《赤松子章曆》Vol. 4

This passage records the format of a Daoist "Petition to Sever Hauntings from Springs" (Duan Guiquan Zhang), used to appeal to deities about disturbances caused by malicious spirits. The practitioner describes himself as an ordinary mortal fortunate enough to have embraced the Great Dao (Da Dao), yet recently plagued by successive illnesses and misfortunes. Divination revealed these were caused by demons from mountain springs, the Three Rivers (referring to water domains), as well as local earth deities and wandering mountain forest spirits.

In fearful distress and uncertain how to accumulate merit (De) to resolve this, he sincerely seeks the Dao's deliverance. Thus he requests a Daoist priest to draft this petition, appealing for the subjugation of unruly spirits from springs and rivers in all four directions (east, west, south, north). The document meticulously enumerates the celestial generals to be invoked:

First, it petitions the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) and the Most High Elder (Taishang Zhangren) - high-ranking Daoist deities - for merciful pardon, suspecting the disturbances originate from the Ghost Mother (Guimu) of mountain streams and river springs. Then it summons multiple Great Generals for assistance: five Banner-Bearing Great Generals (Huichuang Da Jiangjun), five Lake Marsh Great Generals (Beihu Da Jiangjun), and five Scale-Reversing Great Generals (Fan Jia Nilin Da Jiangjun), each commanding ten thousand troops. Additionally, it invokes the Sound-Seeking Great General (Mi Yin Da Jiangjun) with 120 officers, and the Nine Qi (Jiuqi) Officials Who Shake Heaven and Earth leading 1,200 soldiers.

Special invocation includes the Left and Right Numinous Lords (Ling Jun), the Lofty Heaven Great General (Gao Tian Da Jiangjun), the Covenant Power Lord (Meng Wei Jun), and the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) Lord, each with 120 officers. Following directional correspondences, it summons:

• Eastern Nine Barbarians Lord (Jiu Yi Jun) with 81 officers (aligned with Tiger/Rabbit/Dragon positions, Wood Phase)
• Southern Eight Savages Lord (Ba Man Jun) with 64 officers (Snake/Horse/Goat, Fire Phase)
• Western Six Tribes Lord (Liu Rong Jun) with 36 officers (Monkey/Rooster/Dog, Metal Phase)
• Northern Five Nomads Lord (Wu Di Jun) with 25 officers (Pig/Rat/Ox, Water Phase)
• Central Three Qin Lord (San Qin Jun) commanding 1,200 troops (Earth Phase)

Finally, it mobilizes the Talisman-Executing Temple-Destroying Lord (Zhu Fu Po Miao Jun) leading 16,000 troops, plus medical teams of Great Yin (Taiyin), Great Yang (Taiyang), and Great Healer (Tai Yi Liao Bing) each with 120 members, to jointly capture the demonic thieves. These would be handed to Celestial Warriors (Tian Ding Lishi) for delivery to the Northern Prison of Heavenly Unity (Tian Yi Bei Yu) - a Daoist underworld - for punishment. The petitioner vows that upon the petition's efficacy, the misfortunes will cease, offering spiritual verification as gratitude.

This text exemplifies standard Daoist petition liturgy: first describing calamities, then invoking deities, finally pledging vows. Its system of directional generals integrates traditional cosmology including the Five Phases (Wuxing) and celestial stems/earthly branches, reflecting Daoism's religious logic of "governing ghosts through deities."

This passage discusses the contents of the "Petition to Dissolve Celestial Nets and Earthly Snares" used in Daoist disaster-averting rituals. The general meaning is as follows:

A devotee (referred to as "a certain person" in the text) fears that they and their family may encounter the calamity of "Celestial Nets and Earthly Snares" (which Daoism considers to be invisible baleful energies between heaven and earth), and thus prepares to submit a petition to the deities for assistance. They confess their limited cultivation, admitting ignorance of divination methods, relying only on the Liujia (Six Jia) and Wuxing (Five Phases) systems—Daoist methods for calculating auspicious and inauspicious signs—to reckon calendrical portents.

The text elaborates on the method for calculating "Celestial Nets and Earthly Snares": the Xu and Hai directions (戌亥), representing pure Yang regions, are called Celestial Nets, while the Chen and Si directions (辰巳), representing pure Yin regions, are called Earthly Snares. Different calculation rules apply based on gender: for males, one examines the relationship between their birth year and the Taisui (Grand Year Deity), while for females, it's the relationship between their birth year and the Xingnian (annual fortune). It also mentions that when the Celestial Pivot Star (Tiangangxing) approaches Taiyi (a stellar deity) or when the Fetal Spirit (Taishen) resides in Dengming (another astral reference), these configurations can form such nets and snares.

