《上清靈寶大法(二)》Vol. 16

Scroll Sixteen of the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa (Great Methods of Lingbao of Highest Clarity): The Order of the Yellow Register

Modern Interpretation

The Chapter on the Order of the Yellow Register

The teachings of Xuhuang (the Empyrean Sovereign, a symbol of the highest Daoist lineage) began in remote antiquity, when the wondrous Dao (Dao) opened its light and divine writings descended into the world. Some were revealed in response to the times, and others were transmitted as occasions required. From the middle ages onward, the canonical texts became vast. Between the Jin and Song dynasties, Master Lu Xiujing (Jianji Xiansheng) first clarified the origins of the transmission and descent of these scriptures and divided them into the categories of the Sandong Sifu (Three Caverns and Four Supplements, the classification of the Daoist Canon). He examined the many scriptures, composed the regulations and models for ritual fasts (zhai), and from then on these practices were proclaimed far and wide. The ritual fasts became widely known, and the sequence of scriptural and ordinance texts was finally set out in order.

Afterward, Zhang Qingdu compiled further materials at Wanfu Hall, and the ritual codes grew more detailed. In the later middle period, Master Du Guangting (Guangcheng Xiansheng) comprehensively reviewed the scriptural commentaries of thirty-six categories and drew on ancient and modern texts, working diligently to collate and edit them. Ritual fasting reached its full development. Although each character and each rule runs from beginning to end, none of it departs from what the scriptures establish. In the ancient liturgical canon, the twenty-four grades of fasting were established. Du Guangting's treatise states that the Huanglu (Yellow Register) rites encompass both the dead and the living, and that gods and humans share in the same blessings. From the highest rulers of the realm down to the common people, all may practice them. The rites are registered in the Xiayuan Palace (the palace that governs the netherworld and the registers of merit), which unifies the myriad spirits and is connected to the Nine Offices (the bureaus of netherworld judgment and the recording of merit). Because their merit is profound, the rites benefit both the living and the dead. He therefore compiled forty scrolls of ritual liturgy. The layout of the altars and ceremonies and the procedures of the audience and offering all follow a single course from antiquity to the present. The liturgical texts are rigorous and the ceremonies clear, illuminating the ancient rules and showing the way for the future. At this point, the ritual fast had reached a level beyond which nothing could be added.

In the first scroll of the liturgy, which describes the officials of the altar, it is stated that the ritual master should wear the registers of the Three Caverns, and that those who wear the Dongxuan registers may then conduct the fast. The fast derives from Lingbao and belongs to the Dongxuan division. From the announcement that begins the fast through the dismissal of the altar and the thanksgiving rite, Du Guangting's liturgy includes everything, so later disputes are unnecessary. Although the ritual fasts draw on many scriptures from the Three Caverns, most of them come from the twelve divisions of the Dongxuan canon. As for the conduct of the fast, including the talismans, writs, incantations, formulas, memorials, and official correspondence, the ancient liturgy does not record them. After the Tang dynasty, these were all gathered into the Lingbao Dafa (Great Methods of Lingbao), whose core text is governed by the meaning of the Upper Section of the Duren Jing (the Upper Chapter of the Scripture of Salvation of Lingbao).

Note: This chapter concerns the sequence of liturgy. It explains where the Huanglu fasting rites stand within the Daoist Canon and the Lingbao tradition, how Lu Xiujing, Du Guangting, and others organized the ritual codes, and provides an outline of the ritual master's registers and the procedure from the announcement of the fast to the dismissal of the altar. It is not a manual of meditative practice or secret formulas, but an account of the order of ritual performance and its scriptural basis.

One fascicle is what is called the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa Jing (Great Method Scripture of Lingbao of Highest Clarity). The scripture's text is extremely concise, yet its meaning is profound and cannot be fully exhausted. It states that when the stars are in disarray and the sun and moon lose their order, one should likewise perform zhaijiao (purification ritual), burn incense, and recite scripture. When the ruler suffers calamity and weapons rise on all sides, one should likewise perform zhaijiao, burn incense, and recite scripture. When pestilence spreads and the common people die, one should likewise perform zhaijiao, burn incense, and recite scripture. When teachers and friends pass away, one should likewise perform zhaijiao, burn incense, and recite scripture.

Today, in the Guangcheng Ke (Guangcheng Compendium of Daoist Zhaijiao Liturgical Codes), the rites for averting calamity for the state, seeking blessings for the people, delivering teachers and friends, universally rescuing solitary ghosts, petitioning the Three Primes (Upper, Middle, and Lower) for blessings, and elevating the Nine Ancestors are all called Huanglu (the method of memorializing the celestial realm with yellow-paper documents). Each has its own keyi (liturgy) and zhai methods. Because they derive from the Lingbao lineage, the collected contents draw on many scriptures, and the methods of performing zhai and the talismanic techniques are all contained together in this book.

According to the ancient Lingbao method, one must first uphold the precepts and purify oneself through this scripture, refine qi and visualize the spirit, and gather light for inner cultivation. Only then may one save the world and aid all beings, assist the upright and drive out evil, establish virtue and merit, and relieve the hidden realm and deliver the dead. Once this stage is reached, the zhai methods may properly be performed, and only then is the meaning contained in the scripture and its uses for all under heaven fully realized. In terms of order of application, the Guangcheng system places Huanglu first in importance, and the old Lingbao methods likewise all belong to the Huanglu category.

The Xuzhai Ke (Liturgy for Introducing the Zhai, a preface liturgy for the rite of transferring the dead) states: to transfer the deceased and extend merit to the hidden realm, one should choose the days of the Three Primes, the Three Assemblies (the first, seventh, and tenth months), the Five Laba (year-end and other festival days), or days that accord with heavenly grace or heavenly pardon (the Tianshe days), as well as the death day of the deceased, their cyclical anniversaries, the great mourning anniversary, and the distant memorial days. One must choose a suitable zhai officiant and prepare the sincerity offerings (tokens and vows), then personally go to the master's gate to present a petition three times. The old rite held that the petition was presented three times when entering the altar; once a preliminary report has been submitted, one should not decline or refuse again. Now it is advised that at the beginning of the petition one first declines, then accepts the invitation. When the matter is at hand, one need only write to request the Dharma Master to ascend the altar. After the first petition is accepted, one immediately sends notice, then records a statement and submits a preliminary report. Thirty-six days beforehand, one should set up a recitation hall and a quiet chamber for the Dharma Master, lead the assembly into retreat for the fast without involvement in worldly affairs, and sincerely chant the Duren Shangpin Miaojing (Wondrous Scripture on the Upper Grades of Universal Salvation), the Jiutian Shengshen Baozhang (Precious Chapters on the Births of the Spirits of the Nine Heavens), the two sections of the Daode Jing, the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture), and the Yu Jing (Jade Scripture). As the zhai date approaches, one leads the altar assembly in rehearsing the liturgy and the ritual actions. Ten or seven days before the zhai, one arranges the altar, sets out the registers, establishes the images, and displays the ritual objects, then raises the banner for transferring the spirit and the yellow spirit banner for returning. Next, one formally memorializes the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, and the North(ern Dipper)…

