《金鎖流珠引》Vol. 3

The third volume of Jinsuo Liuzhu Yin (Golden Lock and Flowing Pearls) records the rituals and essential teachings for a Daoist practitioner's initial reception of the "Three-Five Method." This text was compiled by the immortal masters of China, including Zhang Daoling (the Celestial Master and founder of Daoism), Zhao Sheng, and Wang Chang, with annotations added by the Tang dynasty Daoist priest Li Chunfeng.

When a Daoist disciple first receives the Fulu (talismans and registers bestowed by the Daoist tradition), they must first grasp the fundamental principles of the "Three-Five Method." The "Three" refers to the Three Origins (Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, and Xiayuan—the three levels of time and space), while the "Five" represents the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth). This transmission originates from the Supreme Lord Lao (Laozi) and was passed down by the Taiji Zhenren (Perfected of the Supreme Ultimate) to the two Celestial Masters.

During the initiation ceremony, master and disciple must jointly take an oath at the ritual altar: the master recites the names of the celestial generals one by one, and after receiving the Fulu, the disciple pricks their finger to draw blood, which is then mixed into water. Both drink the blood-water as a covenant and cut a lock of hair to form a looped token, swearing never to betray the master's teachings. If the oath is broken, the Three Officials (Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official) will summon the offender for judgment, and the guardian spirit-soldiers will first inflict punishment upon the oath-breaker.

The "Three-Five Fulu" system consists of 1,790 scrolls, collectively referred to as the Taiyi (Supreme Unity, the cosmic source). Among them, the "Three Origins Fulu" corresponds to the celestial realm, while the "Five Phases Fulu" relates to the laws of the Five Phases. This cultivation system is divided into three levels: the upper level is suitable for celestial beings, the middle level for immortals, and the lower level for worldly practitioners. Ordinary people must begin with the foundational lower-level methods and gradually advance.

Originally titled Taiyi Sanwu Jinlu Yulu Neidian (Inner Canon of the Golden and Jade Registers of the Supreme Unity's Three-Five), this scripture was later revised by Zhang Tianshi (Zhengyi Zhenren), revered as the "Later Sage," into Jinsuo Liuzhu (Golden Lock and Flowing Pearls), becoming a core classic of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) tradition. The title "Three-Five Orthodox Unity" derives from this—the "Three" signifies penetrating the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, while the "Five" refers to harmonizing the energies of the Five Phases (the five internal organs of the human body also correspond to the Five Phases' spiritual energies).

This scripture elucidates the relationship between the Daoist practice of "Five Viscera Visualization" (Wuzang cunsi) and the "Three Origins Registers" (Sanyuan falu) system. The core teaching reveals that the Five Stars of heaven and the Five Sacred Mountains (Wuyue) of earth correspond to the five viscera (wuzang) within the human body. Through visualization practice that stabilizes these organs and allows the deities of the Five Phases (Wuxing) to permanently reside within, one attains the state of "Five Numinous Powers" (Wuling) complete, thereby becoming an immortal perfected being (zhenren).

The text meticulously documents the transmission system of the "Orthodox Unity Registers" (Zhengyi falu): originally comprising 1,790 scrolls and 3,624 ranks of ritual registers (falu, the credential documents bestowed upon Daoist priests), these were divided into upper, middle, and lower Three Origins sections. The Upper Origin governs the celestial realm, overseen by three Great Generals commanding 1,360 register ranks, of which 224 were transmitted to the human world. Those who cultivate 120 ranks may attain the celestial official's highest grade of immortality. The Middle Origin governs the human realm—cultivating 248 ranks qualifies one as a "Great Perfected Official" (Dazhen guan). The Lower Origin governs the earthly and aquatic realms, where mastering 550 ranks leads to terrestrial immortality (dixian). Failure to complete the required ranks prevents attainment of corresponding immortal status or longevity.

This register system is jointly administered by the Three Origins Generals and the Five Stars, serving both internal cultivation (regulating body and mind) and external application (exorcising demons and commanding spirits). Though the complete registers remain secret in the celestial realms, earthly practitioners who understand this system and diligently cultivate—even with partial transmission—may still enter the ranks of longevity. It particularly emphasizes that obtaining and fully cultivating the complete registers transmitted to humanity grants immediate immortal status.

