《赤松子章曆》Vol. 6

The "Bathing Memorial" and "Absolution Memorial" recorded in the sixth volume of the Chisongzi Zhangli (Master Red Pine's Memorial Rituals) represent essential liturgical documents in Daoist salvation rituals for deceased souls.

The Bathing Memorial describes how an ordained priest (with proper ritual authority) submits a memorial petition, detailing how the deceased accumulated heavy karmic burdens during their lifetime and now suffers imprisonment in the Three Officials' (Celestial Official, Earth Official, Water Official) purgatories. Through the divine power of the Great Dao, the ritual prepares the deceased's personal belongings including clothing, money, rice, and fragrant oil. In a purified ritual space, a ceremonial bathhouse is established to respectfully invite 1,200 divine beings—including the Bathing Lord Officials, Bathing Ladies, and Jade Maidens of Purification—to descend and cleanse the soul. This sacred bathing washes away impurities, removes spiritual shackles, and restores the soul's radiance, granting it liberation and carefree existence while ensuring tomb tranquility and descendants' prosperity. The memorial concludes by presenting the vermilion-hued document to the designated celestial bureau (heavenly administrative office) of the Supreme Venerable Sovereigns.

The Absolution Memorial addresses how the deceased transgressed cosmic taboos during their lifetime through rebellious actions that invited calamities, committing offenses through three karmic avenues (body, speech, and mind) and six sensory faculties (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and intention). The priest submits the memorial on behalf of the deceased, summoning General of the White Horse and Plain Chariot with 100,000 soldiers, along with the Great Mysterious Lord (a Daoist deity) leading 120 divine officers. These celestial forces assist the soul's liberation from the Three Wretched Paths (hell realm, hungry ghost realm, animal realm), registering its name in the Six Heavens (Daoist celestial realms). Simultaneously, the Great Mysterious True Talismans and the Nuqing Edict (Daoist salvation documents) are transmitted to the underworld, notifying all underworld officials—including the Lord of Mount Tai (chief deity of the underworld) and tomb guardians—to absolve the soul's karmic debts.

Both memorials embody the Daoist salvific philosophy of using sacred rituals to deliver souls from suffering and elevate them to celestial realms. They require priests to meticulously prepare offerings, reverently invoke deities, and formally submit documents in strict accordance with liturgical protocols.

This passage records the memorial format of the "Golden-Purple Substitution Ritual" (a calamity-averting ceremony using golden figurines and purple cloth as substitutes) from the Daoist Chisongzi Zhangli scripture. Its core purpose is to confess transgressions before the deities and petition for disaster relief:

First, it enumerates the names of twenty-four hell realms, including the Five Sacred Mountains' hells (such as Mount Tai's eastern hell and Mount Heng's southern hell), along with special purgatories like the Northern Capital's Frozen Pool Prison. The text implores water deities like the River Earl and underworld officials to release trapped souls from darkness, allowing them to ascend to blessed realms where they'll receive natural sustenance, ceasing their harassment of the living.

The formal memorial template follows: A Daoist priest (with proper ritual rank) from a specified location petitions on behalf of a devotee, recounting how this person has enjoyed unearned privileges since youth. While holding office, they may have abused judicial power due to personal biases, accumulating numerous offenses. Since a specified month, severe illness and misfortune have struck. Now, following Daoist liturgy, these ritual objects are prepared: one golden human figurine, purple-patterned cloth matching the petitioner's age-length, 1.2 dan of rice, 1,200 copper coins for stabilization, 1.2 dou of oil, 120 sheets of paper, two brushes, two inksticks, 120 feet of blue silk, 120 counting rods, and one purification cloth as sacred tokens.

The conclusion explains: This person's destiny originally enjoyed the Nine Heavens' protection—with the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), Three Lights, and Seven Primordials of heaven and earth meant to safeguard their body and spirit. Their life-register was recorded in the Purple-Orchid Jade Casket of the Southern Chang Palace (the Daoist bureau governing longevity). Present cosmic Qi imbalances have caused calamities, hence this ritual seeks to erase death records and reinscribe life-registers, restoring celestial guardianship.

(Note: Such "substitution" rituals represent unique Daoist disaster-relief methods, where golden figurines and purple cloth serve as physical substitutes to bear misfortunes. Combined with penitential documents transmitted to the celestial court, they effect actual deliverance from calamities.)

This passage is a disaster-averting and blessing-seeking memorial from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli (Master Red Pine's Liturgical Calendar), describing the ritual process of submitting petitions to celestial authorities for removing misfortunes and prolonging life.

When the harmony between Heaven, Earth, and Humanity becomes disordered, malignant Qi rises, allowing demons and evil spirits to wreak havoc upon the people. Justice becomes obscured, grievances remain unresolved, and the anguished cries of wandering souls fill the cosmos. With underworld deities overwhelmed by these cases, the living become entangled in these disturbances as ancestral spirits combine with internal and external evil essences to form deadly Sha-qi (baleful energies).

