《太上黃籙齋儀》Vol. 40

This passage from Du Guangting's Tang dynasty compilation The Great Supreme Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Taishang Huanglu Zhai Yi) provides a detailed account of Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremonies, specifically describing the "Three Periods of Ritual Procession" (morning, noon, and evening rites) performed during the Yellow Register Retreat for the salvation of departed souls.

The ceremony begins with all ritual masters forming orderly ranks before the Mystic Master (chief officiant). They first chant ritual hymns to guide participants through the Earth Portal (symbolic entrance to the underworld) into the sacred altar space. Following strict protocols, incense offerings are made sequentially to the five directions (east, south, west, north, and center), culminating at the main ritual altar. Each priest performs standardized bows, enters meditative visualization (cunxiang), and silently recites incantations.

Next comes the recitation of the Guardian Spirits' Incantation, a poetic hymn praising celestial deities: "Morning radiance shimmers as violet mists rise, The star-altar gleams like jade palaces amid clouds. Solar and lunar essences circulate through the Eight Trigrams, The Golden Truth (deities of the west) issues divine commands, While the Celestial Tiger (guardian of Fengdu hell) disperses yin impurities. On this auspicious day we perform the rite, Eight-direction majesty manifests with drumbeats. The Jade Blossom Maiden (celestial nymph) rides a rainbow chariot, Heavenly light descends as primordial Qi (Dao-energy) fills the cosmos. Universal salvation brings boundless blessings."

The chief priest then strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times, symbolizing communication with the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and underworld). At this moment, the officiant summons thirty-two protective deities from his own body - including the Three-Five Merit Officers (inner body guardians), Left and Right Messengers, Incense-attending Golden Youth, Jade Maiden Transmitter, and Five Emperor Emissaries - requesting their assistance in conveying the ritual's intent to celestial powers.

The final stage involves presenting memorial petitions. The priests solemnly invite the highest Daoist deities: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Supreme Lord of Dao (Taishang Daojun), the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun), the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), along with the Thirty-Six Heavenly Sovereigns, Four Directional Thearchs, and all sacred beings from the Jade Capital of Mystic Metropolis (highest Daoist paradise). They declare their understanding of the Dao's mysterious principles - how the Great Dao generates all existence and how yin-yang energies circulate - while beseeching the deities to descend and receive the ritual offerings.

This scripture comprehensively presents the sacred atmosphere of an orthodox Daoist zhaijiao ceremony, embodying the tradition's core concept of "heaven-human resonance." Through meticulous ritual procedures, exquisite hymns, and devout meditation, the priests construct a bridge between the human and divine realms.

This passage describes the core ritual of the Daoist Yellow Register Zhai (Zhaijiao) ceremony for the salvation of deceased souls. The ritual master, through incense offerings and prayers, beseeches the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities) to deliver the deceased from suffering and absolve their karmic transgressions from life.

The text first establishes the impartial judgment of the deities in determining life and death, meting out both rewards and punishments. The ritual master declares his role as ceremony officiant, preparing to submit the memorial with utmost reverence. It then details the possible sufferings of the deceased soul: in the ten directions of the underworld and the Five Peaks-Nine Darkness realms (Daoist netherworld), souls endure ceaseless torment by water, fire, wind, and blades—karmic burdens that may also affect their living descendants.

Following classical liturgy (Keyi), the master performs purification rituals to liberate the soul. The ceremony involves three incense offerings: the first to the "Supreme Treasure of Ultimate Truth" (the Dao), praying for divine light to illuminate the underworld so the soul may be cleansed in the Flowing Fire Pool and be reborn in the Southern Chang Palace (a Daoist paradise); the second to the "Supreme Scripture Treasure," dedicating merit to the nation's imperial ancestors; while the third (though not fully described here) typically honors the "Supreme Master Treasure."

The entire ritual emphasizes how sincere repentance and incense offerings, empowered by the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and masters), can deliver souls from suffering to rebirth in blessed realms, while simultaneously bringing blessings and averting disasters for the living. Phrases like "devoting body and life" and "prostrating head to ground" demonstrate extreme piety and awe.

