《法海遺珠》Vol. 7

This scripture records the specific operational methods and internal cultivation principles of Daoist Thunder Magic (a technique for summoning thunder and lightning).

Regarding the ritual procedures for praying for rain or clear weather: The practitioner must visualize the Celestial Pivot Star (an important constellation in Daoist cosmology) near the Southern Dipper. For rain rituals, visualize the formation of watery clouds; for clear weather, visualize fiery clouds. This star appears with a sapphire-like hue. Through repeated recitation of the dispatch document (a Daoist ritual text), imagine the Thunder Crystal Messenger leading tens of thousands of thunder deities into the starlight. Effects will manifest by the next day, as the messenger wields a great axe to command the thunder deities in stellar affairs. After chanting specific incantations, one may see the messenger leading thunder deities riding clouds and dragons to the ritual altar, accompanied by gathering dark clouds and crashing thunder.

The master specifically notes: The true key to transforming heaven and earth lies in internal cultivation—external rituals must be paired with internal practice. If cloud formations are observed during the first night watch, it indicates both internal and external preparations are complete, ensuring efficacy the following day.

Regarding talismanic activation techniques: Use swallow's blood mixed with swallow's nest clay to grind into ink for inscribing messenger talismans. For rain rituals employ the Fire Lodgings (southern seven constellations), for clear weather use the Water Lodgings (northern seven constellations)—this applies the principle of Yin-Yang interaction. The ritual must also incorporate the names of the Four Dipper Lords (four important stellar deities in Daoism), with the talisman inscribed in seven revolutions (seven cyclic writings).

Four sets of crucial incantations follow, each containing specific directional combinations (Zi-Wu, Wu-Zi, etc.) and the "command" character jué—a standard format in Thunder Magic invocations.

Finally, the text reveals internal cultivation essentials: During deep meditation, one may perceive the Eastern Well Star (corresponding to the gallbladder palace in the body). In profound stillness, one can observe the Yellow River (metaphor for qi-blood circulation). From the Muddy Pellet Palace (upper Dantian) at the crown downward, the twelve meridians converge like twelve river sources, while the lower Dantian three inches below the navel gathers essence and qi. The body's qi movement resembles Yellow River waters flowing into the gallbladder palace. Through the five exhalation methods—Xū, Hē, Sī, Chuī, Hū—(corresponding to Five Phase generation) applied to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, true fire is refined in the heart and true water in the kidneys. All these practices embody the profound mysteries of the body's internal alchemical processes.

Empty Void Embracing Heaven and Earth, Seemingly Before Us: All Are Transformations of the Mind

The vast void can contain heaven and earth, and the scene seems to stand right before the eyes, yet it is entirely produced by the mind's intention (xīn niàn). When the Great Fire (dà huǒ) descends into the heart and the Kidney Water (shèn shuǐ) rises upward, the true fluids (zhēn yè) flow naturally, and the mouth fills with sweet, fragrant saliva. This is what is called the Sweet Dew (gān lù) and the Yellow Flower (huáng huā), also the Water of the Upper Pool (shàng chí shuǐ), that is, the saliva in the mouth, which is the Flowery Pool (huā chí) releasing its true fragrance. It is the subtle mechanism of creation and transformation.

Turning the Four Seas

The Four Seas Talisman (sì míng fú) is used according to this method. When ascending the altar, set up Four Seas Jars (sì míng gāng) at the four corners to symbolize the four oceans, and arrange four images with the offerings appropriate to worship. Cast the talisman into the jars to visualize the process of transformation. Use the Whip-Dragon (biān lóng) to stir its power: visualize the four jars as the vast rivers, lakes, Huai, and seas, with fish and dragons gathering in boundless expanse. The master casts the talisman using the Whip-Dragon method, and in an instant water surges, heaven and earth grow dark, and thunder and rain pour down. The outer image and the inner image are the same and do not go beyond one's single mind. Practitioners should not be bound to this form but should apply it according to the mechanism-methods (jī fǎ) of their own lineage.

The Talisman for Boiling the Sea and Summoning the Dragon

(Use the Method of Applying the Mind, the Thunder Incantation of Heaven, entering the Five Designations, the Five Thunders, the Four Seas, and entering the Three Marshals. Envoys may also be used.) Xuǎn (heart fire): visualize the fire-qi boiling the sea so that the water surges, while the Three Marshals stir it. Nǜ (moonlight): the water surges and the fire blazes. The third term (visualize the darkness of heaven and earth, and enter the Whip-Dragon Five Designations, see the passage below).

Right: Draw the Mù Láng Incantation (Mù Láng Zhòu) in the form of a circle with a point, and transmit its function orally. Visualize the water surging and the fire blazing, with the Five Thunders and the Three Marshals each riding a dragon, ascending to heaven and descending into the sea to bring rain.

The Whip-Dragon Method

Whenever one casts into a pool to borrow its water, one should use an iron tablet (tiě pái). Write the Envoy Talisman (shǐ zhě fú) in vermilion, mixed with swallow's blood (yàn xuè) and realgar (xióng huáng). Add the following Five Designations (wǔ hào) to the talisman, then cast it into the pool or cave, and thunder and rain will respond immediately.

