《雲笈七籤》Vol. 22

The five regions of Heaven and Earth are governed and held together by the forces of hardness and softness, so that they do not fall. Twenty hundred million li below the ground lies the Moistening Layer. Another twenty hundred million li farther down is the Golden Millet Marsh; another twenty hundred million li below that is the Vajra Iron Marsh; then, after a further twenty hundred million li, comes the Water Marsh; and eighty hundred million li below that is the Great Wind Marsh. Another five hundred and twenty hundred million li beneath the Great Wind Marsh lies the place where the cords and supports that hold Heaven and Earth in place and keep them from collapsing are found. The reason the sun, moon, and stars can move as they do today is that they are borne aloft by wind-energy.

If those who cultivate the Dao do not know the extent and depth of the layers beneath the earth, then even the Five Emperors are no more than beings dwelling beyond the borders of foreign lands.

In the east, ninety thousand li away, lies a place called Fuyudai. At its farthest edge is the Ruins of Haolin. There is a kingdom there called Heluoti. Its territory is round, and its soil is the color of bright, glossy jade fat. The land has no hills, and measures nine hundred thousand li across. Its people are two zhang tall and live for four hundred years. The kingdom has six kinds of sonic inscriptions, placed in the texts of the category concerning the Hu elders in foreign lands by the High and Supreme Primordial Qi. The High and Supreme constantly chants these sounds to instruct people such as the Hu elders, teaching them that a teaching of immortality exists in foreign lands. The people there all bow and recite these sounds, and so they enjoy a lifespan of four hundred years, without being fated to die before their time.

If a cultivator of the higher teachings knows the color of the lands in foreign regions and constantly chants these six sounds, he can summon Hu elder immortal officials to protect him. After nine years, he will naturally be able to travel through the kingdom of Heluoti and speak with the Hu elders, transform and fly through the air, and roam the farthest reaches of the eastern lands.

In the south, three hundred thousand li away, lies a place called Yanfuli. At its farthest edge is the Fields of Dongyang. There is a kingdom there called Yishatuo. Its land is flat and open, without rises or dips, and its soil is the color of cinnabar. It measures eight hundred and ten thousand li across. Its people are two zhang and four chi tall and live for three hundred and sixty years. The kingdom has six kinds of sonic inscriptions, which the High and Supreme…

The Most High, an honorific title for a revered Daoist deity, placed the “Rank of the Yue Lao” in a foreign land. He often chanted the corresponding melodies to teach the people of Yue Lao, so they would know that their country possessed teachings for attaining long life and immortality. Everyone in the land bowed and chanted these sounds, and so could live to the age of three hundred and sixty without dying young. If Daoist practitioners understood the foreign land’s terrain and soil color, and often chanted these six sounds, then after nine years of practice they would naturally be able to travel to the Kingdom of Yishatuo and converse with the Yue Lao Immortal Official. They could also transform their bodies, enter the Vermilion Palace, and fly through the territory of Nanyang.

In the west, seventy thousand li away, lies Juyeni, a western region whose boundary is the Ridge of Haosu. It is known as the Kingdom of Mingniweilüna. The land has many high ridges, joined to the Western Pass of Heaven. Its soil is white as jade, and the territory extends sixty-eight thousand li in every direction. The people there are one zhang and six chi tall and live for six hundred years. The kingdom has six inscribed sounds.

The Most High placed the “Rank of the Di Lao” in a foreign land. He often chanted the corresponding melodies to teach the people of Di Lao, so they would know that their country possessed teachings for attaining long life and immortality. Everyone in the land bowed and chanted these sounds, and so could live to the age of six hundred without dying young. If Daoist practitioners understood the foreign land’s terrain and soil color, and continued chanting in their practice, then after nine years they would naturally be able to travel to the Kingdom of Niweilüna and converse with the Di Lao Immortal Official. They could also fly through the depths of the mysterious void and roam the Ridge of Haosu.

In the north, five hundred thousand li away, lies Yudan, whose boundary is the Court of Northern Yin. It is known as the Kingdom of Xuntaluo. The land is flat and open, and its soil is black and moist. The territory extends fifty-eight thousand li in every direction. The people there are one zhang and two chi tall and live for three hundred years. The kingdom has six inscribed sounds.

The Most High placed the “Rank of the Qiang Lao” in a foreign land. He often chanted the corresponding melodies to teach the people of Qiang Lao, so they would know that their country possessed teachings for attaining long life and immortality. Everyone in the land bowed and chanted these sounds, and so could live to the age of three hundred without dying young. If Daoist practitioners understood the foreign land’s terrain and soil color, and continued chanting in their practice, then after nine years they would naturally be able to roam the Kingdom of Xuntaluo and converse with …

Qiang Lao, the name of an ancient immortal, spoke with people about flying on the wind, roaming through the mysterious and void realms, and feasting in the Court of Northern Yin.

Above the Nine Heavens, clear and pure Qi fills the void. There are no colors, images, forms, or shadows there. This is a realm of emptiness and mystery called the “Natural Land of Primordial Essence and Azure Chaos.” Its world is formed from azure Qi, lies at an immeasurably high distance, and is covered on every side by the heavens. The High and Exalted Jade Emperor and the myriad sacred emperors and perfected beings regard it as the source of life. Its inhabitants have measureless lifespans, reckoned in kalpas.

The realm of emptiness also contains inscriptions made up of six kinds of sounds. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning classified them as the natural grade of the True Sovereign. The High and Exalted chant them to prolong the lives of the assembled immortals and to help them understand that the mysterious void contains limitless true realms. The Jade Emperor and the myriad sacred emperors and perfected beings all bow and chant these sounds. If a cultivator recognizes the forms and colors of the realm of emptiness, and chants and practices accordingly, the Three Officials—the Daoist deities of Heaven, Earth, and Water—will descend, and the Five Emperors will come to their dwelling and bestow numinous sounds. After nine years of practice, one can ride the clouds upward and enter the Great Void of Jade Clarity.

