《太上三五傍救醮五帝斷瘟儀》

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual called the "Supreme Three-Five Auxiliary Salvation Offering to the Five Emperors for Eliminating Epidemics." When a household is struck by pestilence, the following ceremonial procedure may be performed:

If family members suddenly contract contagious diseases (referred to as "seasonal epidemics from heaven"), this may indicate that the Five Directional Emperors (Daoist deities governing the cardinal directions) have withdrawn their protection, or that wandering plague demons (specifically named as Li Ziao, Zhang Yuanbo, Liu Yuanda, and the Black Pill Ghost) have invaded. Such epidemics often recur within three years.

The procedure involves: First consulting the Daoist liturgical calendar to select an auspicious date and inviting a Daoist priest to the home. Those with means may conduct the Divine Incantation Fast lasting one day and two nights or three days and three nights; at minimum, one priest should be invited to perform the Five Emperors offering.

Required ritual items include:

• 1.5 taels of genuine nipple incense (divided among six incense burners)
• Six offering tables
• Five writing brushes and five inksticks
• Five colored silks (corresponding to the five directions: east, south, west, north, and center)
• Five towels measuring 4 chi 2 cun in length
• Five plates of auspicious rice (1 dou 2 sheng per plate)
• 1 dou of wine (with forty cups)
• Five portions of ritual money (120 coins per portion)
• Paper bundles (five for money offerings, five for altar stabilization)
• Forty offerings (including cakes, walnuts, dried dates, dried fish, venison jerky, and seasonal fruits)
• A bowl of sweetgrass infusion
• Twelve lamps
• Six peachwood tablets (each measuring 1 chi 1 cun long and 2 cun wide)

Ritual steps:

1. The ritual master faces north and knocks teeth thirty-six times

2. Enters the altar for purification

3. Seals the ghost gate

4. Recites the Guardian Spirit Incantation

5. Activates the ritual furnace (initiates the ceremony)

6. Disciples dress formally and pray devoutly before the fasting altar

7. Performs prostrations and incense offerings while awaiting divine response

The concluding invocation, recited by the presiding priest (who identifies as a "Disciple of the Cavernous Abyss"), petitions in sequence:

• The Green Emperor Lingweiyang of the East, with Gou Mang and the Green Emperor's Consort
• The Red Emperor Biaonu of the South, with Zhu Rong and the Red Emperor's Consort
• The White Emperor Zhaoju of the West, with Shao Hao and the White Emperor's Consort
• The Black Emperor Yeguangji of the North, with Xuan Ming and the Black Emperor's Consort

to descend upon the altar and assist in dispelling the epidemic.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual called the "Great Supreme Three-Five Auxiliary Salvation Offering to the Five Emperors for Epidemic Prevention." In this ceremony, Daoist priests invoke celestial deities to dispel plague and misfortune. The main components are as follows:

First, the ritual solemnly invites the Yellow Emperor of the Central Realm (one of the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors in Daoism) and his consort to descend upon the altar. Subsequently, it summons various divine beings: descendants of the Five Emperors, deities governing life and death (such as the Director of Fate and Director of Records), healing immortals (like the Master of Purification and Lord of Medicinal Treatment), and demon-subduing generals (including the Demon-Devouring Lord and Ghost-Slaying General), inviting them to partake in the offerings.

The ceremony petitions the great deities of heaven and earth, immortal officials of the Five Emperors, along with local earth deities (Tudi), water spirits (such as the Nine River Sovereigns and River Earls), and mountain gods (of the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Waterways), requesting them to hold jade tablets and heed the supplications. The disciple's household has suffered persistent misfortunes: frequent illnesses and premature deaths among family members, career setbacks, and recurring calamities, filling the home with lamentation rather than joy.

The priest declares having received the immortal methods transmitted by Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) for exorcising malevolent spirits and saving lives. Thus, an altar is established with fine wines and delicacies to honor the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors. Choosing an auspicious day and hour (when the Heavenly Granary star is favorably positioned), abundant offerings (hundred-flavored delicacies, clear wines, and purified meats) are prepared, beseeching the deities to grant blessings and dispel disasters after partaking. The ritual concludes with prayers for ancestors' ascension to celestial realms, the living's prosperity and health, and descendants flourishing abundantly.

This passage comes from the Taoist scripture Taishang Sanwu Bangjiu Jiao Wudi Duanwen Yi (The Supreme's Three-Five Rescue Ritual of the Five Emperors for Quelling Epidemics), focusing on rites for dispelling calamities and seeking blessings through worship of the Five Directional Emperors.

