《玄天上帝啟聖錄》Vol. 3

In Jiangdu County's Baisha Village near Yangzhou, there lived a wealthy man named Wu Yuansi who was known for his virtuous deeds. Yet every autumn and winter during sacrificial rites, he would always invite shamans to offer living creatures like geese and ducks as bloody sacrifices to the deities of the Three Realms. When Tang Qingyu, a Daoist priest from Taizhou's Tianqing Temple, came seeking alms and witnessed this practice, he cautioned: "Using animal sacrifices that indiscriminately mix offerings for celestial deities and underworld spirits may violate celestial laws—how could this possibly bring blessings?"

Wu humbly inquired about proper rituals for celestial deities. Priest Tang then taught him a pure Zhaijiao (purification ritual): requiring only incense, lamps, purified tea, plain noodles, fruits, willow-branch ritual water, and five-colored paper flowers, along with golden paper-cut "cloud horses" (sacrificial paper horses), and memorials written in standard script. He emphasized setting up a separate altar—square on the outside yet circular within—that must never mix with tablets for underworld spirits. Tang promised that maintaining this practice faithfully for seven years would yield divine response.

The following year, Wu reformed his customs—continuing old shamanistic rites for underworld spirits while exclusively inviting Fulu (talisman-certified) Daoist priests for celestial offerings. After several years of observance, during one such ritual, over twenty wandering Daoists suddenly arrived seeking alms. After being hosted, when Wu inquired about their origins, one replied: "We dwell in Wujian Heaven (a Daoist paradise), arriving via the Wujian Path, practicing the Wujian Dao. Today we specifically came knowing this celestial ritual feast was prepared." With these words, the group transformed into mist, leaving behind only a black gauze jacket woven with golden patterns on a chairback.

The Wu family then realized celestial deities had manifested, leaving this heavenly garment as proof. They carefully preserved the treasure wrapped in embroidered silk, noticing it would glow faintly during monthly fast days honoring Zhenwu the Perfect Warrior. In later generations, Wu's descendants enjoyed remarkable longevity—when Yangzhou officials conducted imperial census of centenarians, they discovered Wu Wan, one of Wu Yuansi's eight brothers, surpassing a hundred years while remaining clear-eyed and steady-footed, becoming local legend.

There was a man named Yuansi whose family remained harmonious and undivided during his father's lifetime. Later, during a Daoist sacrificial ritual (Zhaijiao), a black ritual robe enshrined for the True Warrior Emperor (a revered Daoist deity) manifested spiritual power. Chen Shuping, the governor of Yangzhou at the time, reported this incident to the imperial court. The court issued a special decree permitting the Wu Wan family to erect an "Exemplary Family" memorial archway, appointing Wu Wan as acting chief official of the local prefecture. The court further authorized the construction of two "Righteous Harmony Earth Platforms" before their gatehouse, adorned with ornamental pillars and crane columns to honor the family. The True Warrior Emperor's relic robe was enshrined as a protective treasure for the household, with strict orders never to damage it.

At Shanji Chan Monastery in the Western Capital, there was a monk named Yunfang who had been a disciple of Abbot Yongqin since childhood. Though he repeatedly sought ordination, circumstances never aligned. Once, a fortune-teller told him he couldn't take monastic vows before turning forty. Later, the monastery assigned Yunfang to solicit donations—specifically four hundred hand towels for monks' summer ablutions. While passing through the winding valleys of Qufu Mountain, he saw a green-robed youth washing his feet by a stream. As Yunfang approached, the youth suddenly fled. Pursuing him into a grove, Yunfang discovered numerous beings from the Six Realms (Buddhist cosmology's heavenly, human, asura, animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms) sitting in council. The youth stood beside the manifested True Warrior Lord, who sat upon a stone judging human virtues and faults while mediating grievances—preparing to submit his verdicts to the Eastern Peak Emperor (deity governing life, death, and reincarnation) for karmic rebirth arrangements.

When Yunfang tried to retreat, the youth summoned him, saying the True Lord wished an audience. The deity inquired about the towel collection, and concerned about Yunfang's difficulties, instructed the youth to gift his own purification cloth as spiritual bond—but warned that disclosing its origin would invoke heavenly punishment through muteness. After prostrating in gratitude, Yunfang returned with the cloth, falsely claiming to have received it from an unknown Qufu Mountain household. Abbot Yongqin examined this eight-foot-long towel, finding it woven from extraordinary fabric resembling pure silk—warm in winter yet cool in summer, seamless with continuous grain, emitting golden radiance in sunlight and rare fragrance. Later, Yongqin presented this treasure to Chancellor Li of the Zhaowen Academy at the Western Capital's military commission.

