《廣成集》Vol. 14

This text comprises two Daoist memorials (ritual prayers addressed to deities) composed by Tang Dynasty Daoist priest Du Guangting for the emperor. The first is a prayer for the emperor's ritual ceremony at Xianju Mountain, while the second expresses gratitude to the deities for their divine favor.

The first memorial states: Our sagely emperor has now reigned for nearly six years. Though diligently governing and loving his people, he remains concerned that his administration hasn't fully benefited all subjects and that rewards and punishments may lack perfect fairness. In the seventh month of this year, commoners from Shifang County, Hanzhou discovered a bronze plaque while gathering herbs near Xianju Temple. Inscribed with sixty characters, it recorded Laozi's prophecy foretelling successive reigns by monarchs including one called "Wang Sheng" that would last two hundred years. The emperor considered this a celestial auspicious sign, yet felt his own virtue (De) too shallow to deserve such portents. Therefore he specially conducted this zhaijiao (purification ritual) to seek forgiveness from the deities, praying for national stability, favorable weather, and the cessation of warfare.

The second memorial explains: Since ancient times, heaven has manifested auspicious signs like the Hetu and Luoshu diagrams to bless enlightened rulers. Though the emperor considers himself lacking in virtue (De), he found himself elevated to the throne during this celestial mandate transition. For six years he has governed diligently, and now this excavated bronze inscription - a divine message revealed by the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (one of Daoism's highest deities) - has appeared. The emperor thus performs this ritual to express gratitude to the celestial powers.

Both memorials reflect the ancient imperial concept of "heaven-human resonance," where celestial omens were seen as either warnings or commendations from heaven that required proper Daoist ritual responses. The mentioned zhaijiao represents an important Daoist sacrificial ceremony where priests communicate with deities through incense offerings and scripture recitation.

This scripture records several jiao (Daoist sacrificial rituals) texts from Daoist zhaijiao (purification ceremonies), primarily containing the devout prayers of emperors and Daoist priests beseeching divine protection for national prosperity and societal peace.

The first piece is the prayer text used by the Sacred Sovereign (emperor) during a hua jiao (salvation ritual) held on Ge Xian's (Ge Xuan, patriarch of the Lingbao school) birthdate. It describes how auspicious signs have manifested, confirming the emperor's Mandate of Heaven, with his name and lifespan recorded in the Nine Heavens. With reverent awe, the emperor solemnly conducts the precious zhai (Daoist fasting ritual), taking refuge in the Supreme Dao (ultimate truth), and prays for abundant blessings to shelter all people.

The second text is the emperor's jiao prayer performed at Ge Xian's sacred site (where Ge Xuan attained immortality). It portrays cosmic principles of heaven-earth resonance and the inevitable retribution for sins or merits, while praising the jade grottoes and crystalline cliffs where Ge Xian cultivated. Choosing the clear brightness of spring for the ceremony—coinciding with celestial blessings—the emperor devoutly performs the kowtow ritual (touching forehead to ground), praying for divine protection of national unity and harmony.

The third piece documents the solemn Daoist assembly's thanksgiving jiao to the Earth Deity at the Yuhua Hall. It references the immortal realms of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) in the Nine Heavens (highest Daoist cosmos), where condensed clouds form divine abodes. Through zhaijiao rituals, the priests express gratitude for celestial guardianship.

These jiao texts collectively embody the Daoist concept of "heaven-human resonance," believing sincere worship can commune with deities to obtain blessings. Rich in specialized Daoist terminology and allusions, they demonstrate the solemn majesty of imperial Daoist ceremonies.

This passage chronicles the vicissitudes of Guangcheng Temple, a Daoist sanctuary originally built during the Sui Dynasty and continued through the Tang. The site once manifested auspicious signs—nectar crystallizing on its stones and fragrant springs gushing forth. Its architecture soared to cloud-piercing heights, with jade halls gleaming brilliantly, steles inscribed by master calligraphers, and literati like Lu Zhaolin proclaiming Daoist teachings here.

Yet warfare brought devastation: barbarian invasions toppled its soaring towers, corridors collapsed, courtyards choked with weeds, and bell towers crumbled, sending sacred bronze bells crashing to the ground. More grievously, soldiers occupied the precincts—altar steps became slaughterblocks, ornate balustrades served as prison bars. The air thickened with the stench of blood and defilement, profaning what was once sacred. Sermon platforms stood silent, ancient latticework layered with dust.

