《法海遺珠》Vol. 33

The Precious Bead Bequeathed by the Sea of Dharma, juan 33, “Li 11”

Secret Method of the Northern Emperor’s Four Lesser Saints

Lineage

Patriarch: Perfected Zhang of the Great Cavern in Western Shu.

Ranks of Generals

Dedicated general and protector of the Dharma, the Manifesting and Transforming General of Vast Spiritual Power, the Faceless Great General, Chen Sheng, Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Pole.

Appearance: His face is black, his eyes turned upward, and his large teeth concealed. His black hair stands erect. He wears a small blue headscarf and a black robe, with round floral designs on the shoulders and golden armor on his chest. In his right hand he holds one iron staff; in his left, two iron staffs. A dragon saber hangs at his side. He wears a white sash, white trousers, and white leg wraps.

This general is an emanation of the Dark Emperor, who manifested in the world at the end of the Qin and beginning of the Han. Outraged by the cruelty and severity of the age and distressed by the suffering of the people, he was resolved to save them. He commanded a million troops, and wherever he directed them, all under Heaven gathered like clouds in response. His authority was disciplined, and his commands were carried out promptly. His purpose was to rescue living beings; his work was completed and his merit fulfilled. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he manifested and rendered meritorious service to the state. A temple was established for him, and he was enshrined as a general, charged with bringing order to the lives of ordinary people.

Other schools’ methods also include a Faceless General, but only Zhang, the Perfected of the Great Cavern, knows where this general has gone. Zhang reported this to the Northern Pole, and the general led his troops back to the altar. Anyone who receives this method through transmission must revere it and keep it secret. Its efficacy will surely become manifest; it must not be passed recklessly to the unworthy. This general communicates directly with the Northern Pole, and answers to prayers and petitions come very swiftly.

Method of the Efficacious Invocation

Great General Wu Guang, who expounds the Dao and lays down his life in devotion.

Appearance: His face is red, his eyes round, and his large teeth exposed. His red hair stands erect, and he wears a small topknot. He wears a half-black jacket of a muted, blackish color, with golden armor on his chest. In his right hand he holds a long saber; in his left, he carries a demon-head saber stained with blood. He wears a red sash, with a knife pouch at his side, white trousers hitched up, and white leg wraps.

This general is a deity among the mighty Celestial Guards. Fierce and wrathful by nature, he executes spirits and slays demons. At a glance, he can impose the severest punishment. His divine power is blazing: he hunts down mountain spirits, brings them back to the righteous Dao, and subdues and transforms the masses. His merit is vast and far-reaching.

This general also appears in methods of other lineages, including the registers of the Three and Five Merits. But in this altar’s tradition, the method was transmitted by Zhang, the Perfected of the Great Cavern in Shu, who understood its essential principles and accordingly petitioned for the general’s promotion. Anyone who practices this method will surely be able to subdue demons. If the general is invited, served, and honored, what need is there to worry that his power will not become manifest?

A Plain-Language Reading of Related Passages in Fahai Yizhu

1. General Jiong Rong (courtesy name Shujie), the Mighty Golden-Armored General Who Strikes Down Demons

Jiong Rong, courtesy name Shujie, is venerated in Daoist liturgy as the Mighty Golden-Armored General Who Strikes Down Demons. “Strikes down” refers broadly to the image of a protective deity who beats back and subdues evil spirits.

His appearance and attire are described roughly as follows: his face is rosy and jade-like, his eyes gaze slightly upward, and he holds his clenched hands together before his chest. He wears fine golden armor from head to toe, a helmet, and a small golden belt, with a sword hanging at his waist. He is barefoot.

According to legend, he was originally from the region of Chu. King Xian of Wei, a ruler of the Warring States period, appointed him Commander-in-Chief. Upright and resolute by nature, he held authority, could command and discipline others, and was skilled at leading troops into battle, where he often won distinction. King Xian once ordered him to lead troops against forces including the Three Formations of the Crows and King Jiang Jie. Jiong Rong charged into battle alone, clapping his hands as he advanced, but suddenly “expired from loss of Qi” amid the troops—a phrase in Daoism often meaning that the breath ceased or the spirit left the body. He wished to enter the service of the Three Heavenly Courts, where he was invested as the Golden-Armored General Who Strikes Down Demons. Later, the Great Cavern Master Zhang, a title for a senior ritual officiant, reported his spiritual efficacy. Jiong Rong then led his troops to the altar and became a protective divine general.

2. General Geng Wen (courtesy name Zize), the Manifestly Responsive, Demon-Subduing Tiger-Headed Primordial Spirit

Geng Wen, courtesy name Zize, bears the honorific title Manifestly Responsive, Demon-Subduing Tiger-Headed Primordial Spirit General.

His attire is described as follows: he wears a tiger-shaped crown; half his face is red, and the whites of his eyes are visible. He wears a black robe, holds a sword in his lowered right hand, and has a white garment or drape over him. He is barefoot or wears hemp sandals.

Legend says he was a man of the Tang dynasty and served at Zixiao Dongxiao Palace as a Hujialuo deity, a type of protective divine general. He came from the north. One account says that he fed exclusively on termites. He was resolute and upright in temperament, yet gentle. Once, while presenting a precious memorial, he was stopped on the road by a hundred demons. He summoned his courage and called out loudly, rallying a great assembly to subdue demons. The True Lord Xiaomo Yanqing descended and sent ten thousand demon-subduing troops to serve under his command, bringing the demons to submit. In this way, he achieved a modest victory.

Later, however, he “acted on his own will.” At Heiyin Zisi Temple, he used his sword to split several of the main beams, then chewed them up; the wood contained countless termites. The temple invited him to protect the grounds within and without. At the mere sound of the general’s name, termites would fall from the air and die. Later, the Great Cavern Master Zhang memorialized the matter, and Geng Wen was placed under the authority of the Northern Pole, within the line of the Purple Tenuity Northern Pole Emperor.

3. The Talisms and Incantations of Marshal Chen: Summoning, Subduing, and Esoteric Incantations

The following are incantations used in ritual to summon and subdue divine powers. A ritual officiant should recite them in accordance with the procedures of the altar; they should not be used casually.

