《道法會元》Vol. 61

This scripture reveals the mysteries of the "Five Thunder Methods" in Daoism. The five thunders all originate from transformations of the primordial Ancestral Qi (the cosmic source energy). When this Ancestral Qi begins its movement, the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) is established: Heaven's One generates Water corresponding to the Kan position, Earth's Two generates Fire corresponding to the Li position, Heaven's Three generates Wood corresponding to the Zhen position, Earth's Four generates Metal corresponding to the Dui position, and Heaven's Five generates Earth positioned at the center. This is the origin of the Five Dippers, Five Stars, and Five Sacred Mountains—all being manifestations of these five primordial Qi energies.

When these five Qi energies operate harmoniously, the seasons alternate smoothly and all things flourish. But when Yin-Yang imbalance causes droughts or floods, it indicates the five Qi energies are malfunctioning. The "Thunder Judgment Method" takes Dao as its foundation and ritual techniques as its application. In internal cultivation, it can eliminate pathogenic energies (corpse-demons) within the body, penetrate celestial mysteries, harmonize the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and balance the Four Symbols (Lesser Yang, Greater Yang, Lesser Yin, Greater Yin), enabling Water and Fire to complement each other and Metal and Wood to merge. Through sustained practice, one ultimately achieves physical transformation and attains the immortal Dao.

When applied externally, it can slay demons, summon thunderbolt power. By harmonizing the quintessential five Qi energies and commanding the five Thunder Generals, the practitioner uses their own Shen (spirit) to summon deities from the void, merging personal Qi with cosmic Qi. Combined with special Gang steps (ritual footwork), hand seals, esoteric incantations, and spiritual talismans (Fulu), one can operate the creative forces of heaven and earth like turning a key—holding thunder in one's palm, containing the cosmos within the body, commanding sunshine or rain at will, with responsiveness swift as an echo to sound.

The Book of Changes describes this principle: "The hard and soft rub together, the eight trigrams (Bagua) stir one another. They are drummed by thunder and lightning, moistened by wind and rain." Yet without profound cultivation, true mastery remains elusive. Though subduing demons may appear effortless as casual conversation, thunder methods demand solemn reverence—practitioners must never treat them lightly or divulge secrets, lest they incur celestial punishment. Those seeking immortality cannot attain Dao-fruits without practicing Neidan (internal alchemy), employing talismanic water rituals, and accumulating hidden virtue (Yin De).

The text concludes by noting this thunder method's preface was composed by Wang Junwenqing, Attendant of the Condensed Divinity Hall's Grand Master of Supreme Purity, listing the Thunder Ministry's divine generals. Foremost among them is the "Supreme Mystic Sovereign—Ninth Heaven's Thunder Chief, Swift-Fire Law-Commanding Great Immortal Official," one of the highest deities in the Thunder Pantheon.

This scripture describes the deities of the Thunder Ministry (Leibu) in Daoism—the celestial bureaucracy governing thunder and lightning—along with their distinctive iconography. The text divides them into several categories:

The primary Thunder Deities include Marshal Deng Bowen, known as the "Great Spirit of Sudden Fire and Swift Command" (Xuhuo Lüling Dashen), who governs thunderbolts and wields an iron brush to adjudicate judgments across the Three Realms. Xin Hanchen serves as the judicial magistrate, Zhang Yuanbo as the swift executor of thunder punishments, and Cheng Manqing as the formidable Thunder General—depicted with a blue face, crimson hair, golden armor, red robes, and green boots, brandishing an axe.

Next are the specialized controllers of meteorological phenomena: Thunder Duke Jiang Hechong, with red hair and azure body, wields thunder hammers; Thunder Mother Xiu Wenying, black-haired and red-robed, generates lightning from her palms; Wind Earl Fang Daozhang, with blue hair and black garments, manipulates wind wheels; while Rain Master Chen Huafu, also black-haired and robed, governs water wheels.

The Five Thunder Sovereigns preside over distinct thunder types: Celestial Thunder, Divine Thunder, Dragon Thunder, Water Thunder, Earth Thunder, and Barbarian Thunder, each bearing the title "Third Lord" (Sanlang).