Below China, at the immense land of wind and marsh, the distance to the ground is five hundred and twenty billion myriad li. The cords of the cosmic framework hold fast the earth’s roots and keep the land from falling. Its color is like the essence of gold, and its inscriptions of sound are called the “Land of Great Harmony, Precious Truth, and Measureless Abundance.” Mount Kunlun, the central peak, lies at the heart of this land. The heavens have other names, and above them stand the Dark Garden and the Palace of Seven Jeweled Pearls, which reaches the heavens and serves as a residence for the highest perfected beings and flying immortals.

This land of China extends for one hundred and twenty billion myriad li around. Its people are nine feet tall. They all study the arts of daoyin—cultivation for health through postures, breathing, and related methods—and live for twelve hundred years. The land contains inscriptions made up of six kinds of sounds, established by the High and Exalted as the Chinese grade. The High and Exalted Jade Emperor and Sovereign Lord chants these sounds to teach the elders of China that this land has a teaching of long life and immortality. Its people all cultivate the Way of Highest Clarity, bow and recite the scriptures, and so live for twelve hundred years without suffering an untimely death. If a cultivator recognizes the forms and colors of the Chinese land and chants and practices accordingly, the immortal official Qiang Lao will protect them. After nine years, they will naturally be able to speak with Qiang Lao, see into the Great Void, and fly through Highest Clarity.

The Nine Earths have thirty-six kinds of sounds.

Within the heavens are inscribed the thirty-six kinds of sounds of the Nine Earths. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning abides with them in the numinous void, establishes their names, and condenses them into natural names. He then reveals these names in the Nine Mysteries, sending them outward to circulate among thirty lands…

The content expressed by the six tones is as follows: Heaven and Earth each have thirty-six divisions. In Heaven are thirty-six Heavenly Kings, corresponding to the thirty-six realms; beneath the Earth are thirty-six Earth Emperors, corresponding to the thirty-six heavens. The Heavenly Kings govern the True Dao, while the Earth Emperors oversee the immortals’ studies and practice. If a seeker of the Dao does not know the inner tones of Heaven—the secret sounds or scriptures transmitted in the celestial realm—the Heavenly Kings will not record their name. If they do not know the inner tones of Earth, the Earth Emperors cannot erase their traces as a corpse or clear the obstacles blocking the path to immortality, and they will be unable to become an immortal.

If someone encounters and receives this formula of tones, the Heavenly Kings will examine them with the Mysterious Mirror. The Seven Sages will inscribe the text at the Turtle Terrace in the West, and the Lord of Donghua will record their name. The Earth Emperors will erase their traces as a corpse and wipe away their worldly tracks. The spirits of the Nine Yin will recommend them; the Five Sacred Powers of Shangqing will protect them; and the ten directions will support and welcome them, enabling them to travel through the six realms of immortals, quell all evil forces, and subdue the Five Weapons and the heavenly demons. After nine years of practice, they will be able to fly through the air and enter the sublime realm of the True Dao of Shangqing.

These precious celestial tones must not be proclaimed indiscriminately or disclosed carelessly. Anyone who violates the prohibitions will bring punishment upon seven generations of ancestors and lose their own life. Even after enduring the Three Paths, the Five Sufferings, and ten thousand kalpas, they will be unable to atone for it. Practitioners of the Dao should therefore observe the precepts with care.

The Method of Paying Reverence

The Heavenly Kings often travel on the eight seasonal nodes—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—and on the first day of each month. They survey the boundless heavens, move freely among cloud chambers, and gaze toward the ten directions from Yuqing, one of the highest celestial realms in Daoist teaching. Above the bright rosy clouds, they continually chant the inner tones of the heavens and the chapters of Flying Mystery, thereby celebrating the perfected beings of Heaven and bringing joy to the spirits. Clear, resonant jade tones echo through the void, while many wondrous sounds answer one another.

On each day associated with the north, the Divine Lords of the Five Elders take their places, the Nine Emperors hold court, the Four Offices—celestial bureaus responsible for matters such as inspection and recordkeeping—conduct their review, and the Five Emperors guard the spirits. All the perfected immortals chant together, and the myriad immortals pay their respects. The sun, moon, and stars briefly dim their radiance; the seven stars of the Northern Dipper shine forth; the waves of mountains and seas grow still; and the heavens become solemn and serene. The Eight Su, sacred beings or things found in Daoist scriptures and celestial realms, scatter flowers; the Four Emperors sweep away the dust; numinous winds carry fragrance; and green clouds release sweet dew. The celestial realm is deep and vast, and even Yuxu, the pure and empty abode of immortals in Daoist teaching, is filled with joy. In the clear, lofty immortal halls and the immense, remote reaches of space, spiritual powers penetrate the hidden depths and survey the boundless expanse. Those who attain this Dao can become companions of the Celestial Emperors. By diligently chanting these chapters, their rank may equal that of the immortal kings, their De (Virtue/Power) may accord with the heavens, and their lifespan may match that of the sun, moon, and stars.

Those who study the way of the highest immortals, aspire to ascend to Yuqing, and pay reverence to the Imperial Venerables must know the celestial tones and chapters of Flying Mystery of the thirty-six heavens. Otherwise, the thirty-six Heavenly Kings will not record their names. However diligently they practice, they will not receive the True Dao bestowed by Heaven; the Four Offices will not honor them, the Five Emperors will not welcome them, and heavenly demons will harass their cultivation. In the end, they will be unable to become immortals.