Section One: Summoning the Perfected Ones

On the day of the suqi (the announcement made the day before the fast begins), the fast officer (zhai guan) and the assembled Daoist community prepare their ceremonial dress and proceed to the jingshi (purification chamber, where Daoists retire for quiet cultivation and the performance of rites) to address the Master. They request that the ritual master (fashi) ascend the altar and begin the rite. The deities invoked include the Emperor of the Ultimate Heaven (Jitian Huangdadi); Houtu, the Earth Sovereign (Houtu, a terrestrial deity); the Nanji Taiyi Ciyun, the Compassionate Lord of the Southern Pole; the Jiutian Dijun, Sovereign of the Nine Heavens; the Emperors of the Thirty-Two Heavens; the Five Elder Celestial Lords; Mugong and Jinmu, the Father-Lord of the Wood and the Mother of the Metal, whom Daoists regard as emblems of the sun and moon or as perfected immortals; the Taixuan Capital Office (Taixuan Dushen); the sun and moon; the Big Dipper (Beidou); the Three Officials (Sanguan), the Lords of Heaven, Earth, and Water; the Four Sages; the Five Masters; the Nine Heavens Inspectors (Jiutian Caifang), the deities who oversee the Nine Heavens; the Five Emperors of the Three Realms; the Great Demon Kings; the Emperor of Fengdu (Fengdu Dadi); Tuansang, a legendary mountain often paired with the Five Sacred Peaks; the Perfected of the Five Marchmounts; the Sacred Emperors of the Five Peaks; the Lords of Thunder; the Fengdu officials (Fengdu caoliao), spirit clerks who administer the netherworld; the Caverns and Blessed Lands (dongtian fudi); the city gods (Chenghuang); the sacrificial canon (sidian); the Yellow Springs and Haoli, the realms of the dead where departed spirits return; the generals and tiger officers of the fa lu (registers of the Dharma) and the spirit generals of the middle office; and the Perfected Officers who govern the Three Realms.

Setting Up the Altar and the First Evening Audience

Participants erect the canopy, present the memorial, build the altar, and open the rite. They then present the Memorial of the White Carriage and White Horse (Sucheqi Baima zhang), which addresses the deities through the imagery of a white carriage and white horse, a form common in liturgies for the deliverance of souls. In the evening they present the Memorial for Uprooting Offenses (Fengdu Bazui zhang) to the Emperor of Fengdu, asking him to pull the souls out of their offenses. They then issue the Talisman of Salvation from Suffering (Jiuku fu), the Talisman for Releasing Hidden Souls (Ba youhun fu), the Nine Dragons Talisman (Jiulong fu), and the Register of Ascent to Heaven (Shengtian lu). Finally, they issue the Jade Warrant (yuzha), ordering the spirit generals and tiger officers to gather and hold the souls being memorialized for the rite, and to perform the lantern rites for all unattended spirits.

First Day of the Formal Fast

The rite proceeds through three audiences with the Perfected, accompanied by chanting of scripture and processional ritual. In the morning audience, the participants present the Memorial for Penetrating Heaven and Relieving Suffering (Tongtian Jiuku biao) and open the Memorial for Clearing the Way (Tongdao lu zhang). During the quiet night they perform the rites of breaking the prison, summoning, and formally memorializing the souls, along with the return of all unattended spirits to their proper places. They conduct zhoushi (mantra feeding, the offering of food empowered by incantation) and lead the unattended spirits to the feeding enclosure (jiaoguo), a space arranged with reed-grass and mats for offerings. The rite involves broad mantra feeding, listening to the Dharma, hearing the scriptures, and awaiting the completion of the refining rites (liandu).

Second Day of the Formal Fast

The participants continue their audiences and processions. In the evening audience they present the Memorial for Bathing and Refining (Shang muyu liandu zhang) in order to refine all the unattended spirits. The ritual master ascends the seat, expounds the precepts, and transmits talismans and registers, guiding the souls toward liberation and ascent.

Third Day of the Formal Fast

The participants continue the audiences and processions. In the evening audience they present the Memorial for Ascending the Departed (Shengdu wanghun zhang), refining the souls of the deceased being memorialized. The ritual master expounds the precepts, transmits talismans, and guides the souls across the bridge to transcendence. After the fast, they present the Vermilion Memorial Reporting Merit (Yan gong zhu biao), which informs the heavens of the merit accumulated, and they issue three tablets to summon the descent of the holy ones. They then offer the jiao ritual of thanksgiving. When the offering is complete, they return the precepts, relinquish their posts, dissolve the altar, dismiss the assembly, escort the master out, and take down the canopy. Finally comes the touglong (casting of dragon tablets, a petition to Heaven by submitting written tablets). They first bury the earth tablets at the altar, then withdraw to the purification chamber. The ceremony concludes with the customary exchange of congratulations.

Ritual Sequence (Procedures for the Fast Officer and the Ritual Master)

The fast officer writes a petition and proceeds to the master's gate, where he prepares ceremonial robes, presents himself, offers incense, and speaks. The master declines the invitation; the fast officer speaks again, lifts the petition, and approaches once more. The master replies a second time; the fast officer speaks again and makes a third request. The master then consents and accepts the petition.

Before the Heavenly Gate, the master sets up an incense table (or, in some places, a ritual setting in its place) and, before the Supreme Deity, continues with the remaining detailed procedures of the original manual.

Note: The source text is a general outline of the Lingbao rites for deliverance, refining, and the memorial for the unattended dead. Its language mostly follows the procedural order of the liturgy. Personal names, memorial titles, and talisman names have been kept as far as possible, with brief explanatory glosses added.

Re-Offering Incense

The Master of the Rite (fashi) places the petition tablet on the bamboo slip and performs three bows. The Retreat Officer (zhaiguan) offers incense and bows again. The High Officiant (gaogong) prepares the matters of the rite, makes the verbal report, bows three times, and withdraws. The Retreat Officer bows again, and each returns to his or her place.

Pre-Announcement

First, the Messengers of the Merit Office (gongcao shizhe) and the generals and clerks are arranged in their ranks and given offerings of wine and fruit. Five Masters' seats are set up in the hall or along the side corridors, and incense and candles are arranged as offerings. During the pre-announcement, memorials and documents are presented before the Master, each placed in a clean box so that they can be carried forward.

The High Officiant offers incense before the Master and performs three salutations. The Retreat Officer offers incense and bows twice. The High Officiant kneels, delivers the opening address, and requests the documents. The Retreat Officer and the Daoist assembly (daozhong) together lift the written materials to be dispatched. The chime-keeper (zhiqing) raises the Huaxia hymn, and the assembly chants in response as they proceed. The assembly leads the way to the place where the passport is to be memorialized. The High Officiant transforms his spirit (bianshen), paces the Dipper steps (bugang), and burns the talismans (fufu). The chime-keeper raises the Verse of Fragrant Water to sprinkle and purify. The High Officiant summons the generals and reports the matter, followed by the three offerings and the scattering of flowers. In most ritual traditions, the High Officiant stops at summoning the generals. The proclamation (biaobai) is then recited. The Retreat Officer offers incense and bows. The High Officiant makes a second proclamation and announces the sealing of the passport. The High Officiant then dispatches the petition. The Retreat Officer kneels, pours libation, and burns the offerings. Finally, the merit is dedicated (huixiang) with a recitation of good wishes.

Raising the Banners

An incense table is set up at the place where the banners are raised. The High Officiant and the Retreat Officer each offer incense and bow. The chime-keeper raises the rite. The High Officiant recites the opening proclamation and chants the banner incantation (fanzhou). The proclamation is followed by the dedication of merit with good wishes, and the participants withdraw.

Recitation of Scripture

(This is the standard form for recitation before the retreat)

The Daoist assembly takes their places in rows. The High Officiant and the Retreat Officer each offer incense. The chime-keeper raises the rite. The High Officiant opens the proclamation, which states the purpose of the retreat. The proclamation then announces the scripture commentary. The chime-keeper raises the hymn for seating, and the officials sit in their places. The chime-keeper chants the proclamation and invites the recitation of the precious scripture (baojing). When the recitation is finished, the scripture is put away and the participants rise. A proclamation praises the scripture, followed by the recitation of the verses on the wisdom gained by hearing the scripture three times. The merit is then dedicated with a recitation of good wishes.