The Four Oceanic Great Spirits command thunder over the seas: Jade Thunder Master Hao (East), Flowing Luminescence of Firelight (South), Great Vehicle of Supreme Splendor (West), and Cave-Sun's Mysterious Numen (North).

Finally, the Twelve Duty Officers (Gongcao) rotate daily according to the Heavenly Stems cycle, each with specific attire colors and directional correspondences. For instance: General He Qing (Jia Day) wears blue robes with golden armor, embodying the East's azure Qi; General Yang Neng (Yi Day) dons jade-green armor, resonating with the East's jade energy.

Together, these deities form Daoism's comprehensive Thunder Ministry justice system, executing celestial thunder punishments while reflecting ancient China's personification of natural phenomena.

This scripture describes the system of Dharma-protecting deities in Daoist Thunder Rituals (Leifa), which is primarily divided into three categories of divine generals:

The first group comprises twelve altar guardians who take turns presiding over specific days. For instance, General Qi Yongren oversees Gui days, clad in pale black robes with golden armor; General Tan Ming presides over Gongcao days wearing yellow robes with golden armor; and General Li Hun guards Shenhou days in pale yellow robes with golden armor. These divine generals wield ritual implements like axes, tablets, iron whips, and ceremonial staffs, possessing vast supernatural powers to foresee human fortunes and misfortunes. By making daily offerings to the presiding general, practitioners can naturally discern the day's auspices. These deities also assist in talisman drawing (Fulu) for healing, exorcising evil, submitting memorials to heaven, and safeguarding practitioners during travels.

Next are the Five Directional Thunder Generals guarding the cardinal points:

• Jiang Ganglun, the Wind-Thunder General of the East, has a green face and red hair, wears blue robes with golden armor, and wields a sword and wind bag;
• Bi Ji, the Fire-Thunder Deity of the South, appears with a crimson visage, red robes and golden armor, holding a fire pearl;
• Hua Wentong, the Mountain-Thunder Deity of the West, sports a red face with black hair, white robes with golden armor, bearing an axe;
• Lei Ya, the Water-Thunder Deity of the North, has a dark demonic countenance with disheveled hair and bare feet, dressed in black robes with golden armor while holding a water wheel;
• Chen Shi, the Sovereign Thunder Deity of the Center, possesses an eel-like complexion, wears yellow Daoist robes, and carries twin swords.

Lastly, there are seven supreme Thunder Deities overseeing cosmic mechanisms:

• Cheng Manqing, the Celestial Fire-Thunder God, has a blood-splattered face, scarlet robes with golden armor, gripping a sword;
• Cao Ke, the Earth Fire-Thunder God, appears with a dark face and large eyes, black robes with golden armor, carrying a fire bag on his back;
• Ke Shu, the Five Thunders' Manifestation Spirit, displays a green face with red hair, golden beak and three eyes, holding a sword in his left hand and a thunder seal in his right;
• Shen Fengming, the Spirit Who Binds Ghosts and Opens the Divine, has a green face with red hair, green robes with golden armor, wielding a golden hammer and iron chains.

Each of these divine generals possesses unique powers, collectively forming the crucial protective force within the Daoist Thunder Ritual system.

This scripture describes multiple thunder deities and their functions within Daoist Thunder Rituals (a system of magic for summoning thunder deities). The content is divided into several sections:

First are the visual characteristics of three major deities: Marshal Xiang Chengzhi of the Pivot Platform has a pale complexion, wears purple robes with a golden belt, dons a warrior's cap, and holds arrows; Marshal Ren Hui of the Mechanism Platform has a red face with three beard wisps, wears green robes with golden armor, carries a sword and wears a cap; Marshal Chu Daoyuan of the Divine Mechanism Inner Platform has a pale face with three eyes, wears crimson-red clothing, and holds a signal flag. These detailed visualizations are used in Daoist rituals for deity contemplation (imagining the deities' appearances during meditation).

