《法海遺珠》Vol. 6

Inner Instructions on the Three Palaces

The Fire Master (Huoshi) says: when summoning rain, if the downpour falls like ropes, with thunder and lightning but no wind, one should summon the Lord of the Wind (Fengbo Shenjun). If the Wind Lord does not come, and there is a fear of a flood disaster, one must quickly return to the altar and give thanks for the rain. Write two Returning Phoenix talismans (huiluan fu), burn them with peachwood in a fierce fire, and burn ten portions each of gold coins and armored paper horses, facing the five directions. Once the rain has stopped in the area assigned, leave at once and do not linger. First, in a quiet chamber, enter stillness and settle the spirit, gather all the thunder qi and return it to its origin, and only then depart, without letting anyone know.

Secret Uses of the Wind, Thunder, Rain, and Clear-Sky Cloud Characters

For wind, the character (pronounced yao) is used: store the ancestral qi in the lungs, and move it outward from the Heavenly Eye (tianmu, the point between the brows). For thunder, the character [glyph unrendered] (pronounced hong) is used: store the ancestral qi in the liver, and let the gallbladder qi issue from the Heavenly Eye. For rain, the character [glyph unrendered] (pronounced hui) is used: the ancestral qi rises from the Xian Palace (Xian Gong). For clear skies, the character [glyph unrendered] (pronounced chu) is used: the ancestral qi rises from the Heart Palace (xin gong). For cloud, the character [glyph unrendered] (pronounced xi) is used: the ancestral qi rises from the Xian Palace.

Use the secret characters above. As the petition requires wind, rain, clear skies, or cloud, write the appropriate character inside the circle, silently move the divine mechanism, and let the subtlety lie in utmost sincerity.

The Jade Emperor's Thunder Directions

Set up an incense table facing this direction and summon from it, and the response comes at once. The order is: first, Xu (dog); second, Si (snake); third, Wu (horse); fourth, Wei (goat); fifth, Yin (tiger); sixth, Mao (hare); seventh, Chen (dragon); eighth, Hai (pig); ninth, Zi (rat); tenth, Chou (ox); eleventh, Shen (monkey); twelfth, You (rooster).

Step the Dipper pattern (bugang) and perform the flying incantation (feijue) toward this direction to draw the Dipper qi; blow toward this direction to stir the thunder, and burn the talisman toward that direction to strike and rouse it.

Instructions from the Thunder Master

Outside the mind there is no dharma; dharma arises from the mind. When the mind is settled, the qi gathers; when the qi gathers, the spirit gathers; when the spirit gathers, the myriad spirits all assemble, and golden light gathers on all sides. Ya, ya, xi: these three breaths are the ancestors of all qi and the source of all spirits. Use them to open the eight windows and stir the nine orifices, so that the spirits emerge from emptiness and disperse into form. When stored, they return to the six directions and hide within the mountains, closing up and resting in stillness. Recite the Thunder Golden Light Incantation to finish.

Secret Thunder Writ

The three circles above are the head of the three rows. Write them after the general summoning talisman:

(tang li tu gu can zhao wei)

(ding ru zhui hui qi die tong)

(tie shi jie jing dang)

Note: This passage belongs to the Daoist rites for rain-petitioning and thunder ritual. It includes stepping the Dipper, burning talismans, storing the ancestral qi, and the directional arrangements of thunder. Most of it was transmitted orally as secret instruction. The text is presented here as it appears in the original, and the proper names and talisman characters are kept in their original form.

Jade Emperor's Commands

Note: When this text is written, if talismans (fulu) are used, there is no need to also write a proclamation (xiwen). If a proclamation is used, there is no need to also write a command (gaoming).

Summoning Talisman

Before drawing a talisman, first chant the following incantation:

Heaven is clear and earth is pure; the Three Lights shine together. The vermilion heavens blaze with brilliance, and the Five Talismans join in spiritual response. The Primordial Beginning has issued its command, summoning and bringing down the imperial court. Urgent, urgent, by the decree of the ▲▲ Order, let the Qiu De-ming of the Mysterious Chamber receive the statutes.

After chanting, visualize the two Chief Marshals, Luo Hui and Jing Yao, each holding banners and insignia, wearing vermilion robes with wide sleeves, and riding purple clouds to arrive before the altar. Take one breath and blow it onto the paper and brush, then write the talisman.

Within the talisman one may write: (the Primordial Qi of the First and Second Qi interlinked), (Heaven's Primal Mixture and the flow of the myriad phenomena), and (the Five Viscera and Five Palaces, transforming forms in the heavenly [zou]).

(Encircling heaven and earth, ghosts weep and spirits grieve. Seize and bind the drought demon, break the temples and eliminate calamity. Urgent, by the statutes of the Lord of Shenxiao, decreed.)

Channel one breath of Qi into the talisman, and write into it the names of the spirits Cui Ziwen, Shi Gui, Zhang Yuqing, the Jade Maiden, Xuan Feiying, the Child of Great Void, and Luo Qingyang. Then chant:

The Supreme Emperor decrees, summoning all the spirits. They topple mountains and split peaks, and the thunderbolts shake in terror. The dragon spirits gather swiftly, hurling fire and scattering bells. The commands are summoned in fourfold, and how would they dare not attend? Whoever defies the talisman and disobeys the command will face the punishments of Heaven. Follow strictly the statutes of the True King of Yuqing.

Talisman of the Dark Lodges

(Primordial chaos, the Supreme Ultimate dim and obscure. The Great Simplicity stands and encircles, and the Two Modes unite in form. Three and five cross and intersect, four and seven shine with spirit. The Generals of Three and Five descend to the imperial court. Urgent, as if the Dao Ancestor thunders and summons the wind.)

(At the crown of the head, raise five talismans before lowering the brush. Chant: the Five Talismans receive the command.)

(Summon the specific spirit as needed, and write its taboo name into the talisman.)

(Mulang incantation: the ghostly spirits arrive at Kunlun.)

(Twelve lines before the peak; paint one line and strike one. "The ghostly spirits arrive and the thunder descends," one line per strike.)

The Heavenly Thunder Duke calls the thunder and shakes the wind. Green thunder and red Qi stir and press upon the Nine Palaces. Red thunder and white Qi rise to roam the Mysterious Vault. Yellow thunder and green Qi spread thunder through the void. Black thunder and yellow Qi complete the Supreme Ultimate. White thunder and black Qi descend to roam the Mysterious Vault below.

Thunder and fire blaze across all heaven. No spirit fails to submit, and no ghost fails to obey.

Brief background: This text belongs to the ritual procedures of Daoist talismans and thunder rites (leifa), associated with the Shenxiao lineage and others. Under the authority of the "Jade Emperor's Commands" and the "Summoning," the practitioner summons subordinate officials and spirits, draws talismans, and chants incantations. Terms such as "visualization" (cunxiang), "blowing Qi into the brush," "the Three and Five Generals," and "the Heavenly Thunder Duke" refer to the practice of visualizing spirits, breathing Qi onto the talisman paper and ink, and invoking thunder deities by direction and by name to summon thunder and expel evil. The "proclamation" (xiwen) and the "talisman" are alternative written documents within the same liturgy, and they should not be used together.

Plain-Language Interpretation

Běi líng hēi lì jiǔ chǒu zǐ tóng, fēng bó yǔ shī, qū léi yǐn hóng.

The spirit names of the Northern Numinous Realm, Black Calendar, Nine Ugly Ones, and Purple Youth, together with the Wind Earl and Rain Master who govern wind and rain, and their divine powers of summoning thunder and drinking the rainbow (swallowing rainbows).