Presenting the Formal Memorial

When the retreat period arrives, the altar is laid out and the codes are set in place. The ritual space is arranged and the six tents (liumu) are spread out. Inside and outside, everything is prepared for dispatching the formal memorial. The participants move into order before the Master's tent. The images are set up temporarily in their places. The Retreat Officer offers incense and bows. The High Officiant offers incense. The chime-keeper raises the rite. The High Officiant kneels, bows, and makes the opening proclamation of the retreat's purpose, requesting the documents. The remaining steps follow the pattern of the pre-announcement.

The above does not belong to the ritual program of Master Guangcheng (Guangcheng Xiansheng). It describes the rites in common practice today.

In bai zhang (memorial-submission rites), which include the Suche Baima Zhang (White Carriage and White Horse Memorial) and the Po Fengdu Ba Zui Zhang (Memorial for Breaking Fengdu and Freeing from Sins), the altar area has already been built. The Three Treasures positions are arranged in the center, and only the positions for the memorial's attending officials and generals are set out on both sides, outside the outer altar. In some cases there is no need to ascend the altar, and the memorial is simply offered within the ritual hall (daochang). Once an altar has been built, the rite should in principle be performed on the inner altar. Recently some have set up a small separate platform for submitting memorials, which is incorrect. For example, the Zongtan Chuandu Zhang (Ancestral Altar Initiation Memorial) is also mostly submitted in the ritual hall. The altar was built to conduct the zhaike (purification rite) and present memorials. If an altar is present but the rite is performed elsewhere, this departs from its original purpose.

The gaogong (senior officiant) enters the jing (ritual enclosure), receives the fu (talisman), and performs visualization (cunnian) according to the prescribed method. The daozhong (assembly of adepts) and zhaiguan (ritual stewards) prepare their ceremonial deportment and proceed to the front of the enclosure. The zhiqing (bell-master) strikes the signal and begins the rite, leading the gaogong out of the enclosure to the master's curtain (shimu). The zhiqing chants the daozan (hymn of the Way), and the gaogong makes the opening address (qibai). The zhiqing calls out "Huaxia," and the gaogong ascends the altar, enters the door, climbs the Heavenly Gate, and after offering incense according to the rules, recites the hall hymn (qitang song). The dujiang (precentor) calls out each officiant's position and the gaogong performs the ritual on the prescribed protocol. The gaogong then intones the incantation. After the incantation, as specified in the bai zhang liturgy, the dujiang signals twenty-four rounds of the Dharma drum, and the gaogong lights the incense burner (falu).

The dujiang calls out each participant's position, and the gaogong carries the liturgy forward to the words "we now respectfully invite." Two members of the daozhong stand in order on the left and right and invite the memorial officials to descend. Three offerings and three scatterings of flowers follow, and the gaogong proclaims the liturgy three times. At the dujiang's call, all the officials kneel in a long kneel. The gaogong silently dismisses the officials, using a set formula for this. The gaogong then opens the memorial, which is handed to the attending scripture-keeper (shijing), or the daozhong receive it kneeling and carry it to the front of the Three Treasures to unseal it. One member of the daozhong reads aloud the copy of the memorial. The daozhong hold the dragon-head case, the writing knife, the vermilion brush, the inkstone, and other implements, and arrange them before the table. The gaogong recites the incantation for opening the case, opens the memorial case, fumigates the memorial, dispatches it, seals it, and hands the case to the scripture-keeper. The daozhong proclaim "Huaxia" and proceed to the burning place, where the memorial's address, the proclamation of the seal, and the reading of the document are performed, and then the memorial is burned in the prescribed manner. The daozhong recite the verse for the burning, and the gaogong rises from prostration. After the chanted memorial text has been burned, the gaogong proclaims the liturgy and recites the verse for sending off the sacred ones. The gaogong performs the set formula for dismissing the officials and recites the Twelve Vows. The gaogong relights the incense burner, descends from the altar, exits the hall as prescribed, and comes before the master. The gaogong secretly offers thanks, performs the address, dedicates the merit, and leads the gaogong back into the enclosure. The zhiqing... (The original text may continue below.)

Taking Refuge in the Orthodox Way and Proclaiming the Memorial of Yunbai: Conclusion of the Rite, Officers Return to Their Positions

The talismanic mandate (fuming) and the Jade Tablet (yuzha) may first be announced to the spirits through the talismanic mandate, or the Jade Tablet may be sent separately. Three offerings of wine and fruit are then presented according to the rite. The talismanic mandate and the Jade Tablet are placed together before the Supreme Thearch (Shangdi). The officers approach the Supreme Thearch and form ranks. The ritual proceeds, and the Senior Officiant (gaogong) orally requests the talismans. The assembly of Daoists receives the talismanic mandate and the Jade Tablet and circles in procession. The Daoists lead them to the place of dispatch, where the ritual is proceeded with and the space is sprinkled for purification. The Senior Officiant transforms his spirit, burns the talismans, and summons the generals. Tea is offered. The Senior Officiant performs three offerings, three scatterings of flowers, and three petitions. The proclamation is read, and the official documents are issued. The Senior Officiant dispatches the spirits and burns the offerings, piling dry firewood and a fierce fire around the talisman slips to consume them. The proclamation concludes with a dedication of merit and the recitation of good intentions. The Senior Officiant goes before the Supreme Thearch to express gratitude, then withdraws into the Quiet Chamber (jingshi).

Establishing the Retreat and Submitting the Petition

(In recent times, some have submitted the petition in the Quiet Chamber beforehand. This is not the ancient form.)

The assembly of Daoists proceeds to the Quiet Chamber and stands in order. The Senior Officiant and the Retreat Officer each offer incense and make a proclamation. They step forward and read the office roster. The Senior Officiant and those below him sign the office roster. The Senior Officiant goes to his seat, and the Retreat Officer offers incense, makes a proclamation, and speaks, requesting that the Senior Officiant write the four vows of the petition and the Retreat Establishment document. The officers lead the way out of the Quiet Chamber.

Erecting the Halls

(What follows all adheres to the Guangcheng liturgical tradition.)

The officers, dressed in ceremonial attire, go to the Quiet Chamber and guide the Senior Officiant to the spirit tablet of the Altar Supervisor. The Senior Officiant offers incense and begins the proclamation but does not bow. He goes to the Mysterious Master's hall and stands in order. The Senior Officiant and the Retreat Officer each offer incense and request that the Mysterious Master descend. Upon requesting the Mysterious Master, the officer recites the offering of incense and tea. The Retreat Officer offers incense, holds the petition case, and states the purpose of the retreat in his own words. He turns, holds up the case, and says that the Senior Officiant submits the petition, then bows twice. The Senior Officiant kneels for a long time holding the case, reports to the Master, reads the notes and the official documents, and burns the notes. The Senior Officiant bows. The remaining five halls follow the same form, except that no petition is submitted. The procession goes to the halls of the Three Officials, the Three Masters, the Five Emperors, the Celestial Master (Tianshi), and the Retreat Supervision Hall. Alternatively, one may first go to the Retreat Supervision Hall and proceed from lower to higher rank, as is customary for honoring the venerable. The officers come before the altar and stand in order, offer incense, recite the proclamation, and open the written statements. An officer of decorum is requested to empower the water and seal the altar according to the written instructions. The proclamation concludes with a dedication of merit.

Requesting the Light

First, a single lamp is lit before the Jade Clarity (Yuqing), with visualization performed according to the proper method. The assembly of Daoists proceeds before the altar and stands in order. The bell-ringer (zhiqing) begins the ritual. The Retreat Officer offers incense and arranges the bows, with the Senior Officiant attending at his side.

