《道法會元》Vol. 165

This scripture describes the ritual practice of the "Great Method of Tianpeng Subduing Demons" from the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition, a major Daoist school. The adept visualizes entering sacred realms to pay homage to the Northern Emperor (Beiji Ziwei Dadi, a principal Daoist deity).

The practitioner first transforms their form and ascends by treading upon the Big Dipper (a key constellation in Daoism). Flying northwest for several li, they encounter auspicious clouds and radiant Qi permeating the atmosphere. Continuing forward reveals a golden abyss, jade-green flowing waters, and a five-colored immortal bridge. In the distance, towering jade mountains emerge, where the Northern Emperor's palace shimmers amidst boundless radiance.

After crossing the bridge, celestial attendants (Tongshi Sheren) and protocol officers (Banzhi Shi) arrive to guide the way. Before the palace throne glowing with golden light, two envoys lead the adept to kneel before the imperial desk. They petition Marshal Tianpeng (a Daoist guardian deity) regarding their purpose. Upon receiving the Northern Emperor's decree, Marshal Tianpeng bestows a golden command plaque (sacred talisman).

With this divine mandate, the practitioner returns along the Dipper's path to the ritual altar. Performing the Dipper Mudra (a specialized hand seal) while reciting the incantation: "Om Hong Hong Chi Chi Mo Lun," they coordinate steps with the Zi-Wu directional alignment. This mantra mobilizes the Northern Emperor's majestic power specifically for eliminating tomb specters and resolving underworld litigation.

Next, the character "Northern Emperor" is inscribed on a talisman while chanting an anointing spell. The verses extol the deity's virtues: The Northern Emperor governs all realms, attends the Jade Emperor (supreme Daoist divinity) in court, leads the host of perfected immortals, and embodies the source of ten thousand Daoist paths. Wielding the Seven-Star Sword, guarded by the Four Symbols (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise), he commands the Five Directional Divine Mansions and oversees hundreds of deities. Mountains, rivers and waterways obey his directives—capable of shaking seas and mountains while comprehending heaven-earth mysteries.

The spell concludes with "Urgently, urgently, according to Marshal Tianpeng's divine decree" to signify immediate efficacy. After drawing the talisman, the Tianpeng mantra is recited five, seven, or nine times (numbers holding special potency in Daoism). This integrated ritual employs visualization, incantations, and talismans to harness the Northern Emperor and Marshal Tianpeng's divine power for exorcism and demon subjugation.

This describes an exorcism ritual from the Daoist Northern Emperor tradition (a sect venerating the Great Emperor of the North Star, Ziwei), which primarily harnesses the power of Marshal Tianpeng (a guardian deity in Daoism) to pacify disturbances caused by restless spirits and grave-related misfortunes.

The specific method involves writing secret talismanic characters with cinnabar on yellow paper, while visualizing Marshal Tianpeng descending with his thirty-six divine generals into the talisman. The incantation consists of several parts:

First is the invocation section, where the practitioner declares the mandate of the Great Emperor of the North Star and Marshal Tianpeng to summon the assistance of the High Immortal of Purple Heaven (a senior celestial official) who governs souls and protects life. The ritual master claims to possess authentic transmission of the Daoist methods, praying for longevity, ascension to immortality, while seeking to pacify graves and resolve spirit litigation.

Next comes the exorcism portion, proclaiming the Northern Emperor's power to subdue demonic entities, reprimand ghosts, and capture their vital essence (Qi). It mentions that the Jade Capital (the highest Daoist celestial realm) will punish those who defy orthodox teachings, and that the Northern Emperor commands thirty-two celestial emperors to expel pestilence and evil energies.

Practical application: For healing rituals, burn the talisman before the sickbed; for grave-related issues, burn it at the tomb site. Afterwards, prepare offerings of rice porridge by the roadside. In urgent cases, perform the ritual three times daily (morning, noon, and evening). If ineffective, supplement the talisman by drawing Marshal Tianpeng's true form.

The text notes that the incantation from "Supreme Mysterious Origin" to "the Command to Subdue Evil" is called the "Thirty-Two Celestial Thunder-Fire Exorcism Incantation," belonging to Marshal Tianpeng's official talismanic decrees, specifically designed to resolve ancestral grave disturbances and karmic creditor entanglements.