Shén fú yí dào, wàn guǐ wú zōng. Jí jí fèng Yù Huáng Shàng Dì chì.

Once the divine talisman arrives, the myriad ghosts will have nowhere to hide. Swiftly, swiftly, by the decree of the Jade Emperor, Lord on High.

(Shàng Qīng Xuán Qióng Qíng Tiān Yōng Wù Dà Jiāng Jun.)

(General of Upper Clarity, Mysterious Heaven, Lifting the Sky and Embracing the Mist.)

(Wèi Xióng Fēi, zhǐ jīn qū léi, sù qǐ Shàng Qīng.)

(Wei Xiongfei, now, drive the thunder and rise swiftly to Upper Clarity.)

Xuán Qióng tuō diàn fēi léi, Zhāng Hóng Kě, zhǐ jīn qū léi, sù qǐ.

Mysterious Heaven bears lightning and flies the thunder. Zhang Hongke, now, drive the thunder and rise swiftly.

Cún èr jiāng jun: bìng jīn jiǎ qīng miàn. Wèi yì shǒu dǒu yìn, yì shǒu zhàng jiàn; Zhāng yì shǒu tuō shān, yì shǒu chí jiàn, shān xià yǒu diàn guāng fēi chū.

Visualize the two generals, both clad in golden armor with green faces. General Wei forms the Dipper Seal with one hand and grasps a sword with the other. General Zhang holds up a mountain with one hand and grips a sword with the other, and beneath the mountain lightning flashes outward.

Chì zhòu

Incantation of Command

Dào jun yùn huà tiān dì, Xiāng shuǐ xīng píng, jun mǔ dōng fù, dū shī yìng líng, zhòng xīng cuī fú, jiǔ shèng tái guāng, hé dū luò ruì, jiǔ kōng biàn qiān, hǔ biān wēi shè, fú dé zǒng quán, cóng shì cuī dù, tài shǐ mìng chuán, dū léi fèng chì shòu mìng yú xiān tiān. Jí jí rú Dào zǔ yuán yáng zhì zūn lǜ lìng.

The Lord of the Dao transforms and governs Heaven and Earth. The Xiang River stars are steadied, and the Lord Mother covers the east. The Master of the Capital responds to the spirits, and the myriad stars are crushed and subdued. The light of the Nine Victories Terrace, the rivers of Du and the auspicious omens of Luo, and the changes of the Nine Voids are all under the tiger-whip's awe-inspiring command. The sum of blessings and virtue is held in one hand, the attendant officials hasten the measures, and the Primordial Beginning transmits its mandate. The Capital Thunder receives its charge from the decree and is entrusted before the primordial age. Swiftly, swiftly, as ordered by the Yuanyang Supreme Decree of the Dao Ancestor.

The Master said: These twelve are the Thunder Officials and Star Spirits within the Six Harmonies, the chief stellar spirits and immortal functionaries of the thunder court. The Celestial Pivot Qi surges, follows the Monthly General, and corresponds to the talisman responses. In all cases, this Qi is applied.

Sānhuáng Jiǔxīng Zhēn Xí Fú (If the altar has shown no response for three days after it is established, this talisman should be used.)

(Function: to cause the Xian Water to rise.)

Incantation for Writing the Talisman

The Nine Qi of the Cinnabar Origin assist my eyes; the true Qi of the Five Directions and Five Elders assists my abdomen. Wind, cloud, rain, and lightning are driven out for me. The true Qi of the Primordial Sovereign circulates through the axis of Heaven and Earth. The wind chariot, thunder chariot, and fire chariot are set in motion. The hidden dragons, concealed sea-creatures, and the spirits of the Earth Commander and the like rise into the wind wheel; the water wheel is released below, and the fire wheel blazes fiercely. Wind shatters mountains and topples trees; thunder and fire rush ahead and follow behind. If the axis of the earth dares to disobey or delay, seize it and summon it to the Heavenly Prison. Swiftly, swiftly, as ordered by the Great Sage of the Capital of Heaven.

Form the Thunder Gesture with both hands, and send the wind, thunder, and fire chariots out from both ears.

Incantation of Dispatch

Authority issues from the Heavenly Court. It is entrusted to the soldiers of authority: the Capital Heaven's Sudden Fire General drives the barbarian thunder, obeying orders and proceeding. Should anyone dare to disobey, the Fengdu Capital will annihilate your form. The Primordial Sovereign holds this command; on hearing it, you must listen at once. The ghosts and spirits of the Three Realms all receive my order without exception and must not defy the hour. I stand before the altar awaiting the swift response.

Note: This text consists of the phrases used in thunder-rite (Leifa) ritual operations, including the establishment of altars, dispatch of spirit-generals, writing of talismans, and dispatch of decrees. It contains many divine names, talisman names, incantations, and practices such as visualization, hand seals, and paced steps (bugang). It should be understood alongside the liturgies of the complete thunder-rite corpus and the oral transmissions of the teacher's lineage. Points not explained here require consultation of the original scripture and lineage.

Plain-Language Interpretation of the Fahai Yizhu (Remnant Pearls from the Ocean of Methods)

Thunder Configurations and Oral Transmission

In performing the rite, one forms the leiju (thunder configuration, a set of hand seals and stepping patterns specific to the thunder rites, abbreviated here as "leiju"). Both hands are drawn up from the waist and raised beside the ears while the practitioner shouts once, "Qian!" (meaning to dispatch or drive away). The text claims this produces an immediate response and visible effect.

It also describes an esoteric method transmitted orally and by heart-to-heart instruction. The practitioner first gathers the qi of the five directions (the qi of east, south, west, north, and center) and then recites the incantation that follows.

The Incantation (Phonetic Syllables, Not Necessarily to Be Glossed Word by Word)

Om, She Guo Na, Five Thunders of the Five Directions, Om, Feng Huo (Wind and Fire), You Luo Jiu Luo Shan Jiu Tuo. The passage also names Wu Meng (an immortal of Daoist legend skilled in thunder methods and in slaying water dragons), Huang Jing, and Zhao Zhenzong. These names are mostly linked to the lineage of thunder rites or to the titles of spirit generals. While reciting, one visualizes wind and fire rising greatly to empower the thunder rite.

Following the Thunder Configuration: Visualizing Spirits Into the Talisman

With the right hand still in the thunder configuration, the practitioner stores the spirit-illumination of the gods and the spirit-generals of the thunder ministry into the talisman. One visualizes a wind-thunder-fire chariot and black clouds surging from both ears, responding to the Liujin Huoling Fu (Talisman of Flowing Gold, Fire, and Bells), a type of thunder-rite talisman that uses gold, fire, and the sound of bells as its symbols.

Function and Cultivation of the Talisman

The talisman is described as a hidden xuanji (mysterious pivot) of the thunder rites. The one who holds it recites the Jiling Zhaolei Dongzhang (Cavernous Scripture for Gathering Spirits and Summoning Thunder) every day. This liturgical text is used to summon thunder and gather spirits. The practitioner is said to receive the command of the thirty-six divisions of the Shenxiao fire officials (the fire- and thunder-managing clerical spirits of the Shenxiao school's thunder system), seeking recommendation, success in cultivation, ascent to immortality, and the eradication of baleful miasmas.

The talisman is written in zhu shu (cinnabar writing) and may be swallowed, either by dissolving it in water and drinking the water or by symbolic ingestion, a common practice in Daoist talisman work. The thunder deities of the three realms (the thunder ministries of heaven, earth, and water) bow their heads in submission. This power is said to come from the tianzhen (celestial true spirits), the souls of the primordial realm, and the majesty of the supreme sages.

