《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 4

At dawn on the second day during the purification ritual (Zhaijiao), Daoist priests must perform ceremonial bows and visualize their ancestral masters according to established protocols. At this moment, they envision the radiance of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) illuminating their bodies, with the celestial court (upper Dantian) glowing brilliantly, encompassing all phenomena. The internal Qi (vital energy) merges with the cosmic energies of heaven and earth, while the five viscera and meridians circulate smoothly.

Next, they recite the incantation: "Raising majesty to shine upon the sun, commanding the armored guardians (Daoist protector deities), to expel demonic evils and calamities; purifying defiled energies, awing the hordes of demons, as the dragon and tiger (symbolizing internal Yin-Yang energies) surge forth. Purple clouds envelop, myriad energies converge." This is followed by striking the ritual drum twenty-four times (a prescribed sequence in Daoist ceremonies).

At this juncture, they reverently invite the descent of various deities: First, they petition the three primordial energies (Xuan, Yuan, and Shi Qi) from the Supreme Three Heavens (the realms of Jade Clarity, Upper Clarity, and Great Clarity) and the Most High Lord Lao (Laozi). They summon the merit officers (Daoist protector spirits) cultivated through their own practice, along with the left and right official messengers, the golden lad who attends the incense, and the jade maiden who conveys messages. Simultaneously, they invite local earth gods and city deities to assist in delivering memorial petitions.

The presiding priest declares that they are conducting the Supreme Yellow Register Great Purification (a major Daoist ritual for salvation of souls) for an individual or the nation, beseeching the descent of orthodox energies from the ten directions. All petitions must reach the exalted presence of the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi).

Following Daoist liturgical procedures (Keyi), they then address the pantheon of Daoist deities in sequence as "Disciples of the Mystic Metropolis of Upper Clarity": Beginning with the highest Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) and the Most High Lord of the Great Dao, down to the Jade Emperor and the Four Directional Celestial Sovereigns; from the protector deities of the Thirty-Six Sections of Sacred Scriptures (the canonical corpus of Daoism) to the realized immortals dwelling in famous mountains and grotto-heavens; concluding with gratitude for their cultivation across multiple lifetimes, enabling them in this life to hear the Great Dao (Dao) and receive the arcane mysteries of the Nine Heavens (the highest celestial realm).

This scripture records the ritual procedures of the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhaijiao), a grand liturgy for the salvation of deceased souls and the dispelling of misfortunes. During the morning ceremony, Daoist priests express their devout prayers through three incense offerings to the deities.

During the first incense offering, the priests devote their body and mind to the supreme Daoist deities, the "Three Pure Ones" (Sanqing, typically referring to the Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure Celestial Worthies). They pray for the merit generated to benefit the imperial ancestral temples and the deities of the state. They wish for the emperor's reign to be stable, the nation unified and prosperous, officials fulfilling their duties harmoniously, the sun, moon, and stars moving in orderly cycles, and for reclusive cultivators and all parents under heaven to attain perfect fulfillment.

At the second incense offering, the priests kneel in reverence before the "Supreme Scriptures" (Daoist classics), praying for the merit and blessings to be bestowed upon the patron's family. They wish for nine generations of ancestors (Jiuxuan Qizu) to be cleansed of their sins, their souls liberated from the darkness of hell and elevated to the luminous immortal realms (Danhuo refers to Daoist paradises). Escorted by three perfected immortals and verified by the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors, they may ascend directly to the serene sacred realm.

The third incense offering is again dedicated to the "Three Pure Ones," with the merit dedicated to the patron's relatives and kin. At the conclusion of each incense offering, they vow: "May we emulate our masters and all the perfected sages, transcending the constraints of form in the future to merge completely with the Great Dao (Dao)."

The text mentions the "Yellow Register Canon" (Huanglu Dianzhang), referring to Daoist liturgical texts for retreats and rituals, while the "Mystic Altar" (Xuantan) denotes the ceremonial space where the rites are performed, and the "Purple Mansion" (Zifu) symbolizes the celestial palaces of the heavens. Through incense burning, scripture recitation, and other methods, the ritual facilitates communication with the divine, embodying the Daoist ideals of universal salvation and service to both family and nation.

This passage describes portions of the ritual procedures and hymns from the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ceremony (a rite for delivering deceased souls).

First, prayers are offered so that relatives across nine generations may receive blessings, their virtue shining like eternal stars. It beseeches the deities to witness all beings, using sacred power to dissolve accumulated karmic transgressions, while secretly protecting them with divine elixirs. The power of the Dao operates silently, benefiting all living things—even beings across the six realms (heavenly, human, asura, animal, hungry ghost, and hell). It seeks to liberate suffering souls in the underworld and bestow great fortune upon the ignorant and lost. Thus, incense is burned in devotion to the masters and perfected sages, who embody the Dao and transcend physical form.

