《法海遺珠》Vol. 19

Volume Nineteen, Part Eight of Treasured Pearls from the Sea of Daoist Teachings

Secret Method of the Nine Heavens’ Kui Gang and the Yellow Dragon for Seizing Life

The Ranks of the Generals (the formation for summoning divine generals)

The Nine Heavens’ swift Yellow Dragon Envoy for Seizing Life and Pursuing Souls, Jin Zijue: ten thousand zhang tall, wearing a golden cap and a yellow forehead band; his face is red with fury, and he has three eyes. He wears golden armor and a red robe, with a green sash and hanging boots. He holds the Dipper seal in his left hand and a golden whip in his right, riding a yellow dragon. His troops descend from within fiery clouds.

Invocation Incantation

Perfectly true and numinous, numinous and holy: descend swiftly—come! Seize!

Om, ga, hong, zha; om, ga, hong, zha; om, ba, seize, svaha.

With the left hand, form the Chen-position hand seal. Visualize the general’s appearance and clothing as he descends from fiery clouds in the south; then write the talisman.

Talisman of General Jin

(“By command, summon Jin Zijue, divine general of the Nine Heavens’ Kui Gang and Yellow Dragon, who seizes life. Descend swiftly into this talisman.” After writing the general’s name, mark it with the Yin-Yang Dipper.)

(“Clad in blazing flames, his feet treading Kui Gang: I command you to judge; may a hundred ghosts perish.”)

(“Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands. Having marked out this star, write it again over the star governing the patient.”)

(“Add the patient’s name, birth destiny, and illness; then add: ‘May the soul be stored in the Dipper Palace, and the body attain long life. When the perfect light shines once, ten thousand ghosts shall hide in submission.’”)

(“Om, water-rope spirit, seize; om, fire-rope spirit, seize.”)

Commanding Incantation

Seven thousand divine generals leave the Northern Palace; evil spirits dare not flee. I command you to receive Qi and show compassion: heal the sick, pursue the soul, and manifest your authority. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Talisman That Follows General Jin

This talisman has the same dispersed form as the one above, but replace the character “command” above the hand with the two characters “urgent” and “swift,” covering them with a single stroke.

Commanding Incantation

Om, wa, da, mi, hong, ba, li; drive them all away, spirits, and quell the corpse. Cha li, drive away the corpse spirits; ha ye, seize.

Spirits of the Southern Dipper, generals of the Northern Dipper, and Earth Deities: receive this command and descend swiftly with your numinous power. In obedience to the appointed officials and generals who enforce these words, and to the local Earth Deity, the Lord of Life, and the Six Spirits, at once seal the mountains and break open the caves; burn the halls and destroy the temples. Pursue and retrieve so-and-so’s three souls and seven po souls, returning them to the body so that the person revives at once. Hasten!

Kui, ba, chi, bi, gan, piao: as the Dipper turns, Heavenly Stem Qi descends from afar. Seven thousand divine generals...

Note (to help with reading the original): This text belongs to a Daoist ritual tradition involving summoning spirits, writing talismans, healing illness, and retrieving souls. First, the practitioner visualizes generals such as Jin Zijue descending from fiery clouds; then they form the prescribed hand seal, write the “Talisman of General Jin,” and recite invocation and commanding incantations. The talisman often bears the patient’s name, birth destiny, and illness, along with petitions for the soul to return to the body and for recovery. The use of Kui Gang and Heavenly Stem together with the gods of the Northern and Southern Dippers, the Earth Deities, and the Lord of Life is typical liturgical language. The ritual is to be performed according to the sequence of the complete volume and the instructions transmitted by a teacher, and should not be attempted independently.

Plain-Language Interpretation

(General formula for using the talisman)

When you are about to leave the Northern Hall, the evil spirits should no longer dare to flee. I command: receive Qi (vital energy bestowed by an ancestral master or deity), make a compassionate vow, heal the sick, retrieve souls, and establish the awe-inspiring power of the spirits. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

(How to use the soul-retrieval talisman)

This talisman is written on yellow paper with a vermilion brush. It states that the three hun souls and seven po souls of a named person—the hun govern the spirit, while the po govern the body—are to be summoned back into the body so that the person immediately awakens and revives.

Talisman of General Song

I respectfully summon Song Wuji, the Great General of the Fire Wheel of the South. May he descend astride his fire wheel and bestow true Qi to aid my spirit-brush. May it transform into a golden dragon, breathe flames, and burn away the Yin demons.

(Key points of the practice)

Visualize the Great General of the Fire Wheel leading fire troops down from the south, appearing like a volcano. Then draw fire Qi into the brush before writing the talisman.

(Common phrases written on the talisman, in sections):

Open Heaven’s Gate, close Earth’s Door; keep open the human gate, block the ghost road; pierce the ghosts’ hearts, split open their bellies.

(The Five Phases, the Five Planets, the swift descent of Qi, and so on)

At the first turn, summon the City God; at the second, the local earth spirits; at the third, the ancestral spirits of the family for three generations; at the fourth, the Four Rivers; at the fifth, the Five Sacred Peaks; at the sixth, the Six Jia and Six Ding; at the seventh, the seven stars of the Northern Dipper; at the eighth, the Eight Great Vajras; at the ninth, the Primordial Lords of the Nine Heavens; at the tenth, the Dharma-Protecting Spirit Kings of the Ten Directions.