The main message conveys that this ritual enables thirty-six generations of ancestors to ascend to the Southern Palace (Nangong, the Taoist paradise of immortals in the south), reaching the eternal blissful realm while avoiding the tortures of hell like the Mountain of Knives or Sea of Flames. It can eliminate plagues and diseases, subdue malevolent spirits, dissolve misfortunes, and bring perpetual auspiciousness. The Five Emperors, as sovereigns of all deities, eradicate evil karma and regulate the natural order of Yin-Yang and seasonal cycles (referencing the Five Phases' mutual conquest and seasonal transitions).

The scripture details:

1. The celestial arrangement of the Big Dipper and Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (Azure Dragon's seven constellations in the east, Vermilion Bird's seven in the south, etc.)

2. How the Five Phases' conquest principles (Metal overcomes Wood, Wood overcomes Earth, etc.) are applied in exorcism

3. Deities' multifaceted protections: healing illnesses, blessing official careers, safeguarding households, aiding agriculture

4. Specific plague-dispelling methods: delivering troublemaking spirits to hell for divine execution of inauspicious forces

The conclusion emphasizes Lao Jun's (Lord Lao, the deified Laozi) decree to vanquish evil—no demon can resist—while beseeching the Emperors to descend with blessings, ensuring participants' safe travels, removal of bureaucratic misfortunes, and suppression of spirits. Disciples must kneel reverently in devotion.

Note: This exemplifies classic Taoist calamity-averting liturgy (Keyi), employing celestial hierarchies and Five Phases theory to achieve protection, embodying Taoism's "cosmic resonance" worldview. The recurring "commanding deities..." phrasing indicates directing divine powers through talismanic magic (Fulu).

This scripture passage forms the core of the Daoist plague-expelling ritual Taishang Sanwu Bangjiu Jiao Wudi Duan Wen Yi (The Most High's Three-Five Rescue Liturgy of Sacrificing to the Five Emperors to Sever Epidemics). It details how to eliminate plagues and sins through worship of the Five Directional Celestial Emperors (Wufang Tiandi, the five Daoist deities governing the cardinal directions).

[Ritual Preparation]

First, following liturgical procedures, sequentially offer incense, tea, and wine while devoutly summoning the Five Directional Celestial Emperors.

[Expelling Epidemics]

If evil spirits or the Five Pestilential Qi (Wuwen Guiqi, the malignant energies of five plagues) are found lurking and causing harm—or if they shapeshift and refuse to depart—pray for the descent of General Wu Dan (the divine commander specializing in plague eradication). This general can spew divine fire to incinerate the heads of demonic entities, burn their forms to ashes, and thoroughly uproot the source of calamity.

[Confession of Sins]

Next, confess all grave sins committed by the devotees (referred to in the text as "so-and-so" or "Person A") from their ancestors of seven generations up to the present, with special emphasis on beseeching absolution for the following directional transgressions:

1. Eastern Sins: Invoke the Seven Lunar Mansions of the East (Jiao, Kang, etc.) and the Lords of the Jia-Yi-Yin-Mao-Chen (Eastern deities) to dissolve the Ten Evils and Five Rebellions (the most severe offenses) committed by ancestors.

2. Southern Sins: Invoke the Seven Lunar Mansions of the South (Jing, Gui, etc.) and the Lords of Bing-Ding-Si-Wu-Wei to resolve related transgressions.

3. Western Sins: Invoke the Seven Lunar Mansions of the West (Kui, Lou, etc.) and the Lords of Geng-Xin-Shen-You-Xu to pardon related transgressions.

4. Northern Sins: Invoke the Seven Lunar Mansions of the North (Dou, Niu, etc.) and the Lords of Ren-Gui-Hai-Zi-Chou to eliminate related transgressions.

5. Central Sins: Invoke the Seven Stars of the Central Dipper (Beidou, the Big Dipper) to dissolve related transgressions.

[Seasonal Plague Expulsion]

For plagues arising in different seasons:

• Spring (three months): If a green plague (wood-element epidemic) spreads, summon the White Emperor of the West (Xifang Baidi) to slay the pestilential ghosts caused by excessive wood qi.
• Summer (three months): If a red plague (fire-element epidemic) spreads, summon the Black Emperor of the North (Beifang Heidi) to slay the pestilential ghosts caused by excessive fire qi.
• Autumn (three months): If a white plague (metal-element epidemic) spreads, summon the corresponding Celestial Emperor to slay the pestilential ghosts caused by excessive metal qi.

(Note: The original text’s subsequent section on winter plagues is incomplete, but by convention, it would involve summoning a directional emperor to slay water qi-induced pestilential ghosts.)