This account records two miraculous events related to the Perfected Warrior Emperor (Zhenwu Dadi, also known as the Mysterious Heavenly Emperor), a revered Daoist deity during Emperor Taizu's reign of the Song Dynasty.

The first incident involves the monk Yongqin and a youth named Yunfang. When the imperial court received tribute treasures claimed to be celestial artifacts, officials examining them found the craftsmanship extraordinary, unlike anything of mortal origin. Summoned for questioning, Yunfang requested monastic ordination before revealing the truth. But the moment his head was shaved, he suddenly lost his voice—a phenomenon interpreted as divine retribution. The treasures were eventually enshrined in the inner ritual space, with Monk Yongqin entrusted to care for Yunfang while both were granted residence in a capital monastery.

The second event recounts how after establishing the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizu constructed the Northern Dipper Seven Primes and Four Saints Shrine (a temple dedicated to the Big Dipper's seven stars and four guardian generals) in Yingzhou, in gratitude for Zhenwu Dadi's miraculous provision of over 50,000 strings of military funds. During the consecration ritual, seven foreign merchants calling themselves the "Yishouxian brothers"—actually incarnations of the Big Dipper—appeared. Later at court, celestial phenomena manifested suddenly amidst storm clouds and hail, during which only Prime Minister Zhao Pu and Emperor Taizu witnessed Zhenwu Dadi's epiphany. The deity appeared wearing a star-crowned golden robe, holding a jade tablet in ceremonial greeting, identifying himself as the Perfected Warrior Emperor of the Northern Dipper who responds to prayers. He expressed gratitude for the Yingzhou shrine while admonishing the new dynasty to emulate the virtuous governance of Yao and Shun, warning against treacherous officials.

Both events highlight Zhenwu Dadi's imperial veneration in the Song era, demonstrating his protective miracles for the state. The "Seven Primes" refer to the Big Dipper's seven stars, while the "Four Saints" denote Zhenwu's four guardian generals—key deities in Song Dynasty Daoist cosmology.

This passage recounts two miraculous manifestations of Zhenwu the Perfected Warrior (a revered Daoist deity known as the Dark Warrior of the North).

The first account describes how regional warlords resisting the Song dynasty's unification were addressed by Zhenwu's divine revelation. The deity proclaimed these territories would gradually submit to Song rule according to predetermined celestial timing—the Hedong region (modern Shanxi) first, followed by Southern Tang, Western Shu, Guangdong, Fujian, and finally Liangzhe (modern Zhejiang), all completing submission within twelve years. After delivering this prophecy, Zhenwu returned to the celestial realm. Emperor Taizu of Song, overjoyed by this divine assurance, conducted elaborate Zhaijiao purification rituals in the palace to express gratitude. Subsequent events unfolded exactly as foretold.

The second narrative concerns a Yangzhou scholar named Fu Hong, who had devoutly worshipped Zhenwu for thirty years while maintaining an exemplary reputation for charitable works. Eventually forsaking worldly distractions, he took monastic vows at the Shangqing Taiping Temple on Zhongnan Mountain. The temple's abbot Zhang Shouzhen, recognizing Fu's extraordinary spiritual bearing, provided him with a secluded meditation chamber. Three years later, Zhang witnessed sudden radiant light emanating from Fu's quarters at night. The next morning, Fu reported being possessed by Zhenwu who delivered a twenty-eight-character oracle for the Song emperor: "When peach blossoms adorn the third moon's sky/All auspicious signs shall simultaneously shine/The golden branch's fortune renews heaven's decree/Mid-season shall welcome the Barefoot Immortal." Following this transmission, Fu mysteriously vanished. Abbot Zhang promptly reported this divine message to Shaanxi officials.

(Note: "Jianjiao" refers to Daoist altar rituals; "Shangzhen" is an honorific for realized adepts; "Barefoot Immortal" denotes certain enlightened Daoist transcendents)

When Zhang Xigu submitted his memorial to the emperor, the ruler was both astonished and delighted upon reading it. Later, on the auspicious day of Xinchou in the Xinsi month of the Gengxu year, a divine omen indeed manifested at the Mingde Palace—the newborn crown prince who would become Emperor Renzong. This fulfilled the earlier prophecy revealed by the Perfected Warrior (Zhenwu, a revered Daoist deity), which foretold the descent of the Barefoot Immortal, Lord of the Jade City. The emperor then issued an edict to search for the prophet Fu Hong in Fengxiang Prefecture, but the man could not be found. Subsequently, another decree ordered the reconstruction of the Perfected Warrior's precious pavilion at the Taiping Palace of Shangqing (Highest Clarity), along with the establishment of a shrine for Fu Hong, posthumously honoring him as "Perfected Man of Victorious Causes" (Shengyin Zhenren) and granting his family one hundred bolts each of silver and silk.

