《道法會元》Vol. 112

This scripture documents a Taoist thunder ritual (lightning summoning technique) called the "Imperial Command Jewel Pearl Five Thunder Invocation Great Method." The main content outlines various secret commands and incantations for summoning thunder deities:

First, it lists the names of fifteen thunder department generals, including Celestial Lord Deng, Celestial Lord Xin, Envoy Zhang, and others. Each general commands five thunder types, totaling fifteen thunder commands. It then details three primary thunder-summoning talismans:

The Jewel Pearl Trigram Qi Imperial Command contains decrees from the Three Pure Ones (Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure), using seven special characters to represent exalted deities including the Jade Emperor, South Pole, North Pole, Houtu (Earth Deity), and Celestial Father.

The Nine Celestials Command employs nine unique characters to summon nine high-ranking perfected beings, including the True King, Azure Splendor, Nine Heavens, Thunder Ancestor, Jade Green, Cavern Abyss, and Six Waves. The Nine Offices Command uses nine characters to invoke thunder department officials like the Judgment Bureau, Palace Attendant, and Vice Director.

Subsequently, it lists talismanic commands for summoning the Five Directional Thunder Gods, Three Marshals (thunder department commanders), Eleven Luminaries (sun, moon, and stars), Four Saints (guardian deities), and Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (constellation spirits). Notably, the Twenty-Eight Mansions Command specifies its use for "gathering or halting rainfall."

The text concludes with seasonal thunder-summoning techniques: spring thunder rituals begin by writing the "turtle dove" character combined with the Great Strength trigram. Specific practices require drawing talismans according to the day's heavenly stems and earthly branches, with three characters forming a single command. All talismans must follow prescribed formats while stating specific petitions.

These secret commands contain specialized Taoist thunder method symbols—each character corresponds to specific deities and powers. The complete ritual system demonstrates how Taoist thunder techniques employ talismanic incantations to coordinate thunder generals in joint ritual operations.

This scripture records the incantations and ritual procedures used in Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa), a practice for summoning wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. The content is divided into several key sections:

The first part explains how to summon spring thunder from the east. The practitioner must perform ceremonial bows (shangzhang baibiao) facing three directions while positioning themselves with their back to the Zhen trigram (the Bagua symbol representing thunder). It mentions three patriarchs of the tradition: Zhang Daoling (founder of Daoism), Ge Xuan, and Xu Xun, who are crucial lineage holders of Thunder Magic.

Next comes weather control techniques that can both summon and halt storms, as well as regulate sunshine, rain, snow, and water. The text introduces the "Five Thunder Command" (Wulei ling), a ritual implement used by Daoists to summon thunder, which has dual applications based on Yin-Yang principles:

On Yang days (odd-numbered dates), five sets of talismanic characters are used - Han, Hui, Chu, Tu, etc. - coordinated with the Qi (energy) of the Five Phases' trigrams. On Yin days (even-numbered dates), five different character sets are employed: Zhi, Mo, Jiu, (untranslatable rare character), Lu.

The scripture then details various thunder department (Leibu) commands used by the celestial bureaucracy governing thunderstorms:

The Ten Heavenly Stems Commands: Each stem (Jia to Gui) has specific talismanic characters (e.g., Jia uses "Bo," Yi uses "Si"). Yang stems employ the "Thunder in Heaven - Great Strength" hexagram, while Yin stems use the "Thunder over Water - Liberation" hexagram.

The Twelve Earthly Branches Commands: Each branch (Zi to Hai) also has designated characters (e.g., Zi uses "Tang," Chou uses "Hun"), similarly divided by Yin-Yang attributes with corresponding hexagram usage.

Finally, there are rules for selecting auspicious years, months, days, and hours. Specific characters represent time units - Nian (幙 "curtain") for year, Yue (愅) for month, Ri (帖 "label") for day, and Shi (幡 "banner") for hour - all coordinated with the Yin-Yang nature of the heavenly stems. The text includes mnemonic verses for stem-branch calculations, such as "Jia and Ji return to birth at Jia," meaning days of Jia or Ji begin their hourly cycle at Jiazi.

These talismanic combinations with trigrams form the core of Daoist Thunder Magic, where priests skillfully orchestrate these elements to perform weather-controlling rituals.

Before conducting prayer rituals at specific dates and times, one must first select the appropriate hour. After determining the hour, consult the corresponding Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches (ancient timekeeping symbols) using the method described earlier. Select suitable Stem-Branch combinations and annotate them in vermilion ink on the dispatch document (Daoist liturgical text). Write the time-bound invocation in black ink on yellow paper, affix this line of characters properly, then add the complete year-month-day-hour information above the command document (talismanic decree). All other procedures should follow this same workflow.