Incantation of the Five Designations:

The Thunder Command Incantation (Chìlìng Léitíng Zhòu), for striking the thunder bowl (jī léi wǎn). Write the characters for the lunar lodges Yì and Zhěn (yì and zhěn), and spread them with the qi of the trigrams Gèn and Xùn (gèn and xùn):

Command the thunderbolts to crash and surge in a tumult. The Marshal of Sudden Fire, the Five Great Thunder Spirits, and the Thunder Heads of Yin and Yang, respond and carry out the order. The divine pen flashes fire, the thunder hammer, swiftly arise, swiftly arise; the lightning bolts, urgently carry out.

(Turn three times within the gāng step pattern, stepping forward and kicking upward at each step.)

Recite the preceding incantation and strike the bowl first: lift the left lodge face up and the right lodge face down, then invert the basin over it.

I. Pacing the Stars and Forging the Axe

On the altar ground, stand facing east (zhuoyao is the name of this directional stepping pattern), follow the rules of bugang (pacing the Big Dipper), then turn and look west. While chanting the incantation, strike with the axe, the Thunder Axe used in the rite.

When the rite calls for striking something down or breaking a demonic force (posha), stomp hard with the left foot to shake out a clap of thunder, then settle into position. The axe weighs sixteen jin (about 8 kilograms).

The axe should be forged on a jiazi day during the Azure Dragon hour (one of the double-hour periods of the day). The accompanying Azure Dragon talisman should be twelve inches long, and it may be drawn on a bingzi day. The incantation is as follows:

Nine Heavens, command me! Harness the carriage, bristle the scales. Six dragons, nine monsters: the thunder decree shows no kinship. Smear blood, swear the oath, offer the vow to the spirits, strike the poison, smash the shrine, reveal the Dao and make the true clear. Hold the spear, raise the halberd, sever the waters and cut the whales. Light, it is as light as dust in the air; heavy, it is as heavy as a thousand catties of iron. White, it is as white as snow in heaven; red, it is as red as an ape's blood. Thunder one, thunder two, thunder three, thunder four, thunder five: act according to the decree of the Jade Clarity True King.

When the chant reaches lines such as "swiftly send down the lightning," strike once with the ouyin, the vocal sound formula of the thunder rites, in time with the beat (or simply recite the passage once).

II. Drawing Talismans and the Five Thunder Formula

For the talisman on the right: chant the incantation once, and write one character for each word, completing the talisman.

For the Thunder Roar incantation: chant it five times. As you draw each stroke, push upward with strong force, and use the Five Thunder Formula: starting from hai (the direction of the Northwest-to-North) through to si (the Southeast), use the ti method to draw in the qi (vital energy) of the Gen and Xun directions, and channel it into the talisman.

III. The Master's Teaching: Fire Summoned, Thunder Commanded

The Master says: Chuhuo (swift fire, the divine fire commanded in the thunder rites) governs matters of thunder, so one uses chuhuo to direct the Thunder Spirits of the Five Directions to lend their aid. Additionally, the shizhe (envoys, the divine messengers of the Thunder Department) supervise the operation. In general, the Three Marshals, Tianpeng, Tianyou, and Zhenwu, are one body and cannot be separated.

IV. The Theory of Timing: Acting on the Moment

In any prayer, set out incense at the altar in the five directions. A fierce flame signals anger, which makes it easier to summon the Thunder Spirits.

When the envoys arrive, they may manifest an angry qi, or one may hear laughter, or see visions of cooking and smelting. There may be the pouring of water into the eastern well (stirring water to mimic the well), the churning of the four seas, the beating of drums to call the thunder, the galloping of horses to raise dragons, or the lighting of firecrackers to launch talismans. All of these show that the spirits respond to the "moment," turning with the master's thought and motion in that instant, and the efficacy follows.

The Master says: Beating drums to call thunder and lighting firecrackers to launch talismans both serve to rouse the spirits' courage. Setting up the altar near water and borrowing qi to gather clouds both serve to act through the advantage of circumstance. When courage and circumstance align, the thunder responds.

V. The Doctrine of Mutual Existence: Envoys and Taiyi

The envoys cannot exist without Taiyi (the Supreme Mystery Thunder Spirit, or Taiyi Marshal), and Taiyi cannot exist without the envoys. Where they are envoys, I am Taiyi; where they are commanded by me, I am their lord. Therefore, I and the envoys cannot be separated, and because they cannot be separated, it is said that they "mutually exist," depending on one another and dwelling together as one body.

The left side of me is thunder and the right is lightning. Opening signals summoning; closing signals recall. The envoys never leave these left and right sides. Because they never separate, the doctrine of "mutual existence" is established.

VI. The Formula for Gathering Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Rain

With your eyes unfocused, imagine drawing a "▲" in the palm of your left hand. Then rub both palms together as forcefully as possible.