This scripture describes a repentance ritual within the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhaijiao). The emperor governs the world with benevolent virtue (De), bringing peace to the four seas and seasonal harmony. Now the incense-burning ceremony is performed with devout reverence toward the perfected sages, seeking to harness their meritorious power to pray for blessings and dispel misfortunes for a particular household.

During the ritual, participants offer incense three times, praying that its fragrant smoke ascends to the celestial realm to nourish the Supreme Venerable Sovereigns. All prostrate themselves in worship, relying on the protection of the Three Supreme Venerables (referring to the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning [Yuanshi Tianzun], the Celestial Venerable of Numinous Treasure [Lingbao Tianzun], and the Celestial Venerable of Dao and Virtue [Daode Tianzun]). They beseech the descent of blessings and removal of calamities, that all nine generations and six relations may receive divine protection. Not only humans but also birds, beasts, and beings in hell realms may receive the grace of Daoist teachings, awakening together to the Dao and ascending to immortality.

In the "Ritual Orientation" segment, participants particularly direct their repentant devotion toward the Boundless Great Dao (the supreme truth) of the East and various divine immortals (including the Most High Lord Lao [Taishang Laojun] and the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning). Through performing the Numinous Treasure Deliverance Retreat (Lingbao Jiekao Miao Zhai)—a ritual for resolving karmic retribution—they seek repentance for the transgressions of thirty-six generations of ancestors. These transgressions include deviating from the proper path (Dao), envying the virtuous, cruel killings, and breaking sacred vows—evil deeds that caused their souls to suffer in the Eastern Peak hell (under the jurisdiction of the deity of Mount Tai), enduring tortures like bronze pillars, iron beds, and golden hammer beatings.

Through this ritual, they now implore the deities for forgiveness, hoping to relieve the ancestors' suffering while also liberating their living descendants. The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist religious function of using ritual repentance to deliver deceased souls and pray for blessings while dispelling misfortunes.

This scripture documents a Daoist salvation ritual known as the "Yellow Register Purification Ceremony (Huanglu Zhai)." Through incense offerings and reverent prostrations, the ritual masters confess sins to the deities of the four directions, beseeching mercy for souls suffering in the underworld.

The ceremony commences with the masters facing south, paying solemn homage to the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun, one of Daoism's supreme deities) and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, foremost among the Three Pure Ones). They perform the "Numinous Treasure Deliverance Rite (Lingbao Jiekao Miao Zhai)," chanting scriptures to absolve the accumulated transgressions of the deceased's ancestors. These sins include harming the innocent, breaking sacred oaths, practicing malevolent magic, sexual debauchery, and oppressing the virtuous—crimes that have condemned these souls to the Fire Officials' Hell beneath Mount Heng in the south, where they endure torment by scorching flames.

Turning westward, the masters continue their confessions before Lord Lao and other deities. Here they particularly repent for lack of compassion and filial piety, cruelty and injustice, harming good people, blaspheming deities, and violating the Five Constants (humaneness, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness). They implore the deities' grace to deliver these souls from Mount Huo's hellish sufferings, elevating them to the Vermilion Palace of Cavernous Yang (Dongyang Zhugong, a Daoist celestial realm), thereby securing blessings for their descendants.

Throughout the ritual, the masters repeatedly emphasize the ultimate Daoist aspiration: "Upon attaining the Dao, one ascends to the state of non-action (Wuwei), harmonizing and merging with the Dao's authentic truth." This reflects the religious ideal where Zhaijiao purification rites serve both to redeem the deceased and—through sincere repentance—secure divine protection for the living. The ceremony embodies Daoism's profound integration of soteriological practice with the pursuit of mystical union with the Dao.

This scripture describes the repentance and absolution rituals within the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ceremony (Zhaijiao), a rite for redeeming deceased souls and dispelling misfortunes.

