《道法會元》Vol. 213

This passage records the secret ritual method for summoning "Marshal Chen the Broadly Numinous and Transformative" from the Daoist compendium Daofa Huiyuan. The full title of this martial deity is "Marshal Chen Sheng, the Great General Without Face Who Severs Ungrateful and Unrighteous Ties Before the Imperial Presence of the Northern Pole." He also bears the alternative name "Sheng She."

This fierce deity manifests with a terrifying visage: wild disheveled hair bound by a yellow forehead band, a crimson face with glaring eyes, clad in golden armor and black official robes, wearing black boots. In his left hand he holds an imperial scepter, while his right grips twin iron rods, specially designated for punishing unruly spirits. Within the Daoist pantheon, he concurrently serves as both the "Supervising Envoy of Ritual Offerings" (overseeing salvation rites) and the "Envoy Bearing Talismanic Decrees for Women Who Died in Childbirth at the Blood Lake" (responsible for redeeming souls who perished in labor). His summoning varies according to specific ritual needs.

The invocation method proceeds as follows: First, the practitioner must calm the mind and focus the Shen (spirit), using the left hand to trace the Big Dipper constellation in the air with mudras (ritual hand gestures). Then visualize kidney Qi (vital essence) ascending along the spine, passing through the "Jade Tower" (cervical vertebrae) to the crown, transforming into black clouds that surge into the traced Dipper. At this moment, a purple Daoist secret character "聻" (used for exorcism) appears briefly before vanishing, leaving only a golden star that gradually expands to moon-like radiance. Recite the summoning incantation thrice in silence, then "cleave" toward the golden star with a sword mudra using the right hand—whereupon Marshal Chen's true form manifests. Next, visualize the Northern Pole Emperor Ziwei personally conferring the marshal's scepter and iron rods as the deity stands amid golden light, then guide him to the ritual altar through coordinated sword mudras and focused gaze.

The scripture preserves several crucial incantations: the Secret Summons Charm for swift invocation, the Scepter-Conferring Charm specifically for empowering ritual implements, and the Summoning Charm that elaborates the marshal's formidable powers—his piercing gaze shakes heaven and earth as he specializes in subduing demons, traversing mountains and rivers in an instant to aid both the living and redeem souls in the underworld, particularly those suffering in the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist purgatory where women may fall due to childbirth pollution).

The complete ceremony requires devout incense offerings, emphasizing that this martial deity, upon receiving the Northern Pole Emperor's decree, instantly manifests his numinous power to answer summons. This esoteric method exemplifies Daoism's characteristic integration of internal cultivation techniques (such as kidney Qi circulation) with external ritual—employing visualization, incantations, mudras and other multidimensional means to commune with divine beings.

This scripture describes the ritual process of summoning thunder deities (Marshal Chen and Marshal Liu) in Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa) to subdue demons and exorcise evil. The method involves incantations, hand seals (specific mudras), and visualization techniques.

First, Marshal Chen is summoned to lead celestial soldiers swiftly to the ritual altar. The practitioner inhales through the nose, drawing the deity's energy into the central palace (the Dantian energy center in the body). After briefly merging with this energy, the breath is exhaled toward the ritual incense, thereby dispatching the marshal to perform his duties. Marshal Chen appears awe-inspiring, wielding an iron staff while standing on auspicious clouds, specializing in subduing demonic entities. The incantation invokes the Northern Dipper's seven stars (referenced by their stellar lords' names: Greedy Wolf, Giant Gate, etc.) and the decree of the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity (a supreme Daoist deity), emphasizing thunderous punishment for those who disobey.

Next comes the description of Marshal Liu: his face shines crimson like jujubes, crowned with a seven-star headdress and clad in black battle armor, wielding a golden hammer with a black tiger companion. The practitioner silently recites esoteric mantras amidst flashes of lightning while circulating Qi through the body's energy channels (from the Mysterious Valley Pass to the central palace), achieving the alchemical effect of Yin-Yang mutual generation.

