《雲笈七籤》Vol. 43

In the morning, visualize the Cavern-Heaven (the sacred realm of the celestial world); at noon, visualize the Cavern-Earth (the sacred realm of the earthly world); and at midnight, visualize the Cavern-Abyss (the deep and hidden abyssal realm). Alternatively, at noon you may visualize all Three Zhen (the perfected spirits of the Cavern-Heaven, Cavern-Earth, and Cavern-Abyss) at once.

Then enter a quiet room, face east, and click your teeth together thirty-two times. First close your eyes and visualize the blue and red Qi in the Qingwei Palace of the Su Ling Palace overlapping and descending in dense streams, entering the Upper Mud-Wan Palace within your body (the divine palace in your head). Then swallow nine mouthfuls of Qi. Next, visualize the red and yellow Qi in the Lantai Palace overlapping and descending as before, entering the Crimson Palace within your body (the palace of the heart). Then swallow nine mouthfuls of Qi. Next, visualize the white and black Qi in the Huangtang Palace overlapping and descending in the same way, entering the Dantian Palace below your navel. Then swallow nine mouthfuls of Qi. After swallowing the Qi of the Three Caverns, tilt your head back and pray:

“Heaven and Earth are in primordial chaos, their source deep and distant. The Three Essences (the three kinds of vital essence that form Heaven and Earth) condense and transform from the Original Beginning; the Five Qi blend and give rise to life. The Qi of the Mysterious Origin transforms and flows, filling my body. I consume the rosy clouds and ascend to the Purple Court (the celestial court); the Northern Emperor frees me from death, and Donghua records my name. I perceive what is subtle and hidden, and thereby unite with the Emperor.”

When you have finished praying, click your teeth together nine more times. Visualize the Original Cavern, Original Brightness, and Original Radiance Extending the Spirit, Luminous Original Lord of Mysterious Chaos, bestowing upon you the Talisman of Yang Rosy Clouds and Vermilion Brilliance. Then visualize the clothing, name, and taboo name of the Cavern-Heaven’s life-generating official. Following the method described above, let them descend from the Qingwei Palace of the Su Ling Palace and enter, in sequence, the Mud-Wan Palace within your body. When this is complete, tilt your head back and pray:

“Upper Origin of the Cavern-Heaven, overseeing and governing the Nine Mysteries, commander of the three Qi, blended and born in the Dantian. I open the deep gate, entering and leaving without obstruction; the precious radiance of my hun and po encircles my body, its brilliant light soaring and scattering. I descend into the chamber and roam in revelry through the Purple Heaven. I share the lifespan of Heaven and Earth and enjoy it for ten thousand years.”

This completes the visualization of the Cavern-Heaven.

Turn south and visualize the Cavern-Earth. Visualize the Great Yinghuo Star of the Cavern of Truth, the Great Cavern’s Origin-Born Lord of the Great Spirit Mechanism, Sovereign Lord of Transformation, bestowing upon you the Talisman of Clear Light through the Four Caverns and Nine Origins. Then visualize the clothing, name, and taboo name of the Cavern-Earth’s life-generating official. Following the method described above, let them descend from the Lantai Palace of the Su Ling Palace and enter the Crimson Palace within your body. Then tilt your head back and pray:

“Middle Origin of the Cavern-Earth, commander of the flying immortals; adorned with a precious radiant crown, at the waist wearing a blue Jian kerchief…”

With the aid of a sacred talisman, I communicate with the true Dao, entering a deep and subtle realm of spirit and receiving the secret words of the Celestial Emperor. Then I untie the knots of the womb, clearing and opening the nine apertures of the human body, so that seven generations of my ancestors may transcend the world and ascend to Heaven. A southern pavilion’s cloud chariot descends, and in broad daylight I rise into the morning sky. When visualization reaches this point, the practice of contemplating “Cave Earth” is complete.

Next, turn north and contemplate “Cave Abyss.” The Great White One of Dongxuan remains in the Golden City, radiant and brilliant; Original Essence guides the Great Immortal Lord. The Great Immortal Lord’s secret name is “Haotian.” Through him, the Luminous Heavenly Treasure Talisman is opened and the sacred talisman bestowed upon the practitioner. Then contemplate the life-bestowing officials of “Cave Abyss,” visualizing their robes and secret names as before. They all descend from the Palace of Plain Spirit and the Hall of the Sovereign, entering the Dantian Palace below the practitioner’s navel. Then raise your head and recite:

“The deep and hidden pass of Cave Abyss connects above with the Three Origins, the levels of the heavens in Daoist teaching. Mysterious Qi rises thickly; flying rosy clouds and purple clouds flow and turn, while yellow light and the radiance of the five colors shine together. At dawn, wear and receive the Heavenly Treasure Talisman, and you will be enlightened and connected, enduring alongside Heaven and Earth. Ride through the void, drive your spirit, and roam in feasting at Jade Dawn, the realm of immortals; become a true immortal companion of Dijing Huang.”

Once contemplation of “Cave Abyss” is complete, turn east, click the teeth nine times, and swallow the breath nine times. The visualization rites of the Three Caverns are then complete. If you practice in this way, the true spirits will manifest in visible form, and you will be able to command the jade maidens. The jade youths, too, will reveal their spiritual presence. The spirits of the Three Origins will descend in vermilion and green chariots to welcome the practitioner and escort them to the Great Clarity, the highest heaven in Daoist teaching. This method must be carefully preserved and never passed on lightly.

Eighteen Chapters of the Diagram for Contemplating the Lord Lao, with Preface

The Master said: “The key to cultivating oneself and helping others lies in contemplation: focused visualization of spirits, palaces, and the like as a method of practice. If contemplation is not concentrated and becomes nothing more than scattered imagining, there will be no response. Response comes from concentration, and concentration inevitably brings something into view. What appears is subtle and wondrous, like a diagram. Understand it, and you can continue to advance, making your spirit and Qi firm and clear, so that your practice does not slacken. In this way, you may also benefit the world, and hope to accomplish something.

“When you seek to attain true realization, clear signs will appear. You may also foresee good and ill fortune, and use goodness to dispel evil. In all that you contemplate, observe the subtle and wondrous sights within it: first visualize forms and colors, then the realms of Heaven and Earth, mountains and forests, cities, palaces, towers and pavilions, as well as the ranks of superiors and subordinates, sovereigns and ministers, immortals, and those who have attained the Dao. They naturally appear with jade-like bearing, noble and extraordinary, keeping me company. Their round halos are like the sun, their flames like smoke; they surround my body, making it seem as solid as vajra.

“Words cannot express the whole meaning; one must also await instruction through oral formulas. The wondrous principle is difficult to transmit, and the subtle visions rarely appear. Even when the teaching has been transmitted, only after long practice might one person attain a response and truly understand it. This does not mean that practice bears no fruit. Do not stop following the Way and seeking it just because it is difficult. If you pursue it with resolve, you will gradually advance. Even if your practice is not yet complete, you have already set foot on the road to a superior realm.

“One who leaves the worldly life to dwell in the Dao, yet also uses the Dao to guide the world, lives amid the dust without being stained by it. Such a person is called a ‘lay practitioner.’ Another term is ‘Daoist’: a ‘practitioner’ is one who undertakes the work of cultivating the Dao.”

The practice of Daoist arts to transcend ordinary people is called “Great Awakening.” “Awakening” means seeking confirmation in what is subtle and difficult to discern, then presenting the verification obtained through images—much as a bird net may be large, yet what matters is the placement of its meshes. (The “images” mentioned here refers to the illustrations depicted in the text.)

Contemplating the Dao Treasure, Part One

The Master said: “The ‘Treasure’ is the primordial ‘One’ of nature. It has no ancestor and no beginning; it exists forever and never perishes, and can save beings without end. It responds to each person’s calling, appearing as the Three Treasures, yet from beginning to end it is one and the same.

