《無上祕要》Vol. 12

Wushang Miyao (The Supreme Secret Essentials), Scroll Twenty, Part Ten: “Treatise on Immortal Songs”

Treatise on Immortal Songs

The numinous framework descends to the station of Heaven’s ordinances; the Nine Dippers shine in the emerald-jade void. Purple canopies and layered peaks rise high, meeting the ridges of the firmament; the qi of dark radiance illuminates the mountain slopes in all eight directions. Above are guests of the Nine Mornings, chanting songs concealed within feathered writings. They roam on flying steps across the Northern Han, dwelling forever, their years equal to Heaven and Earth.

They rein in their bridles at the Terrace of Dark Feathers and fly to the realm of the Nine Origins. The numinous grotto is deep, secluded, and far-reaching; the cloud framework hangs down from the sky and rises. Below are seekers who gather the Real, gazing upward to summon the company of Jade Mornings. They circle three times above Yangming, then enter the grotto wilderness after nine turns. With lofty steps, they may ascend to the station of the August Sovereign. This is “The Long Song of the Dragon’s Flight.”

Jade Empyrean shines upon the Northern Frontier; jade branches, their green hues, lie hidden beside the slopes. The Terrace of the Nine Numinous Ones arises from emptiness, its radiant essence gleaming in the Great Rosy Clouds. The Heavenly Gate turns through layers of darkness; the cycles of kalpas pass again and again. Riding my flying-feather carriage, I take flight, weaving across the River of the Weaving Maiden. I preserve the numinous through constant transformation in the void, forever forgetting the vastness of Heaven and Earth. This is another stanza.

The three songs above come from the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity. They are songs of the Nine Yang Jade Chapters, which the Jade Maidens of the Nine Florescence continually chant above the Radiant Mornings. They can harmonize and open the communion between body and soul, and awaken numinous reality at the hidden gate. Those who cultivate flying steps and practice the way of the Seven Origins and Nine Stars must not recklessly ascend the Heavenly Framework or tread the Dark Dipper without these songs and chapters.

The foregoing is from the Dongzhen Huíyuan Jiudao Jing (Scripture of the Nine Ways of Returning to the Origin in the Cavern of Perfected Reality).

Within a cloud chamber, the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning transmitted to the Lord of Destiny of the Southern Pole seventy-four forms of Shangqing transformation. At that time, the Three Primordial Ones, who oversee the Perfected, and the Emperor Lord Wuying of the Upper Primordial sang the song “Inner Chapter of the Upper Primordial’s Cavern Gate for Transforming into the Real.” Its words say:

The currents of the Three Purities and Five Clouds wind and turn around the slopes of the Nine Ridges. Vermilion Numinous Light opens the Azure Chamber; golden radiance shines upon the eastern rosy clouds. The Three Mornings shine brightly in the Great Void; Shangqing rises in solemn grandeur. Jade gates wind around the curved chambers; flying tiers cross one another at uneven heights. Forested here are the palaces of the myriad emperors, each Perfected having a home of their own. Primordial qi has its source in the Dark One; how could its transformations have many different paths? Its titles are woven throughout a hundred charts; in an instant it transforms and sends forth roots and shoots. It scatters numinous power beyond the Nine Measures; its adorned form is no mere ornament of the morning glow. This is the enduring court of the myriad kalpas, where beautiful branches are formed for a billion years. The Southern Pole opens the hidden fields; wondrously it rises clear of the snares of the world. Forbidden matters cannot be kept concealed; what can be done with those who lightly divulge what is held within?

The Emperor Lord Huanglao of the Middle Primordial sang the song “Inner Chapter of the Middle Primordial’s Cavern Transformation into the Inner Real.” Its words say:

(The scripture continues with the next chapter here; within this scroll, the same treatise continues with the song of the Middle Primordial.)

The Supreme Secret Essentials in Plain Language

(First Section · Song of the True Writ)

Three supreme, perfected sages spread the Dao’s vital energy; nine kinds of numinous energy branch out and flow. In the realm of Jade Void, eight honored seats stand in array. Transformation and nurture turn without fixed paths; the titles of the myriad emperors govern the cycles of destiny, bringing forth the myriad things at the boundary between “being” and “nonbeing.” Palaces of jade stand in ordered ranks amid the Great Rosy Clouds; golden tones resound into the depths of darkness. A jade terrace rises high in the heavens, its flowing essence-light illuminating the purple canopy. The August Personage keeps watch over the numinous void, while flying terraces and layered peaks rise among the rosy clouds. Within are three Dantian (energy centers) that contain the true nature; without are nine stations that emit numinous energy. Qi (vital energy) changes without end, answering the numinous covenant in an instant. Who can fathom the hidden workings of transformation? By turning back and reflecting inward, one may grow young again in old age. The Southern Pole inherited the virtue of the dark phoenix, and so could form the central belt.

