《無上祕要》Vol. 32

The Essential Secrets of the Supreme (Wushang Biyao), Scroll 41: “The Staff-Bearing Chapter” (excerpt)

Source: The Upper Scripture of the Jade Instructions of the Cavern Mystery (Dongxuan Yujue Shangjing). The Five Elders of Primordial Beginning descended into the world and used the True Talismans of the Five Emperors to guide the people of the Five Emperors’ celestial realms. Heavenly light opened and the Yang arose; this text came from the Palace of Mystery.

The Azure Emperor (East)

The True Talisman of the Azure Emperor of Primordial Beginning: It summons the “Renewed Life” (Gengsheng), an official who bears the talisman, to guard the celestial writings of the Numinous Treasure. When a Daoist swallows this talisman, numinous Qi (vital energy) can stabilize the liver and bring forth the Nine-Petaled Azure Essence of Precious Blossoms. The spirits serve at the Daoist’s command; through communion with the numinous, the Daoist attains the state of an immortal.

This text belongs to the Writing of the Upper Beginning’s Heavenly Light and comes from the chapter of the Azure Emperor’s true writings. It is used to settle and guard the heaven of the East’s nine Qi. The Azure Emperor received this text and stationed it at Eastern Peak. One copy was sealed away in the Cavern Chamber of the Nine Spirits, and is opened only once every forty thousand kalpas.

A Daoist whose destiny belongs to Eastern Peak should wear it on the person, written in azure characters on crimson silk. The talisman must also be written in azure characters on crimson silk and placed in the upper section of the divine staff. The Daoist should wear azure divine robes, with nine Jade Maidens at the waist as attendants and guards. The making must not be done carelessly; otherwise, the Inspecting Officials will impose punishment.

The Vermilion Emperor (South)

The True Talisman of the Vermilion Emperor of Primordial Beginning: It summons “Radiant Center” (Changzhong), an official who bears the talisman, to guard the celestial writings of the Numinous Treasure. When a Daoist swallows it, numinous Qi stabilizes the heart and brings forth the Three-Petaled Vermilion Essence of Precious Blossoms. The spirits serve at the Daoist’s command; through communion with the numinous, the Daoist attains the state of an immortal.

This text belongs to the Writing of Upper Yang Brightness and comes from the chapter of the Vermilion Emperor’s true writings. It is used to settle and guard the heaven of the South’s three Qi. The Vermilion Emperor received this text and stationed it at Southern Peak. One copy was sealed away at the bend of Southern Huo, and is opened once every forty thousand kalpas.

A person whose destiny belongs to Southern Peak should wear it on the person, written in vermilion characters on yellow silk. The talisman should also be written in vermilion characters on yellow silk and placed in the divine staff in the section below the Azure Emperor’s. Three Great Vermilion Jade Maidens should be worn at the center as attendants and guards. It must be made with care, or the Inspecting Officials will take notice.

The Yellow Emperor (Center)

The True Talisman of the Yellow Emperor of Primordial Beginning: It summons the talisman-bearing officials of the four directions—there is no proper official for the center—to guard the celestial writings of the Numinous Treasure. When a Daoist swallows it, numinous Qi stabilizes the spleen and brings forth the Twelve-Petaled Yellow Essence of Precious Blossoms. The spirits serve at the Daoist’s command; through communion with the numinous, the Daoist attains the state of an immortal.

This text belongs to the Writing of the Total Numinous and comes from the chapter of the Yellow Emperor’s true writings. It is used to settle and guard the heaven of the center’s five Qi. After the Yellow Emperor received this text, heavenly Qi opened in the center, and the cycles of movement turned in accord. When this text first appeared, the heavenly gate stopped its wheel, and day and night ceased. Primordial Beginning gathered up the original text and returned it to the Qi of the Upper Origin. At Central Peak, the Yellow Emperor lacks this text; it is now written in the old scripture so that it may endure without interruption. The four emperors together administer and guard it above.

Explanatory notes: The Five Elders/Five Emperors are directional and Five-Phase deities in Daoism, often associated with azure, vermilion, yellow, white, and black, and with east, south, center, west, and north. Swallowing a talisman means writing a talisman and swallowing it; this is a practice associated with internal cultivation and visualization of the spirits. Stabilizing the liver, heart, or spleen means using numinous Qi to settle the corresponding organ, in keeping with its Five-Phase correspondence. Inspecting Officials are officials of the Celestial Court who audit merit and fault; they symbolize the punishment that follows when ritual practice is carried out carelessly.

This passage concerns the rules for wearing and using the Five Emperors’ True Talismans in Daoist ritual, as well as the system of Five Phases corresponding to the three realms of Heaven, humanity, and Earth. A plain-language interpretation follows:

If a palace has no appointed official to guard it, and a Daoist’s fate is associated with Central Peak (Mount Song), the Daoist may write the talisman in yellow on white silk and wear it on the body. The Daoist may also write it in yellow on white silk, wrap it around the spirit staff, and place it in the lower section of the Red Emperor’s talisman.

Daoists are specially permitted to wear this talisman because the Yellow Emperor serves as its master and emissary, enabling it to correspond to Heaven’s Qi. Even so, if there is no appointed guard, the ritual must still be carried out with precision; inspecting officials will examine it.