This scripture is a Daoist ritual text for averting disasters and dispelling epidemics, detailing how to drive out plagues and evil spirits through worship of the Five Directional Emperors. Here's a plain explanation:

If malicious individuals attempt to harm virtuous people with poison, one may petition the Red Emperor of the South (the southern deity among the Five Directional Emperors) to execute these evildoers and stop their wicked acts. During the three winter months, if black plague demons take advantage of flourishing water Qi (vital energy) to cause trouble, or if poisoners threaten the people, one should appeal to the Yellow Emperor of the Center (the central deity among the Five Directional Emperors) to slay these malignant spirits and prevent their mischief. When yellow plague demons emerge during seasonal transitions, exploiting the dominance of earth Qi to harm people, the Yellow Emperor should likewise be invoked for suppression.

The ritual then involves sequentially offering incense and wine to the Five Directional Emperors while bowing and making these petitions: to safely pass through calamities, to stabilize the Hun and Po (ethereal and corporeal souls), to protect life force, and to heal illnesses. If family members face impending death or misfortune, beseech the Celestial Emperors to remove these misfortunes and prolong their lifespans. When haunted by evil spirits or when family members suffer soul disturbances, invoke stellar deities like the Life-Extending Lord and Life-Pacifying Lord from the Five Directional Dipper Constellations to recall and settle wandering souls, ensuring their return to the body and harmonizing the Five Viscera and Six Bowels.

Specific responsibilities are assigned: petition the Eastern Dipper Star Lord for longevity, the Western Dipper Star Lord for recording virtuous deeds, the Northern Dipper Star Lord for disaster relief, and the Southern Dipper Star Lord for rebirth. Simultaneously request the Director of Destinies (the deity governing lifespans) to erase names from the death register and inscribe them in the book of life.

Should vicious ghosts be found lurking in villages, alleys, or around dwellings—seeking to harm people and consume blood—summon the Three-Five Epidemic-Capturing Generals (divine commanders specializing in subduing plagues) to descend with a hundred thousand celestial troops and apprehend these man-eating demons. Conclude by earnestly inviting these Generals to eliminate the threats.

This scripture demonstrates the complete Daoist ritual process for epidemic expulsion through worship of directional deities and stellar lords, embodying the Daoist cosmology of "resonance between heaven and humanity" and the religious practice of divine intervention in worldly calamities.

This scripture describes a Daoist exorcism ritual for dispelling malevolent forces and epidemics, summoning various celestial generals to subdue all kinds of troublesome ghosts and spirits. Here's a plain explanation:

First, seven great generals are summoned consecutively, each leading a hundred thousand heavenly troops:

1. The Plague-Quelling General (specializing in epidemics)

2. The Calamity-Averting General (specializing in disasters)

3. The Essence-Consuming General (specializing in Jing depletion)

4. The Evil-Subduing General (specializing in pathogenic Qi)

5. The Toxin-Eradicating General (specializing in poisons)

6. The Demon-Devouring General (specializing in seductive spirits)

7. The Omen-Dispelling General (specializing in baleful influences)

Next, the Five Directional Ghost-Slaying Generals are invoked—commanders under the Five Thearchs of East, South, West, North, and Center—each likewise descending with a hundred thousand celestial soldiers.

These divine generals unite their efforts to subdue the following categories of troublesome spirits for (a specific household/individual):

• Wandering souls haunting villages, alleys, and homes
• Vengeful ghosts of those who died untimely deaths
• Malevolent entities within the domains of door, well, and kitchen gods
• Demons causing depletion and decline
• Spirits of deceased children who died young
• Tall ghosts causing earth-Qi illnesses
• Laughing, singing ghosts that delude human minds
• Wild ghosts practicing Gu sorcery
• Mountain sprites and stone demons
• The Eight Divisions of disease-spreading ghosts
• Soul-snatching death messengers
• Named evil spirits with recorded identities
• Unregistered wandering ghosts
• Tree-dwelling dog-shaped spirits
• Night-prowling violent ghosts
• Demons inhabiting illicit shrines
• Battlefield spirits from all directions
• Headless and handless war specters
• Historical vengeful ghosts like Wu Zixu
• Bandit and outlaw spirits
• Fallen generals of ancient defeated armies
• Ghosts causing diarrhea and edema
• Epidemic spirits inducing jaundice, convulsions, and coughing
• Myriad cloud-drifting specters
• Bell-ringing, horn-blowing deceiving ghosts
• Ghosts of suicides and drownings
• Malevolent spirits from minority regions (Qiang, Liao, Yi, Hu, Di, Man, Rong, etc.)