Those who wish to fly through the mystery of the void and travel freely among the Five Sacred Mountains, but do not know the hidden names of the thirty-six Earth Emperors of the Nine Earths, will…

If one cannot sever the connection between the “Three Corpses” (the Daoist impurities within the body) and the “Nine Earths” (the underworld beneath the earth), one cannot erase the traces one has left behind. All one’s efforts will then be in vain, and in the end one will only gaze from a secluded mountain at ascension that never comes.

Those who wish to practice this method must bathe, clear their minds, and observe ritual abstinence on each of the Eight Seasonal Nodes and on the first day of every month. They should enter a quiet room, burn incense, and pay obeisance to the heavens. Then, facing north, they should click their teeth thirty-six times and softly recite the incantation:

“Your disciple, (甲乙), sets their heart on and yearns for the immortals. On the days of the Eight Seasonal Nodes, I pay homage to the Heavenly Worthies. First, I pray to rise through the air, ride the void, and transform into flying mist; to ascend beyond to Jade Purity (the Daoist realm of subtle purity), and roam through the heavens. May I transform my body, so that the Five Spirits (the divine beings said to dwell within the body, associated with the five directions) ascend through the Moon Gate. May I look up and drink the water of the Eight Lofty Peaks, the Stone Radiance, the Jade Womb, and the Flying Root; may I long receive the radiance of the vermilion sun and endure alongside its light. Second, may the Four Extremities (the spirits of the farthest reaches in the four directions) impart their formulas to me, and may the immortals of Western Florescence (the western immortal realm) come to guard me. May I command the Golden Dawn and travel with the Five Elders and the Eight Radiances in a carriage. I have now set out these five wishes one by one; may they all be fulfilled. May my body unite with Nature, may the True Spirit descend, and may I be granted a place among the ascending immortals.”

When the recitation is complete, first lie face upward, bow six times, and swallow six times. Then face west, south, east, northwest, and southeast in turn, bowing six times and swallowing six times in each direction. In all, this makes thirty-six bows toward the six directions, paying homage to the thirty-six heavens. Then return to the north, sit upright, and recite once the “Mystic Song of Flight Through the Thirty-Six Heavens.” Bow six more times and swallow six times to conclude the rite.

This is the supreme method of “Paying Homage to the Thirty-Six Heavens from On High.” After nine years of practice, a cloud chariot will descend from heaven, accompanied by the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars, and arrive at the practitioner’s chamber. Their name will be inscribed in the Azure Palace (a palace in the Daoist immortal realm) and entered on the registers of the Four Offices (heavenly bureaus responsible for such matters as record keeping and assessment). The beings of the Ten Realms will all respectfully welcome the practitioner, who will ride through the air and ascend to Jade Dawn (a Daoist immortal realm). This method is profound and must not be casually taught or divulged. If this precious scripture is carelessly revealed, one’s seven generations of ancestors will be implicated, and one will be put to work by ghost officials, confined for a long time in the Three Paths (realms of suffering in Daoist thought), with no pardon through ten thousand kalpas.

Inner Sounds of the Nine Profound, Thirty-Six Heavens from On High

First Heaven: The Boundless Heaven of Uncolored, Depressed Singleness, Supreme Origin and Radiance. Its Heavenly King is named Yingbo; his surname is Hun, and the characters of his personal name are missing from the original.

Second Heaven: The Formless Heaven of Clear Subtlety. Its Transforming-Rising Heavenly King has the surname Feng; his personal name is given as Ti’asha.

Third Heaven: The Heaven of Essence-Free Pararuo. Its Dark Mystery Heavenly King has the surname Yun; his personal name is Kuíling.

Fourth Heaven: The Heaven of Entering Form, Water, Boundless Billions of Myriad Heavens. Its Flying Ancestry Heavenly King has the surname Wang; his personal name is Awei.

Fifth Heaven: The Boundless-Lifespan Heaven of the Supreme, Supreme Meditation of Limitless Grotto-Clear Purity. The Cloud-Net Heaven …

The sixth level is called “Heaven of the Brahmā Throat, the Yu-yu of the Upper Void, and the Mysterious Subtlety of Naturalness.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Luo, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Bi” or “Licha.”

The seventh level is called “Heaven of Xuanna, the Mysterious One Above, Where the Clear, Unconditioned, and Uncontentious Prevails.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Fan, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Mo” or “Shoubo.”

The eighth level is called “Heaven of Yunxie, the Pure Beyond the Frontier of Qina, Where Brahmā Practice Rises Above and the Clear Qi Prevails.” The text giving the Heavenly King’s surname is damaged. His personal name is written in two ways: “Qian” or “Shouke.”

The ninth level is called “Heaven of Huimo, Where the Boundless Grotto-Void Reaches the Supreme Heights and Extends Beyond.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Ze. The text giving his personal name is damaged, and neither of the two versions can be made out.

The tenth level is called “Heaven of Yun’a, the Pure Moon of Luojia, Where Mysterious Brahmā, Jade Void, and the Qi Without Essence Prevail.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Zhou, and his personal name is written in two ways: “A” or “Jiaxu.”

The eleventh level is called “Heaven of Chongmu, the Red Heaven Above, Where Mysterious Qi and the Primordial Reach the Numinous.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Dan, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Qing” or “Jing𤤠.”

The twelfth level is called “Heaven of Shibi, Where Great Brahmā, the Mysterious Unconditioned, and Qi Depart from Harmony and Conduct.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Zhou, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Fen” or “Ruo.”

The thirteenth level is called “Heaven of the Heavenly King of Jia, Where the Jade Void of the Numinous Above the Limitless Reaches Mysterious Grotto-Silence.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Jin. The text giving his personal name is damaged, and neither of the two versions can be made out.