At the first command, Heaven clears; at the second, Earth grows calm; at the third, the Sun shines bright; at the fourth, the Moon shines bright; at the fifth, the Five Sacred Peaks collapse; at the sixth, the Six Jia deploy their troops; at the seventh, the seven stars descend; at the eighth, evil ghosts in all eight directions tremble.

The perfect light shines through all things; ten thousand ghosts are destroyed. Swiftly, in accordance with the command of the Most High Lord Lao, so ordered.

(Phrases such as “the Fire Emperor Lord descends at noon,” “Heavenly Fire,” and others)

Incantation for writing the talisman:

Raise the Sun’s earthly fire; raise the thunder-fire of the Li direction; send it forth from the Xun direction (the southeast position in the Eight Trigrams) to burn and destroy all that is inauspicious. Flames blaze ten thousand feet high, burning away every trace of ghosts and spirits. Write the talisman with the noon character and Qi from the south.

May the gods Bing and Ding, and the Inner Ding Lord, all descend with the true samadhi fire. Swiftly, in accordance with the command of the True Lord of Fire Virtue of the South, so ordered.

Commanding Incantation

Fire wheel, fire wheel, essence of the Flame Emperor: penetrate the Three Realms, burn away ghosts and spirits, sweep out the myriad monsters, and sever the power of demons and spirits. Burn only Yin ghosts; do not burn the righteous gods. May the City God and local earth spirits assist me; may the Yin troops and the local land deity carry this out together. Swiftly, in accordance with the command of the True Lord of Fire Virtue of the South, so ordered.

Dismissal Incantation

This is similar to the commanding incantation and is used to dispatch the spirits and conclude the rite. Its meaning generally reiterates that the fire wheel burns away evil without harming the righteous gods, and calls on the City God, local earth spirits, land deities, and Yin troops to carry out the command. If the specific text continues directly from the commanding incantation above, it may be concluded with: “Swiftly, in accordance with the command of the True Lord of Fire Virtue of the South, so ordered.”

Note: The source text presents the ritual procedures and incantations for Daoist soul-retrieval talismans, fire-generals’ talismans, and writing talismans with fire Qi. Its phrasing is often condensed and rhythmic; here it has been organized for clarity. Specialized terms such as the Six Jia and Six Ding, the Northern Dipper, the True Lord of Fire Virtue, and “so ordered” retain their original names, with brief explanations in parentheses for readers unfamiliar with classical Chinese.

Related Passages from Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of Dharma): A Plain-Language Interpretation

The Southern Fire God and Driving Out Evil

In the south there is a god named Bingding (in Daoism, Bing and Ding belong to Fire and are often grouped together as the deity of Fire’s Virtue). He is ten thousand zhang tall, has five eyes and five pupils, and flames flow across his entire body. He uses them to burn and destroy evil spirits.

May the fires of Heaven and Earth and the Samadhi True Fire descend at once. I also call upon Zhuling, a title associated with the Fire Official or the Perfected Lord of Fire’s Virtue, to shine forth without delay, as commanded by the Perfected Lord of Fire’s Virtue of the South.

The Yellow Dragon Talisman (Dispersed Form, Similar to the Golden General Talisman)

The talisman is often accompanied by generals, celestial signs, and directional meanings such as these. The original text marks their associations in parentheses; the general sense is as follows:

The names of divine generals such as Tianpeng, the Nine Primordial Fiendish Youths, the Five Ding Commanders, and Gao Diao Beiweng; the Seven Luminaries and Eight Spirits, the Most High’s Bright Fiend, and the Long-Skulled Giant Beast, bearing images such as the Emperor’s Bell and the Plain Owl; the Moon on the right and the Sun on the left; the star lords of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions; the clarity of Heaven and the peace of Earth; the overturning and subduing of Kunlun, signifying the control of mountains and rivers; and the Yellow Dragon Messenger, descending from Heaven and surging up from Earth, rushing like a star to pursue and capture the soul, so that the afflicted person may recover and their life force remain secure.

May the fires of Heaven, Earth, and thunder, and the Samadhi True Fire, be set in motion swiftly. Urgently, in accordance with the statutes!

Talisman of Command

By command of the Most High Lord Lao of the Taiqing Realm: what the Sovereign Heaven gives birth to and the Empress Earth brings forth…

Open Heaven’s gate and close Earth’s door; leave the human gate open and block the road of ghosts. Pierce the ghosts’ hearts and break their bellies. Let the Eight Fiendish Generals and the Eight Great Vajras stand guard in the year, month, day, and hour specified. Let them rise swiftly to Heaven above and descend swiftly into Earth below. In the shadowy underworld, the Water Mansion and Dragon Palace, the caves of the various mountains, and all other places, pursue and capture every source of harm: evil traces, mountain crags and caves, local altars, and the spirits of earth, stone, water, and wood, as well as those who have invoked curses against their own kin to bring about misfortune.

Urgently pursue the soul of [a certain person] and return it to the body, so that they may revive at once. May the Great Emperor of the Three Offices, the Southern Dipper’s Fire Official, the Great Spirit Who Watches Over Life, and the others act together swiftly and root out the cause.

With utmost urgency, with utmost urgency: seize the three souls and seven po of [a certain person] and return them to the body.