Summoning incantation (summoning a revered deity of the north):

“Respectfully, we summon the great deity of the north, titled the Faceless General. He holds an iron staff to beat demons and is known by the name Wudu Chidi Shen. This profound title is difficult to hear even with every effort. He holds a staff that binds dragons and controls demons; let the name that beats demons be conveyed at once. I act under the command of the Purple Tenuity Northern Pole Emperor.”

Subduing incantation (inviting the revered deity to descend and issue commands):

“Most exalted, most great, most sacred, most numinous General Guangling, urgently cleanse and save the people. Act at once in accordance with the command.”

Esoteric incantation: The text records another incantation, largely consisting of oral formulas transmitted within the tradition. Such formulas are generally passed on orally by ritual officiants during initiation, the conferral of registers, or within the altar setting. It is omitted here. Research into versions of the liturgy should consult the specific printed edition of the Daoist Canon and the relevant oral transmission.

Notes for Reading the Original

“Under the Three Heavenly Courts” describes protective divine generals as belonging to the celestial ritual hierarchy of Daoism.

“Great Cavern Master Zhang” is an honorific title for a ritual officiant who presides over memorial offerings and commands divine generals within the Shangqing Great Cavern ritual tradition.

“Subduing demons” and “suppressing demons” are ritual terms for restraining demons and protecting the altar.

The Purple Tenuity Northern Pole Emperor is also known as the Northern Emperor or the Purple Tenuity Emperor, and is often one of the principal deities in ritual.

“Act at once in accordance with the command” is a closing formula for an incantation, meaning that the order must be carried out immediately.

This is a plain-language interpretation based on the original text. Proper names and events have been kept as close as possible to their intended meaning. Where the wording differs between editions, the version being consulted should be taken as authoritative.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Related Passages from Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of the Law

Writing and Use of Talismans

Talismans should be written in black ink on yellow paper. Once the talisman is written, draw a circle on it and write the person’s name inside the circle. Then write over it within the talisman according to the “Cross-Shaped Secret Incantation.” Take the “Sha text,” blow northward, and direct the breath into the talisman. Then recite the “As-You-Wish Incantation” to empower it, and it is ready for use.

Talisman of General Wu (Sha Text)

Incantation for Summoning and Subduing:

By decree of the Great Emperor Ziwei of the Northern Pole: mighty celestial soldiers, divine kings of the awe-inspiring sword, slay ghosts and subdue mountain spirits, demons, and the Five Manifestations; none can withstand the sentence of judgment. Seize their heads and drain their blood; cut down evil spirits. Wherever the celestial talisman reaches, let evil essences be forever severed. Relieve the people’s suffering and bestow great awe and numinous power; punish and cut down the cruel and wicked. When the talisman arrives, obey its command. I act by decree of the Great Emperor Ziwei of the Northern Pole.

Secret Incantation:

Om yun mo ni ji ju, svāhā. (Recite according to the pronunciation in the scripture edition.)

Talisman of General Jiong (You Text)

Incantation for Summoning and Subduing:

The Five Stars, chiefs of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; the four celestial warriors, including Bi and Piao; and the Eight Great Vajra Kings, join me in striking down ghosts and spirits. I act by decree of the Great Emperor Ziwei of the Northern Pole.

Secret Incantation:

Om luo po fan mo na fa zha svāhā.

Talisman of General Geng (You Text)

Summoning Incantation:

Clear and limpid: the Tiger-Headed Primordial Spirit, the Heavenly Worthy of the Great Dao, prevails and subdues. I act by decree of the Great Emperor Ziwei of the Northern Pole.

Secret Incantation:

Om fu sha mo ni jun da zha svāhā.

Talisman Register for Marshal Chen’s Spirit Attendants

(The talisman commonly bears text whose general meaning is: “Clear and limpid, the faceless General Chen Sheng—hasten and obey the command. I act by decree of the Northern Emperor: seize fire and act urgently; seize ghosts and spirits. By the awe-inspiring power of the Northern Emperor, bind them and bring them here. Whoever dares resist shall be reduced to dust. With the left hand, send Sha Qi surging into the sky; with the right hand, use an iron staff to beat evil essences.” Write the name of the person being initiated at the front and cover it with the character “Command.” Then use the summoning incantation to install the spirit within the body.)

Next, visualize the Marshal: fiercely circulate Kidney Qi into the body.

Hand Seal for the Right-Hand Talisman Itself:

Bend the left middle finger into the palm and press it down with the thumb joint. Then bend the other four fingers over the thumb, leaving the little finger and index finger extended. This is the hand seal for entering the body.

Incantation for Entering the Body:

Golden Spirit, Golden Spirit, numinous spirit of the Celestial Cavern, descend swiftly, spirit; come swiftly, divine general.

Notes:

“Sha text” and “You text” refer to categories of talisman forms or characters used to indicate directions. “Great Emperor Ziwei of the Northern Pole” and the “Northern Emperor” are revered Daoist deities associated with the Northern Dipper and Ziwei. “Summoning and subduing” and “secret incantation” refer respectively to spells for summoning divine generals and privately recited incantations. Many formulas of the form “Om … svāhā” are Sanskrit-derived sounds or secret Daoist syllables. In ritual practice, they are generally recited according to the pronunciation transmitted by one’s teacher, and their characters should not be changed casually.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Fahai Yizhu

Inviting the Capital’s People (A Method for Inviting a Deity to Possess a Living Person)

Respectfully invite the Venerable Spirit of True Descent, the faceless deity who governs and commands on the left, to descend swiftly and possess a living person!

By order of Qianyuan, may the killing force arrive at once!

I obey the command of the Great Emperor of the North Pole and Purple Tenuity.

Secret Incantations

Om tuoye hong hong tuoye ji fu lai suohe (from the Hour of the Rat to the Hour of the Pig; the sha text appears).

Om fusu mi hong boli shizhana qu shishen shiheye (at the Hour of the Rat, until the sha at the Hour of the Tiger; the text appears).

Zha mo lü zhi chi zhao she.

Invocation for the Talisman

Respectfully invite the faceless Venerable Deity of the North Pole—who holds an iron staff and subdues the assembled demons, with disheveled black hair and a fearsome presence. May the deity’s eyes flash like lightning, cross mountains and rivers, and arrive swiftly, Chen Sheng! Suohe!