“People differ from one another, and not everyone can understand. Their thoughts and conduct vary widely, their abilities are of higher, middling, or lower grades, and they grasp things at different speeds. But whether quickly or slowly, all should take the Three Treasures as their foundation: first, the Dao Treasure; second, the Scripture Treasure; third, the Master Treasure.

“The Master Treasure is someone who has attained the Dao and can serve as my teacher. The Scripture Treasure is a wondrous scripture that arises naturally and is transmitted by the Master. The Dao Treasure is the image within the formless: that is, the Most High, a Daoist honorific for the supreme divinity. The Most High is the essence within the deep and mysterious. When responsive resonance and opportunity arise, the Most High appears in many forms, dividing into distinct bodies beyond comprehension. Even if one tries to think and speak about it, one cannot truly grasp it; what one can finally attain is the reality of the Dao.

“Reality means that, upon attaining the Dao, one transcends life and death and is no longer worn down or made to suffer by their transformations. Because this state is supremely precious, it is called the Dao Treasure.

“When practicing visualization, one should close the eyes and contemplate the Most High always present before oneself: the Most High seated on a high throne, Laozi to the left and the Primordial Lady to the right. Then contemplate the scriptures in the west and the Master in the east. Next, contemplate the luminous ceremonial retinues and guardians of the heavenly realms in the ten directions. Civil and military officials, musicians, and dancers arrive from every direction to pay homage to the Most High.

“First, contemplate the ritual hall transformed into a palace within the Seven-Treasure City on Mount Jade Capital of the Great Mystery. A jeweled canopy stands above the palace terrace, and a lion throne is set in the hall, with a lotus cushion upon it. Before the throne, lions crouch facing one another; incense officials and musicians stand in orderly rows.”

Contemplating the Scripture Treasure, Part Two

After completing the visualization of the Dao Treasure, continue by contemplating the western side of the Most High, within the Mysterious Terrace: there is a curtained seat adorned with the Seven Treasures and shining with light. A jade table stands on the seat, with a precious scripture resting upon it, covered by a deep-red silk cloth. The scripture is placed inside a bell chamber, enclosed in an ornate casket and secured by weights. Jade boys and jade maidens attend it, accompanied by an incense burner and lamps.

Here, Dao and De serve as the foundation of the thirty-six divisions of scriptures. The figures of the attendants of the Great Mystery are shown in the illustration.

Contemplating the Master Treasure, Part Three

After completing the visualization of the Scripture Treasure, continue by contemplating the eastern side of the Most High, within the Mysterious Terrace: there is a curtained seat adorned with the Seven Treasures and shining with light. On the seat is the Great Dharma Master of the Mysterious Center, a high-ranking master who dwells in the realm of mystery, namely …

This is the wondrous appearance of the Most High Lord Lao, a revered Daoist deity, and no painting can depict it fully. His manifestation changes in response to one’s spiritual attunement and has no fixed form. Yet within what is called “unfixed” there is something fixed; that fixed state lies in the mind. Whatever the mind responds to has its causes, and one should follow the sequence of steps to understand it gradually.

When he first appears, one sees Lord Lao with a dignified countenance, white hair, a black cap, yellow robes, and a black shoulder wrap, leaning on a low table for support. He waves a horsetail whisk to drive away the dust that obscures living beings, settle their minds, and remove what obstructs them, using the right Dao to subdue deviance and delusion. Immortals and perfected beings stand solemnly at his sides. The human and celestial realms respond to one another; the image of Lord Lao is roughly as described here.

Visualizing the Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions (Part Four)

After seeing the Three Worthies, continue by visualizing the Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions—the Daoist Worthies of the ten directions. They follow one another in order and travel together to the Mysterious Terrace to pay homage to the Most High Lord Lao. Their appearance is immaculate and their bearing solemn, making them a model for all ritual forms.

• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the North wears black, and his feathered regalia is mostly dark.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the East wears blue-green, and his feathered regalia is mostly deep green.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the South wears red, and his feathered regalia is mostly vermilion.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the West wears white, and his feathered regalia is mostly plain white.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the Northeast wears blue-green and black, and also often wears yellow.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the Southeast wears blue-green and red, and also often wears yellow.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the Southwest wears red and white, and also often wears yellow.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy of the Northwest wears white and black, and also often wears yellow.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy Above wears dark purple, and also often wears blue-green.
• The Limitless Most High Daoist Worthy Below wears yellow and red, and also often wears green.

The appearances of these ten Celestial Worthies are roughly as described. They travel together in cloud chariots to the Jade Capital, the celestial abode of immortals in Daoist belief. Their canopies, feathered regalia and other retinue, as well as their music, dances, and attendants, are too numerous to describe in detail. One example is given here; the rest can be inferred from it. Hearing of one, you should be able to understand the other nine.

Visualizing the Three Palaces When Transmitting the Scripture of Dao and De (Part Five)

When transmitting the Scripture of Dao and De, the master faces north and places the scripture on a table; the disciple prostrates himself on the left. The master holds the scripture, and the disciple presents the ritual token used in transmitting the teaching. The master clicks his teeth thirty-six times while visualizing the Three Palaces: the Niwan Palace, the Upper Origin Palace in the head; the Crimson Palace, the Middle Origin Palace in the heart; and the Dantian, the Lower Origin Palace in the abdomen. The Three Ones—the deities enshrined in the three palaces—appear and lead a host of a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen to guard the scripture. Their appearance is roughly as described here.

Each morning, chant the incantation outside the gate and visualize the six divine officers of the “Four Luminaries”: one Merit Officer, one Messenger Who Communicates with the Real, two Jade Youths Who Transmit Messages, and two Jade Maidens Who Attend in Stillness. Their appearance is as described above.

The names and duties of the various divine officers each carry their own meaning. Though they all appear through the transforming influence of the Great Dao, differences in their abilities and understanding give rise to distinctions of rank and precedence. People differ in their levels of knowledge and insight, so the scripture describes these divine officers separately: some communicate and relay messages, while others guard and guide. Practitioners seek different things, and the divine officers they visualize depend on their particular aspirations.

Although the “Wondrous Qi of the Three Primordials” is divided into three, its source is one. Each primordial has its own root and source, through which they transform into and permeate one another. Four divine officers preside over the hidden realm and the light, helping people understand the principles and recognize the Great Dao. To recognize the Great Dao is to glimpse the mystery, and to see the mystery, one must rely on revelation from the divine. Each officer has a sphere of responsibility; together, they are called a “Bureau.” When their duties are carried out effectively, this is called “Merit.” The Merit Officer guides people from darkness into light, and is therefore called one of the “Four Luminaries.”

Ordinary people are ignorant and unenlightened, and seek illumination by relying on the Great Dao. When practitioners perform ritual methods, they should first report their request to the Merit Officer, then to the Messenger Who Communicates with the Real, the Jade Youths, and the Jade Maidens, asking them to convey it to the perfected gods who have attained the Dao. These perfected gods can enable people to receive vital energy. Vital energy is the root of “Wondrous Unity”; when it enters the body, it can prolong life and even bring immortality, allowing one to transcend the Three Realms and dwell in the palaces of the Three Primordials. When the Dao of Orthodox Unity accords with De, the eight directions become harmonious and bright. The duties administered by these divine officers are therefore called the “Four Excellencies Above.”

The White Tiger on the right and Azure Dragon on the left symbolize benevolence and justice, exercised with strict clarity: benevolence supports good conduct, while justice restrains wrongdoing. The root of dispelling evil thoughts and accumulating good deeds lies in recognizing the True Dao. The True Dao is pure and undivided, and cannot be altered; for this reason it is called the “Plain Maiden,” a symbol of spotless purity. In the dark and lightless night, the luminous guidance of a youth is still needed; the “Upper Mystery Maiden” transforms the primordial Qi. Practitioners study alongside them and enter the Yellow Palace, the place of the central orthodox lineage and the most exalted beings. With sincere faith, one can establish a spiritual response, and one’s requests will be granted. The Yellow Chamber has eight windows; their meaning can be understood in the same way.