The text first enumerates various transgressions: wanton evil deeds, employing dark arts to curse others, and needlessly harming living beings. These grave offenses cause the deceased souls to be imprisoned in the penal institutions of Golden Official Hua Mountain (a Daoist purgatorial administrative center), where they suffer excruciating torments—sword forests, blade mountains, and relentless storms of wind and thunder—day and night without respite. Such sins also bring misfortune upon their descendants, leaving them trapped in the endless darkness of the underworld.

The repentance ritual follows: through performing the Lingbao Absolution and Deliverance Ceremony (a Zhaijiao ritual for dispelling calamities), reciting scriptures, and sincerely confessing, devotees beseech the compassion of deities such as the Great Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), who embody the Limitless Great Dao of the North. They pray for these deities to command the Western Administration (a purgatorial authority) to release the imprisoned souls, absolve their sins, and allow them to be reborn in the sacred Pure Lands, while their living relatives receive peace and protection.

The northern segment of the repentance ritual follows a similar structure, specifically mentioning souls confined in the icy hells beneath Water Official Zhen Mountain (another purgatorial center), where they endure the agony of frozen, splitting flesh. Through the Zhaijiao rites, devotees seek absolution from northern deities, praying for the souls’ liberation from the icy hells and the Three Paths and Five Sufferings (the five torments of hell), enabling their rebirth in the Pure Lands.

The northeastern segment mirrors this format, directing repentance toward the deities of the northeast. The entire ceremony emphasizes that sincere repentance and ritual purification can secure divine pardon, ultimately elevating the souls to the state of Wuwei (non-action, the highest Daoist attainment), where they merge with the Dao (the Way) in perfect unity.

The recurring phrase "we, your subjects" (chen deng) is the officiating priest’s humble self-reference when supplicating the deities. Each cardinal direction corresponds to a distinct pantheon, reflecting the Daoist cosmological view that "deities govern all eight directions."

We now offer incense and conduct the Lingbao Jiekao Miao Zhai ritual for a certain individual (Person Yi). Through scripture recitation and Daoist practice, we seek repentance, pleading for forgiveness for the transgressions of countless ancestors spanning thirty-six generations (including both deceased and living souls). These transgressions include: unfilial conduct as children, disloyalty as subjects, lack of compassion as parents, and unrighteous governance as rulers; envy of the virtuous, hatred of the good, deviation from the Dao (the Way), and indulgence in heterodox arts; duplicity in speech, self-deception; committing the Five Heinous Crimes, perpetrating various evils, harming the innocent, and violating heavenly principles; accumulating grievances from birth to death that reach the heavens, cursing divine beings, and employing witchcraft and dark arts. These grave offenses have been recorded by underworld officials, subjecting souls to various tortures in the netherworld, their forms and spirits broken, long submerged in darkness with no means of liberation.

Through repentance and supplication for grace, we establish this Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and practice the Dao, beseeching the Ten Directions Celestial Worthies for forgiveness and the Two Holy Ones for mercy. We petition the underworld examiners to dissolve the confrontations of karmic retribution, pardon the deceased souls, and release them from imprisonment. May they be bathed in the Divine Elixir (Daoist alchemical substance) to be revitalized, ascend to the Vermilion Paradise (Daoist celestial realm), be forever freed from accusations, and bring peace to their descendants—granting blessings to both the living and the dead. Relying on the profound mystery of divine grace, may they attain the Dao and ascend to the realm of Wuwei (non-action), merging completely with the Great Dao.

Facing the southeast, we sincerely devote ourselves to:

The Limitless Great Dao of the southeast, the Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun, one of Daoism's highest deities), the Supreme Elder, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), and all immortals and divine officials of the southeast. With two prostrations, we offer reverent repentance.

