《道法會元》Vol. 225

This records the celestial official system of the "Great Method of Fire Rhinoceros Immortal and Divine General Ma Lingguan," a Daoist exorcism ritual. The presiding deities are the Great Emperor of the Southern Polar Fire Rhinoceros (the supreme fire deity of the south) and the Six Longevity Star Lords of the Southern Dipper (six stellar deities governing lifespan).

The principal general, Marshal Ma, has a fearsome appearance: a blue face with protruding fangs, three golden eyes, and upright crimson hair and beard. He wears red robes with a golden helmet, a wind sash around his waist, white trousers, and green boots. In his right hand he holds a golden spear, while his left hand supports a triangular gold brick, standing atop fiery wheels. A white serpent coils around his waist, flames spewing from his mouth, with a fire gourd containing flame crows strapped to his back.

The four deputy marshals each have distinct characteristics:

Marshal Chen has a blue face with three eyes, wearing a lion helmet, yellow garments with golden armor, wielding a sword in his right hand and green boots.

Marshal Zhu has a red face with three eyes, wearing a white tiger helmet, yellow garments with golden armor, holding an iron staff in his right hand and a gold brick in his left.

Marshal Xiao wears a celestial soldier's crown with a white face and three eyes, dressed in yellow and bearing a golden spear.

Marshal Zheng wears a yellow headscarf with a white face and three-pronged beard, white robes with golden armor, holding a golden saber in his left hand while grasping a white serpent with his right.

The text further documents over twenty specialized officers with distinct functions:

Soul-summoning General Mei Fuli is responsible for capturing spirits;

Envoy He Zhenbi supervises wandering souls;

The four great marshals Cui, Lu, Deng, and Dou specialize respectively in catching, binding, shackling, and interrogating ghosts;

Yellow-headed generals like Chen Zhen and Zhang Shi handle prisoner escort;

Jailer generals like Yang Zheng manage detention;

Zhao Gongming oversees hanging punishments;

Liu Yan executes ghosts with bloodletting;

Others include golden spear generals, fire bell generals, gold brick generals, fire gourd generals, and flame crow generals, each commanding specific fire-based ritual implements.

Together these divine generals form a complete exorcism system, each with specific iconography and duties, reflecting the rich imaginative world of Daoist demon-subduing rituals.

This passage describes the complete ritual process of summoning deities and performing divine transformations in Daoist practice, comprising several key components:

First, the text enumerates the names of the celestial generals to be summoned: Soul-Capturing General Shen Falong, Divine Maiden Gao, Generals of the Golden Beam and Jade Pillar, the Fire Department Officers of the Six Heavens, General Liu Jin of the Bing-Ding Fire Element, Deputy General Wu Shiyunyi of Guanchang, the Thirty-Six Jade Maidens and Divine Youths, Straight Talisman General Sun Zhengming, along with the Eight Inner Platform Generals and other fierce guardian spirits.

The core of the "divine transformation" ritual follows: The ritual master visualizes stepping the Six-Star Gang Steps (a sacred dance pattern), harmonizes Yin-Yang through breath techniques (Xu-He coupling), and contemplates the dual youths manifested from the Kan (Water) and Li (Fire) energies paying homage to the Jade Emperor's marshal. Declaring himself a Celestial Master (Tianshi) officiant acting on Heaven's behalf, the practitioner visualizes the sun and moon above his head, the Big Dipper constellation draped across his body, with the Azure Dragon and White Tiger guarding his sides, the Vermilion Bird and Dark Warrior stationed before and behind him, accompanied by 300,000 celestial soldiers - demonstrating the divine authority where "those who comply shall live, those who resist shall perish."

The text then details the visualization method during divine transformation: The left hand forms the Thunder Seal mudra, the right hand makes the Sword Fingers gesture resting on the hip. With closed eyes turning inward, the practitioner visualizes golden light rising from the Dantian (energy center), ascending through the spinal passes to the crown, while the eyes circulate luminous orbs, as if witnessing the majestic appearance of celestial generals.

Next comes the incantation for summoning the Divine Messengers: "Heaven pure, Earth tranquil, the Three and Five merge," calling upon the Divine Messengers, Incense Officials, and local earth deities to swiftly arrive at the altar. After reciting the esoteric mantra "Om Hong Hong" seven times, the practitioner visualizes the messengers descending from the southwest (Kun position).

The ritual concludes with a specific summoning chant for Marshal Ma (the blank space presumably indicating his full title), commanding him to lead his deputies and troops to immediate attendance, with the stern warning "no delays permitted" as the master awaits sword in hand before the altar. The ceremony culminates with the urgent summoning verse: "Burning incense calls the Divine Marshal, the Marshal arrives with utmost speed," emphasizing the immediate manifestation of divine powers to execute exorcism tasks.