Regarding the miraculous account of the Celestial Vanguard General being struck by an arrow: During the Mingdao era of Emperor Renzong's reign, Wang Ze of Beizhou rebelled. The Bureau of Military Affairs dispatched Wen Yanbo, Military Commissioner of the Baoxin Army and Vice Minister of War, to suppress the revolt. Upon returning to court, Wen reported: "Quelling this rebellion was not my achievement. When I arrived at Meizhou, I noticed the Yuantong Temple outside the southern city gate, which enshrined the Perfected Warrior. I offered incense there, praying for divine assistance." Later, twenty li outside Beizhou, he first sent generals to demand surrender. During the third engagement, the fourth general Ling Song charged forth in pursuit, driving Wang Ze back into the city, where the gates were sealed. After besieging the city for twenty days, a sudden gale arose atop the walls, hurling sand and stones like arrows, causing rebels to plummet from the battlements. The city gates inexplicably swung open, allowing imperial troops to flood inside. Only civilians were spared—all who bore weapons were executed, and Wang Ze was beheaded immediately upon capture.

After his victory, Wen Yanbo returned to Yuantong Temple to give thanks to the Perfected Warrior, performing a Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) to fulfill his vow. Upon closely inspecting the deity's statue, he noticed a figure in armor beside it—the Celestial Vanguard General (Tian Gang Shenjiang)—with an arrow embedded three inches deep in its left arm. The arrow bore the insignia of Wang Ze's rebel forces. When the arrow was extracted, pus and blood flowed from the wound. The injury was later mended with fragrant clay, and the arrow itself was preserved as sacred evidence of this divine intervention.

This account narrates the story of Li Bian, the Founding Emperor (posthumous temple name "Liezu") of the Southern Tang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and his encounter with the divine manifestation of Zhenwu the Great Emperor (Xuantian Shangdi), a revered Daoist deity.

When Emperor Liezu convened his ministers to discuss conquering Fujian, the officials argued that the region's fierce populace would make subjugation difficult. Despite this, the emperor launched his campaign. During the march, the army was suddenly confronted with violent winds and dark fog, while venomous serpents and fierce beasts blocked their path—rendering their weapons useless. As the emperor burned incense in prayer, a divine figure emerged from the mist, identifying himself as the local earth god (a minor deity in Daoism governing a specific territory) from Minxian Temple at Fuzhou's Min Mountain. Sent by Zhenwu the Great Emperor, the deity warned that Fujian's predestined fate (qi-shu) had not yet expired, prophesying that the region would voluntarily submit during the gengwu year (the seventh year of the sixty-year calendrical cycle), making forced conquest inadvisable. With these words, the deity vanished and the storm abated, prompting the emperor to withdraw his troops.

Later, when Emperor Liezu performed rituals at the Hall for Receiving Perfected Beings (a shrine dedicated to Zhenwu) in Mount Lu's Taiqing Temple, he noticed an attendant official holding a sword scabbard on the right side. Daoist priests explained this figure was none other than Hekui, a guardian deity in Daoism. Recognizing the identical appearance to the deity who had manifested earlier, the emperor sighed in amazement. Upon returning to court, he ordered the construction of the Three Perfected Jeweled Hall at Shangqing Palace—modeled after Mount Lu's Taiqing Temple—to enshrine Zhenwu the Great Emperor and his parents.

When Fujian authorities learned of the Southern Tang withdrawal, they initially suspected a ruse and sent envoys to investigate. Emperor Liezu's detailed reply recounted the divine manifestation. Later, when Fujian's ruler Ma Shi learned the specifics about the earth god's apparition from Minxian Temple, the event became a celebrated anecdote attesting to Zhenwu's efficacious power. The term "submitting to the orthodox dynasty" (liji) refers to Fujian's eventual allegiance, while "the gengwu year" marks the precise fulfillment of the prophecy.

This account documents several miraculous manifestations of the True Warrior Emperor (Zhenwu Dadi, also known as the Mysterious Heavenly Emperor, a revered Daoist deity) protecting the nation during Emperor Taizu's reign of the Song Dynasty.

When the imperial court received prophetic documents foretelling major upheavals in the Gengwu year, officials couldn't decipher the meaning of "Li Ji" (literally "paired ultimate"). They went to pray before Zhenwu at Xianyuan Temple in Min Mountain. Later they learned "Li Ji" referred to the Mandate of Heaven shifting from the Later Zhou to the emerging Song Dynasty - the main hall of the Bianliang palace was indeed named "Li Ji Hall." As predicted, Prince Fu's Ma clan made peace with Southern Tang, while the King of Shu submitted to Song rule.