According to the Jiudao Kaojing (Ninefold Examination Scripture) transmitted by the Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling) and the Yuanchen Baogou Mingjue (Primordial Destiny-Hooking Formulas) for calculating fate, a person's lifespan and fortune are determined by celestial configurations at birth. Those whose destiny encounters baleful influences will suffer the "Six Extremes" (six types of catastrophic misfortunes). The text details how a particular devotee's fate shows severe inauspicious signs and profound calamities.

The Dao in its great compassion inherently cherishes life and abhors destruction—no disaster exists that cannot be remedied. The ritual master, claiming his role as an ordained Daoist priest bearing the mandate to teach, presumes to compose this golden-purple memorial (a formal petition to celestial powers). With reverent bows, he entreats the Most High Lord Lao (Laozi), the Three Masters (Celestial Master, Earth Master, and Human Master), and other venerable deities to pardon the devotee's karmic transgressions from past lives and nourish their life with Daoqi (Dao-imbued energy).

The specific ceremony involves: inviting thirty-two Heavenly Emperor Lords and longevity officials like the Everlasting Life Marshal—thirty-two deities in total—to descend in feathered chariots drawn by flying dragons; mobilizing nine hundred million celestial soldiers from thirty-two heavens to descend to earth; submitting golden figurines with purple patterns (ritual substitutes to bear misfortunes) to celestial palaces to amend destiny records among the stellar bureaus; and summoning five Longevity Lords accompanied by 120 officers bearing substitute golden figures to alter the devotee's fate.

Through esoteric Daoist methods like "exchanging names and transforming forms" (modifying destiny records) and "registering in the ledger of life" (recording in the book of longevity), the ritual seeks to infuse the devotee with primordial life-giving Qi (Xuan Yuan Shengqi), achieving the dual purpose of disaster elimination and life extension.

This scripture describes the petitioning rituals (shangzhang) in Daoist practice, where priests submit memorials to celestial deities to dispel misfortunes, prolong life, and alter destiny. The entire process embodies a symbolic sacred transaction:

First, supplications are made to the Palace of Primordial Qi in the Supreme Clarity (Taiqing Xuanyuan Shengqi Gong, the abode of Lord Laozi among the Three Pure Ones), requesting the Star-Ruler of Fate Calculations to amend the registers of destiny. A gilded purple figurine (ritual substitute for calamities) is offered in exchange, beseeching the deities of the Big Dipper constellation—particularly the Lunar Maiden (Taiyin Yunü) within this celestial system—to open the ledgers of life and death in the Netherworld. The petitioner's name is thus transferred from the death register to the jade chronicles of longevity (yuli, the immortal records).

Subsequently, multiple calamity-dispelling deities are invoked: Lord Kuichui arrives with 120 officers, the Great Imperial Lord of Myriad Blessings comes with another 120 officers, while the Three Heavens' Lords of Calamity Relief and Harm Dissolution each bring five attendants. Together, these deities eradicate various misfortunes: astrological afflictions (ancient belief held that planetary alignments at birth influenced fate), geomancy taboos, and the five disasters with six harms. Special petitions address the Big Dipper's stellar lords: the Greedy Wolf Star severs death's origin, the Wealth Preserver and Pure Star alter fatal destinies, the Civil and Martial Stars delete death records, while the Celestial Net and Army Breaker Stars dissipate lethal energies.

Further appeals go to the Three Platforms' stellar lords (controllers of human fate) to remove life-stage adversities: illness, death, imprisonment, warfare, and elemental imbalances. Finally, separate petitions reach the Green Emperor of Eastern Extremity's Nine Mysteries Palace (Dongji Qinghua Jiuxuan Shang Gong) and the Red Emperor of Southern Chang Palace (Nanji Nanzhang Gong). Each celestial sovereign dispatches nine million troops riding azure/vermillion cloud chariots, bearing the purple figurines to the Palace of Eternal Life. Through this "name-bartering and form-changing" ritual (maoming yixing), the petitioner's name becomes eternally inscribed in the immortal registers of longevity.

This scripture depicts the sacred ritual of "petitioning the celestial court" (shangzhang) in Daoism, where the Five Directional Emperors (Red Emperor, White Emperor, Black Emperor, and Yellow Emperor) descend to alter devotees' destinies and prolong their lives. The text systematically records how these four celestial emperors descend to the human realm to amend the registers of fate:

The Red Emperor of the East (monarch of Fire Virtue in the south) descends from the Jade Registers of Immortality, wearing imperial regalia and bearing the mission of "infinite life extension." He is accompanied by three divine lords: the Lord Who Oversees Births and Extends Life, the Lord Who Bestows Primordial Qi, and the Lord of Immortals Who Delivers the World. Each commands nine million celestial troops, riding divine chariots of white mist that traverse ten thousand miles to reach the mortal realm. They carry golden effigies inscribed with purple patterns representing devotees, ascending to celestial cloud palaces to alter names and physical forms in the registers, thereby extending lifespans in the Jade Records.

Similarly, the White Emperor of the West (monarch of Metal Virtue) descends from the White Jade Palace, the Black Emperor of the North (monarch of Water Virtue) from the Mysterious Dipper Lunar Palace, and the Yellow Emperor of the Center (monarch of Earth Virtue) from the Mysterious Capital Purple Tenuity Palace. Each is attended by the same trio of assisting deities and nine million celestial soldiers, riding variously colored cloud chariots to perform analogous destiny-altering rites. Notably, the Black Emperor erases records of death from the underworld's registers of demise, overseen by the Lunar Maiden of the Great Yin.