[Note: The term "cun" refers to focused visualization, "ju" indicates hand seals, "Qi" (written as 炁) is synonymous with vital energy, while "Mao position/Western position" etc. denote directional mudra techniques in Daoist practice. These elements demonstrate the characteristic Daoist cultivation principle of "internal refinement becoming divine, externally summoning generals and officers."]

This scripture describes the Daoist ritual process where a master summons Marshal Ma, the Fire Rhinoceros Divine Officer (a Daoist guardian deity), to subdue demons and eliminate evil. The ritual is performed through specific hand seals (mudras), incantations, and visualization techniques.

First, the master burns incense and offers prayers, invoking Marshal Ma by the command of the Supreme Emperor (the highest deity in Daoism). During the summoning, the master forms specific hand seals with the left hand: the "Wu seal" (middle finger's second segment) draws fiery Qi from the south into the heart, while the "Zi seal" (base of the ring finger) draws watery Qi from the north into the kidneys. The hands then form the Thunder Seal (a specific mudra), channeling these two Qi currents to mix in the Dantian (lower abdominal energy center).

Next, the master recites the esoteric mantra "Om [untranslatable syllables] She," while continuing to form hand seals to gather Qi from the four directions: the "Mao seal" (base of the index finger) draws wood Qi from the east, the Wu seal draws fire Qi from the south, the "You seal" (base of the little finger) draws metal Qi from the west, and the Zi seal draws water Qi from the north—all converging in the Dantian to merge with the previous energies, forming a golden sphere of light.

A longer mantra is then recited as the master visualizes golden light enveloping the Qi. Using the Sword Seal (index and middle fingers extended) of the right hand, the master writes the "Supreme Unity Flying Talisman" (a Daoist fu talisman) on the left palm and inhales it into the Dantian. At this moment, the golden light intensifies, illuminating heaven and earth. The master visualizes the Southern Dipper (an important Daoist stellar deity) suspended upside-down before them, its stars as large as cartwheels, with flames soaring skyward as Marshal Ma manifests wielding a flying axe.

The master continues by issuing commands with the golden tablet and jade seal (ritual implements), chanting secret incantations to summon Marshal Ma. Through visualization, the master sees the marshal riding a fiery chariot, leading countless fire crows and fiery troops descending from above. Using specific hand seals and mimicking crow calls, the master projects the golden sphere from the Dantian through the Heavenly Eye (third eye at the brow) and splits it with the Sword Seal, causing the marshal to appear fully before them.

Finally, the scripture describes Marshal Ma's majestic presence: descending by the decree of the Emperor of Eastern Florescence (an important Daoist deity), clad in celestial robes of fire, commanding 84,000 fiery troops amid swirling black mists. A hundred deities obey his orders, and ten thousand demons tremble in fear as he arrives to trace the source of evil influences. The ritual concludes with the standard Daoist command phrase "Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes" (jiji rulüling), signifying immediate execution of the divine decree.

This scripture contains ritual incantations and talismanic commands used in Daoist ceremonies to summon deities and expel pathogenic influences for healing. It primarily invokes the Great Emperor of the Southern Polar Fire Rhinoceros (a major Daoist deity governing fire departments) and Marshal Ma the Divine Officer (a guardian general) to lead fiery celestial troops in eliminating malignant entities.

The text begins with the imperial decree "By Command of the Great Emperor of the Southern Polar Fire Rhinoceros," ordering Marshal Ma to manifest his true form immediately and dispatch the celestial armies of the Supreme Unity (Taiyi, a principal Daoist deity) to swiftly descend and assist the ritual master in subduing evil forces. It describes how the Primordial Lady Marshal (a female protector deity) can disperse ten thousand ghosts, causing harmful spirits and noxious qi to depart from afflicted individuals.

The incantatory section includes esoteric syllables like "Om Jialou Zha"—secret mantras transmitted within Daoist lineages. It references the Three Officials (Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials, major Daoist deities) demanding swift action from all divine forces. Practitioners must accompany these with mudras (ritual hand gestures) and visualization techniques, such as envisioning white qi from the West entering the body like silken threads.

Detailed talisman-drawing instructions follow: the first stroke symbolizes celestial purity, the second terrestrial peace, the third longevity for humans, and the fourth annihilation of ghostly forms. Marshal Ma is commanded to incinerate demonic entities with divine flames. References to the Dipper Gods (Northern Star deities) emphasize the talisman's authority derives from the Jade Emperor (supreme Daoist divinity), making it inviolable by any malignant spirit.

