《法海遺珠》Vol. 23

Fahai Yizhu (Pearls from the Sea of Methods), Scroll 23, Li Part Two

Deng Shuai's Nine-Transformation Talisman Method for Summoning Flame (Xu Huo Fu Fa)

Summoning Incantation

Great Spirit of the Statutory Decrees, honored lord of wind and fire, with twin great wings you soar through heaven and earth. You slay demons and devour evil, bind ghosts and gather pestilence. You summon rain in an instant and bring clear skies in a moment. You hold the Supreme Decree and govern the lord of fire and thunder. At my single summons, hasten forth from the Xun gate. Swiftly, swiftly, as the Great Emperor of Thunder decrees.

First Talisman (Raising Thunder, Subduing Spirits, Striking the Temple Gods)

Black cloud and demonic evil; great fire and Heavenly Thunder Soldiers (tianding); wind carries the true talisman and thunder command falls upon the ghost-scribes. By the decree of Heaven, subdue and submit; thunderclaps of a thousand catties. What spirit does not fear, what command does not take effect? By the decree of Heaven, govern the statutes; thunder and fire rush forth at once. Circling through the Dipper of the Demon-Slayer, the fire-bell gives forth thunder-light. Rise swiftly to the Xun gate, and let the myriad spirits march together.

Second Talisman (Summoning the Numinous Crows, Dispersing Dark Clouds, Praying for Clear Weather)

The Kui star radiates sun and moon; majestic power rouses the myriad spirits. Gather the true energy (zhen qi) and assist the vital breath; grasp the wheel of fire. Hurl the fierce flames forward, racing ten thousand li. Five chariots and eight horses strike down and annihilate the evil spirits. A thousand dragons guard and assist; ten thousand soldiers join in one form. Thunder and fire from the five heavens disperse the dark clouds across the nine heavens. Act with urgency and obey.

Third Talisman (Summoning the Correct Spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks, Four Great Rivers, and Seas to Bring Rain)

Flash-fire statutes: pass upward to the realm of Heaven, gather the spirits of the mountains midway, and subdue the hundred poisons with awesome power. Drive out the evil spirits and circulate them within and without. Force penetrates to the sources of the rivers; the eight powers stir the thunder. Wind and rain surge and pour down; fire-thunder bursts from the mouth. Mighty warriors and Heavenly Thunder Soldiers; thunder flies and rain rises. Thunder races, lightning flashes, and fire comes swiftly.

Fourth Talisman (Curing Illness, Eradicating Demons, Cutting Off Pestilence and Removing Epidemics)

The Jade Emperor's command; the command subdues the void. The Nine Ugly (Jiu Chou) lie in ambush; the five viscera (wuzang: heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys) are scorched and driven out.

Interpretive Notes

Summary of the Incantation

The Great Spirit of the Statutes, honored lord of wind and fire, spreads its twin great wings and flies through heaven and earth. It slays demons, devours evil, binds ghosts, and gathers pestilence. It brings rain in an instant and clear skies in a moment. It holds the Supreme Heavenly Decree and rules as lord of fire and thunder. At a single summons, it hastens out from the Xun gate (the southeast). Swiftly, swiftly, as the Great Emperor of Thunder decrees.

Summary of the First Talisman

Read as four-character phrases, the talisman pairs black cloud with demonic evil, great fire with the Heavenly Thunder Soldiers, wind with the true talisman, and thunder command with ghost-scribes. The lines that follow describe Heaven subduing spirits and thunder falling with a thousand-catty force. No spirit fails to fear it, and no command fails to be carried out. The lines close by calling thunder and fire to race forth through the Xun gate with the myriad spirits.

Summary of the Second Talisman

The Kui star shines on sun and moon, and its majestic power stirs the myriad spirits. It gathers the true energy, grasps the wheel of fire, and hurls raging flames across great distances. Five chariots and eight horses destroy the evil spirits. Dragons and armies unite, and thunder and fire from the five heavens scatter the dark clouds across the nine heavens. The talisman ends with a call for swift obedience.

Summary of the Third Talisman

The flash-fire statutes rise to the realm of Heaven, gather the mountain spirits, and subdue poisons. They drive out evil spirits, reach the sources of the rivers, and stir thunder with eight kinds of power. Wind and rain pour down, fire bursts from the mouth, and Heavenly Thunder Soldiers rise with thunder and rain. The lines conclude with thunder, lightning, and swift fire.