Next is the system of Five Thunder Commanders, each corresponding to a Five Phase direction and celestial stems/earthly branches: Heavenly Thunder Bai Lingzong governs eastern Wood, Divine Thunder Yi Yingchen governs southern Fire, Dragon Thunder Su Lianbei governs western Metal, Water Thunder Yin Diliang governs northern Water, and Earth Thunder Feng Daozhang governs central Earth. This correspondence reflects the Daoist cosmological view of "correspondence between heaven and humanity."

Each direction has specially named emissaries: the Demon-Bright Emissary of the east, the Fierce-Bold Emissary of the south, etc., along with Five Direction Dragon Kings (such as Meng Yuanzhang Dragon King of the east) and Nine Dragon Lords (such as Xiu Ji Dragon Lord of the Qian position). These divine names are called "inner taboos" in Daoist magic—secret names for summoning specific deities.

Regarding Thunder Ritual procedures: To suppress evil spirits, one must first submit a petition to the Nine Heavens Patrol Office (a celestial inspection agency). Major cases require simultaneous petitions to the Three Marshals Investigation Office (a higher divine authority). Ordinary exorcisms may be addressed solely to the Nine Heavens Investigative Emissary. This reflects the strict liturgical procedures of Daoist ritual magic.

Finally, the Thunder Master (a patriarch of Thunder Rituals) warns: Practitioners must maintain unity of heart and speech, as thunder deities have fiery temperaments and respond immediately to summons. When confronting dangerous evil spirits, one may dispatch a single deity by setting up an incense altar with sincere offerings and burning spirit money and "armored horse" paper offerings (ritual paper money and paper charms depicting divine steeds). The Zhang Emissary Talisman plays a crucial role in this process.

This scripture essentially serves as a divine roster and operational manual for Daoist Thunder Rituals, reflecting the systematized characteristics of thunder magic since the Song Dynasty, where natural thunder forces were personified into a strictly hierarchical pantheon.

This scripture describes the incantations and talismanic commands used in Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa), a ritual practice for summoning thunder deities to exorcise evil forces. The content can be divided into several key sections:

The opening consists of deity-summoning mantras. The phrase "Om Hong Hong" serves as a standard Daoist mantra preamble, invoking the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi, the supreme deity in Daoism) to command the opening of celestial gates and sealing of earthly passages (blocking paths for malevolent entities). This is followed by the invocation of Thunder General Zhang Yuanbo (one of the Thirty-Six Thunder Deities) to accompany the ritual master, protecting the living and obstructing ghostly paths.

The middle section details specific exorcism methods: using the Five Phases (Wuxing) powers of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth to pierce through demonic hearts, and employing the seven stars of the Northern Dipper (represented by their symbolic names Tan, Ju, Lu, Wen, Lian, Wu, and Po) to destroy demonic abdomens. Each stellar title corresponds to specific demon-subduing powers.

Next comes the description of ritual postures: the left hand raised to heaven with the left foot generating wind, while the right hand presses earthward with the right foot summoning lightning—these represent the master's specific physical positions during the ritual. The text then calls upon the sacred power of the Five Sacred Mountains (Wuyue) and Four Great Rivers (Sidu), conjuring thunder, lightning, wind and clouds to compel evil forces to self-destruct.

The final segment contains the talisman's core elements, referencing the Qian hexagram phrase from the Yijing ("The Creative works sublime success, furthering through perseverance") combined with solar and lunar forces. Aligned with the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) directions and the sacred might of Mount Kunlun (the Daoist holy mountain), the commands "Hong La Chi Ling" and other esoteric phrases activate the cosmic pivots of heaven and earth. This mobilizes wind, rain, thunder and lightning to smite demonic entities by divine mandate.

The concluding phrase "Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with statutes and ordinances" (Ji Ji Ru Lü Ling) is a standard Daoist formula indicating immediate and inviolable execution. The entire scripture exemplifies how Daoist Thunder Magic integrates stellar veneration, Five Phases theory, talismanic arts, and natural forces into a unified practice.

