《無上祕要》Vol. 8

The Secret of Alchemy: Light

The Zhengyi Jing says: “The Great Harmony is called the hall, the spirit chamber is called the room. In the middle are the furnace and vessel, surrounded on every side by corridors. The many scriptures gather there and together recite gratitude for its blessings.” This refers to gathering the Qi of Heaven and Earth, bringing it together in the central palace, and forming the Elixir. The methods used today are different.

From the crown of the head to the waist, the human body has seventy-two encircling bone joints; throughout the body there are 365 joints, corresponding to the great number of Heaven and Earth.

The divine talisman seal is named “Red Child of the Circuit of Heaven.” Its image is that of a red child facing the Mysterious Female (the Dantian).

There are also three Dantian: the upper Dantian lies within the brain. During the two years of abiding in the practice, the spirit who governs the brain’s inner palace is named Lord Zhangtian. As discussed in the text, the spirits of the five bodily forms govern the myriad spirits. When Qi is abundant, the body is solid; when Qi is exhausted, the body is empty.

Ordinary people’s Qi circulates within the body each day. When it enters the Niwan (upper Dantian), it joins the two fires: as the great fires meet, the summit constellation and the tail constellation face one another. The two fires rise, join, and bring spirit and Qi into correspondence. They circulate for several rounds; this is called the Circuit of Heaven. With long practice, one refines Qi into Jing, refines Jing into Shen, and refines Shen until it returns to emptiness. By taking in Jing and sending Shen aloft, the body becomes light and unimpeded.

The Dong Jing says: “Return Shen and turn back to emptiness; transform it into wondrous, true Shen, and ascend among the spirits of Heaven.”

People in the world who cultivate the Way of refining Shen guide Qi and take in Jing, gather Yin-Yang, attend to the Six Ding (the Six Jia and Six Ding deities), walk evenly without treading heavily, and make the body light as emptiness.

The Huangting Neijing Jing says: “When the practice reaches the Eight Radiances, the brows and forehead expand, and both eyes open. The sun shines in the east. The two spirits are named Guangluo, and each is a green light in the form of a five-pointed star.” The spirits choose the morning sun to gather Qi, using seeing nothing and hearing nothing as their method. First, they travel once around the prefectural city of Lin and then stop.

On the day of the Rabbit, join the Qi until it forms nine rings. The nine rings become round and settled; gather the true Qi of the two channels and blend it back together into a single mass of Qi, fine, dense, and even. Gaze intently at the register until it joins with the body. The register for focused contemplation says: “When Master Guangcheng was expounding the scriptures, he entered the inner chamber. When he rose or sat, sound fell silent, and he saw numinous light flowing through the network of channels. In this way his eyes were formed, and from this he gained clear understanding.”

The immortal Wang Taiping of the Later Han transmitted to Zhuangzi methods for clarifying sight and hearing. He said that his teacher was a sage of the West; this method was taught to him by Lord Fuqiu, whom he saw in a vision west of the city. Suddenly a child appeared, holding a scripture, and said: “In my western realm there is a jade scripture. Those who study it ascend on dragons and become true immortals.” One may practice the Jade Scripture for Clear Vision: pray inwardly while kneeling, face the direction, clasp the hands in the Yin position, and make one circuit out of reverence. Count the root spirit three times, face the direction, bow inwardly, make one circuit in the Yin position, and face it ten times. Enter the room and close the eyes; see nothing and hear nothing. Speak with care, sit upright, gather and guide the recitation of the scripture, and bite down. The child will appear of its own accord. Gather Qi and record it in the eyes, reciting the spell: “Jade Scripture for Bright Eyes, measured out by Hou Yi; the rites of Zhou open the gates; the sage gives undivided attention.” Then recite this spell, without biting down: “Yanpo duo, mati ling, meituo xie, yan shou tuo, meng zan mo, ju fu ti, hu sha ni.” The Wuyi Cavern transmitted these eighteen characters; their power is most numinous. Three recitations bring an end. The rites of Zhou are deep and settled; Taiji is distant and vast. Burn incense and set forth the invocation: may the three spirits descend with their numinous power. The rites of kindling the invocation and the Wu Xing method reach the numinous realm.