Song of the White Origin Emperor of the Lower Realm · “Song of the True Writ on the Transformation of the Lower Realm’s Cavern of Emptiness”

The Great Rosy Cloud Gate rises sheer and high; ninefold coils encircle its golden gates. Vermilion radiance shines across the jade heavens; flying clouds gather densely beneath the dark vault. The court of divine transformation leaves no trace, yet the true titles have their roots. Energy disperses through nine numinous gates, dividing into palaces for the myriad emperors—each emperor has a home, each perfected being a domain. Stillness arises above the rosy clouds; shadowed forms dwell within the Great Void. The cycles turn according to their own destiny, and only after myriad kalpas does one cycle end. The cavern of transformation opens into the numinous grotto of cinnabar; in its vast quiet, the Ninefold Mystery is accessible. Meditative thought carries one to the chamber of stillness, and the Eight Luminaries can fly through the sky. The wondrous Lord Primordial moves in winding transformations across the realm—how marvelous! The Southern Pole exerted himself with all his heart, and thus turned back to the peak of spirit. He stepped lightly along the shifting traces and so gave rise to the lineage of the myriad immortals.

(From The Scripture of Seventy-Four Modes of Cavern-Truth Transformation)

Chapter of Pure Mystery and Lofty Admonitions · Poem on the Three Paths and Five Sufferings

The Great Cavern gathers the three orders; primordial transformation takes shape through being and nonbeing. Still and rootless, it teaches; austere and flourishing, it holds numinous power. Alas for those in the Three Paths of suffering: from these arise sorrow and pain. Those who pursue the highest learning follow these precepts, perfect goodness, and endure through the ages of the kalpa. When the kalpa ends, they transform and are born in heaven, their bodies enduring alongside the sun and moon. The foolish and deluded follow worldly desires, taking pride in shallow learning. They proclaim transformation without any guiding principles and carelessly divulge the Heavenly Treasure scripture. Their names enter the register of offenses and the gate of death; they are inscribed at the four poles. Their souls and spirits undergo nine ordeals, and the Five Sufferings remain their long affliction. They eat fire and tread upon knife mountains, enduring hardship without a moment’s peace. Consider the source of these calamities and blessings: though vast and far-reaching, it is plainly clear within.

Background

The High Sage Jade Emperor commanded the upper palace Jade Maidens Xu Farong, Xiao Huizhong, Tian Sifei, Li Yunmen, and others to play the “Harp of Cloud Harmony” and sing together the Chapter of Pure Mystery and Lofty Admonitions of the Great Cavern and the Poem on the Three Paths and Five Sufferings. The passages above are their lyrics.

The “Three Paths” refer to three kinds of painful destination; common accounts include the paths of fire, blood, and knives. The “Five Sufferings” usually refer to birth, aging, illness, death, and such pains as separation from loved ones. The chapter urges people to keep the precepts and perfect goodness, and not to divulge the Heavenly Treasure carelessly, lest their souls and spirits undergo nine ordeals and suffer the Five Sufferings without end.

Source

The following passage comes from the Four Extremes’ Luminous Precepts (Siji Mingke) of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen).

Plain-language interpretation

Admonitions

The perfected immortals of the upper realm left behind stern warnings: the shifting fortunes of disaster and blessing often leave people sighing. Attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal also depend on Heaven’s mandate and one’s opportunities. In the shadowy realm, too, the consequences of good and evil are often decided in advance. Without the right opportunity, the immortal’s gate is hard to open. Once you understand the deepest suffering of human life, sincere practice of the mysterious Dao—the fundamental path of Daoist cultivation—can offer hope of transcending the world and ascending to the high heavens. If you cling to worldly things and fret as though imprisoned, why insist on indulging in pleasure?

Wrongdoing is recorded in the Four Radiances, where the underworld keeps its registers of sin. After death, the soul must endure the Nine Ordeals. It is dragged into the courts of the underworld to suffer the Five Torments. In the Three Paths—realms of torment associated with fire, blood, and blades—its sins remain unresolved, and the soul sinks beneath the Nine Darknesses, with no dawn in sight even after ten thousand kalpas. Such a fate is pitiable. How could the teachings transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning not move us to sorrow?

Above the vast Nine Mysteries, in darkness at the beginning of transformation, there was neither form nor shadow, and all was unfathomable. The Two Principles—Heaven and Earth—opened and began to move, and condensed Qi formed the turbid substance of the myriad things. The Three Mornings shone upon the Primordial Chamber, while the Five Nines—the ordering principles of the heavens—followed their own laws. People bring disaster and blessing upon themselves; who ultimately bears the consequences of good and evil depends on each person. Whoever comprehends the profound teaching can transcend the world and soar aloft. But if one insists on wielding the axe that destroys life—defying Heaven and ruining one’s own life—offenses will pile up in the heart, grave sins will be recorded in the Four Radiances, and the punishments carried over from past lives will eventually come to an end. While alive, one must bear suffering like windblades cutting the body. The Five Torments are endless and hard to escape; even the Seven Ancestors—seven generations of forebears—will be buried in the dark underworld. Ten thousand kalpas pass in a single cycle, and the soul wanders through the Three Paths. Until one awakens, the cycle of birth and death continues.

“Nine Songs of Yang” (verses praising the immortal realm)

Riding the wind that commands the landscape, I climb the mysterious steps. I purify my true nature and feast in Purple Clarity, the immortal realm of Shangqing. With cinnabar-colored sleeves, I sweep across the qi of the rounded vault of heaven; my dragon-patterned mantle rises into the realm of Great Brightness. I unyoke my carriage and dwell beyond the heights of the sky. The Four Elders turn back their brocade carriages, while the myriad immortals pay court at the Heavenly Emperor’s palace. Fragrant smoke rises through the void, and perfected beings of the upper realm take their places along the jade terrace. Bound by golden writings in the jade court, we ascend together to our celestial resting place, where flying blossoms shine with splendid spiritual radiance. Our forms endure through immeasurable ages; our spirits are delivered to peace through billions of cycles.

