《無上祕要》Vol. 21

Opening Narrative

The Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun, one of the highest deities in Daoism, identified with Taishang Laojun) was observing pure fasting (qingzhai) and upholding the precepts (jiezhai) on the peak of Fuluo, on Mount Yuzha in the Jade Kingdom of Xina. He laid out golden mats and jade steps, and seven-jewel necklaces (qibao yingluo) shone like the sun. Yellow clouds wrapped around him on every side, and purple mists rose in three layers about him.

The Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the supreme deity who first opened the heavens and earth) led the great sages of the heavens, the Perfected Divine Kings of the ten directions, the celestial immortals, flying immortals, earthly immortals, and the Five Emperors and their Perfected. They descended through the air and took their seats, streams of light blazing clear while the radiance of sun and moon merged together. The Supreme Lord of the Dao, overcome with joy, went forward, bowed, and addressed the Venerable: "Today the assembled sages have returned to descend upon this empty mountain, and the joy of the perfected is beyond ordinary measure. I beg that the Venerable command the Perfected of the Western Palace of the Supreme Mystery to recite the strings of the Kongdong Lingzhang (the Numinous Chapters of Emptiness and Cavern, esoteric scriptures transmitted in secret) and the Numinous Chapters of Spontaneity, so that those who have never seen them may see, and those who have never heard them may hear."

The Venerable said with delight: "The Kongdong Lingzhang is the jade sound of the heavens, held as most secret by the Upper Palace, and is not passed down to the lower realms. Yet now this banquet of joy is beyond description, and the times bring a rare gathering. Reason does not permit concealment, so I shall now announce to all thirty-two heavens that the perfected should join in purification and recite the numinous chapters." The Supreme Lord then bowed his head to the ground in celebration, and the heavens rejoiced. Each of them then offered a hymn:

Hymn of the Heaven of Taihuang Huangceng

Pure conduct crowns the Great Luo (the highest heaven of the Way), and simple, unadorned virtue rivals the mysterious calendar. The form of heaven endures forever, and in observing the world one suddenly grasps the principle of impermanence. Again and again one passes through kalpas without ever reaching their end, exploring the hidden and crossing over birth and death. The three vehicles (the vehicles of the śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and the bodhisattva) open a convenient path, and the pure void is free of dust. In the long night the soul rests in peace, and the five sufferings of the hells are released. The sword trees no longer sway their branches, and the mountains of knives no longer wound the body. Within the home dwells one who has passed through the great kalpa, and in the land there are no children who die young. Today we celebrate this gathering, all the heavens rejoice together, and joy cannot be contained, so we raise our voices high and bow in homage.

Hymn of the Heaven of Taiming Yuwan

We feast beneath the scenery of the Heaven of Yuwan, and ride a pleasure boat over the mysterious capital. In the freedom of the Taiming Heaven, long lamps blaze over kingfisher-green silk curtains. Numinous winds brush the heavy clouds, and the dragon-shaped hills rise lush and steep. Above, there are flying celestial beings, their feather robes brilliant in mingled colors. Below dwell the people of the Longhan era (the ancient people of remote antiquity), all of them members of families that have passed through the great kalpa. The souls on the five paths of transmigration rest in peace, and the Nine Gloomy Realms are freed from the three evil paths of suffering. The celestial steed moves across the Dongjing constellation, and along the long source there is no great sand to obstruct the flow. No lonely soul's cry is heard.

Opening (Zuoxing Le Ge)

Just keep composing songs of joy, for this rejoicing now knows no bounds. Whatever fate the future holds, one should bear it in this same spirit.