General Command Incantation

What the Sovereign Heaven gives birth to, the Empress Earth brings forth. The souls of those who died unjustly must not disturb the living without cause. Evil shrines and temples, curses and resentment, spirits and myriad strange beings: I destroy your forms. Release the soul and life force at once, and deliver them to the Dragon Lord. The Most High has issued a command; you must not delay. Urgently, in accordance with the statutes of the Most High!

Another Incantation

Great-Power Spirit Official General, bring down auspicious blessings at once and drive away the calamity-bringing ghosts for me. Do not linger.

Note: These passages are mostly invocations used in talismanic spells and liturgies for driving out evil, summoning souls, and securing the body. The parentheses in the original mark notes about the talisman’s form, directions, and the positions of divine names; in this plain-language version, their meaning has been incorporated into the text rather than matched point by point to a diagram.

Inviting the Gods and Issuing the Command

I respectfully invite in secret: the principal general Li Cunzheng, Jiazi of the Original Yang beneath the Dipper; his deputy general Chen Danian; the ghost-catching general Ma (name uncertain); Zhao Qizhi, the flying-step Tiangang general in charge of the Golden Gate’s registers; the talisman-flying divine general Cao Danxia; Jin Ziyu, the Nine Heavens Kui Gang soul-pursuing divine general; and the generals who include the Yellow Dragon, Taker of Lives. May they all, in accordance with the Shangqing command to send down talismans, descend swiftly in their true forms, obey the Qian edict’s method for subduing baleful forces, and come at once, come at once, bringing clear and manifest response. I issue this command in accordance with the laws of the Great Emperor Ziwei.

Sending-Forth Incantation (Summoning the Soul to Return to the Body)

Taiyi, Northern Emperor, pursue the soul; let it return to this body. May the Three Hun souls come swiftly, the Seven Po souls arrive swiftly, and follow Qi into the body. With urgency, in accordance with the command of the Lord of the Celestial Tiangang, I issue this order.

The Supreme Emperor’s direct talisman descends, bringing the true spirit. The Nine Heavens pursue, seize, and cut down demonic essences. Stand beneath the Tiangang and hang the Dipper to protect the human form; pursue and seize the Three Hun without pause. Deliver them to the sick person, preserving the body and restoring its ease. May the Three Hun swiftly return to the sick body; may the Seven Po swiftly return to the person’s dwelling. With urgency, in accordance with the law of life-giving Qi beneath the Dipper, I issue this order.

When a person has died, the Tiangang immediately restores the form; when a person is alive, the Tiangang immediately brings peace. Above, do not oppose Heaven; below, cut down ghosts and spirits. When true Qi reaches the heart, life returns swiftly. With urgency, in accordance with the Supreme Emperor’s law, I issue this order.

Ritual Procedure (Right-Hand Method)

Begin this method at the Yin position and circle through the twelve palaces seven times. Pinch the horizontal crease at the base of the thumb with two fingers, then use the thumb to pinch the horizontal crease at the base of the little finger. In the mind, visualize Heaven and Earth darkened; visualize the Yellow Dragon divine general escorting the Three Hun into the body. Pinch the crease at the Mao position, draw Qi from the East, and blow it toward the sick person. Next, use the Song General talisman to send forth the command, and transform the metal coins and paper horses in front of the bed. Then recite the Great Might and Virtue Incantation:

Om, hum, hum, sandan na han nan yan qian yi—by command, summon the boundless Great Might and Virtue Divine King of the Nine Heavens’ General Fire Department: raise the great thunder fire of the Nine Heavens, flying fire, sudden fire, flowing-gold hurling fire, Seven-Star thunderbolt fire, blazing thunder and fierce fire! Let the Fire King of the Nine Heavens’ General Department mount his solemn chariot, with Kui and Dragon as steeds; let flying tigers, lions, white beasts, Xieshi, qilin, fire camels, fire elephants, fire vultures, fire eagles, and ten thousand troops of fire beasts assemble. With copper heads and iron faces, a million divine soldiers, the tally axes of the Five Emperors, and patrols through the Four Heavens, let the Emperor’s bell shake and the demonic paths tremble. In the grotto heavens and blessed lands, across mountains, rivers, and the netherworld, let the City Gods, local earth deities, unrighteous ghosts, and spirits face mountains collapsing, trees shattered, and the hundred valleys boiling. What ghost would dare stand against us? Those who do not submit and obey shall be cut down!

Explanation

This text belongs to a Daoist liturgy for pursuing souls and treating illness. It first invites the generals of the Dipper division, the Tiangang, and the soul-pursuers; then recites sending-forth incantations to command the Three Hun and Seven Po to return to the body, alongside hand gestures, drawing in Qi, and burning talismans and paper horses. The final “Great Might and Virtue Incantation” invokes the Divine King of the Nine Heavens’ General Fire Department, together with fire-beast spirits and divine troops, to awe and subdue malign forces. Its purpose is consistent with the earlier calls to “catch ghosts” and “pursue souls.” “Sick person” refers to the patient. The Three Hun and Seven Po are concepts in the Daoist understanding of the human body’s spirits; when someone is gravely ill or near death, rituals of this kind are often performed in hopes of calling the souls back to their proper place.