From the second song onward

Wandering light shines forth to guide the way, at last drawing near the sun’s wheel. The flowing wind drives eight carriages; in an instant, we look down upon the Nine Horizons. I lower my banner above the numinous heights, as rosy peaks stretch across the sky. I take the hand of the Perfected Western Sovereign; the Jade Dawn, a realm of Shangqing, is my honored teacher. I look up and inhale blossoms of precious jade, and feel the luminous gate open. In a tiger-patterned skirt within the jade hall, I drift far away, flying alongside the paired lights of sun and moon.

I unyoke my carriage and leave the Nine Mysteries; the golden chamber is quiet and still. In a dragon carriage, I ride the Three Clouds, while divine winds fan the flying mist. I wash in the waves of the Weaver Girl’s River—the Celestial River—and join a feast with the Perfected Ones of High Primordial. Together we arrange the radiant lights and dance, ever guests of the sky. I wander between the two boundless reaches…

(The original scroll continues here, though Song editions and manuscripts may have missing text. This translation follows the sense of the “Nine Songs of Yang” entry commonly found in the Wushang Biyao. The closing phrase, “wandering between the two boundless reaches,” is generally taken to mean roaming between the limits of being and nonbeing, at the ends of Heaven and Earth.)

Notes on proper names

Explanations of proper names are given in parentheses at their first occurrence in the text. Primordial Beginning is one of Daoism’s highest deities. The Four Radiances, Nine Ordeals, Five Torments, Three Paths, Nine Darknesses, and Seven Ancestors refer to ritual concepts involving the underworld, punishment, and the involvement of one’s ancestors. The Four Extremes’ Luminous Precepts of the Dongzhen Cavern is a work of precepts belonging to the Dongzhen Cavern. The “Nine Songs of Yang” is a set of hymns praising the ascent to immortality and journeys through the realms of the immortals.

Turning inward, I behold mind and spirit entwined with the Dao, their movement unbroken. My numinous nature moves beyond the nine-colored clouds, abiding forever in a realm of long life through countless ages.

At night I lodge in the Hall of Western Florescence; each morning I accompany Lord Fusang, the deity of the rising sun in the east. In vast, clear stillness, I gaze up at the Great Void.

The spirit path knows no bounds of circle or square. Purple reins command the five clouds; I pass through the heavens and ascend upon numinous winds.

My carriage wheels turn among the secluded hills, and the dragon carriage opens to welcome the True Sovereign. The Recorder on the left enters the names of the worthy who shine with radiance.

On the right, I command the children of the four seas. The numinous phoenix sounds its golden flute, while the spirit tiger arrays the bells of heaven.

I am ever with the vision of the mysterious origin, roaming freely amid the morning clouds.

I raise my banners like fans over Guanghan, stirring the Palace of Kui and Dawn. Purple radiance streams and its light leaps forth.

The nine clouds suffuse the Great Void. At dawn I enter the halls of Xilin; at dusk I feast in the Chamber of Cinnabar Subtlety.

The Three Qi converge beneath the soaring eaves; the double pivot sets the spirit wind in motion. We sing the “Hymn for Dispelling Demons.”

All four seats chant numinous verses. We dwell in stillness and feast beyond the bounds of long life, our forms and spirits at home through countless ages.

The Observatory of Taiwei resounds with voices. High in the realm of the Nine Mysteries dwells a worthy who guards stillness.

The flute sounds in a place of quiet darkness. In the west are the Masters of the Six Commands, who seek the light and speak with Dawn.

I come not as a guest of the Imperial Immortal, nor depart as a companion of the flying immortals. I rise above them on a feathered canopy.

I wander along the clear, cool shore, open the emptiness, and stand above the Eight Extremities. High mists rise, soaring beyond the light.

I harness the wild wind and reach the Three Heavens. I feast forever in the Mysterious Chamber; the Northern Dipper forms a Vermilion Hall.

I stand in lofty grandeur on the ridge of the Nine Void Heavens. My flying carriage attends the Cloud Peak, and my dragon robes brush the heights.

The Eight Winds lift my brocade carriage. The Six Qi spring from the Jade Well; radiant light fills the shining wheel.

The Five Heavens veil the brilliant light. I abide in stillness through ages without end; how could I ever rest with empty reins in hand?

I drive my carriage across the wilderness within the Mysterious Realm. With pale reins I enter Xilin, where subtle wonder meets primordial chaos.

With a sweeping fan I turn the Five Mists. The Eight Radiances halt the Jade Wheel, and from the clear carriage I behold the luminous truth.

On the left, I tread the path of flight and roam; on the right, I look back across the Eight Heavens. In open expanse, I ascend to the realm of Dawn’s Accord.

I look upward and take the people of the Imperial Center with me. In the utmost fulfillment, we meet in the mystery of the Dao; the numinous and wondrous body is a treasure of spirit.