(This is a concise formula for summoning the wind, clouds, thunder, and rain.)

Note: The original text is mostly secret terminology for the thunder rites: how to conduct the altar, make the instruments, and draw talismans. Some characters are damaged (such as ouyin and chuhuo). The translation has only smoothed the meaning. Terms such as bugang, the Five Thunder Formula, chuhuo, shizhe, and the Three Marshals are explained according to their common meanings in Daoist thunder ritual, without altering the original intent.

Formula for Summoning Wind (Qifeng Jue)

Visualize a ball of golden light in the palm, then push it forward.

Visualize the sigil hao written in the empty air, glowing gold and floating within the light. Arrange both hands according to the Eight Trigrams, returning to the Zi (north) position to form a configuration, and adopt a wrathful expression. Silently recite the eight-character formula until it appears: "Ye li zha bo hong su." Keep rubbing the two hands together, use the configuration to draw the five agents (wind, cloud, thunder, lightning, rain, and so on) to the altar, and recite the sixteen-character spell while rubbing.

Formula for Summoning Wind (continued)

Visualize a great general in a black cloud in the Xun (southeast) direction. He has a demon face, a blue headcloth, and a green robe, carries a tiger-skin wind bag, and rides a azure dragon. Next, visualize the Ancestral Qi (the primordial One Qi) entering the liver and circulating three times, transforming into the two characters "[garbled glyph]," which appear golden because of copying errors. Exhale through the mouth with the sounds xu and xi, releasing them from the Xun gate so they meet the general. Hold the red and green qi within the sigil, and fix it with a wrathful gaze while chanting: "Om, chi zha ti dang lu she." Continue chanting the xu and xi sounds without stopping. When the two qi join, visualize the two sigils wrapped in red and green. Use your sleeves as the wind bag, swinging them continuously to draw in the wind, and recite the sixteen-character spell. Then shout loudly: "Xia ya yu Feng Yi, quickly arise!" After the spell, shout again: "Great generals of wind and thunder, descend quickly!"

Gathering Clouds to Cover the Sun

The master says: "Once all external preparations are complete, press the tongue against the upper palate. First, visualize writing the character "[garbled glyph]" and swallowing it into the heart palace, then stir the Heart Dipper so that it churns the kidney water. Next, use the fire of the heart to write the sun sigil in the Florid Pool (Huachi), then write the moon sigil so that it shines like the sun. Visualize the kidney water surging like a tide, filling the Florid Pool and submerging the sun sigil. Stir the water with the red dragon until it overflows and submerges the moon sigil. Draw the water produced by these operations into a bowl, then take the water from the mouth produced by these operations and spray it out, and darkness will fall at once. This process of creation is transmitted only orally and is never set down in writing. Since long transmission risks error, it is recorded here. It may be performed in a jar or an urn, and then the five agents of wind and cloud should be summoned."

(Summary: After the outer preparations are finished, the adept presses the tongue to the palate and visualizes the character "[garbled glyph]" swallowed into the heart palace, where the Heart Dipper churns the kidney water. Using heart fire, the adept writes the sun sigil in the Florid Pool, then the moon sigil, which shines like the sun. The kidney water surges like a tide, submerging the sun sigil, and the red dragon stirs the water until it overflows and submerges the moon sigil. The water is collected in a bowl, and the water in the mouth is sprayed out, causing instant darkness. This technique is transmitted only orally, never in writing, to avoid corruption over time. It may be done in a jar or urn, after which wind and clouds are summoned.)

Stirring Clouds

The master sits silently and moves the dark clouds of the Xun direction until they are thick and dense. When the master opens their eyes, clouds rise naturally. Then move both kidneys until they turn into a vast black sea, with waves rising. Use one exhalation of the lung qi, and the waves are carried down to the bottom of the sea, where a three-legged creature (possibly a three-legged turtle or a strange beast) appears, spitting black clouds. These clouds rise along the spine, connect to the Heavenly Gate, and pour out in a surge of darkness. Then use the cloud-gathering method.

Method for Covering the Sun

The master recites the Jade Emperor's Decree and uses divine light to write the sigil, combining it with the transformations of the wind and clouds. After reciting the Decree, the adept performs the same process on their own body: pressing the tongue to the palate... (This connects with the process described above for gathering clouds to cover the sun, using the tongue against the palate, the heart palace, the Florid Pool, the sun and moon sigils, and the red dragon stirring the water. Spraying the water causes instant darkness, obscuring the sunlight.)

Note: The original text contains many spells, taboo characters, hand gestures, and visualization steps. Some copied glyphs (such as "[garbled glyph]," "[garbled glyph]," and "[garbled glyph]") may be corrupted. This vernacular reading only clarifies the sentence meanings and the order of procedures. The exact characters, sigils, and counts should be checked against comparative editions and oral instruction. Technical terms such as Xun direction, Ancestral Qi, Florid Pool, Heavenly Gate, and Jade Emperor's Decree are glossed here according to their common Daoist meanings.