Summary of the Fourth Talisman

The Jade Emperor's command subdues the void. The Nine Ugly, a Daoist star-name associated with driving out epidemics, lie in ambush, and the five viscera are scorched and expelled.

Note: The source text consists mainly of four-character talisman phrases arranged in lines, which correspond to talisman drawings and ritual procedures. This translation emphasizes the sense of each line. When the method is actually performed, the master's transmitted talisman manual and oral instructions should be followed.

(Summary of the Talisman Incantation)

By decree, transform poison into a horse, and let the nine winds become true. Stir heaven and earth, the Five Sacred Peaks (Wuyue), and the mountains and rivers. Evil spirits are swiftly destroyed, and demons are cut down until their forms are gone. Command the fire chariot ten thousand zhang high, let it descend beneath the earth and gallop onward, and subdue heavenly fire, earthly fire, and thunder fire together.

Fifth: True Talisman of the Thunder Envoys of the Five Directions for Striking Evil (Wufang Manlei Shizhe Fa'e Zhen Fu)

Write it on blue paper in cinnabar. When you wish to strike out evil affairs, face the corresponding direction and burn this fulu talisman.

The general meaning of the talisman is as follows. It rises to the heavenly realm, bursting forth fire and blazing light. Where there is wind, it becomes a fire mountain. The command is named Huoxuan (Mysterious Fire), and it clearly names the demon master of evil. It guards Shuiyang Mountain. The Ghost Gate and Guan Mountain do not remain on a single peak. On the right it gathers poison and alum mountains, behind it lies the wind-fire mountain, and at its center stands the great fire mountain. Tomorrow it emerges from the mountain and suppresses the fire-thunder mountain. Whoever disobeys the command will die, water is transformed into yang-spring, and thunder-fire surges forth at once, its crashing thunder shaking the heavens. Ji ji ru lü ling (quickly, quickly, as the law commands).

Sixth: True Talisman of the Great Spirit Personally Commanding the Thunder Ministry to Strike Evil and Break Temples (Dashen Qin Tong Leibu Fa'e Po Miao Zhen Fu)

A Daoist master who takes this talisman on the Duanwu festival (Fifth Month Festival) can sit upright and command lightning and thunder, and light appears on his body.

The general meaning of the talisman is as follows. Thunder decrees and law, thunder-fire bursting through, thunderclaps following the body. The Heavenly Virtue (Tiande) and Lunar Virtue (Yuede) are fierce and mighty. The Seventy Water Emperors lead the host. The true-spirit and orthodox dragon-essence thunder gods, and the Heavenly Fire Flame Spirit, seize my heart. Wind and rain gather from below and must not be delayed. The lightning decree wheel (dianling shenlun) governs all.

Seventh: True Talisman of the Great Spirit's Disguised Divine Form (Dashen Zhuangshen Zhen Fu)

The master writes this talisman in cinnabar on bamboo membrane (zhumo). He swallows it with a frankincense decoction (ruxiang tang), or wears it on the crown of the head while visualizing the decree in his mind.

The general meaning of the talisman is as follows. The Four Brightnesses open and clear, and their light shines across the ten directions. The five qi mix to produce thunder and lightning. Guardian attendants of the Seven Chen and Eight Bells stand at the sides. The Dao joins the Heavenly Pass (Tianguan). The fierce fire-thunder talisman blazes through heaven and earth. The Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) qi flows through it. Heavenly fire carries thunder, and earthly fire carries thunder.

Eighth: True Talisman of the Great Spirit for Shaking Mountains and Raising Dragons and Shen (Dashen Han Shan Qi Long Shen Zhen Fu)

(This heading means: a great talisman used by the Great Spirit to shake mountains and summon dragons and shen, the mirage-breathing sea creatures. If the original book contains further talisman text under this heading, the full edition must be consulted to complete the translation.)

Scroll Nine of the Fahai Yizhu: Talismans for Summoning Officials, Commanding Wind, Calling Rain, and Relieving Drought

(Opening Talisman of the Firelight Thunder Deity)

Firelight blazes through the cavern, and the Great Spirit of Thunder manifests.

He proclaims that he guards against the Six Poisons, in accord with the virtues of yuan heng li zhen (origin, flourishing, benefit, and correctness).