Selected Vernacular Commentary on the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa (II)

The following passage concerns the Suqi (evening opening of the altar) and the incense and lamp procedures in the Lingbao zhaijiao (Lingbao purification ritual). It describes how the Chief Officiant (Gaogong), the Chief Lector (Dujiang), the assembly of Daoist priests, and the sponsor (Zhaiguan) move, offer incense, chant incantations, sound the drums, and perform confession. In this text, "curtain" (mu) refers to the curtained sections on either side of the altar space, while "inner altar" (neitan) and "outer altar" (waitan) denote the inner and outer tiers of the sacred space.

Attendants bearing incense and lamps go before the Shangqing position. The Chief Officiant petitions, presents the memorial, and recites the incantations. The Chief Officiant twists the Huiguang Fu (Talisman for Gathering Radiance, which draws together the light of wisdom) into a paper spill, goes before the position marked "Dao," and, with a finger in the palm, points the light to signify drawing the radiance of wisdom into the hand. He then recites an incantation. He hands the spill to the lamp attendant. Each member of the assembly holds a candle, takes fire from the attendant's hand, and lights in turn every lamp and candle on the altar. Following the liturgy, they then chant the names of the Heavenly Venerables, visualize and dedicate merit as prescribed, and recite the Shan Jin Zhong Yu Qing Yi (Ritual of the Good Golden Bell and Jade Chime), a short rite that dedicates the merit of the bell and chime.

Suqi (evening opening of the altar; in the Guangcheng liturgical tradition, a toucí, or presentation of the petition, is usually made before inviting the master). The assembly adjusts their bearing and proceeds to the Jingshi (purification chamber). The sponsor offers incense, and the bell-keeper strikes the Jin Zhen Yan Jiao Tianzun (Heavenly Venerable of the Golden Perfected Teaching). The Chief Officiant goes to the six curtains (six curtained sections of the altar) to offer incense: first the three curtains on the west side of the Five Emperors' positions, then the three on the east side from the outer edge, and finally the Xuanshi curtain (Mysterious Master's curtain). The Chief Officiant silently prays for the purpose of the rite and intones the Huaxia yin (Introductory Chant of Huaxia), leading the assembly to the altar. He first enters the outer altar and circles the Dihu (Earth Gate, a symbolic gateway at the base of the altar), while the assembly forms up before the altar without entering it. He secretly recites the incantation for passing through the Earth Gate and ascending the Heavenly Gate, and the six officers (six categories of ritual functionaries) take their places. The Chief Lector stands east of the middle altar, facing west.

The Chief Officiant enters the Heavenly Gate and ascends to the inner altar, with the sponsor following. Incense is offered to the ten directions, beginning from the east by day and from the north by night. At the imperial table (the main table before the Three Treasures, known in antiquity as the dong'an, or cavern table), incense is burned, talismans are burned, and incantations are recited in secret. After the sponsor has offered incense, he exits through the Heavenly Gate and returns to his place. The Chief Officiant offers incense at his own position. According to the ancient rules, the ritual table itself is the proper position; many modern practitioners treat the ritual table as the cavern table, which differs from the older method. He then intones the hymn of the opening hall.

The Chief Lector calls out the title, and all the participants pay respect to their master. The Chief Officiant proclaims the Weiling incantation. The Chief Lector calls out again, and the drums are sounded twenty-four times. The Chief Officiant opens the censer (lighting the incense burner and opening the altar). The Chief Lector calls out again, and each participant names his ritual rank. The Chief Officiant proclaims the liturgy and pays homage to the ten directions. When the bows are complete, the assembly devoutly takes refuge and confesses. During the kneeling confession, a Daoist proclaims the confession, and three opening hymns and three verses are recited, each accompanied by one bow and a salute to the Three Treasures. The procession moves left to the east, where the Lu Zhen Wen (Scripture of the Dew Truth, a sacred text declared to Heaven) is recited, and the assembly responds in unison. The same is done in the east, south, west, and north, and each direction is sealed with the Golden Dragon (a talisman or ritual implement). The Chief Officiant returns to his position. The Chief Lector again calls out the title and names the ritual ranks. The Chief Officiant proclaims the liturgy, presents the memorial, and reads the petition. He then proclaims the liturgy again, recites three Wisdom Hymns, and circles in procession. The Chief Officiant stands before the Chief Lector's table, while the Chief Lector and the officials stand facing north before the altar. The Chief Lector calls out, "All officials, prostrate yourselves fully," and the assembly pays reverence to the ten directions in their hearts. Each direction follows this same pattern.

Note: The original text is a ritual "list of actions" with many steps omitted. The vernacular account arranges these steps into a continuous sequence, and key technical terms are explained in parentheses on their first appearance. To understand how a given step fits within the wider structure, it is advisable to read it alongside the full Shangqing Lingbao Dafa section on the evening opening.

Exiting the Hall and Expiating Faults

The rite begins with worship facing north, as the officials bow in silence. When the worship ends, the cantor calls out "The officials sit level." Next comes the instruction on precepts and deportment. The officials sit on the west side facing east. The officiant of the fast (zhaiguan) stands north of the altar. The Master (fashi) offers incense three times and recites the precepts. After the precept hymn is chanted, the assembly circles once to the left. The Chief Cantor (dujiang) calls out "Receive the precepts," and after three salutations, the officers below the Chief Officiant (gaogong) are appointed, each receiving his office with three salutations. The Chief Cantor then calls out "Proclaim the prohibitions," and the Supervisor of the Fast (jianzhai) receives the punishment tablets, the bamboo slips on which faults are recorded. Once this is done, the assembly bows to the Twelve Vows. The Chief Officiant returns the incense burner and recites the Hymn of Learning the Immortals, after which the assembly exits the hall.

The Chief Officiant leaves the inner altar through the Gate of Heaven (tianmen), and the officials leave the middle altar through the Earth Gate (dihu). (A note in the margin states that the Kongdong, or "Empty Cavern," secret incantation is used here.) Once they reach the ranks in front of the Mysterious Master's screen (xuanshi mu), they stand in order and the hymn "Toward the Past" (xianglai) is raised. The Chief Officiant then presents a short petition of apology, which follows a fixed text. The Chief Cantor calls on the Supervisor to examine the faults, and the Supervisor watches the officials. Anyone found at fault is singled out and led by the Huaxia officer to the quiet chamber (jingshi). The bell-keeper (zhiqing) then calls out "Take refuge in the Supreme Way," the petition is announced, and the report that the altar is complete is given. The officials then return to their places.

Breaking the Prisons

The Guangcheng school (Guangcheng pai) has no such section. It derives from the Lingbao tradition. Lamps and candles are set out, incense tables are arranged, and the assembly stands in order and lights the Nine Prison Lamps. The Chief Officiant silently makes the announcement talisman, then holds the staff and breaks the Nine Prisons according to the prescribed form. When this is finished, the merit is dedicated.

The Pure Dawn of the First Day of the Main Fast

The officials go to the quiet chamber, and the cantor calls out "Honored Heavenly Worthy" as the Chief Officiant is led out. At the Six Screens (liumu) they offer incense and stand in order before the Mysterious Master's screen. The bell-keeper chants the Huaxia call, and the Chief Officiant ascends the altar according to the rule: the incense of the ten directions, the incense of the imperial table, the burning of incense with secret incantations, and the incense of one's own station. The Chief Cantor calls out "Each officiant, hold the visualizations as the rite prescribes." The Chief Officiant proclaims the Weiling incantation. The Chief Cantor then calls for the Dharma drum to be sounded twenty-four times, after which the Chief Officiant lights the incense burner. The Chief Cantor calls out for the officials to kneel at length. The Chief Officiant's exit from the officials follows a fixed form. The Chief Cantor then calls out for each to name his office and offer tea. The Chief Officiant proclaims the ritual memorial and the text, then proclaims the ritual again. During the confession of the ten directions, the Chief Officiant offers incense in each direction.

