《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 31

This describes the liturgical procedure for the "Repentance and Healing Ritual" segment within the Daoist Yellow Register Zhai (a major purification ceremony for redeeming souls and dispelling misfortunes). At the outset, the Daoist priests reverently pay homage to their lineage masters, focusing their minds through cunxiang (a Daoist visualization technique).

The ritual scene unfolds: divine radiance illuminates all directions, auspicious qi (vital energy) swirls about, while the Dipper and Winnowing stars (key constellations in Daoist cosmology) shine with crystalline clarity. Celestial script (zhi characters) manifests spontaneously as the Jade-Eyed Golden Perfected Ones sit serenely upon pure altars. The ceremony possesses the power to warp time and space—turning night into day, adjusting cosmic orientations (represented by the polar axes of zi and wu), making sacred Mount Taihua glow while crimson phoenixes (auspicious birds) soar upon chariots. It pacifies demonic obstructions, expels malign forces, and ascends upon blessed clouds. All celestial perfected beings gather before the Heavenly Emperor.

The "Summoning by Ritual Drum" follows—twenty-four drumbeats symbolically invoke the deities. Next comes the solemn invitation of the supreme Daoist divinity, the "Most High Lord of the Dao from the Three Primordial Qi of the Three Heavens," followed by the convocation of thirty-two divine attendants: the internally cultivated merit officials (guardian spirits), Golden Boys and Jade Maidens (divine attendants), and emissaries of the Five Directional Thearchs—all arrayed in solemn dignity to open the mystical altar. Local earth gods and city deities are simultaneously summoned.

The presiding priest declares his sacred mandate, beseeching the primordial Dao-Qi (cosmic energy) and numinous radiance from the Jade Purity Heaven (highest of the Three Pure Realms) to purify participants' body and mind. The ritual space becomes immaculate—no defilement exists between heaven and earth, demons vanish utterly. Jade chimes resound clearly as the ten directions fall into sacred stillness; no demon dares intrude, allowing sincere prayers to ascend directly to the celestial court.

Finally, supplications address the supreme sacred entities: the "Limitless Great Dao of Utmost High" (source of the Dao) and the "Jade Emperor's Golden Palace of Natural Void" (abode of the Three Pure Ones). All participating priests announce their ritual ranks (daoist titles) in unison, collectively invoking: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (head of the Three Pure Ones), the Great Lord of Jade Dawn (Lingbao Tianzun), the Most High Lord Lao (Daode Tianzun), the Jade Emperor, all perfected beings throughout the three realms and ten directions, the thirty-six Heaven-Sovereigns, the Five Thearchs of cardinal directions, palace deities of celestial realms, and guardian spirits of the thirty-six Daoist scriptures (canonical texts).

The liturgy emphasizes cosmological principles: all existence originates from undifferentiated primordial qi (huncheng), with the purest Dao-Qi (zhenyi) condensing into light. Heaven and earth operate through this power as yin-yang forces propel the cycles of creation and dissolution—flourishing and decline perpetually transforming. These theories embody the Daoist worldview of "the Dao generating the ten thousand things."

This scripture records the prayer incantation from the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai) - a grand ritual for redeeming the deceased and dispelling calamities. The text describes practitioners offering incense prayers to invoke divine protection.

Human affairs intertwine good and evil just as the moon waxes and wanes, and seasons alternate between cold and heat. Only the Dao penetrates both the yin and yang realms, capable of bestowing universal blessings and delivering all beings. We practitioners have long received authentic transmission of esoteric methods, having studied the ritual techniques recorded in the Three Caverns (San Dong) scriptures and the salvation documents preserved in the Nine Heavens' Golden Registers. Through countless kalpas of adversity, we remain steadfast in propagating the Great Dao, devoutly serving the supreme deities, subduing demonic influences, protecting the nation and its people, and delivering all sentient beings. Now with petitions to present, we dare not fail to report them to Heaven.

The retreat patron (Zhaizhu), afflicted by lingering misfortunes and unhealed illnesses, sincerely takes refuge in the celestial deities and vows to observe purification precepts, praying for divine descent. Tonight during the Chaozhen ritual procession, the masters first lift the first incense offering. May this fragrant smoke ascend directly to the Nine Heavens to venerate the supremely authentic "Treasure of Dao" (personified manifestation of the Dao). We devote our entire being to the Dao, prostrating in reverence to the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing), transferring merits to the emperor: may the imperial ancestral temple remain peaceful, the sovereign's enterprise endure eternally, crown princes and nobles assist the grand undertaking, consorts and officials jointly support the flourishing reign, unifying all under heaven's standards with myriad states paying tribute.

Next comes the second incense offering to venerate the supremely authentic "Treasure of Scriptures" (sacred embodiment of Daoist texts). May the merits extend to the patron's entire household: liberating ancestral spirits from underworld sufferings to ascend to celestial realms, resolving litigation of sins in the netherworld to bring blessings to descendants, allowing even the Nine Darkness hells to behold compassionate radiance as beings from all six rebirth paths ascend together to virtuous states.

Finally, the third incense offering expresses reverence for the "Treasure of Masters" (Daoist transmission lineage), praying that practitioners may ultimately realize the Great Dao and attain the wuwei state of merging with Dao's authenticity. Each incense offering concludes by emphasizing "merging with Dao's authenticity" (Yu Dao He Zhen), embodying Daoist cultivation's ultimate ideal of uniting Heaven and humanity.