During Zhenwu's manifestations at Chongming Temple in Cizhou, regions including Zhending received divine grain provisions totaling 150,000 dan over twenty consecutive years for famine relief. While Cizhou used grain sale proceeds for temple renovations, other prefectures accumulated ten thousand strings of cash from the surplus. The court specially authorized using these funds to build the Four Saints Temple in the capital (dedicated to the guardian deities Tianpeng, Tianyou, Heisha, and Zhenwu), where they conducted the Grand Universal Purification Ritual (Putian Dajiao, the highest-grade Daoist sacrificial ceremony).

When Song forces struggled against Shu, Emperor Taizu dreamed of a yellow-robed divine messenger sent by Zhenwu announcing the King of Shu's impending surrender. The next day brought urgent reports confirming Shu's territorial submission. In gratitude, Taizu personally conducted thanksgiving rituals at the Four Saints Temple. These spiritually verified events facilitated harmonious relations between regional warlords and the central government.

In Xiongzhou of Hebei Province stood an important border trading market, guarded by 200,000 cavalry and infantry troops, along with 2,000 civilian-recruited "Dare-to-Fight" soldiers. Among them was a man named Zhang Qi, a devout worshipper of Zhenwu the Great Emperor (a revered Daoist deity), who had mastered the esoteric art of Dunjia battle divination.

During the Kangding era of the Northern Song Dynasty, northern tribal chieftains led by Zhizong raided Xiongzhou's trading post. Wang Mian, the military commissioner at the time, dispatched the Dare-to-Fight troops to counter the invasion. Using Dunjia divination, Zhang Qi predicted: "The enemy will attack tonight. If a southeast wind rises on a Ren-Gui Water Day (a celestial stem-branch date), the omen will be confirmed—and we must guard against fire." Authorities immediately reinforced defenses. True to his prophecy, at the second watch, tens of thousands of tribal soldiers stormed the border. Zhang Qi activated the secret Dunjia techniques, invoking Zhenwu's divine intervention to weave an invisible battle formation around the market, successfully capturing the enemy general Zhiyuan.

After his release, Zhiyuan recounted that upon entering the trading post, he suddenly felt a splitting headache and piercing cold—manifestations of the Song dynasty's guardian deity Zhenwu the Great Emperor. Though their tribe also worshipped Zhenwu, their transgressions had nullified the deity's favor. Now submitting to peace, the Western Liang tribes surrendered their lands and begged permission to enshrine Zhenwu in their territory. The imperial court ordered the Four Saints Temple to codify Zhenwu worship rituals and dispatched officials to receive the ceded lands. Thereafter, border conflicts in Xiongzhou ceased, allowing a 30% reduction in garrisoned troops.

In another account, Chen Zhaoyi, an official from Xuzhou serving as Mingzhou's vice-prefect, discovered a discarded Zhenwu statue near Tiantong Mountain, its sacred turtle base with broken limbs. He privately funded craftsmen to restore the icon and built a new shrine. Later, while boating on Ximen Lake, he suddenly saw a Daoist walking on water to thank him. By the time Chen stepped out, the figure had already turned away, explaining he came solely to repay the kindness of restoring the sacred image.

This account narrates the miraculous manifestation of Zhenwu the Great Emperor (an important Daoist deity, also known as Xuantian Shangdi) in protecting the nation. During the Northern Song dynasty, official Zhang Zhaoyi received divine protection after enshrining a statue of Zhenwu, who later appeared again during a border conflict.

At the time, Zhang Zhaoyi served as Deputy Transport Commissioner of the Qin-Feng Circuit, responsible for military supply logistics along the western frontier. When border general Cen Yuanyou threatened to hold transportation officials accountable for grain shortages, a medicine-selling Daoist priest (actually Zhenwu in disguise) suddenly appeared in the military camp. That night, enemy commander Hu Zhiyuan of the northern tribes led 100,000 troops in a surprise attack, attempting to destroy the border trade market (quecheng). As Hu sneaked in to set fires, he suddenly experienced excruciating headaches as if struck by an axe and chilling coldness like being drenched in water. He witnessed ghostly deities in the clouds swirling the flames skyward. Then appeared a divine general with disheveled hair wielding a sword (Zhenwu the Great Emperor) who sternly commanded him to stop. Fleeing in terror, Hu was blocked by a giant serpent and bitten by a divine turtle before being captured by Song general Zhang Qi.