Important precautions: The talisman must be written with cinnabar on yellow paper—never use leather cases, gold/silver coins, or substitute passages from the Scripture of Salvation from Suffering.

This passage describes the specific procedures of the Taoist exorcism ritual known as the "Heavenly Commander Method" (Tianpeng fa). The ritual requires preparing talismans (Tianpeng fu) and reciting specific incantations, with the petitioner's request written on the back of the talisman before sealing it.

When ordinary people seek help, the ritual master must first assess the severity of the situation. For minor misfortunes, a simple talisman (oral decree fu) is sufficient—the petitioner takes it home to burn at the hearth along with spirit money, while also drinking some consecrated water (fu water). If the problem persists, a more formal document called a "dispatch" (guan die) is used, stamped with the "Summoning the Dragon Talisman" (Yanjia Kuilong fu), and burned at the patient’s bedside.

If the issue still remains unresolved, the ritual escalates: a "Supreme Commander Dispatch" (dutong die) is employed, stamped with the "True Form of Tianpeng Talisman" (Tianpeng zhenxing fu), and a "Fiery Prison" (huo yu) altar is set up. The specific steps are as follows: the master visualizes himself as an exorcism court judge (a Taoist divine office), first summoning the local earth god (tudi shen) and chanting an incantation to command the "Monthly Duty General" (zhiyue jiangjun) of that particular month to appear swiftly. Once the divine general arrives, the master then reports to higher-ranking deities—the Great Marshal Tianpeng (leader of the Four Saints of the North Pole) and the Nine Heavens Supreme Commander (Jiutian dutong)—respectfully inviting them to descend upon the altar.

Finally, a lengthy "Invocation Chant" (Qiqing zhou) is recited, primarily praising the mighty powers of Marshal Tianpeng: he commands the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (ershiba xingxiu) and the Thirty-Six Divine Generals (sanshiliu bu shenjiang), wielding golden swords, sacred seals, and battle-axes as ritual implements. He can summon thunder and lightning, slay demons, and has three hundred thousand celestial soldiers at his disposal. The chant concludes with the emphatic phrase: "Urgently, urgently, in accordance with the decree of the North Emperor and Marshal Tianpeng!"—signifying the immediate execution of the orders from the North Star Emperor (Beidi) and Marshal Tianpeng.

Note: Marshal Tianpeng is a major guardian deity in Taoism, holding an extremely high status before the Song Dynasty, later evolving into the folkloric figure of Zhu Bajie (Pigsy). The "Monthly Duty General" refers to the celestial officer on rotation each month, the "dispatch" (guan die) is a formal Taoist document, and the "Fiery Prison" (huo yu) refers to a purification ritual using fire to dispel evil influences.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for exorcising evil influences and warding off epidemics, consisting primarily of two incantations and specific ceremonial procedures.

The first is the deity-invocation chant, which devoutly summons Marshal Tianpeng of the Northern Emperor (a guardian deity in Daoism) and his celestial troops. Marshal Tianpeng, a formidable figure commanding 300,000 divine soldiers, specializes in eradicating plagues and evil forces from all directions. The incantation portrays this immortal being as possessing vast supernatural powers, renowned throughout the Nine Heavens, wielding the Northern Emperor's talismanic commands to expel demons and behead ghosts. His vanguard includes hawk and hound generals capable of devouring malicious spirits and eliminating ominous evils. The ritual master sincerely petitions Marshal Tianpeng to descend and dispel misfortune from the afflicted.

The ceremonial procedures follow: After reciting the incantation, the priest focuses their mind to visualize (cunxiang) Marshal Tianpeng descending through the Heavenly Gate, surrounded by divine troops and swirling clouds. Incense is then offered with ritual bows as the priest announces the intent to exorcise evil and heal a specific individual. Humbly acknowledging mortal limitations, the priest respectfully awaits divine instructions.

The ritual continues with the priest loudly summoning the guardian generals on duty to perform the exorcism, accompanied by specific visualization techniques. The "Heaven and Earth Merge with Me" incantation is then recited to harmonize the practitioner with celestial forces while maintaining mental focus. Finally, paper horses (symbolic spirit vehicles) and official documents (spirit communications) are burned, visualizing the divine generals riding fiery clouds to swiftly execute their mission.