Each evening, chant the incantation outside the gate and visualize the six divine officers of the “Four Excellencies Above”: one Merit Officer, two Dragon-and-Tiger Messengers, one Plain Maiden Who Attends in Stillness, one Enlightening Youth, and one Maiden of the Upper Mystery. Their appearance is as described above.

When entering the hall, visualize the three masters in sequence: first the Scripture Master, then the Register Master, and finally the Initiation Master. Each appears in the direction appropriate to them.

Visualize the five viscera, the Five Sacred Mountains, the five planets, and the Five Emperors, along with a circular halo that shines with golden light and displays the five colors.

After completing the visualization of the three revered masters, continue by visualizing the five organs, the Five Sacred Mountains, the five planets, and the Five Emperors.

These four are all used to protect the body. Within the human body, change is endless, and it can contain the myriad forms. Drawings alone cannot represent them completely; their names and directions may be marked on the outside to aid understanding. If one becomes attached to the forms and details of the practice described above, it is easy to make mistakes.

Visualize golden light covering the whole body, which appears in five colors. The light rises from behind the lungs and reaches the neck. A round halo appears above the head, shaped like the sun.

Visualize all three of these within the body; they can illuminate the four directions.

Whenever you practice visualization, close your eyes and look inward into the body. The human body contains many spirits. In visualization, the five organs must be the main focus, for each organ governs different matters. Each matter should be properly placed and carried out. When things are in order, the mind can remain focused and undivided. With the mind and spirit focused, what is hidden and what is manifest will both be free of deviation, as though the myriad forms were spread before your eyes. What you see will then accord with the sages. In accord with the Way of the sages, and by accumulating learning over time, you will naturally receive a response. Therefore, do not slacken in your morning and evening visualizations.

What does “preserving” mean? It means holding the mind firmly and not letting it scatter. What does “contemplating” mean? It means observing and carrying things forward. Do not act carelessly or hastily, lest you lose the root. Learn with steadiness and sincerity, and you will grasp the essential point. Once you grasp it, the mind’s activity will flow freely; when it flows freely, the thoughts you preserve will not break off. Continuity of thought depends on observing good and evil. Good and evil hinge on whether desires are excessive. When desires become excessive, one falls into shifting attachments and aversions, coming and going without rest, unable to find peace amid life, death, and toil.

To bring this unrest to a stop, settle in goodness. Yet clinging to “goodness” still does not mean that you have truly returned to the root. To reach the state of the root, you must rely on thoughts following one another without interruption, allowing visualization to continue without a break. In this way, you can enter a state of unbroken continuity and attain Wuwei (non-action), in which nothing is left undone. This is called “subtle, wondrous, and mysteriously penetrating”: profound and subtle, yet unobstructed in its reach. It means blending with the light and mingling with the dust, restraining one’s brilliance, and saving beings without end.

Thus, visualization is the foremost foundation of cultivation, and among its methods, the five organs are most important. What does “organ” mean? It means storing: concealing spirit and wisdom rather than displaying them for show. Once wisdom is displayed, desire is easily stirred. When desire is stirred and continues to grow, a person is brought to ruin. Concealing wisdom rather than showing it allows one to succeed. When the heart is bright but does not flaunt its brilliance, wisdom is quiet, spirit is settled, and desires are cleared away, the heart becomes pure. Reaching this state enables one to nourish the spirit over time and prolong life.

The first step is to visualize the lungs as red and white, with seven lobes in all: four longer and three shorter, joined beneath the throat.

What do the lungs signify? They are connected to the brain and also have an aggressive aspect. They are the earliest sign of good and evil, though at first this sign is indistinct. Once it becomes visible, it attacks good thoughts, causing them to weaken and evil thoughts to arise, and thereby harms the root of a person’s life. Whether that root is harmed depends on this organ. This organ stores the Po (corporeal soul). What does “Po” mean? It means dregs, and it also means attachment.

A person’s urge to show off is always bound up with desire. Once desire becomes an attachment, it turns into an evil thought; evil thoughts are like dregs.

People blinded by worldly concerns are trapped by these thoughts and do not understand their essence. If, today, they are willing to abandon attachment and preserve right thoughts, they will be able to see it.

The Po—the spiritual aspect associated with the lungs—settles into a solemn calm and ceases to do evil. One should promptly declare one’s resolve to reform, first visualizing the fire within the body.

Fire and Metal combine to form it. Then discern its colors: red and white intermingled, with a set number of leaves. Take it into speech and draw out its harmony. From harmony comes De; De begins in the lungs and ends in the spleen. The spleen also carries the sense of aiding others; to aid others is to be trustworthy.

Second, visualize the heart, like a lotus not yet open, or a hanging red oil pouch. It is three inches long and lies toward the front of the body. What is the heart? “Heart” also suggests “to weigh”: when right and wrong are not yet clear, one must consider and weigh them. A mistaken judgment can bring death, while a sound one can lead to the Dao. The depth of misfortune and good fortune both arise from this.

The heart governs the storage of Shen. What is Shen? “Shen” also suggests “truth”: it is the ruler of wisdom, enabling a person to bend and extend freely. Through inner visualization, perceive it; then Shen will become settled and calm, and consciousness will settle with it, entering the realm of truth. This requires profound practice.

Third, visualize the liver, blue-purple in color, with five leaves, three long and two short. It is nine inches long and lies below the heart. What is the liver? “Liver” also suggests “to return”: by understanding evil Qi, one can reform. One’s intent becomes firm and free of doubt; one does good, builds merit, and works without slackening. Careful discernment, rectitude, and a return to the source are all connected with this.

The liver governs the storage of the Hun. What is the Hun? “Hun” also suggests “to turn back”: a person turns away from the confusion of worldly life and returns to the Daoist path. Through inner visualization, perceive it; then the Hun will be joyful and invigorated, diligent in doing good, and will establish and increase good karma.

Fourth, visualize the kidneys, blue in color, like two inverted cups coated in black lacquer. They are five inches long and lie on either side between the ribs and the spine. What are the kidneys? “Kidneys” also suggests “urgency” and “fluids”: practicing goodness is urgent and must not be neglected or treated casually. Fluids moisten without end, and the work of saving living beings has no limit. Understanding the principles and freeing oneself from worldly affairs are both connected with this.

The kidneys govern the storage of Jing. What is Jing? “Jing” also suggests “clarity” and “numinous power”: when one acts slowly and calmly, transformation proceeds without obstruction. The numinous spirit comes and goes, guiding and leading one all the way to the realm of emptiness. Through inner visualization, perceive it; then Jing will become clear and settled, without being depleted or leaking away.

Fifth, visualize the spleen, yellow tinged with blue. It is one foot and two inches long, with one foot curved, and lies over the Great Granary (the stomach). What is the spleen? “Spleen” also suggests “to assist” and “to shift”: clear Qi gathers, lies hidden, and nourishes…

(This practice can replenish and benefit all things, bringing people calm, freedom of movement, and abundance. This is why things can be brought to completion.)

(What do “hiding” and “intention” mean? What do “reaching” and “difference” mean? They refer to hidden, nourishing, and subtle transformations…)

(It can dissolve stubborn vulgarity and allow unusual people—those unlike ordinary people—to endure and come forth. Through verified efficacy and the regulation of intention, one can reach a state of serene clarity, and ultimately the Great Dao.)