At dawn I feast at the Southern Florescence Gate; at dusk I bow in the Court of Jade Dawn. Faint and distant, I ride within stillness.

The Eight Radiances fan the cloud carriage. On the Mysterious Terrace, nine clouds gather; cinnabar ranks descend, bearing emerald essence.

Hidden mushrooms line the secluded steps. Phoenix brains shine over the Five Cities, while the Three Primordials’ carriage raises a green banner.

The final wind lifts majesty and brilliance. It summons the immortals above in the empty sky and draws me into the Vermilion Fire Bell.

With the Ten Severings, I bring the fate of myriad demons to an end; forever I preserve life nourished by harmonious Qi.

Explanatory Reading

Introduction

The following is the introduction to the “Songs and Hymns of the Perfected” and the full text of the “Six Yin Songs,” as recorded in the Supreme Secret Essentials. “Yin Songs” refers to hymns of praise by immortals and perfected beings, associated with images of Yin, mystery, the netherworld, and the Great Mystery. They are sung or recited for those about to attain the Dao and become immortals, so that they may hear them and enter into communion with the higher realms.

Introduction

The Songs and Hymns of the Perfected come from the Palace of Four Blossoms in the Supreme One’s highest heaven, as well as from such immortal realms as the Mysterious Pass, Jade Terrace, Langfeng, and Mysterious Mound.

The songs sung by divine youths and maidens within these palaces also belong to the lower teaching, the teachings intended for practitioners in the world. Those who have attained the Dao, and those destined to become immortals, are to hear these songs, so that they may resonate with one another.

What follows are the Six Yin Songs.

The Six Yin Songs (Free Translation)

Chapter One

Flying gusts scatter spray across the mysterious waves; the blue waters first illuminate the cliffs and banks. Linked waves rise among mountain peaks, and deep currents surge beyond the Nine Hanging Heavens.

We rise beyond the crossing where one might drown, and move with ease along the stream of the heavenly blade.

Flying waves ride the whirlwind upward; clouds and water scatter across the mysterious ladder. Vast and expansive as the celestial youths of the Upper Blossoms, we roam at dawn on the Four Directions Terrace.

We turn back our radiance toward the Great Mystery’s consort, carrying our interwoven sashes as they wind around us.

We answer the appointed time and gather on high; our summons draws near at the midpoint of the age. Ten thousand kalpas become a single pledge, and a thousand years pass without parting.

Chapter Two

We set forth by carriage from the Three Mysteries, drifting and flying across the River of Clouds. We welcome the Sovereign in the Courtyard of Great Harmony, and meet Yuyi, the goddess of solar essence, at the Lodge of Clear Emptiness.

We bind the moonlit radiance at the edge of the smoke-free heights, and seek the splendor of the Seven Void Heavens. The pure steed soars through the purple sky, roaming freely in the Hall Without a Name.

Dragon banners wheel around the jade chariot; the four quarters brighten in response to the radiance, then scatter. For a time, we may enter into communion; the warm radiance of the supreme Dao dawns.

The Two Mysteries rise sheer and steep; the Jade Terrace shines with wondrous brilliance. Nine currents of Qi wind around hidden lingzhi, while ten thousand years bind themselves to climbing vines.

In the boundless light of Great Purity, numinous radiance shines over the River of Heaven at dawn.

Chapter Three

Our steps carry us between the Two Mysteries. Looking upward, we take hold of the cycles of the rounded essence. Jade Elixirs nourish the divine and perfected; our years are beyond all reckoning.

At times we are veiled within the Chamber of the Nine Numinous Ones; in our movements, we pass through the changes of the Two Cycles. At dawn we feast in the Palace of Radiant Yang, climbing toward the light where Virtue gathers.

We wander at the summit of layered mystery, then flutter downward on flying dragons. We race together beyond the Eight Directions and stride high through the chambers of the Heavenly Gate.

Winds rise and scatter from the Elixir Chamber; clouds gather in its hidden depths.

Chapter Four

The children of the distant realms who seek the way refine their purity and remain concealed in the Great Void. Within the long, continuous expanse, radiance appears; dragon-clouds encircle the forms of mountains.

Beyond the empty reaches lies the abode of Vast Cold. The ultimate numinous Dao shares a wondrous harmony. Stillness accumulates, opening the eight mysterious directions; the pure ridges are veiled in unbroken expanse.

I ascend into the inner reaches of Yang Liao, riding empty gusts and divine winds. The Cloud Terrace shines in the northern mystery; Dragon Spring lies deep among hidden peaks.

Jade fluids turn through the dark ravine, above the hollow summit of white blossoms.

Chapter Five

We imbibe the Qi of the Dragon Chamber; the divine embryo endures forever in the Nine Heavens. The High Mystery establishes the golden registers, and the Two Luminaries spread their light across the sky’s edge.

Our carriage comes to rest within the Great Desolation; boundless and serene, we find our dwelling in lasting stillness.

Chapter Six

Its structure follows the preceding five chapters. It continues to evoke roaming and feasting in the Great Mystery, communion with the supreme Dao, and the eternal abiding of the divine embryo. Its precise wording echoes the end of Chapter Five and brings the whole work to a close, emphasizing “silent, enduring stillness” and the immortal realm attained through the Golden Registers and Jade Elixirs.

