《廣成集》Vol. 7

This is a benming jiao (a Daoist ritual for dispelling misfortune and seeking blessings) prayer composed by the renowned Tang dynasty Daoist priest Du Guangting for official Mo Tingyi. The text conveys several key themes:

First, it explains that human destiny is recorded by the Three Officials (Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official), with the Five Thearchs determining life and death. The Southern Dipper Star Lord governs lifespan, while the Northern Dipper Star Lord oversees the examination of good and evil deeds. Deities of sacred mountains, water palaces, and one's personal destiny stars meticulously record all merits and faults, which determine one's fortune and misfortune.

Mo Tingyi confesses that during his tenure as a local official, his legal judgments may have lacked fairness, and his moral guidance of the people might not have been entirely virtuous—all these shortcomings have been documented by the spirits. Now coinciding with his benming year (a 12-year cycle year considered vulnerable to calamities in Daoism) and inauspicious astrological signs—the Tianfu star (associated with disasters) and Wugui star appearing in unfavorable positions, with the first lunar month being astrologically conflicting—he fears impending misfortune.

Therefore, on this fate-determining day, he devoutly journeys to the sacred mountain to establish a jiao altar (Daoist ceremonial space) and confess his transgressions to the deities. He prays for celestial forgiveness of sins, underworld elimination of calamities, accumulation of blessings, and extension of lifespan. Simultaneously, he intercedes for the people under his jurisdiction, hoping for regional peace, abundant harvests, freedom from epidemics, and societal harmony.

The latter section elaborates on the Dao's principle of generating all things, emphasizing that cosmic justice rewards good and punishes evil as an eternal law. Mo Tingyi reflects that despite his official position, his governance might have involved unjust punishments and excessive construction projects that burdened the people—actions potentially angering the spirits. With ominous stars influencing his fate this year, he worries about succumbing to sensual indulgence. Thus on his birthday, he sincerely repents, hoping through Daoist zhaijiao purification rituals to cleanse his karmic burdens and receive divine protection.

These passages from the Guangcheng Ji are Daoist sacrificial prayers composed by Duke Jin (likely referring to Tang dynasty official Du Guangting) for invoking divine protection on various occasions, reflecting the core elements of Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals).

The first passage, the Southern Dipper Prayer, conveys this essence: With utmost sincerity, I gaze upon the sacred mountains and constellations, hoping to dissolve past transgressions. I beseech the immortal chariot to descend, absolve my sins, resolve enmities, pacify calamities, and grant enduring blessings and longevity. May relatives in both regions enjoy peace, may the people prosper, may warfare cease forever, may diseases be kept at bay, may winds and rains come seasonably, may agriculture flourish, and may the Dragon Gods (deities governing wind and rain) peacefully safeguard the four directions. With a heart of pure devotion, I vow never to betray Heaven's grace.

The second passage, the Houtu (Earth Deity) Prayer, states: Heaven and Earth nourish all beings, and the Houtu (Earth Mother) shelters living creatures with maternal compassion. Now, in my jurisdiction, warfare erupts repeatedly, even tombs are desecrated, elders and children suffer, and both humans and spirits are unsettled. With genuine concern for the people, I pray that the deities may command the gods of mountains, rivers, and waterways to quell disasters, and dispatch the Thunder God and Lightning Mother (deities governing thunder and lightning) to pacify the land. Just as Xiang Yu's shrine once resolved crises in Shu and the Jiangshan Temple aided the Jin army's victory, I implore the Earth Deity to manifest divine assistance.

The third passage, the Northern Emperor Prayer (addressed to the Purple Subtlety Emperor of the North Pole), reveals Duke Jin's self-deprecation as an ignorant man undeserving of sacred favor, constantly fearing his insufficient virtue might attract baleful stars (ancients believed certain constellations brought misfortune). Thus he conducts this ritual with devotion, seeking to eradicate past wrongdoings, prevent future calamities, and implore the Southern Immortal Elder (deity governing lifespan) to extend his years. May the Northern Yin Fengdu (Daoist netherworld) erase records of evil deeds and renew his blessings.

Collectively, these prayers embody the core Daoist concept of "repentance and calamity-averting" – resolving misfortunes through sincere confession and offerings to deities. The text reflects key elements of Daoist theology: the Southern Dipper governing life, the Northern Dipper governing death, and Houtu nurturing all things. As a local official, Duke Jin's petitions contain both personal appeals for disaster relief and longevity, while also manifesting the Confucian political ethic of "pleading for the people's welfare."

This Daoist liturgy (Zhaijiao ritual text) expresses sincere prayers for divine intervention to dispel calamities and protect the people.