Qingming Hetong Heavenly Hymn (Tiansong)

Above the Heaven of No Form (Wuse Tian) and Hetong (a celestial realm), the Fan breath and the principle of Yuanshi unify the realm of Taiqing. Its splendor is ornate and radiant, like the celestial capital of Yujing. Yellow clouds wind around its four curtained carriages (the peng, the side boards of a carriage). Purple groves and emerald hills stand to the south, and the wind stirs the vermilion jade trees. The cry of a phoenix opens the long night, and after ten revolutions even the Nine Dark Depths (Jiuyou), the deepest netherworld, are lit. The Bird Mother, a mythic figure, halts the Celestial River, and a dragon bears the cold-well jar, a ritual vessel. The Five Ways (Wudao), the five paths of the underworld, have their roots cut, and the Three Paths (Santu), the three kinds of suffering, are no longer bound by warfare. Banners are turned to march against demonic forces, and yellow banners put the northern encampment in order, the ritual ground of the altar. The Cavern Scripture (Dongzhang) ferries the wandering souls across. In the Three Realms (Sanjie) there are no rumors or discordant sounds. Above stands the Palace of Merit and Virtue, and below are forms reborn to new life, those who may regain a human body and receive salvation. This is the Dharma of Yuanshi Tianzun, and how marvelous is the Scripture of the Empty Cavern (Kongdong Jing). Bowing in joy, we recite it, and singing aloud we rejoice for ten thousand years.

Xuantai Pingyu Heavenly Hymn (Tiansong)

Pingyu raises up the three tiers of heaven, and the spirit returns to deliver the ten directions. Above, it opens the doors of the long night; below, it illuminates the chambers of the Nine Depths. Suffering souls return in celebration and ascend into the Hall of Blessings. In the mountains there is no person who harbors enmity against another, only the Lord of Great Calamity (Haojie Gong), a deity who protects souls through trials. Yuanshi returns in a jade carriage, and yellow banners summon spiritual winds. The Five Ways' altars are swept clean. Karmic affinities meet and pass through by the turning of fate. The celestial flying beings rejoice together, and we celebrate our entry into the Palace of Eternal Life.

Yuanming Wenju Heavenly Hymn (Tiansong)

The round net of heaven dances in the empty cavern, and the purple wheel shines majestically over the jade court. Wenju heaven spreads its cinnabar radiance. The Three Expedients (three layers of skillful means or principles) govern the Jade Clarity. The constellations of Lilo shine over Changgeng, and the nine nights are brilliantly illuminated. Within the Three Realms there are no souls that die forever, and across countless kalpas all become spirits. The Ten Holy Lords (Shisheng Gong), lofty and majestic, practice pure conduct and chant the Flying Heaven Scripture. A single recitation brings reverence from all the heavens, and ten revolutions bring dry bones back to life. The seven generations of ancestors ascend to the vermilion palace, enjoy blessings, and enter the formless realm.

Shangming Qiyao Heavenly Hymn (Tiansong)

Riding the light of the sun and moon, one travels through the Three Pure Realms (Sansu, the heavens of sun, moon, and stars), and soars high to the Palaces of Sun and Moon. The seven luminaries (the sun, moon, and five planets) shine across the Upper Clarity. Yuyi, the sun-essence goddess, shines upon the jade chamber. Those who vanquish demons are not ordinary companions of the cavern, and Jielin, the moon-essence goddess, is my companion. Turning back, one delivers the ten heavenly beings, and together they partake of the flying radiance of the Celestial Sovereign. Each morning we feast on the breath of the five clouds, and each evening we draw in the light of the three dawns. Demons have no world in which to dwell, and nowhere is there a place for the Five Ways' altars. Across countless kalpas, all are subjects of the heavenly realm, and together they are called the Hall of Blessings.

Xuwu Yueheng Heavenly Hymn (Tiansong)

In the void, pure conduct reaches the Great Heaven (Daluo), the highest of the heavenly tiers. Flying nets dance at the Heavenly Gate. One surveys and gathers the grand cycle of the primordial era, the great calamity-epoch. The four breaths divide day from night. The nine assemblies follow an unusual cycle, and this is called the Gate of Yueheng, the name of this heaven's gate.

The hymns above mostly describe the ranks of the heavens, the deliverance of the dead from suffering, the clearing away of demonic forces, and the chanting of scriptures and praise. Their language connects with the ritual forms of the Dongzhang (Cavern Registers) and with the Daoist cosmology of the Three Realms, the Nine Depths, the Five Ways, and the Three Paths.

Wushang Biyao (Scripture of the Most High Secret Essentials): A Vernacular Reading

The principles governing the turning of heaven and earth have their own fixed measures, so how could joy remain unchanged forever? This passage speaks of the realm of fude (merit and virtue), which is formed by good fortune and inner De (Virtue/Power).