This scripture records the incantations and talismanic applications (Fulu) within Daoist Thunder Magic, comprising several key components:

The first section contains thunder deity summoning mantras, employing esoteric phrases like "Om mani" to invoke the celestial generals of the Thunder Ministry. The Thunder God commands wind and clouds, with different colored Thunder Qi (primordial energy) corresponding to specific directions: Azure Thunder (Wood) in the east, Crimson Thunder (Fire) in the south, Yellow Thunder (Earth) at the center, White Thunder (Metal) in the west, and Black Thunder (Water) in the north. These Thunder Qi operate according to the generative and controlling cycles of the Five Phases, connecting the celestial realm above with the netherworld below.

Next comes the methodology for applying the Five Thunder Talismans. For drought relief rituals, one must inscribe "Thunder Fire One" through "Thunder Fire Five" in sequence, coordinated with the Li Trigram (symbolizing fire) and specific hand seals (mudras). For rain summoning, the inscriptions progress from "Thunder One" to "Thunder Five," aligned with the Kan Trigram (symbolizing water). When exorcising haunted temples, the Five Thunders are invoked sequentially while performing the "Fire Chariot" footwork (a ritual stamping pattern). The incantations reference the "Fire Crow," a divine thunderbird, and "Crimson Glow," denoting the red radiance of thunderflames.

The water-controlling incantations summon aquatic deities from river systems like the Xiangjiang and Taihu Lake, along with frost goddess Qingnü and water god Fengyi. These mantras command the immediate dispensation of clouds and rain to relieve drought, threatening offenders with judgment in Fengdu (the Daoist underworld). Vivid imagery includes "the giant turtle roaring through waves" depicting aquatic power and "the dragon ascending the Great Void" illustrating celestial rainmaking.

The recurring phrase "Swiftly, swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances" serves as the standard closing formula in Daoist incantations, emphasizing immediate compliance. These rituals integrate coordinated movements (stepping the celestial pace), hand seals, and talismanic inscriptions to form complete Thunder Magic ceremonies.

This scripture documents various talismanic formulas (fulu) and ritual procedures used in Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa), a practice harnessing the power of lightning. The text is organized into several key sections:

The first part details the creation of different talismans for specific purposes. Clear Sky Invocation Talismans must be inscribed with cinnabar on blue paper, while Rain Summoning Talismans use black ink on the same blue paper. The Five Thunder Talisman stands as the core formula, with its structure and contents described in meticulous detail.

These talismanic texts contain numerous invocations to Thunder Department deities, including the Five Direction Wild Thunder Envoys (representing thunder gods of east, south, west, north, and center) and Five Direction Dragon Thunder Envoys. Each bears specific names, such as Jiang Ganglun of the East or Bi Ji of the South, all summoned to empower the talismans.

The scripture further outlines seven transformative stages of Thunder Magic: beginning with the First Revolution that awakens the Six Spirits (liu shen), progressing to the Seventh Revolution capable of subduing all demonic entities. Each stage produces distinct effects—the Fourth Revolution generates ascending thunderflames, the Fifth triggers explosive lightning strikes, while the Sixth can annihilate mountain demons.

Practical ritual instructions follow: practitioners must first offer incense, then perform twenty-four Qi-swallowing breaths (a form of breath cultivation) to transform themselves into the Chief Thunder Envoy (the deity governing lightning). Directional correspondences vary by purpose: Clear Sky rituals employ the Tiger-Horse-Dog (yin-wu-xu) triad, Rain Summoning uses Monkey-Rat-Dragon (shen-zi-chen) positions. Healing rituals adopt Tiger-Rabbit-Goat (yin-mao-wei) directions, while exorcisms follow Snake-Rooster-Ox (si-you-chou) orientations.

The text concludes with specialized demon-subduing directions: Yin demons are expelled through the Gen (northeast) direction, rain clouds dispersed via the Wu (due south) position, and drought-causing Ba (旱魃) entities banished through the Kan (true north) portal.

This passage describes a series of incantations and hand seals (shoujue) from Daoist Thunder Rituals (Leifa) – ceremonies summoning thunder deities to perform magical operations. The core involves invoking Marshal Tianpeng (a three-headed, six-armed, nine-eyed guardian deity) and thunder generals to descend upon the ritual altar.