Plain-language interpretation

(Visualization and Invocation for Thunder Rites)

Let the Giant-Mouthed Wind King, the Fire Lad, the Fire Maiden, the Fire Dragon, and the Fire Horse descend from the heavens. Let the Bing and Ding Generals surge up from the earth. Fire clouds spread through the Qi, and eight dragons race across the sky. The five generals of the Celestial Capital swallow thunder and roar, sending sand and stones flying and uprooting trees. The wind wheel turns to the left; the fire chariot wheels to the right, illuminating the Three Realms and transforming them into a crimson fortress. Beneath the Dipper and the Bagua, the Thunder Department arrays itself on every side and issues its commands. The blazing might of Heaven brings slaughter and destruction. Fierce winds and thunderclaps shake the earth. At their sight, ghosts and demons burrow ten thousand fathoms underground and turn to flying ash. Ancient trees and evil temples become dust and mud for all eternity.

Urgently, by the command of the Boundless, Great and Mighty Virtuous Divine King of the Thunder, Fire, Wind, and Clouds Department of the Nine Heavens. (This is the concluding formula for the visualization and command of the Thunder Department’s fire rites.)

Soul-Returning Talisman

The talisman commonly contains hidden characters and a talismanic core (special character forms stand in for ordinary words and are difficult for outsiders to read). Its general meaning can be read as follows:

• (Characters such as Kui, Ba, Chi, Mei, Wang, and Liang) — Return the soul, return the soul; let the body face the Jade Capital (recall the soul, restore it to its proper place, and have it pay homage at the heavenly Jade Capital).
• By the authority of Yin and Yang, may the Six Spirits be at peace; let evil Qi depart and righteous Qi remain — urgently, by the command of the Purple Tenuity Emperor, seize and subdue the baleful forces.

Formal Document for the Soul-Returning Talisman

Thunder Court of the Celestial Capital

This Court has now received a report concerning (enter the person’s name and the matter) and is urgently carrying out rescue and treatment, as required by this document. This Court is charged with aiding and rescuing those in need and would not dare refuse or delay. Accordingly, this talisman must be issued.

Blank talisman (Leave this space empty for the official talisman seal.)

The above talisman respectfully summons

The Golden General, Envoy of the Nine Heavens Kui Gang, Swift and Keen, Yellow Dragon Who Seizes Lives and Recalls Souls, together with the clerks and officers assigned by this Court. They shall immediately meet with the City God and the Lord of the Local Shrine, and direct the Earth Deity, Lord of Destiny, and Six Spirits who oversee the petitioner’s household to go straight to the place where the evil ghost is found:

• Seal the mountains and break open the caves; burn the halls and destroy the temples.
• Investigate whether curses among relatives by marriage are the source of the calamity; search every shrine, temple, and altar associated with evil traces, as well as spirits of earth, wood, and stone, and sweep away their lairs.
• Retrieve the person’s original, true soul and proper spirit, born in the year, month, day, and hour of [specified birth date and time], and return them to this person’s body.

Thus may the person’s spirit and vitality be restored, the illness dispelled, and evil spirits destroyed.

I act in accordance with the command of the Supreme Emperor. When this talisman arrives, carry out its orders with all haste.

Issued under the cyclical year, month, day, and hour of the Grand Marshal Jupiter

Signed and sealed by the appointed official, a person surnamed [X] (the Daoist priest signs and seals here).

Patriarchs: The True King of the Divine Empyrean; the Great Emperor of Longevity of the Southern Pole

Jade Seal of the Primordial Beginning and Ten Thousand Spirits

The seal above is used when addressing the Dipper. If the document is instead addressed to the Dipper, write: The Nine Sovereign Lords of the Northern Dipper. When burning the talisman, silently recite:

Six Jia, Six Ding, and Six Qi Sovereigns; of the Great Rosy Mists, the utmost embryo-spirit reaches and conveys the command to the Ten Thousand Spirits.

(As the talisman is burned, silently recite this incantation to summon the Six Jia, Six Ding, and other divine generals, and to convey the command to the Ten Thousand Spirits.)

Pearls Left Behind in the Ocean of the Dao: A Plain-Language Interpretation

The Daytime Petition: The Ninefold Spirit’s Swift Pace (In Accord with the Command of the Primordial Yang Ruler)

How to address the envelope (For petitions to the Northern Dipper, change this to “Presented before the Nine Sovereign Emperors of the Northern Dipper”)

Your servant, of the [surname] family (seal affixed), respectfully seals this.

When writing a jade petition: Use one sheet of yellow paper, nine inches high and one foot two inches wide. First pass it through incense smoke, then write on it with a vermilion brush. Before writing, click the teeth together nine times. Then take five sheets of temple spirit money and roll them together with the jade petition. Set up an incense table in the courtyard of your home and silently recite a prayer suited to the matter you are seeking help with; elaborate wording is unnecessary. Take five fen in metal cash, or light a strong fire of aloeswood in the incense burner, and burn the petition completely. Then, in a quiet room, visualize the divine officials. A response often comes that very night.

This method can be performed without holding an elaborate purification ritual. It is suitable for mourning the dead, warding off evil, dealing with any unclear matter, and responding to severe calamities. This petition goes directly to the Jade Clarity realm. Each petition may address only one matter, and you must not present two petitions on the same day. Flames must be visible in the incense burner, and the petition must be burned quickly and completely, without delay. No one else may see it. It may also be presented during a purification ritual, but fellow practitioners must not see it.