The devotee worries their family may have offended the Five Directional Nets, the mutual conquests of the Jiugong (Nine Palaces) and Bagua (Eight Trigrams), with calamities as perilous as scorching flames and dark clouds. For this purpose, abundant offerings are prepared: plain silk, coins, white rice, oil, paper, vermilion cords, jewelry, and other ritual implements (Fǎxìn, offerings to deities), earnestly beseeching the Celestial Officials and the Supreme Infinite Great Dao (Taishang Wuji Dadao) for compassion.

Finally, prayers are made to the Five Directional Divine Lords (the Azure Qi Lord of the East, the Crimson Qi Lord of the South, etc.) to dispel calamities from all directions: azure toxins from the east, crimson toxins from the south, white toxins from the west, and so forth. This represents a typical Daoist disaster-averting ritual, where petitions are submitted to deities seeking relief from directional misfortunes.

This passage is an excerpt from the Red Pine Master's Petition Almanac (Chisongzi Zhangli), a Daoist text containing ritual petitions for averting calamities. It describes a ceremonial document addressed to the celestial realm to dissolve misfortunes originating from the Five Directions and harmonize their corresponding Qi energies.

The Lord of Northern Black Qi governs the elimination of dark calamities and toxic influences from the north, while the Lord of Central Yellow Qi (associated with the earthly branches Wu and Ji) neutralizes yellow-hued disasters from the central方位. The Five Directional Qi currents (east, south, west, north, and center) are thereby restrained from causing chaotic disturbances throughout the twelve two-hour periods of the day.

Heaven, Earth, and Humanity each follow their inherent patterns: the celestial realm manifests the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth), the terrestrial plane circulates Five Qi fields, and human society upholds the Five Constants (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness). When Heaven's Five Phases remain balanced, the sun and moon shine with clarity; when Earth's Five Qi flows harmoniously, all beings flourish; when humans embody the Five Constants, ritual and music civilization reaches its fullness.

The petitioner expresses concern that a household suffers from discordant Five Qi, disordered organ functions, and destructive Phase interactions (Metal overcoming Wood, Wood overcoming Earth, etc.), which may precipitate disasters. They implore the celestial officials to: dissolve malignant stellar influences above, remove thirty-six terrestrial taboos below, and eradicate countless personal transgressions within.

Special supplication is made to the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper (the stellar lords Tanlang, Jumen, etc.) to sever the roots of mortality, transform fated demise, and expunge death records. Simultaneously, the Calamity-Dissolving Lord, the Supreme August Lord of Myriad Blessings, and their retinue of 120 celestial officers are invoked to descend and capture all misfortunes while disentangling every adversity.

The petition requests the local City God (territorial guardian) to document virtuous deeds and assess merits. May the household ancestors be transferred to the Central Palace (ideal afterlife realm), receiving posthumous appointments according to their accumulated virtue. May both yin and yang realms receive grace, granting the petitioners longevity and complete deliverance from calamities.

The latter section identifies this as a "Post-Horse Petition" (addressing inauspicious annual astrological influences). As the petitioner's birth year aligns with the activating Post-Horse Star (governing sudden changes), failure to submit this appeal might jeopardize lifespan and official prospects. Thus, ritual implements like golden figurines and five-colored silks are prepared to sincerely beseech deliverance from the Post-Horse Star's adversity, ensuring career advancement, financial prosperity, and perpetual peace.

This passage is a ritual prayer text from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli (Red Pine's Liturgical Almanac), primarily consisting of ceremonial invocations where devotees petition deities for longevity, disaster relief, and career advancement.

The supplicant begins by confessing worldly ignorance, acknowledging Daoism's power to rectify transgressions through repentance and the art of Dunjia (a Daoist divination technique) for avoiding misfortune. With utmost sincerity, they invoke the Supreme Great Dao (Taishang Dadao), various immortal lords, the Celestial Master (Tianshi), and his consort for protection.

The text meticulously enumerates ritual offerings: golden figurines presented to the Big Dipper Deity for disaster removal and longevity, five-colored silks to the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors for official promotions, along with purple altars, ivory tablets, official robes, and wooden shoes symbolizing bureaucratic rank. Practical offerings like oil (symbolizing enlightened paths), rice (representing full granaries), paper-ink sets (recording blessings), and money (expressing devotion) are specially prepared.