The process begins with forming the "Dulei Hand Seal": the thumb presses the "Hai" position (a specific point on the palm) while the "Xu" position faces the Xun direction (southeast) to summon divine messengers. Next, the "Transformation Incantation" (Bianshen Zhou) unites the Five Thunder Envoys with the practitioner's body – a classic Daoist "embodiment" practice where mantras temporarily endow mortal form with divine power.

When summoning envoys, the incantation emphasizes the ideal conditions of "clear heavens and tranquil earth," concluding with the urgent command "ji ji ru lü ling" (standard Daoist phrasing meaning "swiftly obey the law"). The "Secret Incantation" section depicts thunder deity powers: divine light annihilates myriad ghosts, the Flowing Gold Fire Bell (a ritual instrument) summons thunderflames, and Four-Eyed Elder Chou (a thunder general's name) commands lightning.

The "Command Talisman Incantation" enumerates thunder pantheon members: Five Directional Thunder Lords, Four Saints (including Tianpeng), and astral deities, asserting the practitioner's authority as Heaven's mandate-bearer. The phrase "Iron-Faced General whips dragons" depicts thunder generals lashing storm dragons to release rain.

The "Envoy's Drum Dance Gang" involves ritual pacing (bugang) with directional invocations: the Dui trigram mobilizes troops, Gen seals ghost gates, Li Palace (south, fire element) drives flame wheels, and Kan Palace (north) surges water. Stomps and hand seals (like the "Gale Seal") symbolically harness natural forces. Repeated "swiftly descend" commands specifically summon Thunder General Zhang Yuanbo (one of thirty-six thunder commanders).

This complete ritual integrates hand seals, footwork, visualization (cunxiang), and incantations – exemplifying the Daoist magical principle of "employing deities through Qi," where one's essence (Jing), vital energy (Qi), and spirit (Shen) resonate with celestial powers.

This scripture primarily explains the application of Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa) and the techniques for rainmaking and interpreting divine responses. The opening phrase "急如律令" (immediately obey the command) is a common incantation ending in Daoism, signifying the immediate execution of an order.

The Five Thunder True Lords incantation section describes the process of summoning thunder deities: first visualizing the prayer through meditation, reciting the Five Directions Thunder Lord mantras, performing specific hand mudras (ritual gestures), then shouting loudly to send the Thunder Magic upward to the celestial palace. The deities mentioned—Five Thunder True Lords, Thunderbolt Fire Master, Wind Earl and Rain Master—are all divine beings governing thunder, lightning, wind and rain, who can be commanded to manifest through these incantations.

The section on interpreting divine responses explains rain prognostication: after the ritual master burns the petition, if clouds gather persistently in the east, rain will come within two or three days; clouds in the west are called "floating clouds," indicating possible nighttime rain but no daytime precipitation; northern clouds signify the end of prolonged drought or rainfall.

The wind-rain divination technique judges rainfall timing by wind direction: east wind means rain within a day, south wind brings rain within two hours, while west wind requires immediate action when clouds gather, as storms will arrive swiftly.

The final Xuhuo Talisman (a thunder magic charm) depicts its symbolic structure: the left eye represents the Eastern Fusang Palace (where the sun rises), the right eye symbolizes the Western Guanghan Palace (moon's abode), with the thunder god's residence at the center. The charm has seven transformative layers (qizhuan), each possessing distinct powers—from shaking heaven and earth to slaying evil spirits—until all malevolent entities are ultimately vanquished.

These contents demonstrate the concrete Daoist Thunder Magic methods for controlling weather and exorcising evil through incantations, hand seals, talismans (fulu), and observation of natural omens.

This scripture describes the Five Directions' Fierce Thunder Envoys in Daoist Thunder Magic (Leifa) and their ritual protocols. The Eastern Fierce Thunder Envoy is named Ma Rixiu, the Southern Guo Yuanjing, the Western Fang Zhonggao, the Northern Deng Gongchen, and the Central Tian Yuanzong. These thunder deities manifest awe-inspiring forms: their left hands uphold heaven while grasping fire, their right hands press against earth to search out evil, their chests contain billowing clouds of Qi that encompass the cosmos.