Those who have cultivated the Dao for over ten years may ascend to immortality in broad daylight. The Sage Lord of Later Ages (a revered Daoist deity) further emphasized: worldly practitioners are divided into three grades according to their cultivation level—those with abundant Upper Primordial (the Jing-Qi in the upper Dantian) can become celestial immortals, those with sufficient Middle Primordial become earthly immortals, and those with complete Lower Primordial attain the status of terrestrial immortals. When all Three Primordials are perfected, one may assume celestial official positions or the rank of Zhenren (Perfected Being), and when merits are complete, the entire family may ascend to the immortal realm.

If one receives guidance from a master in this world, they must strictly adhere to the orally transmitted vows and teachings without violating liturgical covenants. Any transgression will incur celestial punishment and be recorded by the Three Officials (the Great Emperors of Heaven, Earth, and Water), permanently disqualifying one from becoming a Zhenren. When first receiving the Three-Five Method (a Daoist cultivation system), novices must receive transmission from their master and practice according to their instructions. Only through this unbroken lineage transmission can the spiritual efficacy of Daoist methods be preserved.

The Sage Lord mentioned how Zhang Daoling (founder of Daoism) practiced ceaselessly day and night, maintaining meditative awareness even during sleep. After one year of cultivation, he attained spiritual powers to subdue demons and evil spirits—those willing to repent were pardoned, while the obstinate were exterminated. Ultimately, he transformed the ghost-ridden Shu region into a blessed land where humans and spirits alike received grace. Due to his complete merits, the Sage Lord was elevated to Zhenren of Orthodox Unity of the Three Heavens, bestowed the title "Great Master of the Three Heavens," with his entire lineage ascending to immortality.

This method of attaining spiritual powers through meditative cultivation is called "Flowing Pearls" (referring to the circulating essence during practice). Only those who master this can be considered true adepts. When encountering outsiders inquiring about cultivation secrets, one must remain silent or divert the conversation—this vow of secrecy is called the "Golden Lock." Therefore, this orthodox immortal method is named the "Three-Five Method of Golden Lock and Flowing Pearls."

Master Wang (a Daoist patriarch) added: To be a true teacher, one must first comprehend the Dao of Three-Five Taiyi (note: Taiyi refers to the highest method of the Shangqing tradition). Laozi called this fundamental cultivation method the Taiyi Jing, dividing it into three grades. What the Sage Lord called "Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi)"—where "Orthodox" means rectifying the mind and "Unity" means penetrating the Great Dao (note: Master Lu explains this as upright mind and single-minded cultivation).

Daoism teaches that the essential nature of the Dao is impartial and upright, without bias or partiality. If a person can maintain steadfast determination and moral integrity, keeping their mind single-pointed and free from distracting thoughts, then the Dao will never depart from their essential nature. As the scripture states, "The Dao gives birth to the One" — this concept of "Orthodox Unity" (Zhengyi) permeates the entire "Three-Five" cosmological system.

The "Three-Five" system divides into three celestial levels: the upper level corresponds to the Supreme Purity Realm (the highest heaven), the middle level to the Orthodox Unity tradition (focusing primarily on human cultivation), and the lower level to the Numinous Treasure Five Talismans and the True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains (governing earthly ritual practices). When the Later Sage Sovereign transmitted the Daoist methods, he imparted these three great systems to the Great King Lord and Fang Ping, totaling 256 methods collectively known as the "Three Origins Purification Rituals" (transmitted on the 15th day of the first lunar month during the fourth year of King Zhao of Qin's reign).

Each of the Three Origins Registers possesses distinct characteristics: the Upper Origin Register governs celestial deities, the Middle Origin Register can heal illnesses and protect the state, while the Lower Origin Register controls spirits and demons in terrestrial and aquatic realms. The Later Sage Sovereign explained: the Upper Origin methods oversee celestial officials, the Middle Origin methods govern the immortal officials within the human body, and the Lower Origin methods administer the immortal officials of earth and water. Each system has its specialized divine generals and officers who restrain ghosts, spirits, and demons across the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity, preventing them from harming the human world.

The "Way of Orthodox Unity" mentioned here refers to the core Daoist cultivation method — rectifying one's mind to seek the Great Dao.