The Primordial Beginning’s White Emperor True Talisman summons the Direct Talisman Officer Qu Zheng to guard the celestial script of the Numinous Treasure. When a Daoist swallows it, numinous Qi settles in the lungs and gives rise to seven leaves of precious blossoms of white Jing. The spirit then serves as an agent, opening communication with the numinous and bringing about the state of an immortal.

The foregoing is the Radiant Numinous Script, from the White Emperor’s True Text chapter. It is used to pacify the heavens of the seven Qi of the West. The White Emperor received this talisman to guard the Western Peak, and sealed a copy in the cavern entrance of the Nine Recesses within the Golden Grotto. It opens once every forty thousand kalpas.

A Daoist whose fate is associated with the Western Peak should write the talisman in white on black silk and wear it on the body. The Daoist should also write it in white on black silk, wrap it around the spirit staff, and place it in the lower section of the Yellow Emperor’s talisman. Seven Jade Maidens of Great Simplicity stand guard. The ritual must be carried out with precision; inspecting officials will examine it.

The Primordial Beginning’s Black Emperor True Talisman summons the Direct Talisman Officer Yin Feng to guard the celestial script of the Numinous Treasure. When a Daoist swallows it, numinous Qi settles in the kidneys and gives rise to five leaves of precious blossoms of black Jing. The spirit then serves as an agent, opening communication with the numinous and bringing about the state of an immortal.

The foregoing is the Penetrating Numinous Script, from the Black Emperor’s True Text chapter. It is used for the heavens of the five Qi of the North. The Dark Emperor received this text to guard the Northern Peak, and sealed a copy in the chamber of the Dark Yin Cavern. It opens once every forty thousand kalpas.

A Daoist whose fate is associated with the Northern Peak should write the talisman in black on blue silk and wear it on the body. The Daoist should also write it in black on blue silk, wrap it around the spirit staff, and place it in the lower section of the White Emperor’s talisman. Five Jade Maidens of Great Mystery stand guard. The ritual must be carried out with precision; inspecting officials will examine it.

The Five Emperors’ True Talismans have their highest essence in Heaven, where it becomes the Five Stars; their middle essence in the human body, where it becomes the Five Viscera; and their lowest essence on Earth, where it becomes the Five Sacred Mountains. Thus, the Qi of the three realms each has its proper correspondence. Without the five scripts, the three lights of Heaven would not shine clearly; humanity would have no means to establish bodily form; and the Five Sacred Mountains would lack spiritual power. The Five Emperors’ True Talismans came into being together with the Primordial Beginning and are ancient texts. They are now kept secret in the Purple Tenuity Palace of the Mysterious Metropolis, guarded by five hundred million spirit officials who serve the True Emperors. All the heavens pay homage to the true texts three times each month. Officials of Fire and Water and of Yin and Yang enforce prohibitions against their disclosure.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sealed the talismans inside the spirit staff, which is to be kept with the bearer at all times. That is all.

Brief explanation:

• The Five Emperors are the Azure Emperor of the East, the Red Emperor of the South, the Yellow Emperor of the Center, the White Emperor of the West, and the Black Emperor of the North. They correspond to the Five Phases, the Five Sacred Mountains, and the Five Viscera.
• “Whose fate is associated with a particular peak” refers to a Daoist’s affiliation, determined by birth or cultivation, with one of the Five Sacred Mountains: Mount Tai in the East, Mount Heng in the South, Mount Song in the Center, Mount Hua in the West, or Mount Heng in the North.
• “Written in yellow on white silk,” “written in white on black silk,” and “written in black on blue silk” describe talismans written on paper of different colors and worn on the body or wrapped around the staff, according to the bearer’s associated mountain.
• Inspecting officials are celestial officials responsible for assessment and oversight; their presence emphasizes that the ritual must be performed without error.
• “Opens once every forty thousand kalpas” indicates an extremely long interval and emphasizes the secrecy and preciousness of the talismanic text.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of the Supreme Secret Essentials

The essential method for repaying one’s primordial nature without leaving the body

To practice the method of restoring one’s primordial nature and preventing the physical body from separating, even for an instant, one must use the Staff of Yuanshi. Take seven joints of sun-facing bamboo from a sacred mountain and arrange five talismans on it in order. Leave the middle joint blank, along with the topmost and bottommost joints, in correspondence with the signs of Heaven and Earth.

Take seven-foot-long sun-facing bamboo from a sacred mountain, with seven joints, and fashion it into a straight staff for divine use. Sweet bamboo is best. Write the Black Emperor’s Talisman on the bottom joint; the White Emperor’s Talisman in the middle of the second joint; the Yellow Emperor’s Talisman in the middle of the third; the Red Emperor’s Talisman in the middle of the fourth; and the Green Emperor’s Talisman in the middle of the fifth. Leave the sixth joint blank. The topmost joint reaches to Heaven; the bottommost stands upon Earth. Seal the top joint with wax, pierce it, and cover it with the Seal of Yuanshi. Seal the bottom joint with wax, pierce it, and cover it with the Seal of the Five Emperors. Make a crimson staff cover large enough to fit the staff. Keep the staff with you when resting, sitting, or rising. When traveling or staying somewhere, you may remove the cover and conceal the staff for convenience. Keep it in a clean place.