The Chief Cantor stands at the Gate of Heaven facing east, and the Chief Officiant stands at the Ghost Gate facing west. The Chief Cantor calls out "Each visualize the nine-colored round image, swallow the saliva, and recite the Mingmo secret incantation." When the Chief Officiant has completed the visualizations, the Chief Cantor calls for the Buxu, or "Pacing the Void." During the three days of circumambulation and the nine audiences, the Mingmo incantation is always used. The text stresses that omitting it at the morning and evening audiences is contrary to the ancient method. The Buxu consists of ten stanzas and the scattering of flowers, with one salutation for each stanza. Finally, the Chief Cantor calls for the scripture-reading rite to be carried out according to the rule, and the scriptures are honored with three salutations.

Notes for Reading the Liturgy

The Chief Officiant (gaogong) presides over the altar. The Chief Cantor (dujiang) chants, announces the sections of the liturgy, and guides the assembly. The Supervisor of the Fast (jianzhai) oversees deportment and violations. The bell-keeper (zhiqing) tends the bell and chants the liturgical cues. The Huaxia is one of the offices that lead the assembly. The Gate of Heaven, the Earth Gate, and the Ghost Gate are the named gates of the altar, and each assigns the officiants their places when they leave the altar, face a direction, or perform the Buxu. Breaking the Prisons is a Lingbao section symbolizing the opening of the netherworld and the release of souls bound by sin, and it is paired with the lighting of the Nine Prison Lamps. Visualization (cunsi), the nine-colored round image, swallowing the saliva, and the Mingmo secret incantation are the contemplations, spirit-mindfulness practices, and oral formulas used during the rite. They are used repeatedly during the Buxu circumambulation, and the text insists that they be used in the audiences as the ancient method requires.

Commentary on the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa (II): A Plain-Language Explanation

This text records the daily schedule and procedural sequence of the Lingbao orthodox-rite zhaijiao (purification ritual), a practical guide to setting up the altar and conducting the rites.

Opening the Altar and the Morning Audience

Opening the altar: Invite the deities three times, with three bows each time. The dujiang (lecturer) calls out the three salutations, and then calls out the heavy invocation.

Ritual positions, the High Officiant's great thanksgiving, the recitation of the Verse of Learning the Immortals, and departure from the altar: Follow the usual form and line up in order before the master's curtain.

The High Officiant's brief address, declaration of petition, and dedication of merit: The dujiang calls out, and the jianzhai (supervisor of the retreat) inspects and corrects errors. Once the inspection is complete...

The Chinese-style introduction, the High Officiant's renewed silence, and the bell-and-refuge: Proceed according to the Way-Declaration, chant "The morning audience is complete," and the officials return to their places.

The Midday Division and the Evening Audience

Midday division and evening audience: Do not leave the officials' positions (there is no need to go out and invite the deities again). Do not use the Spell of Guarding the Numinous. All other steps are the same as in the morning audience.

Reciting Memorials in the Quiet Night

First present the Memorial for the Relief of Suffering from the Supreme One and go to the Palace of the Supreme One (for the memorial format, see the forms section). After the bows, present the Memorial for Opening the Way (the memorial and its form are given earlier).

Summoning Souls (Universal Salvation under the Yellow Register)

First, issue the summons text and ritual.

The Huanglu (Yellow Register) takes "universal deliverance" as the central aim of its merit, so the officiants should maintain a broad and open mind. Only then will the souls being memorialized receive grace. The rites for the souls being memorialized are performed together with those of the homeless souls of the ten directions.

Two banners should be raised: one to summon the souls being specifically memorialized, and one to summon the homeless souls. There is no need to rank one above the other or to distinguish between greater and lesser. If the intention is not sufficiently broad, the souls being memorialized will in fact be disadvantaged in the summoning.

After the summoning, divide the curtains for bathing: first lead the souls being specifically memorialized to pay homage to the Perfected and return to their places, and have one member of the Dao assembly chant the offering-blessing. Then, in a separate room, bathe the homeless souls, lead them to pay homage to the Perfected, and afterward take them to offerings in the city outskirts, with the offering-blessing performed in due form. They should also remain throughout the day within the pure retreat to listen to the Dharma and hear the scriptures.

At night, perform the rite of refining and liberation. The method of refining and liberation should not divide the souls being specifically memorialized from the homeless souls into two classes. The homeless souls obtain deliverance, yet the merit still returns to the deceased, so there should be no deliberate distinction of greater and lesser. Otherwise, the practice would not accord with the intent of the liturgical rules set down by the Highest Lord. The order of the summoning rite is found in the chapter On the Universal Deliverance.

The Second Day of the Pure Retreat

The morning, midday, and evening audiences are the same as on the first day, except that the officials do not leave their positions.

After the midday audience, or at the evening audience, present the Chapter on Bathing and Refining. After the evening audience, present the Memorial to Mugong and Jinmu and the Memorial to the Emperor of the Nine Heavens. The quiet-night refining of the homeless souls of the ten directions has its own dedicated ritual. The High Officiant ascends the seat, instructs the spirits and ghosts, and transmits the talismans and registers for liberating souls, all in due form.

(Mugong and Jinmu: Daoism commonly refers to these venerable deities as Mugong of the East and Jinmu of the West, and the memorial petitions them for protection.)

The Third Day of the Pure Retreat

The three audiences are the same as on the second day. After the midday audience, present the Chapter on Elevating the Liberated Souls. During the quiet night, refine the souls being specifically memorialized: the High Officiant ascends the seat to preach the precepts, transmit the talismans, cross the bridge of deliverance, and send off the souls, all in due form.

Retiring after each day's audience: After a short rest, ascend the seat again at the three hours (make up any missed observances as the liturgy prescribes).

Summary of Key Points

The text as a whole emphasizes the order of the liturgy and the equality of universal salvation. The ritual details may be consulted in the forms section and in the ritual texts of the individual chapters, but the mind must be broad, for this accords with the fundamental intent of Lingbao deliverance.

Chanting scriptures at the altar is an ancient practice.

Dispersing the Altar (Entirely According to the Guangcheng Liturgical Code)

The assembled officials go to the jingshi (purification chamber, where Daoist priests retire for quiet cultivation and to change their robes) and escort the gaogong (high officiant, the priest who presides over the liturgy) out of the altar to the liumu (the tented enclosure outside the altar) to offer incense. The xuanshi (master) walks in front and leads the chanting of the "Introduction to the Dao of Huaxia" as they ascend the altar. The high officiant enters first and, following the prescribed form, offers the Incense of the Ten Directions, raises each of the masters in salutation, proclaims the Protective Spirit Incantation, and sounds the Dharma drum. The high officiant then lights the censer and performs the Lingbao Natural Audience and Salutation to the Ten Directions, confesses, and invokes and salutes three times each. The true scriptures are gathered in, and each person burns incense over the scripture on his or her own table, while the officials jointly recite the true scriptures and hold the incense over them together. The memorial texts are then proclaimed: the vermilion memorials are read aloud, sent forth, and sealed. The Daoist assembly carries the qingci (petition texts) and vermilion memorials and burns them at the Celestial Gate. The memorial is then announced, and the gate is closed; the high officiant prostrates before the memorial and rises again. The assembly raises the memorial texts to report to the Heavens. Three rounds of incense are offered to inform the mountains, waters, and soil, and the Dragon Casting ritual (toulong) is performed. Chanting the incense offering, the assembly reopens the descent of the holy ones, establishes the jiao (offering rite) with three libations, and concludes the ritual by escorting the holy ones away. The high officiant ascends the altar, returns to the precepts, and recites the Return-to-Precepts verse. He kneels for a long time, and the officials return their ceremonial posts. The high officiant relights the censer and recites the verses for turning away the Three Paths and Five Sufferings, the verse for dispersing the altar, and the verse for learning to become an immortal. Leaving the hall, the group goes to the six tents to present letters of thanks, then enters the purification chamber. After the officials have offered their thanks, the high officiant puts on his ceremonial robes, and everyone disperses.