Upon ascending the throne, the present emperor, upholding Heaven’s mandate, recognized serenity and Wuwei (non-action) as governance’s foundation, emulating the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in ruling through Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue). He ordered the temple’s restoration: within mere days, verdant peaks reappeared; soaring eaves and pavilions rose anew. Halls now gleamed like celestial palaces, Qilin platforms seemingly propping up the firmament, adorned with incense flowers and intricate carvings.

Yet the author voices concern—though rebuilt with dazzling speed, proper Zhaijiao (purification rituals) of gratitude remain unperformed, risking divine displeasure. Recent collapses of lecture halls and deaths among Daoist brethren are seen as portents. Thus, with reverence, altars are erected to beseech the Celestial Honored Ones for blessings: prosperity for the realm and longevity for the emperor.

The text underscores that Daoist sacred sites must preserve purity and dignity. Spiritual potency, it asserts, hinges first on dispelling defilement and restoring tranquility—only then can these spaces align with the境界 (state) of ascetic cultivation. Swift reconstruction, while impressive, matters less than reviving the sanctuary’s full liturgical life, embodying the Daoist tenet that "serenity is the root of enlightenment."

This text is a collection of two Daoist jiao petitions (ritual documents addressed to deities during Daoist sacrificial ceremonies), primarily consisting of prayers for the Nine Luminaries (Jiuyao) Ceremony conducted by officials to dispel calamities and seek blessings.

The first piece is the jiao petition by Imperial Censor Liu Huang. He praises the unified realm and the prosperous peace where crops abound, attributing these achievements to the effortless governance of the great Dao (Dao). All followers of the Dao are bathed in its profound grace, with the teachings flourishing and dragon deities at peace. He prays for blessings to extend to beings in both the realms of Yin and Yang—may the deceased ascend to immortal realms (danhuo referring to celestial abodes) and the living be inscribed in immortal registers (qingyuan referring to celestial records). He seeks forgiveness for all offenses against the divine and humbly acknowledges his mortal limitations.

The second piece is the Nine Luminaries jiao petition by Vanguard Wang Chengsui, offered on behalf of his grandmother. It mentions how the Supreme Mysterious Origin (Taishang Xuanyuan, i.e., Lord Laozi) nurtures all things, the Five Thearchs govern all beings, the Nine Luminaries (the sun, moon, five planets, plus Ketu and Rahu) illuminate the mortal world, and the Three Officials (Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official) oversee rewards and punishments. "Northern Terrace" refers to the underworld, while "Southern Mansion" denotes the celestial realm, both recording human virtues and transgressions.

Wang Chengsui confesses that despite his early devotion to Daoism, worldly entanglements have hindered him. He has long suffered from unrelenting illness and recently contracted a severe fever. Divination revealed an inauspicious year: his major and minor life cycles clash with his birth chart, with Saturn and Mars influencing his fate palace. Malefic stars like Tianfu and Feiqi have descended upon his natal palace, and his Five Phases (Wuxing) energy is weakened. Thus, he earnestly conducts this jiao ceremony, praying for the Dao's compassion—to absolve his sins, resolve karmic grievances, dispel illness, prolong his life, grant new blessings, settle underworld disputes, sever past transgressions, harmonize his inner Yin-Yang (Yin-Yang), and expel pathogenic Qi (Qi). He vows to uphold his duties as a subject, diligently cultivate the Dao (Dao), and propagate its teachings.

Both petitions embody the Daoist concept of "repentance and calamity dispelling," using star deity worship to avert misfortune. They reflect the ancient worldview of "cosmic resonance between heaven and humanity" and the Daoist doctrine of "inherited consequences" (chengfu). Elements like the Nine Luminaries, Three Officials, and Five Phases divination are central to Daoist belief systems.

This passage contains two ritual prayers (zhaijiao) from the Daoist classic Guangcheng Ji, expressing petitions for a grandmother's longevity and for rainfall respectively.

The first prayer was composed by the Prince of Shu on behalf of his eighty-year-old grandmother, the Lady Dowager of the State. The text explains how astrological configurations—specifically the opposition of Saturn (earth) and Mars (fire) in their celestial movements, coupled with the Five Phases' principle of earth overcoming water—directly conflicted with the grandmother's birth chart (born on the thirteenth day of the third month in the year Yimao). This cosmic disharmony manifested as physical ailments. The author expresses concern that either unfavorable feng shui in her residence or karmic debts accumulated over generations might be causing deceased ancestors to face underworld litigation. Therefore, he selects an auspicious day to establish a ritual altar (daojiao jiaotan), petitioning the deities to dispel misfortune and prolong her life: beseeching the Southern Dipper Star Palace (believed in Daoism to govern life and death) to increase blessings while the Northern Dipper's underworld offices erase transgressions; may illnesses dissipate and bodily harmony restore through the unseen aid of immortal physicians and spirit officials. Concurrently, he prays for dragon spirits to guard the residence and dispel malign qi.