During the ritual, specific petitions are made: the Big Dipper Deity is entreated to erase death records from the celestial register, while the Southern Dipper Deity is invoked to extend lifespan. The prayer summons divine functionaries (Gongcao) and 120 officer-generals to assist in altering fate—adjusting astral influences and modifying destiny patterns to prolong life. Cosmological elements like the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) and Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions are referenced to dissolve misfortunes originating from all spatial directions.

The conclusion earnestly petitions fifteen disaster-relief deities, including Jie'e Fushuai (Resolver of Calamities and Restorer of Decline), to lead the 120 officer-generals in granting career success, abundant harvests, and financial prosperity. The devotee emphasizes their pious offerings during the Three Assemblies (sanhui)—Daoism's major purification days—as grounds for divine response.

The entire scripture exemplifies the Daoist belief in "altering destiny and prolonging life" through elaborate rituals and generous offerings, leveraging multi-layered divine intervention to redirect personal fate. Concepts like the "post-horse" (symbolizing smooth official career) and bureaucratic promotions reflect ancient society's preoccupation with officialdom and material stability.

This passage describes two types of Daoist memorial petitions (zhangbiao) submitted to celestial authorities: the "Harmony and Union Courier Horse Petition" and the "Grave Apology Petition."

The first section concerns a petition for changing one's fortune. On behalf of the devotee (referred to as "so-and-so"), the Daoist priest submits a formal memorial to the Celestial Offices (Tiancao), requesting assistance from divine officials such as the Yin-Yang Functionaries, Crimson Talisman Officers, and Courier Horse Attendants. These celestial agents are petitioned to dispel misfortunes and usher in prosperity. The text specifies the required document format and emphasizes the reverent manner of submission through ceremonial bowing.

The second section addresses ancestral grave geomantic remedies. When persistent illness suggests possible ancestral tomb disturbances—whether due to accumulated karmic transgressions by deceased ancestors or improper burial locations (such as interment at critical dragon vein points like the head or tail)—the priest prepares offerings including yellow silk, white rice, oil, and ritual money. Through this petition, appeal is made to the Three Realms' True Offices (heavenly, earthly, and aquatic jurisdictions), summoning 120 underworld officials including the Grave Apology Lords and Stellar Array Sovereigns. Their intervention is sought to cure illnesses, pacify restless ancestral spirits, and restore geomantic harmony to the burial site.

The term "dragon vein" (longmai) refers to the earth's vital energy (Qi) channels along mountain ranges in geomancy. Daoist tradition holds that improperly sited ancestral graves—particularly those disrupting key dragon vein nodes—can agitate terrestrial energies and bring misfortune upon descendants.

This passage is a liturgical document from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli concerning the "Resolution of Five Tombs Memorial." Primarily used for liberating departed souls and resolving tomb-related misfortunes, its content unfolds in several sections.

The text begins with supplications to tomb deities such as the Five Tones Mound Officials, Tomb Guardians, and Two-Thousand-Bushel Officials of the Burial Mound, entreating them to grant peace to the deceased, eliminate calamities, absolve transgressions, and reconcile the realms of Yin and Yang. Concurrently, it seeks blessings for the living family members' safety, prosperity, and unbroken lineage.

The document then explains the ritual's motivation: the patron (ritual sponsor) suspects family illnesses stem from violating the Five Tombs (five inauspicious directional influences) or Three Killings (three malignant forces). This year coinciding with an inauspicious "Tai Sui enters the tomb" astrological configuration, the afflicted may suffer from tomb spirits' malignant qi (vital energy) manifesting as bodily heaviness and loss of appetite. Accordingly, ritual offerings are prepared including five tin figurines, 1.2 dan of rice, 1,200 coins, one bolt of plain cloth, 1.2 dou of oil, and 120 counting rods for divination, all petitioning for relief from Five Tombs afflictions.

The text describes the "memorial submission" ritual (a Daoist practice of presenting petitions to celestial authorities), dispatching divine messengers like the Six Dragons of Heavenly Officials and Flying Dragon Courier Horses to deliver the precious memorial to specific departments of the Supreme Pure Ones' celestial bureaucracy. The ceremony is conducted by practitioners from designated temples or altars following the standardized protocols of Mysterious Gate liturgy.

The concluding section details document formatting requirements: leaving three blank lines, crafting the "kelou" (Daoist document cover) from full-sized paper with inner and outer square enclosures, clearly marked with the "Resolution of Five Tombs Memorial" title and the presiding master's ecclesiastical rank.

