《道法會元》Vol. 38

This scripture documents an esoteric method from the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition of Daoism, known as the "Purple Court Secret Method of Highest Clarity," primarily used for summoning divine generals to exorcise evil and cure illnesses. The complete ritual consists of several core components:

First is the pantheon of presiding deities, listing four high-ranking divinities: the Sovereign Lord of Pure Subtlety, True Origin of Marvelous Transformation (highest deity of the Qingwei lineage); the Celestial Lord of Primal Beginning, Purple Palace Emperor of Grand Radiance (deity of cosmic origin); the Patriarch of the Three Heavens and Orthodox Unity Celestial Master (namely Zhang Daoling); and the Dharma King of Lofty Origin's Illumination, Purple Void Primordial Lord (manifestation of the Northern Dipper deity). These deities jointly govern this method.

Next are introduced two divine generals responsible for executing the ritual: General Lang Ying of the Purple Court (clad in vermilion robes wielding an axe, summoned on Xu days) and General Xue Yuan (clad in black robes wielding a sword, summoned on Hai days). They correspond respectively to the earthly branches' Xu day (yang day) and Hai day (yin day), with the summoning target chosen according to the specific hour.

The summoning ceremony involves specific secret incantations and talisman (fulu) usage:

1. First purify the environment using the "Qi Talisman" (energy talisman)

2. Then fumigate hands with the "Fierce Talisman" to observe omens - the smoke patterns (purple or white indicating auspiciousness, yellow or black indicating inauspiciousness) determine the ritual's success

3. Finally employ "Ingestion Talismans" taken with Thunder Pills (exorcism pellets) and betel nut incense decoction

The scripture specifically states this method can counteract twenty-one types of corpse toxins (such as bone-steaming fever, consumptive disorders, and insect poisons) and thirty-six kinds of demonic disturbances. These malignant entities crave frankincense but fear sesame oil, with the optimal ritual times being Xu hour on Jia-Xu day or Hai hour on Gui-Hai day.

After completing the ritual, talismans must be posted or buried in the northeast (Gen position) to imprison the evil forces in the "Inner Prison of the Purple Court." The ritual master simply follows specific talismanic procedures to detain and control these malign influences, preventing further harm to living beings.

Note: The term "Qi" (炁) refers to primordial energy, distinct from postnatal "qi" (气); the "northeast direction" corresponds to the Gen trigram in the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), holding special significance in Daoist geomancy.

This scripture documents a method for resolving grievances and dispelling misfortunes from the Shenxiao lineage (a Thunder Method branch) of Daoism. It primarily includes ritual talismans (fulu), deity summoning techniques, and specific operational procedures.

Regarding the usage standards for grievance-resolving talismans: The formal document (die) must clearly state the talisman's name, with no other content written arbitrarily. Here, special mention is made of the "Grievance and Curse Dissolution Talisman Method," specifically designed to resolve karmic grievances and curses.

The summoned divine team consists of: Zhang Zao, the "Grievance-Knot Untangling Emissary" from the Jade Department of Shenxiao (a divine general specializing in resolving malignant karmic ties), along with core deities from the Lingyou Zhonglie Great Method. The presiding deity is the Nine Heavens Life-Mastering Pure and True Purple Void Lady Wei (an important Daoist goddess), leading her divine commanders—the Lingyou Epidemic-Destroying Loyal and Valiant Marshal Kang Ying (Protector-Descendant Marshal Kang) and his deputy General Tang.

The operational procedure involves several steps:

First, the ritual master must concentrate their spirit and calm their breath, exhaling azure qi (primordial energy) to the left side while forming Thunder Method hand seals (leiju) to open the pathway. At this point, the divine generals will manifest in the practitioner's mental vision. Next, the master recites the secret incantation "Cui na Kang Ying su zhi she" while inhaling through the nose, circulating the breath to mix in the lungs, then raising and expelling it through the mouth with a "xi xu" sound toward the ritual incense. This creates a clear sensation of face-to-face communion with the divine generals.

The summoning incantation essentially declares: By the imperial decree of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning from the Jade Pure Realm, all myriad deities and thousand perfected ones are summoned. It emphasizes that any divine general disobeying the command will face celestial punishment. Finally, incense is burned to formally summon Marshal Kang and General Tang for immediate manifestation.

The scripture also records multiple accompanying talismans:

• Summoning talismans (for deity invocation)
• Command talismans (for deity dispatch)
• Urging talismans (to hasten action)
• Four universal talismans including the Shangqing Jade Terrace Talisman (for incense fumigation or wearing)
• Special "Epidemic-Dispelling Talismanic Mandate" for treating illnesses

These talismans have wide applications—they can resolve karmic grievances between the living and deceased, cure diseases, exorcise evil influences, and even assist in childbirth. Important usage notes: When drawing talismans, the divine general's will must be channeled into brush and ink; for healing or exorcism, the brush tip should stroke downward.

This passage originates from Volume 38 of the Daoist Ritual Compendium (Daofa Huiyuan), an important collection of ritual methods circulating during the Song Dynasty that preserves key practices from the Shenxiao and Qingwei lineages.