The ritual culminates by summoning the devotee's natal guardian deity (benming shen) with its entourage of officers and generals, who arrive with legions to protect the devotee's fortune and destiny. They regulate the three hun and seven po souls, facilitating physical transformation and rebirth. Concurrently, the annual tutelary deity is invoked to extend lifespan, stabilize the spirit-shen, and dispel calamities from heaven, earth, and the four directions. The liturgy implores these deities to absolve the devotee from celestial and infernal judgments, severing the snares of misfortune from their fate.

This passage exemplifies the core Daoist belief that sacred rituals can mediate between heaven and earth to rewrite destiny. Technical terms like "exchanging names and altering forms" (mao ming yi xing) and "erasing death to ascend to life" (xiao si shang sheng) point to the soteriological goal of mystical rebirth through ritual. The system of Five Directional Emperors also reflects Daoism's synthesis of Five Phase (Wuxing) theory with divine cosmology.

This scripture records the ceremonial content of Daoist "petition rituals" (shangzhang, formal appeals to deities), primarily seeking divine assistance to avert disasters, resolve misfortunes, prolong life, and alter destiny.

First, it petitions to transfer the deceased’s name from the register of death to the ledger of longevity, transforming calamities into blessings and ill omens into auspicious signs. Through accumulating virtue (De) and performing good deeds, one may offset punishments and dissolve misfortunes with accrued merit. Though the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) mutually counteract, they also generate one another. The celestial stems Wu and Ji (representing the central Earth position) symbolize harmonizing Qi—a crucial element in attaining immortality and realizing the Dao.

Next, it appeals to the Primordial Qi of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities) for protection. If suffering arises from offenses against the Three Officials (Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials, who govern human fortune), the scripture beseeches the Three Platform Sovereigns (stellar deities of the Big Dipper) to dissolve all afflictions. It requests the deities to extend the petitioner’s lifespan, reinscribe their name in the ledger of longevity, and absolve all transgressions across the ten directions of the cosmos.

A specific plea is made to redeem the petitioner’s three Hun (ethereal souls) and seven Po (corporeal souls—fourteen for women, as Daoism holds females possess seven additional Po) from the underworld jurisdictions of the Three Officials, including the Twenty-Four Prisons of Mount Tai (where the dead face judgment) and the Dark Northern Prison. The aim is to reunite these souls with the physical body.

The ritual then summons a host of specialized disaster-relief deities: twelve Life-Prolonging Sovereigns and Calamity-Dispelling Sovereigns, thirteen Disaster-Resolving Sovereigns, divine officials governing crops and trees, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and the Eight Extremities Sovereigns encompassing the celestial dome. Additionally, three hundred sixty officials from the River Earl’s Water Palace are invoked, along with a million celestial troops from the Central Heavenly Palace, all entering the petitioner’s body to eradicate inauspicious astrological influences, karmic clashes, and other prohibitive misfortunes.

Finally, high-ranking deities like the Sovereign of the Zhou Cauldron and the Southern Ascension Sovereign descend with twelve hundred jade maidens clad in rainbow robes to infuse the petitioner with vital Qi (life-force). Adorned in vermilion robes and heaven-piercing crowns (standard attire for Daoist deities), these beings mediate fate in celestial palaces like the Arrayed Treasury and the Terrestrial Order Halls, erasing death records and inscribing longevity. This process transcends the conventional lifespan limit of 120 years, granting the petitioner an immortal body.

Note: This scripture reflects the core framework of Daoist petition rituals, assembling a "disaster-relief task force" of deities to systematically amend destiny registers, reintegrate souls, and infuse life-energy. Key concepts like the "three Hun and seven Po," "registers of life and death," and "Five Phases’ mutual generation and restraint" are central to Daoist cultivation theory.

This passage records the contents of two memorial petitions (zhang) used in the Daoist "Presenting Petitions" ritual. Presenting petitions refers to the practice where Daoist practitioners, through ordained priests, submit written prayers to divine beings to dispel calamities and resolve misfortunes.

The first petition, titled "Chapter for Prolonging Life and Dispelling Calamities," seeks longevity and the removal of misfortunes. Its general meaning states: The disciple [name] suffers from misfortunes and petitions the deities to recall his hun and po souls back into his body, to erase his name from the register of death and inscribe it in the book of life. It specifically beseeches the assistance of 1,200 celestial officials and divine generals, regional inspecting true officials, the Rulers of Peace from the Four and Nine Wilds (Duping Jun), the divine lords of Two Mysteries (Erxuan), Three Primes (Sanyuan) and Four Beginnings (Sishi), as well as twelve River Marquises of Peace (Heping Hou) among other deities. Upon receiving this petition, these beings are asked to eliminate misfortunes, extend lifespan, restore health, and grant the protection of Daoist methods. The petition is transmitted to the Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) through divine messengers including the Officials of Yin-Yang Divine Decisions, Red Talisman Officials, and Flying Dragon Cavalry Officials.