A hundred thousand beings of the Great Luo Heaven, and Fengdu swallowing the springs below.

They shake heaven and earth, and the thunderbolts stand arrayed on high.

The August Emperor commands them to subdue the mountains and rivers from their stirring.

The great fire of the south and the thunderclap destroy the forms of evil together.

Plain-language gloss: The firelight illuminates the cavern, and the Thunder Deity displays his great numinous power. He announces his guardianship against the Six Poisons (six kinds of noxious afflictions), in accord with the virtues of yuan heng li zhen. In the Great Luo Heaven stand a hundred thousand spirits, and in Fengdu, the Daoist netherworld, the springs are swallowed. The heavens and earth tremble, and the thunderbolts line the sky. At the August Emperor's command, the disturbances of mountains and rivers are subdued. The great southern fire and the thunderclap together destroy evil forms and purify the ritual space.

Talisman for Summoning Officials, Commanding Wind, Calling the Rain Master, and Relieving Drought

Summon the Venerable Lord of Supreme Majesty with a sweep of thunder-light.

(The thunder-light fills the ten directions, and whatever lies hidden there is made to guard the waters.)

The White-Haired Elder cuts the pattern. The golden horse travels the post-road.

He hurls fire and gathers essence, and the Fire Elder and the Wind Commander attend.

Why is the Rain Commander closed off? Why is the Wind Commander stilled?

Water and fire circulate in turn, and Han Bo carries the boat.

He beheads the demons and erases the traces of the evil spirits.

The Three Officials open their light, and the Five Emperors are trusted in the darkness.

Plain-language gloss: Summon the Venerable Lord of Supreme Majesty (the Thunder Department's supreme deity) with a sweep of thunder-light. The light reaches the ten directions, and any hidden powers are bound to guard the waters. The White-Haired Elder (a name for the Thunder Deity) shapes the talisman, and the golden horse gallops along the post-road. He hurls fire and gathers essence, summoning the Fire Elder and the Wind Commander, who govern fire and wind. Why is the rain closed off, or the wind unsettled? Water and fire circulate together, and Han Bo carries the vessel, an image of the water deity moving the waters. He beheads demons and erases the tracks of evil spirits. The Three Officials (Heaven, Earth, and Water) open their illumination, and the Five Emperors (the directional sovereigns) shine into the hidden realms.

The text notes that these are the "Nine Transformation Talismans," which contain the marvelous methods of the stellar perfected, and whose spiritual efficacy cannot be fully described. When summoning spirits, first pace the "Gang of Driving the Dragon" step pattern, then recite the Great Spirit Incantation to command them. The response is immediate.

Talisman of the Five Thunders, Immediately Efficacious

Talisman of the True Form of the Sudden Fire

The left eye is the sun, the right eye the moon. Heaven is round and earth square, and thunder dwells in its hall. The Eight Trigrams (qian, kan, gen, zhen, xun, li, kun, dui) mark the directions.

The sudden fire's majesty shatters the myriad evils. It swallows demons and devours ghosts, and the mountain sprites as well.

The Five Directional Formulae name the generals: Ma Rixiu in the east, Guo Yuanjing in the south, Fang Zhonggao in the west, Deng Gongchen in the north, and Tian Yuanzong at the center.

Dragging the heavens and pulling the earth, the body holds a fire wheel aloft. The chest is vast and wide, enfolding the ten thousand phenomena. The left foot raises wind to subdue ghosts and spirits, and the right foot raises fire to burn them.

The left fan sweeps the Five Marchmounts, and the calamity stars fall. The right fan sweeps Kunqiu, and the four seas halt their flow.

The flying cord binds the six directions, and the ghosts and spirits bind themselves.

The August Emperor's command: sweep clean the Nine Provinces. Any who do not submit to our Way are bound and sent to the Five Marchmounts, where thunder and fire extinguish them and every ghost is destroyed.