Next come ritual segments such as "paying respects to the directions," "confession," and "pacing the void" (a meditative dance-step recitation). The pacing-the-void verses depict cultivation imagery: visualizing radiant light in the Dantian (energy center), with protective deities flanking the practitioner (Yu Bao on the left, Jie Lin on the right). Through the six perfections (six paramitas), one attains purity. The cultivator inhales and exhales the essence of heaven and earth (flowing rosy essence), harmonizing internal Qi (the supreme harmony of empty Qi). Through embryonic breathing, the hundred channels grow tranquil, ultimately revealing luminous insight and achieving immortality—even subduing demon kings in reverence.

The ceremony then proceeds to the "three declarations and three prostrations," reverently honoring the highest objects of Daoist devotion: the Supreme Dao, the Thirty-Six Sacred Scriptures (the canonical corpus of Daoism), and the Great Master of Mysterious Centrality (referring to Laozi). The ritual master, identifying as a "disciple of the Shangqing Mystic Capital," petitions the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Supreme Lord of the Dao, the Supreme Elder Lord, and all deities: the Dao existed before heaven and earth—both mysteriously empty and all-encompassing. The Three Officials (Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials) and the Five Emperors govern human fortune and misfortune according to the Dao’s principles.

Finally, blessings are sought for the patron (the one sponsoring the ritual): though burdened by deep karmic debts from past lives, the ceremony aims to deliver the souls of nine generations of ancestors (seven generations of forebears) and all deceased relatives through marriage. The passage exemplifies Daoism’s religious function of redeeming souls and repenting transgressions through purification rites.

This scripture records the confessional and devotional content from the Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Zhaijiao), a Daoist ceremony for redeeming deceased souls and seeking blessings while dispelling misfortunes. During the ritual, the presiding master (or participants) first acknowledges the countless transgressions accumulated by both the living and the deceased during their lifetimes. These karmic obstructions have caused the departed souls to suffer in the netherworld’s dark prisons. Now, following the teachings of the celestial scripture The Treatise on Karmic Retribution and Salvation transmitted by flying divine beings, offerings such as golden dragons, colored silks, and fragrant flowers are prepared. Through purifying body and mind, and establishing a sacred altar, devotees confess their faults before the deities, beseeching the compassionate protection of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable (Yuanshi Tianzun) and other exalted divinities.

The scripture then divides into two main devotional sections: First, it seeks salvation for the deceased, praying that the underworld deities may show mercy, liberating the souls from the nine dark hells (Jiuyou). After their sins are cleansed, they may ascend to the celestial paradise to wander in eternal freedom. Simultaneously, it prays that living relatives may also receive divine grace, with misfortunes dispelled and blessings bestowed. Second, it offers prayers for all living beings under heaven, wishing for national prosperity, virtuous rulers, peace across the land, abundant food and clothing for the people, and harmony for all things in their proper order. Finally, it specifically prays for the flourishing of the Daoist lineage, that practitioners may attain immortality (Xian), and universally deliver all sentient beings.

The concluding "Nine Vows" detail specific aspirations: ranging from personal cultivation and redeeming ancestors, to wishing for national peace and wisdom for Daoist masters (Fashi), to almsgiving for the poor, kindness toward all beings, atonement for transgressions, and nurturing virtuous talents—embodying the Daoist ideal of "benefiting the world and aiding humanity." The phrase "creeping and crawling creatures" (rudong qixing) refers to even the smallest, lowliest organisms, emphasizing compassion for all life.

In the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (a ritual for liberating deceased souls), practitioners must recite the scriptures ten times with devout mindfulness, showing reverence for the transmission from scripture masters. During practice, one must not slacken midway but maintain single-minded concentration and impartial awareness, so that the vast power of vows may aid the liberation of departed souls while the practitioner themselves attains higher immortal fruits.

When merit is perfected, the practitioner may ascend to immortality in broad daylight, paying homage to the supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun). Then, cloud chariots (auspicious carriages of immortals) and feathered carriages (vehicles adorned with crane feathers) will arrive to welcome them, achieving the true state of unity with the great Dao (the Way).

During the "Returning the Incense Burner" ritual (the concluding rite of the retreat), the Incense Official Envoys (divine administrators of ritual offerings), the Dragon-Tiger Lords (guardian generals), and the attending incense spirits will naturally generate golden elixir (alchemical essence), cinnabar-jade (immortal medicine), and mushroom essence (spiritual lingzhi) at the practitioner’s ritual site. At this moment, a hundred immortal perfected beings gather before the incense altar, safeguarding the practitioner’s fulfillment of their vows—those who seek the Dao (the Way) attain enlightenment, and those who seek immortality achieve transcendence.

Immortal youths and jade maidens from the ten directions will escort the curling incense smoke, directly conveying the practitioner’s prayers to the supreme Three Pure Ones (Sanqing—Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure, the highest deities) and the Jade Emperor’s divine presence.

This passage comes from the fourth volume of the Supreme Yellow Register Retreat Liturgy, documenting how, at the conclusion of a Daoist liberation ritual, practitioners attain divine resonance through devout recitation, achieving the dual merit of aiding departed souls and cultivating their own immortality. The mentioned "Returning the Incense Burner" and "Exiting the Gate" are specific liturgical procedures symbolizing the ritual’s completion and the deities’ return to their celestial abodes.