Life is spontaneously produced by the Dao and does not arise from a root of evil. Yet fate arrives in haste, and the succession of generations seldom occurs at the same moment. Therefore one delivers the dead in the present and cares for their future lives by reciting scriptures concerned with sorrow and joy.

Hymn of the Taiji Mengyi Heaven (Taiji Mengyi Tian Song)

The Qi of mengyi (misty concealment) shines forth within the heavy void, and the light of yaoling (radiant spirit) illumines the vermilion Gate of Heaven. Thirty-two heavenly youths, clad in brocade and in robes of flying azure, hold banners and govern the registers of fate, summoning the suffering souls to return.

In the long night, the Five Gates (wu hu, the gates of the netherworld) are opened, and the Nine Dark Realms (jiu you) are suddenly illuminated. In the Palace of Long Life of the Taiji (Taiji Changsheng Gong), names are entered into the registers of immortals, and one ascends together into flight. The Dharma gate delivers both celestial beings and humans, and across countless kalpas they have followed one another. Seven generations of ancestors are released from the root of suffering and rise, singing, to Ziwei (the Purple Tenuity), the realm of the Heavenly Honored in the middle heaven.

Hymn of the Chiming Heyang Heaven (Chiming Heyang Tian Song)

In the age of Chiming (Vermilion Brightness), the diagrams of the primordial opening are expounded, and the Qi of heyang (harmonious yang) circulates in the upper void. The Heavenly Venerable of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) unfolds the numinous writings, and the ten divisions of celestial scriptures are transmitted. The ancestors of the Nine Dark Realms are delivered, and through ten thousand recitations the Dao settles in peace.

The beautiful palaces upon the Five Hills and the dwellings of merit between life and death are lovely. Without the huanglu (yellow register), which is the name list of immortals, how could the root of suffering be pulled up? Through long fasting and the recitation of numinous sections (lingzhang), the numinous powers of the five directions support one another. When the work of cultivation is complete, the foundations of heaven and earth become firm, and blessings overflow for generations.

Hymn of the Xuanming Gonghua Heaven (Xuanming Gonghua Tian Song)

The scriptures of the ten directions are adorned with splendor, and the wondrous sounds of the heavens turn and explain themselves. They spread throughout the Five Paths (which may refer to the five categories of beings) and deliver the hearts that favor goodness. The Yellow Demon summons the great demons (or perhaps the subduing of evil by righteousness), and the Red Writ (chishu) destroys the thick groves of sin and defilement. The three realms open onto the mysterious road, and the heart of heaven sings in sorrow for the souls.

Deliverance crosses over the courts of the Eight Calamities (ba nan), and one wanders freely upon the Jade Cliffs (yuqi cen, immortal mountains). The body enters the assemblies of pure conduct (brahma-caryā) and rejoices forever in the Forest of the Seven Treasures. It enjoys the boundless blessings of the Infinite, and across kalpas the faithful seek one another.

Hymn of the Yaoming Zongpiao Heaven (Yaoming Zongpiao Tian Song)

Yaoming shines high, and Zongpiao penetrates the mystery. The primordial diagrams are opened, and the five sections are spread forth. The Red Youth keeps the records, and yellow clouds wind around. Eight majestic guardians stand in attendance, and numinous beasts serve the perfected. Radiant flowers adorn the hair, and reversed incense sweeps the dust. The fine union of the long hills encircles the ten heavens. Loud chanting of the Empty Cavern (kongdong, or the meaning of the Kongdong section) carries one flying into the mystery. Withered souls rise into yang, and ashen bones return to human form, restored to life. The divine kings deliver the allotted life span, and one rides the void and mounts the mists. Through reverent recitation of the numinous sections, one's years equal those of the kalpa (that is, one's life lasts as long as the cosmic age).

Hymn of the Zhuluo Huangjia Heaven (Zhuluo Huangjia Tian Song)

Huangjia gathers the primordial, and Zhuluo unites the spirits. The white tablet fixes the ranks (the white tablet determines rank), and the blue register establishes the immortals. The Yellow River returns its numinous power, and the Red Writ summons the perfected.