After reciting the incantation above, recite the Tianpeng Incantation and the Precious Proclamation of the Jade Emperor to strengthen the deity’s might and urge it to act with force.

Instructions for Performing the Rite

After completing the invocation for the rite, submit a petition to the Great Emperor of the North Pole. Request the Marshal’s attendance and agree on the time and place for the possession and ritual work. Prepare the summons talisman and dispatch document as well. The rite may proceed only after the Marshal has been formally invited.

Prepare several pure and undefiled youths. Do not place objects before the altar, as they might diminish the Marshal’s fierce power. Put away all objects such as knives and axes. Prepare only three peachwood staffs, a blazing fire, abundant incense, talisman paper, cinnabar ink, and paper money and horses for the Marshal’s use.

When the time comes, purify the space with sprinkled water, transform the deity, summon the generals, and state the purpose of the rite as usual.

Method for Possession (A Method for a Youth to Be Possessed)

Before performing the rite, the ritual master silently writes the character jing (“well”) on the ground and visualizes the character ni (“spirit of the dead”) within it. The youth then stands over the well. Visualize the well as ten thousand zhang deep, filled with surging black Qi, and see the youth sink down into it.

Next, using the sword-fingers, silently write the nine characters guang yang chi dian guan fan lan fu she above the youth’s crown. Continue to visualize the character ni within the well. Then recite:

The nine characters surround Heaven and shake the Earth. Shake Heaven, and Heaven’s gate turns; shake Earth, and Earth’s door splits open. I respectfully invite the Great Lady of Fusang Star, the Seven Ladies of the Eastern Dipper, the spirit youth Meng Tong from a thousand li away, the wondrous sacred goddess, and the mighty warrior. Urge the living soul to leave the body and let spirit and Qi attach to it. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

For this method, visualize the three Qi in the youth’s Dantian rising and emerging from the crown. The ritual officer then draws them in and returns them to his own seat of life-force. He proceeds to perform the rite before the youth, carrying out the procedure as prescribed.

The Precious Pearl Left by the Ocean of Dharma · Practice: A Plain-Language Interpretation

Practice (Methods for Daily Cultivation)

Sun, Heaven and Earth, and Moon Incantation

Incantation:

Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon; Water and Fire join. Above and below, cloud the soul; make it firm as iron. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

Procedure: Use the “Zi-Wu-Mao-You hand formula” (a hand gesture corresponding to the directions and hours of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You) to trace the gesture across the face of the child medium, who serves as a spirit medium for possession. Then perform the gesture while reciting the incantation.

Second Incantation

Incantation:

Fire and Heaven, clear and bright; cloud the child’s soul. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

Procedure: After reciting the incantation, blow Zi-pattern northern Qi (true Qi of the north) into water. Visualize the black Qi in the water as fearsome, then spray it toward the child. Imagine the black Qi surrounding the child and making them “disappear,” that is, enter a trance-like state. Then recite the various incantations to hasten the spirit’s descent and possession.

The Elbow-Behind-the-Knee Expedient Method (A Backup Method When Possession Does Not Work)

If the child is slow to enter possession, this “elbow-behind-the-knee talisman method” may be added.

Talisman for Compelling Possession (also called the General’s Talisman or the Thunderclap Talisman)

Incantation:

Black Mo proclaims the command; with a shout, summon the Four Directions. Order the Northern Pole General at once: let wind and fire descend into mortal form. Unite Qi and join with the Mysterious True; make the nine talismans void and the one real. Unfold fierce valor and divine power; destroy demons and cut off dark thunder. Personally transmit the Great Teaching’s command; whoever disobeys shall be struck by thunder. Swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

Secret Incantation

Om, fen-fen, le-le, ji-ji.

Explanation: This method uses an incantation that commands the Northern Emperor (the Great Emperor of the Northern Pole and Purple Tenuity) and must not be used lightly. If the spirit takes a long time to descend, the master should transform in vision into the Northern Emperor—hair loose, barefoot, and assuming an angry expression. Write this talisman upon the Fire Dragon, and visualize a great rumble of thunder and lightning. Burn paper money on both sides in front of the possessed child. Then, using the sword gesture, trace the talisman in the air and recite the incantation over the child’s face. The spirit should descend and possess the child quickly.

The Method of Restraining (also called the Hidden Dipper Method)

After completing the Dipper steps (walking the Dipper pattern according to the positions of the Northern Dipper), form the Zi-Wu hand gesture and draw in Qi from the Gate of Heaven (the Qi at the crown of the head). Blow it toward the person possessed by an evil spirit, repeatedly flicking the hand gesture to drive the spirit out and make the person collapse. This Hidden Dipper method of restraint may be used if a person is violently possessed by a major evil spirit that carries a staff and chases people, or if a child becomes possessed and acts wildly, beyond control.

Inner Practice Formula

Enter deep stillness and silence. Draw in a breath from the northeast and swallow it, keeping it in the Spleen Palace (the area corresponding to the spleen). Next, imagine the black Qi within the kidneys rising to the Spleen Palace. The two Qi merge and form a black sphere, which descends into the Mysterious Darkness (deep within the Dantian). Guide it through the Tailbone Gate and straight up to the Mudball Palace (the crown of the head). Then blow another black sphere out from the Earth Gate (the perineum), and join it with the black sphere within your body so that they become one. Quickly split it open with the sword or Dipper hand gesture. Chen Shuai (the Patriarch Chen Tuan, or General Chen) will appear.

Explanation: This chapter contains secret liturgical methods for invoking and bringing down spirits, expelling evil, and suppressing harmful forces. It involves talismans and incantations, Dipper steps, and inner visualization, and was used by ritual masters in practice. It is not intended as a form of daily cultivation for ordinary believers.

I turn to one side and chant the secret incantations for summoning the spirits, visualizing myself above the Dark Heavens. At that moment, Marshal Chen descends from before the Northern Pole, riding golden, mysterious Qi. He combines the secret cross-shaped incantation with the Sword-Flicking hand seal, which casts out evil influences, forming a great spiritual power. He appears mighty and awe-inspiring, ready to be commanded at will.