This scripture records two important liturgical documents (petitions to deities) in Daoist practice: the "Tin Figurine Substitution Memorial" for dispelling calamities and the "Ancestral Apology Memorial" for delivering deceased souls.

The first section describes a ritual using tin figurines (human-shaped effigies made of tin foil) as substitutes to bear misfortunes on behalf of devotees. Through a Daoist priest's petition, devotees beseech the celestial officials of the Heavenly Court (Tiancao)—including seven lifespan-governing deities such as the Life-Restoring Lord and Life-Extending Lord—to lead 120 divine officers to the Southern Palace (a Daoist celestial abode). There, at the Bureau of Life Registry, they petition to redeem lives and dissolve disasters. The ritual aims to remove misfortunes from all five directions (east, west, south, north, and center), transfer names from the register of death to the book of longevity, sever tomb-related misfortunes (five types of grave calamities), and grant devotees extended lifespans—qualifying them as "seed people" (zhongmin, those with spiritual potential) in Daoist terminology.

The second section concerns an apology memorial for delivering ancestral spirits. When devotees experience household anomalies (such as vanishing wealth or disputes) and suspect offenses against deceased relatives or various deities (including earth gods and kitchen gods), they engage priests to submit petitions. These memorials express contrition to city gods (chenghuang), local shrine deities, and departed ancestors, seeking release from taboos and misfortunes. The priest humbly describes himself as "ignorant of cosmic rhythms," prostrating while presenting the memorial, pleading for celestial officials to review the document and bestow merciful pardon.

Both memorials embody core Daoist concepts of "substituting forms for forms" in disaster relief and "resolving grievances through apology" in religious practice. Through these specific rituals that bridge human and divine realms, they achieve the dual purposes of prolonging life and delivering souls. The various mentioned deities—Life Lords and divine officers—represent specific functionary spirits within Daoism's elaborate pantheon.

This is a petition (zhang) from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli, containing two sections of supplication:

The first section is a petition for dispelling misfortunes. The Daoist priest submits a memorial to the celestial officials, requesting the dispatch of five disaster-relieving deities (Jieguo Jun, Jiexing Jun, and Jie'e Jun) accompanied by 120 officers and generals to eliminate ancestral calamities for the devotee and safeguard the entire household. The prayer seeks forgiveness for all transgressions starting from this year, enabling every family member—young and old—to turn danger into safety and misfortune into blessing. Special emphasis is placed on rewarding meritorious celestial officers and soldiers with promotions according to their deeds.

The second section is a pregnancy protection petition. The priest submits a memorial on behalf of an expectant mother, beseeching the celestial officials to send a dedicated team of fetal guardians: two Antai Jun (Pacifying the Womb Lords), two Hutai Jun (Protecting the Womb Lords), two Fushuai Du'e Jun (Supporting Weakness and Overcoming Calamity Lords), two Wanfu Jie'e Jun (Ten Thousand Blessings Disaster-Relief Lords), along with 120 officers and generals descending to protect her. Additionally, two Baotai Shengmu Jun (Holy Mother Womb-Protecting Lords) are invoked with another 120 officers to specifically guard the woman's Threefold Dantian (the upper, middle, and lower energy centers—key cultivation sites in Daoism) by exorcising malignant spirits and ensuring the fetus' healthy development. The prayer seeks safe pregnancy, smooth delivery after ten lunar months, and wellbeing for both mother and child. Finally, it promises to record merits and repay these protective deities.

The "Threefold Dantian" refers to the body's three vital energy centers: the upper Dantian between the eyebrows, the middle Dantian at the heart region, and the lower Dantian below the navel—considered crucial for nurturing life in Daoist practice. "Liujia" (Six Armors) here symbolizes the entire gestation period, as ancient calendrics used the sexagenary cycle where six "Jia" days appear within sixty combinations, hence representing pregnancy.

This is a Daoist memorial (a ritual document) recording prayers for safe childbirth and blessings to dispel misfortunes for children. The Daoist priest, assuming the role of a subject, petitions the celestial court on behalf of devotees seeking divine protection.