This scripture recounts the origins and essential teachings of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) school, an early branch of the Celestial Master tradition. As the transmission of the Great Dao had become fragmented across too many lineages, the Later Sage Lord (a high-ranking Daoist immortal) grew concerned that beginners might lose their way. He petitioned the Supreme Lord of the Great Dao (one of Daoism's highest deities) to rename the Golden Register Jade Talisman Scripture as "Zhengyi" (Orthodox Unity), signifying exclusive devotion to the correct path of cultivation.

The core of Zhengyi practice lies in rectifying one's innate nature to pursue ultimate truth, avoiding unorthodox methods while attaining the Dao through accumulated merit. It particularly emphasizes that cultivation doesn't necessarily require abandoning family life, extreme fasting, or retreating to mountain forests. The text cites how the Later Sage Lord served three times as prime minister, assisting sixty-four emperors before ultimately ascending as the Supreme Jade Emperor of Golden Towers and Morning Radiance, proving householder cultivation can equally lead to realization.

The scripture then explains how to practice Shangqing (Highest Clarity) methods, the core cultivation system governed by the Supreme Lord of the Great Dao that oversees the celestial bureaucracy of the Shangqing heaven. Beginners must first observe purification rituals for seven days, making solemn vows to heaven, earth, sun, moon and stars. They must also secure another practitioner as guarantor to testify before their master about their sincere quest for the Dao and determination to seek instruction across great distances.

During the initiation ceremony, disciples must solemnly pledge: "If graced with transmission of the twenty-four or thirty-six graded methods (representing progressive stages of cultivation) such as the Shangqing Jade Registers, I shall never violate these vows. Should I break them, may seven generations of ancestors bear witness as I willingly accept punishment from the Three Officials (heavenly, earthly and aquatic deities), facing death without regret." These oaths must be formally presented during the transmission ritual (Daoist initiation ceremony).

This scripture expounds on the rules for seeking Daoist masters to learn esoteric methods and the significance of the "Three-Five" cultivation system.

First, it states that when encountering difficulties beyond one's ability to resolve, one must sincerely seek the master's guidance. If even the master cannot solve the problem, a ritual altar (a sacred space for Daoist ceremonies) must be established for three days and three nights to petition the deities of the ten directions and the highest divinities—such as the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Taishang Laojun), and the Great Peace Golden Palace Emperor (Taiping Jinquedi Jun). A formal memorial written in cinnabar on yellow paper must be submitted, and only after receiving divine permission may the esoteric methods be transmitted. The transmission must strictly follow ritual protocols.

The text emphasizes the "Three-Five" cultivation system: "Three" refers to the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Origins (representing the realms of Heaven, Earth, and Water), while "Five" encompasses the Five Stars, Five Numinous Beings (Wuling), Five Phases (Wuxing), Five Tones (Wusheng), and Five Forms (Wuxing). This system permeates all existence: in Heaven, it manifests as the Five Stars; in the Dao, as the Five Numinous Beings; in music, as the Five Tones; on Earth, as the Five Sacred Peaks (Wuyue); and in the human body, as the Five Viscera (Wuzang). The Later Sage Sovereign (Housheng Jun) instructed the Perfected Yin (Yin Zhenren, a Daoist immortal) that those who comprehend and cultivate this system will each attain their own achievements, but they must follow their master's guidance.

The scripture stresses that seekers of the Dao must sincerely follow their master, and the master must transmit the teachings according to proper rules. Those who truly attain the Dao achieve longevity and, ultimately, ascension to the Shangqing Heaven (one of the highest celestial realms in Daoism). If an enlightened master resides in another land, the seeker must travel great distances to visit them—never forcing the master to come, unless under exceptional circumstances and even then adhering to proper protocol.

Finally, the Later Sage Sovereign warns: Cultivation of the Dao requires utmost sincerity and must never be taken lightly. Learning the Dao must adapt to circumstances—following mountain customs when in the mountains and city customs when in the city. This illustrates that spiritual practice must harmonize with the environment and never be forced.

Even the most humble commoner must strictly follow the teachings to receive transmission—never belittle one's master. Should anyone treat the Dao (the Way) with arrogance, showing disrespect through speech, they will lose the chance for human rebirth and descend into the realm of base ghosts.