The text then explains the correspondences between the five organs and the Five Phases (Wuxing) with the Eight Trigrams (Bagua): the kidneys correspond to Water in the Kan position (Kan trigram representing water), the liver to Wood in the Zhen position (Zhen trigram for wood), the heart to Fire in the Li position (Li trigram for fire), the spleen to Earth in the Kun position (Kun trigram for earth), and the lungs to Metal in the Dui position (Dui trigram for metal). This creates a cycle of mutual nourishment among the organs, working in harmony with the six bowels to form a complete system of Qi circulation.

Detailed thunder incantations and hand seals (shoujue) follow. Ritual movements include: a left kick symbolizing the collapse of the Five Sacred Mountains, and a right sweep that churns the Four Seas. The incantations emphasize the command phrase "urgently and without delay according to the statutes" to summon the Thunder God's might—capable of making stars fall and purging evil from the Nine Regions. During practice, the practitioner's eyes emit blazing light, using Li Fire (southern fire) to incinerate wicked paths and Xun Wind (southeastern wind) to disperse demonic miasmas.

The scripture further records specialized thunder methods: for rain rituals, one summons the Dragon Thunder, Water Thunder, and Earth Deity Thunder Lords, whose chants can abruptly summon wind and rain; for clearing skies, one forms hand seals corresponding to Qian, Kun, Xun, and Li trigrams while invoking yang spirits like fire crows and fire essences to scatter gloom with cinnabar-hued flames. The final "Fiery Chariot Incantation" is a special formula used when painting talismans (fulu) to amplify their spiritual power.

This scripture records the incantations used in Daoist Thunder Rituals (a method for summoning thunder deities), primarily employed for exorcising evil spirits and vanquishing demons. The frequently repeated phrase "ji ji ru lü ling" (immediately obey the command) is a standard closing formula in Daoist talismanic spells, signifying an order for the deities to act without delay.

The Fire Crow Incantation section summons fire department deities, using "dragon-scale flying talismans" to clear the path, declaring the intent to eradicate demonic influences and reduce resisters to dust. The Commanding Incantation sequentially invokes:

• The spirits of the Horn and Winnowing Basket constellations (two of the Twenty-Eight Mansions), wood-aligned deities of the Jia-Yi phase, capable of stirring waves and rousing thunder
• The spirits of the Well and Chariot constellations, fire-aligned deities of the Bing-Ding phase, commanding flying flames across ten thousand miles
• The spirits of the Legs and Triaster constellations, metal-aligned deities of the Geng-Xin phase, wielding thunder-forged swords and halberds
• The spirits of the Dipper and Wall constellations, water-aligned deities of the Ren-Gui phase, summoning tidal waves for protection

It then summons celestial essence spirits, fire-water elites, along with thunder department deities like the Envoy of Crackling Thunder and General of Fire Bells, leading a hundred thousand celestial troops. Evil spirits are warned against harming living beings, with violators to be executed at the Thunder Court. The emphatic declaration "Those who oppose me perish, those who follow me survive" represents the characteristic deterrent language of Daoist thunder methods.

The Subjugation Incantation describes the might of the Crimson Heaven's Awesome Deity (a principal thunder god): patrolling the Three Realms with needle-hammers, capable of dimming sun and moon, darkening stars, and making ghosts wail and gods mourn. Wherever his iron-wheeled tridents strike, mountains crumble, demonstrating overwhelming destructive power.

The final "For Major Malevolence" section depicts the ritualist transforming into a Demon King (representing the thunder deity's manifestation) - a thousand-zhang tall figure with bronze teeth and iron claws, commanding crackling thunder that withers vegetation and splits boulders. The specific mention of "causing instant clearing or rainfall" indicates these incantations were also used for rain prayers and drought relief. The conclusion reiterates the spell's potency to instantly annihilate specters and evil entities.

Through parallel structures and thunderous rhetoric, the entire incantation embodies the core Daoist thunder method principle of "using righteousness to dispel evil." The detailed references to constellations, Five Phase attributes, and deity names reflect Daoism's vast pantheon and sophisticated ritual theory.