Sitting at Court and Keeping the Vision in Mind, Chapter Ten

“Sitting at court” means sitting upright in respectful practice. When official or personal matters get in the way, or when you are somewhere that makes it unsuitable to perform a formal rite—so that it would be awkward to constrain your body and stand to pay your respects—you may simply sit respectfully. Do not let others notice. This is acceptable as long as it does not arouse suspicion. Even if someone sees you and laughs, do not abandon your practice on that account. At the same time, be mindful of the other person’s feelings, and do not lead them to accumulate further faults.

From dusk until dawn, practice at the appointed times. When making a supplication during the day, it is also appropriate to sit upright. Sit as you normally would; there is no need to alter your expression or appearance. Simply avoid being noticed by unusual people. If someone notices and responds with delight, you may use the occasion to guide them. But if they respond with contempt, mockery, or slander of the Orthodox Way, disaster will follow, and your own practice will be harmed.

In ancient times, people studied the Dao to cultivate themselves. Today, some study it to please others. Those who seek only to please others disregard whether their hearts accord with the Orthodox Way. Those who cultivate themselves hold fast to an upright heart and do not cling to outward conduct. Even if their actions seem at odds with the Way, sincerity within can still bring them into accord with its principles. But if they lose touch with their original heart and try by force to subdue everyone, displaying the outward form without sincerity, they will not only waste their efforts but incur blame. Students of the Dao should each reflect deeply. What matters is recognizing the right moment and acting appropriately. Even when the timing is right, if the action itself is not good, one should not force it.

In acting, one should take account of both oneself and others: help others while cultivating oneself. Good deeds should support one another, and evil deeds should be abandoned; only then is one acting appropriately. If one fails through inappropriate conduct, one’s reputation will also suffer. In different circumstances, people often encounter two kinds of affliction: their intentions may become obstructed, or they may become attached to outward conduct. Those attached to outward conduct should be helped through methods of cultivating the heart. Those whose intentions are obstructed should be guided through concrete practice. Guidance through conduct must avoid rigidity, and the resolution of inner knots must also remove attachment. To eliminate both afflictions is to draw near the Way of the Highest Sage.

Whenever you travel long distances through mountains and waters, spend several days in a row aboard a boat or riding in a vehicle, or walk, climb, stop, or rest among mountains and waters, you should keep the vision in mind and pay your respects at the appointed times. Here, “keeping the vision in mind” means following the methods of cultivation to visualize inwardly and hold the image steadily in awareness. Adapt your practice to whether the setting is private or public. Keep your attention focused and your visualization precise, and fatigue will naturally slip from your mind. Then evil spirits and wicked people will not dare come near and disturb you.

In daily life, you should recite the scriptures, observe the precepts, and do good in your everyday routines. If your daily conduct contains no good deeds, and instead you break the precepts and violate the scriptures, then even if you continue to keep the vision in mind and pay your respects, you will never behold the true Dao. Jealous spirits, wicked people, and evil beings collide and harass one another, bringing trouble and calamity…

When lying down, do not rush to sleep. Keep up the practice of visualization—forming images in the mind—and recitation for a long time. Carefully discipline body and mind: hold the teaching in your thoughts and recite it aloud until you understand its meaning and have no doubts. Once the three karmic activities of body, speech, and mind—actions, words, and thoughts—are settled, every kind of calamity will naturally be dispelled. Humans and spirits alike will show respect and offer protection. Whether coming or going, moving about or resting in place, you will be able to keep yourself safe and attain good fortune.

All who practice should also keep these three karmic activities in mind. The relevant material appears after the Scripture of the Covenant’s Awe-Inspiring Authority (Mengwei Jing). Anyone who practices visualization should quickly commit it to memory, so it is set out below.

Three upper practices:

Practice Wuwei (non-action); practice gentleness and yielding; practice keeping to the feminine and not acting ahead of others.

Three middle practices:

Practice namelessness; practice purity and stillness; practice all kinds of good deeds.

Three lower practices:

Practice freedom from desire; practice contentment; practice humility and deference.

Three precepts for the body: Do not kill, steal, or engage in sexual misconduct.

Four precepts for speech: Do not lie, speak flowery but empty words, sow discord, or speak maliciously.

Three precepts for the mind: Do not be jealous, become angry, or harbor deviant suspicions.

These nine principles of practice and ten precepts should be called to mind whenever fear or disturbing thoughts arise during visualization. When danger comes, they can turn peril into safety.

Visualization When Lying Down and in the Morning (Eleventh)

When going to bed, do not lie flat on your back like a corpse. Lie on your side and keep your body disciplined; do not let your limbs sprawl freely. Your pillow should be no more than about three inches high. You may fill it with fragrant herbs. Do not use wood that is unclean, cold and damp, or foul-smelling, lest it offend the Niwan, the Daoist spiritual aperture in the head. Even if you must make do while traveling, take care to avoid these conditions in your ordinary life.

When lying down and when rising, recite an invocation and hold good thoughts in mind. Do not neglect the morning salute. If official or personal duties delay or prevent it, repent afterward.

Visualizing the Jade Maiden When Going Out in the Morning (Twelfth)

The Jade Maiden is a form that appears in response to the wondrous Qi of nature: clear and pure, radiant as jade, and, though hidden from view, warm and lustrous. By visualizing her true form, practitioners can gradually advance in their cultivation. Progress and retreat depend on the human body, while going out and returning depend on the Dao. The Dao’s Qi is mysterious and subtle, and even the finest details can respond to it. Practitioners should advance in order from the lower stages to the higher. Thus, by day the Jade Maiden guards the palace; by night the Young Maiden passes on messages and attends to affairs, helping people pass through danger and ascend to the Daoist sanctuary.

Visualizing the Young Maiden When Going Out at Dusk (Thirteenth)

When going out at dusk, recite the spell: “Young Maiden, bring the spirits into accord.” Those who have not yet attained the subtle realm must have the corresponding merit.

Cultivative practice has higher and lower forms, but all must proceed in accord with conditions and causes. Through diligent practice, one attains wondrous results and can bring the spirit back to unity. The spirit has not yet returned to unity because study and cultivation have not ceased. One should advance step by step, allowing Yin and Yang to support and complement each other.

Human life unfolds in the world of Yang, yet both movement and stillness belong to Yin. Yin is the key to reaching the Dao, and its subtlety is greatest when it responds.

When the wondrous response first appears, a young woman—the divine figure in the scripture—presides over the orthodox path and governs harmful influences, reconciling and dispelling estrangement and discord. She punishes evil deeds and protects good ones, using hidden virtue to aid the world of Yang. Her fair name shines brightly and is worthy of being upheld and revered. Reciting the incantation and visualizing her can bring the desired result more quickly.

The passage above speaks of a divine being whose image is shown in the illustration on the left.

Visualizing Cloud Qi and Divine Troops During the Purification Ritual, Chapter Fourteen

When going out or coming in, morning and evening, one should visualize the divine beings and pay respects to the revered master. One’s intention should match the morning and evening court rites. The scenes to visualize when performing the Dao rites are as follows:

At dawn, first visualize blue cloud Qi filling the purification hall, with the Azure Dragon and lions guarding the front and rear. Then visualize blue Qi rising like clouds from the master’s liver. The Azure Dragon and lions, surrounded by blue Qi, go forth to cover the disciple’s entire household, young and old alike. Immortal youths and jade maidens, celestial and flying immortals, the sun, moon, and stars, the nine hundred million troops and mounts of the Five Emperors, ritual supervisors and attendants, and officials of the Three Realms all stand in formation on either side.

At midday, visualize red cloud Qi filling the purification hall, with the Vermilion Bird and phoenixes calling from either side. Then visualize red Qi rising like clouds from the master’s heart. The phoenixes and Vermilion Bird, surrounded by red Qi, go forth to cover the disciple’s entire household, young and old alike. Immortal youths and jade maidens, celestial and flying immortals, the sun, moon, and stars, the nine hundred million troops and mounts of the Five Emperors, ritual supervisors and attendants, and officials of the Three Realms all stand in formation on either side.