The Five Phase correspondences of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches:

Jia/Yi/Yin/Mao belong to Wood; Bing/Ding/Si/Wu belong to Fire; Geng/Xin/Shen/You belong to Metal; Ren/Gui/Hai/Zi belong to Water; Wu/Ji/Chen/Xu/Chou/Wei belong to Earth.

For edicts summoning wind, clouds, thunder, rain, and lightning, the master command must bear these annotations:

The character "bo" (钵) is added above the character for "cloud" (云), while "he" (喝) is used with the character for "rain" (雨). Both symbols must appear on the decree summoning atmospheric phenomena.

Methods for invoking deities:

When dispatching spirit generals or employing talismanic incantations, one may directly invoke the "Minister of Venomous Power" (a thunder department deity) without needing special dispatch protocols. During invocation, practitioners should visualize the celestial warrior's form: golden crown atop his head, complete golden armor, astride a fire dragon, holding jade scripture in his left hand while forming the Chou mudra (hand seal) with his right, or alternatively bearing the Thunder Ministry's celestial seal.

The specific invocation roster includes:

1. Great Deity of Venomous Power

2. Thunder Gods

3. Five Directional Commander Generals

4. Five Directional Thunder Deities

5. Three Thunder Marshals (triad of thunder department commanders)

6. Thunder Duke, Lightning Mother, Wind Earl, and Rain Master (each marked with specific symbols)

7. Ji and Bi constellation deities (from the twenty-eight lunar mansions)

8. Thunder Department generals: Jade Pivot Court Envoy Primordial Lord, Red Heaven Law Master, Jade Talisman Primordial Destiny Left Lord, Yellow-Robed Emissary, Duty-Day Thunder God, Cloud-Rushing Messenger, Shaoyang General, Shaoyang Thunder Lord, Fire Chariot General, Celestial Thunder Radiance General, etc.

Note: The "□" symbols indicate damaged or illegible characters in the original text. These invocation rituals require coordinated use of specific talismanic decrees, hand seals, and visualization techniques.

This scripture records the incantations used in Daoist Thunder Magic (a ritual practice invoking thunder deities through talismans and spells) to summon various divine generals. The deities can be categorized into several groups:

First are the thunder department deities, including different ranks of thunder gods such as the Eight Trigrams Thunder Gods and Nine Palaces Thunder Gods, along with the "Nine Heavens Whirlwind Thunder Envoy" who specifically governs wind and thunder. There are also three "Gang Generals" (Daoist deities under the Northern Dipper Star Lord) named Qi Gang, Jian Gang, and Fa Gang.

Next are the deities of the Five Sacred Mountains system, such as the "Mountain Command" used to summon the Five Mountain Lords, which can substitute for the Cloud-Covered Altar ritual during city god ceremonies. The "River Commander" specifically invokes water palace generals.

Particularly noteworthy are several distinctive thunder department deities: "Azure-Tusked Thunder Immortal" is a key transcendent being in the thunder pantheon; "Iron-Faced Fire Chariot God" is renowned for his awe-inspiring appearance; "Black-Faced Shentu" and "Black-Faced Yulei" serve as left and right guardian generals; while the "Thunderbolt Ghost-Dragging Envoy" specializes in capturing malevolent spirits.

Following these are the four great marshals of the celestial court system: the officers and officials from the Tianpeng, Tianyou, Yisheng, and Yousheng departments. Lastly are water department deities, including "Rain Master Primordial Lord" who governs rainfall, "Azure Water Envoy" responsible for water realms, and "Boiling Sea Great God" capable of stirring massive waves.

In practical application, Daoist priests select specific generals to summon based on ritual needs. For rain prayers, they primarily invoke rain department deities, while exorcisms emphasize thunder department's punitive generals. Each deity possesses distinct functions and specific invocation methods.

This scripture records the roster of divine generals summoned in Daoist rituals, primarily categorized into four groups: Water Department, Fire Department, Snow Department, and Exorcism/Healing deities.

Among the Water Department deities are mentioned various spirits governing rivers, lakes, and seas, such as Lord Fengyi of the Water Palaces (water deity), Lord Xuanming (deity of waves), the Great Gods of Five Lakes, Dragon Kings of Four Seas, and Lords of Nine Rivers. These deities administer different water domains—for instance, the Duke of Kunlun River Sources oversees the Yellow River's headwaters, while the Envoy of Penglai Waters manages the aquatic realms around Penglai's immortal isles, and the Great Gods of Four Oceans command all seas.

The Fire Department includes multiple fire deities and military commanders, such as the Fire Virtue Star Lord of the South (southern fire deity), Lord Zhurong (legendary fire god), and Lord Huilu (fire department general). There are also specialized deities governing different fire implements like fire bells, fire scriptures, and flying flames, exemplified by General Fire Bell and the Great Immortal of Fire Scripture Golden Texts.

