《道法會元》Vol. 59

The Fifty-Ninth Volume of Daofa Huiyuan (Collected Essentials of Daoist Rituals) records the Jade Pivot Five Thunder True Script of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition, wherein the "Establishing Prisons to Capture Malign Entities" technique represents an esoteric thunder ritual specifically designed to subdue various demonic forces.

This method is employed in the following circumstances: encounters with mountain demons (shanjing), the Five Penetrating Deities (popular malevolent spirits), animated trees or stones, fox spirits, wandering ghosts, flying corpses (jiangshi that can levitate), gu poison, consumption ghosts, water monsters, plague spirits, roaming entities, roof-tile displacing thieves, and possessing spirits that cause disturbances—such as those bewitching young men and women, monks, nuns, or widows, or inducing possessed behaviors like nonsensical speech, manic laughter, singing, wielding knives, arson, or public cursing. These potent malign entities cannot be subdued through ordinary means.

The procedure unfolds as follows: First, an official dispatch is issued to the local City God (protective deity), with simultaneous reports submitted to the Emperor of Eastern Peak (ruler of the underworld) and the Thunder Department generals. In the northwest (Qian-Hai position), a "Prison for Malign Entities" is established: finely sifted furnace ash is spread into an eight-to-nine-inch square, enclosed on four sides with an opening left at the southeast gate. A six-inch bamboo pole is erected at the center, tied with black cloth. The ritual master, wielding a sword and stepping in Gangbu (Daoist ritual footsteps), approaches the prison gate while reciting incantations to summon celestial soldiers for capturing the entities.

The incantation essence invokes celestial and terrestrial troops to escort the malign entities into confinement, acting under the decree of Beiyin Fengdu's Great Emperor (ruler of the underworld), commanding Thunder Department generals to swiftly capture the demons. After fourteen recitations, the master orders the generals to imprison the spirits, locks the prison gate, and stations divine guards. Consecrated water is then sprinkled throughout the dwelling, while ash patterns are examined to identify the entity type. Finally, an official document transfers the captive to Eastern Peak or Fengdu for judgment, with the victim receiving talisman water and household protection charms. Offerings of incense, wine, fruit, and spirit money are presented to the prison guards.

The scripture details two prison configurations:

1. Yang Brilliance Prison: Specifically for mountain demons and ancestral disturbances (jiaxiang), leaving thumb-sized ash marks (or mung bean-sized traces indicating ancestral spirits).

2. Nether Terrace Eternal Night Prison: Designed for gu poison ghosts, wandering souls, and snake spirits, which leave distinct trace patterns.

(Note: "Dingbu" refers to Daoist ritual footsteps; "Xunfang" denotes the southeast Bagua direction; "Beidi" is Fengdu's Great Emperor; "talisman water" is consecrated with written charms; "spirit money and horses" are paper offerings.)

This passage describes several types of Daoist "prisons" (ritual containment fields) used for subduing malevolent spirits and their operational methods.

The Wind-Thunder Fiery Chariot Prison is specifically designed to capture wild fox spirits causing disturbances at altars and village shrines, as well as ghosts that induce madness. The Flowing Fire Venomous Snake Prison targets spirits that have taken form from gold or jade, while the Toxic Mist Blazing Fire Prison suppresses water monsters, dragon-serpents, and spirits inhabiting trees, stones, fish, or chickens. The Universal Capture Prison comes in two sizes capable of containing all lawless evil entities, with the larger version forcibly imprisoning them.

Traces left within these prisons reveal the nature of the captured spirits: chicken footprints indicate ghosts of those who died far from home; small human footprints belong to minor tree deities; bloody duck/goose prints mark souls of violent deaths; cat prints represent shrine spirits; shoe prints denote mountain demons or Wutong spirits (folk deities); rope marks signify hanging ghosts; shackle prints show prison-death spirits; knife scars reveal wandering deities; bean marks indicate corpse-possession ghosts; hoofprints belong to altar deities; insect trails mark plague spirits; tiny rodent prints show ghosts of difficult childbirth; half-missing prints suggest mountain or rock spirits; and cursive-like patterns expose false immortals.