At sunset, visualize yellow cloud Qi filling the purification hall, with the Yellow Dragon and yellow qilin guarding the four directions. Then visualize yellow Qi rising like clouds from the master’s spleen. The Yellow Dragon and yellow qilin, surrounded by yellow Qi, go forth to cover the disciple’s entire household, young and old alike. Immortal youths and jade maidens, celestial, earth-dwelling, and flying immortals, the sun, moon, and stars, the nine hundred million troops and mounts of the Five Emperors, ritual supervisors and attendants, and officials of the Three Realms all stand in formation on either side. These are the rites performed at these three times; follow the instructions below for the other six periods.

At the time when people have settled in for the night, visualize white cloud Qi filling…

Inside and outside the purification hall, arrange for the White Tiger and the qilin to guard it. (Next, visualize white Qi rising from the ritual master’s lungs. There is no need to visualize the qilin; it is better to visualize the White Tiger.) If you visualize the qilin, see it coiling back and forth within the white Qi, covering the disciples and every member of their families. Celestial boys, Jade Maidens, troops and horses, the sun and moon, and the rest should all be visualized according to the method described earlier.

For a Yellow Register Great Retreat, the three circumambulations should take place respectively at sunset, at night, and at dawn. The three circumambulations in an ordinary purification rite may also be held as night falls. If the circumambulation is performed at night, visualize in the stillness of the deep night. If the six-period circumambulation is used, begin with blue, then proceed to red, and end with white. Reversing the order in any of these methods would violate ritual protocol. Blue and white each have their own arrangements; they should not be treated as rites for the five viscera and six bowels.

At midnight, visualize dark-colored clouds filling the purification hall, with the numinous tortoise and the tengshe (mythical spirit creatures) guarding above and below. (Next, visualize black Qi rising like billowing clouds from the ritual master’s kidneys, with the numinous tortoise and tengshe within it. Celestial boys, Jade Maidens, the sun and moon, troops and horses, and the rest should still be visualized according to the method described earlier.)

As dawn approaches, visualize purple clouds filling the purification hall, with the evil-averting lion (a lion-shaped spirit beast that drives away evil and protects the ritual) guarding in both light and shadow. (Next, visualize purple Qi rising from the ritual master’s gallbladder. The remaining procedure is the same as before, as shown in the diagram below.)

When the ritual master visualizes clouds, clouds of each color come from their corresponding directions. Blue clouds appear above, then gradually billow forth from the corresponding direction, growing denser until they fill the entire hall. Then visualize the Qi stored within your own body rising and merging in color with the clouds. It is radiant, pure, and fragrant, covering and protecting the family dwelling, the palace city, and the mountains and waters, so that every place, large or small, is fully protected.

Divine officials and spirit beasts stand in orderly ranks, filling every place in front and behind, to the left and right, within and beyond the four directions, and above and below. They continually rotate, growing ever more abundant, so that the spirits descend everywhere.

Visualizing the Three Colors, the Three Ones, and the Hun and Po During Scripture Lectures (Fifteenth)

During a scripture lecture, first visualize the three colors, then the Three Ones. Circumambulation takes place in six periods, while scripture lectures are held only in three: after a meal, in the afternoon, and in the stillness of the deep night. On entering the purification hall, offer incense, bow three times, then circumambulate once and take your seats in order. If many people are present, the ritual master strikes the seating bench with a wooden board, then places the board in front of the knees. Everyone closes their eyes and holds the hands firmly together (a common posture in Daoist seated meditation). Visualize the Qi of the head as blue, the Qi of the hands as red, and the Qi of the feet as white. The Qi of all three colors encircles the whole body, as shown in the diagram below.

Before First Ascending the High Seat, First Visualize Bowing to the Three Venerable Ones (Sixteenth)

Before explaining the meaning of a scripture or reciting its text, first complete the settling of the mind, then rise and face the seat of the Most High. Bow three times in succession…

Move the incense table back several feet, then bow three times to the Three Venerable Ones. Next, bow once each to the scripture master, the register master, and the ordination master, for six bows in all. Then ascend the high seat. The ritual arrangement is shown in the illustration below.

“The Three Venerable Ones” refers to the Venerable Dao, the Venerable Scripture, and the Venerable Perfected. The Three Venerable Ones also correspond to the human body and mind. To bring oneself into accord with them, practitioners should observe ritual purity, focus their thoughts, and cultivate through bowing and visualization.

Perform the ritual once each day as described above. Begin with six bows; there is no need to repeat them afterward. You may bow just twice, then click the teeth and visualize according to the ritual method. Those who are physically weak may bow silently in their minds.

Ascending the High Seat (Seventeenth)

Ascend the high seat and sit calmly. “Sitting calmly” means sitting upright in the formal seated posture. Hold the tablet close with both hands, against the chest, then sound the drum thirty times and swallow saliva thirty-six times.

Next, visualize the Azure Dragon on the left, the White Tiger on the right, the Vermilion Bird in front, and the Black Tortoise behind. Beneath your feet is a divine tortoise bearing the Eight Trigrams; thirty-six lions crouch before you. The Big Dipper’s seven stars appear on your headcloth. The Five Viscera give rise to the five Qi, and patterned colors cover your whole body. The Three Ones attend the scriptures, each accompanied by thousands of chariots and tens of thousands of riders. Immortal youths and Jade Maidens stand guard at your sides. Their forms are shown in the illustration below.

When Ten Thousand Recitations Are Complete, the Cloud Chariot Comes to Welcome You (Eighteenth)

If you can recite the “Five Thousand Words”—that is, the Dao De Jing—ten thousand times, the Most High will descend in a cloud chariot to welcome you. If you have completed ten thousand recitations but have not yet departed, recite it three times each month. When the cloud chariot descends, you can ascend to immortality. The scene is shown in the illustration below.

While practicing this method of ten thousand recitations, also visualize the Qi of the Five Stars. After reciting the scripture, when Qi is flourishing at midnight, inhale deeply the “Qi of the Five Teeth.” Sit facing the direction of that month’s monthly branch, click your teeth nine times, and swallow saliva thirty-six times. Then close your eyes and visualize the five stars located respectively above your head, at your left elbow, at your right elbow, between your knees, and in your heart. Continue this practice for a time, then stop.

In daily life, remember this practice often, even while walking, and do not forget it. In this way, a thousand kinds of calamity will naturally be dispelled, and ten thousand kinds of misfortune will be unable to intrude. Afterward, water will well up above your body and fire will arise below it. Your wisdom will attain the Six Supernatural Powers, and you will suddenly behold the Five Elders. After seeing the numinous spirits of the Five Elders, you will be able to transform freely and ascend with them to the heavens.

The Method of Contemplating and Cultivating the Nine Palaces

The place to guard and visualize is between the eyebrows, three fen inward from the brow ridges. On the left are the Yellow Gate and Purple Door; on the right are the Crimson Terrace and Azure Chamber. The Celestial Court, the Left Bright Hall, and the Upper Female Palace are also located here. The Bright Hall Palace lies between the eyebrows.

This passage describes the locations of the various “palaces” in the head—the places where practitioners of Daoist cultivation visualize deities—as well as the deities who dwell in each palace and the corresponding methods of visualization and prayer.

The locations of the palaces. One inch inward from the space between the eyebrows is the “Palace of the Male,” called the Palace of Ultimate Reality. To its left is the Palace of the Grotto Chamber, which belongs to the female. Two inches inward from the space between the eyebrows is the Palace of Mysterious Elixir, within the Palace of the Male. It lies above the Dantian (here referring to the Niwan Dantian in the head) and the Palace of the Niwan. Three inches inward from the space between the eyebrows is the Palace of the Great Emperor, within the Palace of the Male. It lies above the Palace of Flowing Pearls and belongs to the female. The Palace of Flowing Pearls is one inch behind the Palace of the Niwan and belongs to the male; the Palace of the Jade Emperor is one inch behind the Palace of Flowing Pearls and belongs to the female.