Once more we offer incense and conduct the Lingbao Jiekao Miao Zhai ritual for a certain individual (Person Yi). Through scripture recitation and Daoist practice, we repent for the boundless transgressions of ancestors spanning thirty-six generations (including both deceased and living souls). These offenses include: covert acts of violence, wanton oppression of others; contempt for the orphaned, widowed, and destitute, disdain for the aged, weak, and infirm; exposing others' faults while concealing their virtues; disrupting familial bonds, suppressing the vulnerable; scheming with ill intent, slandering sages; sabotaging others' achievements, envying those who surpass oneself; violating heavenly principles by harming life, indulging selfish desires without restraint; even daring to invoke heaven, earth, sun, moon, and stars as witnesses to wicked deeds. Such grave sins have imprisoned souls in the underworld, subjected to relentless torture by examiners through water, fire, wind, and blades, their karmic entanglements inescapable. Now, through repentance for past transgressions and the practice of ritual purification and Daoist cultivation, we beseech the Ten Directions... (remainder of text missing)

This scripture records the ritual of confessing sins to deities in the southeast, southwest, and northwest directions during the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhaijiao). The content is divided into three main sections:

First is the confession to the southeastern deities. The text describes how the Supreme Five Directional Emperors issue commands to the examining officials in the southeastern prison of judgment, cleansing the sins of deceased souls to purify both their physical and spiritual forms. Through this ritual, accumulated karmic transgressions from multiple lifetimes can be dissolved, bringing blessings to the living while liberating the dead from underworld suffering—ultimately leading to union with the Dao (the Way).

Next comes the southwestern confession. In this segment, Daoist priests reverently pay homage to deities like the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun) and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) who preside over the southwest direction. Through incense offerings, scripture recitation, and confessions, the ritual seeks to absolve the retreat patron and their thirty-six generations of ancestors from various transgressions. These include deception, bullying the weak, greed and lust, harming others, and breaking sacred vows. The scripture implores divine forgiveness to release souls from hell's torments, ensuring blessings for both the living and deceased.

Finally, the northwestern confession follows a similar liturgical structure, addressing the heavy karmic burdens of ancestral lineages before the northwestern deities. These deeply rooted sins, unresolved through multiple rebirths, require the transformative power of the purification ritual (Zhaijiao) to be dissolved.

The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist religious practice of redeeming souls and confessing transgressions through ritual purification. Its purpose is to bring fortune to the living and ascension to the dead, culminating in mystical union with the Dao. The text mentions the "Liberation Through Examination Retreat" (Jiekao Miao Zhai), referring to the ritual method for resolving underworld judgments, while "thirty-six generations" symbolically represents all ancestral lineages.

This scripture describes the content of repentance and plea for absolution in the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Zhaijiao), a ceremony for the salvation of deceased souls. It consists of three main parts:

First, it depicts the suffering of departed souls in the underworld due to their karmic offenses during life. Those souls trapped in the Six Paths of Rebirth (heavenly, human, asura, animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms) and the Three Evil Paths (hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms) are detained by underworld officials in the Punishment Grinding Hell (a Daoist hell realm), enduring unbearable torment. These karmic burdens also bring misfortune to their descendants, creating a vicious cycle.

Through the Zhaijiao ritual, the sponsor devoutly repents before the celestial deities (including the Supreme Elder Lord and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning), beseeching the heavenly venerables to extend their compassion and absolve the sins of the departed. Special supplications are made to the underworld judges of the Northwestern Punishment Grinding Hell, asking them to pardon the souls, resolve grievances, and allow the deceased to attain liberation while bringing peace to the living.

The text then enumerates specific offenses the deceased may have committed: blaspheming the Daoist truth, disrespecting the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, and stars), offending deities, angering thunder and rain gods, deceiving sacred beings, and disregarding the laws of Yin-Yang. These transgressions condemn souls to the Three Torments (fire, blood, and blade paths) and the Nine Dark Abysses (the deepest hell realms), where they languish without light for years, with their sins also affecting their descendants.

Finally, renewed appeals are made to the Three Pure Ones (the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, and the Celestial Worthy of Dao and Virtue), along with celestial immortals, astral bodies, and the Four Directors and Five Thearchs, to jointly bestow grace. By absolving the souls' karma and elevating them to the Hall of Blessings (abode of virtuous spirits), they may hear the sacred teachings and awaken to the Dao. Thus the deceased attain rebirth in higher realms, the living find peace, all grievances and lawsuits are permanently resolved, and all sentient beings may reach the Shore of Blessings (the彼岸 of liberation). Upon attaining the Dao, one enters the state of Wuwei (non-action), merging completely with the Great Dao.

