《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 36

This is the thirty-sixth volume of the Great Supreme Yellow Register Purification Liturgy compiled by Tang Dynasty Daoist priest Du Guangting, documenting the ritual procedures for a salvation ceremony for deceased souls. At the ceremony's commencement, the Daoist priests first pay homage to their patriarch according to protocol while visualizing the patriarch's divine form.

Next comes the recitation of the "Guardian Spirit Incantation" to summon protective deities: "The Five Planets (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) hang high as auspicious Qi flows; the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) gathers all divinities. Between heaven and earth's revolutions, jade talismans and precious registers emit faint light to awe the underworld. Casting fire to display might scatters evil influences; ten thousand kinds of demons and monsters are subdued. Divine radiance illuminates the dark night, dissipating all gloom, as numerous immortals descend upon clouds of blessing, spreading divine favor across the sacred land."

The ritual master then strikes the ceremonial drum twenty-four times (a fixed number in Daoist rites) to summon internally cultivated "Three-Five Merit Officials" (inner protective deities) and numerous divine assistants: thirty-two celestial generals including Left and Right Official Messengers, Golden Lad of Incense Service, Jade Maiden of Message Transmission, Five Emperor Direct Talismans, and Daily Incense Official. These deities must prepare to convey messages to the celestial court. Simultaneously, local Earth Gods (Daoist territorial guardians) are invoked for assistance.

The master declares his mandate to perform the "Audience with the Primordial" ceremony (an important Daoist zhaijiao ritual), praying for the Dao-Qi from the Jade Pure Realm (the highest Daoist heaven) and the wondrous light of Numinous Treasure to descend, purifying both within and beyond the altar space, ensuring no foul demons disturb the ceremony between heaven and earth. The tinkling of ritual implements resounds as the ten directions become solemnly pure, allowing the master's sincerity to reach directly to the celestial court.

Finally, assuming the identity of "Perfected Lord of Mysterious Capital from [specific] Sacred Mountain," the master reverently petitions all Celestial Worthies: from the Natural Void's Primordial Beginning Celestial Worthy to the Supreme Laozi, Thirty-Six Heavenly Sovereigns, the Four Directional Thearchs of east, west, south and north, numerous honored deities from celestial palaces, the Thirty-Six Sections of Daoist scriptures, and the Great Master of Mysterious Center (referring to Laozi) - all divinities across the Three Realms. The master acknowledges that only through accumulated virtue from past lives could he encounter such profound Daoist methods in this lifetime to preside over this salvation ritual for all beings.

This passage describes part of the ritual procedures from the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ceremony (Zhaijiao), a rite for the salvation of departed souls. The ritual master solemnly declares having received the secret transmissions of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) — the Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure, the highest deities in Daoism — and having cultivated the Three Caverns scriptures (the canonical collection of Daoist texts). Though already ranked among the celestial officials with his name recorded in the immortal registers, he still feels his practice remains insufficient.

The master recalls taking vows before the Five Directional Emperors (the Green Emperor of the East, Red Emperor of the South, etc.) and the Three Officials (Celestial Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official) during his initiation, pledging to deliver all beings and protect the nation. Now that the patron (the ritual sponsor) makes sincere supplications, the master cannot neglect his duty and prepares to petition the deities according to ritual protocol.

The text then presents the reading of the patron’s petition. Having accumulated virtue through good deeds and devoted to the Limitless Great Dao (the supreme truth of Daoism), the patron demonstrates care for family and country, filial piety toward elders, and particular compassion for souls suffering in the underworld. Thus, following Daoist scriptures, they have prepared an altar adorned with incense and flowers to venerate the Three Officials, Five Emperors, and all sacred beings of the Golden Tower and Jade Chambers.

The master and participants strictly observe precepts, purifying their minds in stillness as the ceremony begins. The first stick of incense is lit, its smoke rising as an offering to the "Supreme Treasure of Ultimate Truth" (the primordial source of the Dao). The merit is dedicated to the imperial ancestors, praying for the emperor’s stable reign, national peace, and the people’s prosperity, while also seeking the ascension of ancestral masters and deceased parents to the immortal realms.

The second stick of incense is then offered to the "Supreme Treasure of Sacred Scriptures" (Daoist canonical texts), with all participants bowing in reverence to express devotion to the teachings. The passage vividly portrays the religious setting of Daoist ritual purification (Zhaijiao), where communication with deities and salvation of souls are achieved through incense burning, scripture recitation, and ceremonial prostration.

This scripture is part of the Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Huanglu Zhaijiao) in Daoist liturgy, primarily consisting of several key components:

The text first describes how the accumulated merit (gongde) from performing the purification ritual (Zhaijiao) can bless the practitioner's ancestors across nine generations (jiuxuan qizu). These merits help deceased relatives erase their karmic records in the underworld, increase virtuous deeds in their merit ledgers, and enable their ascension to the realm of true immortals. Simultaneously, these blessings extend to living descendants, preserving their innate purity and ensuring the family's reputation endures through generations.

The ritual involves incense offerings and prostrations, expressing devout reverence toward the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing - Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun) and various celestial beings. The ascending smoke symbolizes the devotees' prayers reaching the celestial realms as offerings to the deities. Participants pray for the deities to extend these blessings universally, delivering wandering souls from purgatorial sufferings and granting them liberation.