Secret Method of the Six Heavens: The Spirit’s Silent Petition, Sent Forth Like Ash on the Wind

When writing a Red Spirit Heart Petition, use yellow silk, five inches high and one foot two inches long. Fold it into twelve panels, like a scripture board, writing one character per panel, with three lines in all. Once it is finished, place it with the Marshal’s Petition-Bearing Talisman, the Talisman for Speeding the Spirit to the Golden Palace, and the Talisman for Communicating with Heaven on the ritual table, above the incense burner. Burn them together. The ritual master then presents the petition according to the prescribed method.

Incantation for Empowering the Brush When Writing the Petition

(“Sudden charge, transverse the sky; flying talisman, exert your power—swift as fire, racing as wind. Hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands!”)

For this method, form the Chen hand-sign, draw in the astral force, and blow it onto the brush. Then draw in the golden light of Heaven’s Gate and blow it onto the brush before writing the petition. Visualize the Marshal standing before you and golden light filling the room. Then carry out the rite while silently reciting the Purifying Heaven and Earth Incantation.

Petition Format

Your petitioner, [official rank] (your servant, of the [surname] family), respectfully submits this with awe and trepidation, bowing his head and prostrating himself in a hundred obeisances:

Your servant now petitions on behalf of [surname], a devoted follower of the Dao from [hometown and native place], who has submitted a request concerning [person]. I humbly petition on behalf of [person], whose life destiny is such that they were born in the [year], [month], [day], at the [hour], and whose zodiac sign is [animal]…

Plain-Language Interpretation

Memorial to the Throne

The matters governed by a certain Lord of the Northern Dipper: Since a certain day, a certain person has fallen ill and has been unable to rest and recover. I now submit this petition below my altar, humbly requesting that a secret memorial be presented.

I am deeply concerned that, in this person’s past and present lives, they may have accumulated various sins through mistakes or deliberate acts, involving the three karmic actions and six sense faculties. Or perhaps the stars are unfavorable and the cycles of fate perilous; disputes involving ancestral graves may be entangling them, or the dead may be implicated. Stubborn spirits may be bringing calamity, or demons and baleful forces may be causing harm. The illness has persisted for a long time and remains uncured.

I humbly pray that, in Your heavenly mercy, You issue a command to the true offices of the Dipper’s Pole, dispatching the officers and generals of the three bureaus of the Thunder Department, together with the officers and generals from the methods I have received, and the spirit officers, commanders, generals, officers, and soldiers of the Dipper constellations. May they all descend to dispel this person’s calamities and dangers, capture and arrest evil spirits, protect and support the afflicted, and increase their years of life.

I, Your minister, presume to present this memorial with a hundred bows to the Most High Jade Emperor of the Golden Palace in the Vast Heavens (before Your Jade Steps). I humbly pray that Your heavenly mercy grant my request, bring health and peace soon, and fulfill the hopes of the people.

Now, in the stillness of the Mysterious Altar, all humbly ask to hear in advance and look up, awaiting a response from the Most Numinous One, clearly manifesting the promised recompense. We respectfully await the imperial decree.

In the year, month, and day of the current sexagenary cycle, Your appointed minister, so-and-so of the so-and-so surname, presents this memorial.

Opening-the-Heavens Talisman

The talisman commonly bears commands and divine names, with meanings that include: “By command of the Jade Clarity Supreme Emperor”; “By command of the Highest Clarity Great Emperor”; “By command of the Great Clarity Great Emperor”; “By command of the Jade Emperor”; the True Ones of the Heavenly Caverns; the great deities of Jia, Yi, Nei, Ding, Ren, and Gui; the envoy Shuli; and General Ma, who takes Qi from the Gate of Heaven.

It also contains incantatory sounds such as “Om,” “Tan,” “Zha,” and “Chi,” which summon the numinous spirits of the Three Yangs, heavenly demons, the Northern Emperor, the Heavenly King’s Commandant of the Capital and the Great Deity who issues commands, the Heavenly King Jiedi Boluoputi to open the Gate of Heaven, the Six Heavenly Kings, the Six Jia and Six Ding, the Envoy who Opens Heaven, the Three-Five Generals, the Great Commandant of the Nine Qi, the Flying Heavenly Kings, the thirty-six Commandants and Numinous Officials of the Dipper, and Zheng Xiu, the dog general and talisman envoy. The formula concludes: “Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes”; “In accordance with the statutes of the Supreme Emperor.”

Dismissal Incantation

I respectfully summon the Nine Heavens’ Path-Opening Jade-Reliance Cavern Spirit, Flying-Heaven Zha Envoy, Nine Red Radiant Ding-Jia Deity-Lord, and the Dipper General who serves as Envoy of the Opening-the-Heavens Talisman. Go forth in accordance with my Qi.

Notes for Reading the Original

“Three karmic actions and six sense faculties” refers to the actions of body, speech, and mind, and to the six faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Together, the terms broadly denote sins created by body and mind.

“Disputes involving ancestral graves” and “the dead” refer to entanglements and lawsuits associated with ancestral graves and departed spirits.

“The true offices of the Dipper’s Pole” and “the three bureaus of the Thunder Department” refer to divine administrative structures associated with the Northern Dipper and Thunder rites.

The “Mysterious Altar” is the place where a Daoist priest establishes an altar and performs ritual methods.

Slashes in the talismanic text often mark the original book’s layout or damaged passages. The incantatory sounds and divine titles should be checked against the original and not altered arbitrarily.