The second petition, "Chapter for Collecting Nightmare Afflictions," addresses treatment for recurring nightmares. The disciple confesses that although fortunate to have taken refuge in the Dao, due to shallow cultivation, he has recently suffered frequent nightmares involving deceased relatives, leaving him frightened upon waking. Therefore, he implores the Great Dao's compassion to expel the haunting ghosts. It specifically mentions resolving "lingering qi" (guqi, malevolent energies that persist), inauspicious deities like the Grand Year (Taisui) and Grand Yin (Taiyin), malignant forces such as the Seven Prisons of Hidden Dragons in the residence, and twelve types of misfortunes including Hanging Corpses and Six Harms. The petition requests the Lord of Ten Thousand Deities to command 100,000 yellow-clad celestial troops to subdue these haunting entities and transform misfortune into blessing.

Both petitions exemplify the Daoist religious practice of communicating with deities through sacred documents to solve worldly problems with divine assistance. The various divine officials, generals, and functionaries mentioned all represent specific deities within the Daoist pantheon responsible for different functions.

This passage is a memorial petition (zhangbiao) from the Daoist Chisongzi Zhangli scripture, used to confess sins and seek redemption for the deceased. It describes a situation where a household experiences disturbances, with frequent nightmares and ominous signs, prompting an appeal to the Solar Lord (Taiyang Jun), a Daoist deity, for assistance.

The family suffers from twelve types of inauspicious omens (xing'e), with restless sleep caused by haunting spirits. They solemnly invoke the Solar Lord and his retinue of 120 divine generals, who specialize in subduing sleep-disrupting ghosts. Any disputes involving ancestral graves or misfortunes affecting descendants are to be severed using the Three Original Qi (sanyuan qi, representing the energies of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), preventing these calamities from passing to future generations.

The petition also calls upon 120 celestial officers and warrior-deities to capture lingering souls of the deceased who remain in the mortal realm due to past misdeeds. These souls, guilty of moral transgressions during life, are to be escorted to the Northern Prison of Nüqing (a Daoist purgatory) for judgment. The family prays for relief from illness and peaceful sleep free from nightmares.

The confession details the deceased's possible offenses: disloyalty, filial impiety, cruelty, jealousy, cursing others, blasphemy against deities, greed, theft, and other evils. In the underworld, these sins have drawn severe punishment from the Earth Office (Houtu), with the soul undergoing trial by the Three Officials (sanguan, celestial judges of Heaven, Earth, and Water) and enduring torturous labor. These punishments also create karmic repercussions (chengfu) affecting living relatives, manifesting as continuous household misfortunes.

The family prepares ritual offerings while meticulously listing the deceased's transgressions, sincerely repenting on their behalf. They beseech the Supreme Great Dao (Taishang Dadao, highest Daoist divinity) and the Celestial Master's (Tianshi) officials to grant mercy according to Daoist penitential rites, dissolving the sins and severing misfortunes spanning both yin (spirit) and yang (material) realms. The memorial concludes with formal liturgical protocols.

(Note: This text reflects the Daoist concept of "inherited accountability" (chengfu), where ancestral sins affect descendants, requiring ritual atonement. The term "fulian" denotes karmic entanglement between realms, while "three qi" represents a core cultivation principle in Daoist practice.)

This scripture is a Daoist memorial document (a formal petition to celestial deities) for the salvation of deceased souls. Its main purpose is for the Daoist priest to beseech various celestial departments and divine officials to pardon the sins and relieve the calamities of the departed.

The text first describes dispatching merit officers (divine messengers in Daoist cosmology) carrying offerings prepared by devotees to the Three Heavenly Courts (celestial judicial institutions). They petition for reduced punishment based on the deceased's lifetime transgressions. Special emphasis is placed on invoking the Supreme Mystery Talismans (Daoist Fulu) and the Nüqing Edict (underworld statutes) to be transmitted to the underworld. These mandate all subterranean deities—including tomb guardians like the Hill Officials and Grave Elders, the Twelve Mound Spirits, as well as officials from the Twenty-Four Hells of Mount Tai and the Central Capital Prison—to release the deceased's soul, allowing it to return to its remains and be freed from underworld confinement.

Subsequent petitions seek to sever karmic retribution and erase the name from the Register of Death (the underworld's ledger of life and death). If the deceased violated important oaths (Five Covenants and Seven Curses) during their lifetime, creating grievances with lingering spirits, complete absolution is requested. The prayer hopes the deceased's family will henceforth enjoy peace and recovery from illnesses.

The latter portion contains the priest's personal appeal: as a cultivator of the Dao, though blessed by the great Dao's grace, mortals inevitably breach precepts. The deceased departed due to illness, and the priest fears their accumulated karmic offenses from past and present lives may cause their soul to suffer in the underworld, potentially affecting the living. Using the deceased's clothing as redemption offerings, the priest prays for mitigation of severe punishments and the severing of misfortune between yin and yang realms.

The conclusion emphasizes this act follows Daoist compassionate teaching, showing mercy to all sentient beings caught in the cycle of life and death. It expresses hope that imprisoned souls may receive salvation while simultaneously blessing the living. The mentioned "Dharma Wheel of Salvation" refers to the ritual turning of the cosmic wheel (symbolizing the Dao's perpetual motion) during Daoist salvation ceremonies to deliver departed souls.