When an ordinary person has an eye ailment, place salt in the incense and ask the Lord of Heaven directly: “Celestial Officer Tianwu, Yan Quan, and the three spirits of clear vision, please descend.” Then invoke: “The Great Bright and Great Holy One issues an edict: on this day, in this month and year, open the eyes to the wondrous power of illumination.” With the Great Holy One present over the incense, quickly draw it into the gallbladder. Press the knees and hold the eye sockets; transmit it with Qi. Press above, close the eyes, and swallow saliva three times to seal and transform it. With Qi, record it three times. You will see roots grow from the incense, and be able to look freely at things near and far. With long practice, one can see through the myriad ages.

When Tianwu and Yan Quan appear as stars and descend with their numinous power, one gains penetrating sight. Pinch the Great Dipper between the palms and the backs of the hands, and recite for seven days, three or five times each day; the eyes will open of themselves. This method is supremely mysterious and profound; outsiders must not transmit it.

Emperor Mingzong wished to open clear sight and see the mortal world, but had heard of no such method. He established the Huwu office to search throughout the realm for extraordinary practitioners, who would be rewarded for reporting their knowledge. He then bestowed this method upon the extraordinary practitioner Zhang Mengtang and formally taught it to him.

This is called the Eye-Opening Chapter. Smear the eyes with ink inscribed with spells to make them bright. There are boundless ways to act recklessly: harness the wind and seize thunder; summon and command the capital; command the Five Thunders and the envoys of the Five Directions; command divine generals; wield troops to break and devour; command the workings of water, fire, and wind; command the Earth Gate, the spirit Peng, the Eight Yang Generals, the Six Ding deities, the dragon kings by spell, the Wind Earl, the Thunder Duke, the generals and troops who govern the Five Thunders, the martial officer Langjiang and the flying bees, lightning, whirlwinds, water demons, Yin spirit officials, demon kings, the Celestial City patrol inspector, and the Grand Protector of King Wu of Zhou.

The Primordial Unity of Qi: Qi circulates throughout, Qi moves the original Yang, and Qi dwells in twelve positions, assuming the fierce aspect of four eyes. A human being is a small Heaven and Earth; through cultivation, one may become a divine sage. The four eyes are the key. Men and women can cultivate to completion; in old age, their Shen and Qi join, and they enjoy what is extraordinary, elevated, new, and wondrous.

Excerpt from the Wushang Miyao: The Four Heavens Engrave the Registers of the Emperors and Promote People to the Celestial Offices

The preceding passage concerns the Four Heavens engraving the registers of the Emperors and promoting people to the celestial offices: the system by which the heavenly realms in the four directions inscribe the names of Dao practitioners in the registers of the celestial offices in preparation for their promotion.

The First Group of Four Heavens (above the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity)

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Mysterious Caverns and Profound Stillness is surnamed Pan; his given name is missing.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Panluo’s Mysterious Wonder is surnamed Bo, with the taboo name Limuyin.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Qincan’s Blessings and Virtue is surnamed Wang, with the taboo name Weiliboli.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Nearness, Reverence, and Purity is surnamed Zhu, with the taboo name Liaiai.

These four Heavenly Kings dwell above the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity. On each of the Eight Seasonal Nodes and the first day of the month, they regularly travel and observe above the boundless, limitless, open void of the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity, chanting the sounds of the Four Heavens and the hymns of Flying Mystery. On those days, they dispatch Upper Immortal Jade Canopies to travel throughout the world. If anyone studies immortality and practices the Dao, pays homage to the heavens, burns incense, or recites scriptures, that person’s name is reported, and the Four Heavens inscribe it in their registers.

The Second Group of Four Heavens (within the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity)

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Mysterious Uppermost Caverns, Limitless Boundlessness, and Untroubled Joy is surnamed Ning, with the taboo name Fuzhu.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Brahma’s Mystery, Azure Origin, Refined Qincan, Harmony, and Nearness is surnamed A, with the taboo name Mingxiu.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Brahma’s Practice, Purple Void, Upper Origin, First Leader, and Swift Vision is surnamed Liu, with the taboo name Danshan.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of the Empty Brahma, Upper Clarity, Transforming Spirits, and Xutuo’s Bond of Love is surnamed Peng, with the taboo name Yina.