This passage comes from the Daoist Canon work Fahai Yizhu. It describes a ritual method involving drawing talismans, gathering Qi, reciting incantations, and driving away evil spirits while subduing demonic essences. Much of the wording is excerpted from the talisman’s core text and the steps of the Big Dipper incantation, so the prose is fragmentary. The following paraphrase connects the passages according to their general meaning for easier reading.

General Incantation (associated with the Gate of Heaven and Golden Light)

The Dipper stars follow my steps, and the hundred spirits assist me. Heavenly Qi—the righteous energy of Heaven and Earth—unfolds; the myriad forms of Yuchen, the celestial realm where the Jade Emperor resides, sweep forth. The gates of the nine-layered Dipper heavens open wide for me. Golden Light shines through all things; the myriad Qi attain immortality together and unite with the Dao in perfected truth. By the command of the law, let it be done swiftly.

Instructions for the Talisman Rite

Write this talisman on yellow paper using cinnabar. When it is finished, face the Gate of Heaven, gather the Qi of Golden Light, and blow it into the talisman.

General Meaning of the Core Text of the “Spirit-Summoning Golden Palace Talisman” (the phrases in parentheses are commonly written formulae)

The Most High and the Great Clarity unite in perfected truth across the Three Realms. The Three Platforms descend with divine power to govern and subdue evil essences. They command the myriad demons, who all bow in welcome. By the Dipper’s righteous command, the Three Realms shall carry this out. Whoever dares obstruct or intercept shall be seized and sent to Feng Court, the underworld of Fengdu. I act by the command of the Jade Emperor.

Commanding Incantation

Cast fire ten thousand li; send the spirit bells surging in all eight directions. Whoever dares to test this command or block the way shall be cut down before me with a golden axe and punished thereafter by the Great Heaven. By the command of the law, let it be done swiftly.

The “Document-Dispatching Talisman” (used to send petitions and convey messages)

Form the hand seal for your birth hour, breathe out the Qi of your heart, and recite “Om, Hong, Zha, Li.” Gather the Qi of Golden Light and send it into the talisman. Invoke the spirit of Kui, the first star of the Northern Dipper, whose steed carries messages with supernatural power, passing freely between Heaven and Earth, unimpeded by mountains or seas. Hold the imperial command in your left hand; bind the essence with your right. Gather and subdue evil spirits without mercy. Whatever their rank, seize and bind them, then bring them forward.

I solemnly invoke the fires of Heaven and Earth, the fires of the year, month, day, and hour, as well as the True Fire of the Nine Suns, the Threefold Samadhi Fire of the Divine Officials, to burn away every evil essence.

The myriad patterns of the Perfected Light: At the upper platform, the first, yellow light drives away misfortune; at the middle platform, the second, white light protects the body and guards the home; at the lower platform, the third, green light treats illness and expels essence. The flying fire ropes coil around and bind evil essences. The Celestial Emperor’s written command is worn as an insignia. How could the fierce demons of the Dipper’s five directions fail to perish? With one breath from the Flying Immortal, the myriad ghosts lie hidden and subdued. By the command of the law, let it be done swiftly. Also invoke and subdue Kui, Po, Xi, Xing, Bi, Biao, and Piao, along with baleful stars, ghost lodges, and other evil spirits; their names are often written on the talisman to suppress and control them.

Dipper Incantation

Trample black, trample ink-black: at the Chou position, Nan Yang, Bi, Biao, and Piao; at the Wu position, the Star Kui presses down the Star Po; at the Wei position, the Ghost Lodge naturally vanishes; at the You position, Tanlang and Lianzhen are fierce; at the Xu position, Xi and Xing rise to the blue heavens. The directions, stars, and ghost names are matched to subdue one another.

Notes: “Three Platforms” refers to the Lords of the Three Platforms; “Heavenly Dipper” refers to the Dipper’s Tian Gang; “Feng Court” is the place in Fengdu where ghosts are governed; and “document dispatch” means carrying a petition and sending it up to the Celestial Court. Damaged characters—such as the character often used to mean yellow paper—are interpreted according to editions of the Daoist Canon and conventions in talisman texts. The original text in the relevant volume can be consulted for page references to any particular incantation.

This scripture describes the Thunder Rites (a Daoist method for summoning thunder and commanding lightning) practice of pacing the celestial steps (bugang tadou). The ritual master must walk according to specific stellar positions while coordinating incantations and hand seals to mobilize divine power.

The practice begins by visualizing deities like the Execution God and the Star Lord of Prosperity at designated compass points (Hai, Zi, Dui positions). When drawing talismans (fulu), one must imagine thunderlight as golden ribbons ascending to the Celestial Gate (heavenly portal), with radiant beams illuminating the celestial pathway. The master sequentially moves through stellar positions including the Breaker of Armies, the Ravenous Wolf, and the Civil Star before finally facing the Celestial Gate to deliver petitions. During rainy weather, rain-stopping rites must first be performed.

The step sequence proceeds as follows:

1. Upon entering the Breaker of Armies position, form the Dipper Seal with the left hand while holding the Jade Script in the right, standing upright to enter meditative communion with the stars. Recite incantations to summon one's natal star (yuan chen) to assist in soul projection (out-of-body experience), protected by five thunder emissaries.