Hu Zhiyuan confessed that he and his brother, resentful of border trade profits going to the Song, had plotted for two years to sabotage the quecheng. After this defeat, Hu was released back to his tribe under agreement to return within a month with his brother Hu Zhicong (military governor of Xiliang City) to surrender. The imperial court held grand zhaijiao rituals (Daoist purification ceremonies) at the Four Saints Temple in the capital, and constructed the Gratitude Zhenwu Hall at the Xiongzhou quecheng, selecting resident Daoist practitioners. The meritorious Zhang Qi was appointed as "Right Duty Group Palace Attendant." Later, Hu Zhicong indeed sent envoy Zhao Jiming to pledge allegiance to the Song.

The story demonstrates Zhenwu's majestic virtue (De) in protecting the nation and people through divine-human resonance, while reflecting the connection between Song dynasty Daoism and frontier politics. The "quecheng" refers to official border trade markets established between Song and Liao territories, while "setting up jiao" denotes Daoist rituals for dispelling calamities and seeking blessings.

This account narrates a miraculous story of the Divine Warrior (Zhenwu) manifesting his power to aid in battle:

At that time, barbarian chieftain Hu Zhiyuan from the border regions led troops to plunder the government trade market. Fortunately, a warrior named Zhang Qi, skilled in the esoteric arts of Qimen Dunjia, received assistance from the Auspicious Deity Zhenwu. He captured Hu Zhiyuan alive but later released him, ultimately leading to the barbarians' sincere surrender. When imperial envoys were sent to Xiongzhou to investigate, Military Commissioner Wang Mian entered the city with Zhao Jiming, claiming to offer 140 li of fertile millet-producing land and 600 households.

During the robbery investigation, officials discovered a magistrate named Chen Zhaoyi whose attendant, a man surnamed Pei, possessed a miraculous medicinal formula that had saved countless famine victims. With the army facing food shortages, this Pei offered "spiritual elixirs" (Lingdan) that made wounded soldiers feel immediately satiated upon consumption. More remarkably, these elixirs caused tens of thousands of troops under Western Barbarian King Li to become physically weakened and unwilling to fight, ultimately forcing their retreat. The lining paper of the medicine pouch revealed this was a formula transmitted by the Pei Perfected Being (Pei Zhenren), the household deity of Vice Minister of Sacrifices Chen Zhaoyi.

The court investigation found this Pei Zhenren had previously manifested during Empress Wu Zetian's reign. Imperial decrees followed: meritorious officers were rewarded, Chen Zhaoyi was promoted to Vice Minister of Rites, and the formula was archived in the Tianzhang Pavilion. All state-sponsored Tianqing Daoist temples were ordered to conduct seven-day Zhaijiao purification rituals, with funds allocated to renovate Zhenwu temples nationwide.

The account concludes with Hong Zhibian, a temple acolyte at the Purple Pole Temple of Four Saints in the Eastern Capital, who swept the halls daily and slept beneath the corridors at night. His devout practice ultimately bore virtuous fruit. Through these miraculous events, the narrative demonstrates the Divine Warrior Zhenwu's mighty power in protecting the nation and blessing the people.

On both sides of the Purple Ultimate Hall and along its surrounding walls, besides the daily incense offerings maintained by the temple, the Daoist priest Zhi Bian would personally collect alms every day to purchase sandalwood for burning incense and chanting scriptures in devotion to the deities. He persisted in this practice for twenty years without interruption.

In the second year of the Zhihe era under Emperor Renzong of Song (1055 CE), the capital was struck by continuous heavy snowfall. One late night, Zhi Bian discovered a medicine-peddling Daoist sleeping on the damp, cold ground with a straw bag as his pillow. Concerned the man might freeze, Zhi Bian quickly woke him and invited him to share his warm bedding. At daybreak, the Daoist took his leave but before departing advised: "Feeling drowsy right after meals indicates a spleen disorder." Shaking a gourd, the Daoist poured out several medicinal pellets and handed both the medicine and the gourd to Zhi Bian with instructions: "Take one pellet at the midnight hour with purified water while facing north and reciting 'Golden Tower Perfected Being' (an honorific title of the Perfect Warrior Emperor) seven times. Keep the remaining pellets for emergencies." The moment the Daoist stepped outside, he vanished without trace.

That night, after following the prescription, Zhi Bian miraculously ceased requiring food or drink. Word spread through the capital that he had encountered an immortal and obtained the art of grain abstention (bigu). When news reached Emperor Renzong, the court specially dispatched officials from the Kaifeng Prefecture and the Censorate to investigate. Only upon uncovering the title "Golden Tower Perfected Being" did they realize this referred to the Supreme Elder Lord—the divine preceptor of the Perfect Warrior Emperor.