We now light incense and set up the altar to perform the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) Zhaijiao (purification ritual) for dispelling calamities on behalf of a certain individual. Through scripture recitation, ritual practice, and repentance of sins, we seek to deliver his thirty-six generations of ancestors and all departed souls (including deceased and living relatives), cleansing them of their boundless transgressions.

These sins include: recklessly altering feng shui and terrain, destroying hills and ridges; damaging ancestral graves and temples, defiling deities; blocking water sources, filling valleys; ruining city walls and altars of state (national sacrificial sites), offending local spirits; showing no reverence for Heaven and Earth, wantonly committing evil deeds. As a result, the departed souls are imprisoned in the Jiuyou (Ninefold Darkness) hells (the deepest realms of the underworld in Daoism), enduring endless torments—scourged by the River of Eternal Night, crushed under mountainous burdens, with no hope of relief. These sins not only burden past lives but also bring misfortune to descendants.

Now we establish this ritual altar to uproot the seeds of sin through repentance. We humbly beseech the Celestial Venerables to manifest their compassion, commanding the Nine Earths and Five Sacred Peaks (the five great mountains of Daoism), the Four Great Rivers (Yangtze, Yellow River, and others), Mount Tai and its sacred lineage, the Fengdu underworld (the Daoist realm of the dead), and the judges of all hell realms to absolve the immeasurable sins accumulated over lifetimes. May the departed souls be liberated from the bitter sea of darkness, wandering freely in pure and blessed lands, dwelling in eternal bliss. May the living descendants prosper, with blessings shared between the realms of Yin and Yang.

We sincerely take refuge in the perfected sages of the Ten Directions (encompassing the entire cosmos), offering reverent repentance to the Immortal Lords and Divine Officials. Today, with incense burning and rituals performed, we conduct the Supreme Lingbao Zhaijiao for dispelling calamities on behalf of a certain individual, repenting for the sins of his thirty-six generations of ancestors and departed kin: whether they offended the celestial deities of the heavens, the sun, moon, stars, wind, rain, and thunder; or transgressed against the Five Sacred Peaks, the Thirty-Six Earthly Regions (a Daoist geographical concept), the Water Palaces, and the Yin Offices; or violated the teachings of sages, disrupted benevolence and righteousness, desecrated ancient sites, and defied moral principles. These accumulated sins have brought disaster—committing the Ten Evils and Five Rebellions (the gravest offenses), leaving no virtuous deeds in life and suffering retribution in death.

Those who commit evil deeds sink into the five sufferings, tormented in the three wretched paths (the hell realm, the hungry ghost realm, and the animal realm). These impoverished souls, condemned to hard labor, have yet to receive forgiveness. Now, through the practice of the Yellow Register Purification Ritual (a Daoist rite for the salvation of souls), we repent the roots of our transgressions. We beseech the supreme Sanqing Heavenly Venerables (Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun, Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, and Taiqing Daode Tianzun) to manifest great compassion and bestow the Nine Dragons Mandate (the highest-level document of salvation in Daoism), notifying the underworld officials of all realms, so that these suffering souls trapped in endless night may be liberated.

May the souls bathe and purify in the Vermilion Palace (the southern fire realm in Daoism, responsible for refining and saving souls) and be reborn in the Dongyang Immortal Abode (the eastern celestial palace). May they reach the shore of blessings, with their descendants receiving divine favor and auspiciousness. May both the living and the deceased find peace, as we earnestly pray. We humbly receive the grace of the Dao, and upon attaining the Dao, we shall transcend the realm of action and unite with it.

All present visualize the nine-colored circular light (a meditative vision of nine hues), swallow their saliva (a health-preserving practice), silently recite demon-subduing incantations, and tread the Gang Steps (special ritual steps in Daoist ceremonies) as they circumambulate.