These four Heavenly Kings belong to the Qi of Brahma’s Practice, Upper Spirits, and Purple Origin, and dwell within the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity. They too travel on the Eight Seasonal Nodes and the first day of the month through the boundless, limitless, open void within the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity, chanting the mysterious sounds of Flying Mystery from the Four Heavens. They dispatch Jade Perfected Immortals Who Secure Immortality to travel throughout the world. For all who pay homage to the heavens, burn incense, or recite scriptures, their names are reported, and the Heavenly Kings inscribe them in the azure registers.

The Third Group of Four Heavens (below the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity)

The Heavenly King of Heaven of the Highest Limit, Unseen Radiance, Cavernous Subtlety, and Responsive Sound has a surname that is missing; his given name is missing.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Great Brahma, Nine Mysteries, Middle Origin, Qi, Anage, and the Dao of Virtue is surnamed Jian, with the taboo name Nihou.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of Brahma’s Practice, Origin Clarity, Lower Spirits, Qi, and Sudara is surnamed Zhou, with the taboo name Nanshou.

The Heavenly King of Heaven of the Utmost Brahma, Cavernous Subtlety, Nine Spirits, Qi, Xudai, and Ana is surnamed Zhu, with the taboo name Minghe.

These four Heavenly Kings belong to the Qi of the Utmost Treasure, Brahma’s Upper Spirits, and Mysterious Clarity, and dwell below the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity. On the Eight Seasonal Nodes and the first day of the month, they travel together beneath the boundless, limitless, open void of the Empty Sovereign’s Upper Clarity and chant the sounds of the Four Heavens. The names of those who study immortality and practice the Dao, burn incense, or recite scriptures are reported by the Heavenly Kings and inscribed in the registers of the celestial offices.

Background: The “Eight Seasonal Nodes” generally refer to seasonal markers such as the Beginning of Spring and the Spring Equinox; the “first day of the month” is the first day of each lunar month. The dispatching of immortals by the Heavenly Kings to inspect the world and inscribe names in registers is a common Daoist account of how Zhaijiao rituals and scripture recitation can “reach the hearing of Heaven” and be recorded in the registers of immortals. This passage divides four, twelve—or perhaps more—Heavenly Kings among the upper, middle, and lower levels, corresponding to different kinds of Qi and registers, such as bamboo slips and azure records.

An Excerpt in Modern Language from The Essential Secrets of the Supreme Mystery

The Flying Mystery Chapter (Feixuan Chapter): On each appointed day for this chapter, a Lingzhen Yulang (Bearer of the True Jade) is sent to travel throughout the human world. Whenever someone studies the way of the immortals, pays homage to the heavens, burns incense, or recites scriptures, the Jade Bearer reports this to the various Heavenly Kings, who record it in the xuanwen (mysterious celestial register).

First Group: Brahma Heaven Above the Mysterious Subtlety

Four Heavenly Kings govern the Qi of Brahma Heaven Above the Mysterious Subtlety, which lies above the Void and Great Clarity. On the Eight Seasonal Nodes and the first day of each lunar month, the four kings travel together above the boundless, limitless emptiness of the Void and Great Clarity, chanting the sounds of the Four Heavens and the Flying Mystery Chapter. On these days, a Zhongzhen Lingxianren (Central Perfected Spirit Immortal) is sent to travel throughout the world. Whoever studies the way of the immortals, practices the Dao, pays homage to the heavens, recites scriptures, or reflects on goodness is reported to the Heavenly Kings and recorded in the mysterious register.

Second Group: Pure Mystery, Primordial Spirit, and Treasure Brahma

Four Heavenly Kings govern the Qi of Pure Mystery, Primordial Spirit, and Treasure Brahma, within the Void and Great Clarity. Likewise, on the Eight Seasonal Nodes and the first day of each lunar month, they travel through the boundless, limitless emptiness of the Void and Great Clarity, chanting the sounds of the Four Heavens and the Flying Mystery Chapter. On these days, an Shangzhen Sixian Wang (Upper Perfected King Who Commands the Immortals) is sent to travel throughout the world. Whoever studies the way of the immortals, practices the Dao, pays homage to the heavens, recites scriptures, reflects on goodness, observes purification and precepts, or follows the teachings is reported by name to the Heavenly Kings and recorded in the mysterious register.