The second prayer is the Prince of Shu's rain petition at Mount Qingcheng, a sacred Daoist site. The text extols the mountain's preeminence among the Five Sacred Peaks: this convergence point of heaven-and-earth's authentic qi nurtures all beings and encompasses the ancient Three Shu territories (Sichuan). Its sunlit cliffs blaze with yang energy while shadowed ravines cradle yin clouds—a perennial sacred mountain that manifests auspicious signs and commands reverence. Now entrusted with governing this vital region—including vast territories like Zizhou, Qianzhou, and Mount Wu, along with minority settlements in Weizhou and Luzhou—the prince conducts this solemn rain ritual.

Both prayers exemplify Daoist religious practice: interpreting misfortunes through celestial mechanics and Five Phases theory, then establishing ritual communication with the divine. Concepts like the Southern Palace and Northern Offices, or dragon spirits safeguarding homes, reflect Daoism's distinctive cosmology and pantheon.

This text is a rain-prayer liturgy (Daoist ritual document for invoking rain) composed by Du Guangting of the Five Dynasties period on behalf of the King of Shu (Wang Jian, founding emperor of Former Shu). The general meaning is as follows:

Though the state currently holds the highest positions of authority ("Taiheng" referring to the Three Dukes and ministerial ranks), we constantly fear our virtue (De) may not match the profound grace received, and that excessive fortune may invite calamity. Since the beginning of spring, drought has persisted without the timely arrival of nourishing rain (ganyu qianqi), damaging crops under the scorching sun's harm. Though we've repeatedly made offerings and prayers to various deities, only thick clouds without rain gather in the west, while southern fields remain parched. The people tremble with anxiety, finding nowhere to turn for relief.

Recalling the scriptures of the Great Dao (Dadao chuiwen), we know the Celestial Master (Tianshi, referring to Zhang Daoling) transmitted teachings containing specialized memorial documents (zhangzou) and rain-prayer rituals (qijiao keyi). Now preparing incense-burning ceremonies, we must select a place of potent spiritual energy (lingqi). Thus we sincerely come to this immortal mountain's cloud-girt grotto (referring to Ge Xianhua, the cultivation site of Ge Hong), kneeling to beseech the Perfected Ones' response, hoping our sincerity may reach the celestial court.

We humbly beg the deities to bestow seasonal winds and rains, to drive away the drought demon (Hanba, mythical creature causing aridity), and make the Shangyang bird (mythical bird whose dance heralds heavy rain) take flight. May mountain deities (Yanman) array their ceremonial guards, and dragon kings of water palaces stir their thunder to assist—dispelling drought, reviving withered sprouts, granting abundant harvests to fulfill the people's hopes.

I (the King of Shu referring to himself) vow to govern with full devotion, diligently serving the people to repay the deities' grace. Specifically, we dispatch official Cao Yue and Daoist priest Du Guangting to conduct this solemn liturgy (zhaijiao) here with utmost piety, praying for divine beneficence.

The latter section adds: Ge Xianhua (Ge Hong's cultivation site) is an auspicious land where the Twenty-Eight Constellations (Four Sevens in heaven) intersect with the Twenty-Four Solar Terms (Three Eights stabilizing earth)—a dwelling place of immortals from the Shangqing realm (one of the Three Pure Ones' domains). Facing Bronze Horse Mountain (near Chengdu), it is the source of Shu's blessings. My (the King's) destiny is linked with this mountain's constellations. Though now enthroned, I constantly fear my virtue (De) may not match this position. Perhaps misguided governance has provoked celestial censure, causing this prolonged drought since mid-spring—cracked fields, people lamenting missed farming seasons, pond fish facing death from dried waters—truly burning with anxiety.

(Note: Technical Daoist terms like "Taiheng," "Shangyang," and "Shangqing" are preserved with necessary explanations; the rain-prayer ritual context is briefly clarified; classical allusions and humble expressions are adapted into modern administrative language for comprehension while maintaining the original's solemn tone.)