The containment procedure involves: first drafting an official dispatch ordering celestial generals to imprison the spirit, then transferring it to Dongyue (Mount Tai's divine court) or Fengdu (the underworld tribunal) for judgment. The ritual master transforms into a Thunder Envoy, wielding a sword while chanting incantations and forming thunder hand-seals, then spraying consecrated water. After visualizing lightning filling the space, the master draws a four-vertical-five-horizontal containment grid with the sword. Finally, ashes and bamboo slivers are cast into flowing water while a Blazing Fire Talisman (Xuhuo Fu) seals the prison, accompanied by wine, fruit, and spirit money offerings to the generals.

The ritual concludes by summoning the Five Thunder Generals: the master forms the Dipper hand-seal with the left hand while gripping the sword with the right, stepping in Big Dipper patterns while reciting the Sevenfold Thunder Incantation. Each recitation cycle amplifies the power—by the seventh cycle, offending spirits are commanded to submit to thunder justice and cease disturbances. The entire ceremony must strictly follow Thunder Ministry protocols.

This scripture outlines a complete Daoist ritual procedure for exorcism and healing, specifically targeting patients afflicted by ghostly possession. The process consists of several key stages:

First, the ritual master arrives at the patient's doorway, forming the "Celestial Pass" hand seal (Tian Guan) with the left hand and the "Earth Pivot" seal (Di Zhou) with the right, facing southeast (the Xun position in the Bagua). Taking a deep breath, the master holds it while silently reciting incantations to summon thunder gods like the Duke of Thunder (Leigong) and Mother of Lightning (Dianmu) to rotate the Earth Pivot and seal the Ghost Gate (pathway to the underworld), preventing the malignant spirit's escape. During this, the practitioner visualizes the Five Thunder Envoys (Wulei shizhe) leading celestial troops to guard all entry points.

Next, the patient is positioned with their back to light sources and instructed to close their eyes. The master writes the characters for "Thunder Fire" (Leihuo) in cinnabar on their own palm. When the patient coughs, the master immediately blows this breath onto the inscribed characters - though having the patient exhale directly yields better results. The practitioner then faces southeast again, inhales while chanting, and petitions the Thunder Gods to manifest their divine light, illuminating the underworld to expose the lurking spirit.

Upon confirming the spirit's manifestation, the master demands it reveal its origins. If uncooperative, the patient is given the "Five Thunder Command Talisman" (Wulei zongshe fu) dissolved in well water to drink, along with carrying protective talismans to dispel the malign influence.

For capturing recalcitrant spirits, the master forms the "Thunder Seal Mudra" (Leiju jue) while reciting the Five Thunder Envoys' incantations. When the patient's body trembles - indicating spirit possession - the master immediately interrogates the entity. Should it remain defiant, binding techniques (Fufa) are employed to forcibly subdue it.

The ritual synthesizes multiple Daoist techniques: incantations, mudras, visualization (Cunxiang), and talismans (Fulu), with its core power deriving from the Thunder Ministry deities. The Northern Emperor (Beiji dadi) presides as the supreme thunder divinity, while the Five Thunder Envoys serve as the executive celestial force implementing thunder magic.

The Daoist priest (fashi) first forms the thunder mudra (leiju) with the left hand, facing the southeast (the Xun position representing the Wind trigram). Taking a deep breath, he holds it while concentrating his shen (spirit) and silently recites the heart mantra: "The Five Thunder Envoys arrive swift as lightning, their awe-inspiring might shakes the four directions, making Heaven and Earth tremble. With dragon ropes they swiftly bind vengeful spirits, as divine guardians rapidly secure the Ghost Gate Pass. This is performed by decree of the Great Emperor of the North Pole (a revered Daoist deity)."

After completing the incantation, he guides the qi through the mudra to the patient's hand while commanding the divine generals to immediately bind the malignant entity. If ineffective, he transitions to the cangue method.

When performing the cangue technique, the priest again forms the thunder mudra with the left hand toward the southeast, drawing qi while silently intoning: "The Five Thunder Envoys borrow radiance from the southeast, their bodies indigo-hued with sword-like fangs, wielding divine axes to swiftly shackle evil ghosts. Should they dare disobey, let them be crushed to dust." After recitation, he directs the ritual qi toward the patient's crown while commanding the generals to "seize and shackle the head." Should the entity remain unyielding, he employs the interrogation method.