Preface (General Summary)

Numinous winds stir the banners, and the qi of the ten extinctions (shi jue) circles and rises. The solar essence (jing) refines and nourishes the hun and po (the ethereal and corporeal souls). Withered bones recover their moisture. Passing through ten revolutions (shi zhuan) and crossing the eight calamities (ba nan), one's merit may ascend to the heavens of flight. By means of the dongzhang (cavern register) one commands the host of demons, bows the head to the Way of the Supreme Mystery (shang xuan), and extinguishes the darkness of the nine nights. One severs the encumbrance of the placental root, registers one's name to pass into the Southern Mystery, and obtains the three convenient means of preserving life.

Hymn of the Radiant Heaven of the Empty Brightness Hall

The realm of empty brightness holds the qi of the Great Brahma, and the assembly of pure conduct forms a great hall. The Yuan Duke takes his post and presides over affairs of state, while the Minister of Destiny (Siming) holds the reckoning and governs the allotted years. This is a day of auspicious joy, and the obstructions of the five paths of rebirth (wu dao) dissolve. Brocade clouds swirl upward, and moonlight pours downward. The Vermilion Youth (zhu tong, a celestial child who ferries the living across), who is usually a red-robed attendant of salvation, delivers the suffering, and the sacred register lifts those trapped in calamity. The Seven Mysteries (qi xuan, seven tiers of mystery or seven classes of perfected beings) ascend to the pavilions, and after ten revolutions they enter the Heaven of the Han. Within the forest of the seven treasures, joy shines without end.

Hymn of the Heaven of Tranquil Stillness and Clear Observation

The Heaven of Tranquil Stillness regulates the qi of fate. Through ten returns, one contemplates the clarity within. In the age of the Longhan (an early Daoist name for an era of cosmic cycles), vast and peaceful, the five desires do not arise. Below are the Dunmin (the people of primordial chaos, not yet differentiated), and above are the Three Numina (three spirit-lords or three tiers of numinous realms). The sufferings of the nine paths are extinguished, and the hun and po are turned and reshaped. The Five Emperors oversee the salvation of souls, and even the demon kings preserve and protect the light. One rests in the bonds of the former encounters, and the lives that come forth ride upon good fortune. Joy has no end, and one wanders at ease within the courts of the Three Realms. All the heavens together with the Ten Sages recite the cavern scriptures, bowing the head.

Hymn of the Mystic Brightness and Reverent Celebration Heaven

Mystic brightness penetrates the empty cavern and radiates across the nine rosy clouds. Reverent celebration receives the Brahma light, and numinous winds scatter flowers. The long-standing demons return to the immortals (that is, are subdued and brought back to the Way), and the vermilion script gathers the demons. Dragons are summoned to bear water, and the Mother Bird governs the rivers, images of opening the hidden realms of the underworld. The Nine Dark Realms open their night, and the Three Paths (san tu, the paths of fire, blood, and blades, that is, the sufferings of hell) rest. The five bitternesses are finally released, and the hells become clear and harmonious. The roots are cut and the burdens severed, and one is reborn in the household of the king, that is, into a good family.

Hymn of the Heaven of Taihuan Jiyao

Once Taihuan is roused, Jiyao receives what floats. The nine gates are opened clear, and the three convenient means flow forth. The long renewal continues life, and jade lamps shine upon the mountain ridges. Round blossoms of jade luster encircle, and yellow clouds spread in four directions. Returning winds mingle and blend, and the hundred spirits are summoned to come without obstruction. The lord of the registers grasps the record, and the Supreme One ferries souls by talisman. The Minister of Destiny erases the death registers and revives the bones of the dead from ashes. One wanders at ease in the forest of the seven treasures. The Ten Sages are all perfected, and together they ascend to the flying heavens. Coming and going through the gates of the Dharma, what fear could there be of ten thousand kalpas?

Hymn of the Yuanzai Kongsheng Heaven

The yuanzai (great cosmic cycle) gathers the Brahma qi, and the kongsheng (rising) brings forth the eight nets, the cords of the eight directions, the principles that govern all quarters. Clouds spread and turn back at the golden gate, and rainbows shine with the vermilion dawn. Above, there is the Youth who grants life, and in flight they rise in disordered yet interwoven ranks.