Point the staff at Heaven, and the celestial spirits will bow. Point it at Earth, and the terrestrial spirits will come to greet you. Point it northeast, and all ghosts will be bound in form. Whenever you travel with the staff or need to use it, click your teeth thirty-six times. Visualize the Five Emperors and one Direct Talisman Officer, each dressed in the color of their direction, with five-colored radiance flowing around the staff. One Jade Maiden of the Five Emperors stands on each side to guard it. Recite this quiet incantation:

“On the mountain of the sun, the highest essence of Yuanshi opens Heaven and lays out Earth; sweet bamboo communicates with the numinous. The Direct Talisman Officer and his guards marshal the divine troops. Five-colored radiance shines and flows; vermilion fire and golden bells support and protect the Highest Perfected. They emerge from the hidden and enter the underworld. Summoned, Heaven bows; commanded, Earth comes to greet. Point at ghosts, and ghosts are destroyed; demons and monsters are bound in form. Numinous talisman, divine staff, your awesome power governs every direction. May you come to completion with me and live with me. After ten thousand kalpas, take my place and form. Let my image become the Fivefold-Liberated Spirit, ascending to Shangqing. Receiving the talisman’s command, all shall respectfully obey.”

When the incantation is complete, draw in the Qi of the Five Directions and swallow it twenty-five times. Practice this method for nine years with focused diligence and without slackening. The divine perfected beings will appear in visible form, and the staff will be able to carry a person, allowing them to fly into a room.

If you wish to undergo corpse liberation—using a substitute body to shed your form, with a corpse left behind as the means of release—the staff can take the place of your body, and in an instant you will become a Perfected Person. On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, your birth-sign day, and the days marking the Eight Solar Nodes, burn incense and make obeisance to the staff on both sides. The spirits will respond and descend, and your Daoist practice can reach completion.

This passage comes from the Upper Scripture of the Jade Instructions of the Cavern Mystery.

This passage describes the production and application of an advanced Daoist talisman (fulu) known as the "Text of the Three Heavens' Supreme Summoning for Subduing Dragons, Tigers, Leopards, and Mountain Spirits." This powerful talisman possesses the capacity to summon divine beings and ward off malevolent forces.

To craft this talisman, the following preparations are required: The incantation must be inscribed with cinnabar on a golden plate, recording the year, month, and the name of the ritual master. Three wooden tablets, each measuring one chi and four cun in length and two cun and four fen in width, must be carved from sandalwood and wrapped in a deep crimson silk pouch. The seal of the "Five Ancient Primordial Lords of the Middle Origin" is then stamped at the closure. These talismanic tablets are to be stored in a cypress wood box, wrapped in crimson-patterned fabric.

When using the talisman, utmost reverence is essential: It must be placed in a dedicated meditation chamber, offered incense, and carefully maintained. A Daoist priest who wears this talisman gains numerous spiritual abilities: They receive the protection of twelve Jade Youths and Jade Maidens from each of the Five Thearchs, are safeguarded by the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors when traveling, welcomed by deities of the Three Realms, and upon death, bypass the underworld's judgment to ascend directly to immortality, ultimately attaining the rank of an immortal.

The specific powers of the talisman include: Pointing it toward the sky summons celestial deities; pointing it toward the earth compels terrestrial spirits to pay homage; pointing it toward water grants communication with water spirits; and during great calamities, it can summon divine dragons to control floods. After accumulating sufficient merit, the practitioner may freely command divine beings with this talisman. When journeying, flying dragons lead the way while celestial guardians follow behind, accompanied by the harmonious cries of phoenixes and radiant divine light.

The scripture concludes with the "Numinous Treasure's Eight Mighty Divine Incantation," the supreme mantra transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun). This incantation connects with the Nine Heavens above and reaches the underworld of Fengdu below, commanding the deities of rivers and seas. By reciting it, one can summon dragons to control floods, gather clouds, expel demons, and compel the obedience of all celestial bodies—sun, moon, stars—and the spirits of mountains and rivers, with heavenly soldiers and divine generals standing guard.

This scripture exemplifies the complete system of Daoist talismanic magic, detailing the materials, inscription standards, application methods, and expected effects. It reflects Daoism's systematic understanding and operational techniques for harnessing the cosmos's mystical forces.

A Plain-Language Reading of the Wushang Biyao (Supreme Secret Essentials)

I. The Rite for Summoning and Indicating a Place

(From the Dongzhen Qingyao Zishu Jingen Jing)

Stand before the gate and call out according to the ritual. The one summoned will come and stand before you. Write the talisman in red; it will shine as it descends, passing through wind and fire without interruption or obstruction.

If a sign of the summoning’s effectiveness appears, the Golden Dragon’s dispatch will be complete. Click the teeth together nine times, look up at the sky and draw in a breath three times, then swallow Heaven’s Qi three times. Point the ritual staff toward the place being indicated, and hold the breath for nine counts before stopping.

II. The Rite of Submitting Petitions

Lord Qing Tong, the Assistant Minister of the High Court, said: “The perfected beings of later ages first presented golden registers to the Eastern Florescent Palace and submitted jade tablets to Highest Clarity before they could receive the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture. Those who study only at an early stage cannot even read the divine scriptures or subdue the heavenly demons if they have no record in the Eastern Florescent Palace’s golden registers and no name in the mysterious lists of the jade rolls. The perfected spirits will not descend, and the jade maidens will not protect them.