This is a formal memorial (zhangbiao) used in Daoist rituals to petition the deities, expressing a practitioner's sincere repentance and plea for salvation.

With utmost sincerity, the practitioner addresses the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun, the highest deity in Daoism):

"I humbly beseech forgiveness for the transgressions of this life and past lives. I earnestly pray for the dispatch of General of the White Horse and Plain Chariot, leading a hundred thousand celestial soldiers, along with Lord Taiyuan (a Daoist deity) commanding one hundred and twenty divine officers, to seek out the whereabouts of my soul, trapped in the Three Paths (the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals). If my name is recorded in the registers of sin within the Six Heavens (referring to the underworld courts of the celestial realms), I implore complete liberation and deliverance.

"Furthermore, I request Immortal Official Dalijun, leading one hundred and twenty divine officers, to govern the Western Water Palace, and for the True Talisman of Taiyuan (a Daoist fulu) to announce my plea to the Three Officials (the deities overseeing heaven, earth, and water). I also beseech the underworld officials under the jurisdiction of the Female Blue Edict (a Daoist decree)—including the Two Thousand Officials of the Underworld, the Lords of Tombs and Mounds, the Twelve Tomb Spirits, as well as the overseers of the twenty-four prisons of Mount Tai and the nine great hells (including the Five Sacred Peaks—Tai, Heng, Hua, Heng, and Song—and the Frozen Pool of the Northern Capital), along with the Nine River Emperors and the Earl of the River (water deities), to release my soul.

"May my name be erased from the registers of sin, my punishments absolved, so that I may be reborn as though cleansed and renewed, transformed from a prisoner into one who ascends to the Hall of Blessings (the abode of the virtuous). May my name be struck from the registers of death in the Six Palaces and inscribed anew in the Register of Cinnabar (the immortal records). May all suffering be dispelled, and all wishes fulfilled.

"I am deeply aware of the gravity of my transgressions, and though my faults are countless, I beg for mercy. I implore the Supreme Lord of the Dao to extend his compassion, sparing me from the Three Paths and Five Torments (the five tortures of the hell realms), so that my soul may be delivered and reborn."

Finally, the practitioner confesses:

"Though my past virtues were meager, and though I dwell in this defiled and dusty world—where the path to ascension should be forever barred—I have been graced by the mercy of Heaven, which has yet to punish me, allowing me the fortune to encounter the True Scriptures of the Three Luminances (a Daoist classic). Though I aspire to cultivation, I remain ensnared by desire, repeatedly violating precepts. Now, as the kalpic calamity (yangjiu, a time of disaster) approaches, my sins manifest, and I find myself powerless to save myself. I fear sudden death may claim me, and though I wish to reform, I remain bound by my transgressions. Thus, in this state of guilt, I dare to confess before the Three Officials (the deities of heaven, earth, and water)."

This passage is a memorial petition (a type of Daoist ritual document) submitted by a Daoist priest (who humbly refers to himself as "this servant") to the deities on behalf of a deceased practitioner. It describes the circumstances surrounding a cultivator's passing.

The deceased had previously taken vows under a master's guidance, received precepts through formal covenant rituals, and devotedly studied the Scriptures of the Three Luminaries Cavern (an important Daoist canon), maintaining regular purification practices. However, entangled by worldly attachments, he passed away before completing his cultivation merits. According to Daoist doctrine, he should have achieved transcendence through "corpse liberation" (a method where adepts feign death to become immortals), but due to insufficient cultivation, his spirit now temporarily resides in the "Great Yin" (the underworld's administrative realm) while his physical form remains in the Earth Office (underworld bureaucracy), with his coffin awaiting burial in the mortuary chapel.

The priest expresses concern that due to the deceased's incomplete cultivation, he might face harassment from underworld officials, leading to spiritual unrest or even punishment in the hell realms. Therefore, he earnestly petitions the "Limitless Celestial Worthy" (a supreme Daoist deity) and the "Primordial Great Transformation" (the creative source of existence) to pardon the deceased's earthly transgressions, release him from the "Three Paths and Five Bitternesses" (various hellish torments), and spare him from judgment by the "Three Officials and Nine Bureaus" (the celestial, terrestrial, and aquatic administrations with their subordinate offices).

The repeated use of reverential phrases like "in trembling awe" and "kowtowing to confess mortal offenses" reflects the formal conventions of Daoist ritual documents. Through this memorial, the priest seeks divine assistance to help the deceased swiftly transcend the underworld and attain ascension.

This scripture records the contents of a Daoist memorial petition (zhangbiao) used for the salvation of the deceased. It consists of two main parts:

The first section describes how the Three Officials (Tian'guan, Diguan, and Shuiguan) bestow their grace, utilizing the virtuous merits accumulated by the deceased during their lifetime to redeem their soul. It petitions the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors to restore the deceased's physical form, with the Three Luminaries (sun, moon, and stars) nourishing their shen (spirit), while the qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth circulates through their meridians. The text mentions requiring the cooperation of mountain guardian deities with the underworld officials of the Nine Earthly Realms, following the specifications of the Daoist Mingzhen Ke (Code of Luminous Truth) ritual manual to provide all necessities for salvation. This ensures the deceased's physical and spiritual tranquility, the elimination of karmic obstructions, ultimately achieving the states of "refining the corpse to restore its form" (a ritual process of physical reconstitution) and "ascending to replenish the ranks of true immortals."