Brief Glossary for Reading

Note: The original is rhymed verse with abrupt shifts of imagery. Many characters in Daoist canonical texts appear in variant forms, including terms rendered here as “vast and expansive,” “climbing vines,” and “dark ravine.” This modern interpretation follows the most common usage in Daoist texts to produce a coherent reading. For a word-by-word comparison with a particular edition, consult the specific Daozang source text used.

(The opening four lines, depicting the West as a realm of mystery, radiance, and clarity)

In the West’s hidden and mysterious realm lies a root of surpassing wonder, lush and profound. Lofty, far-reaching radiance brushes over it, shining bright. Amid the vast and indistinct expanse, the colors of flowing rosy clouds are pure and clear.

The light of gestation spreads over the vast, pristine realm. Within the plain and solemn Palace of Li, the wondrous teaching rests in peace, transforming and coming forth like orchids. Its celestial carriage soars above the Eight Scenes; gathered winds fan it onward, turning toward the south. It rises fiercely to the heights of Yangming, like a tiger’s roar shaking cities at the farthest reaches of the eight directions. Why speak of ten thousand li as distant? A single step beyond, and one no longer lingers in the ordinary world. At the grand assembly, wondrous delights abound; the teaching arrives in dignity, expounding the Way in its finest detail. The utmost Way is profound yet radiant and open. Wisdom descends; one revisits the Scripture of Wisdom.

(An account of the Eight Su Yin and Three Yang Songs)

The Supreme Perfected composed the Eight Su Numina: Three Harmonies, six chapters of song, to harmonize the measured melodies of the Purple Emperor and Jade Consort, and the wondrous pipes of Xuanjun.

The Yin and Yang songs together comprise fifteen chapters. The Supreme Jade Morning Great Lord commanded the Great Su Perfected, the Young Master of China, and the Great Ultimate Purple Yang Duke to compose them, so that they might sing in response to the wonders of the Eight Su. Those who recite them constantly can bring their essence and souls into harmony and their Five Spirits into accord, so that no evil force can invade them.

The beauty of these songs lies in this: the Great Ultimate Purple Yang Duke composed nine chapters of Yang songs to illuminate the Way of the Nine Mornings, and six chapters of Yin songs to benefit the essence of the Six Qi. Those who chant them can gather the Three Spirits; those who uphold them can dispel misfortune.

(The foregoing is from the Supreme Perfected’s Eight Su Yang Songs, nine chapters.)

(The Orthodox Unity Perfected speaks to Zhao Sheng)

The Orthodox Unity Perfected told Zhao Sheng: “The Sovereign of the Nine Heavens commanded the Plain Maiden to compose nine chapters of Yin songs to match the Yang songs. Those who study the Way should recite them as they practice the Way.”

(Selected lines from the nine Yin songs, with an interpretive translation)

Travel east to the summit of Penglai’s immortal mountain; journey west to the banks of the Nine Rivers. Flying creatures rise through the void, and the sound of their beating wings shines up to heaven. They alight beside the splendid forest. What need is there to worry about living long?

Roam north among the islands of the sea; go south to climb the wooded heights. Layered shoots flourish in profusion, while the vermilion phoenix leads its fledgling in song. Having forgotten the bonds of worldly splendor, why not cherish the immortal abode?

The Yin song laments and chants, singing of the exalted immortals above. It roams freely among the peaks of Mount Song, rising from the void and climbing into the skies. As the song is chanted, the Eight Tones briefly fall silent; wondrous music rises and drifts upon the wind. Wandering through the clear forest, immortals and sages stand together, solemnly singing the Eight Tones. A gentle breeze stirs a response from the sovereign spirits. On a quiet night, a mournful chant arises, and the paired Yin tones answer each other.

The weaving woman gives voice to a returning song; its sorrowful tenderness stirs thoughts of life. If one is not an exalted immortal, how can one preserve such perfected virtue?

In the misty forest of the numinous firmament, immortals ascend by flight to the Dark Garden. The station of the Nine and Five is hard to occupy for long.

Notes for clarity

• Eight Su: A system known from Daoist cultivation and liturgical texts. Here it is connected with the Yin and Three Yang songs in the Supreme Perfected’s Eight Su.
• Purple Emperor, Jade Consort, Xuanjun, and jade pipes: Names of honored deities and musical instruments in the liturgy. The songs are intended to harmonize their melodies and establish their proper measures.
• Five Spirits, Three Spirits, Six Qi, and Nine Mornings: These refer respectively to spirits within the body or in the cosmos, the Qi of time, and celestial morning scenes. Recitation is meant to bring essence, souls, and the Five Spirits into harmony.
• Zhao Sheng and the Plain Maiden: Zhao Sheng was a disciple in the lineage of Zhang Daoling, the founder of Orthodox Unity. The Plain Maiden was commanded by the Celestial Sovereign to compose Yin songs to accompany the Yang songs.
• Mount Song, Penglai, the Dark Garden, and the numinous firmament: Names of immortal mountains and realms. The songs depict journeys among immortals, ascents to the heavens, and the wish for longevity.

Essential Secrets of the Supreme — A Plain-Language Reading

The eight kinds of musical sound: what is there to envy in them? The notes of the five strings, played in the modes of gong and shang, are sad in the end. Only with the favor of the “Nine Suns” can one begin to hear the sorrowful cries of lonely spirits. Before then, one cannot yet appreciate the wondrous music of the gate to the hidden and profound.