Third Group: Colorless Mystery and Pure Cave Subtlety, and Others

Notes on terms used in the text

The Eight Seasonal Nodes are the seasonal markers of Start of Spring, Spring Equinox, Start of Summer, Summer Solstice, Start of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Start of Winter, and Winter Solstice.

The first day of the lunar month is the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar.

A sacred name is the name of a Heavenly King in Daoist texts. When invoked, the king is commonly addressed respectfully using “surname + sacred name.”

The Void and Great Clarity is a level of the Upper Clarity heavens that symbolizes empty stillness and purity. It is where the Heavenly Kings travel and recite the chapter.

This is a direct translation of the scripture provided. The missing characters are absent from the original text and have not been conjecturally restored.

Excerpt from Wuyao Miyao (Essential Secrets of the Highest Mystery), in modern-language interpretation

The Four Heavenly Kings

One heaven is called “High Ascent through Ultimate Form.” Beneath it lies another heaven, “Banni Weixian Ruona Wen.” The Heavenly King, the presiding deity of this heaven, has the surname Yuan and the taboo name Yuanzhu, a personal name that should not be spoken directly.

There are also Four Heavenly Kings who dwell in the Ultimate Primordial Numinous Cavern. Formed from formless Qi, they reside below the Great Clarity of Emptiness and Nonbeing, in the vast, silent expanse beneath the Great Clarity Heaven.

On the Eight Seasonal Nodes—the beginnings and middle points of the four seasons—and on the first day of each lunar month, the Four Heavenly Kings travel through the higher void, “the Great Clarity of Emptiness and Nonbeing, boundless and limitless, empty and without form.” They chant the sounds of the Four Heavens and the verses of Flying Mystery, subtle celestial hymns descending from above. On these days, they dispatch the High Perfected, the Jade Officials who oversee celestial records and registers, and the Immortal Kings of the Four Extremities to travel throughout the world. If they find people who study immortality and practice the Dao, pay reverence to the heavens, recite scriptures and cultivate goodness, or observe purification and precepts while following the teachings, they report them to the Heavenly Kings, who enter their names into the registers of the Nine Heavens.

This passage comes from the Dongzhen Waiguo Fangpin Jing.

The Heavenly Emperors of the Thirty-Two Heavens

Below are the names of the Heavenly Emperors of the Daoist Thirty-Two Heavens. Each Heavenly Emperor is the presiding deity of a heaven; the accompanying three-character name is generally a taboo name or Daoist title.

The original text writes each entry continuously as “heaven name, Heavenly Emperor, taboo name.” The table makes the names easier to compare when reciting or visualizing the heavens.

The Thirty-Two Heavens appear frequently in scriptures of the Shangqing and Dongzhen traditions, often in connection with practices such as paying reverence to the Perfected, visualization, and walking the celestial pattern. The section on the Four Heavenly Kings emphasizes that those who recite scriptures at the proper times, observe precepts, and practice goodness may be reported to the Heavenly Kings by the Immortal Kings and entered into the registers of the Nine Heavens.

[Plain-language interpretation]

The Great Emperor of Heaven Above the Great Void, Ever-Merging, governs the spirits and ghosts. The Great Emperor of Heaven Tai Shi Yu Long Teng Sheng moves through the vastness of the primordial source. The Great Emperor of Heaven Long Bian Du carries out the workings of the highest mystery. The Great Emperor of Heaven Tai Ji Ping Yu Jia Yi greatly selects the Dharma gateways.

(The passage above) comes from the Dongxuan Wuliang Duren Jing (Scripture of Limitless Deliverance from the Grotto Mystery).

The Thirty-Six Earth Emperors

First Layer: Earth of Lustrous Color

Earth Emperor Zhengyin, surnamed Qin, taboo name Xiao Jingchun.

Earth Emperor Xingyin, surnamed Huang, taboo name Chang Shangfu.

Earth Emperor Youyin, surnamed Qing, taboo name Xuan Wenji.

Earth Emperor Yinyin, surnamed Fei, taboo name Zhong Zhenhuang.

These are the four Earth Emperors of the First Layer, the Earth of Lustrous Color. They govern the earth, extending in every direction without boundary or limit. Every year on the day of the Beginning of Spring, these four Earth Emperors ascend to Yudan Wuliang Heaven and report to the Kings of the Four Heavens the names of earth immortals who have attained the Dao and those who are advancing in their studies.