Plain-language gloss: The "Talisman of the True Form of the Sudden Fire" takes the left eye as the sun and the right eye as the moon. Heaven is round and earth square, thunder resides in its hall, and the Eight Trigrams align with the directions. The fire's sudden majesty shatters all evils, swallowing demons and devouring ghosts and mountain sprites. The Five Directional Formulae name the generals of each direction. The practitioner's body, bearing a fire wheel, drags the heavens and pulls the earth. The left foot calls wind to subdue spirits, the right foot calls fire to burn them. The left fan sweeps the Five Marchmounts so that calamity stars fall, and the right fan sweeps Kunqiu so that the four seas stop. The flying cord binds the six directions. The closing command orders the Nine Provinces swept clean. Anyone who resists the Way is bound, delivered to the Five Marchmounts, and destroyed by thunder and fire.

Explanatory note: These passages belong to the Daoist traditions of rain-petitioning, spirit-commanding, and Thunder Rites talismanic practice. Many of the names here are generals and deities venerated within the lineages of the Thunder and Fire Rites. The procedural sequences, such as pacing the stellar steps and reciting incantations, are operational essentials. The plain-language glosses explain only the literal meaning and structure, and do not sever the texts from their religious use.

Great Thunder Invocation Passage

Practitioners respectfully petition: let the Heavenly Thunder advance, the Spirit Thunder stir, the Dragon Thunder rise, the Water Thunder circulate, and the Earth-Altar Command Thunder be swiftly issued. Let the Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central Barbarian Thunders send forth clouds and bring rain. (Relying on the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions,) let the Thunder Deities of the East, South, West, North, and Center send forth clouds and bring rain.

Incantation (recited): Om hum hum. The Six Jia Divine Talisman; the Water Spirit of the North destroys evil and perversity. A single cord of water binds ghosts and spirits. Thunder and lightning steam into thunderbolts, and blazing fire seizes the fire chariot ten thousand feet high, forbidding ghosts and quelling calamity. Bingding Yinghuo (the planet Mars) comes in procession at once.

We again invoke: let the Heavenly Thunder advance, the Spirit Thunder advance, the Dragon Thunder advance, the Water Thunder advance, and the Earth-Altar Command Thunder be swiftly issued. On the left, open the "Heavenly Single Eye," and fire blazes ten thousand feet high; on the right, open the "Earthly Single Eye," and its light illumines heaven and earth.

Great Spirit Incantation

The Great Spirit of Statutes, the honored lord of wind and fire, with giant wings on his legs, flies and roams through heaven and earth. He slays demons, devours malignant forces, binds ghosts, gathers pestilence, and summons rain; in an instant he brings clear skies, and in a moment he dispatches and holds all matters in order. The Supreme Emperor has decreed that the Lord of Fire Thunder, upon hearing my single summons, shall quickly emerge from the Xun Gate (the southeast). Swift!

Another Incantation

Southern Palace Zhenling, Thunder and Lightning Venerable of Fire, cut away demons and vermin and extinguish the wicked breath of evil. Suddenly, Fire Elder Wen and General Deng roar with majestic light, their voices shaking heaven and earth. The Marshal and great generals who shatter demons and subdue spirits, upon hearing my summons, come to me in urgent haste. Swiftly, as the statutes command!

Decree Incantation

The Envoys who Drive Thunder of the Five Peaks and the Lightning Spirits of the Three Heavens: the Thunder Duke thunders in crashing bolts, and thunder and fire fill heaven and earth. Thunder Duke, Thunder Duke, you have great spiritual power; wherever my talisman goes, evil spirits vanish without trace. Sound forth at once, swiftly at the Chen and Si hours (morning). Thunder Duke of Spirit and Lightning Mother of Sanctity, drive the thunder and lightning and slay the demons. (Removed in the source:) Heavenly Thunder descends, Earthly Thunder moves, and the Thunder Duke and Lightning Mother follow my upright vital breath, drawing fire-breath into the talisman.

Another Incantation

Heavenly thunder rumbles faintly, spirit thunder roars, dragon thunder makes water, water thunder churns the waves, and Earth-Altar Command thunder and fire crash in all directions.

Great Spirit Demon-Expelling Talisman

(The Great Marshal expels demons.) (The Heavenly Officials stand in their proper places.) (Demons shall not trespass.)