Fahai Yizhu: A Vernacular Interpretation

Write the names mentioned above on paper with ink, breathe once on the paper, and place it in a water basin. After reciting the incantation that follows, inhale one breath of Tiangang qi (the Celestial Gang qi, a term commonly used in Daoist thunder rites, Leifa), and spray it toward the basin.

The sun and moon will then immediately grow dim. Shaqi (killing qi, a kind of qi associated with slaughter and darkness) is still needed. Recite the Spell for Concealing the Three Lights:

Taiwei tongzi chi, che li suo he.
Om. Luo and Jidu, earthly lodges, seize and gather.
Om. Nie nie, hum hum, darkness and heavenly dusk, gather in.

Recitation need not be counted by repetitions. Visualize the names written above with the gaze to veil the sun and moon, and combine this with the xun method (spraying water into the air or onto a ritual implement while chanting). If the sunlight is only slightly dimmed, the Tuanyun method may be used. Otherwise, yin qi will struggle to approach yang qi.

Formula of the Gathering Clouds (Tuanyun Jue)

Fire of the fire-sky is fire; water of the water-basin is water.

First heat the water basin over a fire until it is extremely hot. Write the name of the Sun Lord with a black brush, and recite:

Om, [transliterated Sanskritic syllables], lì suō hē, yù zhēn lí.

After reciting, draw in the qi of sunlight, hold it within the body, and visualize the sun shining brightly in the mind. Then write the taboo name of the Moon Lord above the Sun Lord's name, and recite:

Om, [transliterated Sanskritic syllables], suō pó sà hē, jié hēng kǎn.

After reciting, draw the moonlight qi into the body so that it transforms into the moon. Next, combine the two names into one, called the "Jiayi name." Cover the basin with one layer, add the large Tuanyun talisman over it, and recite the Tuanyun spell while applying it. Then rub the palms together.

Formula of Rubbing the Palms (Mozhang Jue)

The master uses the sword mudra, a hand gesture shaped like a sword. On the palm of the right hand, write the character bi (meaning "complete"), and blow upon it while circulating the "worthy water" qi (a kind of water-virtue qi). Then write the character jiao (meaning "horn") on the palm of the left hand, and breathe upon it with heart-fire qi. Rub the two hands together until they grow hot as fire. Then dip them into the water basin, drink the water, and spray it toward the sky. Facing the sun, command the work with a shout. If this still does not take effect, use the Wind and Thunder Grasping spell.

Palm-Rubbing Spell:

Nie nie, hum hum! Great Spirit of Darkness, heaven spins and earth turns; the sun and moon lose their light. Luo and the earthly lodges, killing qi soars aloft. Heaven and earth grow dim, and east and west cannot be told apart. The three realms fall into chaos, misty qi rises, thunderbolts shake the earth, and wind and fire rush swiftly. Om. Wulun zha, wu tu zha, hei an zha, man tian hei an zha, ji ji ru lü ling (quickly, quickly, as the statute commands).

Grasping Wind and Thunder Spell:

Wind Earl come, Rain Master come, quick, quick, as the fire-command gathers! (Recite once per breath, or seven times.)

Thunder Gang (Lei Gang)

The right Gang begins its steps at the Gen (Mountain) position and passes through Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), and the earthly branches si, wu, shen, you, xu, and hai, where it halts. Then, starting from Qian (Heaven) and passing through Xun, visualize the gaze shooting forth lightning and the mouth exhaling black clouds, and command the wind and thunder.

(The original text also includes a large Tuanyun talisman whose form follows the original; it is omitted here.)

Explanatory Notes on the Fahai Yizhu (Pearls Left by the Sea of Dharma): A Modern Reading

(Yin, Shen, Si, Hai / Golden Well Ten Thousand Fathoms)

Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai are four of the twelve earthly branches (dizhi), used in thunder rites (leifa) to fix the Gang steps (gangbu) and summon the generals. "Golden Well Ten Thousand Fathoms" is a cryptic phrase in the talisman, usually taken to mean the thunder pool, an abyss, and the source of gang qi.

(By imperial decree, open the heavens and break the earth, command the thunder hosts; wind and thunder must arrive at once)

By the order of Heaven, open the heavens and break the earth, command the thunder troops, and let wind and thunder arrive immediately.

(Water and fire join together, quickly as ordered above / By the emperor's decree, circulate the golden light and ancestral qi inward)

Water and fire join together, quickly, as stated above. By the emperor's decree, circulate the golden light and ancestral qi inward.

(The thunder spirit of the East rises swiftly, the thunder spirit of the South rises swiftly)

The Thunder Spirit of the East rises swiftly. The Thunder Spirit of the South rises swiftly.

The Thunder Spirit of the West rises swiftly. The Thunder Spirit of the North rises swiftly.

The Thunder Spirit of the Center rises swiftly.

After the incantation is recited, anoint the talisman or altar with consecrated water.