Note: This text belongs to the category of tian song (heavenly hymns) in the Daoist Canon's offering and deliverance-of-the-dead literature. Its hymns chant the names and merits of the various heavens, and its language is marked by repeated rhymes and parallel couplets. It is closely tied to the visualization, recitation of registers, and salvation rites of the liturgy (keyi). Terms such as "ten revolutions," "eight calamities," "three paths," "Minister of Destiny," and "Five Emperors" have fixed meanings within Daoist cosmology and ritual. The brief glosses above are only preliminary. Their fuller sense requires consulting the complete Wushang Biyao and the related Lingbao and Shangqing scriptures of the same period.

Cultivation Essentials of the Hole of Ingesting Qi and Lengthening the Breath (Shiqi Changxi Xue)

By ingesting qi through deep, prolonged breathing into the cavity, and swallowing saliva like the yellow water-flower (huang shui hua), one opens the night and the decayed body is revived. Returning to youth and reverting to the primordial, the teeth become new again. The body enters the kalpa of non-death, and one's name is continued in the Capital of the Jade Spirit (Yuling zhi du). The Divine Jade fixes the immortal registers (xian lu), and the talismans of the Five Emperors subdue great demons. They preserve and illuminate the hardships of the Three Realms (san jie), and for generations one becomes a member of the immortal households.

Ode to the Heaven of Taian Huangya (Taian Huangya Tian)

Taian Huangya Heaven: the Purple Tenuity (Zi Wei) reflects the vermilion sun, and above it are the qi of the Eight Assemblies, while a numinous wind stirs the celebratory chamber. The Five Elders bring their guests in procession, and at a feast beneath the western glow they observe the scene. Golden youths count the emperors at the banquet, and the divine lord assists Taiyi. The numinous command pledges the Five Talismans, gathering the demons and ordering the ranks of immortals. The cold courtyard opens its night window, and the souls facing the darkness emerge. Myriads of good affinities are born, and countless roots of evil are severed. Heaven has hall-guests of blessing, and earth holds no prison-bonds. Unable to contain the clarity of the Three Realms, the Five Spirits rejoice and are glad.

Ode to the Heaven of Manifest Stability and Utmost Wind (Xianding Jifeng Tian)

The Utmost Wind spreads its net of eight members, and the azure rooster (bi ji) opens the whirlwind. The wind turns the eight members back, and the long watch grows bright and deep. Heaven's nine nights are clear, the multitude of sages' commands drift like feathers, and one flies a step through the Seven Treasure Garden, where all, great and small, roam at ease. Chanting the numinous chapters loudly, one circuit reaches all the heavens in audience. Ten turns deliver living beings, and suffering souls return to their old paths. Brightly, great brightness dawns, and the evil affinities respond to the spirits and dissolve. This fortune is truly hard to describe, yet how is it that the fortune of the present age withers?

Ode to the Heaven of the Primordial Emperor of Xiaomang (Shihuang Xiaomang Tian)

The Primordial Emperor holds the primal qi, and above he holds the essence of the mysterious center of Brahma. His cycle encircles the kalpa of dust and sand, opening and transforming, delivering the multitudes of living beings. The Dragon Han inherits the realm of Kang, and the opening chart is named Chiming. Wondrous indeed is the Primordial Lord, who swiftly spreads the Three Numina. The Five Emperors receive the talismans and gather in assembly, and the vermilion writing shines long through the darkness. The ten divisions of the Great Vehicle gate praise the Dongjing (Cavern Scripture), and one flies a step and circles the Xuandu, while the Three Caverns (san dong) encircle the palace walls. The spirit kings bow and chant, and the demon kings submit to the true forms. The three disciples cease their plundering, and decayed bones naturally flourish. In the southern hall are many guests of blessing, a court of joy for generations. Yet I fear that when the dust and sand are exhausted, blessing will end and heaven and earth will tilt. When fortune arrives out of season and is sought, how bitter and hard it is to bear one's feelings.