2. At the Martial Arts Star position, chant mantras to illuminate the five viscera and six bowels (each governed by spiritual entities in Daoist physiology), visualizing yellow clouds rising from the spleen to form protective auras surrounded by thunderfire.

3. Proceeding to the Pure and Chaste Star position, invoke the Thunder God to merge with one's being, commanding the Ghost Gate (underworld entrance) and directing thunder generals to breathe fire and subdue demons.

4. Finally at the Civil Star position, refine the vital essences (jing) of the internal organs through incantations, enabling the three ethereal souls (Daoism's conception of human spiritual components) to transcend the underworld and ascend to the Purple Mansion (upper dantian, the crown chakra's meditative realm).

The ritual concludes with three essential actions: flicking the hand seal toward one's body, clicking the teeth three times, and forming the Firm Grasp seal (thumb pressing the ring finger's base) while chanting with closed eyes. Through coordinated stellar positioning, visualization, incantations, and mudras, the ceremony achieves divine communication and demon-subduing purposes.

A Plain-Language Interpretation

Qi and Shen unite, and Shen and Qi interact: Shen and Qi respond to and support one another. Swirl the Jade Spring liquid (the saliva in the mouth, gathered by moving the tongue around the Flowery Pool) three times, then swallow it in three gulps, while visualizing the trigrams Gen Fire and the Li Palace, along with being enveloped. Recite, “Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.”

Visualize white Qi in the lungs, like clouds, emerging from the nose and circling around the body. Then visualize the heart Qi descending and the kidney Qi rising, flowing into the spleen palace to unite and mingle, forming a Sacred Embryo. Hold the breath and send it upward from the Twelve-Storied Tower to the Mudball Palace. Send the spirit out, and let golden light shine steadily. Knock the teeth nine times and recite:

The spirit leaves the Crimson Palace, the soul departs the Jade Mansion. The Thunder Lord holds the talisman aloft and spreads its power; amid thunder and rain, the spirit flies forth. It goes straight to the Emperor’s seat. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

As the spirit departs, visualize it ascending the heavenly thoroughfare. A numinous marshal leads the way, while the Five Thunder Envoys and the Wind Earl and Rain Master escort it on either side. Upon reaching the Golden Tower and Jade Chamber, the palace of seven treasures, behold the golden boys and jade maidens accompanying it inside. A Perfected Official escorts it before the Jade Emperor, where it bows three times. Then rise and burn the memorial from the heart; kneel again and present the petition. Visualize the Perfected Official ushering you in and conveying the Emperor’s decree; carry out the matter as authorized. Then rise and bow three times in thanks. Proceed to the Celestial Pivot Office, and make three ritual bows before the master to present the request and ask for troops. See the master direct the troops and generals to return with you. Then find the Golden Bridge, descend beneath it, and enter the Jade Chamber and tiered tower. Knock the teeth five times and recite:

The spirit returns to the five parts of the body, and all the bones are at ease. Spirits attend me; my vital essence and soul return home. The five parts of the body are complete, and the myriad spirits sing together. The Dao is fundamentally harmonious and spontaneous; numinous light flies forth. Inhale once (visualize golden light or Qi at the crown; inhale three times and swallow). Perform the Yu-step and turn back along the Dipper’s course. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

Right: Step the Dipper pace into Po Jun; turn back and step toward the Dipper’s Mouth; then perform the Five Thunder Servants Who Employ the Myriad Spirits pace.

Right: Write the Thunder character invisibly on the ground. Then form the Thunder mudra with both hands. Sweep upward from Shenshu past the gates of the ears, silently circulate it three times, and recite:

Thunder rumbles unseen (visualize thunder sounding above the crown); dragon and tiger cross and intertwine (visualize the Qi of the liver and lungs converging); sun and moon stand arrayed (visualize the bright light of the sun and moon on the left and right turning). They illuminate my form. Attending officers and officials, carry out the command with utmost urgency. Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands.

After reciting the incantation, spray a mouthful of water, visualizing it becoming clouds and mist, then issue the command with a shout.

Brief Glossary of Terms

The complete passage is a linked ritual: sending the spirit out to pay audience to the Jade Emperor, requesting troops, and returning to the body; then performing the Po Jun–Dipper’s Mouth Five Thunder pace, writing the Thunder character, forming the Thunder mudra, and reciting the thunder incantation. The parenthetical notes mainly give instructions for visualization and movement during the rite. Comparing this passage with other sections of Fahai Yizhu may help determine whether “Right” marks a separate heading or two parallel methods.

This method involves specific rituals to summon celestial soldiers and thunder deities for subduing demons. The practitioner first sits quietly for a moment, taps their teeth three times, then recites the incantation:

"Heaven and Earth's righteous Qi (vital energy) unite with me; all deities return to their celestial abodes. By the Celestial Emperor's decree, guard the alchemical chamber—execute swiftly without delay!" After chanting, an assistant prepares jujube tea to accompany the ingestion of a spirit talisman, followed by three more teeth taps.

Next, form the Dipper Mudra with both hands at waist level while reciting the Dipper Incantation: "Heavenly Pivot and Earthly Net, ten thousand spirits protect; true Qi returns to the heart, Dipper steps follow—execute swiftly!" Visualize the light of the Northern Dipper pouring down from the head and being swallowed into the abdomen—a method of silently circulating spiritual power.