Incantation (Chi Zhou)

The Supreme Emperor has granted this method and commands me to command the lightning and thunder. When the brush opens, the cloud qi arises; when the brush closes, the cloud qi gathers. The Five Sacred Peaks shake, the Four Seas overturn, and a dragon rises ten thousand li over the blue sea. The dark clouds shall not scatter, the wind shall not cease, the clouds shall fill the Eight Extremes and the four heavens, dense and thick, and they shall gather into heavy rain and become sweet rain. Quickly, swiftly, seize and gather.

Sanqing Jue (Formula for Dispersing Clouds)

Direct your gaze toward the Yuan Palace (the Dantian or the area of Niwan, depending on the lineage). In a dreamlike vision, see a glowing ▲ character within red-gold light, as large as a great orange. Gently straighten the spine, and with the intention of "lifting" (ti), raise the energy from the Jiaji (the middle of the back) upward to the crown gate (Baihui). Let golden light emerge from the Celestial Eye (between the eyebrows), and let it break through the black clouds.

Jianhong Jue (Formula for Dispelling the Rainbow)

Hold the Jade Seal gesture (yujue, a Daoist hand seal) in the left hand and the Sword gesture (jianjue) in the right. Circulate the breath to form the ▲ character, moving it from the Jiaji up to the Celestial Eye, and release it so that it rushes up toward the rainbow. Silently recite:

Tian Hong, Zhen Shen, Xi Zhen, Sai Ying, Li Nie, Mo Lie, Hu Nu, Yong Yin, Cou, Zheng, Yan, Jiao, Zhang, Meng, Fei, Lun (these are the names of the thunder spirits or their transliterated titles; the exact written forms vary between transmitted versions)

Divine might shakes and strikes, decree that the demonic rainbows be cut down, divine might throughout the three realms. Carry this out at once, quickly, as the statutes command.

After the incantation, blow gang qi (the qi obtained through pacing the Gang steps) onto the Sword gesture. During the Wei hour (1 to 3 p.m.), call forth the celestial generals and sever the demonic rainbow. Then blow the Xiantian qi (primordial qi) combined with the gang qi onto it.

Another Method

Whenever a rainbow (dishi) blocks or obstructs the rain, the master should prepare a five-colored thread fifteen inches long. Step the Thunder Bureau pattern with the left foot, pace the Killing-Strike Gang, and visualize the rainbow being drawn into the five-colored thread. The master summons the generals, paces the Thunder-Fire Gang, and wields a sword to cut it through. If this does not respond, take a single blade of grass, hold both ends with both hands, and bite it through with the mouth. This is usually effective.

Sihuang Heishui Talisman (Talisman of the Black Waters of the Four Seas)

(Sunlight, moonlight, stars and light / Thunder dwells in the lightning hall)

(The True King has decreed / to punish and root out your calamities)

(The Heavenly Emperor's command summons at once, to appear or hide / calling forth clouds and exhaling mist, thunder and rain in four directions)

(Flying sand and rolling stones / drum up the thunder)

Note: The ▲ in the text marks a talisman core or a taboo-character placeholder; transmitted editions may give a specific written form. The character for "lifting qi" (ti) in the source is a formula term for raising energy and is linked to the internal practice of straightening the spine and guiding energy from the Jiaji to the crown gate. Many of the thunder names and divine titles show numerous copying errors, so practitioners should follow the complete incantation as taught by their teacher, and should not revise it from a single manuscript.

An Interpretive Reading of the Fahai Yizhu (Pearls from the Ocean of Dharma)

I. Circulating the Rain (The Four Seas and Four Oceans)

Original sense: The Four Seas and Four Oceans turn at the command of fate, vast and boundless; swiftly, swiftly, as the statutes command (jí jí rú lǜ lìng).

This refers to using talismans (fú) and ritual to make mist and rain circulate among the Four Seas and Four Oceans, with great momentum, moving swiftly in accordance with the statutes.

II. The Black Ink Method

The practitioner mixes ink with egg white, writes a talisman, and submerges it in the ink. First, one blows breath toward the talisman (qiǎn chuī, "dispatch-blowing"). Next, one grinds ink with a bōsījiā (a grinding implement) while chanting the Thunder Scripture eighty-one times. The practitioner then washes the eight basins of water (the eight vessels holding water) with dense ink, and finally recites the Black Ink Incantation.

The Black Ink Incantation, in summary, reads: Heaven is black, earth is black, and the Yellow River is black. During the hours of Hai, Zi, and Chou, the mountains and rivers of ten thousand li are ink-black. During Yin, Mao, and Chen, wind, cloud, thunder, rain, and lightning strike swiftly downward. During Si, Wu, and Wei, the black dragon's ink is thick and lacquer-dark. During Shen and You, cloud, thunder, wind, and rain fill the long sky. Great Black Heavenly Deity, swiftly as the statutes command; the hours of Xu, Shen, and the others follow the same urgent command.

On completion, the practitioner visualizes the black-gold qi (hēi jīn zhī qì) of the kidneys, a concept from Daoist internal cultivation, and exhales it. When used regularly, the method is said to be immediately efficacious.

