Five Sacred Mountains and its territory as vast as the Eight Seas, with the imperial family embodying noble virtue (De); the second seeks blessings for the patron family sponsoring the ritual, hoping ancestors transcend the underworld, relatives attain immortality, and the household remains peaceful; the third extends prayers to all participants. With each incense offering, the rising smoke ascends directly to the azure heavens as an offering to the supreme embodiments of the Dao – the Treasure of the Dao (its divine manifestation) and the Treasure of Scriptures (sacred nature of Daoist texts) – while devotees kneel reverently, aspiring to unite with the Dao.

The ceremony concludes by reiterating the vow: "Upon attaining the Dao, ascend into formlessness, merging completely with the Dao's truth." This expresses the ultimate pursuit of blending with the supreme Dao through cultivation. Through its rigorous liturgical procedures (Keyi), the entire ritual connects the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity to fulfill its religious purpose of invoking blessings and dispelling calamities.

This passage depicts the solemn scene of Daoist priests reverently paying homage to deities during the Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a ritual for the salvation of departed souls. The priests devote themselves wholeheartedly to the ceremony, prostrating before the supreme triad of celestial deities known as the "Three Pure Ones" (Sanqing) — the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Tianzun), and the Celestial Worthy of Dao and Virtue (Daode Tianzun). Through the merits of this zhaijiao (purification ritual), they aspire for all living beings between heaven and earth to receive the benevolent grace of Daoist teachings.

The chief officiant (zhai zhu) seeks to eliminate latent calamities and obtain boundless blessings through incense offerings and repentance. The text meticulously records the ritual sequence: first paying respects to the four directions, silently visualizing nine-colored halos (a meditation technique), swallowing salivary secretions (a longevity practice), reciting demon-subduing mantras, then performing the "Pacing the Void" (Buxu) — the priest's ritual dance following astral configurations.

Throughout the ceremony, repeated veneration is paid to Daoism's supreme pantheon: the Supreme Dao (Wushang Dao), the Thirty-Six Divisions of Scriptures (encompassing all Daoist classics), and the Great Master of Mysterious Centrality (referring to Laozi as Taishang Laojun). The priests address their petitions to the highest divine beings including Yuanshi Tianzun and the Supreme Lord of the Great Dao (Taishang Daojun), as well as important Daoist deities like the Celestial Master Zhang Daoling (Tianshi Zhang Daoling) and the Four Directors and Five Thearchs.

The latter section describes the sublime state attained through spiritual realization: riding clouds and mists through the Great Void, with all energy channels flowing naturally, wandering with immortals amidst celestial harmonies. Through practices like "ingesting primordial essence" (absorbing cosmic Qi) and "refining fluids to solidify form" (Neidan cultivation), one ultimately reaches the exalted state where "golden light radiates through the Purple Tenuity" (the body emanates immortal radiance). The ceremony concludes with three grand prostrations, honoring the supreme status of Daoism's Three Treasures: the Dao, the Scriptures, and the Master.

All celestial and earthly spirits can perceive sincere prayers. We practitioners deeply understand that before the Dao (cosmic origin) differentiated, all things existed in a primordial state of undifferentiated chaos—profoundly mysterious yet naturally following Wuwei (non-action). When Heaven and Earth divided into Yin-Yang, and the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) took their positions; when the clear and turbid Qi formed the essence of Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth), and the alternation of day and night revealed the distinction between light and darkness—the myriad spirits of Yin-Yang each assumed their duties. Thus, humans built dwellings to replace nests, structures that emulate celestial patterns while influencing the balance of Yin-Yang.

The Qian trigram represents Heaven, and the Dui trigram symbolizes the marsh, each governing their respective domains. The fire of the Li trigram and the wind of the Xun trigram interact, shaping cycles of flourishing and decline. Aligning with these principles brings auspiciousness, while defiance invites misfortune—this has been true since ancient times. The host of this purification ritual (Zhaijiao), having constructed a dwelling, fears violating taboos. The ways of the spirits are unfathomable, beyond ordinary comprehension. Now that the construction is complete, incense and candles are prepared for the ceremony, seeking repentance for transgressions, beseeching divine grace, dispelling calamities, and rectifying faults. Through this grand Zhaijiao (Daoist sacrificial rite), utmost sincerity is conveyed to Heaven.