Thunder Method of the Primordial Taiyi and the Poisonous County Spirit

Sacred ranks (the principal deities):

• The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Ancestor of the Myriad Ways, Source of Emptiness and Spontaneity in the Sacred Realm of Jade Purity, First of All the Sages (one of the highest deities in Daoism and the progenitor of creation)
• The Jade Emperor, Supreme Sovereign of Vast Heaven, Who Opened Heaven, Holds the Talisman, and Governs the Calendar (the Jade Emperor, supreme ruler of the celestial realm)
• The Divine Lord and Star Sovereign, Heavenly Mother of the Primordial Emperor in the Qi-Yao Heaven of the Great Sage Taiyi, Bearer of the Standard (a divine sovereign of Taiyi who governs thunder). He is depicted with unbound hair and three eyes, naked and golden, holding a human head in his left hand and a sword in his right, standing on spiritual power and exhaling mysterious Qi.
• The Four Divine Lords: Feilian, Fire, Bi, and Ji (Feilian, the Wind Earl, and the divine lords of the Fire, Bi, and Ji lunar mansions among the Twenty-Eight Mansions)

Ranks of generals (protective divine generals):

• Chief General Marshal Zhu (Yu): wears a Celestial Guard’s crown, a golden helmet and red robe, and rides a golden dragon while wielding a sword.
• Deputy General Marshal Zhu (Kuang): wears a Celestial Guard’s crown, golden armor and a black robe, and rides a black dragon while holding a halberd.
• Deputy General Marshal Qin (Dachun): wears golden armor and a red robe, and rides a xiezhi, a mythical beast.
• Deputy General Marshal Wen (Zan): has a ghostlike appearance and ox horns; he holds a water wheel in his left hand and a sword in his right.

Formula (cultivation instructions):

A golden pellet, a single point, pierces the Purple Tenuity;

Its power unfolds through the heavens, entering the hidden mystery.

Seize it into your palm and raise it lightly;

The six directions and the whole cosmos are then in your own hands.

This means: Gather the power of the Golden Elixir and pierce the celestial realm; use spiritual powers to master the mysteries of Heaven and Earth; seize the divine generals in your palm and command them at will, until the entire cosmos is under your control.

Daily invocation chant (recite when making a daily invocation; recite twice as many times on days ending in nine):

The light of the Moon, the essence and soul of the jade star, nourishes all living things.

Green pendants and yellow blossoms support the lofty heavens.

Preserve the plain spirit; the hairs on its head divide into strange forms.

Its comet tail may lie hidden, or pass through the lodgings, bringing calamity or blessing.

Through purification and cultivation, it stirs the depths of the unseen.

Secret incantation (the central secret chant):

“Pi-shi, Great Constant, swiftly!”

(Return to the central Earth phase, forming a mass of golden light that emerges.)

“Hng-li, Yin, Wei, Moon, Yan; Jing, Hai: begin at Zi, stop at two circuits.”

“Zha, an, Zi, Xu, Sun; Kuang, Dachun; Long; Yu, Zan.”

Golden Furnace Fire Method (cultivation hand seals and visualization):

Right-hand method: First draw the character for “well,” then inhale once through the nose and swallow the breath. Visualize the Qi of the lungs entering the kidneys (Metal generates Water), transforming into the moon; visualize the Qi of the liver entering the heart (Wood generates Fire), transforming into the sun. Visualize the sun descending and the moon rising, as the two forms of Yin and Yang meet and circulate around the celestial circuit.

Interpretive Reading of Pearls Left Behind in the Sea of Daoist Methods

(First section: Returning awareness to the center and gathering golden light at the crown)

Clear away all distracting thoughts and keep the mind focused on returning to the central earth, blending everything into a single Golden Elixir. After a long while, this mass of true Qi rises straight from the central palace to the crown gate, an important point at the top of the head. Golden light bursts forth and circles around the entire room. At this moment, use the gaze to draw Heaven and Earth together and gather them into a single cluster. The whole body shines brilliantly with a golden-red glow, and the ball of light is clearly suspended above the practitioner’s head.

The Jade Cauldron Boiling Decoction Method

Practice this method according to the lunar month. At the hour of Jiaxu, face the direction indicated by the Dipper’s handle. Visualize the star Pojun, the seventh star of the Northern Dipper, as large as a dipper and glowing red like the sun. Use the intention of a “cauldron” to guide the Qi, swallow quickly, and hold the mind still. Swallow a mouthful of saliva and send it to the central palace. Visualize the inner fire igniting, boiling like water in a cauldron. Five characters take shape and appear in the air one after another, starting behind the crown gate; then put the method into practice.

For three-character phrases: to pray for clear skies, brush them upward; to pray for rain, brush them downward.

For rain, use the Dipper’s direction at the Zi and Wu hours.

For clear skies, use the Dipper’s direction at the Yin and Wu hours.

For two-character phrases, choose according to the method appropriate to the moment.

“Rain” represents the union of Heaven and Earth, or is said to arise from the stars Jiangji and Bi.

“Clear skies” represent the clarity and peace of Heaven and Earth.

“Malevolent force,” used to expel evil, is brushed with a writing brush toward the soul’s path. This represents the separation of humans and ghosts.

The Tide Rises and the Azure Dragon Rolls: Method for Drawing Water

Visualize the Liver Qi entering the heart. The two Qi combine and transform into an azure dragon. Swallow the vast sea, then draw up and coil the water as it surges like a rolling tide. It rises into the open sky and spreads rain across the land.

Incantation:

Shui ling ting te luo shen; cold dew descends all at once. She.

The dark waters of the northern sea, xu. Descend. She.

The Tiger Roars and Blazing Fire Arises from the Li Palace: Method

Visualize the Master’s Qi entering the heart. It combines and transforms into fiery clouds. Swallow it into the central palace, where it becomes a golden mass. Within the mass is a Celestial Soldier holding a fire bell and shaking it by hand, releasing flames that burn away the dark clouds.

Incantation:

Om, hum, zha, hum, zha. Zhang Xin, Celestial Soldier of Golden Fire. She.

Zhang Xin, Celestial Soldier of Golden Fire, burn open the dark clouds at once. Swiftly!