Guarding the spaces and offering prayers. The great deity who guards the purple gate within the square inch is named Tranquility, with the courtesy name King of the Dharma. The great deity of the blue chamber is named Upright Heart, with the courtesy name First Direction. Practitioners should silently invoke their names three times, then pray: “In the purple gate and blue chamber dwell two great deities. They hold flowing bells in their hands, and wind and clouds arise from their bodies. They guard the true Dao and prevent outside influences from disturbing me. May my thoughts connect with them, may the spirit gate open and close with ease, and may I ascend through the nine gates to meet the Nine Perfected and the Most High Supreme One.”

The Palace of Brightness. On the left is the Perfected Lord Bright Child, named Mysterious Yang, with the courtesy name Young Green. On the right is the Perfected Lady Bright Maiden, named Subtle Tone, with the courtesy name Young Origin. In the center is the Lord Bright Mirror, named Shining Essence, with the courtesy name Fourfold Brightness. These three divine lords jointly preside over the Palace of Brightness. They wear green brocade robes and have four jade bells at their waists. They hold jade mirrors in their mouths; both mirrors and bells are made of red jade. They look like infants. Invoke the names of the three lords three times and click the teeth nine times, and the many demons and spirits will all fall silent.

The Palace of the Grotto Chamber. The Young Lord Without Eminence is on the left, the Lord White Origin on the right, and the Lord Yellow Elder in the center. These three Perfected Gods jointly preside over the Palace of the Grotto Chamber. This is the Way of ascending to become a Perfected One, described in detail in the Jing of Golden Florescence.

The Dantian and Palace of the Niwan. On the left is the Scarlet Child of the Upper Origin, named Mysterious Congealing Heaven, with the courtesy name First of the Three Origins. On the right is the Lord Imperial Minister, named Beginning of Refined Essence, with the courtesy name Life of the Central Mystery. The two jointly preside over the Dantian Palace. This is the essential Way of guarding the true One of the Three Origins and reaching the terrestrial Perfected Ones; it is also the method of ascending through the air in a dragon chariot.

The Palace of Flowing Pearls. The Perfected God of Flowing Pearls dwells here, along with a woman from the sun and moon named Winding Turning, with the courtesy name Hidden Truth. A separate Jing of Flowing Pearls records this in detail. It is the Way by which the Duke of the Supreme Ultimate and his ministers administer the Mandate of Life.

The Palace of the Jade Emperor. The Divine Mother of Jade Clarity dwells here, together with the three Lords of Plain Essence: Purple Plain, Yellow Plain, and White Plain. The Divine Mother of Highest Clarity has the surname Lian, the given name Xian, and the courtesy name Huang. Her title is recorded here only as far as her courtesy name; she is the foremost female deity of the Palace of the Jade Emperor.

Yan is nine cun and nine fen tall. He wears yellow clothing and a plain ling-colored sash. His hair is arranged in a seven-tiered bun adorned with pearls and jade, and he wears a Wuji jinxianguan. He resides in the Supreme Taiji Pearl Palace, higher than all else. Within the Seven Palace Office, Five Spirits District, and Dark Origin Lane, he governs the human body. The part under his charge is the Jade Emperor Palace.

The Heavenly Court Palace is home to the Shangqing True Maiden. Her surname is Jue, her personal name is Hui, and her courtesy name is Zhoulei. She is six cun and six fen tall. She wears a nine-colored sash of embroidered frost silk, woven with blue treasure and divine radiance. Her hair is arranged in a jade treasure bun shaped like flying clouds, and she wears a Dark-Yellow jinxianguan. She resides in the Supreme Great Shangkunlun Great Darkness Palace, higher than all else. Within the Bright Hall Office, Nine Radiances District, and Great Transformation Lane, she governs the human body. The part under her charge is the Heavenly Court Palace.

The Supreme Reality Palace is home to the Taiji Imperial Consort. Her surname is Xuan, her personal name is Lingsheng, and her courtesy name is Boyuan. She is seven cun and seven fen tall. She wears a five-colored sash of dark silk patterned with phoenixes. Her hair is arranged in a seven-treasure bun of dark clouds, and she wears a Wuji jinxianguan. She resides in the Great Qing Palace of Ultimate Mystery, higher than all else and beyond all appearances. Within the Jade Chamber Office, Three Cinnabar Fields District, and Cinnabar Origin Lane, she governs the human body. The part under her charge is the Supreme Reality Palace.

The Great Sovereign Palace is home to the Supreme Lord’s Queen. Her surname is Qian, her personal name is Han’hai, and her courtesy name is Heyansheng. She is three cun and three fen tall. She wears a nine-colored sash of cloud brocade and frost silk, woven with seven treasures, flying essence, and dark radiance. Her hair is arranged in a bun of ninefold mystery and jade essence, shaped like cascading clouds. She wears a Dark-Yellow Wuji Three-Treasure Jade Crown. She resides in the Great Qing Palace of the Ninefold Mystery Cavern of Wuji, the True Palace. Within the Cinnabar Essence Office, Numinous Radiance District, and Dark Mystery Lane, she governs the human body. The part under her charge is the Great Sovereign Palace.

The Way of the Female True One of the Four Offices—a method of cultivation in which female spirits govern the Four Offices—is superior to that of the Male True One. It is a teaching secretly transmitted by Su Ling and belongs to the Yin Palace, born from the primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth; it is also called the Imperial Consort. In practice, click the teeth sixteen times, then recite:

“Yin spirit of Great Qing, called the Maiden Numinous One; changing forms and images, reaching through the Ninefold Mystery; riding the Real and moving forth, concealed in the deep darkness. In the light of day, the sky is clear and the air pure; I call upon Shangqing, with focused mind and purification. With the heart I contemplate, with the eyes I gaze intently, penetrating spirit and form. The spirit returns to its dwelling palace, where jade radiance and fragrant sweetness abound. The five colors transform, flowing in yellow, purple, and blue; as they turn, flying rosy clouds rise, reaching straight to the Imperial Court.”

When the recitation is complete, click the teeth thirty-six more times, then stop.

The Mysterious Cinnabar Palace is home to the True Lord Central Yellow Great One. The Great One’s personal name is Guiying and courtesy name Huaxuan. His appearance is that of an infant, and he sits upright on a golden couch beneath a jade canopy.

You wear brocade robes of purple and green, with a Flowing Fire Bell at your waist. The bell is red, and its light and sound can reach a hundred thousand li away. Your left hand grasps the handle of the Big Dipper; your right hand holds the guiding order of the Northern Celestial Pole. Visualize purple Qi filling the stars of the Northern Pole. It overflows from the palace and beyond your body. You merge with the purple Qi and become one with it.

Next, visualize the sun descending from the heavens and entering the Palace of the Mysterious Elixir, a term in Daoist internal alchemy for the palace within the body where the Dantian is located. It rests at the center of the purple Qi. Then visualize the Perfected Lord of Central Yellow Taiyi, a deity revered in Daoism, descending from the Northern Pole’s purple Qi and entering your Palace of the Mysterious Elixir, where he sits at the center of the sun. Exhale purple Qi from your mouth and let it fill the palace.

Then visualize yourself entering the Palace of the Mysterious Elixir and sitting opposite the Perfected Lord of Central Yellow Taiyi. With reverence in your heart, kneel and bow twice before him, and ask how to cultivate the Dao, become an immortal, and attain long life without aging. Then visualize yourself swallowing the purple Qi forty times.