The first section describes how the Five Planets (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth stars) and the Three Primes (Heaven, Earth, and Water officials) operate in celestial harmony with the Northern Dipper constellations while governing earthly order. The waxing and waning of Yin-Yang and the movements of constellations create cycles of fortune and misfortune. Fearing astrological conflicts in one's destiny that may bring disasters, the ritual master selects an auspicious day to establish the altar (Keyi ceremony), earnestly beseeching the deities' protection. May all misfortunes in the Three Destinies (determined by birth time) and Nine Palaces (destiny positions) be dissolved, may disasters caused by baleful stars be pacified, bringing regional peace, communal harmony, cessation of warfare, bountiful harvests, and eternal devotion to repay divine grace.

The second part addresses prayers to Venus (Taibai Jinxing) and the Wolf Star: It is known that celestial bodies each govern specific domains—some preside over military conflicts, others oversee omens of disaster. The radiance of these stars directly influences human fortunes. With successive years of warfare ravaging the land, fields lying fallow, and people suffering, the heart grieves deeply. Thus with burning incense and prostrations, the ritual master sincerely implores, hoping to move the stellar deities. May Venus's purifying authority and power to adjudicate right from wrong assist in cleansing the territory militarily, rescuing afflicted populations, ending conflicts, ensuring favorable weather, abundant harvests, and permanent cessation of hostilities.

The third section petitions the Northern Dipper Lords: The Dipper resides at heaven's zenith, commanding all directions—where its guiding star (the Dipper's pointer) directs, righteousness and evil become manifest. At this prime hour of the new year's first month, when all things renew, our region remains trapped in war's devastation, lives destroyed, fields abandoned, farming seasons missed. Anxious to the core, we beseech the Seven Origin Stars (the Dipper's seven luminaries) in the Dipper Palace to relieve sentient beings' suffering, transform the land's misfortunes, realize peace, and eternally eradicate warfare. Should personal transgressions have offended the stars, we willingly accept punishment to atone for the people's sins.

The final "Ma Xuantong Fire Liturgy Text" fragment states: Heaven and Earth sustain all things through Yin-Yang's cyclical transformations; sun and moon illuminate as cold and heat alternate. Fortune and misfortune depend on temporal cycles, where favorable and adverse conditions interrelate. Though the calendar... (original text fragmentary)

These two ritual prayers from the Guangcheng Ji document ancient officials seeking disaster relief through Daoist ceremonies. The first describes Duke Jin (a high-ranking official) conducting a Beidi Jiao (ritual worshiping the Northern Emperor, Ziwei Great Emperor) amidst natural calamities:

Facing disasters reminiscent of Emperor Yao's great floods and Emperor Tang's severe droughts, officials performed xiurang (disaster-averting rituals) for resolution. Amidst frequent calamities, warfare erupted while celestial omens showed Mars (Fire Star) dominating the skies. With utmost sincerity toward the Dao, they erected the Taiyi altar, employing the Three-Five Stars method (Daoist astrological practice), riding crimson whirlwinds to petition heaven for blessings through bugang tadou (Daoist ritual stepping). They prayed for celestial fire to purge yin impurities, sunlight to bathe the land, the emperor's wellbeing, and divine protection for Sichuan's people against war, that all might share the deities' grace.

The second records Sichuan Governor's Beidi Jiao prayer:

Hearing the Northern Emperor Ziwei governs the eight directions and commands all phenomena, the governor lamented incessant warfare disrupting livelihoods and agriculture. Through this ritual, he invoked the Seven Primes of Taiyi (Big Dipper deities) to dispatch thunder chariots and lightning cavalry, harmonizing wind and rain to nurture all beings. He sought to eradicate epidemics, offering to bear heaven's punishment alone should his governance have disturbed yin-yang balance, if only the people might be spared.

The text describes midsummer (under Vermilion Yang and Red Emperor's dominion) - when growth should flourish - plagued instead by pestilence and war drums, displacing multitudes. During the yamen ritual, he prayed again: May divine troops disperse calamitous miasmas, celestial generals eradicate plagues, that all creatures find peace and Sichuan's landscapes regain clarity.

Both prayers reflect Daoist "heaven-human resonance" philosophy, viewing natural disasters as interconnected with human affairs, resolvable through devout rituals. The Taiyi altar, Three-Five method, and stepping the Mysterious Dipper represent distinctive Daoist ceremonial forms, while the Northern Emperor (Ziwei) governs disasters and warfare in the Daoist pantheon.

The Guangcheng Ji contains several Daoist ritual petitions (zhaijiao texts used in ceremonial prayers to deities), expressing wishes for disaster relief and national prosperity.