At that time, a plague was raging among soldiers and civilians in the capital due to prolonged rain and snow. Zhi Bian distributed the pellets from his gourd to the afflicted. Miraculously, though the medicine cured over forty thousand people citywide, the gourd's supply never depleted. In gratitude, the imperial court granted Zhi Bian an official ordination certificate (dudie) and sponsored grand Perfect Warrior rituals (Zhenwu dajiao) and purification fasts (dazhai) at his temple to repay the divine favor.

Another account records: Defense Commissioner Dai Kui of Xiongzhou commanded a hundred-thousand strong army dispatched to pacify the southern regions. When the troops reached Yongzhou, they were trapped by a blizzard for half a month—supply lines severed, many soldiers freezing to death. Military advisor Fang Cong proposed: "With six feet of accumulated snow and transport cut off, our only hope to preserve lives lies in beseeching the Perfect Warrior Emperor's divine intervention." Fang Cong carried a portrait of the deity, which Dai Kui immediately enshrined on an altar for earnest prayer. The moment their memorial petition burned to ashes, the snowfall ceased and skies cleared.

This account documents a pirate incident at Meijiang in Laizhou during the Tian Sheng era (1024 CE) of the Song Dynasty, featuring the miraculous intervention of Zhenwu the Perfected Warrior (a supreme Daoist deity governing northern waters).

At that time, Long Mengxi, the Patrol Inspector of Laizhou (a local security official), was ostensibly investigating illegal salt trade with armed soldiers, but secretly conspired with them to plunder coastal residents. When exposed, he turned outright pirate with his family, gathering hundreds of followers to raid merchant ships and murder civilians. The court dispatched Dengzhou's Chief Patrol Inspector Lu Feng with a thousand naval troops to suppress them, only to find his forces trapped in deep waters beneath Mount Yin.

After five days without supplies, Lu Feng—remembering his family's generations-long devotion to Zhenwu the Perfected Warrior—desperately invoked the deity at midnight. Miraculously, the tides suddenly surged with violent storms, while enemy screams echoed through thick fog. At dawn, they discovered Long Mengxi's entire fleet capsized, with only twenty survivors captured. Lu Feng's troops witnessed extraordinary visions: divine generals and ghostly soldiers emerging from black clouds alongside venomous serpents and fierce beasts.

The imperial investigation concluded this was Zhenwu's divine manifestation. The emperor ordered construction of the "Temple of Aiding Battles and Repaying Grace" at Meijiang estuary, enshrining Zhenwu's sacred image flanked by attendant deities. The text also mentions another wonder during the Tianxi era (1017-1021): when arrowheads before Zhenwu's statue spontaneously oozed powder during the tenure of the Ministry of War vice-minister in Yingzhou. These accounts were recorded in the Revelatory Records of the August Emperor of Mysterious Heaven as evidence of Zhenwu's divine protection for the nation and its people.

The governor of Yingzhou (modern-day Hejian region in Hebei), Fang Zhicai, reported to the imperial court: Three months after assuming office, on the night of the 16th day of the eighth lunar month, the chieftain of Pingwu Fortress along the border, Lu Jicheng, led over two thousand men to cross the boundary and plunder more than four thousand dan of military provisions from Qingmu Fortress. The Yingzhou garrison immediately dispatched the fourth commander, Zou Shu, and his deputy Liu Yi with two thousand troops to the border to demand accountability.

The following day, a sudden force of ten thousand foreign troops pressed against the border, led by Yan Lianxin, who claimed to act under orders from the Northern Yan King, Nie Huqi. It turned out that Qingmu Fortress stockpiled over ten million dan of provisions annually, and Nie Huqi had sent twenty thousand troops to launch a surprise attack on Pingwu Fortress under cover of night. Chieftain Lu Jicheng had advised that Qingmu Fortress was poorly defended, and indeed, on the night of the 16th, they easily seized the provisions. Zou Shu confronted them: "The Great Yan Emperor has already established peace with our nation—how dare Nie Huqi dispatch troops without authorization? If you do not return the provisions immediately, we will report this to the imperial court." Yan Lianxin refused, and the two sides clashed, resulting in a crushing defeat for the foreign troops.