Following the Keyi (liturgical procedures), the ritual altar is arranged: the light of the orchid lamps illuminates the Nine Darknesses (the underworld), while incense smoke rises to the sacred realms of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing—Jade, Upper, and Supreme Purity). Scriptures are recited, and the path of the Dao is practiced, with extensive repentance and supplication. Whether offenses were committed against deities, harm inflicted upon the underworld authorities, lives taken, sacred grounds defiled, dragon spirits disturbed, or taboos violated; whether grievances arose from forced labor, or relocations occurred without auspicious timing—accumulated transgressions have led to calamities. These sins may reside within the directions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams (Bagua), hide in the cycles of the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches, or violate the seventy-two Yin-Yang spirits of execution—spirits who connect downward to the underworld and report upward to the celestial court.

Through this repentance ritual, we pray for the cleansing of all karmic burdens. May the blessings of the Zhaijiao spread widely, and virtuous merits extend far. We beseech the descent of the Nine Dragons' decree (a celestial mandate), proclaimed throughout the heavens; we invoke the majestic power of the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and the master) to command the Three Realms (Heaven, Earth, and Water), delivering the dark underworld and illuminating it with light. May the emperor's foundation remain steadfast, and the profound blessings spread to all nations, bringing peace to conflicts and abundance to the harvests. May the host’s family, both living and deceased, find well-being, with descendants flourishing in loyalty and filial piety. We pray for the erasure of sins from the underworld’s records and enrollment in the celestial registers. May all spirits of the Yin and Yang realms uphold the true Dharma, stabilize the human world, aid the living, and together propagate the Great Dao, supporting righteousness and dispelling evil. May both the visible and unseen realms attain the profound state, receiving the vast grace of the Celestial Worthy (highest Daoist deity) above and responding to our sincere devotion below. Humbly submitted for celestial acknowledgment.

The Supreme Yellow Register Purification Liturgy (Taishang Huanglu Zhaiyi) documents ten types of vows made during Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals), along with the concluding "returning to the furnace" (fulu) ceremony and the final "exiting the altar" procedure.

Practitioners begin the ritual by making ten grand vows: The first vow seeks personal cultivation in harmony with heaven, earth, and the four directions, enabling seven generations of ancestors to be liberated from suffering and ascend to paradise. The second vow prays for rulers to govern with De (Virtue/Power), fostering national education and border stability. The third vow wishes for the merit and virtue of one’s teachers to reach fulfillment. The fourth vow hopes that fellow cultivators may attain immortality swiftly and support one another. The fifth vow desires harmony among relatives and the upholding of benevolence and righteousness. The sixth vow expresses the aspiration to practice charity and aid the impoverished. The seventh vow seeks enlightenment for all living beings. The eighth vow asks for absolution of sins from past and present lives. The ninth vow prays for the prosperity of family and nation. The tenth vow pledges sincere devotion to the scriptures of one’s lineage.

During the "returning to the furnace" segment, the presiding priest invokes the descent of divine beings such as the Incense Officer Emissary (xiangguan shizhe, the deity overseeing ritual incense) and the Dragon-Tiger Lords (longhu jun, guardian spirits), praying that auspicious signs—such as golden elixir (jinye) and numinous herbs (zhiying)—manifest spontaneously within the incense burner. The ritual concludes with blessings for the practitioner’s immortal attainment, the sponsor’s (zhaizhu) accrual of merit, and the extension of divine grace to both the living and the deceased, all under the protection of immortal youths and jade maidens.

The final "exiting the altar" section closes with an invocation of the "Supreme Limitless Great Dao" (Taishang Wuji Dadao), emphasizing the Dao’s nature as the supreme, spontaneous void. The "golden towers and jade steps" (jinqu yu bi) symbolize the celestial palaces of the immortals, representing the ritual’s successful return to the highest realm of the Dao.

This scripture fully illustrates the core liturgy of the Yellow Register Purification (Huanglu Zhai), a ritual for the salvation of the deceased. Through vows, the furnace ceremony, and other stages, it fulfills the religious functions of redeeming souls and dispelling misfortune. The ten vows expand from personal cultivation to the welfare of family, nation, and the world, embodying the Daoist ideal that "the Way of Immortality values life and saves countless beings" (xiandao guisheng, wuliang duren), reflecting its compassionate, world-embracing spirit.