Secret Method of the Deputy Marshal of Taiyi Commanding Thunder

The General’s Appearance

Gongsun Tai, “Envoy Before the Northern Emperor’s Hall Who Cuts the Wind, Raises the Clouds, and Makes Rain”: he wears a gold-brocade cap and a red forehead band; he has a jade-like face and red hair three days long. He wears a red robe, a jade belt, and green boots. He holds a thunder register in his left hand and carries a golden spear pointed downward in his right. He appears standing amid flames.

Invocation Incantation

Om, hum, zhi, nie, hum, da, hum, suo, ni, jie, zha, zha, suo he. Recite three times.

Plain-language interpretation

Guiding Qi and Drawing the Talisman

First regulate the breath according to the method: guide the Qi from the directions of “Bi He Li” and “Zhen” toward the Xun position, the southeast of the Eight Trigrams. Inwardly visualize the commanding generals. Then bring together the Qi from the Gen position, the northeast, and the Xun position; draw it into the heart, briefly hold the breath, and release it.

Next, draw the personal talisman, a protective talisman corresponding to oneself.

Incantation to Open the Gate of Heaven and Close the Earth’s Gate

Recite the words while performing the rite:

Swift as a flash, by the fire command: open the Gate of Heaven! The immortal capital bursts open: close the Earth’s Gate!
The thunderclap of Heaven opens the human gate; iron armor and flying lightning block the ghost gate!

Then recite: “Fierce Thunder Officer Xin Hanchen,” pierce the ghosts’ hearts and break their bellies.

Silently recite the “Secret Incantation of Thunder’s Sudden Burst” three times; alternatively, recite “Thunder and Lightning, Ghost-Frightening Steps” or “Thunder and Lightning, Annihilate the Heavenly Demons.”

Drawing Inward and Applying the Talisman

Gather the spirit inward and recite, in sequence, the taboo names—the hidden characters of the deities’ names. Then recite: “By command of the Nine Emperors and the Primordial Lord Taiyi, let thunder and lightning unite in radiance; subdue and seize the baleful forces.” Add the Yin Dipper, draw in the Dipper’s radiance, and cover the talisman with it. Use the Dipper taboo name to apply the command by smearing it onto the talisman.

The names of the thunder deities are arranged around the talisman. They must be written according to the ritual procedure and must not be put together arbitrarily:

• Hong, Qi, Ju, Zhi, Di, Deng, Xie
• Da, Nezha, Moye, Xin, Zhi
• Fei, Qi, Jin, Zha, Luo, Zhang, Yu

Marshal Titles and the Field-Pattern Talisman

When used for prayer, the talisman must be written inside a field-pattern grid, a square divided into sections like a field. Do not crowd the marshal’s title and other names together in the same section.

There is a secret incantation for using the marshal’s title. First apply the Dipper taboo name, then perform the two-step astral pace. Write the names of the three commanding generals in the center of the talisman while visualizing them, then apply the three secret incantations. Next recite the talisman-consecrating incantation:

Lord of the Great Law of the Three Heavens, foremost among the revered ones of thunder; Spirit Officer General of the Empyrean, victorious over the clouds, seize the Five Penetrators. All under Heaven honor you as lord; Nanchang calls you Immortal Elder. In accordance with the Jade Emperor’s command, the fierce General who wields thunder sets mountains and rivers boiling with a breath; in wrath, he darkens sun and moon. Whoever dares defy the command shall be shattered and cut down to dust. With all haste, by the command of the Lord Taiyi of the Celestial Capital, consecrate!

Incantation for Dispatching the Talisman

The Emperor of Heaven’s inner secret commands and employs the myriad spirits. Wherever the Emperor’s command arrives, it is as though the Emperor himself has gone forth to war. Whoever dares to resist and defy it shall have their form destroyed by the thunder axe. Om, hum, hum! The assembled deities bow their heads; the myriad spirits obey the command. When the talisman reaches its appointed office, come at once to receive it. Do not disobey; answer the command with all haste. With all haste, by the command of the Lord Yuanshi of the Celestial Capital, consecrate!

Incantation to Rouse the Thunder

In the east, ten thousand zhang of blue: eastern thunderclaps shake Heaven and Earth;
In the south, ten thousand zhang of red: southern thunderclaps shake Heaven and Earth;
In the west, ten thousand zhang of white: western thunderclaps shake Heaven and Earth;
In the north, ten thousand zhang of black: northern thunderclaps shake Heaven and Earth;
At the center, ten thousand zhang of yellow: central thunderclaps shake Heaven and Earth. With all haste, in accordance with the command!

Note: This text presents the sequence of procedures in Daoist thunder rites and talisman-dispatching rituals. It includes directional Qi work, the format for drawing the talisman (the field-pattern grid), visualization of the commanding generals, the Gates of Heaven and Earth, and incantations for thunder in the five directions. It should be consulted alongside the complete Fahai Yizhu and the practitioner’s transmitted instructions. Some talisman forms, the marshals’ full names, and details of the astral steps may be incomplete in the original text; actual practice should follow a reliable edition or an established transmission.

A Chapter on Cultivating Lingzhi and Taking Elixirs

The Lingzhi Charts of the Shangqing Scriptures

The Most High True Lord of Emptiness said: “There are many methods for cultivating the mind and spirit and refining elixirs: taking yellow essence, atractylodes, and various mineral medicines; boiling stones and eating celery; eating pine nuts and cypress nuts; rinsing the mouth with the divine water of the Flower Pond; absorbing the Qi of Heaven and Earth; swallowing the essences of the sun and moon; and thereby nourishing the body and preserving one’s youthful appearance. These methods use many medicines and follow diverse paths. They are not what I practice, so I will not describe them in detail. The earlier medicines are omitted here, and various techniques have been recorded together without necessarily being carefully examined.

“The Classic of Lingzhi says that Heaven and Earth nurture all things and provide for every need. Gather and eat what is edible; gather and admire what is beautiful; take what can be used as medicine to treat illness. Shennong regarded thousand-year-old poria as lingzhi and said that taking it brings long life. Shun regarded ten-thousand-year-old stone resin as lingzhi and said that taking it brings ascension to immortality. Yao regarded year-grown fungal resin as lingzhi and said that taking it prevents aging. The Duke of Zhou regarded the Three-Blossom Purple Lingzhi as a fungus and said that taking it brings a hundred years of life. King Wu regarded Golden Resin and Jade Paste as lingzhi. In the Han dynasty, Condensed Resin and Green Jade Fruit were regarded as lingzhi; taking them was said to enable one to fly up and become immortal.