“Therefore, in accordance with the regulations of the Supreme Sovereign, I have now copied and arranged these procedures to serve as a passageway for later students. Those who are sincere should undertake purification and fasting, apply themselves diligently to practice, and keep their thoughts fixed on the mysterious and perfected. In this way, their devotion will reach the Jade Emperor. Once they submit their registers to the Eastern Florescent Palace, they will be able to recite the divine scriptures and understand what is hidden and obscure. The Supreme One will then send a vermilion carriage drawn by elixir steeds, flying chariots that come to welcome them, and they will ascend in their own bodies to Jade Clarity.

“This prohibition is especially weighty: it must not be transmitted to anyone who is not truly worthy.”

The Supreme One sends the Perfected Ones of the Primordial Emperor of Jade Dawn and the Great Ultimate, leading immortal jade attendants, to the Eastern Florescent Palace three times each year—on the first day of the first month, the seventh day of the seventh month, and the ninth day of the ninth month—to examine and revise the registers of perfected immortals. Anyone whose name appears in the golden registers and jade rolls is reported to the Three Origins. Jade boys and jade maidens guard each person according to the depth of their study. If someone reveals the teachings, treats the true Way lightly, or disrespects the Dharma, and is reported by the jade attendants, even a person with a golden register will have their name erased and transferred to the register of the ghosts. Their body will undergo the ordeal of wind-blades, while their seven generations of ancestors must carry stones from Mount Meng to fill the river of accumulated darkness.

III. Rites for Those Who Practice and Study

All those who practice and study should, on each appointed day, quiet their minds and withdraw to a still chamber. They should burn pure incense and keep their thoughts tranquil, spreading incense to their left and right. Write eight copies of the golden register in vermilion ink, bind them with purple cords, and submit them to the Most High Jade Emperor and the Eastern Florescent Palace. Prepare eight jade tablets to submit to the Three Origins.

First, inside the still chamber, face east and click the teeth together nine times. After completing one round of reverent praise, respectfully address the Supreme One, the Most High Jade Emperor, the Thirty-Nine Emperors, and the Twenty-Four Perfected Ones: “I, (name), received the teachings on (date)…” The text continues with the format for the individual’s petition.

Note: “Golden registers” and “jade tablets” are credentials submitted to the higher realms. The “Eastern Florescent Palace” is the celestial realm governed by the Lord of the Eastern Florescence. “The Three Origins” commonly refers either to the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins or to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. “Seven generations” refers to seven generations of ancestors. “Wind-blades,” “stones from Mount Meng,” and the “river of accumulated darkness” evoke punishments in the underworld for revealing secret teachings. The specific format for writing in vermilion and the complete text of the petition should be checked against the full Wushang Biyao and the cited Dongzhen Qingyao Zishu Jingen Jing.

A person born in the degenerate age and long immersed in the clamor of the mundane world, through accumulated blessings from former lives and the good fortune bestowed upon them, is able to behold the sacred city. Now, having inscribed their name on a Golden Tablet, they present it above; may the Jade Clarity Palace seal it and send it to the sacred mountain, where it will remain forever among the heavens… The petitioner begs to have their name entered in the records of the exalted Three Origins, to be granted jade boys and jade maidens as attendants and guards, and to ride the rosy clouds upward to the imperial palace. Having spoken, they rise and bow twice.

Forms for Submitting Tablets

Petition to the Exalted Jade Emperor

The gentleman of a certain sacred mountain, so-and-so, whose personal name is A, was born in a certain year and month. On a certain day, at a certain hour, in the first month of a certain year, by means of a document written on a Golden Tablet, a purple register, and a jade book, he presents himself before the Most High, the Exalted Jade Emperor, the Thirty-Nine Emperors, and the Twenty-Four Exalted Perfected Ones: the Golden Tablet’s purple radiance, the jade splendor of the jeweled palace.

The following: Write the purple text one chi long and attach it to the Golden Tablet. Present it to the Perfected One of the Exalted Void Emperor, Jade Clarity, and Eastern Florescence Azure Palace, so-and-so. Bow twice with head to the ground.

The following: Write one tablet with the petition above.

The following: Write another tablet with the following:

Before the Exalted Void Emperor, the Jade Morning Most High Lord of the Great Dao, the Twenty-Four Jade Emperors, and the Thirty-Nine Imperial Worthies: I, A, am a humble servant in this latter age. I have been fortunate to inherit blessings from the past, and my allotted fortune has brought me to join the ranks of the Exalted Perfected. I respectfully follow the sacred regulations. On the first day of the first month, I submit a Golden Tablet to have my name entered in the Eastern Palace register. I beg that I be granted enrollment and that the Perfected Spirits descend to receive me, so I may ride the rosy clouds upward to the Imperial Dawn, ascend in person to the Golden Gate, and pay court to the Jade Emperor. I respectfully submit this petition.

The following: Combine the three tablets into one for A, a scholar of a certain sacred mountain in a certain ward, village, county, and prefecture. May he live a thousand years. His name is A.

The following: Write one tablet with the following: So-and-so was born in a certain month; their destiny belongs to a certain sacred mountain, emperor, and ward.