The second part details the "Funeral and Burial Memorial," documenting how a Daoist priest conducted burial rites for a devotee who passed away on a specific date. Concerned about potential offenses against the Grand Duke Jupiter (the year's presiding deity) and the taboos associated with the Twelve Monthly Branches (directional prohibitions), the text specially petitions Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) to dispatch five divine lords including the Great Simplicity and Great Beginning Sovereigns, 120 officer-generals, and twelve burial officials to provide protection. Finally, it mentions using the "Nuqing Edict" (a Daoist document for underworld communication) to notify various underworld officials, ensuring the burial proceeds undisturbed by malign influences.

The recurring character "mou" (某) serves as a placeholder in the memorial document, to be replaced with the deceased's name, dates, and other specifics during actual use. Such memorials exemplify the Daoist ritual characteristic of communicating across the Three Realms through sacred documents, containing both prayers for the salvation of souls and resolutions for directional taboos in specific funeral arrangements.

This passage is the "Petition to Sever Repeated Afflictions" from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli (Red Pine Master's Petition Calendar). Its primary purpose is to conduct rituals for the recently deceased, praying to eliminate misfortunes and open the path through the underworld. The mentioned "Thousand-Stone Hill Officials," "Tomb Guardians," and "Twelve Mound Marquises" are all underworld deities who govern burial sites, while the "Officials of Local Boundaries and Road Taboos" refer to underworld administrators overseeing pathways and prohibitions.

The text describes a household experiencing ominous signs after a family member's death: unrest in the home, pervasive ghostly qi, recurring strange dreams, and persistent illnesses. A Daoist priest submits a petition (a formal document to deities) seeking divine assistance, explaining that although the deceased had received Daoist blessings during their lifetime, worldly attachments prevented diligent cultivation of virtue, leading to accumulated transgressions. Now that the person has died, their "grave calamity" (the baleful qi resulting from death) has transformed into malevolent forces appearing in dual masculine-feminine forms that threaten the living.

The text vividly details the terrifying manifestations of this "grave calamity": beginning with ocular transformations—the left eye becoming a white masculine specter and the right eye a yellow feminine specter. These develop into fourteen poisonous feathers, luminous wings, and mouths containing lethal "golden slaughter." These malignant forces follow inauspicious deities like the Grand Year (Taisui) and Grand Yin (Taiyin) to wreak havoc, potentially causing successive family deaths.

Through the petition ritual, the priest implores various deities to subdue these grave calamities, open the underworld path for the deceased, and protect the living from being affected—thereby severing the "repeated afflictions" (the chain reaction of consecutive deaths within a household). The conclusion affirms that this follows proper Daoist liturgical procedures, seeking the discernment of the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun).

This passage is a memorial document from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli, used for dispelling disasters and resolving misfortunes for the deceased. The general meaning is as follows:

The deceased may have violated the underworld's Yin laws during their lifetime, becoming enslaved by corpse-demons of the Three Paths (the hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms). Underworld officials are pursuing the deceased's spirit, even affecting their living relatives. The Daoist priest, claiming the orthodox lineage of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) tradition, declares that the realms of the living and dead should not interfere with each other. However, the deceased's Yin energy continues to haunt the living, and without resolution, the survivors will face continuous misfortunes.

Through this memorial, the priest petitions the celestial officials to dispatch the Qi-subduing General (a divine commander specializing in exorcism) along with 120 officers to clear obstacles posed by Taisui and Taiyin (two deities governing fate). Simultaneously, the priest requests the Director of Destinies (the deity overseeing lifespans) to lift temporal restrictions, preventing the seasonal deities from obstructing the deceased's salvation.

Furthermore, the memorial invokes the Northern Dipper's subordinate officers, led by the Marshal of All Officials, to cooperate with deities like the Calamity-Slaying General in capturing the malevolent Yin-Yang shades and disaster-bringing ghosts that plagued the deceased's death hour. These malignant forces are commanded to immediately vacate the deceased's household, with seasonal deities barred from interference. The priest seeks absolution for all the deceased's lifetime transgressions, severing their karmic ties with living relatives, liberating the spirit from hell's sufferings, and elevating it to the Blessed Land (a pure realm for virtuous spirits) where abundant clothing and food naturally appear, while also blessing descendants with peace.

Finally, the petition asks underworld corpse-deities to cease their disturbances, bringing tranquility to both the deceased's household and surviving family members. This specific memorial targets exorcism for newly deceased households, termed the "Ritual Document for House Purification and Expulsion of Malign Influences." The priest states the document is composed according to orthodox regulations, explaining that the deceased was an ordinary mortal whose descendants were fortunate to encounter Daoist teachings. Yet due to the family's persistent ignorance and recurring transgressions, they suffered successive years of disasters with members dying prematurely. Fearing that the deceased's malignant energies might linger and that Yin-Yang specters would continue haunting the household—leaving the living in constant terror—the family has requested the priest's intervention to submit this disaster-dispelling appeal.