Drawing the Talisman and Drawing Qi

When writing the talisman, the practitioner draws qi from the xun position (the southeast, which in the Bagua is associated with wind) and channels it into the talisman. One recites the Dongzhang Incantation fourteen times, draws in southeast qi again, and then adds the Jinguang Incantation (Golden Light Incantation). The talisman is then written as a lingshu (numinous writing), with sincere devotion and spiritual power. If the practitioner perseveres in this method, the thunder deities will naturally become responsive, and the path to immortality is said to be attained through it. This is the text's own claim.

Huiluan Zhenfu (Talisman of the Returning Phoenix)

Huiluan Zhenfu (Talisman of the Returning Phoenix) is written in ink and is used for breaking waters and breaking caves, that is, subduing water monsters and the demons of underground lairs. It is accompanied by the incantation given below.

The Incantation Reads

The essences of the six Bing and the six Geng (the heavenly stems Bing and Geng, which in alchemical and thunder-rite contexts are paired with fire and metal), governed by Taiyi (the Supreme One deity), summon black clouds. Feng Bo (the god of wind) leads the way, and Yushi (the god of rain) patrols behind. The Heavenly Emperor has issued an order to summon your form, and you must not disobey. If you disobey Shangqing (the Highest Clarity, a Daoist heavenly realm and its talismanic decrees), you will be subject to the urgent command of the law.

Procedure

In a jingshi (purified chamber), one makes offerings to the great spirit's zhenxing (true form, either a divine image or a visualized sacred figure). Following the kai qian po xun method (a ritual technique of opening and breaking the directional barriers to clear a path), one buries the Huiluan talisman. Then water is poured out toward the four directions while the Mulang Incantation (a famous long incantation for invoking rain and summoning thunder, associated with the deity Mulang) is recited. The water is then xun (sprayed) outward, and it is said that "a response will immediately follow."

The Mulang Incantation (Selected Gist, Originally in Rhymed Verse)

The general sense is as follows. In the Qian palace the light is brilliant, and at the jade pool of the east league, a holy being commands Qingtong (the Azure Youth) to hurl fire over ten thousand miles. The rain riders of the Kan and Zhen palaces swiftly set out, and the three mountains of Taimeng, Mulang, and Taiyi rise up in majesty. Thunderbolts shatter stone, and springs open their channels. Kun, Zhen, Xun, and Earth form the company of Haoling Weng (the Old Man of Bright Spirit). Fierce horses spread out in four directions, and fire surges through the flowing essence. Yuguang and Zhurong (the god of fire) serve as ministers, and Shen Taihua ascends into the clouds. Black banners and dark standards raise into the void, concealing the sun, steaming the rain, and gathering dense clouds. Ebo (a thunder deity) shakes the peaks of Kunlun. Dark spirits overturn the seas and join with Xuanming (the dark sea). Feiyi (the water god) drums and dances, calling out long winds. Penglai and Ruoshui both contribute their power. Liuyi (a deity of the Dunjia system) swiftly moves ahead to repel evil. Vermilion-haired beings with great wings, with blazing eyes, spew poisonous lightning to drive away the Five Dragons. The four seas grow dim with clouds and mist. The whole passage uses images of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, pouring over mountains and seas, to protect the performance of the rite and to crush evil and break harm.

Note: This text is a practical, esoteric manual of thunder rites, talismans, and rain-summoning. Its incantation names, deity names, and directional qi largely correspond to the Shenxiao and Shangqing traditions. Modern readers should approach it as a religious document and as material for the history of Daoist ritual and folk magic. The practices it describes, such as swallowing and burying talismans, should not be followed literally.

The following explains, in original order, the ritual terms and key operations in this passage from the Fahai Yizhu (Remnant Pearls from the Sea of the Dharma), drawing on a modern vernacular interpretation.

Opening Hymn or Formula for Praying for Rain and Summoning Thunder

Dark clouds gather, a single thunderclap rolls, and the four seas grow dim; where the rain-front reaches, rivers and streams surge. Golden light flows like essence and cuts through the drought rainbow; the Dongyang Ghostly Ones are summoned to call forth Thunder Spirit Ling (a name for the thunder deity). The jade thunder is vast, and the Master transforms himself among the steep mountains; the August Emperors Xu and Taihua (honorific titles) sweep away demonic vermin. Jun Liang Yuan Huang commands the vanguard, and the water spirits are allowed to display the power of water monsters; the Heavenly Lord suddenly kindles fire, the statutes stir the vault of heaven, and demons and monsters are whipped and serpents and insects are driven away. Ju Lou is auspicious, and the traces of blazing heat are noted; Deng Sengze and the others all obey. Weaving Maiden and Fourth Brother (names of divine generals) are loyal and sincere, assisting me in relieving drought and in bringing about great merit. The red rooster and purple goose fly endlessly, seizing the tormentors and binding the malignant spirits, and sending them to the northern netherworld. The decree is issued that Purple Void Yuan Lord descends to seize and subdue them; hurry, hurry, as the statutes of the Fire Bell Great Marshal command.

Talisman for Summoning Rain

This talisman is written in vermilion on black paper. One may pinch the hours zi and chou and begin writing at the Kan position (north), or it may be written on an iron tablet and cast into a dragon pool, which is also acceptable.

Talisman for Fumigating Evil

The Heavenly Official slays spirits at the hour si; the Earthly Official slays ghosts at the hour wu; the Waterly Official slays essences and binds ghost generals. On the left, the Azure Dragon grants benefit (day jia, hour yin); on the right, the White Tiger oversees weapons (day jia, hour shen); in front, the Vermilion Bird provides spiritual light (day jia, hour wu); behind, the Black Tortoise upholds clarity (day jia, hour zi). In the first case, on days jia-chen and jia-xu, one enters the central palace; the Qilin (day jia-xu). One grasps a serpent coiled for tens of thousands of feet, breathes out flames of fire, and burns and kills the thirty-six kinds of rebellious, Dao-defying evil ghosts and bandits below; hurry.

When the talisman on the right is complete, recite om, hum, hum; the assembled spirits bow their heads, and within the fire-bell incantation and command one adds the character she (shè). If the head and eyes ache, the brush is drawn out from the Xun position (southeast); if the illness lies in the lower body, the brush is drawn downward. For boils and toxic sores, one writes directly on the affected area while silently reciting:

Taishang slays red toxin she (nine times)

True-Form Talisman of Tianpeng

(Northern noxious qi is entered into the talisman, which may be burned and inhaled or affixed for suppression.)

Om, sa... ka, hum (seven times)... pi xing om, zha... hum, duo, svaha, seven times each (spread across the north to form the talisman of noxious qi).

When this talisman is written, add the two characters Tianpeng beneath the word for ghost, and apply it with the Boiling-Ghost incantation; it may also be used for the Fire Prison. Recite the Tianpeng Added-Phrase Incantation and the Boiling-Ghost Incantation to command it.

Tianpeng Added-Phrase Incantation

Tianpeng, Tianpeng, the nine-origin demon child; the celestial barrier and earthly axis are in my palm. Five... (where the later text is damaged, supply the reading from a manuscript copy).

Notes

The phrases jia/yin, jia/shen, and similar pairings refer to the stems and branches, together with the directions and divine generals assigned to them; Daoist practitioners select the direction for writing talismans according to the day and hour. Burning and inhaling (xun fu), affixing (zhen tie), casting into a dragon pool (tou long tan), and the Fire Prison (huo yu) describe, respectively, smoke-fumigation for wearing, posting, sinking into a pool, and use at a fire altar. The sounds om, hum, she, and jiji (hurry) are incantation syllables and commanding words, and should be used according to the oral instruction of one's teacher rather than altered at will.

Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left from the Sea of the Dharma): A Vernacular Explication

Ding Dusi, Gaodao Beiweng, Qizheng Bali, Taishang Haoxiong Changlu (all names of thunder-rite (leifa) and Pengbu protector deities)

The beast-minister (divine beast) holds the Imperial Bell in hand, while the Three Spirits of the White Owl stand in solemn escort. The Kui-dragon wields its awe-inspiring sword, and the Divine King slays evil and erases every trace. Purple Qi rides the heavens and cinnabar mists blaze brilliantly. They swallow demons and devour ghosts, bodies braced against the wind. The green-tongued, green-toothed, four-eyed old man, the Heavenly Ding and the mighty warriors shake the southern bastion of the violent heavens. The Zou-armored soldiers roar from the north, along with the Wind Spirit Officials, Jade Maidens, Iron-Footed Divine Kings, the two deaf-mute generals, and the running dogs and flying hawks. Thirty myriad guards protect my Nine Heavens, repel corpses for a thousand li, and dispel all inauspiciousness.

If small ghosts attempt to manifest, the Great Heaven-Splitting Axe strikes down their five forms. Yandi's fierce blood, the bones ignited by the Northern Dipper, the Four Brightnesses that shatter the skeletons, and Tianyou that extinguishes the souls all act together. With one stroke of the divine blade, the myriad ghosts collapse on their own. Quickly, quickly, as the statute of the Pengbu Grand Marshal commands.

Yellow Divine Yuezhang Great Black Sha Talisman

(Open the Heavenly Gate, close the Earth Gate, leave the human gate open, block the ghost road, pierce the ghost's heart, and break the ghost's belly.) (First turn: the six spirits are concealed. Second turn: the four sha vanish. Third turn: the Kuigang is set in motion. Fourth turn: thunder and fire arise. Fifth turn: thunderclaps shake. Sixth turn: mountain ghosts are destroyed. Seventh turn: seize and capture, sever heads and cut feet.)

All seventy-five kinds of unrighteous beings, every calamitous demon that defies heaven and earth, every disease-bringing ghost, the malevolent deities of the Three Realms, and the life-severing ghosts are all placed beneath the Kuigang, where they neither move nor act. Om, Chidi Ju, om, va.

(Quickly, as the statute commands) (Lun She Suo He, Wei...)

Xi-su-suo-he, om va-xi-la-xi-la suo-po-sa-he. (Recite each seven times.)

Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper and the Great Spirit of the Heavenly Center: Above, they attend the Golden Gate; below, they cover Kunlun. They regulate the cosmic order and govern Qian and Kun (heaven and earth). The Great Leader Tanlang, Jumen, Lucun, Wenqu, Lianzhen, Wuqu, and Pojun respond to the Supreme Jade Emperor and the Purple Tenuity Lord. They pervade the vast celestial realm and enter finely into the dust. No calamity fails to be extinguished, and no blessing fails to arrive. May the Original Sovereign's Upright Qi come to unite with my body. As the Celestial Pivot (Tiangang) points, it turns constantly, day and night.

I, a common person of humble station, who love the Dao and seek spirit, wish to behold the venerable image and to preserve long life forever. May the Three Terraces of Void Essence and the Six Pure Bends give birth to me, nourish me, and protect my form. (Recite seven times.)

The Tiangang Great Sage drags the sha ghosts. (Seven times.) Tiangang Taiyi.

Note: This text combines incantations and talismanic formulas from Daoist thunder rites, the Northern Dipper, and the Celestial Pivot. It contains numerous deity names, step-and-turn sequences, visualizations of protective deities, and prohibitions against ghosts and demons. Because the punctuation and characters often vary across manuscript transmissions, recitation should follow the liturgy (keyi) as transmitted by a teacher and should not be altered independently.

Spirit Generals, Lunar Mansions, and Directions

"Shengguang, Xiaoji, Chuansong, Conghui, Hekui, Dengming, Shenhou, great auspiciousness." This invokes auspicious spirit-generals from the Six Ren (Liuren) or Hidden Stems (Dunjia) divinatory systems, namely Shengguang, Xiaoji, Chuansong, Conghui, Hekui, Dengming, and Shenhou. The aim is to secure great good fortune and unobstructed passage.

The names in parentheses, Gongcao and Daichong, are celestial generals of the Liuren system. The following sequences, "Jiao Kang Di Fang Xin Wei Ji / Dou Niu Nü Xu Wei Shi," "Kui / Lou," and "Wei Mao Bi Zui Shen Jing / Gui Liu Xing Zhang Yi Zhen," match the twenty-eight lunar mansions (ershiba xiu) with the Azure Dragon of the east, the Black Tortoise of the north, the White Tiger of the west, and the Vermilion Bird of the south. They are used to fix directions, identify harmful forces, and locate where ghosts and spirits dwell.

The later strings, such as "Zi Xin Zi Hui Zi Yin / Zi Geng Zi Lian Zi Zhen," are most likely codes paired with the Zi and Yin hours or with spirit names. In practice they are recited in positions set by oral instructions passed down from the master.

Three Officials Expelling Demons and Envoys

"The Heavenly Official strikes spirits, the Earthly Official strikes ghosts, and the Waterly Official strikes essences." Here the powers of the Three Officials (Sanguan) of heaven, earth, and water are called upon to subdue, respectively, spirit-afflictions, restless ghosts, and demonic essences.

"Strike the ghost / spirit lord," "Ghost-moving brush / spirit-moving brush," and "Ghost-dwelling / spirit-dwelling" express the idea that an exorcism needs a "spirit lord" to hold the ritual space, so that the spirit's will governs the ghost's will and no malign presence can linger.

"The Southern Iron Staff Envoy" and "the Left and Right Swift Envoys" refer to fire-department messengers from the south and to attendants on either side. They help pursue, seize, and escort evil ghosts.

Calamity-Stars and the Devouring Mantras

"The Five Qi Spirit Tortoise" is often associated with suppressing calamities and protecting the body. In this passage it is used alongside the names of the various calamity-stars.

"Heavenly calamity, earthly calamity, year calamity, month calamity, day calamity," followed by "hour calamity, disaster calamity, and fatal calamity, along with all evil ghosts," lists the calamitous forces tied to the years, months, days, hours, and misfortunes, together with all evil ghosts. The intention is to sweep them all away together.

"Devour demons and eat ghosts" and "all self-destroy" mean that the demons and malign spirits are to be consumed and made to dissolve or disperse on their own.

The mantras in the middle, "Om va... svaha," recited three times, "Om va ming ra... svaha," and "Tianggang Great Sage, drag out the calamity ghosts," each recited three times, are esoteric formulas. Their repetition counts must be observed as handed down by the lineage. In this context, "Tiangang" refers either to the Tiangang star-spirit or to a Great Sage who drags out calamities and subdues ghosts.

"Spring, summer, autumn, winter / the calamity ghosts of the four seasons" means that the calamities corresponding to each season are subdued again according to the season.

The Thunder-Fire Talisman

The "thunder-fire talisman" passage is a brief invocation spoken when the talisman's core is charged or when the talisman is activated.

"The golden wheel's wind is swift, heaven and earth turn red" describes the thunder-fire rising, as if heaven and earth were being burned crimson.

"Refine spirits to ash, transform ghosts into liquid" means that malign spirits and ghosts are smelted by thunder-fire.

"By the decree of the Supreme Emperor, the myriad ghosts all cease" invokes the command of the Supreme Emperor (Shangdi), by which the hosts of ghosts are subdued and made still.