The following: Write one tablet with the following: In the year of the Grand Year, so-and-so, on the first day of the first month, at a certain hour, in a certain ward, village, county, and prefecture, the tablet is sealed and submitted by a certain sacred mountain.

The following: Write one tablet with the following: Eight Golden Tablets are required in all, bound with purple cord. Facing north, read the tablets once. When finished, rise, hold the tablets, and bow twice.

Petition to the Lords of the Three Origins

The gentleman of a certain sacred mountain, so-and-so, named A, whose personal destiny is so-and-so… (The remaining format follows the preceding section and gives the same kind of ritual procedure for submitting a Golden Tablet to the Lords of the Three Origins.)

Notes for Reading the Scripture

• Golden Tablet, purple register, and jade book: Documents used in Daoist tablet-presentation rites, written on gold tablets and in purple registers, to submit a name for registration in the celestial realms.
• Exalted Jade Emperor, Thirty-Nine Emperors, and Twenty-Four Exalted Perfected Ones: A hierarchy of revered deities in the Jade Clarity heavens, headed by the Jade Emperor.
• Three Origins: Often refers to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, or to the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins. Here, it denotes a celestial system of deities responsible for registering names and overseeing ascent and descent.
• Eastern Palace: Often refers to the Eastern Florescence Azure Palace or another immortal residence in the east. It is where petitions are entered and names recorded in the registers of immortality.
• Imperial Dawn and Golden Gate: The celestial realm where one pays court to the Perfected Ones, and the palace gates of the Jade Emperor.
• Personal destiny, Grand Year, and new moon: Personal destiny refers to the stem-branch designation of one’s birth year; the Grand Year is the stem-branch designation of the current year; and the new moon is the first day of the month. A tablet submission must specify the date, place, and hour of birth to conform to the “sacred regulations” governing the rite.

A Plain Language Reading of The Essential Mysteries of the Highest

Presenting the Golden Slips and Jade Tablets to the Register of Immortals (General Format)

On the first day of the first month of a certain year, at a certain hour on a certain day of a certain month, the golden slips and jade tablets are presented, and the documents listing names in the register of immortals are submitted to Heaven. The petitioner proceeds to pay respects to:

White Plain Lady, Yellow Plain Lady, and Purple Plain Lady (three divine lords who oversee the documents of the heavenly realm), as well as the Palace of the Grotto Chamber of the Three Origins, under the Purple Canopy and Golden Radiance (the name of an immortal palace in Heaven).

Writing and Sending the Jade Tablets

Write the Daoist secret script in blue on one foot of white silk, attach it to a jade tablet, and send it under the name of the Perfected Person Beginning His Studies at the Three Origins’ Jade Clarity (so-and-so), also known as A. So-and-so A bows with his head to the ground twice.

Write another petition and submit it.

Write another petition and submit it.

Petition (Addressed to the Lords of the Three Origins)

Write three more petitions and submit them.

In years past, so-and-so A was blessed with good fortune and received the sacred scripture. He does not dare to read it without authorization. In accordance with the Azure Radiance’s Sacred Regulations (the ritual code of the Eastern Florescent Green Palace), he respectfully submits the jade tablets to have his name entered in the Green Palace register. He petitions the Three Origins, asking to be entered in the register of immortals, to receive the descent of the Perfected Spirits, to ascend to the Emperor’s Dawn, and to attend court before the Jade Perfected. Respectfully submitted.

Personal Place of Origin and Destiny

So-and-so A, a Perfected Person Beginning His Studies at [such-and-such] Sacred Mountain, from [such-and-such] village, township, county, and commandery; his age is recorded using the Thousand Character Classic as so-and-so A.

Write another tablet and submit it.

So-and-so was born in [such-and-such] month and belongs by destiny to the village of [such-and-such] Emperor of [such-and-such] Sacred Mountain.

Write another petition and submit it.

In the year of so-and-so, under the Grand Year, on a certain day of the first month, at a certain hour, in [such-and-such] village of [such-and-such] county and commandery, at the Central Sacred Mountain, the petition is sealed and submitted to [such-and-such] Sacred Mountain.

Write another petition and submit it.

Number of Jade Tablets and Invocation

A total of eight jade tablets are required, bound together with purple cord. Facing west, read the jade tablets once. When finished, respectfully make this invocation:

Plain Lady of Great Purity, Yellow Plain Lady, and Purple Plain Lady: in years past, so-and-so A received the true scripture through an oath-bound transmission from a Perfected Master, and had his name entered among the Three Pure Ones on the golden slips and jade tablets. He asks to be granted jade boys and jade girls, and for the Perfected Spirits to descend upon him, so that he may ride the purple clouds and ascend to the Emperor’s palace. When finished, rise and bow twice.

Petition to the Eastern Florescent Green Palace

So-and-so A, a gentleman of [such-and-such] Sacred Mountain, courtesy name so-and-so A, born in the year of so-and-so, in [such-and-such] month, submits the document for entry in the register of immortals on the golden slips and Azure Register (the document of immortal registers in the Green Palace). He presents it to:

The High Minister of the Jade Treasure Golden Gate, the Master of the Lofty Dawn, Lord Green Youth of the Eastern Sea, and the Eastern Florescent Green Palace of Fangzhu (the gods of the Green Palace in the Eastern Florescent Heaven).

Write the blue script on one foot of white silk, attach it to the tablet, and send it.