The first section is a childbirth petition. The devotee’s wife has reached full term in her pregnancy but fears complications during delivery, prompting the priest to compose this memorial seeking heavenly assistance. Humbly acknowledging his own ignorance yet grateful for the grace of heaven and earth, the priest prostrates himself to submit this plea, invoking the aid of celestial deities specializing in childbirth: Tianmenzi (Gate of Heaven Lord) and Hujun (Household Lord) oversee the opening of life’s passage; Sushengjun (Swift Birth Lord), Rumujun (Nursing Mother Lord), and Daoshengjun (Guiding Birth Lord) facilitate smooth delivery; Tianyi Zhushengjun (Celestial Physician Birth-Assistance Lord) and Cuishengjun (Birth-Hastening Lord) ensure medical safety; while Huangdi Shenjun (Yellow Emperor Divine Lord) presides centrally as guardian. The petition seeks to expel malignant influences—such as the year, month, and hour demons (Suisha, Yuesha, Shisha)—and dispel baleful forces like the White Tiger and Xianchi, ensuring a safe delivery for both mother and child.

The second section is a deliverance petition for a child’s blessings. The devotee, residing in a village, though a Daoist adherent, admits to worldly ignorance and repeated transgressions, resulting in his son’s frail health and nightmares. Bringing ritual offerings (faxin), the family earnestly prays that through the memorial-submission ceremony (shangzhang), the child may be relieved of calamities, granted longevity, and receive divine salvation. The priest petitions the celestial officials to augment the child’s fortune and lifespan.

The phrase "assuming ritual rank" (ju fawei) denotes the priest’s formal composition of the memorial in accordance with liturgical norms, while "submitted to the such-and-such palace bureau of the Supreme Purity" (shangyi Taishang mou gong cao zhi) indicates the document’s delivery to the corresponding celestial administrative office. Such memorials exemplify Daoist religious practice in bridging the human and divine realms through standardized texts, conveying devotees’ appeals to the deities in a ritualized written form.

This passage from the Daoist Red Pine Master's Petition Almanac (Chisongzi Zhangli) contains two types of petition documents submitted to the celestial court: a general prayer for longevity and calamity prevention, and a specific "Infant Protection Petition" for safeguarding children.

In the first section, the ritual master (self-referencing as "this humble servant") respectfully composes a memorial addressed to the celestial bureaucracy. The petition beseeches the Supreme Venerable Lords (the highest Daoist deities) and the Primordial Goddesses (female divinities) to bestow peace, with special invocation to the Five Directional Luminous Deities (Solar Deity of the East, Lunar Deity of the West, Fire Deity of the South, Water Deity of the North, and Earth Deity of the Center). The text requests the infusion of longevity energy into devotees' bodies, petitioning deities like the Lord of Lifespan and the Torch-Bearing Lord to lead their entourage of 120 celestial officers in infusing devotees with immortal elixirs and the Supreme Harmony Qi (primordial life force). The memorial seeks celestial intervention to erase death records from the Registers of Life and Death, dispel malignant influences, register names in the Book of Life (extending lifespan), harmonize the Five Viscera (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys) and Six Bowels (gallbladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, and triple burner), eradicate all malevolent spirits and demonic disturbances, thereby ensuring devotees' peaceful existence.

The second section presents a specialized petition for child protection. The master explains how a pious family, blessed due to virtuous karma accumulated in past lives, now follows the Daoist path but fears their innocent child may fall prey to hidden attacks from pathogenic energies, corpse-haunting ghosts (malicious spirits attached to dead bodies), or River Earls (water deities). Prostrating before the celestial court, the petition earnestly requests Lord Lao (Laozi deified) and the Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling) to dispatch immortal officials like the Soul-Protecting Lord and Spirit-Guarding Lord to perform therapeutic massage on the child, cleansing their organs of all harmful influences.

The text references key Daoist physiological concepts: the "Three Hun (ethereal souls) and Seven Po (corporeal souls)" constituting human spiritual anatomy, and the "Five Zang and Six Fu organs" (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys; gallbladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, triple burner) central to Daoist health cultivation. Through prescribed rituals, these petitions harness divine power to achieve healing, life extension, exorcism, and vital protection.

This passage is from the "Chapter on Severing the Deceased's Attachment" in the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli (Red Pine Master's Ritual Petitions), describing a ceremonial petition to free the living from the entanglement of departed souls. The general meaning is as follows:

The human body connects the Netherworld (幽都) and the Sea of Qi (气海, Dantian). The circulation of Dao-Qi (道气) ensures the smooth flow of all meridians and dispels illness. When a person's complexion regains its radiance, they become as luminous as the sun and moon. Here, supplications are made to five revered deities—the Most Exalted Lord of Ten Thousand Blessings, the Lord Who Dispels Misfortune, the Eastern King Father (东王父, Dongwangong), the Western Queen Mother (西王母, Xiwangmu), and others—as well as 120 divine officers and generals for protection. The petition also seeks the guardianship of the celestial officials of the Three Heavens and Nine Palaces, particularly those of the Jiazi and Jiawu cycles, ensuring no malevolent spirits or poisons can cause harm.