"Urgent, urgent, as the statutes of the Great Thunder Lord of the Capital Heaven's Fire Palace" is the closing urgent command, invoking the laws of the Fire Palace of the Great Thunder Lord of the Capital Heaven. "Capital Heaven" (dutian) is a title in the Daoist thunder-deity hierarchy.

"Kui, Bo, Chu, Li / Gu Mo, seven times" is a seven-fold suppressing mantra. The characters in the original are rare or variant forms, and the pronunciation should follow the master's oral transmission.

"Heavenly fire, earthly fire, thunder-fire, gather" calls upon heavenly, earthly, and thunder fires to gather together and seize the evil forces.

"Turn to face the Xun direction (southeast) and recite the incantation as follows" directs the officiant to turn toward the southeast, the Xun direction, before reciting the text that follows.

The Twelve-Hour Incantation of the Great Thunder Lord of the Capital Heaven

After "the Great Thunder Lord of the Capital Heaven" come the Zi, Chou, Yin, through Wu hours, forming a thunder incantation organized by the twelve double-hours. Read together, the sense is as follows.

Hai: thunderclaps shake the empty sky. Zi: three hundred thousand weapons. Chou: blazing purple within the cavern. Yin: whoever does not submit. Mao: the strict command is never tolerated. Chen: summoned to the foot of the Kui-Gang. Si: forever a pure wind. Wu: an additional gesture of "remove the inside, enter the outside," which is an instruction for drawing talismans, pacing the Gang steps, or visualizing comings and goings.

In sum, the Great Thunder Lord leads thunderclaps, blades, and thunder-fire to bring the disobedient demons under the Kui-Gang (Heavenly Gang) and to leave the realm pure and still. In the printed editions, the character "xie" is often read as "respectfully invite," so "xie respectfully invites the great spirit of the Huoshu Statute, Deng Bowen." This invokes Deng Bowen, the great spirit of the Huoshu Statute, also known as the Thunder Lord Deng, a famous general in the Daoist thunder pantheon.

After "next recite," the text continues: "The Great Spirit of the Statutes, the Honored One of Wind and Fire." This praises the wind and fire spirit, whose great wings fly across heaven and earth. He slays demons, devours malign forces, binds ghosts, and collects souls. He can produce rain, clear skies, wind, fire, water, and clouds. He carries out the decrees of the Supreme Emperor and serves as the lord of fire and thunder, and a single thunderclap is enough to put his command into effect.

Notes on Use

This passage is not a philosophical text. It is a fragment of a ritual manual (keyi) for expelling demons, subduing calamities, and using thunder-fire talismans (fulu). The procedure first installs the spirit-generals and lunar mansions, then expels ghosts through the Three Officials and recites calamity-subduing mantras. Next the thunder-fire talisman is activated, the officiant faces the southeast to recite the Great Thunder Lord's incantation, and the thunder-fire spirits, including Deng Bowen, are invoked. The exact pronunciation, hand seals, pacing steps, and talisman forms must be learned from the complete Fahai Yizhu and from a master's transmission, and the incantations should not be altered or used on one's own.

Thunder Rite Practice (Leifa Xingchi)

Summon the ten thousand ghosts and erase their traces. Thunder Duke and Lightning Mother, darkness is startled and flees, descending at the bidding of the incantation.

Swiftly depart from the Xun palace, swift, swift, as the Great Heavenly Thunder-Fire Statute commands.

Visualization and Talisman Use

Visualize the great spirit arriving, and with a fire beak, pierce it into the talisman (fu). Using the Two Dipper Gang, visualize the light of the Dipper enveloping the talisman, and add the Thunder Command upon it. It may then be used for Upper Protection, Memorial Petition, Fumigation and Ingestion, or Pacification and Affixing.

Great Rite of the Thunder Fierce Clerk, Judge, and Lord Xin with Silver Fangs

Summoning Incantation

Fierce Thunder Clerk, named Han Chen, your eyes blaze like light, and your fangs gleam like silver. You drive the thunder and lash the lightning, sending fire and moving clouds. You fly through the Golden Gate, your might shaking the myriad spirits. At the moment you hear the summons, come at once; leave swiftly from the Xun gate, swift, swift, as the Jade Clarity True King's Statute commands.

Second Incantation

Rumbling thunder shatters the four mountains. Lord Xin of the Azure Flower, who holds the divine thunder under his charge, bears a iron brush and divine script, with flames following him. He is fierce and quick to seize the malevolent, inspecting and apprehending the wicked chieftains. He governs the sweet rain and commands the judgment of heavenly thunder. His face is red, his hair vermilion, his robes green, and his mist-curtain dark. His eyes flash lightning, his teeth are sharp as iron awls, and he swiftly searches every corner of the world. The Jade Emperor has ordered him to assist in the practice. I summon you, and you must not delay. I respectfully invoke the Fierce Thunder Clerk Xin Han Chen: descend swiftly into the altar, swift, swift, as the decree commands.

Third

The essence of the Wing Lodge, the spirit of the Six Metals, becomes black qi that arises with the wind. The Thunder Marshal comes and goes, knowing your name. As I wish, emerge from the Supreme Clarity, swift, swift, as the decree of the Northern Emperor Spirit Lord commands.

Brahmic Sound Incantation

Om, Hum, ... (Sound incantations for summoning Clerk Xin Han Chen to descend swiftly and for compelling him to reveal his true form at once are recited according to the ritual procedure. Visualize the celestial spirit arriving at the altar.)

Talisman of Lord Xin

(Talismans of this type are often marked with characters or images such as: "The Heavenly Emperor Appears, Preserve Life Through Myriad Calamities," "Drive the Thunder and Lash the Lightning, Mountains and Peaks Collapse," or "Stars and Dipper Darkened.")

Incantation Against All Evils

Shake heaven and earth, move mountains, and release the Five Thunders to annihilate forms. Speak: Ghost and Spirit Messengers of the Five Thunders, listen and inspect, great spirit. Patrol across the world, seize the ghosts and spirits who bring calamity, bind them, and send them to Beifeng, the northern netherworld, swift...

Explanatory Notes (to aid reading the original)

The Xun palace is the position of Xun among the Eight Trigrams; thunder-summoning generals commonly emerge from this direction. The Great Heavenly Thunder-Fire Statute, the Jade Clarity True King's Statute, and the Northern Emperor Spirit Lord's Decree are command formulas commonly used in Daoist thunder rites and in the Northern Emperor tradition. Lord Xin and Xin Han Chen are thunder-clerk and judge-type generals of the thunder ministry. Visualization refers to imagining the descent of the divine general and the light and qi entering the talisman. Gang and Dipper light refer to borrowing the Gang qi of the Northern Dipper to protect the talisman. Beifeng is the northern yin realm, the place to which evil ghosts are bound and sent.

The above follows the ritual sequence, incantations, and talisman usage of the original, without additional doctrinal elaboration. The sound syllables in the incantations largely follow the printed edition, and their recitation should be guided by a teacher's transmission.

Pinch-Formula Instructions

In accordance with the statutes, pinch the formulas as follows: the Yang Dou (Yang Constellation Ladle) uses the Zi and Wu positions, and the Yin Dou uses the Yin and Wu positions. Begin at the Chou position and, with each line of the incantation, pinch one point, moving through the twelve palaces until reaching Zi. At the final Wu position, flick the fingers to release the formula, a gesture that concludes the sequence.