The above sequence of stages is the ancient method of the zhai (purification retreat).

Master Guangcheng's Discussion of Establishing the Jiao (General Meaning)

The Huangli Jianwen (Yellow Register Concise Text) states: After the zhai retreat is complete, the five-colored silks from the altar are distributed among fellow practitioners and those living in poverty and simplicity, as a means of accumulating merit. Only the mingcai (fate silks) and the jinlong (golden dragons) are kept in the central altar. Beyond the three days, the jiao, the dissolution of the altar, the casting of the dragons, and the dispersal of the assembly are carried out, with the aim of maintaining diligence from beginning to end.

Since recent times, it has been the custom that once the Hai-hour (9–11 p.m.) rites are finished, the jiao is established at the Chou-hour (1–3 a.m.) of the following morning, at the place for yan gong (reporting merit to the Office of Merit, the gongcao). In explaining the establishment of this jiao, the reason is that during the zhai retreat one summons the spirits and gods, guards and protects the altar, and proclaims the Dao and the announcements, which involves much coming and going and labor. Therefore this banquet is set up to reward them.

Note: This is Master Guangcheng's careful examination and account of the ancient forms, not his own invention. It was already observed before the Great Tang. Moreover, the ancient principle holds that beyond the three days the golden dragons and fate silks are still kept to guard the altar, and only after the final jiao offering is complete are the officials relieved of their posts and the altar dissolved. Master Guangcheng's rule stops at establishing the jiao the next morning at the time of reporting merit, which likewise follows the ancient form.

Explanatory note: This text belongs to the liturgical literature of the Lingbao school. It records the procedure for dispersing the altar and the establishment of the jiao (offering banquet), and it compares these with the ancient system, the Guangcheng Keyi, and the later practice of "completing everything in one night and establishing the jiao the next day." Technical terms such as gaogong, jingshi, toulong, and yan gong are all specialized vocabulary of Daoist zhaijiao (purification and offering rites).

Completing the Offering, Handing Back Office, and Dismantling the Altar

According to the ancient system, the jiao (the offering rite of setting up an altar and presenting offerings to the gods) must be fully completed before naji (handing back ritual offices and thanking the master) and jietan (dismantling the altar and closing the rite) are carried out. In recent practice, however, the proceedings often move on as soon as the biao (memorial presented to the celestial court) has been submitted. After the santan (dispersing the altar) and the removal of the mats, documents are issued again, the master is invited anew, and only then is a separate jiao set up. This splits the jiao and the preceding zhai (fasting) practice into two disconnected affairs, far removed from the ancient method.

A further deviation is that the practice is nominally the zhai of the Dongxuan Lingbao method (fasting, precept-keeping, and devotional repentance and thanksgiving before the Perfected), yet it substitutes the registers and titles of the Dongshen liturgical tradition and performs only the jiao, without upholding the essential purpose of the zhai. The Yellow Register Jiao of Thanksgiving (Huangli Xie'en Jiao) was originally a rite of thanking the Perfected spirits once the zhai had been completed. To dismiss the altar and withdraw the ritual space before the jiao, and to thank and release the precept-offices in advance, makes it very difficult to reconcile the jiao with the zhai as a single affair. Only a few areas of eastern Zhejiang have long practiced this way, and it has become habitual there. Therefore, the Jiang Shi Licheng Yi (Jiang's Instant Ritual Manual) holds that in all matters one should follow the scriptures. In this section it does not adopt the view of Master Guangcheng but the recent conventions, so the modern ritual sequence is also listed below, that practitioners may know its full course from beginning to end.

Outline of the Secular Modern Format: Sequence for Dispersing the Altar

The officials gather at the jingshi (the quiet chamber where Daoists purify themselves and prepare for rites), and the gaogong (the officiant who leads the liturgy) is escorted up to offer incense at the Six Screens, standing in order before the Mysterious Master Screen. The gaogong silently sets the intention of the zhai, after which the gaogong and the officials ascend the altar, and the gaogong offers incense in the prescribed manner. The dujiang (lector) raises the chant. The gaogong lights the censer, raises and names the ranking titles, proclaims the liturgy, bows to the ten directions, repents three times and bows three times, gathers the true scriptures, and recites the general mantra in form. The ranking titles are called again, and the memorial is proclaimed, presented, dispatched, sealed, and burned. The officials' seals are returned, the precepts are handed back, and the verse of returning the precepts is recited. The three slips are announced, the dragon-casting verse is recited, and the officiant then performs the rite of bidding farewell to the Three Treasures, which is absent from the ancient code. The censer is relit, the verse of the Three Paths and Five Sufferings is recited, the altar is dismantled, the Six Screens are sent off, and the gaogong returns to the jingshi.

Setting Up the Jiao (a Separate Session, Modern Practice)

The invitation text is issued. The Huaxia emerge from the quiet chamber, the altar is closed off, incense is offered, and the gaogong opens the rite, raising and naming the masters for each ceremony. The Protective Spirit Mantra is proclaimed, the censer is lit, and the officials are dispatched. The first offering is accompanied by the proclamation of words, and the second and third offerings by the reading of the memorials. The verse of sending off the sacred ones is recited, the officials are received back, the censer is relit, and the altar is dispersed as usual. These are the standard recent conventions. Those who follow the ancient code will find differences, but since reason lies with the ancient form, that form should be followed.

Yunzhong's Note: The Format of Master Guangcheng

From the building of the altar to its dispersal, the Nine-Dynasty Repentance and Thanksgiving, the circumambulation of scriptures, and the lighting of lamps each follow established rules, while the submission of memorials, proclamations, and the use of talismans belong to the Lingbao Great Method (Lingbao Dafa). If the zhai today is performed according to Master Guangcheng's complete liturgy, its order and nomenclature differ from the recent practice of taking only the jiao after the altar has been dispersed. Scholars should therefore distinguish whether a rite follows the ancient liturgy as one continuous course or follows the recent format, which divides the zhai and the jiao into two separate segments.

In addition to the ancient liturgical code of Guangcheng Xiansheng (Master Guangcheng, a legendary immortal said to have transmitted Daoist methods to the Yellow Emperor), the remaining sections are removed in order, and the regulations are still generally organized according to its format and roughly framed around the supporting principal method. However, the customary practices of each region have diverged in recent times, and the ancient and modern rites differ especially widely. The author, Yunzhong (self-described), received instruction from a master and agreed to uphold the ancient Guangcheng code, so he does not dare to alter it on his own. Those who do not follow the ancient method may act according to the lineage they have received.

Rules for Presenting Petitions in the Zhai Ceremony

Initial Petition Form of the Zhai Officiant (the format in which the presiding officer of the zhai assembly first submits a petition)

Record the officiant's title and surname. Those without an official title record their native place (ancestral home).