Note: The entire text is a ritual template for submitting names to the register of immortals after a Daoist purification ritual and oath-bound transmission. The placeholders marked “so-and-so” are spaces for names, places, and dates. Phrases such as “bow with the head to the ground twice,” “invoke,” and “submit” refer to ritual actions and language.

The Supreme Secret Essentials — Ritual for Submitting a Golden Tablet to Register One’s Name (A Plain-Language Interpretation)

Ritual heading

Before the “High Lord of the Jade Purity Green Palace,” the novice perfected person So-and-so bows his head and prostrates twice.

Write the following on one tablet

I respectfully submit:

First submission: Registering the name at the Shangqing Palace

Before the High Lord, Supreme Minister of the Golden Gate of the Jade Treasure of Great Purity; the Master of High Dawn; and the Lord, Green Youth of the Eastern Sea:

Your disciple, So-and-so, has sunk into the common world below. Fortunately, through the blessing of a favorable destiny, I was born as a human and entered the lineage of the true teachings. My resolve is to withdraw from worldly traces, dwell in the hills and forests, and seek shelter beneath a numinous mountain. I respectfully follow the mysterious regulations and submit this Golden Tablet to register my name in the Upper Palace. I beg that I be granted a place in the Jade Purity register, that the divine perfected ones descend, and that I may leave the world below, ascend to the Golden Gate, and pay audience to the Jade Emperor. Respectfully submitted.

Write the following on three tablets

Second submission: Place of origin and lineage of transmission

So-and-so, novice perfected person of Such-and-such Mountain, from Such-and-such village, township, and county in Such-and-such commandery, aged according to the sexagenary cycle [fill in the appropriate year].

Write the following on one tablet

This disciple was born in Such-and-such month and belongs by destiny to the precinct of Such-and-such Emperor on Such-and-such Mountain.

Write the following on one tablet

On the first day of the first month, at Such-and-such hour, in Such-and-such village, township, county, and commandery, in the year of Such-and-such Tai Sui, this tablet is sealed and submitted at Such-and-such Mountain.

Ritual procedure

Use eight Golden Tablets in all, bound together with purple cord. Facing east, read the tablets through once, then respectfully present the invocation.

Third submission: Entry in the Green Palace register

Before the High Lord, Supreme Minister of the Golden Gate of the Jade Treasure of Great Purity; the Master of High Dawn; and the Lord, Green Youth of the Eastern Sea:

Your disciple, So-and-so, is fortunate to inherit blessings from a former life and to have blessings bestowed in this later generation. Through the accomplishments of a perfected master, I have received the Supreme Scripture. I respectfully submit this Golden Tablet to register my name in the Green Palace. I beg to be entered in the register and placed in the care of the Jade Attendants, and for this to be proclaimed throughout all heavens and lands, and to all the immortals of the Caverns of Clarity, the Caverns of the Abyss, the Caverns of the Source, and the Five Sacred Peaks, so that they may all witness it. May the true numinous beings descend separately, so that I may ride the flying rosy clouds and ascend to the Three Pure Ones. At the end, rise and bow twice.

After completing the submissions on all three faces of the tablets

Turn east again, click the teeth together nine times, and recite:

The primal web is mysterious and vast; the heavenly perfected ones dwell in hidden realms. I have received blessings from those who came before, and blessings have been added to this late-born life. Through my past affinity with a perfected master, I was admonished and given the precious scripture. I dare to inform the Three Origins and submit this petition to the Jade Purity. Let my name be written in the Eastern Florescence register, entered in its records, and may I forever serve as a minister of the Emperor. I hope the true numinous beings will descend and grant Jade Youths and Jade Maidens to guard my person, so that I may ride the flying clouds, ascend to the Golden Gate, and pay audience at the Jade Court.

When the recitation is complete, raise the head and swallow the saliva nine times.

Conclusion

When the entire ritual is complete, bury the tablets in the place belonging to the relevant sacred mountain. Set the “Jade Emperor Chapter” to the north, and arrange the remaining tablets on three sides.

Note: This text is a model liturgy for the Daoist ritual of “submitting a Golden Tablet to register one’s name.” A disciple writes a petition on a Golden Tablet and reports to the High Ministers of Jade Purity, the Lord Green Youth of the Eastern Sea, and others, seeking to have their name “registered” and “entered in the records” in the heavenly realm, ultimately to ascend to the Three Pure Ones and pay audience to the Jade Emperor. “So-and-so,” the commandery and county, the mountain name, the sexagenary year, and other details are filled in according to the actual circumstances of the ritual.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Supreme Secret Essentials

The Yuan Platform is in the west, and the Green Palace Platform is in the east. First, dig three feet into the ground at the designated location. Tamp the earth firmly, then build a platform on top.

When the ritual is complete, face north, bow down, and click your teeth together nine times. Then recite the incantation:

“Inscribe my name in the Jade Register and record my title in Shangqing. Join golden slips and jade tablets to form a petition for the Imperial Court. The High Mystery is distant and lofty; the Three Primes are hidden in darkness. The true officials have not yet descended, so I respectfully close the gate and call upon the numinous powers. Seal the slips at the sacred peaks; record my petition to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). Place it among the ranks of Donghua and inscribe my jade name. May I ride the dark carriage, fly in a green cloud chariot, ascend to the Three Primes, and rise bodily to the Emperor’s Dawn.”