Next, visualize a thick strand of red Qi, as broad as a bowstring, emerging from the Big Dipper and descending into your Palace of the Mysterious Elixir. Then visualize the Perfected Lord Taiyi riding with you on the sun into the red Qi, ascending to the Dipper’s Ladle, the head of the Big Dipper. There, lie down and rest for a long time. After cultivating in this way for eighteen years, have the Jade Boy and Jade Maiden recite this prayer:

“Supreme True Sovereign, Central Yellow Purple Lord, your personal name is Guiying and your courtesy name is Huaxuan. You sit on a golden bed beneath a jade canopy, wearing a purple embroidered brocade skirt, with a Fire Bell at your waist. You cut down evil and destroy treachery; you hold starlight in your hand, and sunlight shines from your brow. Sitting upright, you breathe out Qi for me to swallow. We speak together and share a peaceful feast. Within the Palace of the Mysterious Elixir, you refine and pour Qi into me, settling my seven Po souls and harmonizing my three Hun souls. May the spirits guard me and help me ascend to immortality. May each of my five organs bring forth vitality, restoring my appearance to youthful vigor. May I receive the scriptures of the Highest Clarity and enter the office of the Emperor of Fate. May all I wish and seek be renewed with a hundred blessings.”

The Perfected Spirits within the head govern the Nine Heavens above and the Mudball Palace within the head below, the divine palace in the brain described in Daoism. The hundred spirits within the human body are connected to the numinous Qi of Heaven. If you contemplate these spirits over a long period and call upon them, they can bear you up to Heaven. (See the relevant passage above.)

The Emperor Lord’s name is Fenglingfan, his courtesy name is Lǚ Changling, and he is also called Sevenfold Numinous One and Spirit Elder. He dwells in the Purple Chamber of the Supreme Ultimate, the purple palace in the heavenly realm described in Daoism, and rules the hundred spirits within the human body. Above, he governs the Purple Chamber Palace in the Heaven of Jade Clarity; below, he governs the Purple Chamber Palace in the human head.

Taiyi’s name is Wuyoushou, his courtesy name is Gui Huichang, and he is also called Bright Radiance and Jipin. The Left Lord of No-Ingenuity, Gongzi, is named Xuanchongshu, has the courtesy name Hefuzi, and is also called Elemental One.

The Lord’s name is Right White Origin of the Grotto Chamber, Lord of Grotto Yang. He is also called Lingbiao, with the courtesy name Xuanyi. He has other titles as well, including Zhu Jing and Qicheng, and resides in the Palace of the Six Directions. The Lord Yi is also known as the Divine Lord.

At the center of the Grotto Chamber Palace is the Lord of the Elder in Charge of Destiny, named Liming, whose initial courtesy name was Xuandu. The Minister Yi is also called Shenzong and Linghua, and likewise resides in the Grotto Chamber Palace of the Six Directions. The Peach Lord in Charge of Destiny is named Haidaokang, with the courtesy name Hejingyan. He is also known as the King of Destiny and the Root of the Womb.

The Emperor Lords in the Grotto Chamber Palace of the Six Directions govern transformation, while the Great One governs life. The Lords in Charge of Destiny and the Lord Wuying govern Jing and Qi; White Origin governs the hun and po souls; and Taokang governs the spirits. Each person has five registers of names and five talismans, all bestowed by the Emperor Lord and placed under the care of five separate deities. These are linked to a person’s natal destiny and are responsible for removing the person’s name from the register of the dead, allowing them to be entered in the register of the living and endure forever without dying.

Each of the five deities holds a blue-green jade table. On each table are one of my five talismans and one of my five registers. Each talisman is one cun long and five fen wide; each register is five fen long and one cun wide. Visualize the Lord in Charge of Destiny holding a white jade tablet in his left hand and a blue-green writing brush in his right. He deletes my record of death, writing it in black on the white tablet, and enters me in the register of the living, writing it in blue-green on the white tablet.

Visualize my province, county, township, village, name, and age clearly written on the talismans and registers. Each of the five deities holds a jade table and raises the talismans and registers. They ascend from the Palace of the Six Directions, enter the Palace of the Purple Chamber, and present them to the Emperor Lord. The Emperor Lord then orders Laozi Lin Xufu of the Left Profound One, the Venerable Lord Zhang of the Right Three Su, the Left Immortal Zhong Chengzi of the Upper Orthodox Unity, and the Right Immortal Qu Wenzi of Orthodox Unity to take my talismans and registers to Jade Clarity, Great Simplicity, the Great High Three Origins, Supreme Clarity, High Mystery, and other places, and present them to the Lords there. These are all palace offices where the Immortal Officials of the Great High One reside.

Method for Visualizing the Five Deities in the Nine Palaces

In the nine heavens and nine palaces are nine deities. The nine souls of the Celestial Emperor transform into the Nine Qi, and the Nine Qi in turn transform into nine deities, each guarding one palace. Hence they are called the “Nine Palaces.”

Within Great Clarity are Great Simplicity and Great Harmony; within the Grotto Chamber are the Hall of Light and the Crimson Palace. These are called the “Six Offices.” The upper region is called the Celestial Office, and the lower region the Grotto Terrace. The terms referred to by “Three and Five” are the same, but their locations differ. One account says that within Great Clarity are the Three and Five Emperor Lords. Another account says that the Three Ones are the Dantian deities, along with the Five…

These deities belong to the Fulu (talismans and registers) system, which records the names and registers of the gods. They include Prince Taiyi, Baiyuan, Siming, and Lord Tao. Together they are called the “Three and Five.” Each of the Three and Five has its own palace, and each of the three perfected gods dwells in its own palace. The five deities pay audience to the Emperor Lord above. To the Emperor Lord’s left is the Elder Father-in-Law of Origin; to his right is the Venerable Lord of Mysterious Unity. These are the Nine Palaces spoken of within Limitless. The one who occupies the foremost place above the Nine Palaces is True Unity. The Nine Lords are perfected beings naturally formed from Heaven’s hun and po souls; they are divine beings who appear as omens.

If you can know and maintain these essences and energies in visualization, and deeply contemplate the Nine Lords and the Three Perfected, you can unite yourself with True Unity. You will move freely among the Three and Five and circulate repeatedly within the Seven and Nine, allowing the soul of the Celestial Emperor to dwell constantly within you as the Five Spirits uphold the registers and cycle without end. In this way, you will surely ascend to Heaven in broad daylight and pass beyond the world. This is far more than merely becoming immortal.

The Method of Preserving the Origin and Completing the August Elder

At midnight on the second or third day of the lunar month, lie at ease and close your eyes. Visualize the Emperor Lord in the Palace of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate); then visualize Yuan Cheng Laozi to his left, dressed in blue and wearing a white crown adorned with five blossoms. In his left hand he holds a potion of Golden Liquid; in his right, a white banner. They are all within Taiji.

Within Taiji are nine palaces, named in this order: Taiqing, Taiji, Taiwei, Purple Chamber, Mysterious Terrace, Emperor’s Hall, Heavenly Repository, Yellow Palace, and Jade Capital. In brief, measure one inch downward from the crown of your head: this is the Palace of Taiji, roughly one inch square. It lies above the Palace of the Six Unities, where the spirit of the Six Unities and Taiyi dwells. Measure one inch inward from between your eyebrows: this is the Bright Hall. Two inches farther inward is the Cavern Chamber; three inches inward is the Dantian (energy center). One inch above the point between your eyebrows, north of the Bright Hall and south of the Cavern Chamber, is the Palace of the Six Unities, which is roughly one inch square.

After visualizing the Three Perfected, visualize your own hun and po souls transforming into a person who looks just like you and rising into the Palace of Taiji. The Elder Father of Origin and Yuan Cheng Laozi then bestow upon this figure blue zhi fungus and a potion of Golden Liquid, handing them to him in person. Next, visualize yourself eating the spirit fungus and drinking the potion of Golden Liquid. The blue zhi resembles a lotus flower, and the potion of Golden Liquid resembles fine wine.