Right: On behalf of a person named so-and-so, born in such-and-such year, month, day, and hour, who died at a certain place on such-and-such year, month, day, and hour, with a span of time elapsed up to now, whose ascent or descent remains unknown. Respectfully we pour out our sincere devotion and wish to prepare the ritual format and establish the Great Supreme Huanglu Retreat (one of the highest-ranking zhai rites in Daoism, corresponding to the Huanglu registers) over five days and nights, including three days of the principal zhai and nine periods of morning audience and memorials until the rite concludes. We will also arrange several divisions of the Clear Offering (qingjiao) to the High Perfected of the Three Realms. Above, this benefits the state and the nation and extends general blessings to living beings. Below, it widely liberates those in the six destinies and three evil paths and rescues the nine remote and seven ancestral generations. Gathering these good fruits, we exclusively dedicate them to ferrying the departed soul of the deceased, so-and-so, to transcendence and the pure realm. Respectfully we submit this petition to the Master, Mr. So-and-so of the Dongxuan Lingbao Dharma lineage, and humbly beg for his compassionate consent, that he specially arrange in advance the selection of a day and the establishment of the altar and the opening of salvation. Respectfully submitted.

Year, month, and day. Submitted by the undersigned, surname So-and-so.

If the assembly is a group, write "So-and-so and others," and vary the phrasing accordingly. This expresses the intention of first inviting a master. If the petition is submitted when the master has already come to the altar to perform the rite, it should follow the memorial and should not be phrased in this way. A separate format is given below.

Zhai Officiant's Petition Recited While Offering Incense to the Master (the words the officiant presents while offering incense and speaking to the master)

The Huanglu Great Zhai assembly head, the undersigned So-and-so, humbly reveals sincere devotion and presumes to approach the pure hearing. I have heard that the Dongxuan middle rank gathers the models of all phenomena, and that the clear registers of Huanglu serve as the ladder for all living beings. Ancient and modern generations rely upon them, and sages and ordinary people alike follow them. Their merit extends without limit, and their benefits reach all who possess consciousness. To receive such good fruit truly originates from prior causes. Reflecting that we, (So-and-so) and others, were raised in the dust of the world and dwell in worldly circumstances, we are submerged in the waves of the river of desire and find it difficult to glimpse the walls of the realm of the Dao. We wish to eliminate the flaws of sins accumulated over endless kalpas, and we ought to rescue ourselves from the suffering realms of the deep yin. Above, we pray for the state; below, we think of the living and the dead. We wish that the spirits of the nine ancestors may be transcended, and that those stagnating in the three evil paths may be universally liberated. Within the four directions and the six cardinal extents, (the following passage continues according to the liturgy; here it states the intention of the invocation).

The ritual's origins include loyal martyrs who gave their lives for the nation and filial children who died in devotion to their parents. Others wandered homeless and died of cold and hunger in foreign lands, perished young from illness or injury, or had their livers and brains spilled on the battlefield in wartime. Some suffered repeated calamities in years of famine that struck their kin. Some drowned or perished in fire, some hanged themselves or died by the blade, some were subjected to imprisonment, and some died by poison while bearing unjust grievances. Some carry sins too heavy to be delivered, and others are burdened by debts from past lives that have not yet been cleared. The dark road of the dead stretches on without end, and it is hard to relieve the sufferings of the myriad paths. The gate of the ghosts is distant and obscure, and it is hard to open the light of the nine nights. Thinking of our own kin and also pitying all people, we respectfully strike the wondrous chimes of the Dongxuan scriptures and humbly open the grand rites of the Yellow Register (Huanglu), a large-scale Daoist rite for the dead. These rites first aid the spirits of ancestral temples across many reigns, then pray for the emperor's long life of ten thousand years. They universally deliver the beings of the Three Paths (Santu), namely the hells, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts, across the ten directions. They also widely open the Nine Strata of Deep Darkness (Jiulei chongyin), the dim places of the multilayered netherworld. Gathering these extraordinary blessings, we use them to aid in delivering the departed, namely [the deceased named in this petition] and others. May their souls be released from resentment and debt, their defilements washed away and their substance refined, their spirits clarified and their qi stilled. May this grace reach all living beings, so that everyone may share in the great blessing.

This matter is of the utmost weight, and its success depends above all on securing the right person. We respectfully consider the Lingbao Grand Master [name], whose natural endowments are pure and clear and whose reputation is widely known. This master has studied throughout the ten directions and immersed themselves fully in the scriptures of the Three Caverns (Sandong). May they hold firmly to a sincere heart, greatly save the multitudes, and take charge of this altar of deliverance, benefiting both humans and gods and bringing merit to both the hidden and the manifest realms. We respectfully state our urgent request and humbly await your compassionate acceptance.

The Master's reply: I am a humble scholar from a thatched hut, of ordinary timber like the ailanthus and oak. I have held the talismans and registers (fulu) of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) tradition, and my cultivation has accumulated over many years. I have examined the liturgical registers and visited teachers and friends. Yet my diligence is sincere while my virtue is thin, my talent is unworthy of choice, and my methods are not yet complete. I am ashamed that true transmission is so hard to obtain. Measuring myself and my strength, I fear I would fail your noble intent, and if I forced myself to accept this command, I would surely ruin the merit of the ritual. It would be proper to seek a lofty person beyond the mundane world to hold the chief position of this mysterious liturgy. I respectfully return this letter and dare not accept the charge.

Second request: The presiding officer of the Yellow Register grand rite, [name], presumes upon your generous indulgence to make a further plea. We have heard that the Perfected of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi Zhenren), a title of the Celestial Master tradition, does not dare to serve the Three Realms before first establishing merit. We have also heard that the Grand Historian of the Capital Immortals, a title of the high officiant, can ascend to the Nine Heavens only by aiding beings. Although……

Commentary in Plain Language

First Paragraph (The Sponsor Entreats the Master)

Although immortals are accomplished through inner cultivation (Neidan), exalted perfected value outer merit. The Huanglu (Yellow Register) rite can bestow boundless blessings and is the foundation of the Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) Dao methods. We pray for the peace of the state and tranquility between the civilized and the barbarian realms, so that spirits and humans, the hidden and the manifest, may share in the joy. We earnestly beseech Mr. So-and-so to draw upon the learning within his breast, continue the legacy of the former worthies, widely open the bridges of salvation for the world, and set the example for delivering all beings. We humbly hope that your compassion will attend to our sincere hearts, that you will consent to preside over the altar assembly, and that you will first submit our petition on our behalf. Yield to our devout request; we beg you not to decline.

Second Paragraph (The Master Declines)

The Lingbao Shenjing (Divine Scriptures of Numinous Treasure) and the Huanglu Grand Rite pervade the Three Caverns (Sandong) and govern the ten directions. They earn merit for three thousand good deeds and gather a million jade-cased volumes of profound meaning. Their liturgical prohibitions are most weighty and their graces boundless, so they require a person of extraordinary talent to preside over such a great matter. As for me, though I have studied for many years, I have not clarified the truth. Though I have sought teachers diligently, extraordinary persons are rare, and my Dao has not penetrated the hidden secrets. How could my virtue save the manifest and the hidden? I can only follow established precedent and prepare the ritual forms, and perhaps strive to raise my yang spirit (Yangshen) to pay homage to the Supreme Pole. Truly, I am not the right person. I hope you will widely seek out blessed lands and famous mountains, where one may find the immortal material and the vessel of the Dao. Do not trouble yourselves with repeated entreaties; I beg you to honor my sincere refusal.