Reciting the Outline Incantation

Silver teeth and divine eyes shine with light, breaking through the heavenly demons. If any demon from the lower realms of the Three Realms dares to rush upward, set out iron nets and golden gauze, bind the demonic dragons at once, and deal with the evil ghosts according to the rites. Should anyone defy the supreme command, bear stones and fill the rivers, be escorted to Beifeng, and sink into eternal perdition. Swiftly, swiftly, as the statutes command.

Next, Recite the Preceding Sanskrit-Sound Incantation, Smear the Net; Then Recite the Heart Incantation

The Red Heaven and the Dragon Cavern tower high, and the iron city surges forth. The fierce officers' true names, the spirit-energy pervading the body, flaming fire and thunderous shouts, thunder and lightning sweeping away the murk and clearing the shadows, summoning rain and raising clouds, punishing the wicked and subduing evil. Even the Mother does not spare them. On the left, Huaji governs the heavenly punishments; on the right, Jiji governs the records of the Celestial Registry. The Xiao Empyrean has issued its command, and the decree shall be carried out first. The Lightning Spirit Maiden shall proceed to the Xun Gate, first displaying the flash of lightning, then unleashing the thunderclap, so that the common ills of the whole world descend and none can escape their forms. Swiftly, swiftly, as the statutes of the Thunder Ancestor, Supreme Emperor, command.

True Incantation

Om, hum hum, kulu chi... (Sanskrit-sound incantation, to be recited according to lineage transmission). Descend quickly, and seize and gather.

Use of the Talisman

Write the talisman using the secret method of stacked seal script, inscribing the name of the Five Thunder Fierce Officer of a given surname and personal name. Act under the edict of the Supreme Emperor, and carry it out swiftly. Also recite the oral edict of the True King.

Oath Chapter

The thunder officers' divine might shakes the Nine Heavens. They move in and out of the Three Realms and faithfully assist the Lord Emperor. Their bodies tower tens of thousands of feet, and they are called the Venerable Lords of the Thunder Department, commanding all the thunder departments, the Wind Earl, the Rain Master, the Mother of Thunderbolts and Lightning, and the multitude of great-strength yakshas. If anyone receives and upholds this method, I shall at once manifest my form. Send me up to the Celestial Realm to report to the Lord Emperor; send me down to the underworld, even to the Yin Palace; send me into the water palace, even to the Fusang Palace; send me to seize demonic spirits and shatter the camps of all ghosts. If the heavenly law is violated, the nine ancestors shall suffer cruel punishment. If I betray you, the sun and moon in heaven shall grow dim, the springs beneath the earth shall dry up, grass and trees shall not grow, and I shall forever become a ghost of the netherworld, unable to attend the Upper Clarity. On the days Ren and Gui, I descend; receive and uphold this practice with diligence. Offer tea and jujube soup, and burn incense of peachwood. I shall appear at your left and right; set your mind at ease and do not be frightened. Together with you I make a vast vow to save all living beings. I, by the command of...

Supplementary Notes for Ease of Understanding

Yang Dou / Yin Dou and the Twelve-Palace pinch-formula: Hand gestures used in Daoist thunder rites (leifa) and liturgy that accompany incantations, corresponding to the earthly branches and cardinal directions.

Three Realms: Heaven, Earth, and the Netherworld (or alternately, Heaven, Humanity, and Earth).

Beifeng: A popular name for the northern yin realm, the domain of ghosts.

Shenxiao and the Thunder Department Fierce Officers: The system of thunder deities and generals within the Shenxiao (Divine Empyrean) school's thunder rites.

Xun Gate: The Xun position of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), associated with wind, and often connected with the assembly of wind, thunder, and the Mother of Lightning to their posts.

Stacked seal script (diezhuan mi): A secret, transmitted method of writing talisman characters by stacking and transforming their strokes.

Ren-Gui day: Ren and Gui days are often linked to the north, water, and the descent rites of thunder generals; the precise practice should be followed according to one's teacher's transmission.

The Hai Fa Yi Zhu Explained in Plain Language

Decree of the Jade Emperor

The Ten-Character Incantation

Om, Huo, Li, Hum, Cha, Po, He, Chi (this may be recited once more). Then recite: Decree of the Jade Pure True King, Supreme Emperor.

After dispatching from the Thunder Bureau, recite the following passage:

By the decree of the Jade Emperor, all ghosts and spirits shall be extinguished. When heaven and earth grow dark and the sun and moon fall into gloom, evil spirits and ghostly bandits shall have no path of escape. Let them be destroyed with urgency. Receive and carry out this command at once, swiftly, in accordance with the statute.

Uniting with the Spirits (Visualization of Union with the Gods)

First visualize the Xun position (in the Eight Trigrams, associated with wind and the gate of the wind) as a gateway. Thunder city and fire clouds blaze with a myriad feet of flame. In the void, write the two characters "Imperial Decree," which fly into the Thunder City. When General Xin (a thunder general of the Thunder Ministry) sees the two characters, he drives a myriad-foot fire cloud, and clouds, thunder, lightning, and hail arrive together. He leads the Lord of Thunder, the Mother of Lightning, the Earl of Wind, and the Master of Rain, together with the thunder envoys of the five directions and myriads of thunder soldiers. Riding the fire clouds and flames, wind, snow, lightning, and hail issue forth from the Thunder City and descend before your eyes.

Next visualize the Gallbladder Palace (the "palace" in Daoist internal cultivation where the gallbladder resides), and see a green qi generate General Xin within it. He emerges from the Niwan Palace (the cavity at the crown of the head, a site of internal cultivation) and unites with the external General Xin as one qi. Establish the omen (fix a clear sign of response), and entrust the meaning of the incantation to him, as you wish the response to be.

Next visualize entering the talisman, just as in the union with the spirits. Still, inhale the qi of the liver, drawing it from the Niwan Palace into the Gallbladder Palace, and let its effect take hold in that moment. Recite the "Incantation for Subduing Thunder Qi" seven times.

The incantation says:

I have received the wondrous methods of the Five Thunders, and the voice of the Mother of Lightning is my own. Drawn in, they preserve the body and nourish life; sent forth, they bind ghosts and devour essences. They drive away the myriad poisons within the body, so that the common people may all gain living bodies. Now I command the generals of the Five Thunders and the Six Jia and Six Ding deities, to sever the hundred ghosts, to draw out a thousand essences, and to pour the true qi of myriad paths into my Stomach Flower. By the statute of the Great Supreme Ones, with fierce officers and silver fangs, swiftly, in accordance with the statute.

When the incantation is finished, visualize the Heavenly Lord riding a myriad-foot blaze of light into the Gallbladder Palace. Next visualize green qi entering the gallbladder, with lightning and thunder entering it together. Then visualize nine streams of green qi from the east entering the liver, three streams of red qi from the south entering the heart, seven streams of white qi from the west entering the lungs, five streams of black qi from the north entering the kidneys, and one stream of yellow qi from the center entering the spleen. Recite the earlier "Incantation of the Great Thunder Lord of All Heavens," bow in reverence, and then stop.

Incantation for Dispatching Talismans

Divine thunder, fierce and mighty, shakes heaven and earth. The Three Primes and Seven Governors, the Nine Darks and Eight Spirits. Fierce officers of the wolf fang, bells of flowing gold and fire. Immortals of the Jade Dawn, the Six-Penetrating Spirit Lords. Thunder flies black, the sea overturns and clouds are gathered in, the cosmic seal is raised and the Dipper is lifted, evil is struck down and spirits are cut apart. Iron cavalry of the Five Thunders.

(The above is the general sense of the incantation recited when dispatching talismans: summoning the thunder ministry, contending with spells, and slaying evil.)

Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left in the Sea of the Dharma) describes a secret method that combines summoning the thunder generals, performing talismans and incantations, and internal cultivation.

General Breaking-the-Array: face black as charcoal, teeth like wolf fangs, and beneath his feet a volcanic brazier with streams of gold running for ten thousand li.

Thunderbolt Swiftly Advancing, receiving the decree of the Jade Pivot: the Great Cavern General shakes the mountains, gathers the clouds, breaks demons, and subdues spirits. The decree of the Supreme Thearch has descended, so act at once, swiftly and in accordance with the statute: the Thunder Ancestor, the Supreme Thearch's statute-decree.

Secret Incantations for Changing Forms (formulas for use during the rite): Om ... (the middle syllables are taboo names and talisman-heart characters, here given as in the original; when chanting, fill them in as transmitted by one's teacher) — command the fierce spirits to gather and subdue.

Talisman of the Jade Thearch's Conferred Title for Lord Xin (the six taboo positions on the talisman are written in according to the source text): another incantation reads om, dana ... hum, jili, which is to be used to gather the spirits onto the talisman. A further incantation reads om, hum, cha, bili ... (when writing the talisman, combine it with the living thunder pattern; after writing, return the stroke to the Kan position and add one more stroke). Recite again: kui, ba, qi, mang, bi, nu, followed by the oath passage, with the yin side repeated in the same way.

Heng Tian Ba (a section or deity name, as given in the source)

Refining the Spirit

Set the hand thunder pattern at the kidney position and visualize golden light born within the kidney, with ancestral qi moving upward.

Direct this to the eyes. Golden light emerges from them and opens the Xun gate (the wind-direction aperture), revealing green qi, within which purple qi surges and intertwines. Chant the summoning incantation: om, hum, hum, jili, laiye, svaha, reciting it seven times for each breath of qi. Inhale the green qi through the nose into the gallbladder palace, merge it with the ancestral qi, and let it rest in the middle dantian.

Next, use the light of the left eye to write the rare character [glyph not reproducible here] and the light of the right eye to write a taboo character, then write another taboo character on the tongue. Visualize the three characters in green, red, and white in empty space. Draw the breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, swallow it down into the corresponding places, follow the generating cycle of the Five Phases, then follow the overcoming cycle, until it reaches the center.

Exhale the rare character and the two taboo characters, sending them up through the Heavenly Gate. Imagine the Heavenly Gate splitting open and see the Jade Thearch, then silently present your petition. After chanting the three characters three times, a true person appears holding a golden tablet inscribed with three characters of the title. Draw in the title, blow it into the talisman, and recite the secret incantation seven times: om, dana, hum, hum, jili, she, xi. Green qi is then released over the incense burner and becomes a marshal. Unite them in a single thought and issue a further command: om ... dian, lei, pili ... (many taboo names are in the middle, to be filled in according to the thunder-rite manual), and draw it in to dwell in the gallbladder.

Then move the five qi in the heart upward to the Weilü point, passing through seven segments. The thunder pattern strikes five times, and you should feel thunder shaking the ears and sound thunder. Lightning appears in the eyes, black cloud in the nose, rain in the mouth, and black wind behind the elbows. Visualize wind, cloud, thunder, rain, and lightning arising together.

Burn one talisman (the Lord Xin talisman) and recite the incantation...

Note (for reading, not part of the scripture)

Marks such as ▲, repeated syllables, and Sanskrit-style sounds in the text mostly stand for taboo names and talisman-heart characters. These should be learned from a teacher, using the specific edition of the thunder rite and the Fahai Yizhu, rather than being invented.

Terms such as the living thunder pattern, the hand thunder pattern, the Kan position, the Heavenly Gate, ancestral qi, the gallbladder palace, and the middle dantian belong to thunder-rite and internal-cultivation vocabulary. A plain-language gloss conveys only the general sense of the procedure, and actual practice requires the full text and lineage transmission.

Lord Xin is the commander whose name was conferred by the Jade Thearch. He corresponds to the talisman and the three characters on the golden tablet.

This is the method for summoning and commanding the generals of the Thunder Section. The scripture says that the star-essence of the Yi Lunar Mansion (one of the seven mansions of the Southern Vermilion Bird, Zhuque) and the numinous power of the six Geng days are invoked by following the procedure given earlier. One then recites the seven-syllable mantra: "Om huo li hong cha po he." While reciting, one strikes the talisman formula (fujue) toward the Xun direction (southeast), following the thunder-rite ceremony. Whenever one prays, one must concentrate the mind fully, because the rite takes effect only with the aid of the chief general. Afterward, one stirs the handle of the Dipper with a hand seal.

The mantra continues: "Om (Mao, East), [unidentified syllable] (Chen), lou (in or above the Dipper), ji (in the Dipper), li (Dui, West), suo (Zi, North), he." The bracketed terms indicate the hand seal or the direction and position to be matched in each syllable. At the end of the recitation, one covers the ears to close the seal, and then releases the formula.

The "Mantra of the Mutual Generation and Overcoming of the Five Phases" is used to summon thunder, add force to the rite, and dispatch the spirit-generals. In the ritual, one visualizes qi matched to the Five Phases, the Five Directions, and the Five Viscera. The East is green and belongs to Wood, corresponding to the liver. The South is red and belongs to Fire, corresponding to the heart. The Center is yellow and belongs to Earth, corresponding to the spleen. The West is white and belongs to Metal, corresponding to the lungs. The North is black and belongs to Water, corresponding to the kidneys. The scripture then states in sequence that the Green Thunder of the East unites with the Bing and Ding (fire) stems, the Red Thunder of the South unites with the Center, the Yellow Thunder of the Center unites with the West, and the White Thunder of the West unites with the North. Next, the operation proceeds by the sequence of overcoming: the kidney Water of the North overcomes the heart Fire of the South, the heart Fire of the South overcomes the lung Metal of the West, the lung Metal of the West overcomes the liver Wood of the East, the liver Wood of the East overcomes the spleen Earth of the Center, and finally the spleen Earth of the Center overcomes the kidney Water of the North, in order to extinguish malign calamities.

The incantation then calls upon the Five Thunder Marshals, wishing that they will send forth flying fire and streaking light, race through the thunderclap, drive the lightning, turn the Kuigang (the Dipper stars and the associated thunder-rite powers), overturn heaven and earth, and set the wind and thunder shaking. Once the Kui star issues its command, it responds to the brilliance of the Dipper mansion, yin and yang unite, and the thunder roars. The officiant commands that evil ghosts be destroyed, and that any who dare to defy the order be seized and brought beneath the Kuigang. The Xun Gate (the gateway of the southeast) splits open, the Zifu (the dwelling of the immortals) releases blazing light, and the heavenly spirits, earth deities, and thunder-section soldiers swiftly obey, following the momentum of yin and yang in harmony.

The incantation declares that the Supreme Deity has issued a decree commanding the spirits to obey the officiant, and it urges them to carry out the order quickly under the laws of the Great Thunder Ancestor, Leizu Dadi. It then lists the Xin Tianjun's faith-talisman and a series of decrees and thunder-visions: the decree of the Three Pure Ones, the decree of the Jade Emperor, the command of the Upper Primordial Celestial Official to slay spirits, the Middle Primordial Earth Official to slay essences, and the Lower Primordial Water Official to slay ghosts, the laws of the Shenxiao, which must be carried out at once, and the Xuhuo Marshal (a Thunder Section general) who unleashes crashing thunderbolts, causing mountains to collapse, trees to snap, and heaven and earth to grow dark.