Ode to the Heaven of Taihuang Weng Chong (Taihuang Weng Chong Tian)

Taihuang Weng Chong Heaven: its virtue (de) is the ancestor of the Three Realms. Above it is the Lord Who Surveys Heaven, who governs in general the palace of ghosts and spirits. He opens the gates of life and death, and sets in place the regions of good and evil.

Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials): Selected Passages, the Heavenly Hymns

Causes and conditions and the objects they encounter draw one another along. The mind is wearied and the spirit is driven, and all of it keeps cycling within Yin-Yang. The heavens gather together to offer congratulations, and their joy is beyond the ordinary. Thereupon the three paths of suffering (santu: the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals) are unbound, and the places of the five calamities are abolished. Blades fall from the mountains of knives, and the Nine Gloomy Depths (jiuyou, the deepest netherworld) open to nightlight. Suffering souls shed their layers of darkness and float upward to the Hall of Blessings (futang, the hall where blessings are enjoyed). They turn into the gate of the Three Vehicles (sancheng) and are reborn generation after generation as immortal kings.

Hymn of the Heaven of Wusi and Jiangyou

In the realm of no-thought and no-form, vast and faint, it dwells at the very beginning of Primordial Origin. Jiangyou shines upon the lofty Mystery, and amid the brilliance the Five Scriptures unfold. In the chambers of the ten heavens' green silk, Xihe (the sun goddess) shines brightly over the empty heights. The Five Elders (the Five Old Ones of the five directions) dine in the round palace, and the wondrous youths dine in the numinous ruins. They lift their heads to draw from the well of long duration, and the refined embryo turns back into an infant. Taiyi (one manifestation of the Great Dao) stands upon the Record of Preserving Life, and Nanling is lifted out of the night dwelling. Within the Nine Gloomy Depths there are no dead souls, and at the gate there are bodies that are reborn. Karmic opponents and the five sufferings are all severed, and kalpa after kalpa, beings are born into the hermitages of immortals. All the heavens chant in unison in celebration, and amid the stillness they recite the numinous scriptures.

Hymn of the Heaven of Ruan Le

Ruan Le soars into the mysterious scenery, and crimson clouds spread out in three nets. Turning banners, they summon the myriad spirits, and bells and drums call forth the demons (this may refer to a rite of subjugation rather than simply evil spirits). They sweep clear the path to the Nine Gloomy Depths, and dragons and birds carry travelers across the Long River. Drifting lightly above the formless realm, the primal purity sweeps away the waves of calamity. The Purple Subtle (Ziwei) blazes over the seven terraces, and the jade-cloud trees flourish. The assembled sages gather in the jade palaces, and the Golden Mother (Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West) bids them sing pure songs. Shuangcheng, a fairy maiden, plays a melody of Yang and wondrousness. At one song, flying heavenly beings join in harmony; at ten songs, all five sufferings are released. Night souls part the layers of netting, the seven spirits return to the numinous embryo, and withered bones flourish again. The Hall of Blessings is full of pure guests, and the hells have no opposing households (karmic adversaries). Moved by spontaneous Qi, they extinguish the three paths. Let one sentiment of ten thousand kalpas rejoice in the Western Jade Capital (the western realm of the immortals).

Hymn of the Heaven of Wuji Tanshi

Tanshi rises high and clear, empty and falling ten times. The Azure Essence begins to circulate, and primal Qi spreads its radiance. Great Possession shines bright and penetrating, and the Red Emperor (the celestial sovereign of the south) paces back and forth. The five talismans flow and blaze, and the Primal Lord releases his majesty. The myriad spirits submit in brightness, and the host of demons is scattered and crushed. Heaven clears and earth is cleansed, and the Nine Gloomy Depths are thrown wide open. Myriad kalpas of suffering are confronted, and the fated transports each return. Roots are severed and wombs cut off, and dead corpses shine with light. The seven ancestors receive spirit, and all ascend to fly as immortals. Extinguished into the Limitless, blessings and celebrations tower high.

