《道法會元》Vol. 34

This scripture describes the specific procedures and incantations used by the Qingwei lineage (one of Daoism's major schools) when performing the Lian Du ritual (a ceremony for liberating departed souls).

First, the ritual master must prepare official documents: with reverent sincerity, they compose memorials to the deities, including petitions to the Patriarchal Primordial Lord (a revered Daoist divinity) and official dispatches to the City God (local guardian deity), dispatching special talismanic messengers to deliver them. On the eve of the ritual, they must also prepare an official document stamped with a vermillion Soul-Summoning Talisman and sealed with the ritual seal.

At dawn the following day, the master first issues an expediting document, then sits in quiet meditation, silently inviting the Three Pure Ones (Daoism's highest deities) and various patriarchs to descend, borrowing their divine power to draw talismans and recite spells. After this, they may freely chant scriptures—what matters most is maintaining utmost sincerity. Throughout the day, they should minimize worldly affairs, purify their mind and desires, and whether walking, sitting, or reclining, continuously silently recite the name of the Heavenly Worthy of Supreme Unity Who Saves from Suffering (the deity specifically responsible for soul liberation) to seek spiritual resonance.

By evening, they set up an altar table in a quiet space or before the ritual platform: placing an incense burner on the left, a water bowl on the right, and a food container in front. Seated solemnly at the center, the master gradually commences the Lian Du ritual. At this point, they silently recite four purification spells:

1. The Purifying Speech Karma Spell: to eliminate false speech, slander, and other verbal transgressions

2. The Purifying Body Spell: to remove killing, theft, lust, and other bodily misdeeds

3. The Purifying Mind Spell: to cleanse greed, anger, delusion, and other mental distractions

4. The Filth-Dispelling Spell: to purify the entire ritual space

After reciting the spells, the master visualizes the entire altar space transforming into a golden light realm of purity. They then adjust their posture: wearing the Three Platforms Star Crown (a ritual headpiece), with the Southern Dipper constellation before them and the Northern Dipper behind, fingers pointing in specific directions. Next, they concentrate their spirit and quiet their breath, reaching a state where self and object are both forgotten. Finally, they secretly summon the Merit Officers (divine messengers) and local Earth Gods, requesting them to convey this sincere intention to the celestial deities above.

This scripture describes the ritual process of summoning deities in Daoist liturgical ceremonies. The ritual master first reverently invites the supreme deities of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) — the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Tianzun), and the Celestial Worthy of Dao and De (Daode Tianzun) — along with numerous other celestial worthies including the Great Emperor of Long Life of the South Pole (Nanji Changsheng Dadi) and the Salvation Celestial Worthy of Great Unity (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun) to descend upon the ritual altar.

Next, the master summons the stellar deities of the sun, moon, stars, the Great Dipper and Southern Star Lords, as well as patriarchs of the Qingwei lineage (a Daoist school) and immortal adepts throughout history such as the Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhang Daoling of the Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi) tradition and the True Lord Xu Xun.

Through the cultivation method of visualization (cunxiang), the master imagines the primordial Qi (Xianqi) of the Three Pure Ones pouring into their body, gathering their Shen (spirit) in the Dantian (energy center), while silently projecting golden light from their crown that soars to the heavens. At this moment, all summoned deities and celestial generals arrive through the skies, surrounding the ritual altar. The master then offers incense while silently reciting their ritual rank, declaring their identity to the celestial worthies with devout prostrations and petitions.

The text mentions "Messenger Officers" (Gongcao Shizhe) — deities in the Daoist pantheon responsible for delivering messages — and "Earth Gods" (Tudi), the local guardian deities. The master dispatches them to swiftly transmit the ritual decrees while awaiting divine responses. The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist cultivation philosophy of "resonance between heaven and humanity" (Tianren Ganying), achieving communication with deities through visualization, incantations, incense offerings, and other ritual methods.

This scripture describes the ritual process of the Daoist Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai), a ceremony for the salvation of deceased souls.

First, it enumerates the pantheon of deities to be summoned: celestial officials from the Southern Chang Palace (a Daoist divine court governing life and death), the Southern Ling Pivot Office, and the Vermilion Ling Fire Palace (a realm for refining departed souls); protector deities such as the Great General of the Nine Dipper's Solar Radiance and Flaming Golden Bells (who wields fiery bell ritual implements), Liu Tianjun (a thunder deity), the Two Thunder Lords Gou and Bi (who govern yin-yang lightning), and the Two Generals Wang and Zhao (who command water and fire); as well as officials from the Water-Fire Refinement Offices, the Celestial Physician of Fetal Nourishment (a healing deity), and the Two Sage Generals He and Qiao of the Divine Tiger (who retrieve wandering souls).

Next, it specifies the souls to be redeemed: all departed beings from the ten directions, including those from the human realm, hell realms, hungry ghost realms, and animal realms; vengeful spirits burdened by unpaid debts of gratitude, injustice, life, or material obligations; as well as mountain-river spirits, ancestral shrine deities, and other numinous entities. Through Daoist ritual power, they are guided to the altar to cleanse their transgressions and resolve karmic grievances.

During the ceremony, the ritual master forms the Five Sacred Peaks Mudra (a hand seal), invoking the wisdom light of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) to illuminate the underworld. The master circulates their inner divine light and exhales vital Qi (breath), guiding souls to ride this radiance forth. Soul-summoning envoys then orderly lead these spirits before the altar.

Finally, through silent recitation of the Most High's sacred name, souls trapped in the Ninefold Darkness cease their cycles of mutual vengeance. The scripture emphasizes that "grievances fundamentally arise from deluded thoughts"—if one maintains mental clarity, karmic conflicts naturally dissolve. The entire ritual embodies the Daoist compassionate ideal of "universal salvation for all beings."