(The Guangcheng Ji is a collection of Daoist liturgical texts compiled by Tang dynasty Daoist priest Du Guangting. These two pieces are ritual prayers composed by local officials for conducting Daoist zhaijiao ceremonies to pray for favorable weather and disaster relief.)

The first piece is the Zhou Tian Jiao Ci (Cosmic Offering Prayer) by Zhao Yu, Magistrate of Shifang County in Sichuan:

With utmost sincerity, we have prepared abundant offerings, presenting plump sacrificial animals in the temple without reservation. Though we have exhausted our devotion without receiving a response, we recall that the divine beings extend their grace universally, beyond distinctions of Yin-Yang, and the Dao nurtures all beings with impartial benevolence. The Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun, the highest deity in Daoism) established the rituals to dispel calamities and invoke blessings, while the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest celestial realms) set forth the liturgical protocols for communicating with Heaven. Humbly gazing toward the sacred mountains, we implore the deities to look upon our mortal supplications as we conduct this solemn jiao ceremony to venerate the Most High True Saints. We beg for the forgiveness of our transgressions and the bestowal of auspicious fortune—may the Thunder Gods and Lightning Mothers unleash their power, may the Dragon Spirits rejoice and send down nourishing rain, ensuring bountiful harvests. Let the rolling thunder resound from Mount Zhongnan, and may the eastern fields flourish with abundant crops, bringing favorable weather year after year. We pledge to diligently uphold Daoist rites in gratitude for the divine blessings.

The second piece is the Wu Fu Zhen Zhai Ci (Five Talismans for House Protection) by Vice Director Wang of Jiazhou:

The spiritual Qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth is governed by the Supreme Sages, while the mysteries of Yin-Yang transformation are perceived by the highest deities. These divine beings oversee life and death, discern guilt and fortune, and respond to all sincere appeals. Though my abilities are meager, I govern this troubled prefecture where tax collection is arduous and the people suffer hardship. Yet, by the unseen aid of Daoist power and the secret assistance of the True Spirits, I have managed to fulfill fiscal duties, secure the borders, and shield the populace from plague and unrest. To repay the profound workings of the Dao, we have prepared the Great Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai, a ritual for universal salvation) with utmost devotion, burning incense and cultivating virtue, while also conducting a grand jiao ceremony to express gratitude to the divine.

This region lies close to sacred mountains, and its people have long revered the Dao. The miraculous deeds of Chancellor Li (likely Li Bing, famed for flood control) still echo, and the sacred power of Perfected Lord Luo (possibly Luo Gongyuan) often manifests. With numerous Daoist temples and blessed sites within our borders, we trust our sincere prayers will be answered. We beseech the Supreme Elder Lord to extend his boundless compassion and all deities to grant their blessings—protecting beings of both Yin and Yang realms, ensuring local peace, abundant harvests, and freedom from plague and war, so all may flourish as intended. May our ancestors ascend to the celestial realms, and may the souls in hell attain liberation, erasing all calamities and sins while increasing fortune and longevity. Together, we unite in reverence to partake of divine grace.

(Note: Wu Fu Zhen Zhai refers to a Daoist ritual using sacred talismans to safeguard homes, commonly employed to ward off evil and disasters. "Vice Director" (Puye) was a high-ranking official title in the Tang dynasty.)

This passage from the Guangcheng Ji documents the devout prayers of two Daoist devotees performing zhaijiao (purification rituals) to avert calamities and resolve misfortunes.

The first section describes how a follower, fearing his house construction might have violated spiritual taboos, specially erected a Yellow Register altar (a ritual platform for soul salvation) to conduct the Five Talismans zhaijiao (a ritual invoking five sacred talismans) to appease deities of the four directions. He beseeches the Supreme Dao Ancestor (the highest deity in Daoism) for merciful compassion—to pacify the dragon spirits, dispel disasters, and safeguard his household's peace. Simultaneously, he prays local deities may attain salvation and rebirth in auspicious realms, thereby repaying the profound grace of the Great Dao.

The second part details Chancellor Zhang Yue's (Tang dynasty prime minister) Nine Luminaries zhaijiao (a ritual honoring the nine celestial bodies) performed to counteract malevolent stellar influences. The text reveals his constant anxiety despite high office—concerns over judicial impartiality or unresolved karmic debts from past lives. With Saturn and Ketu (malefic stars) transiting his astrological house while Mars formed an opposition, misfortunes multiplied. Thus he solemnly conducted the ritual, confessing before the celestial luminaries to seek absolution for past transgressions, neutralize baleful stellar effects, restore health, and continue loyal service to the emperor.