Note (added to aid reading of the incantation background; not part of the original): These texts are invocation, summoning, and decree formulas found in Daoist thunder rites (leifa) and rites for clearing skies and expelling evil. "Heavenly, Spirit, Dragon, Water, and Earth-Altar Command Thunder" are common names among the Five Thunders of thunder rites. "Wen" and "Deng" usually refer to generals of the thunder ministry, such as Wen Qiong and Deng Zhong. "Statutory command" and "swiftly, as the statutes command" are formulaic phrases for ordering spirits to act at once. Talismanic texts often include instructions such as "draw fire-breath into the talisman" and "issue thunder at the Chen and Si hours," which relate to drawing talismans and performing rites at prescribed times. Bracketed marks in the original, showing column divisions, lost characters, or corrections, have been smoothed into continuous English in this translation.

A Plain-Language Commentary on the Fahai Yizhu (Pearls from the Sea of Methods)

Most of the passages below are incantations and invocations used in Daoist rites of exorcism, protection, and healing. The notes in parentheses generally indicate a talisman's placement, its seasonal timing, or its assigned spirit-star. This rendering offers a summarizing gloss rather than a word-for-word correspondence.

(Talisman Head and Urgent Command)

Act swiftly, in accordance with the statute: open the gate of Heaven and close the gate of Earth, keep open the gate of humanity and block the road of ghosts, pierce the heart of the ghost and split its belly. That is, open the Way of Heaven, seal the earthly gates, leave only the human road open, block the paths by which evil ghosts enter and leave, and destroy their very roots.

(Heavenly Calamity, Earthly Calamity, and the Rest)

Tian sha (Heavenly Calamity), di sha (Earthly Calamity), nian sha (Year Calamity), yue sha (Month Calamity), ri sha (Day Calamity), and shi sha (Hour Calamity): every deluded follower of external paths, every evil demon and malicious spirit, is subdued and brought under control by this talisman and this command.

(Under Authority of Yuqing Shangdi)

Acting under the command of Yuqing Shangdi (Supreme Emperor of Jade Clarity, foremost of the Three Pure Ones and lord of the primordial Great Way).

(Talisman Arrives, Action Follows)

I act on the command of the Supreme Emperor. When the talisman arrives, I carry it out without delay.

(Closing Urgent Command)

Om, hum, hum. The assembled gods bow their heads, and evil demons return to rectitude. Whoever dares to transgress shall be turned to fine dust. Quickly, quickly, as the statute of the Jade Emperor commands.

Tiangang Dasheng's Talisman for Subduing Calamities

When heaven and earth grow dark and the sun and moon lose their light, evil spirits and ghostly bandits have nowhere to flee.

(Names of the Supreme Lords)

The honorific titles are recited together: Yuqing Shangdi, Shangqing Dadi (Great Emperor of Highest Clarity), Taiqing Dadi (Great Emperor of Grand Clarity), and the Jade Emperor, Yuhuang Shangdi. Also invoked are Tiangang Dasheng (Great Sage of the Heavenly Pivot) and Beidou Zunxing (the Honored Stars of the Northern Dipper, the spirit-stars who govern life, death, fortune, and misfortune).

(Efficacy)

They strike down the wicked and erase their traces; demon kings fear them, and their courage shatters. They relieve the suffering of the people and bestow great numinous power. They cure illness, remove calamity, and restore the dying to life.

(Heavenly Talisman and True Talisman)

Where the Heavenly Talisman arrives, demonic spirits are cut off. Where the True Talisman descends, sacred majesty is carried out.

(Envoys of the Dark Warrior and the Rest)

The Envoys of the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu, the northern guardian deity of the tortoise and serpent) display their numinous power, seize the wicked, and shatter their forms. They gather scattered souls and return them to the body, bringing the seven hun-soul and po-soul aspects into peace, guarding the body, removing sickness, and preserving long life.

(Qian Yuan Heng Li Zhen and the Rest)

Qian yuan heng li zhen: where primal righteousness is abundant, evil cannot encroach on the proper. When the vital energy is full, wickedness cannot attack.

(Six Jia, Six Ding, Thunder Deities, and the Rest)

The Six Jia and Six Ding (guardian deities of the Dingjia pantheon), the Heavenly Ding warrior-spirits, the Thunder Envoys of the Five Thunders, and the Wind Earl and Rain Master all receive the talisman and carry it out.

(Assembly of the Gods)

The Three Heavens' Honored Ones (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing), the Fire Wheel Kings beyond the four heavenly gates, the Master of the Whole Heaven, the star-deities of the Five Phases (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth), the Six Jia and Six Ding, the Seven Primes, the Left Assistant and Right Chamberlain stars, the Eight Great Vajra Guardians, the Nine Heavens' Primal Lords, and the Protecting Lords of the Ten Directions all act on the command of the Jade Emperor.