Hymn of the Heaven of Haoting Xiaodu

The bright court shines across the ten directions, and white radiance drifts westward. Vermilion youths shake their staffs,

Note: Terms such as "three paths" (santu), "Nine Gloomy Depths," "Three Vehicles" (sancheng), "Five Elders," "Taiyi," "Golden Mother," "Shuangcheng," and "Red Emperor" belong to the nomenclature of Daoist liturgy, cavern-heaven names, and the pantheon of spirits. These hymns chiefly proclaim the release from suffering, deliverance, rebirth, and the ascent of the seven ancestors to immortality, and they are best read as devotional praise rather than interpreted literally in worldly terms.

Opening Section

With the spirit scepter they command the nine regions of hill and field, stepping swiftly through the air and subduing demonic obstacles. They govern the myriad spirits and summon unseen aid. They gather up the primordial qi and steer the courses of fate. Yuanshi Tianzun (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning) shines forth and moves among all things, and in an instant the eight directions and four quarters all turn together. The great images meet and interact and circulate without end. As the calendar cycles open, life is renewed, and the Five Emperors bring forth their sacred mandates. The ten revolutions turn back upon the profound and mysterious, and the grace of the Dharma falls like a great rain. The stored qi of the underworld is released and comes forth. Gold and jade fill every corner, the spirits of the dead hasten to return, and white bones grow new flesh. They wander at ease on high terraces, keeping company with the flying celestials.

Hymn to the Yuantong Yuandong Heaven

The realm of the Primal Cavern is bright and luminous, and the Supreme White Essence (the essential light of Venus) dwells there. The Golden Immortal Huangmu, who is called Suling (the Pure Numinous), presides. On her right stand the Moon Maidens who attend her, and on her left she bears the qi that sustains life. The Seven Primes emit their light, the Sun Youths shake their bells, and the majesty of the Yuantong realm stirs. Brilliant as a rushing star, the power gathers from all quarters and receives its rank from the celestial court. Qi does not linger in the realm of death, and pure conduct moves through the cycles of life and rebirth. In the Golden Gate are stored the registers (the celestial records of names), and upon them are inscribed the names of the kalpas. Once one's merit is complete, one may ascend and be transformed, refining the form in the Palace of the Moon. Whoever wishes to obtain the feathered robe and ascend should join in marvelous union with the Vermilion Infant. When the Vermilion Infant is ready, one's name is entered into the registers of Huaqing (Florid Azure). The Five Emperors descend together to receive them, and a flying carriage (feiping, a celestial chariot) arrives. The seven generations of ancestors rejoice together and all ascend to Shangqing (Highest Clarity).

Hymn to the Hanchong Miaocheng Heaven

The Miaocheng Upper Capital, with its mysterious models transmitted and transformed, circles through pure conduct and spreads its radiance across the ten directions. Unseen beings ride the cycles of fate, observing the world with perfect impartiality. The sun is on the left and the moon on the right; virtue carries awe-inspiring light, and it shines alone over heaven and earth. Life and death are alike ferried across, and all bitterness is lifted away from the realms of distress. One is forever freed from Northern Fengdu (the northern yin netherworld), and receives the crown and sash of Southern Governance (the southern seat of government, the rank of celestial officials). Even withered forms and decayed bones can rise and walk, and fly up into the vast sky. They wander at ease in the mysterious void and are nourished by the halls of blessing, sharing kinship with Yuanshi and becoming immortal kings in life after life.

Hymn to the Xiule Jin Shang Heaven

In the kalpa-cycle of Xiule, the ban on ascent is lifted and the spirit returns. One travels through all the heavens and the thirty-two barriers. Dancing in the empty void, one swiftly ascends to the celestial chariot. The sages of every court offer congratulations and together pay homage at the Jade Gate. Walking through the air, they chant the Step of the Void (buxu, a ritual pacing), and the spiritual writings are recited in the empty sky. The clouds of the heavens flow with light, and the fragrance of auspicious dust returns. The lunar waters shine and blossom, the solar essence refines the immortal, and the flying radiance spreads far. Gold and jade revolve and wind about, the great cycle of fate converges in the dark, and myriad kalpas are transformed. Life and death share in joy, and all are content and delighted. The flying celestials lift and carry one along, and one roams to feast in the purple dawn. Grasping the cycles of fate and holding back the years, one enjoys forever the state of spontaneity.