“The Five Lingzhi and their kin are plants in which the refined Qi of Heaven and Earth has gathered. They embody a pure and harmonious nature and contain the unalloyed Qi of the Five Phases. They are the most harmonious of things. Those who can eat the Five Lingzhi or eat only what is within the Green Grape are all said to attain rank among the Five Emperors. Those who possess the Three Miao and Nine Domains, display treasures of jade, and embody virtue and kindness live as long as the mountains.

“Lingzhi is usually prepared by burning wood for heat and boiling it, much as one would cook wild ferns; this method may be recorded in books. A lingzhi may be round like a canopy or square like a jade tablet. It may be white as frost, yellow as gold, green as emerald, black as darkness, purple as cinnabar, or red as a flower. If it grows in a sunny place among mountains or waters, it will bloom as soon as it is placed among ordinary grasses. Once picked, it withers at once, and so it is called ‘born in the morning, dead by morning.’ If one obtains and eats it, all the surrounding grasses wither. The Qi of this lingzhi can destroy the Five Grains.

“Those who attain the Way of the immortals understand the clarity and emptiness of the Six Directions. Fire cannot burn them, and even stairways and dripping eaves melt away. Gradually they reach deathlessness: drink and food do not enter them, yet they know neither hunger nor fullness; the sun and moon do not enter them from outside, yet they experience light and darkness; wind, rain, frost, and snow do not touch their bodies, yet they know warmth and coolness. Ordinary Qi does not leave them, yet they can hear a zither string and know the coming dawn. Calamities, weapons, poison, and illness do not affect their bodies, yet they know safety and danger. Thus the scripture says: ‘Those who take gold live as long as gold; those who take jade have a face like jade.’

“For this reason, those who study immortality diligently attend morning rites at numinous peaks and search the woods and mountain ridges for medicines. Those able to abstain from grain, nourish themselves on Qi, and discern its flavor may, if they eat the clarity of dust and dew above, serve among the Nine Immortals; if they eat the harmony of water and fire in the middle, follow the Three Perfected Ones; or if they eat the nourishment of stone bracken below, join the company of the spirits. Thus there is no adept of the Dao who does not travel through woods and mountain ridges, visit sacred peaks, and gather what can be used.

“If lingzhi appears, would it not mislead people to rely only on what they have heard in books? The accounts have been passed down for so long that many are as vague as dreams. Unless one is pure and true in embodying the Dao, and skilled in the fires of the furnace, one cannot find the traces along bird paths and winding sheep trails: what is only a few feet away seems ten thousand miles distant, and it is truly difficult to see for oneself.

“There are also stone resin, condensed resin, dissolved jade, and Purple Lingzhi, with blossoms and green fruit resembling flower pods. When placed among other grasses, they cause them to wither at once. These seem to belong to events from three or four ages—or seasons—ago. By the time people hear of them, the lingzhi has already withered and decayed. If a spirit boat could be found near the lingzhi, perhaps one might encounter it.

“Although the immortal scriptures passed down through the world, along with alchemical prescriptions and instructions for medicines, often describe things that can be taken, reports of truly remarkable effects are rare. I also heard a master say: In the past, Huang Xian, a Han official of the rank of Yitong, and Zhou Xiaoyou traveled together on Mount Song. They found lingzhi in a stone chamber and shared it. Huang Xian’s body became light and his strength doubled; he rose above the clear stream and walked upon the lingzhi, his eyes shining with vitality and his face showing no sign of age. Zhou Xiaoyou ate less, but his body and complexion also changed.

“Before the Jianzhang Palace was built by Emperor Wu of Han, a lingzhi with three blossoms—or perhaps one with nine or seven stalks—grew in front of the hall and was obtained by the emperor. During the reign of Emperor Jie of Han, the region of Hejian presented nineteen stalks of Purple Lingzhi. The emperor then depicted them within his own body, until he was entirely free of obstruction.

“At a ceremony involving jade cups, Purple Lingzhi grew of its own accord on the steps before the hall. Its stalks were white, its leaves purple, and its fruit dark as the deepest black. The elders said that in the past, Shun had gathered fungi there, some three thousand years earlier. The Rites of Zhou and the Royal Regulations say, ‘At the great sacrifice, the lungs are offered.’ The lungs here mean lingzhi: one takes its pure, empty, refined Qi to aid Heaven and Earth and avert disaster. This is what is meant by the way of sacrificing to Heaven.

“Emperor Zhuang obtained the teachings left by Redpine and, after fasting for seven days, went alone to Mount Sui. There he saw the Three-Blossom Lingzhi and ate it, attained the Dao, and became a Perfected One. Ge Xianweng traveled to the Nine Terraces, found nine stalks of Purple Lingzhi, and took them, gaining long life. Later, while living far away, he picked up an overturned cup and found thirteen more stalks of Purple Lingzhi, which he took to prolong his years. After obtaining the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture, Ge Xianweng let down his hair, entered Mount Huayang, and devoted himself to quiet cultivation; through this he attained the Dao. A Green Youth also presented him with twelve stalks of Purple Lingzhi, and he became immortal.

“Someone attained the Dao on Mount Xuanyun, where he gathered and ate numinous lingzhi. Later he descended from Shangqing to Mount Xuanyun, and Purple Lingzhi grew again where he slept. Gupo attained the Dao on Mount Fuyun. She took fourteen stalks of Purple Lingzhi and never aged throughout her life; she also obtained two stalks, took them, and lived for ten thousand years. Immortals who had attained the Dao went to the Three Mountains and gathered four stalks of Purple Lingzhi to eat. Magu went to Mount Wangwu and gathered five stalks of Green Lingzhi to support the divine ancestral line. Li Tengkong obtained three stalks of Green Lingzhi and, for bodily transformation, took two stalks of Purple Lingzhi; she lived for seven hundred years. The Perfected One of Taiji obtained nine stalks of Green Lingzhi, took them, and transformed into a feathered immortal who ascended to Heaven. The Perfected One of Wuyang obtained twelve stalks of Green Lingzhi and ate them to gain long life. If you wish to learn this Way, you must visit famous mountains and seek traces of the immortals, gathering the fungi and fruits of immortal lingzhi that can be taken.”