(Marshal Tianpeng and the Rest)

The Supreme Northern Pole Emperor and the Great Marshal Tianpeng (the great exorcist general of the Daoist north), lead thirty-six great generals.

(Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials, with the Assigned Calamity-Spirits)

The branch signs in parentheses, such as wei, mao, zhong, chen, yin, and hai, usually mark the directions or hours where the talisman records the locations of calamity-spirits and officials. Together with these, there are the Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials; the Lords of the Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Calamities; and the Lords of the Year, Month, Day, and Hour Calamities. All evil demons and lawless ghosts are subdued in accordance with my talisman-command and these calamity-spirits.

(Final Section)

(The character in the final section, written in its traditional form, means to gather in and subdue.)

Note: This whole text belongs to the genre of ritual language for subduing calamities, protection, and healing. Its main purpose is to summon the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, the Heavenly Pivot, the Northern Dipper, Tianpeng, the calamity-spirits, and the Five Thunders to issue commands and drive out evil, and it uses talismans, directions, and hours, along with the six calamities, to ensure that "the talisman arrives and action follows." Modern readers who meet phrases such as "pierce the ghost's heart, split its belly, shatter its form" should understand them as fixed formulas that symbolically dispel evil influences within the ritual, not as everyday behavioral guidance.

Right Talisman (on the use of the talismans described below)

Whenever there are signs such as darkened sun and moon, comets flashing across the sky, drought, locust plagues, or epidemics, or when malevolent ghosts enter the land, corpses lie hidden in the directions, or demonic apparitions trouble the living, write this talisman and use it to subdue the disturbance. It usually proves effective at once.

Incantation for Dispatching Talismans (recited when the talisman is released)

Heavenly spirits and earthly spirits, the Three (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) and the Five (the Five Phases) join together. I serve by the command of the Emperor to investigate and expel evil spirits. Let the Duty Officer of the day and the officials who carry out orders not delay or linger. Go swiftly and return swiftly. I shall sit and wait to receive them.

Thunder Rite Incantation (paired with the Earthly Branches and the hours; the corresponding positions are given in parentheses)

Faint thunder sounds in heaven (Zi), rumbling thunder shakes the earth (Chou). Yin thunder and yang thunder, the majesty of thunder stirs all things, and dragon and tiger cross and clash. The sun and moon are arrayed (Yin), shining clear and bright (Mao). The Twelve Duty Officers (Chen), the Five Thunder Envoys (Si), and the Six Jia and Six Ding hold the talismans and set forth (Wu). Quickly, quickly, as the statute commands.

The first turn hides the Six Spirits (from Yin to Mao). The second turn makes the Four Malefic Stars vanish (Chen). The third turn stirs the Dipper Commanders (Kuigang) (Wu). The fourth turn sends thunder and fire rising (Zi). The fifth turn unleashes the crash of lightning (You). The sixth turn extinguishes the mountain ghosts (Xu). The seventh turn seizes and gathers all ghosts that oppose heaven and defy the Dao, those that sever heads and cut off feet, and the evil spirits that bring calamity upon the body of (name). Let them come under my Five Thunders and Dipper Commanders and meet their death, without moving or acting. Quickly, quickly.

Three Lights Talisman (the talisman of the Sun, Moon, and Stars)

Facing east, knock the teeth nine times (kouchi). Visualize (cunxiang) the Tousled-Haired General within the sun, an attendant of the Sun Deity, dressed in red robes, descending, together with the Sun Lord, also in red robes, descending. Let the nine streams of solar light enter the abdomen.

Next, facing west, knock the teeth ten times. Visualize the Imperial Lord of Great Yin within the moon descending in white robes, holding a jade tablet, and let the ten streams of lunar light enter the abdomen.

Then, facing south, knock the teeth eight times. Visualize the Lord of the Heavenly Dipper Star (Tiangang) descending, and let the golden light enter the abdomen.

Then gather the three energies and merge them in the Dantian (dantian). After a moment, solar energy emerges from the left eye, reaching nine inches in front of the forehead. Lunar energy emerges from the right eye, also reaching nine inches in front of the forehead. Visualize the Lord of the Heavenly Dipper Star, with hair loose, three eyes, a sword in hand, and a silk robe, standing before you.