Mysterious Qi rises above the void, radiant with light, drawing higher spiritual beings near. The only fear is that one’s aspirations may not accord with theirs; there is no need to worry that one’s devotion is not sincere enough. Once inside the hollow chamber, why worry that one’s Dao practice will fail to reach completion?

The towering Imperial Pole Temple, the splendid Jasper Grove Hall: rosy clouds and streaming light shine upon them, and two jade countenances appear. Flying phoenixes carry plain-colored texts in their beaks and sing aloud of the work of nurturing the primordial vitality. Youjing lifts Mysterious Qi, and flying songs come to rest in the realm of Jade Truth. The song of Lingyin voices wondrous principles; the Western melody enters the “Two Conveniences.” Yang songs and Yin tones harmonize, and the paired dancers move with such grace. As the journey of glory is being written down, a lofty immortal and I become kin.

Where does one wander at ease? Through the gate of the myriad mysteries. The Jade Capital pours down its compassionate grace, and the Golden Tower bestows abundant favor. We accompany one another at the Turtle Mountain Lodge and sing and laugh in the Fusang Grove. We dwell for long in the abode of the Great One, then return to our destiny and bow in reverence to the Three Venerable Ones.

— From The Scripture of the Three Sovereigns

The dragon banner dances through the Great Void; the flying wheel travels across the Five Sacred Peaks. Wherever it goes, it is free and at ease; when moved by a response, it gives rise to a song from the unseen realm. There is no need to wait, yet there is something to wait for; through meeting one another, harmony comes about.

Why should the vast sea be considered so distant? Why should the Mysterious Well be thought so deep? We walk among the secluded and inaccessible places, all gathering within the net of the four seas. How could this compare with going beyond the farthest bounds of light, where one passage takes three kalpas?

The sudden chariot sets out from Western Florescence, between waiting and not waiting. At times it glances toward the peaks of the Five Sacred Mountains; at times it leaps to the ford of the River of Heaven. Leaving the wheel behind, it seeks an empty boat; wherever it is, all is entwined in intimacy. A mustard seed suddenly becomes ten thousand acres, with Mount Penglai within it. Great and small are no different at their root; near and far share the same conditions. They come by acting as those who wait; I look upon them as one who does not wait.

Song of Lady Anfei of the Nine Florescences

(According to the Declarations of the Perfected, the preceding song is by Lady Zhonghou.)

Without waiting, within the Great Nonbeing; with waiting, at the bounds of Great Being. Small and great share a single wave; far and near come together in one gathering. Strings ring atop the mysterious heavens, while golden flutes set the eight Qi in motion. Why not drink deep of the spirit wine and let your gaze delight in the Nine Regions? Between being and nonbeing, one finds the mysterious workings; the two kinds of waiting also cover one another.

Song of the Azure Youth Lord of Fangzhu

(This is a song by a Perfected of the Southern Mountain of the Great Void.)

He masters the raging wind and sweeps through the Great Void; the eight luminous chariots fly high into the clear heavens. Floating above the Purple Dawn, he looks down upon the uttermost depths of darkness. In the hollow expanse of the mysterious heart, above and below, nothing flows or comes to rest.

A person who depends on nothing stands between two realms; a person who depends on something, however, does nothing. Realizing “nothingness” makes it possible to escape birth and death; realizing “being” makes it possible to preserve and nourish life. When the Eastern Guests met, they sang aloud: What is there to argue about between these two realms?

Song of the Lady of Zhonghou (a song composed by the Lady of Ziyuan)

Mystical resonance reaches beyond wondrous visions; harmonious sounds naturally call forth corresponding principles. Spirit-clouds gather in the purple dawn sky, while a gentle breeze scented like orchids sweeps over the green carriage. The High Perfected (immortals of the highest rank) hold a banquet on the Jade Terrace, and from afar become models for the terrestrial immortals.

What we seek is transcendence to lofty heights; that is why we stand out, upright and exceptional. Behold the Book of the Eight Su (a sacred Daoist text), and the Way is not far off. How can the affairs of the human world be arranged in advance? They will scatter the Qi of your body and spirit.

Song of the Lady of Mount Heng

The above passages come from the Scripture of True Traces.

When the Four Perfected descended to the Lady of Mount Heng, the Perfected of Taiji sang the “Song of Fanning the Void,” whose lyrics say:

Vermilion radiance shines upon Shangqing; winds from the eight directions stir the Great Rosy Clouds. I turn the carriage of Divine Firmament and arrive at once beside Jade Ridge Mountain. Beyond Heaven and Earth, all seems distant, yet the Nine Provinces are like my home. Above, I gather the essence within the sun; below, I drink the radiance of the Yellow Moon. In the void I behold the numinous realm; even the roc’s flight path is unobstructed.

I look back and see you, Wei Xian’an: your turbid Qi has harmed your inner harmony. Apply yourself diligently to probing the mysterious principles. When your Daoist cultivation is complete, we shall meet again.

Then the Azure Youth of Fangzhu (an immortal) sang:

The Great Rosy Clouds raise their wondrous radiance; the nine kinds of primordial Qi have no fixed form. I guide the reins of a mysterious carriage as it flies beyond the clouds, and ride the chariot of the Eight Radiances as it rises into the heights. I hold the sleeve of the Jade Emperor and take you, a man of the dawn, along with me.