Fahai Yizhu: A Vernacular Commentary

Thunder-Summoning Incantations

(Dutian Leigong, aiding the thunderbolt) (Nine Poisons Thunder Spirit, aiding the thunderbolt) (Black Emperor of the North, aiding the thunderbolt)

Evil spirits are swept away, and every trace of them is removed.

Edict-Talisman Incantation:

Taiyi (Taiyi), in the unseen depths, accept and carry out this decree. Thunder's fierce officers shall show no leniency. Whoever defies the honored command shall offend the penalty of heaven. Drive the thunder to strike swiftly, and receive the order and carry it out.

Radiance reflects back, the essence of Taiyi. Call the thunder and summon the clouds, and let the thunderclaps roar. If any dare to defy and test this order, wind and fire shall not cease. Hasten, hasten, as the statute commands.

Thunder Steps (Yu Step)

Recite the "Earth-Breaking Thunder-Summoning Yu Step Incantation," taking one step with each line and visualizing wind, clouds, thunder, rain, and lightning with each step.

Earth-Breaking Thunder-Summoning Yu Step Incantation:

The Divine Old Man receives his command, and the Jade Emperor summons the thunder troops. Yin thunder spreads across heaven and earth, and rain and dew rise as sweet nectar. Wind and thunder follow its launch, and clouds rise as mountains and seas stir. He wields his halberd to block the bright sun and spreads qi to protect the common people. Destroy the demonic qi, and let the thunder troops burst forth with sound. My Gang-step has arrived at this place, and I draw the command: listen at once. Hasten, hasten, as the statute commands.

Another Incantation (Inner Alchemy Method for Summoning Thunder)

Wind rises from the Xun gate. (Internally it corresponds to the lungs and externally to the nose. The white qi of the lungs issues from the nose and becomes mountain thunder, located on the left, marked by the Si position and the qi of Xun.)

Thunder shakes the nine heavens, and clouds fly across the azure vault. (Externally it corresponds to the eyes and internally to the liver. The green qi of the liver issues from the left eye and transforms into wind-thunder, located on the left, marked by the Zi position and the qi of Kan.)

Rain descends from the cloud chariot. (Externally it corresponds to the mouth and internally to the kidneys. The black qi of the kidneys issues from the left ear and transforms into water-thunder, located at the rear, marked by the Zi position and the northwest qi.)

Lightning flashes brilliantly, helping me to penetrate and serve the immortals. Hasten, as the statute of the Thunder Ministry commands.

Visualizing the Fierce Officer

Visualize the Fierce Officer, the thunder-ministry deity of enforcement, within the Crimson Palace (the middle Dantian, or energy center). The yellow qi of the spleen issues from the crown of the head and transforms into earth-thunder, positioned in front. Next, golden light flies above the Celestial Gate, and yin and yang clash to open the Earth Gate. With eyes glaring, turn the Gang to the right and chant:

Imperial Lord Qinghua, Judge of the Heavenly Court, let your majestic light shine downward and shake heaven and earth, so that none may disobey the command. Should any thunder script rebel, let the chief officer of the Thunder Office depart swiftly from the Xun city. Hasten, as the thunder statute commands.

One Recitation of the Following Incantation

Hold the breath, rub both hands over the kidney hall, turn the earth's axis, and silently recite:

Om om han han bu lin bu lin, chi lin chi lin, ji ji ji.

Background Note

This passage describes a thunder-summoning ritual within the thunder rites (leifa) of Daoist practice. Its central practices are the Yu step (Yubu), which imitates the stepping pattern of Yu the Great as he controlled the floodwaters and is performed alongside incantations to mobilize the qi of heaven and earth; inner visualization, which links the qi of the five viscera (white, green, black, and yellow) to thunder, wind, rain, lightning, and earth-thunder, each issuing from a bodily orifice; and the summoning of the Thunder Ministry's fierce officers, the enforcement deities of the thunder department who expel evil and subdue demons, whom the practitioner visualizes descending to lend assistance.

Vernacular Interpretation

Cultivating the Thunder Spirit (Cun Leishen): Begin at the Xun palace (Xungong), the trigram of wind, and pass through the Qian palace (Qiangong), the trigram of Heaven, then descend to the altar to make offerings. Proceed according to the ritual protocol.

Talisman of the Five Thunders for Curing All Ills, Qi-Character Talisman

(Supreme Statute) (Fierce Official with Silver Teeth) (Preserve the upright qi and sweep away demonic evil) (Open the Heavenly Gate, close the Earthly Gate, hold the Human Gate, block the ghost roads, pierce the ghost's heart, break the ghost's belly)

(Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth sha-qi officials and soldiers slay ghost-bandits. Transform the characters... Xun-qi is used to hasten childbirth, and each gives rise to thunder-qi.) (Note: several characters in the original are missing here. Most of this passage appears to be formulas concerning the Five Thunders, Xun-qi, and hastening birth.)

(Tan to Po / yang, following) (Kui to the rare character rendered here as "Wei" / yin, reversed) (Thunder envoys of the Five Thunders, rise swiftly, then apply the talisman again.)

The incantation says: I receive the upright qi of the Five Thunders and the majestic light of the thunder. When it enters, it protects my body and preserves my life; when it exits, it cures illness and drives out evil. Ten thousand rays of divine light pour into my stomach-blossom (Weihua), preserving the upright qi and sweeping away demonic evil. Supreme Statute, fierce official with silver teeth.

For nausea and vomiting: Draw a horizontal stroke across the talisman. While applying it, recite: The Six Ding stop the evil, and ten thousand illnesses retreat.

For diarrhea: Add the character "shan" (mountain) inside the talisman, and recite: Six Jia, Six Ding, drive the mountain down swiftly and press it.) The character "shan" serves as the formula key.

For loss of appetite: Beneath the second stroke, add a golden light of merit, and recite: The golden light of merit glimmers softly, opening the dark and secluded. The Huachi pool flows with true fragrance, and a lotus canopy floats upon the clouds. A thousand spirits return to primal harmony and dwell constantly in the twelve towers. Swiftly proclaim the decree of the Lingbao scriptures, and roam freely among people.

For illness of the upper diaphragm: Lift the brush stroke upward.

Iron-Brush Talisman of the Five Thunders

(With one stroke, summon the Five Thunder officials) (Three divisions of fierce soldiers advance swiftly) (The general tolerates no disorder) (Roam the world and seize ghosts and bandits)

In the center, insert the name of the thunder deity, Xin Hanchen.

After reciting the oath section on the right side of the talisman, apply it with the secret name enclosed within.

To summon the wind: ...At the hour of Si (about 9–11 a.m.), visualize the fire qi of the Xun direction (southeast) blowing into the talisman, and recite the chi-decree incantation:

Thunder-spirit fierce official Xin Hanchen, blue-faced and dazzling-eyed, with teeth like silver. Mountains, rivers, seas, and peaks conceal demonic spirits. One clap of thunder reduces them to dust. Swiftly, swiftly, as the statute commands.

Colophon: Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left in the Sea of the Dharma), Scroll Six.

Background Summary: This text belongs to the Daoist talisman and liturgical tradition (Keyi). It covers the cultivation of the thunder spirit, the Five Thunders, and the iron-brush talisman, and these practices are usually combined with drawing and applying talismans, adding or subtracting strokes and character formulas according to the illness (for example, adding the character "shan"). Xin Hanchen is a fierce official of the thunder ministry in the Five Thunders system, and he often appears alongside titles such as "Fierce Official with Silver Teeth." Performing these rites requires attention to direction (Xun and Qian), the appropriate hour, and visualization. Reciting the incantation alone is not sufficient.