The recurring phrase "Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances" (Ji ji ru lü ling) serves as the standard closing formula in Daoist incantations, signifying immediate execution of divine will. Annotations like "Tracing the Zi-Wu positions" or "Dipper Entry" indicate hand seal movements corresponding to specific directional orientations in the incantation. The entire ritual synergizes talismanic power, visualization, and hand seals to mobilize the thunder ministry's divine forces for vanquishing malevolent entities.

This scripture describes the ritual procedure and talismanic methods for summoning Marshal Liu of the Black Tiger from the Shenxiao lineage (a Daoist protector deity).

First, one must enter a state of serene concentration. In this trance-like mystical realm, when the first stirrings of intention arise, knock the teeth together three times. Then project divine light from the crown of the head while visualizing a solar disk, silently reciting the summoning incantation. With the left hand forming the Nine Palaces Gang hand-seal (a Daoist mudra), guide the sunlight inward with the gaze. When swallowing, produce a thunder-like sound, first directing it to the Central Palace (heart region), then downward to the Dantian (lower abdomen). At this point, visualize the Five Qi (energies of the five organs) surging from the lower Dantian to form a specific sacred character.

Next, hold the breath while forming the Sha-suppressing hand-seal (a mudra for subduing malign forces), lifting this character up to the solar disk at the crown. Imagine it transforming into a flying tiger. Then use the three characters "Yuan-Ji-Xi" while forming the Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), and Sha hand-seals in sequence, using the gaze to inscribe secret characters that materialize as a black tiger. The flying tiger's capture movement quickly dissipates, leaving only a golden light sphere. Using the Sword hand-seal (a mudra variation), split this sphere—with a sudden thunderclap, Marshal Liu manifests, followed by the black tiger.

Continue by guiding the marshal's image with the gaze and Sword hand-seal into the Central Palace, blending it within before exhaling toward the ritual altar. Then silently recite the esoteric incantation three times—this is the previously mentioned Nine Palaces Gang incantation.

The summoning incantation calls upon heaven and earth to shake all spirits with thunderous resonance, commanding deities to arrive swiftly with peals of thunder. It specifically summons Marshal Liu, the Supreme Black Tiger Deity of Shenxiao's central truth, along with his battalion, to descend immediately upon hearing the summons to the ritual platform.

When offering incense, visualize the deities' actual presence. Then state the petition, confident the deities have heard, relying on their majestic power for swift response.

The essential method for talisman-drawing requires: prolonged stillness and concentration until the intention arrives, then pausing the brush thrice. With the left hand forming Qian, Dui, and Sha hand-seals while reciting "Yuan-Ji-Xi," a golden light sphere manifests before you. Suddenly three thunderclaps shake heaven and earth—immediately inhale the golden light's energy and exhale onto the brush before commencing the talisman.

Finally, it's noted that Marshal Liu's talismans don't require dispersion incantations—simply recite the "Thunder Resonates" incantation to complete the talisman, whose efficacy functions as previously described.

This scripture describes the concrete operational steps of Daoist Thunder Magic (a ritual technique for summoning thunder deities). The ritual master must first write the three characters "Yuan Ji Xi" at the center of the talisman paper, then invoke the Great Black Tiger Deity Liu Wenxian (one of the key thunder generals in the Thunder Ministry).

During the ritual, the practitioner silently recites the summoning incantation while visualizing the Qian trigram (☰, from the Bagua) manifesting at the Heavenly Gate (the Baihui point at the crown of the head). Next, one visualizes the Heart Fire (a Neidan term referring to the heart's Yang Qi) surging upward from the crown, forming the character "Qian" in the void. The practitioner must mentally draw this character into the mouth, then trace it nine times with the tip of the tongue, eventually condensing it into a golden sphere of light.

Holding the breath, one vocalizes the syllable "Duo" while visualizing both the Black Tiger Marshal (the thunder general) and the image of a black tiger being exhaled into the talisman. Continuing the summoning incantation, after completing these steps, the practitioner writes the secret sacred name (a deity's true name) of the Dark Heaven Sovereign (Xuantian Shangdi, an important Daoist divinity).

Finally, using cinnabar ink, one sweeps the brush upward in three strokes, causing the talisman (Fulu) to radiate with golden brilliance. The entire process demands intense concentration, employing specific visualization techniques, breath control, and calligraphic methods to infuse the talisman with divine power.