Enraged, Nie Huqi personally led two hundred thousand troops to besiege Yingzhou, sealing off the northwestern gates completely for six days without retreat. On the seventh day, the Double Ninth Festival, a sudden tempest of wind and rain swept the battlefield, accompanied by the screams of fleeing foreign soldiers. As Zou Shu led his troops in pursuit, they captured several wounded enemy soldiers hiding in the grass. Under interrogation, the terrified prisoners stammered: "There must be divine beings in the city! A sandstorm erupted from the northwestern gate, arrows rained down like a storm, and countless pythons chased and bit our men and horses." Nie Huqi shouted orders to retreat from horseback, but his soldiers were either bitten by snakes or struck by arrows, ultimately being captured. Upon examining their wounds, it was discovered that all injuries bore the marks of snake fangs and arrows—no weapon wounds were found—clearly the work of divine power.

Ten days later, border patrols brought in two foreign army messengers carrying a leather-sealed document, inscribed with an address to "the Great Dynasty’s Yingzhou, Gaoyang...". This account vividly illustrates the miraculous intervention of the Mystic Celestial Sovereign (Xuantian Shangdi) in protecting the nation—the tempest, arrow rain, and serpent horde were all manifestations of his divine power subduing the enemy forces.

This account recounts two stories of Daoist deities manifesting their power to offer protection.

The first story takes place at a strategic mountain pass. Official Fang Shilang discovered that enemy arrows striking the city walls turned to ashes, dissipating like mural pigments. When enemy general Nie Hu was struck in the right eye, the arrowhead crumbled into powder in his hand. Over 200,000 enemy troops suddenly witnessed visions of venomous snakes and demonic spirits on the battlefield, fleeing in panic. Curious about which deity guarded the pass so effectively, the enemy even sent a special arrow for verification.

After confirming the arrow had indeed transformed into mural pigment, Fang Shilang investigated local temples until discovering, in Yingzhou's newly built Shouxian Temple, a mural depicting the Great Emperor of the North Star (an important Daoist deity) with four guardian generals. Notably, one arrow was missing from the quiver of Zhenwu the Perfected Warrior (northern war deity). The enemy's powdered arrow perfectly matched the mural's pigments. Fang reverently returned the arrow to its place in the mural through incense ceremony, leaving only faint traces as testimony. The imperial court later ordered ritual offerings (Zhaijiao) at the temple and mandated Zhenwu worship halls nationwide.

The second story occurs in Binzhou. Tax supervisor Wang Bao fled fearing barbarian invasion, but thunderstorm deities intercepted him. Their leader rebuked him: "In peace you enjoyed official salary, in crisis you abandon your post—you deserve death." Yet considering the citizens' safety, they lent him a divine spear and fifty phantom soldiers to repel thousands of barbarians during the storm. When Wang pleaded ignorance of combat, the deities taught him spear techniques. This illustrates the Daoist doctrine of "rewarding good and punishing evil"—deities discipline the negligent yet intervene to protect common people.

The Records of the Sacred Manifestations by the Mysterious Heavenly Sovereign documents two divine miracles where the True Warrior Emperor (Zhenwu Dadi) manifested his power to protect the nation.

The first account took place in Binzhou during an invasion by barbarian tribes. As the situation grew dire, a man named Wang Bao received a divine revelation in secret. A deity calling himself the "Great General of the Three Origins Patrol of the North" handed him a spear and instructed him to lead fifty men in a night assault. During the battle, lightning and thunder erupted, and the barbarian forces were routed by celestial soldiers. Most fled across the sea on bamboo rafts, while the remaining shadowy troops were scattered. When the imperial court investigated, they discovered that the weapon Wang Bao wielded was actually the enemy’s signature fire-hardened bamboo blade—proof that the True Warrior Emperor had intervened. In gratitude, the court promoted Wang Bao to the rank of Chongyi Envoy and built the Bao’en Huguo Temple in Binzhou to honor the True Warrior Emperor, with annual rituals performed by Daoist priests to give thanks for the divine protection.

The second story occurred in the first year of the Tianyou era. Qian Gongyan was ordered to lead forty thousand troops against a Western Region army of three hundred thousand. Overwhelmed by the disparity in numbers, he grew deeply anxious. His subordinate, Yuan Zheng, had practiced the Northern Dipper Mysterious Firmament Method (Beidou Xuangang Fa) for over twenty years and set up an altar in the military tent to venerate the True Warrior General of the North Pole Patrol. Qian Gongyan earnestly petitioned the deity for aid, while Yuan Zheng performed rituals throughout the night. At dawn the next day, the enemy camp was suddenly struck by divine beasts charging through their ranks amid thunder and lightning, causing their forces to collapse without a fight. In recognition of this miracle, the imperial court bestowed upon the True Warrior Emperor the title "True Lord of Divine Response, Guardian of the Sacred and Aid to Order" (Yousheng Zhushun Zhenwu Lingying Zhenjun).