At the moment of death, a person's hun (ethereal soul) and po (corporeal soul) disperse into eight malignant spirits (in Daoist belief, the souls of the deceased transform into malevolent entities that cause harm). Some of these spirits wander abroad while others return to the household, relentlessly haunting and seeking opportunities to harm the living. With utmost reverence, I now prostrate myself to compose this memorial, beseeching the divine powers of the Great Dao (Dao) to redirect their might and bestow blessings, cleansing all turbid energies (Qi).

I specifically invoke one thousand two hundred valiant celestial soldiers, along with the specialized ghost-expelling "Exorcising Plague-Demon Avian Wonder Lord" and "Water Plain Officials" in their respective formations, to enter [so-and-so's] residence to capture and eradicate all haunting corpse-demons, female-male sha-entities, funeral-carriage sha-spirits, and similar malevolent forces. Furthermore, I petition twelve "Repelling Slaughter Generals" to descend and subdue one hundred twenty types of calamitous sha-entities within the household. Concurrently, I command the local earth god (Tudishen) and the twenty-four residential guardian generals with their three hundred thousand troops to form three concentric defensive rings around the dwelling, all armed and facing outward.

Additionally, I summon the "Divine Water Envoy" and other deities to purify the residence with sacred water, dispelling all corpse-defiling energies. The assembled deities must maintain strict vigilance, securing and protecting the household. Once karmic retribution is complete, these task-force generals may return to the celestial realm to receive their meritorious rewards. Finally, I invoke the "Residence-Pacifying, Stabilizing, Securing, and Purifying Officials" formation to peacefully guard the home, protect its inhabitants, and utterly sever all misfortune.

As an ignorant mortal of the lower realm, I am fortunate to live in this era of great peace. Now preparing to assume my official post at [such-and-such position], I prostrate myself to submit this memorial before departure, specifically petitioning the Vermilion Bird Lord (southern guardian deity) and his subordinate officers—one hundred twenty in total—to descend with their protection. These deities reside in Luoping Palace, governing the affairs of the ten thousand people.

This passage contains two formal prayer documents (zhangbiao) from the Daoist scripture Chisongzi Zhangli: the "Chapter for Assuming Office and Governing the People" and the "Chapter for Receiving Official Appointment and Eliminating Obstructions." These were used in rituals where newly appointed officials sought divine protection.

The first chapter details prayers for an official's inauguration: it expresses hopes for harmony among the governed people, joyful interactions with visitors, and the absence of resentment. The petitioner requests that various deities (including guardian spirits of the four barbarian tribes—Yi, Man, Rong, and Di) each dispatch 120 divine officers and generals for protection. The prayer seeks to eliminate calamities and evil Qi (vital energy), ensuring the official's prominent position, smooth governance, and stable residence. Notably, it instructs local earth deities (Tudi Shen) and post-station spirits to clear the official's path, while summoning protective deities like Changluo Jun to guard against harm from the Grand Duke Jupiter (Tai Sui Jiangjun, the deity governing annual fortune) and the taboos of the Five Phases (Wuxing).

The second chapter is a petition for removing career obstacles: the official recounts their fortune in receiving an honorable appointment and acknowledges ancestral virtue accumulated over generations. It implores the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun, Daoism's highest deity) to dispatch divine generals like Wanfu Wenren to expel misfortunes, ensuring peace and success during the tenure, with desired promotions during year-end evaluations. The "120 divine officers and generals" mentioned represent a complete protective force commonly invoked in Daoist rituals.

Both chapters follow a standardized format: first stating the petitioner's identity, then presenting requests, and finally appealing for divine attention. References to "Grand Duke Jupiter," "Five Phases' royal and ministerial aspects" (Wuxing Wangxiang), and similar terms reflect Daoist beliefs about deities influencing human affairs—forces that officials must particularly avoid during their assumption of office.

The official (of noble rank) respectfully submits: Having received the nation's profound trust in assuming this position, from the day of appointment onward, I neither consulted divination nor selected auspicious dates, relying solely on sincere devotion to duty. Yet since taking office, I have been plagued by incessant nightmares, recurring illness, and frequent strange occurrences whose causes remain unknown.

Consulting the almanac reveals that my appointment day coincided with the inauspicious "Five Separations" hour (considered unlucky in Daoist tradition), while my birth year and current annual cycle (Daoist methods for calculating yearly fortunes) clash in the Jia-Wu opposition. The eleventh month itself is a period of declining fortune, with the Grand Duke (Taisui, the annual deity) direction conflicting with the Execution (Xingsha, a malevolent force) position, the Tomb Kill (Musha, a grave-related affliction) counteracting the Execution Kill, and the hour marked by the conjunction of "Six Harmonies" and "Six Harms" (both Daoist terms for auspicious/inauspicious temporal combinations).

I have heard the Dao (the Way) fundamentally transcends taboos, yet without genuine devotion, misfortunes prove difficult to dispel. Thus I present this petition, humbly requesting the descent of Daoist Qi (vital energy). May the Celestial Pavilion Lord and his retinue of 120 officers garrison the solar palace to dissolve prohibitions across the Nine Heavens (Daoist celestial realms). May the Heavenly King's Jade Maidens (celestial deities) – twelve hundred robed in azure – oversee all official appointments, communicating with the divine through gold and silver seals to avert calamity and prolong life.