The repentance section follows the Three Invocations (sanqi) format, extolling the profound mystery of the Dao (Daoxuan). Through cultivation, practitioners can transcend sufferings of the Three Realms (desire, form, and formlessness) and be liberated from the Five Sufferings of hell. The ceremony concludes with Threefold Homage (sanli) to the Daoist Three Treasures: first to the Supreme Dao (Wushang Dao), second to the Thirty-Six Daoist Scriptures, and third to the Great Master of Mysterious Center (Xuanzhong Dafashi, referring to Laozi).

Finally, the presiding priest (Shangqing Xuandu Mouyue Xiansheng) renews the invocation to all deities, including the Three Pure Ones, Ten Directions Heavenly Worthies, and celestial-earth spirits, demonstrating the ritual's solemnity and devotion. The entire ceremony embodies Daoism's religious functions of soul salvation through purification rituals, merit accumulation, and karmic repentance.

We ordinary mortals are fortunate to follow the Great Dao, receiving the Three Treasures scriptures transmitted through the Three Masters (referring to the three founding patriarchs of Daoist transmission) to venerate the divine and fulfill our prayers. Deeply grateful for this grace, we bear this responsibility with both joy and reverence. Upon receiving these teachings, we vowed to propagate the Orthodox Path and deliver souls from the underworld. All petitions must first be reported to Heaven.

The fasting officiant (Daoist priest conducting the zhaijiao ritual), [Name], shoulders this solemn duty to assist in spreading the Daoist teachings. In recent years, our land has suffered continuous disasters—plagues without drought yet with abnormal weather, bringing poverty, sickness, and widespread famine. Countless innocent lives have perished, with people trapped in misery, many losing their lives. The elderly, weak, and sick have died in succession, their bones piling up without burial.

Human life passes as swiftly as a white steed glimpsed through a crack. Death comes in countless forms: some die as heroes on battlefields defending their country; others perish pursuing profit in commerce; some meet their end chasing fame and gain; still others, cruel and unkind by nature, die wretchedly in illness with none to care for them. Many collapse by roadsides from hunger and cold, their corpses dragged by wild dogs or gnawed by rats; others lie exposed to wind and sun until only broken skeletons remain—limbs missing, heads severed from bodies—a pitiful sight that rends the heart.

Now we gather these remains for collective burial, regardless of gender or age, sparing them further exposure. Daoism takes compassion as its foundation, and the first act of mercy is to bury the dead. Confucian sages established rituals using cypress markers to protect graves from disturbance, covering bones to spare the living from sorrow—all to bring peace to both the living and the departed. This is not merely the decree of Heaven but the proper way of humanity.

With profound grief, we establish a Mystic Gate zhaijiao (Daoist salvation ritual) at [location], preparing incense, candles, and offerings to devoutly beseech the Three Supreme Pure Ones (the highest Daoist deities, the Sanqing) for mercy—to absolve the sins of these souls and deliver them from suffering. We erect an altar with fragrant flowers, lamps, and candles, chanting scriptures and performing repentance rituals, hoping these wandering souls may attain deliverance. We humbly pray the celestial beings witness our sincerity, granting these unattended spirits rebirth and eternal liberation from the darkness of the underworld.

This scripture is a confessional prayer text from the Daoist Yellow Register (Huanglu) purification ritual, comprising three main sections: celestial confession, vow-making for blessings, and ritual conclusion.

First, the practitioner confesses before the deities of the Thirty-Six Heavens and the Ten Directions, beseeching the Supreme Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) and other exalted divinities to command the Three Officials (Sanguan—Celestial, Earthly, and Water Officials) and the Five Thearchs (Wudi, the Five Directional Sovereigns) to absolve all transgressions committed by the ritual sponsor, whether in life or death. The prayer seeks divine intervention to liberate souls trapped in the Nine Dark Hells (Jiuyou), ensuring protection for the living and rebirth for the deceased. Special supplications are made for the peaceful repose of souls interred in graves, that they may transition smoothly to new lives without lingering in the underworld. Concurrently, the text invokes harmony in the seasons, favorable weather, and prosperity for the people.

Next follows the articulation of ten vows:

1. May the Great Dao (Da Dao) spread widely across the world.

2. May all beings awaken to the Dao.

3. May souls in the underworld attain liberation.

4. May wandering ghosts (Gushuang) find rebirth.

5. May the world enjoy peace and abundant harvests.

6. May rulers and subjects, parents and children, each fulfill their proper roles.

7. May grievances and enmities in the world be resolved.

8. May fetuses and egg-born creatures be delivered safely.

9. May the sick recover from ailments.

10. May the impoverished gain sufficiency in clothing and food.

The concluding section calls upon divine witnesses—the Incense Officer (Xiangguan), Messengers, and the Dragon-Tiger Lords (Longhu Jun)—to validate the merits of the ritual (Zhaijiao). The rising incense carries these petitions upward, ensuring that practitioners of the Dao attain immortality, the sponsor receives blessings, and both the realms of Yin and Yang are graced with divine favor. All prayers are conveyed by immortal youths and jade maidens directly to the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi). The ritual concludes with the word "departure" (Chuhu), signifying its successful completion.

Note: The Yellow Register Purification (Huanglu Zhai) is a major Daoist ritual for the salvation of the deceased, primarily used to aid wandering souls and avert calamities. In the text, "Nine Dark Hells" (Jiuyou) refers to the nine layers of the Daoist underworld, "wandering ghosts" (Gushuang) denotes unattached spirits, and "Six Qi" (Liuqi) represents the six climatic phenomena of nature.