The text then recounts the plight of a devotee who, having violated Daoist precepts, fell into misfortune. On a specific date, they contracted a severe illness accompanied by chaotic dreams. Divination revealed that the affliction was caused by the restless soul of a deceased relative (referred to as "the departed one"), whose lingering presence brought prolonged sickness and even threatened calamity upon the entire household. The devotee implored a Daoist priest to submit this petition, beseeching deities such as the Most High Lord Lao (太上老君, Taishang Laojun), the Most High Elder (太上丈人, Taishang Zhangren), and the Celestial Master (天师君, Tianshijun) to dispatch 100,000 guardian generals of the devotee's destiny (本命君) to sever the deceased's attachment.

A key doctrinal point is emphasized: the spirits of the living belong to the heavens, while the dead fall under the jurisdiction of the Yellow Springs (黄泉). The realms of life and death should remain separate without interference. However, concerns arise that the deceased may have committed grave sins in life, resulting in posthumous imprisonment in the River Earl's Prison (河伯之狱), the Woman in Blue's Prison (女青之狱), or the City God's temple, where their suffering disturbs the living. Thus, the petition seeks liberation for the departed soul, enabling its ascent to heavenly peace, while simultaneously healing the afflicted devotee and severing all ties between the realms of Yin and Yang. Finally, it prays for tranquility at the grave and the dissolution of all disputes and misfortunes.

This is a sample format for a Daoist memorial petition (a written prayer submitted to the celestial realm), containing two types of petitions:

The first section is the "Memorial for Atonement to Ancestral Spirits Regarding Illness." When a devotee's household experiences recurring mysterious illnesses and misfortunes, divination may reveal disturbances caused by ancestral spirits or wandering ghosts of those who died away from home. This often occurs when sacrificial offerings were insufficient, causing discontent among the deceased who then bring misfortune. The petition thus beseeches the Supreme Lord of the Great Dao (Taishang Dadaojun) to dispatch guardian deities—such as the Protector Lord (Baohu Jun) and Life-Guardian Lord (Huming Jun)—leading 120 divine officers to expel the haunting spirits and relieve the afflictions.

The second section is the "Memorial for Quelling Fire Calamity." When residents suddenly witness ominous fiery phenomena indicating potential disaster threatening the community, they follow Daoist liturgical procedures to submit this petition to the Three Heavens' Bureaus (Santian Cao, the celestial offices of the Three Pure Ones). It requests the deployment of 300,000 celestial soldiers and various deities—including the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water (Sanguan), as well as the Summoning and Investigating Lord (Kaozhao Jun)—to collectively eliminate the fire hazard.

References to "such-and-such Bureau" (mou Cao zhi) or "such-and-such Palace Bureau" (mou gong Cao zhi) denote different functional departments within the Daoist celestial administration, while "mysterious ordinances" (xuan ke) refers to Daoist precepts and ritual protocols. Such memorials are typically composed by Daoist priests on behalf of petitioners, requiring precise details including the supplicant's origin and purpose, written in strict formal structure before being ritually burned to reach the celestial court. This exemplifies the Daoist religious practice of celestial-human communication through ritual documents.

This passage is a ritual petition from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli (Red Pine Master's Petition Calendar), primarily detailing a ceremony where Daoist priests pray for the elimination of fires on behalf of the people. I will explain it section by section:

First, an appeal is made to the Great Yin Lord (a deity governing the underworld) of the northern direction and his 120 subordinate officials, requesting them to guard the Great Yin Palace. Next, the Rain Master of Ancient Times (a deity in charge of rainfall) is invited to extinguish a fire in a specific location, driving the disaster a thousand miles away. Simultaneously, the Lord of Executing Calamities and his 120 generals are summoned, with special emphasis on the fire deity Song Wuji (a legendary fire spirit) subduing the ghosts and demons causing the fire, preventing them from burning down homes, granaries, and other buildings.