We gaze toward the palaces of the Seven Luminaries (the sun, moon, and five planets), bright yet profound. Son of the Wei clan, you stand apart from the ordinary, yet you are possessed of feeling and affection. Your gifts are exceptional, and you have met with a fortunate opportunity; your name is already recorded in the golden registers of Donghua. Xian’an, you have been quietly probing the mysteries. We have agreed to meet in Yangluo.

Then the Divine King of Fusang (the king who governs Fusang) sang:

At dawn, the gates of the Great Emperor’s palace open; we cross the celestial river near the Gourd Star. Emerald waves rise over the blue sea, and unbroken mountain ranges tower like a host of peaks. The wheels of our carriage float amid billows of cloud, drawn forth by nine dragons together. Tiger-striped banners unfurl at the crossing through the rosy clouds; numinous winds stir the streamers and send them fluttering onward.

Huacun has long delighted in cultivating the Dao, and has thus attained the realm of the High Gods. Having passed beyond the three entangling conditions, the responsive meeting has only just begun. We have agreed to meet at Yangluo Palace. When your Daoist cultivation is complete, we shall take the son of the Wei clan along with us.

Then the Perfected of Clear Emptiness sang:

Riding a swift carriage, I command the realm of Clear Emptiness and wander among the halls of Xihua. The jade wheels have reached the moment when dawn is nearly over.

This scripture depicts a grand celestial gathering, divided into three main sections:

First, it portrays the magnificent procession of immortals: banners adorned with tiger patterns flutter among auspicious clouds, divine winds ripple crimson pennants, and radiant candlelight illuminates all directions. The deities loosen their robes within resplendent palaces as celestial chimes produce crystalline tones, evoking the image of resting in divine groves. The nine-stringed zither plays mysterious melodies that make one forget worldly troubles, releasing millennia of sorrow as they immerse in supreme bliss throughout the night.

Next come two immortal hymns. The first describes amethyst mists dancing in the void while sacred winds sweep freely through the nine heavens, illuminating the silent emptiness. Through inner contemplation practice (observing the upper, middle, and lower Dantian), forms manifest within stillness. The second hymn tells of immortals descending by divine decree, encountering beautiful celestial maidens, reminding practitioners to diligently cultivate the Dao of nurturing life in harmony with nature's rhythms.

The final section depicts the Queen Mother of the West (foremost female immortal in Daoism) receiving blessings and convening with the assembled deities. The gathering at Turtle Mountain includes exalted immortals like the Golden Tower Sacred Lord and the Southern Extremity Primordial Lord, holding a grand ritual assembly. Handmaidens play divine music as phoenixes sing in harmony with the eight celestial tones. The Queen Mother rises to dance and sing, adorned in magnificent robes and jade pendants carved with dragon-tiger motifs, gracefully keeping rhythm with her song.

The concluding hymn expresses the liberated state of riding the Eight Luminosity Chariot (immortals' flying vehicle) to ascend to the Jade Purity Heaven (one of Daoism's highest realms), transcending the cycle of life and death to embody the natural Great Dao. It mentions the manifestation of Southern Peak Hengshan's immortal truths, where within the Crimson Palace (the heart's poetic name) all deities share eternal joy.

Lady Feng Shuangli of the Three Origins (a Daoist female immortal) held the Purple Yang Cloud Yu—a cloud-shaped Daoist instrument—and answered in song:

“Jade Clarity (Yujing), the highest heaven in Daoist cosmology, appears from the Nine Heavens; halls where immortals dwell descend beyond the glow of rosy clouds, and lofty terraces in the clouds shine vast and grand. Lush summer splendor spreads in abundance; five-colored auspicious clouds lift emerald canopies, and fresh breezes from the eight directions bring green vital energy (qi).

Singing upward, I intone songs that dispel demonic obstacles; bowing my head, I study wisdom and spiritual clarity. True immortals open the morning scene together and meet by appointment in the crimson palace. Those of outstanding virtue and sharp talent win a name that rises above the rest; divine light shines upon them as their forms ascend into the void.

Heaven’s peaks rise into the sky; cave abodes and towered halls are deep and still. Only after roaming the great sea does one know how small is the world at the bottom of a well; only after practicing the true Dao does one feel how tainted is the dusty world. Riding the dancing cloud chariot, feasting in the deep inner halls, one naturally sets aside the tools of fishing. Returning to my immortal realm broad and enduring as the great chun tree, I forever leave behind the human world where morning birth meets evening death.”

The above is from the Daoji Jing (Scripture of Dao Traces).

When primordial Nine Mysterious Qi first took form, the High Sage Lord (Gaosheng Dijun) divided heaven and earth in the empty numinous realm. He ascended to the nine-tiered, seven-reflected vermillion palace, wandered above bright rosy light, and moved also in the clear, remote void of the Nine Emptinesses. The Western Consort beat time; celestial maidens lined up in rows. Some played music like dragons roaring and tigers howling; others danced as if luan birds and phoenixes were calling. Four perfected ones sang in chorus; eight kinds of instruments sounded together. The Cloud Yu rang clear and piercing, shaking the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)—the three supreme deities of Daoism and their heavens.