The entire ceremony emphasizes summoning powerful guardian deities through incantations, visualization, and burnt offerings to expel pathogenic influences for devotees. The concluding phrase "urgently, urgently, in accordance with the statutes" (jiji rulü ling) is a standard Daoist incantation ending, commanding immediate execution like an imperial decree.

When treating a patient, first assist with gangqi (the energy cultivated through Daoist practice), then recite the incantation: "May the spiritual energies of heaven and earth merge, and the divine generals of this department act according to command." After the incantation, offer this prayer: "This disciple again reports to the heavens—Venerable Patriarchs, Marshals, and True Lords of the Lineage, we humbly request your descent to assist. We dare not detain your sacred presence long, and pray for your compassionate return to your abodes. Should future needs arise, this disciple will surely petition again." Conclude the prayer with three respectful bows, then declare: "Let the attending officers perform their duties, and the divine generals and soldiers return to their posts." Finally, snap the thumb against the fingernails four times to conclude the ritual.

Regarding the application of the Straight-Moon Five Generals Talismans (Zhiyue Wujiang Fu): If dispatching the Five Generals proves ineffective, use these five specific talismans to hasten their response. These include the Commander-in-Chief Talisman (Duzong Fu), Tiger-Head Talisman (Hutou Fu), Demon-Slaying Talisman (Miemo Fu), Disheveled-Hair Talisman (Pengtou Fu), and Knotted-Brow Talisman (Zee Fu), each to be employed in specific months with corresponding hand seals (such as the Mao Seal or Wu Seal).

The Soul-Summoning Talisman (Zhaohun Fu) and Celestial Peng Immortal Flower Jade Maiden Talisman (Tianpeng Xianhua Yunü Fu) also have precise methods of application. When inscribing talismans or consecrating water, maintain single-minded focus, free from distractions, transmitting intention through incense smoke. Visualize the Seven Origin Star Lords (Qiyuan Xingjun) protecting above your crown, with the Four Divine Beasts (Siling) guarding the four directions. At dawn when gathering dew, face north, silently invoking the Patriarchs and Marshals while reciting the core incantation and forming the Marshal Hand Seal (Yuanshuai Jue), envisioning divine light infusing the water. Store this consecrated water in a pure location for petitioners to drink.

There is also the Brush-Consecration Incantation: "Most numinous divine brush, where Yin and Yang energies unite. By Tianpeng Yuanshuai's protection, dispel all ailments, grant me longevity. With one stroke of this talismanic brush, bring peace to the people. Urgently, urgently, in accordance with Tianpeng Yuanshuai Zhenjun's sacred decree!" This incantation is recited before talisman inscription to invoke divine empowerment.

This passage explains Daoist ritual methods for summoning divine generals to expel malevolent forces, primarily involving invocation incantations, the arrangement of protective barriers (gangai), and the use of Black Fiery Talismans (heisha fu).

When summoning the generals, the practitioner faces north while forming the Marshal Hand Seal (a specific mudra), drawing in the righteous Gang Qi (cosmic energy) between heaven and earth. The ritualist must focus their Shen (spirit) intently upon the calligraphy brush, reciting mantras to imbue it with divine power capable of dispersing evil influences and curing all ailments. After completing the incantation, the practitioner swiftly channels Gang Qi into the brush to inscribe the talisman, visualizing themselves with the purity of an infant while transforming the written characters into crimson light blown onto the paper. Subsequent recitation of the Great Mantra involves visualizing millions of celestial soldiers descending, with divine generals riding flames through the sky as they're commanded to swiftly eradicate all demonic entities.

Regarding the arrangement of the protective Gang Cover (a ritual boundary), the orientation must correspond to lunar months: the first month aligns with the Zi position (true north), the second month with Chou (northeast by north), and so forth. During setup, the Gang Cover Incantation is recited seven times to invoke the protection of the celestial Northern Dipper, while visualizing the Big Dipper's starlight forming a sevenfold celestial palace. This process combines tooth-tapping (a cultivation technique), Qi absorption, and talismanic inscription.