This passage describes the incense offering and ritual prostrations in the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai) - a ceremonial practice for delivering deceased souls and seeking blessings while dispelling misfortunes.

During the incense burning, practitioners pray for the fragrant smoke to ascend directly to the celestial realm as an offering to the supreme 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). Participants kneel devoutly, hoping these meritorious deeds will eradicate their transgressions, dissolve calamities, and dispel illnesses. They petition the Southern Dipper Star Lord for longevity and the Eastern Palace for blessings and prosperity, seeking these benefits not only for themselves and their families but wishing all beings under heaven may share in these virtuous merits and together enter the realm of Dao.

The text then describes the "Pacing the Void" (Buxu) ritual within the retreat - a ceremonial circumambulation where Daoist priests walk in measured steps around the altar while chanting scriptures. Clad in flowing robes that flutter like celestial garments, they tread upon cloud-patterned ritual platforms. Holding ritual implements, they process through the eight directions guided by the constellations. The poetic description evokes mythical beasts leading the way and celestial soldiers providing protection, recreating the auspicious scene when Emperor Zhenzong of Song received the descent of the Nine Emperor Stars (the deities of the Northern Dipper's nine stars) in the Yan'en Hall.

The passage concludes with the solemn Threefold Prostration ritual: first bowing to the "Supreme Ultimate Great Dao" (the primordial source of Dao), then paying homage to the "Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures" (the complete Daoist canon), and finally venerating the "Great Master of Mysterious Center" (referring to Laozi). The presiding priest reaffirms his ritual identity and petitions the celestial deities, explaining that this ceremony is conducted for a specific devotee afflicted by misfortunes and illnesses, hoping through these rituals to reach divine hearing and obtain heavenly protection.

Note: The "Yellow Register Retreat" represents Daoism's most solemn ritual for soul deliverance and blessing; "Pacing the Void" refers to the coordinated circumambulation with musical accompaniment during retreats; the "Threefold Prostration" indicates reverence to the Three Treasures of Dao (the Way), Scriptures, and Master - fundamental Daoist ceremonial etiquette.

This passage is a confession and vow text from the Taoist Yellow Register Zhaijiao ritual, a ceremony for redeeming the deceased and dispelling calamities. The practitioner (a disciple) first confesses their transgressions across past and present lives: violating the benevolent De (Virtue) of heaven and earth that nurtures all beings, failing the grace of the sun and moon's universal illumination, disrupting the harmony of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth), and damaging the celestial movements of the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, stars) and the sexagenary cycle (Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches). Due to ignorance of karma and taboos, they indulged the six emotions (joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, hatred, desire) and committed evil through the three karmas (physical, verbal, and mental), offending netherworld spirits, straying from scriptural teachings, thereby incurring karmic retribution.

The text then details specific transgressions: violating earth spirits during construction and disrupting fengshui; acting contrary to celestial timing; or encountering unfavorable astrological clashes in the Nine Palaces and Bagua (Eight Trigrams) divination. Through the Zhaijiao ritual of incense offerings and scripture recitation, they now confess these sins to celestial deities, seeking calamity eradication. They pray for the Great Unity Deity (Polaris) to grant longevity, the Three Officials (heaven, earth, water) to dispel illness, receive immortal elixirs from jade attendants, and obtain divine talismans from the Five Directional Thearchs—harmonizing the five viscera and six bowels, unblocking meridians for health and blessings.

Subsequent vows extend to all beings: redeeming nine generations of ancestors to ascend heaven while protecting living relatives; may all creatures find their rightful place; may the nation prosper with virtuous governance, celestial auspices like "linked pearls and joined jade" (auspicious solar-lunar conjunction) reappear, reviving the golden age of the Hetu and Luoshu (legendary celestial diagrams). May agriculture flourish without flood, drought, or plague; may wars cease and weather follow seasonal harmony. Finally, blessings extend to netherworld beings—may all officials and spirits uphold the true Dao.

The text concludes with Twelve Great Vows: for clear heavens and fertile earth; sages' longevity; widespread teachings; celestial nectar; terrestrial auspices; orderly seasons; thriving beings; harmonious families; national talent; officials' blessings; and cultivators' immortality. The "Returning the Brazier" marks ritual completion by repositioning the incense burner, symbolizing the ceremony's perfection.

In the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ceremony (Zhaijiao ritual for salvation of souls and dispelling misfortunes), the Incense Official Envoys managing the sacred flames, the Left and Right Dragon-Tiger Lords (guardian deities), and all attendant incense spirit officers should protect the presiding ritual master. When the master performs incense offerings (burning incense in worship), golden elixir (sacred alchemical substance) and cinnabar-jade essence of numinous mushrooms (colors of immortal flora) will spontaneously manifest before the incense burner, attracting numerous perfected immortals to descend upon this smoke-wreathed sacred space.

May the master attain realization of the supreme Dao through cultivation, may followers fulfill their aspirations for immortality, and may the sponsoring household (ritual patron) — whether living or deceased — receive blessings and divine grace. May the master's memorial prayers swiftly reach the supreme Wuji Great Dao of the Most High (the ultimate source in Daoism) — that transcendent Jade Palace of golden gates (celestial sovereign's abode) beyond form and name, serene in its natural emptiness.

This scripture passage comes from Chapter 31 ("Exit Protocol") of the Most High Yellow Register Purification Liturgy, recording the invocations during incense offerings in ritual ceremonies. It emphasizes the religious function of sacred liturgy as a bridge connecting heaven and humanity.