When you have finished reciting, stand up and bow twice.

This is the “Supreme Method of the Most High for Casting Slips and Seeking Immortality,” transmitted by the Celestial King of Primordial Beginning. After presenting the slips and tablets three times, within nine years the Jade Emperor may send down cinnabar essence, jade fungus, a golden seal, and a phoenix insignia. The Perfected of the Taiji may descend into your chamber. The Three Primes may dispatch thirty-six jade boys and jade girls, led by the Chief Minister, the Green Lad. They may report to the Five Sacred Peaks and provide you with an immortal office and a flying cloud canopy, to escort you upward to the palace of the Golden Gate.

Example petition format:

“Lingbao, Emperor’s Master, so-and-so, [personal name] so-and-so, aged as if a thousand years old, born in such-and-such month. I pray for divine power and immortality, for long life without death, and for the Three Primes to remain within me. I beg the Water Emperors of the Nine Palaces, the sources of the twelve rivers, the rivers, seas, Huai waters and marshes, and the great gods of the deep and cold waters to erase my name from the register of guilt, report this to the Nine Heavens, and seek a harmonious settlement with the Water Court. May a golden dragon carry the message.”

“On the first day of such-and-such month in such-and-such year, so-and-so, of such-and-such a kingdom, submits this petition, as if a thousand days had passed.”

Writing and casting the slips:

Write in red ink on a register slip, wrap it in blue paper, and bind it with blue silk. Have a golden dragon carry the slip and cast it into the depths of the Three Rivers. For the first offering, attach nine golden rings to the slip and sink it. For later offerings, there is no need to repeat the casting three times; cast it only once. The slip should be cast into a deep, clear pool.

Face north, click your teeth together three times, and, after reading the petition, recite this incantation:

“Most High Emperor, the Five Elders of Primordial Beginning; Perfected Ones of the Ten Directions; numinous immortals of Great Hua: the red inscription proclaims its decree, and no hidden realm lies beyond its reach. May it ascend to the Nine Heavens and request that the petition be sent down. May it be announced above to the sun, moon, five planets, and the seven stars of the Northern Dipper; in the middle, to the Five Sacred Peaks and the numinous mountains of the four directions; and below, to the seas, rivers, twelve water sources, Water Emperors of the Nine Palaces, and the great true spirits. Today I report this petition above and lay out all my wishes. I ask to cast the jade slip and beg that my name be erased from the register of guilt. May the guilt of my thousand generations, ten thousand ancestors, and all my clan and kin, which has been transmitted and entangled through the generations and has reached me, be entirely erased. May its roots be destroyed, and my name recorded in the Water Court.”

Before the Emperor, say: “May the guilt of my seven generations of ancestors, my parents, and the eight close relatives who have passed away, which has been transmitted and entangled through the generations and has reached me, be entirely erased. May its roots be destroyed, and my name recorded in the Water Court.”

Notes: “Clicking the teeth” refers to lightly tapping the upper and lower teeth together in a Daoist ritual. “Casting a slip” means sinking a written petition into a river. “The Three Rivers” often refers to major waterways such as the Yangtze, Yellow River, and Huai River. “The Emperor, the Five Elders of Primordial Beginning” refers to five emperors under the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. Overall, this is a liturgy for seeking immortality by casting a petition slip, reporting to the heavenly court, and asking for one’s guilt to be erased.

Plain Language Interpretation of the Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials)

Scripture:

It is difficult to ascend to the Nine Heavens. Food and clothing will naturally be provided in full; my sins will be forgiven, and all the spirits will hear.

Please accept the golden clasps as a pledge. Water officials, please carry out the matter as set forth here. Let the golden dragon bear this message by relay.

(From the Dongxuan Yujue Shangjing, “Upper Scripture of the Jade Instructions of the Cavern of Mystery”)

I, so-and-so, a disciple of the Lingbao tradition and a servant of the Emperor of the Red (a), have lived for a thousand years; in the month of so-and-so, my life was assigned to the Red Emperor, and my name entered in the register of Mount Huo. I aspire to become a spirit and an immortal, to live long and transcend the world, and to fly to the Highest Clarity. Perfected Ones of the Five Sacred Peaks, supremely divine and numinous, I beg you to erase my name from the register of sins, pledge this to the Nine Heavens above, and permit me to reach the numinous mountain. Let the golden dragon bear this message by relay.

On the first day of so-and-so month in so-and-so year, on a day marked by so-and-so, I present this declaration at so-and-so peak.

(For the procedure) write the text in vermilion on a silver tablet, wrap it in blue paper, and bind it with blue thread. Use nine golden clasps and one golden dragon, and bury them at the sacred peak corresponding to one’s birth destiny, following all the instructions above.