Meaning of the Three Terrace Star Talisman (often written on the talisman):

Upper Terrace, One Yellow: dispels misfortune.

Middle Terrace, Two White: guards the body and secures the house.

Lower Terrace, Three Green: extinguishes calamity and removes malevolent essence.

It is further said: Wherever the Terrace Stars arrive, let auspiciousness be set in place. Let the myriad spirits keep to their posts, let the hundred apparitions hide away, let the assembled deities stand in awe, and when the talisman arrives, let it be obeyed. (Om / Hum)

Note: Terms in the text such as "visualization" (cunxiang), "knocking the teeth" (kouchi), "Dantian," "Dipper Commanders" (Kuigang), "Five Thunders," and "Six Jia and Six Ding" are commonly used in Daoist talismanic practice, visualization, and thunder rites. The Earthly Branches and the positions in parentheses are generally matched with the twelve branches, directions, and the sequence of the incantation turns. The actual procedures must be understood in light of the full ritual manual and the instructions of a teacher, and the incantations should not be extracted and used on their own.

(Hūm: the assembled gods bow their heads in reverence, and the demons turn back to the right path. Should anyone dare to transgress, may they be reduced to fine dust.)

Jade Clarity Sacred Realm (Yuqing): Primordial Heavenly Venerable (Yuanshi Tianzun)

Highest Clarity True Realm (Shangqing): Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable (Lingbao Tianzun)

Supreme Clarity Immortal Realm (Taiqing): Dao-De Heavenly Venerable (Daode Tianzun, that is, Taishang Laojun)

Grand Heavenly Vastness (Taishang Haotian): Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi)

Next, visualize the Dark Emperor (Xuandi) above the head, hold the command script (chi zi) in the hand, and breathe into the talisman through the mouth.

I am a disciple of the Celestial Master (Tianshi), and I govern the Six Heavens. The palaces of the Six Heavens are under my authority. I know the names of the Six Palaces, and therefore I am long-lived. Should anyone dare to transgress, may the Supreme Monarch (Taishang) destroy your physical form.

(Open the heavenly gate, close the earthly gate, leave open the gate of humanity, block the road of ghosts, pierce the heart of ghosts, and break the belly of ghosts.)

(Om vaṃ ... hrīḥ svāhā, the script of the Mao hour.)

(Om vaṃ ... sphaṭ svāhā, the script of the You hour.)

(Heavenly Emperor (Tiandi))

Hold the talisman seal at the waist. The fierce ghosts of the five directions, the Heavenly Scourge (Tiangang) stars, why do you not perish? The flying immortal inhales once, and the myriad ghosts lie hidden. Hasten, hasten, as in the decree of the Heavenly Sha (Tiansha).

The Earth Sha, Year Sha, Month Sha, Day Sha, and Hour Sha, and all ghosts that oppose the Dao and resist the Rites, shall at this point follow my talisman and destroy themselves. Hasten, hasten, as in the decree of the Sha.

Next, touch the central stroke of the brush and form the intention to dispel all evil qi, ghostly qi, demonic qi, and poisonous qi within a given body, so that all are extinguished.

Method for Fixing the Soul

Then gather the five strokes back to the center and chant:

The Azure Emperor (Qingdi) protects the hun-soul, the White Emperor (Baidi) attends the po-soul, the Red Emperor (Chidi) nourishes the qi, the Black Emperor (Heidi) circulates the blood, and the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) presides at the center, so that the myriad spirits do not stray.

Then return the brush stroke and chant again:

The Heavenly Spirit joins in flourishing, and we vow to preserve long life. The Supreme Mystery is one, and it guards the true form. The Five Viscera Sovereigns each preserve tranquility.

Next, write the command script, circulating the qi of the sun and moon without letting it escape. Circulate the Heavenly Scourge Mantra (Tiangang zhou), altering its last two lines. The Great Sage of the Heavenly Scourge draws the ghosts into the heart. Then turn the brush and proceed in this manner. After five further sweeping strokes, chant:

Heavenly fire, earthly fire, the fire of the Abyssal Samadhi, thunder fire, and thunderbolt fire. These are called the Five Fires and Three Lights (wuhuo sanguang).