The fourteenth level is called “Heaven of Yunchi, the Mysterious Wonder of Panluo, Where the True Qi Above the Formless Brahmā Is Treasured.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Sui, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Li” or “Muyin.”

The fifteenth level is called “Heaven of Buli, the Virtue of Fortune, Where Flying Brahmā Practice and the True Above the Mysterious Arise.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Wang, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Wei” or “Boli.”

The sixteenth level is called “Heaven of Shiliang, the Pure Heaven Near the □ Frontier of the Middle Origin, Where Cloud-Brahmā Essence Flows.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Zhu, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Li” or “Ai.”

The seventeenth level is called “Heaven of Liufen, the Heaven of Untroubled Joy Beyond the Boundless, Where the Mysterious Above and the Grotto’s Utmost Are Without Limit.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Ning, and his personal name is written in two ways: “𩅺” or “Huo□.”

The eighteenth level is called “Heaven of Yuanshen, the Heaven Near the Frontier, Where Great Brahmā, the Mysterious Azure, and the Primordial Essence Reach Harmony.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is A, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Ming” or “Xiu.”

The nineteenth level is called “Heaven of Donggan, Where Brahmā Practice and the Purple Void Rise to the Primordial, and the First Banner Is Gladly Seen.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Liu, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Qie” or “Shan.”

The twentieth level is called “Heaven of Feiyi, Where the Unconditioned Brahmā Above the Clear Transforms the Numinous, and Xuantuo Forms Attachment.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Peng, and his personal name is written in two ways: “Yi” or “Na.”

The twenty-first level is called “Heaven of Yuxie, Where the Supreme Beyond All Scenery and the Subtle Grotto Transform and Answer Sound.” Its Heavenly King’s surname is Hui. The text giving his personal name is damaged, and neither of the two versions can be made out.

The twenty-second level is called “Heaven of the Great Brahmā, the Nine Mysterious, and the Middle Origin’s Qi, Where the Way Is Given to An’a.”

The Heavenly King of the twenty-third rank belongs to the “Heaven of Brahma’s Origin, Clear and Below, Where the numinous Qi reaches Suda.” His surname is Qian; his name is Nigu.

The Heavenly King of the twenty-fourth rank belongs to the “Heaven of the Ultimate Brahma, the Cavern of Subtlety, the Ninefold Numinous Qi reaching Dai’ana.” His surname is Zhou; his name is Nanshou.

The Heavenly King of the twenty-fifth rank belongs to the “Heaven of the Nameless Supreme, the Cavern of Subtlety, the Treasure of Brahma.” His surname is Jing; his name is Wuyun.

The Heavenly King of the twenty-sixth rank belongs to the “Heaven of Subtle Brahma and Mysterious Qi, where Qi reaches Shanji and the Way and De.” His surname is Luo; his name is Xu’amo.

The Heavenly King of the twenty-seventh rank belongs to the “Heaven of Empty Brahma, where Qi naturally gives rise to awareness and wisdom.” His surname is Yun; his name is Yuantuo.

The Heavenly King of the twenty-eighth rank belongs to the “Heaven of Empty Brahma’s Middle Realm, Jiyuan Yitan.” His surname is Zhu; his name is Zhongsheng.

The Heavenly King of the twenty-ninth rank belongs to the “Heaven of the Supreme Ultimate without bounds, the Purple Void, the Cavern of the Deep, Brahma’s Jiama.” His surname is Yun; his name is Hong.

The Heavenly King of the thirtieth rank belongs to the “Heaven of Green Brahma, Natural Awareness and Wisdom, Entering the Clouds of the Nine Heavens.” His surname is Jia; his name is Shiwenzhuo.

The Heavenly King of the thirty-first rank belongs to the “Heaven of Mysterious Brahma’s Great Practice, without form, without thought, and endowed with wisdom.” His surname is Yi; his name is Tan’a.

The Heavenly King of the thirty-second rank belongs to the “Heaven of the Heavenly Clouds, Brahma’s Upper Course, Weixian Atan, and the Righteous Assembly.” His surname is Zhong; his name is Yunxunbo.

The Heavenly King of the thirty-third rank belongs to the “Heaven of Formlessness and Mysterious Clarity, the Cavern of Subtlety, Bolidahe.” His surname is Wang; his name is Ling.

The Heavenly King of the thirty-fourth rank belongs to the “Heaven of Mysterious Brahma Above, the Cavern of Subtlety, where Brahma’s Qi is A’gehan’na.” His surname is Huan; his name is Duoshizong.

The Heavenly King of the thirty-fifth rank belongs to the “Heaven of Mysterious Green Brahma, where all things are extinguished.” His surname is Zhu; his name is Tuoyunmi.

The Heavenly King of the thirty-sixth rank belongs to the “Heaven of Supreme Form, Brahma’s Mud Weixian Ruona, ascending above.” His surname is Yuan; his name is Yuanzhu.

The names of these thirty-six heavens arose before the primordial Qi of the Empty Cavern. Their patterned splendor appeared on Mount Kunlun. The lofty, supreme sounds are the jade inscriptions of these heavens; the High Ministers gathered their mysterious chapters. These chapters inherit the laws that arise naturally from the Great Void: above, they display mysterious diagrams; in the middle, they govern the six kingdoms and thirty-six kinds of sound; below, they encompass the nine regions and the imperial numinous chapters of the lands in thirty-six directions.

This is the celestial king’s song of wandering, and a sacred text of the Empty Mystery, the profound and subtle realm described in Daoism. The whole work consists of six韵.

