《道法會元》Vol. 13

This scripture documents several types of Daoist talismans (fulu, sacred symbolic writings imbued with spiritual power) along with their application methods and accompanying incantations. Practitioners must first enter a purified chamber (jing), burn incense, sit upright, perform tooth-knocking (lightly tapping upper and lower teeth together), and recite the Three Purification Chants to cleanse body and mind. After achieving mental stillness, they focus their intention on the dantian (the central energy field). Upon reaching deep tranquility, they guide the divine light (shenguang, cultivated spiritual energy) upward from the ancestral palace (dantian) to the space between the eyebrows, then channel it through the celestial eye (third eye) into the brush tip for talisman inscription.

Five primary talismans are recorded:

1. Purification Talisman (Danghui Fu): Used to cleanse altars and dispel defilements. Inscription requires reciting the phrase "Your servant [name] respectfully executes this by divine decree" to signify acting under celestial authority.

2. Incense Communication Talisman (Xinxiang Fu): Facilitates divine communication through incense offerings. Practitioners form the Jade Seal hand mudra with the left hand and the Noon Seal mudra with the right hand placed on the hip, chanting "Ge jue dan wu" seven times before stepping back three paces and performing the Midnight Seal mudra with star-stepping (gang, ritual footsteps).

3. Divine Passage Gang (Tongshen Gang): A star-stepping incantation sequence. The chant "Heaven opens, earth splits—divine penetration pierces the springs" activates the ritual steps, followed by forming the Tiger-Noon-Monkey-Rat mudra with the left hand and the Sword mudra with the right hand on the hip while reciting Bagua (Eight Trigrams) directional invocations.

4. Marshal Summoning Talisman (Zhaojiang Fu): Calls celestial soldiers and divine generals. Different tiers of emissaries may be summoned—upper, middle, and lower realm direct mandate envoys, along with the four temporal duty officers (gongcao, heavenly administrators) of the year, month, day, and hour.

5. Gang-Step Chant: Phrases like "Qian yuan heng li zhen" (The Creative: origin, penetration, advantage, perseverance) coordinate with specific footwork—advancing with the left foot while pivoting the right—symbolizing communion between celestial and terrestrial energies.

Each talisman application requires declaring "Your servant [name] respectfully executes this summons by decree" to affirm divine authorization. These talismans are primarily employed in Daoist purification rituals (zhaijiao) and liturgical ceremonies (keyi), serving to communicate with deities, sanctify sacred spaces, and invoke protective powers.

This scripture records the various types of talismanic documents (fulu) used in Daoist purification rituals (zhaijiao) and liturgical ceremonies (keyi). These talismans are primarily employed for summoning deities, purifying ritual spaces, and initiating ceremonial proceedings.

The phrase "May the Duty Officer swiftly descend" constitutes a talisman for summoning the celestial Duty Officer (gongcao) - the heavenly messenger - where the Daoist priest refers to themselves as "your servant [name]" to indicate they are acting upon divine mandate. The "Earth Deity Talisman" summons local earth gods, while the "General Dispatch Talisman" is used to command celestial soldiers and divine generals. The particularly special "Heaven-Opening Talisman" demonstrates its ability to traverse the Three Realms unimpeded, with all deities providing protection until reaching the Heavenly Gate.

Other functional talismans include: the "Fire Passage Talisman" for fire rituals, the "Stellar Palace Opening Talisman" to activate astral energies, the "Netherworld Opening Talisman" connecting to the underworld, the "Water Palace Opening Talisman" linking to aquatic realms, and the "Thunder Palace Opening Talisman" mobilizing the Thunder Ministry's power. "May the Nine Phoenixes' Defiler-Destroying Official Swiftly Descend" summons a specific deity specialized in eliminating impurities.

The "Pacing the Dipper Talisman" series is used for the sacred star-stepping practice (bugang), divided into three progressive levels: deity assembly, divine communion, and celestial audience. The "Altar Purification Talisman" cleanses the ritual platform, while the "Portal Entry Talisman" has three variants for morning, noon and evening use - carried by Duty Officers to open ceremonial pathways.