The interrogation chant summons the Red Emperor of the East (one of the Five Directional Thearchs) and the Five Thunder Envoys to examine the haunting spirit with the dragon-judgment staff. Blowing qi onto the patient's back, he loudly orders the divine generals to administer severe punishment. For particularly obstinate entities, additional qi is blown onto the legs to intensify pressure.

The blowing technique specifically subdues violent ghosts. Forming the whirlwind mudra, the priest chants: "By the Supreme Heaven's decree arises the divine wind from Xun's quarter - when ghosts manifest they perish, when spirits cast shadows they vanish! Declare your name, water ghost, immediately!" Qi is blown over the patient's entire body. Continued resistance prompts the burning method.

For the burning technique, the priest forms the fire mudra facing due south, invoking the Thunder Duke Envoys to incinerate the evil spirit with fire essence. The incantation commands its limbs to rot and heart to shatter in terror. Visualizing raging flames consuming the entity, should this prove ineffective, the ultimate Five Thunder Cannon method is deployed.

(Note: This exorcism ritual demonstrates the complete thunder practice (leifa) sequence - from binding and interrogation to annihilation, escalating progressively. The Xun quarter represents wind and thunder, while the south corresponds to fire, embodying Five Phase (wuxing) mutual conquest principles. The practice integrates mudras, incantations, visualization, and qi manipulation - characteristic of Daoist ritual arts.)

The priest lights incense and reverently summons the General of the Northern Dipper Tianyou (a Daoist guardian deity), urgently calling upon the Five Thunder Envoys, Five Thunder Generals, Five Thunder Deities, and the Thunder Gods to descend and assist. This is done by the decree of the Great Emperor of the North (a revered Daoist deity who governs thunder and lightning).

During the ritual, the priest forms the Five Sacred Mountains hand seal (a Daoist mudra) to channel the gathered Qi (vital energy) from the Celestial Gate onto the afflicted person. The method for exorcising ghosts is as follows: First, the origin and reason for the haunting are investigated. Once confirmed, the priest dispatches divine generals to escort the ghost to either Fengdu (the underworld), the Eastern Sacred Peak (the abode of the deity of Mount Tai), or the City God Temple, where it is dealt with according to the severity of its transgressions.

Next, the priest uses the left hand to form the zodiac-specific Life Destiny seal corresponding to the patient, takes a deep breath, and silently recites the incantation: "Thunder Gods of the Five Directions, swiftly manifest your power! Gather at the altar and subdue the spirits! Release the bonds and expel the evil—by the decree of the Great Emperor of the North!" After reciting, the priest exhales toward the patient’s Gen position (northeast) and immediately commands the divine generals to seize the haunting spirit. This ensures harmony between the realms of Yin and Yang: the living are restored to health, while the spirits are not needlessly harmed—a testament to the priest’s virtue (De). For compassionate deliverance, the priest may dispatch divine generals to escort the ghost to the Eastern Sacred Peak for reincarnation, embodying the priest’s benevolence.

The method for drawing the Five Thunder Command Talisman: Using yellow paper and ink, the priest writes while holding the breath and focusing the spirit (Shen), visualizing thunder shaking the earth and the talisman radiating brilliant light. Upon completion, the priest channels the vital Qi (Shengqi) from the southeast into the talisman. The inscription reads: "Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire, Five Thunders reveal their power! By the Jade Emperor’s decree, annihilate all evil! First turn—heaven and earth tremble! Second turn—deities retreat! Third turn—malice disperses! Fourth turn—thunderfire rises! Fifth turn—lightning erupts! Sixth turn—mountain ghosts perish! Seventh turn—all fifteen kinds of malevolent spirits defying the Dao and disturbing the mortal realm are subdued and brought before the Five Thunder Altar for execution! None shall resist! Swiftly, as commanded!"

This scripture documents the specific practices of Song Dynasty Daoist Thunder Rituals (Leifa), employing talismans (Fulu), hand seals, and visualization to mobilize the power of the Thunder Department’s divine generals. It embodies both the authority of exorcism and the compassion of spirit deliverance, reflecting the Daoist core principle of "saving the world and delivering humanity." Thunder Rituals flourished during the Song Dynasty, as lightning was believed to purify both the Yin and Yang realms.