The vital energies of the four directions join together, and the four quarters return to the true in perfect order. The nine imperial lords each have their own titles. The thirty-six heavens govern all vital energies and preside over the immortals. From the boundless, formless, and colorless heavens above, down to the source and abyss of the Cavern, all immortals ranked among the Supreme Zhen and Flying Immortals are unable to roam through the boundless heavens unless they have received the Jade Utterance, the decree or sacred teaching sent down from the celestial realm.

For anyone who obtains this text, the celestial king will write and engrave their name in the Purple Register, the celestial roll of names, and record it at Jade Dawn. After thirty-six years, they will be able to ascend to the colorless heavens and descend to explore the source of the Nine Earths. The supreme and wondrous Dao must not be passed down to those below. If lower immortals carelessly disclose the precious celestial utterances, their ancestors for seven generations will be punished, and they themselves will suffer the torment of the blade mountain and endure the Three Tribulations and Five Sufferings, the many hardships described in Daoism. Even after ten thousand kalpas, they will not be pardoned.

Inner Inscription of the Thirty-Six Sounds of the Cavern Abyss and Nine Earths

The following lists the levels of the Nine Earths. For each level, it records four kinds of sound: the true sound, the sound of movement, the sound of wandering, and the Brahma sound, along with the surname and taboo name of its Earth Emperor.

First Layer, Earth of Moist Color:

True sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Qin, and his taboo name is Xiaojingchun;

Sound of movement: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Huang, and his taboo name is Changshangwen;

Sound of wandering: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Qing, and his taboo name is Xuanwenji;

Brahma sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Fei, and his taboo name is Zhongzhenxing.

Second Layer, Earth of Firm Color:

True sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Wu, and his taboo name is Kunwenguang;

Sound of movement: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Yu, and his taboo name is Huangmusheng;

Sound of wandering: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Xuan, and his taboo name is Qiandewéi;

Brahma sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Chang, and his taboo name is Huangmeng.

Third Layer, Earth of Stone-Grease Color:

True sound: the original text reads “Ten Emperors”; the surname is Zhang, and the taboo name is Weishenbao;

Sound of movement: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Zhou, and his taboo name is Boshangren;

Sound of wandering: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Zhu, and his taboo name is Mingchezi;

Brahma sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Geng, and his taboo name is Wenjingshi.

Fourth Layer, Moist Earth:

True sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Jia, and his taboo name is Yunzigao;

Sound of movement: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Xie, and his taboo name is Bowuyuan;

Sound of wandering: the original text reads “Si”; the surname is Si, and the taboo name is Wenqinzhèn;

Brahma sound: the Earth Emperor’s surname is Xing, and his taboo name is Jizhengfang.

The fifth layer is called “Golden-Grain Marsh Earth.” The Earth Emperor of Correct Sound, who governs the land at this level, has the surname Hua and the name Yanjiming; the Earth Emperor of Moving Sound has the surname Huang and the name Lingworong; the Earth Emperor of Wandering Sound has the surname Yun and the name Tanwuyuan; and the Earth Emperor of Brahma Sound has the surname Jiang and the name Tongbaguang.

The sixth layer is called “Diamond-Iron Marsh Earth.” The Earth Emperor of Correct Sound has the surname Li and the name Shangshaojun; the Earth Emperor of Moving Sound has the surname Fan and the name Laili’an; the Earth Emperor of Wandering Sound has the surname Chang and the name Lijiyuan; and the Earth Emperor of Brahma Sound has the surname Wang and the name Sinürong.

The seventh layer is called “Water-Control Marsh Earth.” The Earth Emperor of Correct Sound has the surname Tang and the name Chushengying; the Earth Emperor of Moving Sound has the surname Hao and the name Zhengfatu; the Earth Emperor of Wandering Sound has the surname Han and the name Gaowenche; and the Earth Emperor of Brahma Sound has the surname Jing and the name Zhonglongshou.

The eighth layer is called “Great-Wind Marsh Earth.” The Earth Emperor of Correct Sound has the surname Ge and the name Xuanshengxian; the Earth Emperor of Moving Sound has the surname Hua and the name Maoyunchang; the Earth Emperor of Wandering Sound has the surname Yang and the name Zhendongxuan; and the Earth Emperor of Brahma Sound has the surname Zhou and the name Shangjingyuan.

The ninth layer is called “Cave-Deep, Colorless, Firm, and Interconnected Earth Qi.” The Earth Emperor of Correct Sound has the surname Ji and the name Wushangxuan; the Earth Emperor of Moving Sound has the surname Sheng and the name Xuyuanhao; the Earth Emperor of Wandering Sound has the surname Zhao and the name Shangboxuan; and the Earth Emperor of Brahma Sound has the surname Nong and the name Qinyuanbo.

The layers listed above are the lowest of the nine layers of earth, called “Cave-Deep.” Its roots in the depths hold Heaven and Earth together and keep them from falling. From this layer up to the first layer is a distance of fifty-two billion myriad li.

The boundless regions below, with no limit or edge, are all governed by the Qi of the Guiding Cord.

This is the ninth layer of the earth’s ramparts. On the first day of the third month, the second day of the sixth month, the third day of the ninth month, and the fourth day of the twelfth month each year, the Earth Emperor rides a cloud carriage of five colors, driven by nine-colored flying dragons. Holding the seal of the Spirit of the Central Origin, he leads the Immortal Officials of the Canglao and the Feathered Riders Who Shine in Heaven, along with twelve thousand attendants, ascending to the Heaven of Bolidaduohe to report to the Lords of the Four Heavens the names of those in the nine earths who have studied the Dao and attained immortality.