Great Returning Divine Cinnabar (Supplement)

“How can the flesh of a fierce tiger or the fat of a suanni compare with feasting on rosy clouds and drinking dew? And how can feasting on rosy clouds and drinking dew compare with taking the Great Returning Divine Cinnabar? Those who take the Great Returning Divine Cinnabar keep the Hare and Crow—the moon and sun—from diminishing their essences, while the tortoise and crane will not let their breath decay. By storing and nourishing Original Qi, one can naturally prolong life; by receiving and taking True Qi, one’s appearance does not change. To change the bones and transform the body, soar on the wind into the clarity above, walk through emptiness to pay court to the Dipper, and attain a place in the ranks of the immortals—could these things not be the deepest aspiration?

“I am always troubled that people do not recognize the supreme treasure. If a good medicine enters the mouth, can illness fail to be cured, even if the person does not believe in it? Can the medicine taken by a True Immortal be the same as what ordinary people take? From infancy, a person’s Qi fills the Dantian: Lead is supple and Mercury firm. This is the infant’s True One dispersed throughout the body. Know that Original Essence and the True One are the Elixir: they are the natural Purple River Chariot, the Original Yang Elixir. When chaos first divided and Yin and Yang were first distinguished, one received and took Qi. The Qi within the intestines became like the sky; a natural Great Harmony formed, which can be joined to everything.

“This Divine Cinnabar is the ancestor of medicines. It is called the Great Return and is also known as the Great Unadorned. Above it rests the clear Heaven; below it, the jade chamber. The Three Officials and Great Emperors shine with divine radiance. It is the essence of Heaven and Earth, the ancestor of the ten thousand Qi, the ancestor of the sharp gold of the Great Gate, and the numinous root of the Yang-Meeting divine Qi. It is also called the Golden Liquid Returning Elixir. Its divine efficacy and wondrous function arise from the natural mystery. It is mysterious upon mysterious, the ultimate Taiji at the depths of the Great Mystery, supreme above all and subtle beyond measure; therefore it is called the Great Unadorned.

“True Persons take it and ascend to immortality; ordinary people take it and turn back old age. To turn back old age is to prolong one’s years. If one takes it regularly, wrinkles no longer appear; after thirty years, one becomes young again, with a radiant, lustrous complexion. Once one has completed the prescribed course, the bones change and the body transforms, the sacred embryo becomes solid, and one’s Qi and strength become twice their usual measure. One rises lightly through the air, passes through the clouds, and flies to join the court at the Golden Gate and Jade Portal, paying homage to the Jade Emperor and receiving the efficacy of the Heavenly True Divine Elixir. Those who do not observe the prohibitions and precepts will find that nine doses out of ten have no effect. One should carefully guard one’s appearance and conduct throughout life, so that the medicine’s effects may endure.

“Some say that people who take Divine Cinnabar acquire a different complexion and develop unusual tastes. Though they experience the Five Flavors, the Great Harmony within the abdomen favors whichever flavor is strongest. This is why miners and those who take medicines have distinctive complexions and unusual tastes. After taking the medicine, the Qi changes before the change in appearance becomes visible. If the Qi is different, how could the complexion remain unchanged?

“The Golden Liquid Returning Elixir is the essence of the Five Minerals. It can transform the Five Metals into treasure, and is named for its formless nature. In deep, hidden caves, the myriad treasures lie concealed for a time; when Lead is used to join with them, Divine Cinnabar emerges. Lead is the most mysterious within the mysterious: numinous Lead is supremely clear and pure, supremely firm and upright. It gathers the sun and seeks the moon; the correct Qi of the Five Phases generates it month after month. From this generation comes Divine Cinnabar, a medicine whose substance has no form and whose natural power is that of the Returning Elixir. It is called the Great Return.

“After the Great Return, those who take it have been seen to change in face and appearance, and their numinous bones to change in substance. Beyond the Great Return, one must also take the paste of Great Unadorned Cloud Fat. Its nature is not fixed; it can thunder among the essences. The essence of the sun and the radiance of the moon fill the whole body with a vast, vital presence. Add further cultivation, and the substance of Divine Cinnabar becomes easy to transform. One pill of the Great Return must be blended with three liang of Great Unadorned Cloud Fat to make a Golden Pill. When the Golden Elixir enters the mouth, Divine Cinnabar takes on a mysterious form; the skin becomes rosy, clear, and shining white. The bones change and the body transforms: this is a natural and wondrous efficacy.

“Then take Mercury and Lead. Mercury moves in the Yang position; Lead stabilizes the Yin palace. When Lead and Mercury join, the tiger and wolf submit to the teaching. The two Qi collide, and their Great Harmony mingles into a state of abundant, balanced vapor. Their subtle union forms the image of clouds and rain. Great Harmony flows through all the channels, and Divine Cinnabar changes. The gradual efficacy of taking it—how could it fail to bring one to the utmost marvel?

“There are prescribed proportions for taking Mercury and Lead: eight parts Mercury to two parts Lead. Take Mercury with salted plum to open the appetite; plum broth helps it descend. If one violates this instruction, the body may become very cold. Take Lead with wine, whose nature is hot. Lead stabilizes Mercury’s palace; Great Harmony balances and combines them. Once Lead and Mercury have joined, Divine Cinnabar gradually changes the substance of the body.

“Divine Cinnabar is itself spirit: it is the ancestor of the Great Elixir between Heaven and Earth. When ordinary people take it, Qi remains in the intestines, and auspicious winds and clouds often come to guide them into Great Harmony. If this accumulated Great Harmony does not change the bones and transform the body, five-colored clouds may emerge from the sores. After taking Lead and Mercury, the Great Harmony throughout the body still contains the spirit of Divine Cinnabar. Is this not the utmost marvel of nourishing Great Harmony, refining the body, and transforming its substance?

“Today, taking herbs is not as good as taking atractylodes; eating pine seeds is not as good as taking atractylodes; feasting on rosy clouds and drinking dew is not as good as taking atractylodes; taking atractylodes is not as good as taking gold; taking essence is not as good as Divine Cinnabar. The Great Return changes the bones and transforms the body’s substance—how could this fail to be the utmost marvel?