If my appointment indeed violated the Five Separations hour, I beseech the eradication of all spectral misfortunes. May superior authorities dispatch ritual specialists (Daoist functionaries) to coordinate celestial offices – the Central Twenty-Four Administrations and regional deities (varying by jurisdiction) – in jointly dissolving my afflictions, nullifying prohibitions, ensuring smooth governance, delighting both officials and people, and securing peaceful year-end evaluations.

I solemnly vow: Should these petitions prove efficacious, I shall duly repay the celestial officials, never betraying divine grace. May the Most High (referring to Laozi, the supreme Daoist deity) bear witness.

(Appendix) Petition for High Office Promotion

Declaring Ritual Status (standard Daoist memorial format)

Born of mortal flesh, I was fortunate to receive the Dao's teachings for self-cultivation. My family has served generations in government, with distinguished achievements in successive high offices. This return to my former post stems not from personal virtue, but wholly from heavenly benevolence.

This passage from the Chisongzi Zhangli (Red Pine Master's Petition Almanac) presents a formal petition (zhang) addressed to celestial deities by an official seeking divine assistance. Holding a high-ranking position (possibly in a frontier region) with responsibility for numerous state affairs, the official finds himself in a complex bureaucratic environment: facing assertive colleagues, cunning subordinates, and legal disputes difficult to adjudicate clearly, while fearing that mishandling might invite calamity.

With sincere devotion to the Great Dao, he implores the celestial deities for protection and requests bestowal of safeguarding talismans. The text describes how, burdened by heavy responsibilities yet unable to withstand the multitude of worldly demands, he presumes to submit this petition to the celestial court. Specific celestial armies and generals are summoned:

First invoked are twelve sovereigns from the Four Directions—the Nine Yi of the East, Eight Man of the South, Six Rong of the West, and Five Di of the North—each commanding their troops to descend and form protective encirclements around his residence. Next summoned are the Five Lords of Ten Thousand Blessings with their 120 officers, tasked with expelling malignant qi (vital energy), demonic entities, and curses while transforming misfortune into good fortune.

Subsequently, the Five Great Stellar Lords and their officers are called upon. These deities govern the Stone Immortal Palace and specialize in quelling gossip, slander, and disputes among commonfolk, fostering harmonious relationships. Further protection comes from the Elder General of Ten Thousand Blessings and his officers, while the Azure-Blue Lord and his retinue are invoked to guard the Giant Gate Palace, blocking bureaucratic resentments and the qi of judicial misfortunes.

The petition culminates by beseeching all celestial officers and generals to descend according to their jurisdictions (specifying provinces, commanderies, counties, villages) to protect the residence, expel evil spirits, epidemics, and malicious curses, while illuminating the petitioner's mind, sharpening his Five Shen (spirits of the five viscera), and guiding proper speech and conduct. Should these prayers prove efficacious, the official vows year-end virtuous deeds and merit accumulation, promising to report accomplishments to the celestial bureaucracy on behalf of the assisting deities.

The document concludes with "holding ritual position" (ju fawei), identifying himself as a "flesh-born mortal" (taisheng rouren)—an ordinary man fortunate to receive the Dao's teachings, filled with gratitude. This follows the standard format of a "Campaign Petition" (rongzheng zhang), a specialized document used when officials face complex governance challenges requiring divine protection.

This scripture describes a deeply sinful individual whose accumulated transgressions have repeatedly brought calamities upon himself. Journeying across mountains and rivers, he faces perilous adversaries and the constant threat of violence. In such hazardous circumstances—amid armed conflicts and draconian military laws—the slightest misstep invites severe punishment. With wicked men in power coercing others into evil deeds and oppressing the common people, no record of merit can dispel his misfortunes. Fearing he may not survive this tribulation, he turns to the power of Daoist practice with sincere devotion, seeking divine protection through prayer.

Prostrating himself reverently, he composes a petition to Heaven: He implores the Nine Lords of the Eastern Yi (deities of the east), Eight Lords of the Southern Man (deities of the south), Six Lords of the Western Rong (deities of the west), and Five Lords of the Northern Di (deities of the north) to each dispatch twelve divine attendants to his aid. He specifically invokes the Lord of a Thousand Li, the General of Ten Thousand Li, and the Guardian General to surround him with protection—ensuring safety wherever he travels, shielding him from disasters, plagues, and demonic disturbances, and delivering him from the perils of warfare. He further prays for just governance, pleading for relief from accusations and burdens as tangible proof of the efficacy of his appeal.

In conclusion, he vows that should his plea be granted, he will dutifully record the merits of the reigning sovereign and generals, repaying their benevolence with gratitude. He earnestly beseeches the Supreme Most High (Taishang, the highest divinity) and all perfected immortals to heed his desperate supplication and extend their aid. This passage originates from the sixth volume of the Chisongzi Zhangli (Master Red Pine’s Almanac of Petitions), a classic Daoist liturgical text exemplifying the ritual of submitting petitions (zhang) to deities for dispelling misfortunes.