The Black Fiery Talisman incorporates various mystical symbols and mantras, including directional control spells like "Opening Heaven's Gate, Closing Earth's Portal," alongside Sanskrit-derived incantations for devouring demons. These talismans require specific hand seals corresponding to the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and the Five Qi energies within Daoist cosmology. The ritual concludes by summoning four guardian deities—Heavenly You the True Lord, Assistant Sage the True Lord, Zhenwu the True Lord, and other protector deities—to suppress all malignant forces.

This scripture primarily discusses Daoist talismans (fulu) and ritual methods for exorcising malevolent forces, healing illnesses, and safeguarding personal well-being.

The text begins with an incantation invoking Marshal Tianpeng (a Daoist guardian deity) and the Envoy of Dark Warrior (northern protector deity) to expel possessing demons, evil spirits, and malicious ghosts. The chant seeks to pacify the victim's spirit (shen), cure diseases, and promote longevity. Each incantation concludes with the standard Daoist imperative "ji ji ru lü ling" (immediately obey the command), emphasizing the urgency of divine intervention.

The talisman-drawing method follows: using cinnabar on yellow paper to inscribe the character "sha" (to vanquish), accompanied by specific hand mudras (finger gestures named after earthly branches like Zi and Mao) and directional Qi energies (northern Qi, eastern Qi, etc.). Such talismans can be posted in dwellings for protection or carried as personal amulets.

Next comes the "Covering Talisman" technique: employing a 1.2-foot yellow silk cloth inscribed with the Three Platforms stars (san tai, protective constellations) above and the Big Dipper (beidou) below. The patient's birth date, time, and name are written at their corresponding destiny star position. The completed talisman is placed in a jar during a purification ritual (zhaijiao), requiring Dipper Star lamps, spirit money offerings (qian ma), and celestial soldier guardians. Placement must align with the "Canopy Direction" (auspicious orientation), with the entire process demanding sincere devotion without negligence.

The conclusion features a divine summons petitioning the Great Emperor of Northern Polarity, the Three Platforms and Dipper constellations, Marshal Tianpeng, the Perfected Warrior Emperor, and thunder department generals along with the Six Ding and Six Jia guardian spirits. These powers are entreated to shield the patient from vengeful ghosts and demonic disturbances. The appeal again concludes by invoking the authority of the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning and the Jade Emperor.

This integrated ritual system combines talismanic magic, mudra techniques, astral veneration, and purification liturgy (keyi), exemplifying traditional Daoist approaches to exorcism and healing.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual method for exorcising evil, curing illnesses, and dispelling misfortunes, consisting primarily of talisman (fulu) usage and a bottle-burial ceremony.

Regarding cases where the talismans prove ineffective—whether due to exceeding their validity period or the patient's recovery—the talismans must be deactivated. The procedure involves placing the yellow silk talisman inside a bottle along with copper coins corresponding to the person's age (nianming coins). Two bottles of different sizes are used, buried at a depth of one chi two cun (about 36 cm) in the monthly "Huagai position" (an auspicious方位 representing vital qi). The Huagai position shifts monthly, starting from the Zi方位 in the first lunar month and rotating clockwise thereafter.

When establishing protective boundaries (立㔶盖, ligangai) or constructing a Life-Nurturing Platform (生天台), practitioners silently recite the Longevity Lamp Incantation before performing the "Spirit Transformation" ritual. This involves stepping in the Seven-Star Gang步 (a ritual步法 following the Big Dipper's pattern), forming the Heavenly Soldier Hand Seal (天丁诀), and walking from the Greedy Wolf星 (Alkaid) to the Army Breaker星 (Alcor), concluding with prohibitive步法 and incantations.

The text then details the "Seven-Star Ghost-Slaying Incantation," which summons the Big Dipper's divine power to exorcise evil. The incantation sequentially invokes the might of all seven stars—Greedy Wolf, Giant Gate, Wealth Preserver, Civil曲, Pure and Chaste, Martial曲, and Army Breaker—depicting the stellar deities brandishing axes and commanding celestial soldiers. It proclaims their mission to eradicate malevolence, protect the virtuous, purge demonic influences, and restore peace to humanity.