Those who practice the highest methods should enter a room at night on these days and face the Grand Year. On white paper, write “The Inner Sounds of the Four Earth Emperors,” then swallow the paper’s ashes. Next, click the teeth twelve times and, with the head raised, visualize the four Earth Emperors. Imagine them dressed in dark yellow and five-colored robes, wearing precious crowns of the Nine Origins that reach through heaven, and five-colored shoes patterned with lions. They hold talismans of inscribed patterns that preserve life and ride flying carriages of yellow radiance. Behind them follow thirty-six Jade Maidens of the Five Emperors as they ascend to the Heaven of Bolidaduohe.

Then recite the incantation:

“The two forms turn back; the nine essences open to the numinous. The Elder Emperors respond to the command of the talisman, rising through the air into the realm of pure emptiness. The four directions are open, the eight sides unobstructed. Riding flying clouds and purple jade, I ascend to Golden Splendor and pay audience to the numinous sovereign. My name is entered in the register of immortals, my title engraved in the Azure Palace. The name by which I attained the Dao is written on a white slip; my designation is sealed away. May the seven spirits and nine ramparts dissolve my corpse and refine my form. May my form be refined in the Eastern Well, and the Qi of the three nines descend. The Dao I cultivate is now manifest; I may ride the flying radiance and ascend to the Jade Court.”

When you have finished reciting, bow sincerely nine times and swallow the Qi twelve times, then stop. Practice in this way for thirty-six years, and you will be able to ride a flying carriage of yellow radiance and ascend to the Heaven of Bolidaduohe.

The nine earths have nine layers of earth’s ramparts, extending downward through nine levels. They correspond to thirty-six kinds of sound and thirty-six Earth Emperors. Above, the Earth Emperors correspond to the thirty-six heavens; in the middle, they correspond to thirty-six kingdoms. Each of the thirty-six Earth Emperors holds a rank equal to the Jade Emperor’s. They differ only in the Qi each has received and in the upper and lower regions they govern, which is why their titles are different.

Every thirty-six years, the Earth Emperors change their titles and enter the Palace of Highest Clarity, taking up the offices of the kings of the thirty-six heavens and the officials of the Jade Registry. Beneath the nine layers of earth’s ramparts, they select the names of those who have studied the Dao and attained immortality, and report them to the kings of the nine heavens. If a person studying the Dao does not know the earth-sounds of the nine ramparts and the inner taboos of the thirty-six Earth Emperors, the nine earths will not erase their traces, and the Chancellor of the Nine Heavens will not accept their name. The Five Peaks will not send down a cloud carriage, and the Five Emperors will not protect their body. Such a person knows only the sounds of foreign lands and cannot receive aid and guidance to ascend to heaven. Thus, heaven and earth…

Each person receives three sets of three Qi. Only when these three are joined can one become a Perfected One, and then attain immortality.

Anyone who knows the sounds of the Nine Earths and the secret names of the thirty-six Earth Emperors will know the nine Qi zhang…

People are often protected by spirit officials of the four directions and five colors, who accompany them in their comings and goings and travels. When they ascend the Five Sacred Mountains, immortal officials accompany and escort them, destroying demonic obstacles, helping them withstand ordeals, and welcoming the descent of divine Perfected Ones.

After nine years of practice, one can ascend into the void, sit upright, and vanish at once. After thirty-six years of practice, one can rise to the Great Clarity, the Daoist realm of pure emptiness, and dwell there.

If this scripture is obtained in the human world, the Seven Mysteries and Nine Ancestors—that is, one’s ancestors throughout the generations—will become subordinate officials of the Supreme Sovereign of the Nine Qi and Fated Spirits. The officials in charge will protect their bodies and soothe their souls. The Elders of Haoli, the Minister of the Mound, and his clerks will all drive away calamities and misfortunes on their behalf, so they will no longer suffer confinement, punishment, or forced labor. While dwelling in the human world, they will also enjoy peace and avoid disaster. The Twelve Guardian Generals protect the four directions and defend the Eight Gates, enabling people to reach the realm of the Real and summon spirits. Whoever wishes for wealth can become wealthy; whoever wishes for office can become an official; whoever wishes to become an immortal can become an immortal; and whoever wishes to become a spirit can become a spirit.

This Daoist method is profound and mysterious and must not be proclaimed casually. The High Minister Qing Tong, a Daoist immortal, received its oral secret teachings from the heights above. Anyone who recklessly divulges this numinous text will cause seven generations of ancestors to be made into laborers, with no pardon even after ten thousand kalpas.

How to Discern Whether Land Is Auspicious or Inauspicious When Settling on a Mountain or Choosing a Home

If you wish to settle on a mountain or choose a site for a home and determine whether the land is auspicious or inauspicious, on a day of Wu or Ji place a sheet of yellow paper inscribed with the Nine Earths and Thirty-Six Sounds at the center of the dwelling, then cover it with a basin. After three nights, uncover it and inspect the paper. A moist yellow mark is highly auspicious. Green means there is the spirit of a dead person beneath the ground; white is an ill omen; red portends alarm or fear; black portends the acquisition of treasure; and purple indicates that immortals may be attained. If the paper shows no change, the place is suitable only for three years of residence; staying longer may bring harm.

The Eastern Kingdom of Heluoti

The inscription of the first grade is pronounced “Wuyi.”

The inscription of the second grade is pronounced “Boni.”

The inscription of the third grade is pronounced “Jiunan.”

The inscription of the fourth grade is pronounced “Jiluo.”

The inscription of the fifth grade is pronounced “Wusi.”

The inscription of the sixth grade is pronounced “Yunzhi.”

Ninety thousand li east of China lies a kingdom called Heluoti, also known as the Land Where the Sun Is Born. Beyond its borders is Fusang, situated in the blue sea; this land extends ten thousand li in each direction. Above Fusang stands the Palace of the Great Thearch, a separate residence of the King of Great Truth.