Each talisman concludes with the formula "Your servant [name] receives the command to implement," emphasizing the priest's role as executor of celestial decrees. These standardized talismanic formats embody the core Daoist ritual concept of "communicating with deities through talismans," using specific document structures to facilitate divine interaction.

This scripture records a series of talismans (fulu) and corresponding incantations used in Daoist purification rituals (zhaijiao). These protective talismans are categorized according to the five directions—eastern, southern, western, northern, and central—serving to guard the altar in each orientation. Each talisman begins with the phrase "Your subject [name] receives the imperial decree to protect the numinous," indicating the priest's humble self-identification as a subject carrying out divine guardianship under celestial mandate.

The ritual incorporates various talismans with distinct functions: The Incense Offering Talisman is used for presenting incense to invoke deities; the Hearth Activation Talisman facilitates communication with divine spirits; the Demon Commanding Talisman directs demon kings to enact good and eliminate evil; the Repentance Talisman expresses remorse for transgressions; and the Official Dispatch Talisman summons the Three Primordial Sovereigns (referring to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water) along with their subordinate celestial officials to descend.

The Document Sealing Talisman secures memorials to the gods, while the Audience Petition Talisman presents petitions. The Courier Dispatch Talisman sends divine generals to deliver memorials, and the Divine Presence Talisman visualizes the descent of deities. The Official Return Talisman concludes the ritual by escorting celestial officials back, the Hearth Restoration Talisman marks the ceremony's end, and the Altar Closure Talisman formally seals the sacred space.

These talismans follow a standardized format where priests humbly refer to themselves as "your subject" and use "receives the decree" to signify their authority from heaven, reflecting the sacred principle of celestial-human resonance in Daoist liturgy. The complete sequence demonstrates the structured phases of Daoist rituals—inviting deities, submitting petitions, dispatching divine envoys, and bidding farewell to the spirits—embodying the holistic framework of ceremonial practice.

This scripture records several types of talismanic registers (fulu, Daoist ritual documents used for communicating with deities and exorcising evil) employed in Daoist ceremonies, along with their usage protocols.

The Noon Exit Talisman and Evening Exit Talisman are two similar fulu used for closing the ritual altar at ceremony's end. After completing the rites, the Daoist priest recites the incantation "With matters concluded, we humbly request the sealing of the yellow chamber," while declaring "This minister [name] receives the decree to exit," signifying their authorized departure from the altar by divine mandate.

The Master Gratitude Talisman serves as a ritual implement for thanking ancestral masters. Used during incense offerings and ceremonial bows, it bears the inscription "Golden Script" and is divided into upper, middle, and lower sections.

The Document Envelope Talisman adorns the outer seal of ritual correspondence, written on square paper. The Heaven-Opening Talisman and Altar-Pacifying Twin Talismans are altar-specific fulu typically inscribed on wooden tablets, containing invocations to martial deities such as "Thunderous Windstorm General Changyang" and "Thunderfire Command General Hanyin."

The Demon-Subduing Mandate contains five directional authentic texts (east, south, west, north, center) for pacifying celestial realms, each with distinct names and attributes:

• East: Ether of Brahma's Radiance
• South: Ether of Brahma's Blossom
• West: Ether of Brahma's Flower
• North: Ether of Brahma's Primordiality
• Center: Ether of Brahma's Treasure

These five directional authentic texts originate from the Scripture of Five Pacifications for Revitalizing the Corpse, which details the ceremonial application of the Eastern Heaven's natural jade characters - the Green Emperor's Nine Qi celestial script. During zhaijiao (Daoist purification rituals), priests compose documents in specific formats recording date, location, and purpose while seeking divine protection. Each document concludes with "Submitted by minister [name] for execution," identifying the presiding priest.

The other directional texts follow similar formats with adjusted central phrases according to their orientation. The central authentic text bears the special designation "Supreme Numinous Treasure Central Great Canopy Heaven's Natural Jade Characters - Yellow Emperor's Single Qi Celestial Script."

These talismans and documents hold vital positions in Daoist zhaijiao rituals, serving to commune with deities, safeguard altars, exorcise malevolent forces, and invoke blessings.