After recitation, the yellow silk talisman is placed inside the bottle. The method for establishing protective boundaries (下㔶盖) involves: when petitioners seek healing or blessings, their birth details (年命) are entrusted to the Big Dipper Palace. Memorials are submitted to the Celestial Emperor and Big Dipper, while dispatches are sent to relevant deities—including petitions to the泰山神, notifications to the local City God (城隍) to deploy divine generals, and alerts to the household's Stove God (司命) and Earth God (土地神)—instructing them to safeguard all within the ritual's boundary for a year, ensuring freedom from calamities or swift recovery from illness.

To conclude, an iron pillar—measuring one chi two cun (or one chi three cun in leap months), thumb-thick to symbolize the twelve months' qi cycles—is engraved with seven segments representing the Big Dipper. Visualized as a golden-stepped jade chamber, it anchors a small bottle containing the talisman, age-corresponding rice grains, destiny coins, and yellow silk. The pillar is then driven into the bottle's center.

(Note: The term 㔶/gang refers to a protective ritual boundary; 罡步/gangbu denotes star-aligned ritual步法; 天丁诀/Tiandingjue is a hand mudra mimicking celestial soldiers' weapon-wielding gestures.)

This scripture describes a complete Daoist ritual process for creating and using exorcism tools to ward off evil influences.

The first step involves preparing a wooden barrel entirely covered with blue paper, with an iron plate measuring seven inches long and three inches wide attached to its right side. This plate bears the "Three Lights Talisman" (San'guang Fu) representing the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars to guard the barrel. The Three Lights Talisman consists of three parts: the upper yellow talisman dispels evil qi, the middle white talisman protects the practitioner, and the lower blue talisman heals illnesses and drives away spirits. The talismanic inscriptions include numerous Daoist deity names such as the "Jade Emperor" (Yuhuang) and "Celestial Emperor" (Tiandi), along with exorcism incantations.

The text then details three powerful mantras: The first, "Great Sage of Heavenly Stem Mantra" (Tiangang Dasheng Zhou), can slay malevolent forces and annihilate ghosts. The second, "Dispatching Mantra" (Qian Zhou), mobilizes the dual energies of Yin-Yang and seven guardian spirits, summoning 300,000 divine troops and a million mighty beasts to expel evil. The third, "Iron Pillar Talisman Form" (Tiezhu Fushi), requires creating an iron talisman twelve inches long with seven holes piercing through both sides.

The operational method involves: During the ritual, first bury the talismans, then plant the iron talisman in front and erect an iron pillar behind. The ritual master must visualize (cunxiang, meditative imagination) the Four Heavenly Kings guarding the cardinal directions, covering the protected person with a celestial canopy and concealing them within the Palace of Seven Primes (Qiyuan Gong, corresponding to the Big Dipper constellation). Next, imagine local deities like City Gods (Chenghuang) and Earth Gods (Tudi) patrolling with their troops for protection. Upon completion, the practitioner clicks their teeth in ritual salute before withdrawing. At year's end, when the patient recovers, or when the ritual period concludes, prepare offerings of wine, spirit money, and paper horses to thank the stellar deities mentioned in the talismans and reward the guardian spirit troops. Depending on one's capacity, one may perform a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) to express gratitude to the Big Dipper and one's birth constellation (Benming Xing).

This scripture demonstrates the characteristic Daoist magical principle of "using objects to control objects," constructing a sacred protective space through the combination of talismans, ritual tools, and visualization ceremonies. The involved Daoist cosmology holds that specific rituals can mobilize celestial divine powers to intervene in human affairs.

This describes a specific procedure in Daoist ritual practice where the officiating priest prepares formal documents (jurisdiction petitions) to sequentially summon various deities: the City God (guardian deity of the city walls), Village Earth Gods (local community protectors), and Residential Land Deities.

Through these documents, the priest informs these deities to return to their original jurisdictions and resume their designated duties (resume appointed functions). This typically occurs after major rituals, serving to ceremonially dispatch temporarily summoned deities back to their proper domains, thereby restoring the natural order between heaven and earth.

The ceremony embodies the Daoist cosmological principle of "everything in its proper place," while demonstrating the unique liturgical method (Keyi) through which Daoist priests communicate with deities via ritual documents. It's important to note that this "dispatching" (faqian) carries no derogatory connotation—it is a formal procedure following ritual protocols to return deities to their inherent responsibilities.