“Moreover, the poor are many and the very wealthy few. How could one always share Divine Cinnabar with others so they may take it regularly? Yet if someone can take even a single pill, the flesh throughout the body will become solid and transform. The very wealthy may obtain two or three hundred pills and be well supplied after taking half. Even the poor may become wealthy if they obtain Divine Cinnabar. How could this fail to be the utmost marvel?

“The pastes and pills described above, and the methods for taking them, come from oral instruction in the alchemical chamber. Those who wish to take them should preserve calm detachment and carefully guard their appearance and conduct; only then can they attain results. If one has no such discipline, or takes the medicine only occasionally, its effects will still come naturally: after one hundred days, one’s appearance will change, the bones and body substance will transform, and one will become light enough to fly and pay court above to the various heavens. This concludes the discussion of how to take medicines.”

Chapter on the Way of Long Life

“Long ago, the Perfected One Ruan Ji took an elixir and attained the Dao, then underwent corpse-liberation; his bones remain fragrant to this day. A Daoist said that after taking medicines and leaving the body behind, one naturally attains the Dao. Surely those who refine Lead and take Mercury do not seek only to prolong their lives, preserve themselves, and gain a place among the immortals? Very little is passed down about this lesser path in the immortal scriptures. I have seen Daoists in the south who took medicines while still embodied, yet none underwent corpse-liberation and became immortal. How could this fail to be the utmost marvel?

“Now there are people who took Lead and Mercury, left the body behind through corpse-liberation, and whose bodies emitted a fine, lustrous light, bright as a mirror. Though many medicines cannot achieve effects like these, how could this fail to be the utmost marvel? I suddenly learned that those who take medicines also follow prescribed methods. The Most High has a Way of Long Life, and the world passes down accounts of corpse-liberation through taking medicines. From Madam Wei of Mount Heng onward, down to the Perfected One He, what marvelous applications there are! I have seen the remains with my own eyes. This gives me faith that the Way is even more mysterious. How could this fail to be the utmost marvel?

“As for the length of an ordinary person’s life, unless good fortune from a former existence has been bestowed upon them, how can they fully understand and illuminate the methods of long life, however diligently they study them? To ‘understand and illuminate’ them requires eight things. First, one must not be born with a lazy nature. Second, one must have the oral instructions of an immortal master. Third, one must obtain numinous medicines. Fourth, one must have virtuous companions with whom to travel in accord. Fifth, one must preserve calmness and detachment. Sixth, one must respect oneself. Seventh, one must give help and benefit others. Eighth, one must keep a peaceful and generous heart, constantly cultivate oneself through frugality and humility, and be free of longing and greed.

“Those who can practice these eight things can take numinous medicines and only then obtain proof of the Dao. After taking them, weapons, armor, and frost cannot harm their bodies; the medicine hidden within them will not burn in fire or drown in water; robbers cannot harm them, and great floods cannot sweep them away. Surely those who refine ordinary medicines cannot escape death in the end. To take an elixir, one must first hear the marvelous formula, which people do not know. Only after obtaining the true instructions can one take the numinous elixir and become immortal. People in the world who study elixir-taking can easily obtain Lead and Mercury, but in the end these are useless. How could this fail to be the utmost marvel?

“Great Yin is Metal; thus men are associated with Yang and women with Yin. Lead and Mercury are the essences of Yin and Yang, formed through the joining of Water and Fire. The Water Star is the true essence of Jing; Lead is its ancestor. Husband and wife are the proper human union. Metal is the essence of Lead and Mercury, while the essence of Water and Fire is the essence of Qi and blood: Yin is blood, Yang is Qi. When the two Qi join, they form harmonious fragrance; when the two Qi of Lead and Mercury join, they form the Purple River Chariot.

“The wife remains within the chamber and nourishes her body. Her Lung Qi becomes full, and the pupils of her eyes are like those of a child; hence the name ‘Spirit Chamber.’ Within the Spirit Chamber, the essence of Lead and Mercury becomes a refined essence. Silica Sand retains its cinnabar color, and its finest essence is Silica Sand. For the refined essence to mature, Lead must be added to it and cast around it. When the essences of Water and Fire combine, the refined essence becomes solid; this is the Purple River Chariot. Sulfur Sand in turn produces the refined essence of Sulfur Sand.

“When this essence enters the earth, it becomes Mercury after a thousand years of burial. Mercury is precious Sand. The refined essence of plants and trees, once solidified, is the Great Returning Elixir. The Great Return is the refined essence of the Yang spirit: after five hundred years, it returns as an elixir. All the refined essences of plants and trees combine with Lead to form it; Lead receives them, and what it holds is their refined essence. As for cold pines and poria, when poria is added to poria, their refined essence and green essence combine with black Lead to form lingzhi. It is like a husband and wife joining to produce a refined essence.

“The Five Lingzhi, Seven Fruits, and Nine Keys found in the human world are only solid forms produced when the refined essences of Lead and Mercury join with one another. They overlap and interweave, sprouting an undying shoot that stores the Three Armpit Chambers within and becomes a solid refined essence. When it is cast into Lead, the refined essence enters and gradually dissolves within it; dissolving, it becomes the refined essence of refined essence, which combines and joins to form the Purple River Chariot. Every refined essence found in the human world is only a single drop from the fruit of refined essence.

“If someone eats a single pill of refined essence, their skin becomes rosy and lustrous. White hair returns to its former color, and old age turns back to youth. They gain the might of a dragon’s roar and a tiger’s howl. These words are not false. When the refined essence between husband and wife continues drop by drop, and the two Qi of the sun’s essence and the moon’s radiance receive the refined essence without interruption, this is called the utmost Returning Elixir.

“Make the Purple River Chariot firm and complete, until it matches the refined essence of refined essence. The rich in the human world may store gold and jade by the millions, yet all of it amounts to no more than a single pill of refined essence. Though people speak of the refined essences of Lead and Mercury, or of plants and trees, they are truly the refined essence of refined essence. The refined essence of the Great Returning Elixir in the world is, in the end, no more than the essence of refined essence. How could this fail to be the utmost marvel?”