The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) divides into the lofty heavens and the thick earth, with the clear and light Qi ascending to form the sky. If one cultivates the supreme Daoist teachings, they may attain the body of a true immortal. When merit reaches the sacred number of thirty, one may traverse forty thousand years. In the Dan Terrace (abode of immortals), the precious scriptures (celestial texts) are opened, and the golden words (divine teachings) are passed down through generations.

The three Heavenly Venerables of the Great Brahma Heaven (the highest celestial realm in Daoism) and the Five Ancient Lords of the Xu Huang (the supreme deity of Daoism) dwell in such profound and wondrous states that they are beyond comprehension, let alone description. They descend upon golden thrones in their jeweled halls, their radiant crowns illuminating jade pavilions. Countless true immortals pay homage at the abode of the Heavenly Venerables, treading the roots of clouds (auspicious celestial mists) as they ascend and descend.

The chants of Huaxia resound far and wide, their cadence naturally rising and falling, their emptiness and stillness returning to the Dao and De (Virtue), their undulations resembling the ancient five tones (Gong and Shang musical notes). The fragrance of aloeswood and sandalwood drifts through the halls, while the cool dew of moonlight spills over the towers. With what sincerity do we offer our prayers? We pray for abundant harvests of the five grains.

(The ritual master) and others bow with utmost sincerity, paying homage to the supreme Wuji Great Dao (the highest truth in Daoism); (the ritual master) and others bow with utmost sincerity, paying homage to the thirty-six sections of sacred scriptures (the complete canon of Daoist texts); (the ritual master) and others bow with utmost sincerity, paying homage to the Great Master of Mysterious Centrality (referring to Lord Laozi).

Reiterating the ritual position (the ceremonial declaration of identity): The humble official, so-and-so, with utmost sincerity, respectfully addresses the supreme Wuji Great Dao, Yuanshi Tianzun, the Supreme Lord of the Dao, and the Supreme Elder Lord Laozi. We, though insignificant and worldly, uphold the Daoist rituals, following the will of the sages, with the duty to save the living, liberate the deceased, and bring peace to all beings. Any prayer or petition we dare not fail to present to the celestial court.

Now, a certain official has devotedly observed fasting and purification, submitting a petition to express sincere repentance and seek divine grace, requesting the performance of purification rituals to confess sins and beg for mercy. In accordance with the scriptures and ritual protocols, we examine the profound methods. It is said that when ancestors perform good deeds, blessings descend upon their descendants, but when they commit evil, misfortune lingers for generations—retribution for sin and merit follows like a shadow. Without sincere repentance, transgressions cannot be cleansed. The nine generations of ancestors (Jiu Xuan) of a certain family...

This scripture describes the various transgressions people may commit in the mortal world and how these karmic burdens affect both deceased ancestors and one's own destiny. It enumerates multiple categories of offenses: sensory indulgence (obsession with sensual pleasures, music, and gourmet tastes), violations of cosmic and human ethics (offending the sun, moon, stars, mountain and river deities, or principles of benevolence and righteousness), societal evils (disloyalty, unfilial conduct, oppressing the weak, harming nature), and official corruption (embezzlement, cruelty toward civilians, wanton killing of innocents).

These transgressions accumulate in the underworld courts (where Daoist tradition holds that souls are judged after death), causing seven generations of ancestors (qizu) to suffer in the "Three Torments" (fire torment, blood torment, and blade torment—three types of hellish punishments), trapped in perpetual darkness. The living, too, will face continuous misfortunes, bringing calamity upon their descendants.

Now, through the performance of the Yellow Register Zhai ritual (a major Daoist ceremony for redeeming lost souls), devotees sincerely repent before the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and masters) and all celestial deities, beseeching forgiveness from the underworld's Four Offices (divine officials overseeing life and death) and Five Thearchs (sovereigns of the five directions). May the judges of the Nine Darknesses (the deepest layers of the underworld) pardon the ancestral sins across generations, unshackle the prison gates of hell, and free the souls from tortures like the Mountain of Blades and Forest of Swords. Let them return to light, ascend to the Southern Cinnabar paradise (a southern celestial realm) and Azure Heaven (an eastern heavenly domain), ultimately reaching the carefree realms of immortality.

