《道法會元》Vol. 215

This scripture records the essential methods for cultivation and ritual practice in the Daoist "Secret Method of Primordial Sovereign Yuebo." The content is divided into several key sections:

The transmission lineage begins with Patriarch Yu Zhenren (an honorific title for accomplished Daoist practitioners), with the primary ritual deity being "Thunder Lord Yuebo of the Nine Heavens Who Rides Flying Gang Energies to Capture Malign Spirits with Thunderbolts and Lightning." This thunder deity bears the surname Zhu and given name Guang, appearing with celestial-human features—disheveled hair, waist obscured by dark clouds, and wearing red shoes. He holds the head of a hanba (a drought-causing demon) in his left hand and wields a sword in his right while astride a jade dragon. At times, he manifests a fearsome form with green face and fangs, clad in red robes, sword in hand, and riding a bear.

The incantation for summoning this thunder deity conveys: "O supreme essence of Yin, born from the metallic and aqueous transformations, by decree of the Jade Pivot Palace (an important Daoist divine court), you roam naked and wild-haired through the Three Realms. Sword in hand, you summon thunder; all spirits heed your command. A single sweep of your divine blade reduces evil ghosts to ashes." The prayer then reverently invites this thunder deity to descend swiftly, acting under the mandates of the Jade Emperor and the Great Emperor of the North Star (prominent Daoist deities).

The cultivation method describes drawing quintessential Qi from the celestial center (a Daoist term for refined cosmic energies), guiding it through the Mysterious Pass (a key acupoint in internal alchemy), blending it internally, then exhaling it toward specific directions to form a moon-wheel shape. When struck by the Gang Qi (a potent energy) of the noon hour (11 AM–1 PM), the thunder deity visibly manifests before the practitioner.

The Qi absorption technique involves: First calming the mind and concentrating spirit, visually tracing the Daoist talismanic character "炓" at the brush tip while silently reciting mantras. Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, half the shen-qi (spirit-energy) is blown toward the brush while half circulates within the body, temporarily transforming the practitioner into the thunder deity. Then silently recite the seven-character phrase "Celestial fire leaks, capture true qi"—each recitation accompanied by an exhale, repeated seven times—finally sealing with the talismanic character "歘."

The acupuncture method for healing instructs: Trace the character "炓" on the needle with the tongue tip while chanting a seven-word spell to imbue the needle with true qi. First write a large character with yellow paper and ink, have the patient cough three times, then the ritual master inhales three breaths and exhales onto the character, visualizing the patient's true form merging with the wall before needling the affected area. Simultaneously, silently chant exorcism phrases like "Xiao Liao" while forming the Sword Mudra (a Daoist hand seal), retracing these four characters three times. After needling, inhale three breaths and exhale three times, concluding by sealing with the character "炓."

The text concludes with a talisman titled "Great Unity's Spirit-Capturing Talisman Against Sorcerers," invoking the Great Unity (a supreme Daoist deity) and the Great Emperor of the North Star, commanding Thunder Lord Zhu Guang of Yuebo to swiftly apprehend evil sorcerers.

This scripture describes the thunder ritual (Leifa) in Daoism for exorcising evil and vanquishing demons. The Northern Emperor, Purple Tenuity Great Emperor (a revered Daoist deity), issues divine decrees to mobilize the Five Directions Thunder Generals—including the Celestial Fire Thunder God and Terrestrial Fire Thunder God—to capture all sorcerers, corrupt priests, and their accomplices who harm humanity, imprisoning them eternally in bottomless dry wells where they can never wreak havoc again.

It details the method for creating the "Demon-Subduing Talisman" (Faxiefu): the Tianpeng Incantation (a Daoist exorcism chant) must be written in black ink on black paper, then the talisman is cut into left and right halves. In practice, the left half is burned to send the petition to the celestial court, while the right half remains on the altar as proof. The text emphasizes this method specifically targets stubborn sorcerers who harm others through malevolent witchcraft (Yanzhen, a form of black magic).