Third Entreaty (The Sponsor Pleads Again)

We do not shrink from the trouble of thrice importuning, and once more we exhaust our sincerity. The Zhaijiao (purification ritual) is solemn and the Keyi (liturgy) is stern. If one follows the rules and observes the forms, blessings will be boundless; if one turns against the norms and violates the forms, punishment will arrive at once. We carve our sincerity into our bones and vow in our hearts: we will not let the ritual offerings be lacking, and we will ensure the ritual implements are pure and exact. Should any lapse or transgression occur, we willingly accept punishment. We still hope that Mr. So-and-so will not forget the initial vow, will proclaim the grace of the Dao, preside over this supreme cause of merit, and direct the assembled clergy of the altar, so that the thousand spirits fulfill their duties and the assembly may receive their blessings. May myriad years be wished for the life of the emperor, and may the peace of the eight thousand domains be extended to the whole world. May the Three Evil Paths and Nine Earths be at ease, and may the ten kinds and four births rejoice together. May the souls and spirits of the ancestors we have recommended ascend early to the immortal realms through this good merit. We respectfully await your assent and ask that you grant us a reply. We are devoted to taking refuge and most earnestly beg you.

Master's Acceptance

The Master agrees to preside over the rite.

An Explanatory Rendering of a Passage from the Shangqing Lingbao Dafa

This passage comes from the liturgy of the Shangqing Lingbao zhaijiao (purification ritual) and concerns the qiqing (invocation) and touci (presentation of the petition) sections. The officiant states his own identity and makes humble disclaimers, explains the reasons for holding the retreat, and then, following the prescribed format, offers incense, petitions the heavens, and presents the written petition.

I. The Officiant's Humility and Resolve to Serve

I am of ordinary talent and shallow understanding, and my merit and virtue are not sufficient. I have been fortunate to receive the Lingbao scriptures, yet I have improperly taken on a celestial office. My only wish is to bring broad relief to the beings of the netherworld (youming) and the living world alike, and perhaps to accumulate a small measure of diligent service. Still, I fear that my learning is not refined enough and that I may stain the retreat with my shortcomings. Now I can no longer decline, and I can only undertake the task with all my strength. I depend entirely on the zhuzhai (sponsor of the retreat, the one who funds and initiates it) not to abandon his good intentions from beginning to end, and I hope that the tanguan (altar officials, the attendants of the ritual ground) will work together in harmony and not depart from the authentic liturgy. How could I dare not to follow the prescribed rites and conduct this retreat with reverence?

II. Gazing Toward Heaven, Opening the Retreat, and the Officiant Receiving the Document

First, one gazes toward the heavenly gates (zhantian) and sets forth the petition (lai ci, the written request for invitation). After the officiant receives the document, he places the bamboo tablets upon the table and faces the celestial gate. Incense tables are arranged, incense is offered, and bows are made. The assisting officials offer incense and bow twice. The officiant stands firm and recites aloud, in oral form, the following invocation.

III. Invocation by Incense (Summary of the Oral Recitation)

The Dao incense, the De incense, the Wuwei incense, the incense of pure and natural Dongzhen (Mysterious Cavern) wonder, the Lingbao incense of grace, the incense that transcends the Three Realms, and the incense of the Three Pure Realms: their fragrance fills the Qionglou Yujing (Jade Pavilion of Heaven) and pervades the Zhoutian Fajie (the Dharma Realm encompassing all heavens).

Through the true incense now burning, we extend our offerings widely. Jade flowers scatter their radiance, the nine qi gather into smoke, and fragrant clouds rise and surge directly through all the heavens. The Golden Youths who attend the incense carry our words, and the Jade Maidens report them before the Sovereign, commanding this official to submit the petition, so that all may be granted as requested.

The officiant, a minister of the Dharma rank bearing the surname of such-and-such, submits a petition requesting that a Shanghuang Lu Dazhai (Great Retreat of the Supreme Yellow Register) be established for a certain number of days and nights. Its merit is to aid the state above and extend to kin below, to deliver widely the beings of the Six Paths and Four Modes of Birth, and to bestow blessings broadly upon the Nine Provinces and Ten Divisions. Through the gathering of this meritorious fruit, we offer rites for the deliverance of the deceased, so that they may leave the realm of shadows and rise to the immortal homeland.

This minister, through a slight and chance connection, has received transformative guidance into the Dao. Having held this office for a long time, he reflects that his merit is very small. He should restrain himself and look inward, and he would never presume to lead others or to expound the teachings. Yet because there is an agreed covenant and this earnest request has arrived, he finds it difficult to refuse. He still relies on the compassion of Heaven, which pardons and shelters, and on the mercy of the Dao, which grieves for and relieves all. He hopes that he may be permitted to conduct the retreat and perform universal deliverance, and to proclaim the rites according to the prescribed forms.

Having recorded this petition in full, we separately present it to the throne. We pray that the sages of successive dynasties and the spirits of the honored temples may ascend to the highest of heavens and swiftly attain the supreme realization of the Dao.

We pray that the reigning sovereign may enjoy a lifespan as lasting as Mounts Song and Hua, that his blessings may be as vast as the sea, and that the myriad states may be at peace and the common people may live in health and abundance.

We pray that the nightly palaces of the Nine Dark Realms may together receive the highest cause, and that the solitary souls of the Ten Divisions may likewise be delivered and released.

Notes

The Shanghuang Lu Dazhai is a high-ranking retreat within the Lingbao tradition, often associated with universal salvation and the rites for the dead. Youxian (the hidden and the manifest) refers to the hidden realm of the dead and the manifest world of the living. Liu dao si sheng (the Six Paths and Four Modes of Birth) is a Buddhist term that Daoist liturgical texts also commonly adopt, referring broadly to all sentient beings. Lu ci / tou ci (presenting the petition) means setting down the reasons for the retreat and the objects of deliverance in written form and reporting them to the celestial court. In the liturgy, the phrases "minister of such-and-such surname" and "the deceased such-and-such" are formulaic; in actual practice, the officiant's surname and the name of the deceased are filled in.

Shangqing Lingbao Dafa (II), Scroll Sixteen: A Vernacular Explanation

The merit is extended as widely as possible to boundless living beings, and its benefits are concentrated here, specifically to ferry the departed soul of the sacrificer, so-and-so, so that it may ascend to the Purple Mansion (Zifu) and refine its substance in the Cinnabar Heaven (Dantian). The blessings are also meant to extend to descendants and to the sacrificer. Because we have offended the majesty of Heaven, so-and-so entreats with the utmost sincerity and is overcome with trepidation.

The memorials (zoudu) and petitions (shendie) and other documents in this set have been copied out in full, and they will be reported and submitted on an auspicious day in advance. They are gathered into a single scroll for ease of use, and they will not be elaborated further here.

Yunzhong once saw that earlier masters were cautious and solemn when handling matters, and did not seek to take shortcuts. When receiving the petition, the Master declined three times before taking the statement orally. This was the format established by the earlier master, Gao Jun. If the sacrificer is sincere and single-minded, then within a single thought there will be divine beings who observe and judge. Moreover, the merit of the Huanglu (Yellow Register) rite is manifest in both the visible and the hidden realms and benefits both at once, so how could the Master not treat the matter as weighty? To yield and decline before receiving the petition is ritual propriety, and how could there be no clear and bright mirror to witness it? If other regions cannot follow this proposal, they may simplify the procedure according to the circumstances at the time, and there is no harm in doing so.

Notes: The sacrificer (zhuzhai) is the person who funds and presides over the zhai and jiao rituals. To ferry (jiantu) the dead is to pray for and deliver the departed so that they may be released from suffering. The Purple Mansion and the Cinnabar Heaven are heavenly realms of the Daoist upper world, used here as metaphors for the soul's ascent and refinement. The memorials and petitions are documents submitted to the celestial court. "Three declinations" (sanci) refers to the Master refusing the appointment three times before accepting it, as a sign of reverence and caution. Gao Jun is the earlier scripture master revered in the text. The Huanglu is a large-scale Daoist rite of deliverance. "Manifest in both realms" means that it benefits the living world and the realm of the dead together. Yunzhong is the author or commentator of this work.