The trees in the shape of mulberry trees all grow to several thousand zhang high. The largest has a trunk three thousand armspans around. Two trees grow with their roots joined, and bear fruit as red as mulberries, which immortals gather and eat. After eating it, their bodies shine with golden light. These trees bear fruit only once every nine thousand years.

Beyond Fusang lies Shengzhou. To the west, it joins Penglai. The island stretches two thousand five hundred li in every direction and lies two hundred and thirty thousand li from the shore. Tens of thousands of immortal households live there. The climate has no changes of heat or cold; all four seasons are mild, and many immortal fungi and numinous herbs grow there. Those who eat these herbs can rise into the air and fly.

East of Fusang, in the East Sea, lies Zuzhou. It stretches five hundred li in every direction and lies seventy thousand li from the shore. The island grows an herb of immortality, shaped like young wild rice shoots and three or four chi tall. It is also called “Nourishing-Spirit Fungus.” Its leaves resemble wild rice leaves, and each plant grows alone rather than in a clump. Eating it enables one to fly. If it is placed over someone who has died, that person will come back to life. It is a wondrous and miraculous medicine.

To enter Zuzhou, one should know the name of this herb. The immortal official Hu Lao once gathered it there. He visualized the herb’s color and took it; three years later, his face shone with a flowing radiance, and his lifespan extended to ten thousand years. If one takes it for a long time, an immortal will naturally arrive bearing this divine medicine and bring it to one’s side.

The Kingdom of Yishatuo in the South

The inscription in the First Grade is pronounced “Yinghua.”

The inscription in the Second Grade is pronounced “Yujia.”

The inscription in the Third Grade is pronounced “Womo.”

The inscription in the Fourth Grade is pronounced “Yaopa.”

The inscription in the Fifth Grade is pronounced “Wudu.”

The inscription in the Sixth Grade is pronounced “Feipu.”

The Kingdom of Yishatuo lies in the south, eighty-one thousand li from the Central Plains, beyond Jambudvipa, in the wilds of Dongyang. This kingdom is also called the Heavenly Fire Court of Tianzhu. Beyond its borders lies a long island called Qingqiu, in the Chen and Si directions of the Southern Sea. It stretches five thousand li in every direction and lies two hundred thousand li from the shores of the surrounding seas.

Heavenly trees grow on Qingqiu. They are three thousand zhang tall, and the largest measure two thousand armspans around. The island abounds in numinous medicines, sweet dew, and jade essence. Its inhabitants can all live to the age of three hundred and sixty. The island also has a kind of numinous fox, as large as a dog, with golden fur. Its cries carry four thousand li, and its might can subdue tigers, leopards, and all kinds of birds. Wearing its fur allows one to live as long as Heaven and Earth.

East of Qingqiu lies Wind Mountain, which often resounds with tremors. At its summit stands the Purple Mansion Palace, where the Celestial Perfected dwell…

There is also a place where immortals and jade maidens roam and take in the sights: Yan Isle, in the middle of the Southern Sea. It is two thousand li across and ninety thousand li from the coast. A beast called the Wind-Born Beast lives there. It resembles a leopard, is blue, and is about the size of a wildcat. Even if left in a blazing fire for a whole month, it will not die, and its fur will not scorch. It cannot be harmed by knives or stabbing. Only after its head is struck thousands of times with iron bells clashed together will it die. It opens its mouth to catch the wind and soon comes back to life. If stone-grown sweet flag is used to plug its nostrils, it will die. It is said that taking its brain together with chrysanthemum can make one live as long as Heaven and Earth.

There is also Firewood Mountain, home to the Firelight Beast. It is about the size of a mouse, with fur three or four inches long, sometimes red and sometimes white. At midnight, when seen from afar among the mountain’s trees, these beasts shine so brightly that they seem to be burning. Cloth woven from their fur is called “fire-washed cloth”: if it gets even slightly stained, burning it in a fire will make it white again. The people of the Kingdom of Ishatu wear this cloth. Once the beast’s fur is obtained, the immortals will reveal themselves. Those who cultivate the Dao should remember the language of this kingdom. After the old immortal official Siyue has cultivated for thirty-six years, divine beings should present you with this beast and the wonders of its homeland.

The Kingdom of Niveilu Lǜna in the West

The inscription for the First Grade is read “Hualian.”

The inscription for the Second Grade is read “Gaoxuan.”

The inscription for the Third Grade is read “Mingshen.”

The inscription for the Fourth Grade is read “Tuchan.”

The inscription for the Fifth Grade is read “Xingzhen.”

The inscription for the Sixth Grade is read “Zhutian.”

Sixty thousand li west of China lies a place called Juyeni. Beyond it are dazzling white hills and cold caves: the Kingdom of Niveilu Lǜna, also called the Kingdom of Yunhu Yuezhi. Its people live for six hundred years.

Beyond its borders lies Flowing Isle, south of the Western Sea. It is three thousand li across and one hundred ninety thousand li from the eastern shore. Tens of thousands of immortals live there. Kunwu stone grows on the island and can be worked into iron. Swords made from it gleam like crystal and cut jade as easily as mud.

Phoenix-Qilin Isle lies in the middle of the sea. It is one thousand five hundred li across and surrounded on all sides by Weak Water, said to be unable to support even a swan’s feather. Several thousand immortals live there, and phoenixes and qilin roam in herds. The island is also home to the Auspicious Light Beast. It resembles a wildcat, can speak the Hu language, and sounds like a Sanskrit chant. It is associated with the country’s … [the original text ends here]

When human beings can communicate with animals, the fur on their bodies shines brightly. These animals are mounts ridden by immortals. Whoever obtains their fur will live as long as Heaven and Earth. If a practitioner of the Dao visualizes the land of Xuntaluo, the immortal official Di Lao will descend after thirty-six years and present you with a Kunwu sword and a Jiguang beast.