Both prayer texts embody the Daoist concept of "cosmic resonance" (tianren ganying), asserting that human fortunes intertwine with celestial movements and divine will. Through sincere repentance and proper keyi (liturgical rituals), one may resolve misfortunes and attain peace. The mentioned Yellow Register fast, Five Talismans zhaijiao, and Nine Luminaries zhaijiao were all prevalent Daoist ceremonies during the Tang-Song period.

This passage presents the prayer texts used in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals), focusing on confessing sins and seeking divine intervention to dispel misfortunes and prolong life.

The invocation begins by enumerating the highest deities in the Daoist pantheon: the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)—Yuanshi Tianzun (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning), Taishang Dadaojun (Great Lord of the Dao), and Taishang Laojun (Most High Lord Lao)—alongside the Five Thearchs of the Directions, the Three Officials (Heavenly, Earthly, and Water), and the guardian deities of the Thirty-Six Divisions of Scriptures. The devotees humbly identify themselves as ordinary beings entangled in worldly affairs—though fortunate enough to encounter Daoist teachings, they remain bound by mundane pursuits, ensnared in fame and profit, unable to break free from the cycle of life and death.

The confession details various transgressions: sins recorded on black registers in the underworld due to the defilements of the Six Desires (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) and the Three Karmic Deeds (actions of body, speech, and thought); unresolved karmic debts from past lives and unrepented harm to living beings; misfortunes in destiny caused by imbalances in the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and the Three Life Aspects, as well as afflictions from malevolent stars and spirits without knowing how to resolve them. There is also concern that ancestral spirits may still suffer in the Three Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal realms), with accumulated sins exhausting their blessings, bringing calamities they cannot remedy.

Now, on the occasion of a deity’s examination of merits and faults, the devotees conduct this Zhaijiao ritual, praying for divine discernment of their sincerity. They seek to erase their names from the registers of sin and inscribe them in the ledgers of fortune, while also beseeching deliverance for nine generations of ancestors. Further prayers extend to universal peace: longevity for the emperor, prosperity for the people, abundant harvests, the cessation of war, and the liberation of souls trapped in hell.

The second part features a prayer by Wang Zongzhuan and others for the Liujia Zhaijiao (a ritual centered on the Sixty Jiazi deities). Though serving in government offices, they express their longing for the Dao of immortality and their practice of the Liujia esoteric texts (Daoist talismanic arts). However, official duties hinder their cultivation, leading to inadequate offerings during key fasting days (such as the Three Primes and Four Beginnings). Fearing unconfessed sins—such as unintended harm to life, unresolved karmic debts, or inauspicious astrological influences—they select an auspicious day to perform this ritual, beseeching the Five Directions deities for forgiveness and protection in their spiritual practice.

This scripture is a ritual petition (zhaijiao) composed by Du Guangting (Daoist name Guangcheng) for his disciples—a formal document addressed to deities during Daoist purification ceremonies. The core message involves the disciples confessing transgressions and seeking blessings through ritual observance.

Though these followers have formally embraced Daoism and received fulu (talismanic registers used for exorcism and healing), they inevitably breached precepts during cultivation: perhaps consuming meat or defiling substances, indulging in worldly pleasures against prohibitions, or lacking diligence during critical practice periods like the Three Origins and Eight Nodes festivals (key Daoist holy days), their birth-year Benming days (when the Taisui deity governs their fate), or Gengshen days (when the Three Corpses deities within the body ascend to heaven to report human transgressions).

Now, through this collective zhaijiao ceremony (a communal Daoist sacrificial rite), they sincerely repent before the Ten Celestial Honored Ones (supreme deities of the ten directions) and the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, and masters), praying to dissolve past karmic obstructions. They implore the deities to erase records of transgressions, resolve karmic debts, replenish their inner qi (vital energy), and surround them with protective numinous guardians. They seek deliverance from malefic influences of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and inauspicious astrological configurations, that nine generations of ancestors may ascend to celestial realms and six relations receive blessings. The disciples vow to redouble their cultivation efforts in gratitude for divine grace.

The text references "three karmic deeds" (evil actions of body, speech, and mind), "ten abominations" (grave offenses), and "three assemblies" (key fasting days on the 7th day of the 1st month, 7th day of the 7th month, and 5th day of the 10th month). This petition exemplifies the Daoist practice of ritual purification for atonement and protection.