There was once a frivolous woman, though merely the wife of a low-ranking official, who had cultivated some virtue and had even knelt before the Holy Lord as his disciple. Yet she suddenly spoke arrogantly, mocking others while excusing herself as ignorant in her youth—she had received the supreme "Three-Five Method" (an essential Daoist practice) from an ordinary woman and deeply regretted it. Lord Meng (a Daoist immortal official) responded: This is precisely the consequence of belittling the foolish and mocking one's master. Though she now holds the esteemed rank of "Celestial Consort" (a high female immortal title), her mortal eyes failed to recognize true Dao, committing a capital offense. She pleaded for the Celestial Worthy to manifest divine power and reveal how to repent.

The Holy Lord instructed her: Simply carry the "Three-Five Orthodox Method" with you at all times. On your Benming Day (the day corresponding to your birth's heavenly stem and earthly branch), confess your faults, and on every Jiazi Day, repent anew. Persist for two years, and you will surely attain the Dao. She followed this guidance, and after two years, the Holy Lord summoned her to serve as Grand Marshal of the Southern Palace, overseeing the affairs of the Ten Heavens, finally achieving immortal status.

This story warns against disrespecting one's master. The Holy Lord further instructed Master Yin (a realized adept): Even toward an ordinary teacher, disciples must never speak carelessly of their faults—how much more so for a true master of the Dao. If one shows contempt, Lord Lao (the Supreme Daoist deity) will see from afar and impose punishment. Light offenses cause both master and disciple to lose immortal rank; severe cases demote two grades, with the master also degraded. Remember this well!

Lord Lao (Laozi) declared: As a master transmitting the Great Dao, if one has not yet penetrated the Dao's origin—lacking the true ability to commune with heaven and earth or save the world—they are unworthy to teach. Recklessly transmitting supreme methods, causing the Dao's lineage to be broken, brings heavy retribution on both parties. Such crimes of revealing celestial secrets have precedents since the Yellow Emperor's era—Lord Nanshan (a Confucian recluse surnamed Nan, named Shan) though versed in rites and music, deeply understood the Dao, practicing in the mountains for over forty years...

This account recounts a story of improper transmission of Daoist teachings within a lineage. The celestial court discovered that over a thousand disciples were spreading Daoist methods in the mortal realm, prompting them to dispatch the Immortal Attendant (a celestial envoy) to investigate. The envoy first questioned Lord Nanshan (a cultivator): "Who is your master? Why are you teaching Daoist methods to the masses?" Lord Nanshan replied that his master was Lord Xishan.

The Immortal Attendant immediately summoned Lord Xishan and reprimanded him: "You claim to have attained the Dao, but what merit have you accumulated for heaven and earth? What contributions have you made to humanity? How dare you casually transmit the supreme Daoist teachings to Lord Nanshan and even expose them to ordinary people, leaking celestial secrets and defiling the sacred Dao-Qi (primordial energy)? You yourself have not yet perfected an immortal body—old, sick, and nearing death—what right do you have to recklessly guide others? The Supreme Lord of the Great Dao (one of the highest Daoist deities) has ordered me to investigate your improper transmission. You must confess truthfully so I may report to the celestial court and plead for leniency on your behalf."

Lord Xishan knelt and explained: He had long secluded himself in the mountains to cultivate, originally intending to save and guide people in the future. Lord Nanshan had knelt and begged earnestly to learn "Qi techniques" (energy cultivation methods) and three categories of secret texts—the Five Emperors' Numinous Talismans (five advanced talismans), the Three Sovereigns' Inner Registers (secret texts recording divine names), and the Golden Scriptures and Jade Registers (texts containing transmissions from twenty-four Daoist lords, including the Golden Lock and Flowing Pearl), totaling thirty-six volumes. These had been obtained earlier from Haotian Shi (an ancient divine figure) and, according to tradition, should be transmitted generation by generation without reckless dissemination. He pleaded for celestial forgiveness for leaking these heavenly texts.

The Immortal Attendant pointed out: Though it wasn't intentional disclosure, Lord Xishan had not yet perfected an immortal body himself, nor had he met the required cultivation period, thus violating celestial law. By statute, he should be stripped of his immortal status, but considering that Lord Guangcheng (an immortal from the Yellow Emperor's era) had vouched that no core secrets were leaked, he could be exempt from punishment. After Lord Xishan kowtowed in admission of guilt, the Immortal Attendant returned to the celestial palace to report to the Supreme Lord of the Dao.