The conclusion summons General Ma Chong (a guardian commander), depicted with awe-inspiring features: white-scale armor, lightning-like eyes, and flame-spewing mouth capable of shaking mountains and seas. The incantation demands his immediate manifestation to purge demonic forces. Practitioners must form the Dui trigram mudra (corresponding to the West), visualize white qi, silently recite secret mantras, then inhale this qi to merge it with their lung energy.

Used primarily for exorcisms, healing, and childbirth rituals, this scripture embodies the Daoist magical principle of "using divine power to subdue ghosts." It integrates multiple ritual components: talismans (fulu), hand seals, visualizations, and incantations, demonstrating the sophisticated synthesis of techniques in Daoist liturgical practice.

This scripture describes the concrete ritual procedures of Daoist deity summoning and magical practice, divided into two main parts: the invocation of the White Snake General and the spirit possession of a child medium (known as fushengtong).

The first section details the ritual to summon the White Snake General. This formidable deity is depicted with awe-inspiring features: wearing a yellow headscarf, with a white face adorned by three wisps of beard, clad in white robes with golden armor, black lower garments, and green boots. In his left hand he holds a golden blade, while his right hand grasps a white serpent, and from his mouth he can spew samadhi true fire (a sacred flame attained through Daoist cultivation). The practitioner must recite incantations to summon this Jia-Geng Fire Spirit Official, compelling the White Snake General to manifest swiftly. The chant emphasizes the deity's supreme sanctity, capable of silencing the white serpent's mouth while making it spew samadhi true fire to devour evil entities.

The text then describes the potency of the White Snake Talisman: it contains the pure yang qi of heaven and earth. When its left eye opens, it can shift stars and startle ghosts and deities; when its right eye closes, it can summon thunderbolts. The deity's flaming breath can wither plants to yellow crispness, and a single movement of his body can cause mountains to crumble and the earth to split—even capable of overturning Mount Kunlun.

The spirit possession ritual is more complex: First, the practitioner burns incense to calm the mind, then takes a bowl of purified water and traces five black talismanic characters on its surface using the sword-finger mudra (a Daoist hand seal) with the right hand. The incantation "Heaven dark, earth dark" is recited to plunge all creation into darkness, thereby intimidating spirits. Next, the practitioner forms the Nine Palaces Dipper Formation (a ritual footwork pattern) and draws the well-character talisman on the ground, visualizing black mist enveloping the area.

Finally, through steps like water sprinkling and hand fumigation, the practitioner summons the Soul-Fetching General and Soul-Monitoring Envoys to descend from the Heavenly Gate. With golden blades, they cleave open the crown point (the Baihui acupoint at the top of the head) of the child medium, allowing the deity to possess the body. The entire ritual combines water magic, incantations, visualization (known as cunxiang), and other Daoist techniques to achieve the purpose of exorcising evil and manifesting the divine.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual for summoning and attaching souls, containing several key elements:

First, it explains how to draw out the three hun (ethereal souls) and seven po (corporeal souls) through the "crown gate" (Baihui point at the top of the head). The three hun are named Taiguang hun (Platform Light soul), Youjing hun (Hidden Essence soul), and Shuangling hun (Clear Spirit soul), visualized as three infant forms or as qi (vital energy) spheres in blue, red, and yellow. Simultaneously, three soul messengers - Peng Ju, Peng Jiao, and Peng Zhi - are summoned to emerge from the body.

The ritual master must draw qi from the dantian (energy center) while reciting incantations to invite "Envoy He" to guard the living soul. Next, the qi of heaven, earth, sun, moon, water and fire are blended vertically to solidify the souls like iron. At this stage, a protective "Huoluo Dou" (a stellar formation) must be formed above the head.

The ritual then urgently summons multiple divine beings for assistance: the Supporting Great Aunt Star, Seven Maidens of the Eastern Dipper, the Soul-Bewildering Youth, General Report-Messenger, and particularly the Strongman Cui Shuyin for swift soul summoning. The master draws circles above the head with sword mudras while repeatedly calling the three hun and seven po to depart.

A ninefold transformation follows: each rotation produces specific effects, from shaking heaven and earth to successively gathering the deities of all joints, radiant essence, and bodily form, ultimately completely collecting the three hun and seven po to facilitate possession by deceased spirits or malevolent entities. The incantations follow the sequence of the nine palaces (Kan, Kun, Zhen, Xun, center, Qian, Dui, Gen, Li).