Both stories demonstrate the awe-inspiring virtue (De) of the True Warrior Emperor in manifesting his sacred power during crises, embodying the Daoist belief in "protecting the nation and aiding the people." The titles "Great General of the Three Origins Patrol of the North" and "True Warrior General of the North Pole Patrol" are among the various honorifics of the True Warrior Emperor, while the Northern Dipper Mysterious Firmament Method is an important Daoist practice for communing with the deities of the Big Dipper.

This passage recounts two miraculous stories of Zhenwu the Great Emperor (a revered Daoist deity also known as Xuantian Shangdi) manifesting divine protection for the nation.

The first story describes Song dynasty general Zhao Tianyou leading a hundred thousand troops against the Western Fan army. The Song court appointed Sun Yi as commander for the battle, which raged until the second watch of the night. Suddenly, countless beams of fiery light appeared on the battlefield—the enemy banners snapped, crossbows malfunctioned, and war drums fell into chaos as soldiers fled like startled deer. Seizing the advantage, the Song forces pursued until dawn, when the sixth general Qian Congji presented the severed head of Fan commander Zhao Tianyou. Soldiers reported witnessing strange divine warriors with fish-gills and bird-beaks during the night battle—some controlling wind and lightning, others driving snakes and beasts to aid the fight. The improbable victory of forty thousand troops defeating two hundred thousand was attributed to Captain Yuan Zheng's devout Daoist practice, which moved Zhenwu the Great Emperor to descend upon the battlefield, manifesting myriad fiery lights and divine beasts. The imperial court rewarded Yuan Zheng with five hundred strings of cash and conducted month-long Daoist rituals (Daochang) along with a Grand Universal Offering (Putian Dajiao, a major Daoist sacrificial ceremony) at the Shangqing Lingying Temple.

The second incident occurred at the North Pole Purple Tenuity Pavilion (Zifuige, a hall dedicated to the Purple Tenuity Emperor) in Chongfu Temple of the Western Capital. Built during Empress Wu Zetian's Tang dynasty reign, this palace followed the highest architectural standards with its "Two Victories and Four Generals" configuration, housing imperial calligraphy from successive dynasties. Recently, collapsing eaves had damaged the right shoulder of Zhenwu's statue, which officials like Vice Minister Fu Bi dared not repair without authorization. When palace attendant Cen Jing arrived bearing imperial incense, he confirmed the damage. Emperor Renzong had previously dreamed of a golden-belted deity in purple robes holding a jade tablet (clearly Zhenwu's manifestation), prompting this inspection.

Both stories demonstrate Zhenwu the Great Emperor's might as a nation-protecting deity—whether through battlefield miracles of fire and divine beasts, or dream revelations—manifesting his "Enlightened Sage" (Qisheng) virtues. The text mentions key Daoist elements: the "Jiao" (sacrificial rite) as essential liturgy, and "Purple Tenuity Pavilion" as sacred architecture mirroring celestial palaces.

This account records a miraculous episode from the Northern Song Dynasty when the Great Emperor Zhenwu (the Daoist venerated martial deity of the North) manifested his divine power to aid the Song army in defeating the Western Xia forces.

At the time, the Western Xia king Zhao Yuanhao led his troops to invade, engaging the Song commander Pang Ji at Sanfengchuan in Shaanxi. After three hours of fierce battle, swarms of black-and-yellow wasps suddenly appeared, blanketing the sky. These wasps specifically targeted Western Xia soldiers, causing tens of thousands to collapse in agony. Captured Xia soldiers later confessed they had not been wounded by weapons but by wasp stings that penetrated to their very bones. Zhao Yuanhao himself was stung on the head, suffering such excruciating pain—as if struck by an axe—that he fled in defeat.

The local earth god (a minor deity in Daoism overseeing a specific territory) of Chongfu Palace’s Purple Tenuity Pavilion appeared in the emperor’s dream, reporting that this was the manifestation of the Perfected Lord of Zhenwu’s Numinous Response, who had transformed into the wasp swarms to assist in battle. After the war, Zhao Yuanhao was forced to submit a surrender letter, while Marshal Pang Ji returned to court with Western Xia’s maps and capitulation documents. The emperor ordered the Secretariat to verify the incident, confirming that the earth god of Chongfu Palace had foretold the victory.

To express gratitude for Zhenwu’s protection of the nation, the imperial court not only rewarded Pang Ji but also held a grand three-day "Sacred Rite for Protecting the Nation and People" (the highest-grade Daoist sacrificial ceremony) at the Temple of the Four Saints. This account was later recorded in the Revelations of the Mysterious Heavenly Emperor as proof of Zhenwu’s divine intervention in safeguarding the state.