III. Halting the South Wind and Concealing the Sun: The Taiyi Black Talisman

The Taiyi Linked-Ring Talisman Incantation states that the linked-ring talisman is chiefly for study of the Dao, and that it incorporates the ā-chā (a Sanskrit incantation), the performance of the Five Thunders (wǔ léi), and the swift and fierce chìní statute. It reads: "May the Six Dings and Six Jias swiftly descend to assist me. By the decree of the August Heaven Jade Emperor, Supreme Lord, I summon the thunder deity Liu Shengguang to conceal the sun and raise clouds. Swift, swift."

The practice calls for taking a fresh brick, keeping it hidden from view, and burying it in the kùn position (southwest, or underground). The sunlight will then not appear, and the south wind will be halted.

The Halting the South Wind Incantation reads: "By the commanding decree over the mountain peaks, the wind ceases at the gèn corner (northeast). Should anyone dare not submit, I shall dispatch heavenly punishment. I respectfully summon Liu Bei to conceal the sunlight and halt the south wind for me, swiftly raising clouds."

For this practice, one forms the sword mudra (jiàn jué, a hand gesture shaped like a sword), burns the combined-qi talisman in a basin of water, faces the sun, and recites the incantation while spraying water, one spray per recitation, for seven repetitions in all.

IV. The Five Thunders Combined-Qi Talisman

The talisman commonly bears inscriptions of roughly this sense: Five Thunders, Thunder Lord, Four Sages, Wind Earl, Three Lights, Stars, and the Dipper, Two Dragons Stirring the Response, One True Primordial Sovereign, and "Liu Shengguang and Liu Bei, swiftly, swiftly, arrive at once."

The accompanying text reads: "Yang crystal and yin spirit, the Six Jias and Six Dings, the two qi of water and fire join together to form a fetal shape. Yang crystal and the true qi of fire-light, let the swift spirit enter my grasp without delay or stopping, urgently as the statutes command."

The Concealing the Sunlight Incantation reads: "Lock the Heavenly Gate, seal the Earth's door, retain the human gate, block the ghost path. Let the sun be without light and the moon darken of itself; let thunder and lightning arrive. Spread the Wind Earl; let the spirits and gods grieve and forms extinguish themselves. By the order of Kongtong, let the Six Dings gather and summon the Ding to arrive. Urgent, urgent, urgent."

V. The Thunder Crystal Talisman

The "fetal formation" (jié tāi) refers to the condensation of thunder qi and a fetal form within the talisman. It is the core step in performing the rite.

Glossary of Terms

The Four Seas and Four Oceans refer to the waters of the world, generally the vast aquatic realm. The phrase "urgently as the statutes command" is a closing formula for talismans, meaning that the command is to be carried out immediately in accordance with the statutes. The Six Dings and Six Jias are Daoist spirit generals who typically preside over rites and provide protection. Liu Shengguang and Liu Bei are thunder-department deities who, in this text, conceal the sun, raise clouds, and halt the wind. Kùn and gèn are trigram positions, the former usually southwest or underground, the latter northeast. The Five Thunders are either a set of thunder methods or a collective name for the thunder deities. The sword mudra is a secret hand gesture formed into the shape of a sword. The combined-qi talisman is a talisman that unites qi, thunder qi, and related forces into a single whole. The kidney black-gold qi is a qi in internal alchemy associated with the kidneys, water, and the color black. The Persian ga is an ink-grinding implement, or possibly a particular form of inkstone.

Note: The above is a ritual document of Daoist practices for ensuring fair weather, concealing the sun, halting wind, and summoning clouds. It combines talismans, incantations, directions, hours, and divine names. Modern readers should approach it as a religious and folk-cultural text and should not attempt to imitate the rites.

This passage describes the concrete operational procedures of Daoist Thunder Magic (a secret technique for summoning wind and rain), divided into three parts: talisman drawing, spirit refinement, and weather invocation.

When drawing the talisman (Fulu), one must swiftly inscribe the "True Sovereign's Taboo Name" (sacred appellation). While writing the character "桓" at the center of the talisman paper, practitioners must simultaneously exhale their Ancestral Qi (primordial vital energy) to fuse the incantation with divine forces. Next, at the "雷" (thunder) character in the talisman's lower section, nine special symbols are written in overlapping strokes while silently reciting the Nine Heavens' names nine times. After completing the drawing, swallow saliva and inscribe the character "朒" over the "雷". During this process, visualize heart-fire descending and kidney-water rising, imagining black energy from the sea enveloping red energy to form the "朒" character amidst churning dark clouds. Conclude by reciting the spell nine more times while visualizing overcast skies and torrential rain. If the effect is insufficient, repeat the talisman-drawing procedure.

The method for refining spirit (Shen) involves nightly meditation with regulated breathing and closed eyes in stillness. Through teeth-clicking, guide inner divine light to illuminate internally, allowing Yin and Yang energies to naturally intermingle. At this stage, a golden "𡅗" character will manifest within the body, accompanied by warmth in the heart-abdomen region and golden light coalescing like an elixir. When Thunder Department emissaries (deities governing lightning) appear during deep meditation, focus completely to merge with them—this attained state can be employed for ritual efficacy but must remain strictly confidential.