At the sacred peak corresponding to one’s birth destiny, face east and click the teeth nine times. After finishing the reading of the tablet, recite this incantation:

The dark heights open into brightness; the Primordial Beginning oversees the perfected. The Five Elders of the Supreme Emperor write in vermilion the characters of the Elixir. They are the origin of Heaven and Earth and command the Three Primordial Energies. They gather Qi and summon the assembly, hastening the elevation of initiates to immortality. The exalted talismanic command is proclaimed throughout the Ten Heavens, to the sun, moon, stars, the Five Sacred Peaks, numinous mountains, and the great spirits of the worlds above and below. It oversees life and governs the registers at the Three Southern Gates above. Open and receive the jade tablet; inscribe the name in the vermilion register. Erase the record of sins and elevate the petitioner to serve among the emperor’s officials above. May countless generations of ancestors, all the forebears, and kin of the nine clans receive release. May they leave the Five Paths, the Eight Difficulties, and the three evil realms; may their souls ascend to the Nine Heavens, and may they be delivered through birth and death, enduring through countless kalpas. Today this appeal is presented above; may all the spirits hear it. Please accept the golden clasps as a pledge. True officials, please act as requested. Let the golden dragon bear this message by relay.

(From the Yuanshi Lingbao Gao Wuyue Lingshan Chuzui Qiuxian Shangjing, “Upper Scripture of Primordial Beginning and Lingbao: Proclaiming to the Five Sacred Peaks and Numinous Mountains, Removing Sins and Seeking Immortality”)

I, (a), a disciple of the Lingbao tradition and a servant of the Emperor of the Red, have lived for a thousand years; in the month of so-and-so, my life was entered in the register governed by the Southern Dipper of the Nine Heavens. I aspire to become a spirit and an immortal, to live long and transcend the world, and to fly to the Highest Clarity. August Sovereign of the central realm, Yellow Spirits of Earth’s Five Directions—Officials of the Earthly Palace associated with Wu and Ji—please erase my name from the register of sins and inscribe it in the Great Mystery above. Permit me to reach the Central Palace, submit the tablet and record my name. The golden clasps serve as my pledge; let the golden dragon bear this message by relay.

On the first day of so-and-so month in so-and-so year, on a day marked by (a), I present this declaration in (a) village.

(For the procedure) write the text in vermilion on a silver tablet, wrap it in blue paper, and bind it with blue thread. Use nine golden clasps and one golden dragon, and bury them in the central palace of the residence, following all the instructions above. In the central courtyard—

Notes to explain the ritual context

The passages above are excerpts from a ritual procedure for submitting a tablet and making a pledge, burying the tablet, and reciting an incantation. They first give the format of the declaration and the burial method, then present a lengthy incantation asking Primordial Beginning, the Five Elders, and the Five Sacred Peaks to erase sins, inscribe the petitioner’s name in the vermilion register, and raise them to immortality and deliverance from the world. The latter section gives another example: a disciple of the Emperor of the Red submits a tablet to the Earthly Palace in the central part of a residence. This method is presented alongside the practice of burying a tablet at one of the Five Sacred Peaks.

Wushang Miyao, Scroll 41 · Plain-Language Interpretation

Face the Venerable Sovereign (the ritual direction), knock the teeth twelve times, read the written text to the end, and then recite the spell:

Heaven opens and Earth unfolds; the nine Qi divide into spirits. The Three Origins share one seal, and the ten directions shine clear. The Five Elders and High Emperor open the true path and govern the birth of life. With cinnabar writings and vermilion script, the supreme essence of Primordial Beginning, they proclaim throughout the world to the imperial spirits of the nine terrestrial regions: Today I submit this petition above, that the registers of life for all immortals may be determined. I vow to become an immortal; please enter my jade name. Grand Emperor of the Earthly Court, command that my sins and punishments be erased. Present my written petition to the upper palace and place my name in the Azure Register. May I soon ascend by flight and share the numinous life of Heaven and Earth. May my nine generations of ancestors and kin flourish anew, their decayed bones restored; may their souls ascend to the Southern Palace and receive transformation in the immortal court. On an auspicious day, proclaim this decree, and let all beings hear it. Let the golden clasp attest our covenant and utmost sincerity. May what has been petitioned be granted, and may the golden dragon relay it swiftly.

General meaning: Heaven and Earth were brought into being, and the nine Qi divided into spirits; the Three Origins joined in accord, and the ten directions became clear. The Five Elders and High Emperor opened the true Dao and govern the generation of life. With cinnabar writings and vermilion script, the supreme essence of Primordial Beginning proclaims to the imperial spirits of the nine terrestrial courts throughout the world: Today a petition is submitted above so that the life registers of all immortals may be reviewed. I vow to seek immortality; please enter my jade name. Grand Emperor of the Earthly Court, order that my sins and punishments be removed. Send the written petition to the immortal palace above and enter my name in the Azure Register, so that I may ascend by flight soon and share the numinous life of Heaven and Earth. May my ancestors and kin of nine generations flourish anew, their decayed bones restored; may their souls ascend to the Southern Palace and undergo transformation in the immortal court. Choose an auspicious day to proclaim the decree, and let all beings hear it. Let the golden clasp attest our covenant and sincere intent; may the petition be granted as requested and swiftly delivered by the golden dragon.

Note: This passage comes from a supreme Lingbao method for the Primordial Beginning, in which a petition is presented to the Earth Emperors of the nine terrestrial regions to erase sins and submit a name in the quest for immortality. The ritual calls for knocking the teeth, reading the written petition, and reciting the spell; the practitioner petitions the Earth Emperors of the nine regions and the celestial realm to remove sins, enter the name in the register of immortals, and extend the benefit to the nine generations of ancestors. The phrase “the above comes from…” at the end of the text is an editor’s note identifying its source and use.