Second Layer: Earth of Firm Color

Earth Emperor Zhengyin, surnamed Cheng, taboo name Shen Fuguang.

Earth Emperor Xingyin, surnamed Yu, taboo name Huang Musheng.

Earth Emperor Youyin, surnamed Xuan, taboo name Qian Dewei.

Earth Emperor Yinyin, surnamed Chang, taboo name Huang Meng.

These are the four Earth Emperors of the Second Layer, the Earth of Firm Color. They govern the earth, extending in every direction without boundary or limit. Every year on the day of the Spring Equinox, these four Earth Emperors ascend to Shangshang Chanshan Wuliangshou Heaven and report to the Kings of the Four Heavens the names of earth immortals who have attained the Dao and those who are advancing in their studies.

Third Layer: Earth of Stone-Grease Color and Luster

Earth Emperor Zhengyin, surnamed Zhang, taboo name Wei Shenbao.

Earth Emperor Xingyin, surnamed Zhou, taboo name Bo Shangren.

Earth Emperor Youyin, surnamed Zhu, taboo name Ming Chezǐ.

Earth Emperor Yinyin, surnamed Geng, taboo name Fu Jingshi.

These are the four Earth Emperors of the Third Layer, the Earth of Stone-Grease Color and Luster. They govern the earth, extending in every direction without boundary or limit. Every year on the day of the Beginning of Summer, these four Earth Emperors ascend to Xuyan Heaven and report to the Kings of the Four Heavens the names of earth immortals who have attained the Dao and those who are advancing in their studies.

Fourth Layer: Earth of Moist Luster

Earth Emperor Zhengyin, surnamed Jia, taboo name Yun Zigao.

Earth Emperor Xingyin, surnamed Xie, taboo name Bo Yuanwu.

Earth Emperor Youyin, surnamed Si, taboo name Fu Qinche.

These are the four Earth Emperors of the Fourth Layer, the Earth of Moist Luster. They govern the earth, extending in every direction without boundary or limit. (Note: The source text is incomplete at this point; the remainder is missing.)

Vernacular Explanation of Wushang Miyao (The Supreme Secret Essentials)

Fourth Rampart: Moistening Marsh Earth

The Zhengyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Xing and the given name Jizhengfang. The Xingyin, Youyin, and Fanyin Earth Sovereigns each have their own surnames and taboo names, but the original text does not list them all in this passage. The territory governed by the four-sound Earth Sovereigns of this place extends in the four directions, endlessly and boundlessly. On the day of the summer solstice, the Earth Sovereigns regularly ascend to Jiran Heaven and report to the Kings of the Four Heavens the names and taboo names of the local terrestrial immortals, those who have attained the Dao, superior immortals, and Dao-learners.

Fifth Rampart: Golden Millet Marsh Earth

The Zhengyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Hua and the taboo name Yanqiming. The Xingyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Huang and the taboo name Lingworong. The Youyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Yun and the taboo name Shenwuyuan. The Fanyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Meng and the taboo name Tongbaguang. The territory governed by the four-sound Earth Sovereigns likewise pervades the four directions, without end or limit. On the day of the Beginning of Autumn, the Earth Sovereigns regularly ascend to Bujiaole Heaven and report the names and taboo names of terrestrial immortals, those who have attained the Dao, superior immortals, and Dao-learners to the Kings of the Four Heavens.

Sixth Rampart: Adamantine Iron Marsh Earth

The Zhengyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Li and the taboo name Shangshaojun. The Xingyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Fan and the taboo name Lai Li’an. The Youyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Chang and the taboo name Lijiguang. The Fanyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Wang and the taboo name Sinürong. The territory is the same as above. On the day of the Autumnal Equinox, the Earth Sovereigns regularly ascend to Huayingsheng Heaven and report the names and taboo names.

Seventh Rampart: Water-Controlled Marsh Earth

The Zhengyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Tang and the taboo name Chushengying. The Xingyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Wu and the taboo name Zhengfatu. The Youyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Han and the taboo name Gaowenche. The Fanyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Jing and the taboo name Zhonglongshou. The territory is the same as above. On the day of the Beginning of Winter, the Earth Sovereigns regularly ascend to Fanbao Heaven and report the names and taboo names.