Finally, numerous divine generals are summoned to capture evil spirits, including the Flying Dragon Cavalry, Water-Cloud Cavalry, and deities like the Lord of Nanyang Star and Kuixing to suppress malignant forces. The entire ritual emphasizes rapid soul collection through yubu (shamanic steps), incantations, and gangbu (Big Dipper stepping patterns).

This scripture reveals the complexity of Daoist soul-summoning rituals, incorporating stellar worship, concepts of internal deities, and the coordinated use of talismans and spells. It serves as important material for studying Daoist ritual practices.

This scripture describes a complete set of incantations and ritual procedures from Daoist exorcism practices. When performing the ritual, the priest first summons the Divine Generals (Lingguan Shenjiang, Daoist guardian deities) along with water deities from heaven and earth, invoking the Nine Heavens' Thunder Envoys to descend with celestial thunder. Through powerful mantras that shake heaven, earth, and all spirits, the priest then calls upon three specific generals—Han, Gao, and Yao—for assistance, compelling the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (ancient Chinese asterisms) to move swiftly and forcing malevolent entities to tremble into visibility.

After reciting the incantations, the priest sprays water while commanding "Tremble immediately!" If the evil presence fails to manifest, the previous steps are repeated. Subsequent procedures involve chanting the "Soul-Gathering Mantra" and "Throat-Opening Mantra," accompanied by specific hand seals (mudras). Drawing the vital Qi (breath) from the eastern direction (symbolizing generative energy in Daoist cosmology), the priest blows it into the possessed person's mouth to enable speech, allowing interrogation of the haunting spirit's origins.

During the interrogation phase, the priest's mantras cause cosmic tremors that compel the spirit to confess. The "Fire Ritual" follows, summoning Fire Marshal Wang (Huoshen Wangshuai, a flame deity from Daoist pantheon) to incinerate the ghostly form with boundless fire, while invoking the "Faceless Great General" from the Divine Generals' retinue to administer corporal punishment to the spirit.

In the final stage, the priest traces an invisible "field" character (田) above the subject's head with sword-fingers while reciting binding incantations. Upon the spirit's materialization and confession, the priest immediately presses the "Dipper Seal" hand formation against the temples, commanding "Ghost depart swiftly, human soul enter promptly!" A thunder mudra strike follows, accompanied by life-preserving mantras to safeguard the subject's true form from dissipation. The entire ceremony integrates core Daoist ritual elements—incantations, mudras, talismanic techniques, and ritual pacing of the stars (gangbu).

This scripture records a Daoist exorcism and soul-summoning ritual, primarily used to treat unconscious individuals. The complete procedure consists of several key steps:

First, the priest must call out the unconscious person's (referred to as "child") name and have them drink warm broth. If they remain unresponsive, the "Soul-Awakening Talisman" (xinghun fu) is employed. This talisman must be burned and dissolved in warm broth for the patient to ingest. The talisman bears special incantatory symbols, including esoteric Daoist mantras such as "Om Va Ra Hum," syllables believed to possess mystical power to awaken the soul.

Next, a series of exorcism incantations are recited, such as "Open the Heavenly Gate, close the Earthly Door, leave only the Human Gate." This is a common spatial boundary spell in Daoist magic, signifying the opening of celestial pathways while sealing infernal portals, preserving only the human realm's access. Phrases like "Block the ghost's path, pierce the ghost's heart, rupture the ghost's belly" are direct attacks against evil entities, symbolizing the obstruction of malignant spirits' approaches and the destruction of their core.

The incantation mentions the "Tai Guang, You Jing, Shuang" — the three Hun souls (Daoism posits humans have three Hun and seven Po souls) — demanding the scattered souls return to their rightful places. "May the evil ghosts from all five directions be annihilated" refers to banishing malevolent forces from the east, south, west, north, and center. The concluding phrase "Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances" (ji ji ru lü ling) is a standard Daoist incantation ending, indicating immediate execution of divine will.

The latter section invokes the title of "Marshal Lingguan" (a Daoist guardian deity), summoning him to descend swiftly and assist in gathering the dispersed souls. The incantation incorporates numerous Sanskrit-derived esoteric syllables like "Om Utu Hum Ma Gu Lu," which in Daoist ritual practice are believed to carry special spiritual potency.

This ritual integrates multiple Daoist techniques including talismans (fulu), incantations, and visualization (cunxiang), exemplifying the tradition's characteristic "using arts to aid the world." It should be noted that such esoteric mantras require proper lineage transmission and oral instruction — they must not be recited casually by the uninitiated.