Regarding precautions for performing the "Sorcerer-Cutting Method" (Jianxiewufa): the case must first be verified by sending an official dispatch (Die) to request the Thunder Gods' investigation. Only after confirmation can the memorial be submitted, accompanied by matching talismans. The entire process takes seven days to take effect. It mentions that authentic Sorcerer-Cutting Steps (Gangbu, a Daoist ritual footwork) passed down through lineages can instantly disperse the Three Qi Evil Spirits (three types of malign energies).

The scripture concludes with the format for submitting the "Petition to Vanquish Sorcerers": the ritual master must humbly identify as "Your minor ordained disciple and ritual officiant, so-and-so," offering reverent prostrations. The petition recounts receiving the Dao's grace to practice the Supreme Unity Thunder Method (Taiyi Leifa), yet evil arts still plague the world—including Gu poison (insect-based witchcraft) and curse magic (Yandao)—listing over ten schools of sorcery like the Gengjia and Jiushe lineages. The entire text reflects the meticulous liturgical framework within Daoist thunder rituals for punishing dark arts.

This scripture describes a situation where malevolent sorcery prevails and harms the world, as well as how Daoist priests perform rituals to exorcise evil and eliminate harm.

In society today, there are various forms of wicked sorcery being practiced. These dark arts secretly cast curses, distort right and wrong, and even defile temples. These evil spirits seize control of people's souls, causing family members to turn against each other, marital discord, the decline of households, mental confusion, and continuous misfortunes—bringing misfortune to all endeavors. Ultimately, they corrupt social morality and spread a miasma of demonic influence.

With reverence, I (the Daoist priest) report to the Supreme Dao Lord of the Great Way, the Celestial Venerable Taiyi Yuebo Yuanhuang (a high-ranking Daoist deity), who commands the flying celestial troops to capture evil spirits and wields thunder and lightning. Currently, a certain person in a certain place has suffered calamity due to being cursed by a malevolent sorcerer and has come to me for help. Though my cultivation is still shallow and my virtue insufficient, I uphold the duty to aid the world and save people. Following the traditions passed down by my lineage, I have set up an altar and prepared a memorial petition.

I beseech the Great Dao Lord to take pity on the suffering of sentient beings and dispatch divine forces to assist. These divine forces include the Great Gods of Sovereign Foundation, Minister Foundation, and People's Foundation, along with numerous guardian deities such as the Four Great Marshals—the Great Marshal Tianpeng, the Great Marshal Tianyou, the Great Marshal Yisheng, and the Great Marshal Yousheng—as well as the Thunder Gods, the Celestial Warriors, and hundreds of thousands of heavenly soldiers and divine generals.

I implore these deities to unleash the power of thunder, cast a celestial net, and descend upon the sorcerer’s dwelling to subdue all ancestral evil spirits and the spectral armies they command, rendering their weapons useless ("inverting the spears" refers to neutralizing weaponry). Through this divine intervention, the harm of dark sorcery shall be eradicated, and the righteous way of the world shall be restored.

This scripture describes the "petition ritual" (baizhang) in Daoist exorcism ceremonies. The ritual master, through specific ceremonial steps, submits a memorial to the Supreme Palace of the Primordial Sovereign of the Northern Dipper (an important Daoist divine palace), requesting divine power to punish evil forces.

At the start of the ritual, the master recites incantations to inflict retribution upon malevolent sorcerers: the flames of their curses rebound upon themselves, their blades turn against their own bodies, bringing disease, poisoning of the five viscera, and even heavenly fire and legal prosecution—ensuring retribution within seven days. The master then invokes divine weapons such as the Heaven-Cleaving Great Axe, the Flame Emperor’s Blood-Splitting Sword, and the Bone-Crushing Technique of the Northern Dipper. Under the sweep of these sacred blades, countless demons scatter, restoring clarity between heaven and earth and returning humans and spirits to their proper places.

The master prepares a formal petition on red paper with black ink (the inner sheet measuring one foot two inches in length and nine inches in width), inscribed with the sacred title of the "Supreme Lord of the Primordial Dao, the Lunar Eclipse of the Great Monad." The outer cover is marked with white paper and black characters reading "Monad’s Exorcism Ink Petition," destined for the Supreme Palace of the Primordial Sovereign of the Northern Dipper. Throughout the process, the master maintains physical and mental purity, focusing on visualization (cunxiang, a meditative practice), imagining the ritual altar as the Monad’s Celestial Palace (a sacred space).