The first piece is a petition addressed to Duke Jin and the Northern Emperor (important Daoist deities). It explains how the six qi of heaven and earth circulate while the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper govern human fortunes. With ongoing warfare and rampant epidemics causing widespread suffering, the author conducts an official purification ritual (yajiao) with sincere supplications. He implores the deities to manifest their sacred power—eliminating calamities in Shu region, quelling conflicts, granting people peaceful livelihoods, dispelling misfortunes, and ushering in blessings.

The second text is a thanksgiving petition to the Northern Dipper. The author humbly describes himself as an ordinary, dull-witted practitioner with many cultivation shortcomings. Having incurred divine punishment through severe illness that nearly claimed his life, he expresses profound gratitude to Master Du Hongguang—a high-ranking Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) priest—whose compassionate intercession and sincere prayers to the Mysterious Truth (Daoist supreme reality) secured extraordinary celestial grace to prolong his lifespan. Now conducting this ritual offering to repay the debt of rebirth, he hopes the deities will accept his devotion.

The third petition addresses the Five Planets (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth stars). It observes how the sun, moon, and planets move in orderly cycles governing mortal fortunes. As a local official witnessing war-displaced refugees, the author grieves deeply. He specifically entreats the Great White Star (Venus, governing warfare) to aid military victory, and the Year Star (Jupiter, governing benevolence) to spread kindness—praying for the Five Planets' harmonious movements to restore peace and stability.

The final text petitions the Destiny Star Lord (each person's corresponding Northern Dipper deity according to birth) and the Seven Stars of the Dipper. It describes how the Northern Dipper, positioned at heaven's zenith, directs human fortunes through its rotations. The author earnestly seeks his Destiny Star Lord's protection to eliminate misfortunes and receive divine favor.

This passage from the Guangcheng Ji presents three ritual prayers composed by Du Guangting for calamity relief, interpreted in modern language as follows:

Prayer to the Southern Dipper for Life Destiny Ritual:

The Wenchang deities of the Southern Dipper's six palaces (Taoist divinities governing lifespan) preside over mortal life spans, overseeing even the most minute existence. Though I have received imperial favor to govern this region, my administrative achievements are meager and faults grave. Now, as my fate encounters adversity with ominous astral signs manifesting, I establish this altar to beseech: May the Southern Dipper deities unleash their power to dispel calamities and prolong life, bringing an end to warfare and seasonal harmony. I pray these sacred beings deliver souls from the underworld, allowing sincere devotion to reach celestial awareness.

Prayer to the Three Pure Ones for Life Destiny Ritual:

The Dao (the supreme truth of Taoism) manifests the virtue (De) of perpetual life, while celestial beings extend boundless compassion. Aware of my shallow merit yet occupying high office, the disasters I invite stem from deficient virtue. As baleful stars now clash with my destiny, I seize this life-year purification ritual (Zhaijiao) to implore the Three Pure Ones (Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure) to absolve past transgressions and dissolve impending misfortunes. With wholehearted devotion, I vow to repay heaven and earth’s grace by diligently cultivating virtue in adherence to the Mystic Gate’s teachings.

Prayer to the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions for Cosmic Ritual:

The twenty-eight lunar mansions (celestial constellations) illuminate all creation, their impartial grace sustaining every being. Ashamed of my unworthiness for imperial trust, my virtue’s inadequacy has brought hardship to the people under my care. Now, with reverent preparation of this cosmic ritual, I entreat these stellar officials to bestow profound mercy—alleviating suffering, halting war and pestilence, elevating departed souls, and granting peace to the living. Further, I pray for the dispelling of obscurities so loyal counsel may ascend to heaven, enabling governance aligned with the Dao.

All three prayers employ Taoist liturgical style, expressing through astral veneration the religious aspiration for repentance, moral renewal, and universal salvation. They exemplify Tang Dynasty Taoism’s ceremonial traditions of invoking divine blessings for national welfare and disaster mitigation.

This passage from the Guangcheng Ji contains two core liturgical texts (zhaijiao) composed by Su Shaoyuan, a Tang Dynasty ritual scholar, for disaster relief and blessing ceremonies.