Once you have finished eating and drinking, go before the Emperor Lord and bow twice. Say: “Today is auspicious and peaceful. Here, the Emperor Lord grants me spirit fungus and a jade potion of Golden Liquid; the two elders release me from the registers, and Taiyi presents a memorial on my behalf. May I live long and see far, with a lifespan without end.”

Then visualize the Emperor Lord replying: “Fortunately, you have arrived on the appointed days, the second and third days of the lunar month…” (The original text ends here.)

When the ritual has been completed, one may take the medicine called “the Emperor’s Gift” and visualize the scene of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate). At this time, everything should enter through the space between the eyebrows. This space is the Jade Gate of the Niwan Palace, known as “guarding the inch-sized Yellow Gate and Purple Chamber.”

Method for Visualizing the Emperor Lords

On an ordinary day, one may choose one’s birth-date day, the first day of the first lunar month, or one of the six Xu days. At noon, dress properly and enter a room. Facing north, bow twice, then recite this prayer:

“High Emperor Lord, Supreme Jade Dawn, Venerable Elder of the Celestial Heavens, Supreme Great Dao: I, your disciple Lu Sun (so-and-so), earnestly ask you to protect me, so that my body and mind may remain healthy for a long time and I may dwell peacefully in the Purple Chamber Palace.”

After people have settled for the night, enter a secluded room, lie on your back with your eyes closed, and face upward. Visualize a great star at the center of the Northern Dipper and Taiji, shining brightly and emitting pure yellow light and Qi, descending before your eyes. Guide this light and Qi into your mouth and swallow thirty-seven times, then stop. Next, visualize the Qi of Yellow Essence mingling with your own breath, filling the Great Granary, Yellow Court, and lower Dantian (energy center), then descending to the Earth Gate of the Yin Chamber and circulating through your body until it reaches every part.

Then visualize five Celestial Emperor Lords suddenly appearing in the Purple Chamber Palace. Taiyi stands at the center and comes above. Kneel before the Emperor Lord and present your register of life. The Director of Destinies stands behind you and removes your name from the register of the dead. Visualize the Director of Destinies cutting away the death register: it is a black bamboo tablet inscribed in white; the register of life is a white bamboo tablet inscribed in blue.

Visualize a white jade tablet and a blue brush. The Director of Destinies hands the white tablet and blue brush to the Emperor Lord, who faces south, bends forward, and writes:

“So-and-so, of such-and-such county, township, and village, whose personal name is so-and-so and courtesy name is so-and-so, earnestly asks to be granted a jade tablet recording my years, so that I may live forever. What the Highest Mystery has ordained, may my wish be fulfilled, and may I become a true immortal. May all who see me beneath Heaven call me a Perfected One. Taiyi and the Director of Destinies, protect my person, so that I may long nurture myself on the essence of the sun and moon and live for a million years.”

Then visualize in your mind a bamboo tablet recording your life, one inch long and five fen wide, and see the writing on it with perfect clarity.

Next, visualize Taiyi Gongzi, Baiyuan, the Director of Destinies, Lord Peach, and the others ascending from the Palace of the Six Directions and entering the Purple Chamber Palace. Each carries a document and approaches the jade table. On the table is a talisman for each of them, colored blue-green. They present the talismans to the Emperor Lord. The Emperor Lord takes them one by one and hands them to the people mentioned above; together, they transform into four Emperor Lords. One is named Diaoliangji and has the courtesy name Qingping; another is named Changlaijue and has the courtesy name Nanhe; another Emperor Lord… (the original text ends here unfinished).

One is named Zhang’an Xin, with the courtesy name Xihua; he is one of the Thearchs. The other Thearch is named Mu Baocheng, with the courtesy name He.

When performing the Northern Campaign, visualize these four Thearchs and recite the Five Talismans together. When you have finished reciting, the Thearchs will give the Five Talismans to you. Once you receive them, kneel before the Thearchs and swallow them one by one. After swallowing them, visualize the four Thearchs rising from the emptiness into the Three Heavens, the three celestial realms described in Daoism. As they depart, each says to you: “If you can often visualize our names, you will be able to avoid every kind of calamity and live forever. You are a descendant of the Great Supreme. Among the Three Origins—the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, or the three energies of the Origins—we have truly entered your lifespan in the registers. The Five Talismans have entered your body, enabling you to endure between Heaven and Earth and ultimately become an immortal spirit.”

In spring, visualize the Thearch Qingping and have him bestow a sheng of blue nectar upon you in a blue jade bowl; then swallow it. After you have finished, the four Thearchs rise to Heaven together. In summer, visualize the Thearch Nanhe; proceed in the same way for the other seasons.

Method for Visualizing the Mysterious Unity Laozi

Also visualize Mysterious Unity Laozi to the Thearch’s left, dressed in purple and wearing a dragon crown; to the Thearch’s right is the Threefold Plainness Lord Lao, dressed in brocade and wearing a tiger crown. The dragon and tiger crowns are shaped like the long-distance travel crowns worn in the human world, but are decorated with dragon and tiger designs.

Mysterious Unity Laozi is named Lin Xufu, with the courtesy name Lingshi; the Threefold Plainness Lord Lao is named Lao Zhangshang, with the courtesy name Shensheng. Behind each Lord Lao stands an attendant immortal of Orthodox Unity: on the left is the immortal Zhong Chengzi, also called Di Bin, with the courtesy name Sihua; on the right is the immortal Qu Wenzi, also called Guang Jian, with the courtesy name Linghe. Their clothing and crowns are the same as those of the two Lord Lao.

Method for Visualizing the Controller of Fate

Also visualize the Controller of Fate descending into the Six Directions—the four quarters, Heaven, and Earth—and arriving at the Palace of the Great One, where he merges with the Great One. The Great One then submits a petition, asking the Thearchs to bestow talisman registers upon you. The Great One reports to the Thearchs: “The talisman registers have been bestowed, and the Controller of Fate has merged in form.” The four Thearchs bestow nectar, and the Most High records your name in the register of the living. They also pray that your name be entered in the register of names and removed from the register of the dead, then entrust you to the two Lord Lao.

At this moment, the Thearch suddenly takes your register of fate from his robe and gives it to Laozi on the left. He then takes your Five Talismans from his robe and gives them to the Lord Lao on the right. The two Lord Lao bestow the talismans and register of fate, and say to the Thearch: “(So-and-so)’s entry in the register of the living is confirmed; he will remain in the world for a long time. The Thearch’s talismans have been recorded in the Supreme Plainness Palace above.”

Next, the two Lord Lao command the two Orthodox Unity immortals, Zhong Chengzi and Qu Wenzi…

You carry the register of life and five talismans for a certain person, and proceed to the Palace of the Nine Heavens, where the Lords of Jade Clarity, Great Simplicity, the Supreme Three Primordials, and Highest Clarity and Lofty Mystery reside. There you proclaim the command of the Heavenly Emperor and register this person in the celestial book of life, granting him an immortal title: “True Worthy, Second Elder.” All who receive the command must be recorded one by one.

Next, the two messengers carry your talismans and register, and proclaim the command throughout the Nine Heavens. Only after a long time is the rite fully completed. Then, in visualization, the Lords of Fate and the Great One each divide into a separate figure. Together they travel through Great Clarity, inspecting and directing the hundred spirits throughout the body. After making a circuit from top to bottom, all the spirits return to their respective palaces.

This ritual is called “The Way of the Great Transformation of the Hundred Spirits, United with the Original Fate-Lord.” It marks the moment when the Five Emperors determine a person’s place in the registers of immortals, and the rite in which the two messengers assign that person a place in the register of life.

“Visualization” here refers to a Daoist practice of contemplating deities in the mind. “Register of fate” and “register of life” mean celestial books recording the lives of beings; “talisman” refers to a token used in ritual.