Simultaneously, prayers are offered to dispel worldly misfortunes and bestow blessings of health and longevity—not only redeeming ancestors but also liberating all living beings (the "four births" referring to womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born; the "six destinies" denoting beings in the six paths of rebirth). This passage embodies the Daoist concept of "inherited burden" (chengfu)—where individual actions impact ancestors and descendants alike, requiring ritual purification (zhaijiao) to dissolve karmic debts.

This scripture records the vow-making and furnace-returning segments of the Daoist Yellow Register Purification Ritual (Zhaijiao). Practitioners express their aspirations to the deities and pray for the successful completion of the ritual's merits.

During the vow-making section, the practitioner sequentially articulates twelve auspicious wishes: for clear heavens and earth, harmonious weather, the ruler's longevity, widespread moral teachings, celestial dew descending, terrestrial auspices appearing, orderly seasons, flourishing beings, harmonious families, a state abundant with talent, blessings for all ritual participants, and immortal attainment for cultivators. These aspirations embody the Daoist ideal of cosmic harmony and societal peace.

The furnace-returning segment forms the crucial concluding procedure. The practitioner petitions divine witnesses like the Incense Official Messengers and Dragon-Tiger Lords (Longhu Jun), praying that the incense burner's location may spontaneously generate golden elixir (Jinye, an alchemical term denoting precious medicinal substances) and cinnabar-green immortal herbs (Danbi Zhiying). Simultaneously, they seek the cultivator's immortal attainment, blessings for the ritual sponsor (Zhaizhu) and ancestors, and swift transmission of their petitions before the Jade Steps of the Supreme Ultimate Great Dao (Taishang Wuji Dadao) - the highest Daoist divinity.

In the merit-reporting oral memorial section, the practitioner addresses exalted deities like the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) and the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun), recounting the ritual's accomplishments. They specify conducting the Lingbao Deliverance from Karmic Retribution Grand Purification on a particular date for specific purposes, employing incense burning, lamp lighting, scripture recitation, and prostrations to absolve ancestral transgressions and liberate them from suffering. Now concluding the perfected ritual, they reverently invite all attending deities to return to the celestial realms while praying that all ritual officers may complete their merits, shining like the sun and moon. This passage manifests the Daoist ritual's religious function of soul salvation and universal deliverance.

This scripture is a memorial document from the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a ritual for redeeming lost souls and dispelling misfortunes. Its general meaning is as follows:

We (the presiding Daoist priests) sincerely report to the various deities: If during the ritual there were any improper actions or violations of liturgical norms (Keyi), or if failures occurred due to our lack of true understanding, we humbly beseech the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun) to pardon these transgressions. We pray that the Five True Officials (Daoist guardian deities) may reward us according to our merits (De), allowing us to ascend with the deities upon the ritual's completion.

With reverence, we bow and submit this memorial again: (Space left here for the presiding priest's name, affiliated temple, and regional details)

We reverently present this memorial to the following supreme deities: The Great Supreme Elder Lord of the Supreme Clarity (Taishang Laojun, the deified Laozi), Supreme Elder, Heavenly Emperor Lord, Nine Elders of the Immortal Capital, Nine Qi (energies) Elder, the infinite layers of Dao-Qi (cosmic primordial energy), the Twelve Hundred Official Lords, and the Jade Sovereign of Supreme Clarity (ruler of Daoism's highest heaven).

Dated [year/month/day], solemnly presented at [location].

After the ritual concludes, the Three Masters (transmission, supervision, and recommendation patriarchs) must be respectfully seen off according to Lingbao retreat protocols. For medium-scale rituals (Zhaijiao), overnight preparation isn't required. However, for rituals lasting one day with two nights or longer, full Lingbao procedures must be followed: first establishing the altar, appointing officers, declaring taboos, explaining precepts, and finally summarizing merits, releasing precepts, and restoring original duties. All procedures must strictly follow liturgical standards without negligence.