At the ritual’s conclusion, the master dispatches a divine escort—including celestial messenger generals, Monad’s divine troops, and merit officers (gongcao)—to deliver the petition to the heavens. The text repeatedly emphasizes the master’s humility, adopting an attitude of "reverent awe" when beseeching the deities: praying for the flourishing of righteous methods while also pleading for divine compassion to help devotees dispel calamities and ensure household peace. The petition must include the exact date, the master’s name, and the name of the Daoist temple (fajing) where the ritual is performed.

(Note: This is a classic Daoist exorcism liturgy (keyi), communicating with the celestial realm through sacred documents to harness divine power in punishing evil and upholding goodness. The "Three-Five Merit Officers" (sangong gongcao) refer to celestial officials responsible for delivering documents, while "visualization" (cunxiang) is a vital Daoist cultivation method for connecting with deities through meditative imagery.)

This scripture describes the specific procedures and incantations of Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa), a ritual practice for summoning thunder deities to perform magical operations. The text is divided into several key components:

First is the ritual setup for summoning thunder deities. The Thunder Lord Yuebei (one of the principal thunder deities) is seated above, flanked by ten divine guardians - the Five Yang Thunder Envoys (Ma Yulin, Guo Yuanjing, Fang Zhonggao, Deng Gongchen, and Tian Yuanzong) on the left and the Five Yin Thunder Envoys (Zhang Xun, Xu Yuan, Yao Yin, Lei Wanchun, and Nan Jiyun) on the right. The ritual requires preparation of official documents (guan yin), through which the yin-yang thunder deities are dispatched with verification talismans (kanhe fu, functioning as celestial passes) and memorial petitions to be burned in the incense burner for celestial transmission.

The ritual involves performing the "Fire-Water Not Yet Crossed" Gang (a specific ritual pacing pattern called Bugang Tadou). This Gang step is also known as the "Three Steps Nine Traces Gang," beginning from the Taiyi direction with prescribed footsteps, concluding in a T-shaped stance. Within seven days after burning the talismans, omens will manifest - such as malevolent sorcerers falling ill, outbreaks of fire, or legal troubles.

Several talisman designs are then introduced: The "Nine Marvelous Thunder Character Talisman" incorporates the Five Phases mutual generation principle (based on the numerical cosmology of Heaven-One Earth-Two up to Heaven-Five generating Earth). When drawing the talisman, the names of corresponding Five Thunder Envoys are inscribed depending on whether it's a yang or yin day. The practitioner must recite the seven-word incantation "Tian huo yi lou zhen qi she" ("Celestial fire omitted, true qi gathered") seven times, finally sealing it with the "Tiangang hui" (symbol representing the Tiangang star).

The text concludes with methods for sacrificing to the Taiyi deity (a major Daoist divinity): choose either the 6th or 9th day of the sixth lunar month, preparing memorial documents in advance to petition the Thunder Ministry. After the ritual, the thunder deity troops must be rewarded before being recalled under the master's command. The scripture particularly emphasizes the formidable power of this method - improper use may incur celestial punishment.

Note: The mentioned "Bugang Tadou" (Pacing the Guideline and Treading the Dipper) is a crucial Daoist ritual technique where the master steps according to astral positions; "Taiyi" refers both to a star and deity representing supreme power in Daoist magic; the "Thunder Ministry" is the celestial bureaucracy governing thunder in Daoist mythology.

This scripture documents the concrete operational procedures of Daoist Thunder Magic (a ritual art for summoning thunder deities and controlling thunder). The ritual master must prepare offerings including a pig's head, white goose, bran cakes, and black spirit money. Standing barefoot with hair unbound before the altar while holding a ritual sword, the practitioner summons thunder deities through specific footwork (bugang, cosmic steps) and incantations.