The first text, the Jiuyao Jiao Ci (Nine Luminaries Liturgy), presents Su Shaoyuan humbly identifying himself as an ordinary man who, though blessed by the grace of Heaven and Earth, has neglected his spiritual cultivation due to worldly distractions. He fears that his indulgence in impure foods has tainted his Qi (vital energy), obstructing the flow of Dao Qi (Way’s energy) and inviting illness. Compounded by the ominous alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, he follows the ancient methods of the Hetu (River Chart) to establish an altar and supplicate the Northern Dipper’s Nine Stars (key astral deities in Daoism). His prayer seeks purification from transgressions, the dissolution of calamities, and the restoration of auspicious celestial alignments. He invokes the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and Jiugong (Nine Palaces)—Daoist cosmological systems—to dispel malefic influences, hoping for recovery from illness, the expulsion of pathogenic Qi, and the blessings of longevity and prosperity. The text concludes with his vow to deepen his spiritual practice in gratitude for divine favor.

The second text, the Chuanzhu Tianluo Diwang Jiao Ci (River Lord’s Heaven-Rope Earth-Net Liturgy), expounds Daoist cosmology: primordial Qi (Yuanqi) gives birth to Heaven and Earth; Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) establish Yin-Yang; metal condenses to form the Earth, while earthly Qi ascends to form Heaven. The directions of Xu-Hai (戌亥) constitute the "Heaven-Rope" (Tianluo), and Chen-Si (辰巳) form the "Earth-Net" (Diwang)—directions Daoism associates with cyclical misfortune. Su Shaoyuan notes that he is currently under the inauspicious cycles of the Bingchen and Dingsi years, prompting him to erect an altar and beseech the River Lord (water deity) to dissolve these celestial and terrestrial afflictions. The phrases "Yiqi zhao tai" (primordial Qi initiates creation) and "Jin ge tu fu" (metal descends, earth rises) illustrate Daoism’s distinctive understanding of cosmic formation, where elemental interactions shape existence.

Both texts reflect the integration of astrological, elemental, and ritual frameworks central to medieval Daoist practice.

The Guangcheng Ji passage contains three distinct Daoist ritual prayers (zhaijiao texts). Here is their contemporary interpretation:

The first piece is a prayer for disaster relief. The author pours out his anxieties to Heaven, imploring the deities to witness human suffering and invoking divine power to eliminate calamities. He prays for the restoration of cosmic harmony—for wars to cease and a return to the simple peace of an ideal age. The author vows continuous incense offerings in gratitude for celestial benevolence.

The second text is a River Lord (Sichuan's regional guardian deity) offering to the Nine Luminaries (key astral deities in Daoism). As a local official, the author confesses feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities amid recurring disasters and warfare in his jurisdiction. Divination revealed the impending influence of Venus (the "Great White Star" governing conflict), heightening his concerns. He beseeches Heaven for majestic power to quell violence, allowing farmers to return to their fields, epidemics to vanish, and people to prosper. Special mention is made of Venus (as the "Long Radiance Star") guiding the lost and resolving crises.

The third document records Yang Ding's "natal year prayer" (a destiny-altering ritual) composed during his tenure as editorial officer. He describes how the Big Dipper (a paramount Daoist constellation) governs human fortunes—though mortals cannot touch the stars, sincere prayers reach Heaven. The author recounts being separated from his young child during past misfortunes, left without communication until constant prayers to the Dipper Lords miraculously reunited them. Now during a ritual at Chengdu's Jade Bureau Sanctuary (one of Daoism's 24 administrative centers), he renews his gratitude.

These prayers embody the core Daoist concept of "Heaven-human resonance," where devout communication with astral deities brings disaster relief. The Nine Luminaries, Venus, and Big Dipper mentioned here are all major celestial beings frequently invoked in liturgical rites (keyi). The natal year ritual specifically addresses personal cyclical fortune.

This passage is Du Guangting's (Daoist name Guangchengzi) memorial prayer to the heavens, which reads in essence:

With utmost reverence I gaze upon the celestial vault, perceiving auspicious signs of divine presence, and have therefore chosen this sacred ground to establish an altar for supplication. Through this zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual), I hope to repay the protective grace of the deities and express my humble devotion. I earnestly beseech the immortal perfected ones to witness and accept this mortal's petitions.

My youngest son was born in the renzi year (celestial stem-branch calendar), while my own fate is governed by gengshen (Daoist cosmology holds that one's birth stems and branches influence destiny). We have always relied upon the guardianship of the sacred perfected, praying for perpetual divine shelter: may all calamities arising from the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and threefold destiny (heavenly, earthly and human aspects of fate) be dissolved, and all tribulations caused by stellar movements be dispelled. I shall diligently cultivate the path, adhering to the radiant light of the great Dao.

The closing expresses humility: though these ritual offerings are but ordinary grains unworthy of esteem, I trust the immortal perfected will perceive my sincere heart. The term "buren" concluding the memorial is a classical formula indicating overwhelming earnestness in one's plea.