The text then commands the Heart and Tail constellations (fire-ruling stars among the 28 lunar mansions) of the eastern sky to conceal the fire spirits, while the Wind Deity of the Xun trigram restrains the Earl of Wind, ensuring untimely evil winds do not stir recklessly. The Lord of the Northern Mysteries of the Nine Seas and his 120 officers are also invoked to mobilize the Bi constellation (a rain-ruling star), raising Yin energy to form rain clouds and thoroughly suppress the fire. These deities are beseeched to protect a specific village or household throughout the year, ensuring stable dwellings and the well-being of both people and livestock.

Following this, the priest recounts his spiritual journey: originally an insignificant mortal, he was fortunate to encounter the Great Dao (the Way) and embraced the Orthodox Truth. Nourished by the four seasons, he reveres the life-giving virtue (De) of the Supreme Lord Lao (Laozi, the highest Daoist deity). Having received from his master the Daode Jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue) and scriptures like the Dongshen (Cavern of Spirit) and Dongxuan (Cavern of Mystery), he has diligently practiced offerings and accumulated merit since ordination. Though not presumptuous enough to seek immortality, he aspires after death to entrust his fate to the Great Yin (a realm for posthumous refinement) and be reborn as a Perfected Being (Zhenren), avoiding the Three Wretched Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal realms).

Finally, the priest clarifies his attitude toward cultivation: deeply aware of the Dao's sacredness and human frailty, he rigorously practices breath regulation (Tuna), visualizes divine spirits (Cunxiang), and contemplates profound truths. Yet conscious of heavy karmic burdens accumulated over seven lifetimes, he fears his merits may still be insufficient despite sincere practice. Thus, he composes this petition to submit to celestial officials, praying for fire prevention. The text concludes with the formal title "Shangqing Merit-Reporting Petition" (a Shangqing school document format for celestial communication), noting the priest's ordination rank and hometown.

This passage exemplifies the Daoist religious practice of "communicating with deities through petitions," blending astral worship, spirit beliefs, and inner cultivation theory, while embodying the tradition's compassionate mission to aid the world and deliver beings.

This is a memorial presented by a Daoist disciple to the celestial deities, containing several key elements:

First, the disciple reverently addresses the Five Directional Emperor-Deities, Jade Maidens, celestial officials, sun and moon, stars, mountain and river spirits, and other divine beings recorded in the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) scriptures. He requests these guardian deities to record his virtuous deeds, assist in elevating his immortal rank, while simultaneously liberating his ancestors from suffering and guiding them to heavenly realms.

Secondly, the disciple humbly acknowledges his limited understanding of the Dao, admitting inevitable shortcomings in both cultivation practices and ritual performances. He earnestly seeks forgiveness from the Four Departments (celestial offices overseeing spiritual examinations) and Five Directional Emperor-Deities. Special prayers are made to the True Deities of the Five Viscera (Daoist belief in divine guardians residing within human organs) to continue their protection and maintain abundant Qi (vital energy) circulation.

The memorial meticulously enumerates over twenty types of Fulu (talismans and registers) the disciple has received, including: Register of the Three-Five Highest Numinous Officials, Register of One Hundred Fifty Generals, Register of the Three Red Heaven Departments, and Register of Nine Provinces' Earth Deities. These sacred credentials represent his qualifications within the Daoist spiritual hierarchy and his authority to invoke protective powers.

Concluding with proper liturgical protocol, the document specifies its submission during the auspicious "Three Assemblies" (important Daoist fasting periods) of a given year and month. Through this formal memorial, the disciple seeks to report his cultivation merits to celestial officials. He particularly emphasizes his consistent adherence to master's teachings since receiving the registers - equally committed to personal refinement and prioritizing worldly salvation through compassionate deeds.

This scripture documents a Daoist ritual document known as "shangzhang" (memorial petition), primarily used for exorcism, healing, and dispelling misfortunes. The text enumerates twenty-four different types of fulu (talismanic registers used to summon deities and command spirits), each with distinct functions such as slaying malevolent ghosts, eliminating evil influences, preserving life, and attaining longevity.

These fulu can invoke the protection of various divine beings, including the Thunder God Liuren Taiyi, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals, the Eight Scribes, and the Six Jia Spirits. They possess the power to avert disasters, prolong life, render the wearer invulnerable to weapons and unharmed by fire or water, repel evil forces, and cure illnesses. All malicious ghosts and harmful entities attempting to harm the bearer will be vanquished, ensuring deliverance from calamities and ushering in an era of peace and prosperity.