Then, write a command incantation on yellow paper with cinnabar: "Expel yin demons, ascend yang spirits; soul and hun follow, penetrating the underworld. Traverse heaven and earth, transform power into divinity—execute swiftly!" This is a secret Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) method for petitioning the celestial realm.

Preparation begins seven days before submitting the memorial: first, observe purification for three days, retreating into a quiet chamber without outside contact. Each day, ingest talismans such as the Heart Memorial Talisman, Great Peace Talisman, and Subduing Memorial Talisman while facing an auspicious direction, washed down with purified water.

When ingesting the talisman, hold it in the mouth with the tongue pressed against the palate. First, gaze eastward to inhale azure spiritual Qi, then skyward to inhale crimson Qi, and finally downward to absorb yellow earth Qi. Visualize the three-colored Qi merging into a radiant orb in the mouth, shining like the sun, before swallowing the talisman with water.

After daily ingestion, recite the Memorial Passage Incantation: "Divine Lord of the Heart Elixir Origin—three inches tall, seven inches wide, clad in crimson robes and scarlet skirt—majestic in virtue, comprehending heaven and earth's principles. Dwell eternally in my heart, never departing; in urgent matters, come swiftly to inform. Today, a heart memorial is submitted—I implore a swift response!"

The Heart Memorial Talisman is the core secret talisman of the petition, written on yellow paper with cinnabar in a square-inch size, burned and ingested with well water (drawn at dawn). This purifies body and mind, swiftly attuning to the celestial realm—even ghosts and spirits withdraw upon seeing it. The Great Peace and Subduing Memorial Talismans follow similar methods.

The essence of these talismanic rituals lies in mobilizing celestial Qi through talisman ingestion, visualization, and incantations, purifying the practitioner's body and mind to attain communion with divine beings. The process emphasizes inner-outer resonance, combining external ceremonial actions with internal Qi circulation.

Pearls from the Sea of Dharma: A Plain-Language Interpretation

Instructions for Writing the Talismans

All three talismans above are written according to the Jade Clarity method, the Shangqing school’s rules for writing talismans and registers, and infused with Golden Radiance Qi.

Incantation of Command (for use with the Spirit-Inviting Food Talisman)

The Spirit-Inviting Food Talisman enables communication and summons, transmitting spiritual messages directly. The hundred spirits heed its commands and hasten to carry them out. It probes hidden feelings, while the Six Jia, the six Jia days in the cycle of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, stand guard in solemn array. Deep and clear, the primal Qi of the Five Phases, the source Qi of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, lies obscure and dark. Before the beginning, all things were undifferentiated; every creature vanishes from sight. From hearing and appearance, one already knows: this is the divine scripture of Heaven and Earth, called “Opening the Heart.” Take it, and all will be peaceful and unhindered; naturally, one will ascend to the Purple Court. Act with urgency, as if obeying the commands of the Supreme Emperor.

Opening Heaven Talisman (Description of Its Form)

Common images and functions on the talisman include:

• Heavenly Cavern and Heavenly Perfected Ones — swiftly bring down awe-inspiring spiritual power.
• Communicating upward to Heaven’s Gate — open an unending path.
• Envoys of the Three Departments, Jade Maidens, and numinous youths
• Officers who determine Yin and Yang — holding fire against the chest, they destroy demons and dissolve them in vast Qi.

Edict of the Opening Heaven Talisman (Formal Talisman Edict)

Supreme One’s Edict for Opening Heaven

We now invoke the envoys within the talisman, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, and the Great General of the Flowing-Gold Fire Bell. Let them carry this memorial and petition and swiftly deliver it to the imperial court. At places along the way where fierce astral winds blow, no one may recklessly obstruct or intercept them. Anyone who violates this order shall be seized and sent to the Celestial Prison. Carry this out in accordance with the edict.

Blank Talisman (Another Talisman and Incantation)

With the Qi of the central yellow region, behead and destroy traces of evil. The fierce astral winds and the Nine Ugly Ones, the vast Qi and the gathered fiends: by the Opening Heaven Talisman’s edict, charge straight through the Nine Heavens. If anyone obstructs the memorial, bind them and send them to Luofeng, the place in the underworld where offenders are punished. The Flowing-Gold Fire Bell shines through the central yellow region. Officers riding dragons and tigers present the memorial at the Cloud Palace. All beneath Heaven rejoice together, and this endures through ten thousand kalpas without end. Carry it out according to the order, with dispatch by wind and fire.

Document’s Closing Formula

Issued under the authority of the Supreme Year, in the [specified] year, month, day, and hour.

I, the undersigned official, [surname and name], receive the edict and carry it out.

The Ancestral Master, the True Lord of the Three Heavens, Supporter of the Teaching, Upright One, and Manifesting Protector

Source

Pearls from the Sea of Dharma, scroll 19

Note: This passage belongs to a Daoist ritual tradition of presenting memorials and petitions to the Celestial Court through a Zhaijiao purification ritual. The Opening Heaven Talisman clears the way and calls on the Great General of the Flowing-Gold Fire Bell and others to escort the memorial to Heaven. If ghosts or fierce astral winds block the route, the talisman’s edict commands that they be seized and sent to the Celestial Prison or Luofeng. The “Spirit-Inviting Food Talisman” and “Opening the Heart” relate to traditions of ingesting sacred substances, communicating with spirits, and ascending to higher realms. They should be read alongside the surrounding rituals in the full scroll, rather than extracted as everyday health advice.