Snow Department deities feature Master Auspicious Snow and Jade Spirit Envoy who oversee snowfall, along with generals like Jade Maiden Scattering Blossoms (snow-sprinkling fairy) and Chief Snow General who manage various snow-related duties.

Finally, the exorcism and healing pantheon includes figures like Purple Court Perfected Being (healing adept), Nine Heavens Ghost-Capturing General (specialized spirit catcher), and Golden Blade Merit Officer (golden-blade wielding divine official). Messengers like Yang and Geng from the Dipper Constellation serve as divine agents executing exorcism tasks. Each deity performs distinct functions, collectively assisting Daoist priests in rituals for rainmaking, drought relief, snowfall induction, and healing ceremonies.

This scripture records several important incantations and ritual procedures from Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa). It primarily contains four key aspects:

First are the summoning chants for various divine generals, including the Zhuan Emissary of the Dipper (a celestial commander under the Northern Dipper Star Lord), the Magistrate of Fengdu (officials of the underworld bureaucracy), the Ninefold Earthly True Sovereigns (immortals governing terrestrial realms), and the Five Thunder Demon Illuminators (thunder department generals). These divine beings are respectively responsible for subduing evil entities, stabilizing the land, and dispelling malignant energies.

Next, it details methods for invoking thunder deities associated with the four temporal dimensions of year, month, day, and hour. These thunder gods are commanded by the "Great Minister of Venom," while others fall under the jurisdiction of the Thunder Duke Celestial Marshal. The ritual requires harmonizing the Qi (vital energy) from the northeast direction with kidney Qi (kidney essence), performed through specific breathing techniques and hand seals (sword mudra). Specific operations include: facing the sun, pressing the tongue against the palate, inhaling and sinking breath into the Dantian (energy center), tracing talismanic symbols in the air with sword fingers or writing them with the tongue on the palate, while visualizing a scene of heaven and earth darkening.

Subsequently, it records the incantation for the "Solar Eclipse" technique: "Rahu the Earthly Constellator sends malignant Qi flying through the void, swiftly obscure the sun's radiance for me, take immediate effect." If the first attempt fails, the operation must be repeated three times. It also lists the corresponding thunder talismans for the eight seasonal nodes (Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, Winter Solstice, etc.).

The conclusion presents the "Commanding Chant of Thirty-Six Thunders," a lengthy enumeration of thunder department deities including: Fierce and Mighty Dingxin, Icy Wheel and Frost Bowl, Great Unity Primordial Lord, Celestial Thunder Wind Leader, Crackling Thunder Sovereign, and thirty-six thunder gods in total. The chant concludes with "By urgent decree of the Jade Clarity True King of Divine Empyrean, Supreme Thunder Ancestor Great Emperor," indicating the summoning of thunder generals under the command of the highest thunder deity. These titles reflect the complex divine hierarchy and formidable thunder power within the Daoist Thunder Magic system.

This scripture records several methods of Daoist ritual practice, primarily concerning the summoning of deities and the ceremonial procedures for Thunder Magic (Leifa).

The text first explains that if a ritual fails to produce results, one may face the direction of the Year Spirit (Taisui) and recite incantations while nailing talismans toward the baleful Qi (Shaqi) direction for immediate effect. It then documents a 72-character "Incantation of the Seventy-Two Climatic Periods" (Qishier Hou Du Zong Zhou), a secret mantra used to enhance spiritual power.

When performing the ritual, the practitioner must maintain an indignant state of mind while holding a water bowl. Using the tip of the tongue, one draws invisible talismans on the water's surface before exhaling forcefully into the air. The water is then sprayed out and the bowl immediately shattered to amplify the Thunder Magic's potency.

The second section details methods for summoning underworld deities (Disi). It mentions Marshal Yin (Yin Yuanshuai), a fierce underworld general depicted as a red-faced Daoist priest wearing yellow robes. Summoning requires forming the "Central Seal" (Zhongjue) hand mudra to mobilize the Central Yellow Qi (Zhonghuang Zhi Qi) and spleen energy, combined with the "Ox Seal" (Choujue) mudra for drawing invisible talismans.

The specific procedure involves visualizing the Kun trigram (one of the Eight Trigrams/Bagua) while silently reciting a seven-character secret mantra "Om Hum Qing Jie Zhuan Ni She" seven times in a single breath. The practitioner must also use the tongue tip to trace the characters for "Earth Emperor's Command" (Tuhuang Ling) to summon the deity.

Finally, the text enumerates various applications of these rituals: summoning thunder (Qilei), protecting households (Zhenzhai), resolving disputes (Sanshi), dispelling plagues (Qianwen), and conducting earthworks (Qitu) – all representing common scenarios for Daoist ritual practice. These methods are compiled in Volume 112 of the Comprehensive Essentials of Daoist Rituals (Daofa Huiyuan).