The procedure unfolds as follows: First recite the secret Tian'gang (Heavenly Stem) mantra "Om Hum Hum Hūn Dá Lì Suō Hē," visualizing the energy of the Tian'gang star gathering above the crown of the head. Then draw energy from the northwest direction and store it in the kidney region. Holding the breath, use the right hand's sword mudra combined with focused gaze to trace talismanic patterns on the ground. Next, activate divine light to transform into a black dragon form, sprinkling ritual water to manifest it as a colossal dragon spewing black qi skyward.

Following this, recite the Taiyin (Great Yin) mantra "Om Vajra Pra Svāhā" ten times, visualizing a bright moon rising within the body. Stomp the left foot to activate draconic sha (killing) energy, merging it with one's own yin forces to shatter the lunar disc, thereby revealing the thunder deity's manifestation. Continue with cosmic steps, combining internal and external sha energies to blow toward heaven and earth, darkening the cosmos and causing the Taiyi and Tian'gang stars to resonate violently.

Finally, face the Big Dipper direction while tracing talismanic symbols, visualizing the Five Yang Thunder Envoys descending from the Celestial Gate and the Five Yin Thunder Envoys emerging from the Earth Portal. The practitioner must unite their essential qi (Jing-Qi) with the thunder deity's power, then exhale forward after a brief interval to summon celestial and terrestrial thunder with lightning strikes. For exorcisms, additional energy must be drawn from the sha direction while reciting mantras like "Kuí Nǎo Mèng Xíng Bì Mǐ Piāo Shè" accompanied by hand mudras.

The text concludes with the "Taiyi Thunder Summoning Stellar Step" incantation: "Yang thunder swiftly descend, yin thunder quickly rise! Summon flashing lightning, awaken roaring thunderclaps! By the sacred decree of the Supreme Unity Moon Pollux Thunder Lord, urgently and immediately as ordained!" This concise chant encapsulates the core purpose of summoning yin-yang thunder forces. The entire ritual achieves its mystical effects of divine communion and thunder control through complex visualization, choreographed movements, mantras, and hand seals.

This scripture primarily explains the methods of Daoist thunder magic (Leifa) and talismanic incantations, detailing the summoning of yang thunder and yin thunder along with the application of the Supreme Unity Flying Talisman (Taiyi Feifu).

The text first describes the ritual for summoning thunder deities: Yang thunder is commanded by five great generals (Ma, Guo, Fang, Deng, Tian) clad in golden armor and crimson robes descending from the Heavenly Gate, while yin thunder is governed by another five generals (Zhang, Xu, Yao, Nan, Lei) wearing iron armor and black garments rising from the Earth Portal. These divine generals arrange themselves on either side during the ceremony, and paper offerings are burned to bid them farewell upon completion.

Next, it introduces the method for crafting the "Supreme Unity Flying Talisman," a specialized technique for treating boils and toxic infections. The practitioner must first inscribe the four characters meaning "ghosts perish and ashes vanish" to mark the four directions, followed by writing phrases invoking "heavenly fire, earthly fire, and samadhi true fire" while reciting incantations to activate the authentic flames. A special brush technique is required to write seven specific characters (representing "heavenly fire gathers scattered true qi") on the talisman, repeating this seven or forty-nine times. The final stroke must exit toward the northeast (Gen position), drawing in both beneficial qi (gangqi) and malignant energy (shaqi), then sealing with the esoteric characters "炓" and "聻."

The text then contrasts this with the traditional Supreme Unity Flying Talisman method, which doesn't use physical paper or brush but directly channels violet light true qi through breathing techniques (the "xu" and "chui" methods) to mobilize the true yang of Li-fire. It criticizes those ignorant of genuine methods who rely solely on crude practices like moxibustion with mugwort, emphasizing that true magical efficacy lies in mobilizing one's own essence (jing), qi, and spirit (shen) rather than excessive dependence on external rituals.

Finally, practical applications are explained: for healing, the practitioner must inhale and exhale seven times to extract pathogenic qi. The reinforcing technique employs the "he" sound formula, while the reducing method uses "chui." When treating dysentery or coughs, the diseased energy should be blown onto a substitute (like a paper effigy) before being severed and disposed of.