The text concludes with a special note: This incident demonstrates that Daoist methods must not be transmitted recklessly but must strictly follow lineage rituals. Later, the Sacred Lord (likely referring to Laozi) warned the Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling): "The Three-Five Orthodox Methods (an important Daoist system) you inherited...". This account emphasizes the solemnity of esoteric Daoist transmission—practitioners must reach the appropriate level of attainment and adhere to liturgical norms (religious protocols) before teaching Daoist methods.

This scripture elucidates the cultivation system and ritual procedures of the "Five Numinous Methods" in Daoist practice. The so-called Five Numinous Methods (referring to the spirits of the Five Phases: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) form a fundamental practice essential for cultivation.

Practitioners must first thoroughly study the inner registers (secret talismanic texts transmitted within Daoism) from the Shangqing scriptures before receiving three distinct levels of "True Qi" (primordial energy). The highest is the Three Primes Original Qi (the foundational energy of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), corresponding to the celestial Way of Culture; the middle level is the Five Phases True Qi, corresponding to the celestial Way of Martiality; and the most basic is the Six Jia Spirit Qi (energy of the sixty Jiazi deities), corresponding to the human ways of culture and martiality. These three types of Qi are crucial for entering the Daoist path, helping practitioners find the correct gateway to cultivation.

The scripture details the steps of practice: one must first master the six fundamental methods—Three Primes, Five Phases, Six Jia, Seven Stars (the Big Dipper), Eight Trigrams (Bagua), and Nine Palaces—which enable command over celestial and terrestrial spirits. Upon completing this training, the master will conduct a ceremony in a sacred grotto-heaven (such as Kuocang Mountain Grotto in present-day Zhejiang) to bestow upon the disciple ritual banners and the ceremonial sword, while registering their name in the celestial records.

Through the Six Jia Method and the ritual pacing of the stars (a form of Yu-step ceremony), practitioners who perfect their cultivation may achieve daylight ascension. Those wishing to serve as Daoist officials in the human realm must have their master petition the celestial court to enroll their names in the heavenly registers. Finally, the text mentions how Celestial Master Zhang Daoling (Zhang Tianshi), following the command of Laozi (Taishang Laojun), established twenty-four parishes in Shu (modern Sichuan), each guiding ten thousand people toward immortality, corresponding to the doctrine of the Nine Immortal Palaces of the Earthly Domain (the subterranean celestial realm).

This scripture records the story of Water-Land Immortal Mother (Lady Peng, eldest daughter of Pengzu) attaining Daoist immortality. Initially married into the Wang family, she was widowed after ten years, then remarried into the Meng family only to be widowed again, after which she turned her heart toward spiritual cultivation.

At the beginning of her practice, she observed snakes writhing along the ground and began imitating their sinuous movements, practicing three steps daily for seven years. One day, a mysterious woman (the second daughter of Queen Mother of the West) suddenly appeared and revealed this wasn't random movement but a practice called "Serpent Steps and Dragon Guidelines" (Shebu Longgang), a method for warding off inauspicious energies.

The Queen Mother's daughter then transmitted to her the cultivation method of "Treading the Earthly Order" (Niediji). After fourteen years of sustained practice, Lady Peng ascended to the Supreme Immortal Realm east of the Eastern Sea, where she was enfeoffed as Water-Land Immortal Mother of Mount Fangzhang, presiding over female cultivators of both the mountain and coastal regions. Her immortal preceptor instructed that rapid attainment required teaching others, yet emphasized the need for discernment in transmission—methods should never be carelessly given to unsuitable recipients.

The text references the "Method of Three and Five" (Sanwu zhi Fa), an essential Daoist practice, stressing that directly pointing to cultivation's fundamental principles leads to swift attainment. Seven women in recent times achieved Dao through this method. Finally, the Immortal Sovereign Wangjun of Sacred Unity indicates this teaching belongs to the "Methods of Upper Primordial" (Shangyuan zhi Fa), representing superior Daoist cultivation essentials. Through Lady Peng's journey, the passage illustrates how proper methods combined with compassionate teaching form the twin pillars of authentic Daoist practice.