The Northern Land of Xuntaluo

The inscription of the first grade is read “Xuanjia”;

the inscription of the second grade, “Wenduo”;

the inscription of the third grade, “Shanlu”;

the inscription of the fourth grade, “Wudu”;

the inscription of the fifth grade, “Yingjia”;

the inscription of the sixth grade, “Xuanmo.”

Fifty thousand li north of China lies a place called “The Court of Yudanjishuo Yin Gouchen.” Its country is named Xuntaluo, and it is also known as the Land of the Heavenly Mirror. Its people live for three hundred years.

Beyond Xuntaluo lies Xuanzhou, seven thousand two hundred li across and surrounded on all sides by the sea. It is three hundred and sixty thousand li from the coast. On the island stands the Great Mysterious Capital, governed by immortal lords and perfected adepts. There is a bird there called “Luan □,” shaped like a drifting mass of qi. The island has many mountains, known as Feng Mountain, which reaches the northwest gate of Heaven. There are halls of gold and chambers of jade, palaces and official residences. Gold, jade, and purple lingzhi grow there, and it is a place governed by the Three Heavens.

Farther out lies Yuanzhou, three thousand li across and one hundred thousand li from the southern shore. Five kinds of lingzhi grow on the island, along with a stream called Xuanjian, whose water tastes like honey. Those who drink it live as long as Heaven and Earth. Thirty thousand immortal households dwell on the island. They all drink this water and thereby become immortals who never die. If a practitioner of the Dao visualizes this land, the immortal official Qiang Lao will descend after thirty-six years and present you with Xuanjian water and the five kinds of lingzhi.

The Upper Realm of Original Essence, Azure Chaos, and Natural Being

The orthodox inscription of the first grade is read “Chongquan”;

the orthodox inscription of the second grade, “Yujin”;

the orthodox inscription of the third grade, “Sanlin”;

the orthodox inscription of the fourth grade, “Zhengjing”;

the orthodox inscription of the fifth grade, “Xiling”;

the orthodox inscription of the sixth grade, “Luying.”

Above the nine heavens, amid the clear, vast expanse of empty space, lies a hollow land without color, image, form, or shadow. It is called the Land of Original Essence, Azure Chaos, and Natural Being, and is also known as the Land of Dong’ao and Qingyan. It is formed from azure qi and extends upward without end. The original text is unfinished here.

The Jade Void’s Purple Halls envelop the many heavens, gathering into an ethereal and mysterious atmosphere within a realm where the azure chaos has yet to divide. If practitioners can focus their thoughts and recite the sublime sounds of Heaven, the immortals above will teach them the methods of ascending to immortality.

This passage describes the methods of flying ascent. At the center lies an immortal realm called the “Boundless Kingdom of Great Harmony and Precious Truth.”

The true sound of the First Grade is called “Shanlu”; the Second Grade, “Shijia”; the Third Grade, “Cu’e”; the Fourth Grade, “Yinghua”; the Fifth Grade, “Zhai’pa”; and the Sixth Grade, “Luona.”

China extends for 12 billion li in every direction, and at its lowest reaches it connects to the Great Wind Marsh, which is 52 billion li deep. Mount Kunlun stands at the center, surrounded by the Weak River. It rises 36,000 li above the plains. Its summit is triangular, with each side 10,000 li long, and shaped like an overturned basin: narrow at the center and broad at the top.

The summit has three corners. The one due north is the Terrace of Langfeng, formed from the essence of the Thousand-Chen stars; the one due west is the Terrace of Xuanpu; and the one due east is the Kunlun Palace. There stands a Heavenly City of Yong built from piled gold, 1,000 li long on each side. Five golden terraces and twelve jade towers rise above the city.

To the north of the city, ranges including Mount Chengyuan join together as its branches and protective barriers. There are also golden terraces and jade towers like those in the Heavenly City of Yong, along with the Gate of Flowing Essence, the Hall of Luminous Jade, the Chamber of Jade Blossoms, and the Purple and Emerald Elixir Chambers. Auspicious clouds reflect the sunlight, while vermilion clouds shine with nine colors. This is where the Queen Mother of the West, the supreme female immortal of Daoist mythology, resides and rules.

This place reaches upward to the Jade Pivot, the hub of the heavenly bodies’ movements. Original Qi flows through it, while the Five Constant Jade Balances guide the profound Qi of the Nine Heavens everywhere and pour it into the roots of the myriad immortals. It is the pivot of Heaven and Earth and the source of the laws that govern the movement of all things.

Golden and silver trees grow on the mountain. In the groves are branches like fine jade and vermilion sacred trees; coral-like tassels grow into branches, and jade essence congeals into fruit. The trees are inscribed with the writing of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms and the jade script of the various heavens. Purple swallows, phoenixes and luan birds, white sparrows, vermilion eagles, kun birds, numinous swans, red birds, and blue magpies perch in their branches. Beneath them, birds and beasts roam. They grow together with Mount Kunlun and know neither death nor decline.

The precious scriptures of mysterious writing, hidden books, and ancient characters comprise 1.2 trillion words. They are kept above Xuanpu, on the shaded side of Mount Jishi. Ninety thousand immortals live and study throughout the numinous mountains, and practitioners often recite the inner sounds of the various heavens as well as languages from beyond the realm.

There are thirty-six kinds of sound in the nine subterranean layers (the Nine Ramparts). After nine years of cultivation, immortals will naturally descend.

The wondrous power of sending the spirit to the mountain: after thirty-six years of cultivation, one can ride a five-colored cloud chariot and ascend Mount Kunlun.