This describes the Daoist ritual for delivering deceased souls, which consists of several key stages:

First, celestial physicians and divine officials are invited, including the Great Sage of Heavenly Medicine (the deity overseeing healing), the Six Duty Administrators, the Merit Officials of Disease Treatment, and the Immortal Clerks of Medicine. Their divine power is invoked to heal the departed souls. The ritual master employs the Five Phases' (Wuxing) primordial Qi (the five fundamental energies of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) to purify the souls' impurities.

Next comes the recitation of the secret incantation "Lianghan ni □ dili suoha" – a mantra possessing special spiritual efficacy. Then consecrated water (Zhenshui, water empowered with ritual force) is sprinkled for purification, granting the souls spiritual clarity. This is followed by the Danyang Incantation, which recounts how at the dawn of chaos, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoism's supreme deity) initiated spiritual teaching, with the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing – the Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure deities) guiding all beings to revive withered trees and deliver departed souls.

The Ganlu (Nectar) Incantation "Om li □ xi ping zha xi she hua ye" is then chanted to enable souls to receive ritual offerings. The master blends the Supreme Numinous Light (sacred energy) with Ganlu (symbolic nectar), infusing the offerings with spiritual power so all souls may be nourished.

During the final food distribution, the master declares: "I have prepared pure offerings – a single grain can feed hungry ghosts throughout the ten directions." The ritual concludes by instructing the souls: "Now that you are nourished, healed, and freed from grievances, you should take refuge in the Dao to avoid the suffering of hell."

Through sacred mantras, empowered substances, and compassionate offerings, this ritual assists souls in transcending suffering and attaining rebirth. Key Daoist concepts featured include the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), Primordial Beginning Celestial Worthy (Yuanshi Tianzun), Five Phases Primordial Qi (Wuxing Zhenyuan), and consecrated water (Zhenshui) – all fundamental to Daoist theology and practice.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of wandering souls. It first explains that hungry ghosts (suffering spirits) who take refuge in the Dao and receive the "Nine Perfect Precepts" (the highest ethical code) can be liberated from rebirth in the animal realm and absolved of heavy sins accrued in the Nine Dark Hells (Daoism's deepest underworld). Practitioners must make four great vows to ultimately realize the supreme Dao.

The ritual master solemnly recites each precept, requiring all present to listen attentively. The Three Refuges include: taking refuge in the Mysterious Dao of the Jade Capital on Mount Daluo (the highest heaven), taking refuge in the essential scriptures preserved in the Hua Palace, and taking refuge in enlightened masters of both celestial and earthly realms.

The Nine Perfect Precepts specifically are: loyalty to rulers, filial piety to parents, abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, theft, anger, deception, arrogance, and maintaining single-minded observance. The four great vows are: vowing to awaken one's true nature without delusion, vowing to cultivate compassion while abandoning desires, vowing to accumulate merit for universal salvation, and vowing to uphold orthodoxy while propagating the Dao.

Through disciplined observance, the ritual master restrains body and mind, empowered by vow-energy to prevent souls from losing their way during tribulations. Subsequently, the refining ritual (salvation ceremony) commences, inviting Thunder Deities Shenlie and Yinyang from the Shangqing tradition, along with Generals Wang and Zhao (masters of water and fire) from the Yuqing lineage, who descend with their retinue from the Refining Palace. These deities mobilize Yang essence (positive energy) and Yin essence (negative energy) to help souls refine their authentic spirit.

The master sits in silent meditation, silently reciting water and fire incantations seven times each, harmonizing the dual energies until Yang Qi becomes abundant like spring sunlight. The refined souls feel immersed in solar radiance, like starlight ready to ascend. By restraining anger and extinguishing desires—abandoning illusions to return to original truth—they attain the mysterious state of penetrating wisdom, ultimately transcending the cycle of rebirth.

Finally, deities including the Golden Fire Bell General of Nine Yang Radiance and the Thunder Lord Liu Tianjun are invoked to escort souls directly to the Southern Palace (celestial paradise) for ascension. The master circulates True Fire (internal alchemical energy) through the Heavenly Gate (crown point), as golden light from the fire bells illuminates all directions, swiftly arranging positions for the souls in the Southern Dipper constellation (governing longevity).

This scripture documents the ritual incantations and talisman usage protocols for Daoist salvation rites to liberate departed souls. The main content is divided into several sections:

It begins with an esoteric mantra called the "Blazing Fire Bell Incantation," which invokes the power of the fire bell (a ritual implement) to illuminate all directions with radiant flames, guiding souls toward celestial ascent. The departed may ride this luminous path to pay homage at the Danji (the supreme celestial realm) and ultimately attain formless transcendence.

Following this is a dedication text, offering the merit of the ritual to the Most Compassionate Lord of Salvation (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun), praying that his grace may extend to one's ancestors, relatives, teachers, disciples, and all sentient beings, enabling them to achieve supreme enlightenment.

Next are instructions for the "Release from Earthbound State" ritual, employing a talisman named the "Jade Talisman of the Soaring Dragon for Soul Retrieval." This talisman may be inscribed with cinnabar directly on the left side of the Soul-Summoning Document (a salvation text), or written separately on yellow paper and affixed to the document's front.

Subsequently, the scripture details the usage protocol for the "Primordial Mandate Talisman of Celestial Ascent," which announces the salvation of souls across the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and the underworld). It requires the inscription of specific dates and the officiating priest's rank and name.

Finally, the "Vermilion Sun Talisman" is mentioned—used during refinement rituals by burning it in a water basin. It may be inscribed on blue or black paper.

These elements belong to the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy for salvation rites, employing specific incantations, talismans (Fulu), and ceremonial procedures to help departed souls escape suffering and ascend to the immortal realms.