Hymn to the Wushang Changrong Heaven

Note: Hymns of this kind were mainly used in zhaijiao (purification rituals), buxu (Pacing the Void), and chaozhen (audiences with the perfected). Their syntax is repetitive and their terminology dense, with many celestial names, the Five Emperors, the Seven Ancestors, the Vermilion Infant, and Northern Fengdu. A modern vernacular rendering can only convey their general sense, and their recitation should still follow the keyi (liturgy) and the instruction of a teacher. Technical terms are explained in parentheses at their first occurrence.

[Hymn on Cultivation]

Constantly pouring the harmonious qi of heaven and earth into the spiritual Qi (lingqi, the subtle true qi between heaven and earth), all the heavens receive its true wonder, and one gathers and draws in the essence of sun and moon.

Running among the shadows of light, one treads the Jielin (Jielin, a Daoist ritual method associated with jade talismans and the Pacing of the Gang), and reaching upward one sips the supreme Dao, so that in old age one's life may be extended.

One takes no delight in ascending to the heavens but seeks deliverance through the Classic of the Northern Mystery. When the Longhan era first opened, all was vast and in wuwei (wuwei, non-action), and in the world there were originally no enemies.

What one fears is only the hardship of cultivating immortality, and one's joy lies in wandering between the round and the square (heaven and earth). Floating lightly on the currents and returning, one does not even feel the toil.

From ancient times the perfected have gathered together, and today they are all honored guests of heaven. Assembling in Xinadu (Xinadu, the name of a heavenly realm), they rejoice fully through their good karmic bonds.

Delivering the seven ancestors and together racing toward liberation, the myriad beginnings gather in the Hall of Blessings. The crowns and sashes of the flying host beat their wings above the great waves.

Waving the banner of life-deliverance, in an instant yin and yang are separated into the two modes, and in a flash one has already paid respects to the Lord of Heaven (the Heavenly Emperor, the Lord Yuanshi, and others).

[Hymn on the Heaven of Jiayi in Taiji]

Vast and faint is the Great Luo Heaven (Da Luo Tian, one of the highest heavens in Daoism), and the boundary of Taiji (Taiji, the Supreme Ultimate) and the Jade Clarity realm. Jia Yi's primordial Qi, penetrating in all eight directions, is open, far-reaching, subtle, and unobstructed.

Its pure conduct has no visible scenery; it is lofty, firm, and never leans or falls. When the great kalpa reaches its end and all things meet, it alone remains, holding clear and radiant light.

Heaven and earth together dissolve and vanish, and the assembled sages hasten to return to it. They circle the Seven Treasure Terrace and tread the void, shaking their feathered robes.

Roaming through the Jade Garden, the jade forests grow lush and dense. Their joy is so sweet that they are unaware of the morning, and in a flash the great cycle has turned again.

How joyful is this moment! The numinous treasure shines forth its true form. The five written treasures (wu wen, the five directional sacred writings) cultivate the mysterious root, and the Dongluo gates open the heavens.

Those who transcend their bodies surpass the realm of Great Luo, and all living beings, great and small, fly up as immortals. Today the perfected hold a great assembly, and the virtue of Yuanshi is something rarely attained.

Clapping in response to the void and the hollow (the Kongdong chapter, the mysterious sound), the strings and songs are so mournful. Chanting the name of ten-thousand kalpas, the Supreme One commands and raises the long banner.

[Source]

The above is taken from the Dongxuan Kongdong Lingzhang Jing (Dongxuan Kongdong Lingzhang Jing, the Scripture of the Numinous Chapters of the Hollow Void).

Note: This section is rhymed prose for use in zhaijiao (purification rituals) and recitation of scriptures. It mostly describes heavenly terms, the assembly of Yuanshi, and the ascent of ancestors. Its phrasing jumps and its proper names are dense. The modern Chinese gloss can only approximate the literal sense and common Daoist usage. To map these lines to specific keyi (liturgical procedures) or visualization sequences, one must consult the full Wushang Biyao and the original text of the Kongdong Lingzhang Jing it quotes.