The Five Thunder Field-Character Talisman

Hold the brush in the right hand. In the left hand, form the thunder seal (leiju), the thunder-summoning mudra. Knock the teeth five times to circulate the saliva, then inhale the qi and the lightning of the Xun direction (southeast) into the brush, and write the talisman in one continuous breath.

Green water clear and deep, sharp blade of a thousand catties, its back light as the head. Beside the river, the willow.

Summary of Terms: The Three Pure Realms (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing) of Daoist cosmology correspond to the three supreme Heavenly Venerables, Yuanshi, Lingbao, and Daode. The chi zi, or command script, is the writing on a talisman that conveys the Heavenly Emperor's decree. The Dark Emperor (Xuandi), identified with the Perfected Warrior (Zhenwu Dadi) and others, is visualized atop the head. The Heavenly Scourge (Tiangang) refers to the stars of the Northern Dipper, commonly invoked to expel evil and subdue demonic forces. The Five Emperors govern the hun, po, qi, blood, and center respectively. The field-character talisman (tian zi fu) is a talisman form within the Five Thunders method, shaped like the character for "field." The thunder seal (leiju) is the hand gesture used to summon thunder.

The passage comes from Daoist fulu (talisman) and incantation liturgy, particularly the Five Thunder Rites (Wulei fa). Its general sense is as follows.

When a tree is toppled by the wind, one embraces Chang'e and is not alarmed. This describes a state or method of lightness and composure. (Chang'e is the Moon Palace fairy; here the image is mostly part of an oral formula.)

When light, be as light as dust in the air; when heavy, be as heavy as a thousand catties of iron. When white, be as white as snow in the sky; when red, be as red as orangutan blood.

The lines that follow contain names of people, deities, or secret code terms from the formula, such as Zhinü (the Weaver Maiden), Sige (Fourth Brother), Goulou, Jili, and Dengseng Dese. Most are secret teachings passed down from master to disciple, and outsiders cannot verify them character by character. In ritual practice they often serve as "taboo names," or as codes for directions and hours.

After the talisman is completed and the incantation finished, one should further recite:

Jiji ru leiting dijun lüling (Swift, swift, as the thunder and lightning, in accordance with the decree of the Thunder Lord.)

Once the talisman has been written, add another recitation:

Invoke the Azure Emperor to guard the hun soul, the White Emperor to attend the po soul, the Red Emperor to nourish the qi, the Black Emperor to circulate the blood, and the Yellow Emperor to dwell at the center and preside, so that the myriad spirits do not overstep their bounds. Respectfully invoke the Five Thunder True Qi (zhenqi), the Five Thunder Divine Qi (shenqi), the True Qi of the Thunder Marshal, and the Upright Qi of the Thunder Spirit, to enter this thunder talisman, to rescue disciple (name), to dispel evil and ghostly qi, to gather all impure qi, and to deliver it into my Kuigang of the Five Thunders, where it shall not move recklessly. Jiji ru lüling.

(The Five Directional Emperors, the Five Thunders, and the Kuigang are deities and ritual positions common in thunder rites and talisman practice. Zhenqi and shenqi refer to upright qi, or spiritual power.)

The following incantation is also recited:

Jade Palace, Lord of the Five Thunders,

Dark skies, the drum of heaven rolls;

Fengbo sweeps away plague and pestilence,

Dianmu clears away suffering.

Thunderbolts strike down demons,

Yushi brings the dharma rain,

Pouring over the Triple Burner,

Cooling the viscera and bowels——

Where heavy, let it lighten at once; where depleted, let it be restored at once; where hot, let it cool at once; where painful, let it stop at once.

Jiji ru Leiting Dusi lüling.

(The Jade Palace is the treasury of the Thunder Department. Fengbo (Wind Earl), Dianmu (Lightning Mother), and Yushi (Rain Master) are deities who govern wind, lightning, and rain. The sanjiao (Triple Burner) and zangfu (viscera) refer to the qi and organs of the human body. The entire passage invokes the deities of the Thunder Department to perform the rite, heal illness, expel evil, and harmonize the body.)

Note: The original is a practical text for layered talismans and incantations, interspersed with oral formulas, codes, and fixed set phrases. A modern-language rendering can convey only the ritual intent and common Daoist usages. Some proper names in the middle, which lack a known transmission lineage, can only be kept in transliteration with a note on their nature, and should not be forced into specific stories through invention.