Eighth Rampart: Great Wind Marsh Earth

The Zhengyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Ge and the taboo name Xuanshengguang. The Xingyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Hua and the taboo name Maoyunchang. The Youyin Earth Sovereign has the surname Yang and the taboo name Zhendongxuan. The Fanyin Earth Sovereign is not fully listed in this passage.

Explanation for Easier Understanding

Here, rampart refers to a tier or boundary layer in heaven or the underworld, a layer of “marsh earth.” The Earth Sovereigns are the rulers of each layer of marsh earth and are divided into the four sounds Zhengyin, Xingyin, Youyin, and Fanyin, which appear to be related to the four seasons, directions, or classification by sound and rhyme. The Kings of the Four Heavens are rulers of higher heavens; the Earth Sovereigns report the names of cultivators who have achieved the Dao to them on schedule. Terrestrial immortals, those who have attained the Dao, superior immortals, and Dao-learners are cultivators of different stages, and their names are reported by the Earth Sovereigns to the celestial court.

The original text emphasizes listing realm names, the taboo names of the Earth Sovereigns, and the dates of seasonal reports. It belongs to the kind of material in the Daoist canon concerned with cosmology, taboo names, and memorial/report systems. It does not elaborate cultivation methods, so the vernacular explanation mainly offers a faithful paraphrase.

This is a passage from volume sixteen of the Daozang’s Wushang Miyao. It describes the names of the Earth Emperors who rule the “earth layers” and “soil realms” in the Daoist cosmos, along with the rites for reporting to the heavenly realm. The following is a plain-language explanation of its meaning.

The Eighth Layer is called the Land of Great Wind and Marsh. The Earth Emperor of the Correct Tone has the surname Zhou and the secret name Shang Jingyuan. The Earth Emperor of the Traveling Tone has the surname Li and the secret name Wu Boxuan. The Earth Emperor of the Wandering Tone has the surname Zhang and the secret name Shang Boxuan. The Earth Emperor of the Unidentified Tone has the surname Zhou and the secret name Shang Jingyuan.

These four are the Earth Emperors of the Eighth Layer, the Land of Great Wind and Marsh. This layer is vast beyond limit, endless, and boundless. On the day of the winter solstice, the Earth Emperors regularly ascend to Fanjiamoyi Heaven, a name for a Daoist heaven, and report to the Kings of the Four Heavens the names and affairs of the local immortals and those who have attained the Dao and are pursuing higher learning.

The Ninth Layer is called the Land of the Abyssal Cavern, the Colorless Framework. The Earth Emperor of the Correct Tone has the surname Ji and the secret name Wushang Xuan. The Earth Emperor of the Traveling Tone has the surname Dou and the secret name Yun Wuhao. The Earth Emperor of the Wandering Tone has the surname Zhao and the secret name Shang Boxuan. The Earth Emperor of the Unidentified Tone has the surname Nong and the secret name Qin Wubo.

These four are the Earth Emperors of the Ninth Layer, the Land of the Abyssal Cavern, the Colorless Framework. The region beneath it is likewise endless, without bounds or limits, and is governed by the “framework,” a network that holds everything together. Four times each year, the Earth Emperors ascend to heaven to report: on the first day of the third month, the second day of the sixth month, the third day of the ninth month, and the fourth day of the twelfth month. They ascend to Bolidahe Heaven, another heavenly realm, and report to the Kings of the Four Heavens the secret names of those in the Nine Earths who study the Dao and have become immortals.

The closing phrase, “You chu Dongzhen Waiguo Fangpin Jing,” means that the passage above is taken from a scripture in the Dongzhen section relating to “Waiguo Fangpin.”

For reading purposes, “layer” may be understood as a level in the underworld or in the structure of the earth, while “Earth Emperor” refers to the ruler of each level. “Correct Tone,” “Traveling Tone,” “Wandering Tone,” and “Unidentified Tone” are names for different categories of sound used in Daoist visualization and the recitation of names. A “secret name” is one that should not be spoken casually. The winter solstice and dates such as the first day of the third month are regular times when Daoists imagined reports ascending between heaven and the human world; they are not descriptions of ordinary folk festivals. The original text contains gaps or variant spellings, including in personal and heavenly names across different editions. This plain-language explanation follows the wording provided without emendation.