This passage reveals the comprehensive system of Daoist exorcism, which attributes various diseases and misfortunes to specific demonic disturbances that require specialized celestial generals to subdue.

This scripture describes a Daoist exorcism ritual for dispelling malevolent influences, specifically detailing how to subdue various types of harmful ghosts. Here's a modern interpretation:

The text first enumerates over twenty categories of ghosts requiring suppression, each associated with specific directions and afflictions:

1. Five-colored ghosts from the cardinal directions (green, red, white, black, and yellow ghosts corresponding to east, south, west, north, and center)

2. Disaster-bringing ghosts: lineage-destroying ghosts, sudden-illness ghosts, skin-disease ghosts, and festering-sore ghosts

3. Ghosts of untimely deaths: execution-ground ghosts, crow-cawing ghosts, and ghosts of those who froze or starved to death

4. Other malignant spirits: gossip ghosts, livestock ghosts, soul-snatching ghosts, and masterless wandering spirits

5. Zodiac-animal ghosts (rat-headed, ox-headed... through pig-headed human-bodied ghosts)

These spirits disregard Daoist precepts and specialize in spreading calamities—causing lawsuits, illnesses, and even death among mortals. The ritual invokes deities including the Five Directional Emperors (Wudi) and the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper (Beidou Qixing) to intervene:

• The Longevity Sovereign extends lifespans
• The Calamity-Dispelling Sovereign removes misfortunes
• The Death-Reversing Sovereign restores life
• The Life-Protecting Sovereign safeguards peace

The prayer seeks divine assistance to stabilize souls, prolong life, and erase names from the death registers at the Northern Dipper. Final commands specifically target green (east) and red (south) pestilential energies, demanding immediate severance of their ghostly influences (wenqi).

This passage constitutes the incantation portion of a zhaijiao purification ritual—a ceremonial practice for averting disasters and seeking blessings. The "Five Emperors" refer to the directional celestial rulers, while "Seven Stars" denotes the Northern Dipper deities, both being crucial protective figures in Daoist cosmology. The ritual aims to safeguard communal wellbeing and agricultural prosperity through celestial intervention.

This scripture is part of the Taoist "Great Supreme Three-Five Auxiliary Salvation Ritual of the Five Emperors for Eliminating Epidemics," describing a ceremony for dispelling disasters and seeking blessings through worship of the Five Directional Emperors (Wudi) to eradicate pestilential energies.

【Exorcism Incantations】

Targeting epidemics from five directions (West, North, Center, East, South):

• Western white calamities shall instantly vanish, the white pestilential ghostly Qi (vital energy) shall be severed immediately
• Northern black calamities shall instantly vanish, the black pestilential ghostly Qi shall be severed immediately
• Central yellow calamities shall instantly vanish, the yellow pestilential ghostly Qi shall be severed immediately

(Similar content for East and South directions abbreviated here)

【Auspicious Day Selection】

Following the Taoist "Twelve Construction and Removal Deities" calendric system, each day corresponds to different blessings:

• "Construction Day": Invoked deities will grant requests, bringing abundant blessings without regret
• "Removal Day": After prayers, disasters will dissipate, evil forces perish, and blessings endure
• "Fullness Day": Accompanied by divine presence, all matters proceed smoothly
• "Balance Day": Overflowing blessings, deities descend, and wishes are fulfilled

(Other days like Establishment, Holding, Breaking, Danger, Completion, Harvest, Opening, and Closing each have corresponding benefits, briefly noted here)

【Ritual Procedure】

1. Offer wine and burn incense

2. Re-invite the Five Directional Emperors, Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper, and their celestial entourages to partake in offerings

3. Pray for blessings as weighty as mountains, disaster removal as swift as lightning

4. Nearing conclusion: Closing prayers need not repeat, prepare dragon chariots and divine steeds for deities' return

【Deity Farewell】

• Deities arrive like gathering clouds, depart like wind and rain
• Respectfully escort all deities back to their respective palaces
• Express reverent awe with the grand kowtow ceremony

【Ritual Conclusion】

Sequentially perform:

1. Farewell hymns (songs for seeing off deities)

2. Twelve vows (twelve prayer wishes)

3. Immortal cultivation praises

4. Standard ritual dissolution

Note: The character "殟" here means "瘟" (epidemic); "Five Emperors" refer to the Taoist Five Directional Emperors; "Twelve Construction and Removal Deities" represent the twelve-day classification system in Taoist calendrics. The entire ritual demonstrates Taoist religious practice of disaster relief through sacred spatiotemporal concepts (five directions, twelve time periods) and divine communication.