The Daoist priest, referring to himself humbly as "your subject, so-and-so," confesses that although he has been fortunate to obtain these precious fulu and scriptures, his cultivation remains shallow, and he has inevitably violated precepts. As a result, he suffers from hardship and instability in his dwelling. Seizing the auspicious occasion of the Sanhui festival (an important Daoist ritual day), he now submits a memorial to the Supreme Lord Lao (the highest deity in Daoism), confessing his merits and faults, and beseeches the erasure of his transgressions recorded by the Lord of Mount Tai (the deity governing life and death).

The document concludes with the petitioner’s identity: a senior disciple of the Shangqing tradition, bearing the title "Great Cavern of the Three Luminances," from a specific Daoist temple, addressed as "Master Yue" (an honorific for Daoist priests), along with details such as his birth date. The entire text exemplifies the Daoist religious practice of using fulu rituals to dispel misfortunes and seek longevity.

This passage records the contents of a Daoist "petition ritual" (shangzhang) document, divided into two main sections:

The first part describes a ceremony held during the important Daoist festival of the "Three Assemblies Days" (sanhui ri - referring to the 7th day of the first month, 7th day of the seventh month, and 5th day of the tenth month, when the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water examine merits and faults). The ritual involves preparing a special "Petition for Seeking Grace with Paper and Brush" (qien zhibi zhang), requesting that the deceased's name be erased from the Register of Death (the underworld record of sins) at Mount Tai's hells and transferred to the Register of Life at the Palace of Longevity. It simultaneously seeks absolution for both the living and deceased - asking for Daoist Qi (vital energy) to protect the living and liberation from suffering for the departed.

The second part presents the formal Petition for Transmission (qianda zhangwen), submitted by the Daoist priest (who self-identifies as a "Disciple of the Three Caverns and Three Luminaries of Highest Clarity") to deities including Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun). The text explains that during these auspicious Three Assemblies Days, Lord Lao descends to bestow blessings upon humanity. The priest petitions on behalf of devotees, seeking pardon for their ancestors (including three generations of great-grandparents and seven generations of parents) who might be suffering underworld punishments - specifically requesting absolution for "broken oaths and curses" (wumeng qizu), unfilial acts, and other transgressions. The petition asks the Three Officials, the Twenty-Four Hells of Mount Tai, and the Central Capital Prison of the underworld to pardon all sins of the deceased souls, enabling the living to progress in cultivation and wisdom while the dead receive salvation.

The frequent mention of "Mount Tai" in the text represents the underworld in Daoism, with the Lord of Mount Tai being a key deity governing the afterlife. The "Three Officials" (sanguan) refer to the Heaven Official (who bestows blessings), Earth Official (who grants absolution), and Water Official (who relieves misfortunes). Such petition documents constitute an important form of communication between humans and deities in Daoist purification rituals (zhaijiao).

This scripture records the specific content of the Daoist "petition ritual" (shangzhang), where priests submit memorials to deities on behalf of devotees to seek disaster relief and ancestral salvation.

The ceremony is conducted during the "Three Assemblies Days" (sanhui ri) – three major auspicious dates in Daoism: the 7th day of the first month, the 7th day of the seventh month, and the 5th day of the tenth month. The priest first reports to the "Most High" (Taishang, referring to Lord Lao, one of Daoism's supreme deities), requesting salvation for the devotee's "three generations of great-grandfathers, five generations of grandfathers, and seven generations of ancestors." A special "grace petition" (enzhi zhang) is then submitted to the Celestial Offices (tiancao, the heavenly bureaucracy).

The text mentions the "Celestial Master" (Tianshi), referring to Zhang Daoling (founder of the Zhengyi tradition), with the ritual following his established norms. The priest summons the divine officers and soldiers from the "Twenty-Four Parishes" (ershisizhi, the twenty-four dioceses established by Zhang), conducting the liturgy (keyi) to bless the devotees.

Participants include both lay followers and ordained disciples who have received the "Zhengyi Covenant Talismans" (zhengyi mengwei lu). They beseech the "Supreme Mysterious Most High Three Pure Ones" (wushang xuanlao taishang sanzun, the highest Daoist deities) to dispatch three hundred thousand heavenly troops for family protection, elimination of the "three calamities and nine misfortunes" (sanzai jiu'e), and salvation of deceased relatives' souls—liberating them from suffering and elevating them to heaven.

The text concludes by reiterating that the ritual occurs on the "auspicious Three Assemblies Days," conveying prayers to the deities through proper ceremonial form. The passage meticulously documents the sacred and standardized nature of Daoist salvation rituals, embodying the religion's ideal of "delivering the world and saving humanity."