For weather invocation, if clouds and rain fail to manifest, visualize heart-fire and kidney-water intersecting, with violet-gold light bursting between the eyebrows. Silently recite the character "矿" while holding breath to spray water. The "Eight-Character Secret Incantation for Drawing Heavenly River Water" may supplement this to accelerate rainfall. The entire process emphasizes the "marvelous application of inversion"—using internal water-fire interaction to trigger meteorological transformations.

Note: The ▲ symbol represents esoteric talismanic characters. Due to the profound mystery of Daoist methods, certain contents remain preserved in cryptic language.

Commentary on the Fahai Yiзhu: Paragraph Explanations

Visualizing the Stars and Drawing Talismans

First, visualize in the mind the sixth star of the Southern Dipper (nan dou). Beside the mark "▲," a small star emits golden light. Next, visualize that beneath the mouth of the Dipper, the white qi within the body is chaotic and undifferentiated, and that it rises to join the golden light of the Celestial River (tian he). The golden light breaks through the white qi, and an envoy appears. Then circulate the "Caoxi water," meaning the inner qi rising from the weilu (the tailbone) through Kunlun (the crown of the head), then reversing course back up to the Celestial River. Spit this qi in one breath into the talisman, then sweep the brush twice across the paper to lift the qi.

Secret Characters and Incantation Formulas

The original gives oral secret incantations whose characters are heavily corrupted. Their general sense is that they summon the names of the Five Directional Thunder Envoys, the Five Qi, the Spirit Tortoise, and similar powers, and they close with formulas such as jí jí rú lǜ lìng ("swiftly, swiftly, as the statute commands").

Uses of the "Neng" Talisman

These talismans are often paired with images of the Five Qi, the Spirit Tortoise, and the subduing of drought demons (han ba) and rebellious ghosts. They also include visualizations of the Five Directional Thunder Envoys, thunderbolts and golden light, and the star positions of chen and xu. Summoning lines such as "Tianhuang Jiaye pilì shè" ("Celestial Emperor Jiaye, thunderbolt, gather") appear among them. The talisman ends with: "All the gods bow their heads, the evil demons return to righteousness, and whoever dares to disobey shall be reduced to dust. Swiftly, swiftly, as the statute commands."

The "Nine-Tailed Neng"

Visualize nine tails distributed across the nine regions, breathing out black qi and writing the garbled graph described above. When performing this method, combine the qi of Taiyin (the yin essence of the moon) with the "worthy qi" and draw them into the talisman. This can summon clouds, bring rain, and darken the sun. The talisman may be written in black ink on red paper, or in chicken blood on black paper.

Incantation (Summary)

The essence of the north, the Ren and Gui water-phases, and the great fire-bell of the south: roaring like thunder, breathing out clouds and rain; turning the wind to condense water and fire, with thunderbolts arising from the palm. It can shake the pillars of Kunlun, overturn the sources of the rivers, and shatter mountains, making a hundred streams fall as rain like cords, gathering into a steady downpour. Do not disobey my command: report it upward to the Four Spirits. Should anyone defy the command, it is as if they defied the Celestial Sovereign on high: may their body be destroyed and wind-blades cut their form. Swiftly, swiftly, as the Purple Tenuity Great Emperor decrees.

While chanting, visualize the Five Directional Thunder Envoys descending the Five Qi into the talisman, then blow on it. Also visualize the Shelling Commanders of the nine regions and the Thunder Spirits assisting the thunder generals, treading the "neng" graph and departing. Then floods, great winds, water-storms, clouds and thunder, and lightning with rain all arise at once.

The Alternate Method (Another Formula)

First form the hand seal called you wen. Visualize that in the western direction of Taiyin there is a graph read as ne, shining like the full moon of the fifteenth night. Draw this golden qi and the moonlight into the body, and combine these steps with the Five Directional Thunder Envoys, the Five Qi drawn into the talisman, and breathing onto it. Together these complete the rain method.

Note

This passage is a practical text on Thunder Rites (leifa), the Southern Dipper, and talisman-writing with incantation. Terms such as the "Celestial River," "Kunlun," and "Caoxi water" are mostly metaphors for the rising and falling of inner qi, correlated with heavenly phenomena. "Shelling" and "Five Thunder Envoys" are names of the thunder-ministry generals. The characters in the talismans and incantations are mixed with garbled readings, and the original is unreliable as a manual. Actual practice depends on oral transmission from a teacher and should not be attempted from the text alone.

Fabao Yizhu, Scroll Seven: Vernacular Commentary

Scripture

The flow of the lung channel is swallowed down to the Xianfu (xiánfǔ, "Worthy Mansion"), where it mingles with the graph ni and surges up to strike the heart fire.