The above is from the Lingyue Dongzhen Qisheng Yuanji Jing (Scripture of the Seven Sages and Primordial Chronicle of the Numinous Music Cave Perfection).

The Purple Consort of Western Splendor (Shangqing) and the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) respectively ordered their attendants Wang Tingxian, Guang Hui, and others to play the Cloud Lang Yu; they ordered attendants An Deyin and Fan Quzhu to strike the Kunming fou (pottery or metal percussion); attendants Zuo Baorong and Han Longbin to play the phoenix-luan xiao (flute); and attendants Zhao Yunzi and Li Qingyu to strike the flowing-gold stone (a stone percussion used in ritual music).

The above is from the Dadong Zhenjing (Great Cavern Perfection Scripture).

The Lady of the Southern Pole said: “The upper immortals of Little Fangzhu often play the Nine Numinous Xiao for their own delight. When one who can play this xiao performs, the sound carries as far as forty li. The instrument has thirty holes, and the bamboo tube is two or three chi long. When nine xiao are played together, the hundred beasts dance for joy, and the phoenix comes to answer the sound.”

The above is from the Zhengao (Declarations of the Perfected).

The Queen Mother of the West performed music for Mao Ying. She ordered her attendant Wang Shanghua to play the Eight Lang Yu; attendant Dong Shuangcheng to play the Cloud Harmony sheng (mouth organ); attendant Shi Gongzi to strike Kunting metal, and attendant Xu Feiqiong to play the Thunder Numinous huang (jade chime); attendant Wan Jueqing to strike Wuling stone, and attendant Fan Chengjun to beat the Cave Yin qing (stone chime); she also ordered attendant Duan An…

The passage ends abruptly in the source text.

This passage depicts a grand scene in which the immortals perform music and descend from the celestial realms of Daoist paradise. It comes from Scroll 20 of the Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials).

Incense is arranged in a coiled, hook-shaped form, with the incense laid out in curves for a Daoist ritual. At once, all the sounds blend together, and numinous music reverberates through the void. The Queen Mother of the West commands her attendants Yu Shanbin and Li Longsun to sing “Song of the Mysterious Clouds.” Its lyrics mean roughly:

Though the Great Image is vast and distant, I keep watch at the gates of the Nine Heavens. Cloaked in clouds, I roam the realm of the Eight Luminaries, then descend in an instant to the world below. The Great Emperor sings aloud the music of the palace—how could he know the suffering of the mortal world?

At that time, Lady Wang of Supreme Perfection played the zither herself. Though it had only one string, it could sound all five tones at once. Its high, clear notes rang for several miles. Birds gathered among the mountain chambers, circling and flying about; they could not be driven away. Perhaps this was the music of celestial beings, a wondrous sound born of nature.

The Four Perfected descended to Mount Heng in the South. In her quiet chamber, the Lady welcomed them and asked them about the affairs of the narrow world and the laws governing women. Though the subjects were said to be so profound and wondrous that nothing could fully encompass them, she learned their general outline in conversation. As the Four Perfected sang, the Perfected of the Supreme Ultimate first ordered the Jade Maiden of Northern Cold, Song Dexiao, to play the “Ao of the Nine Qi,” a celestial musical instrument.

The Azure Youth of Fangzhu then ordered the Jade Maiden of Eastern Florescence, Yanjingzhu, to strike the “Bell of Western Abundance.” The Divine King of Fusang and Yanggu ordered the Jade Maiden of Cloud Grove, Jia Quting, to play the “Xiao of the Phoenix’s Cry.” The Perfected of Clear Emptiness ordered the Jade Maiden of Flying Mystery, Xianyu Lingjin, to beat the “Jade Clappers of the Nine Harmonies.” (Quoted from the Jing of Daoist Traces.)

The Lord of the Dao, the Most High, observed purification and kept the precepts in the Western Land of Na Jade, on the Peak of Fuluo at Mount Yucha. The Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning rode in a jade carriage of the Eight Luminaries, amid the flying clouds of the Three Sublimities. Its jeweled wheels and feathered canopy blazed with five-colored radiance. Divine winds and mysterious drums swirled around it; banners and canopies fluttered. The jeweled forest rang out, jade branches stirred the music, and cloud songs sounded through the air. Phoenix cries echoed in the mysterious vastness; the celestial ensemble resounded throughout the caverns, and all the sounds mingled together. The divine consorts sang in harmony, while the assembled immortals moved with stately grace. He also ordered the Jade Maiden of Flying Mystery of the Golden Numinous Palace of Western Florescence to play the “Zither of the Five Harmonies”; the Perfected of the Radiant Emperor to play the “Xiao of the Nine Phoenixes”; and the divine sheng of the Divine Continent to be sounded. The various heavens each performed the music of divine dragons, beyond counting. (Quoted from the Lingzhang of the Empty Cavern of Dongxuan.)

This text belongs to the Daoist writings on the descent of perfected beings. Its lavish portrayal of music in an immortal realm symbolizes the mystery of the Dao and the resonance between Heaven and humanity. The Queen Mother of the West, the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning, and the Lord of the Dao, the Most High, are among Daoism’s highest deities. The Jade Maidens’ performances express the solemn splendor of celestial ritual.