Again, empty-write the three graphs Mo-▲-Xing in the air. Draw breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, swallow it down into the heart channel, and let it surge and churn outward until it blots out the sun and brings down rain. Visualize it entering the Neng talisman (néngfú), and when the Neng talisman is burned, let the same operation take place.

Another Method

(Hengtianbo / Wenchi) (Zhuanyunhan / Chenlü) (Zhenleiyuan / Boling)

Visualize the talisman as three-legged. The Neng talisman then stirs waves in the Li Palace (Lí gōng), churns the sea, raises swells, and summons thunder to bring rain.

Incantation:

Thunder rages with heaven's might. It cleaves the Celestial Pool and the Dark Gate. Great are the two luminaries and the six ceremonial stems. Clouds move and rain falls; lightning flashes and wind races. Suo, zha, hong, zha, [a rare syllable], zha, li, zha. Once it arrives at its true station, none may defy the true. Jí jí rú lǜ lìng! (Swift, swift, as the statute commands!)

Tiantu Yanfang, the azure toad and the purple crow: water above, fire below, mingling and drenching. Thunder and lightning follow the summons; wind and rain answer the call. Yakshas strike the stones, and the nine lands flourish. Axiang rides the swift steed, raising thunder and bringing rain. Chī hong suo zha li. Jí jí rú lǜ lìng!

Jade Decree Talisman

Incantation:

The Supreme Emperor's jade decree descends: to the thunder spirits and all the gods of the storm, act with urgency. Drive the thunder and lightning, spread wind and cloud widely, and bestow sweet rain (or sweep away the gloom), to bring great relief to all living things. The jade decree is swift; carry it out at once. Jí jí rú Yùhuáng Shàngdì yù chì lǜ lìng! (Swift, swift, as the Jade Emperor's jade decree statute commands!)

Right: The Jade Emperor's Formula

Write it in vermilion on an iron leaf and sink it in a water jar. Alternatively, write it in vermilion on yellow paper and burn it facing the sky; the thunder spirits will all obey. This talisman is the Supreme Emperor's decree. When it is burned together with the order talisman, the decree and the order take effect.

Interpretation

Cultivation by Visualization

The first step concerns the lung channel and the heart fire. Qi is drawn down from the lung channel to the Xianfu, which the commentary identifies as either the dantian or a specific acupoint. There it is mixed with the graph ni, a talismanic character understood as representing a certain energy or spirit general, and then surges upward to the heart fire.

The second step involves the three empty-written graphs, Mo-▲-Xing, where ▲ is a talismanic sign. The practitioner breathes in through the nose and out through the mouth, and the qi sinks into the heart channel and is stirred into circulation. The practitioner visualizes clouds boiling and blotting out the sky, followed by rain. Intention is held within the Neng talisman, and the same visualization accompanies its burning.

Summoning Thunder and Bringing Rain

The talisman structure names three figures: Hengtianbo, a thunder deity, who receives the wenchi (gentle command); Zhuanyunhan, the official Chenlü; and Zhenleiyuan, who issues the Boling (elder's command). The practitioner visualizes the talisman as three-legged, possibly a three-legged golden crow or a thunder beast, and imagines it drumming in the Li Palace, which corresponds to the trigram Li, the element fire, and the south or the heart. The waves and sea imagery signal the summoning of storms.

The first incantation says that thunder, having cleaved the Celestial Gate (the "Dark Gate" of the Celestial Pool), brings the sun, moon, and the six ceremonial stems, and that clouds, rain, lightning, and wind all arrive. The mantra syllables are meant to compel obedience. The second incantation names the azure toad, understood as the moon, and the purple crow, understood as the sun. Water above and fire below signify the union of opposites needed for rain. Axiang, a thunder maiden, rides a swift steed to raise the thunder, and the nine lands are said to be nourished.

The Jade Decree Talisman

The jade decree invokes the Jade Emperor's authority over the thunder deities. It orders them to act swiftly, to drive the lightning, to spread wind and cloud, and to send rain or clear away gloom, so that all living beings are relieved. The closing formula equates the decree with the statutes of the Jade Emperor, which carry the highest authority.

Using the Jade Emperor's Formula

There are two methods. In the first, the talisman is written in vermilion on an iron sheet and submerged in water. In the second, it is written in vermilion on yellow paper and burned in the open air. Both are said to summon the thunder spirits without fail. The commentary explains that this talisman is the Supreme Emperor's decree, and when it is burned with an order talisman, the decree and command are both carried out.

Background

This passage belongs to the thunder rites (leifǎ) of Daoist ritual, which concern summoning thunder and rain. Its main concerns are:

1. Internal practice: regulating breath, visualization, and talismanic recitation to circulate qi internally.

2. External rites: using talismans, incantations, and the burning of paper to petition for rain and to aid the world.

3. Divine nomenclature: the thunder pantheon named here, including Hengtianbo, Axiang, and the yakshas.

4. The Jade Decree talisman: an order issued in the name of the Jade Emperor, carrying the highest authority.

In the Fahai Yizhu, material like this falls within the practical rites section, intended as a reference for Daoist priests in cultivation and ritual performance.