《上清靈寶大法(二)》Vol. 20

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The Great Method of the Shangqing Lingbao, Scroll Twenty, Part Two

(Compiled by Jin Yunzhong, Lingbao ritual master of the Dongxuan tradition, holder of the ritual law of the Southern Office, and assistant administrator of the Right Wing of the Tongchu Mansion)

Section on the Ritual Procedures for Ascending the Altar

Opening Invocation (the chief ritual master and ritual officers offer incense and bow)

We have heard that words may be used to convey the heart’s intentions, so that sincere prayers and invocations may reach their unseen audience; and that objects may be used to express sincerity, in the hope that pure incense will ascend to the highest heavens.

Our invocation is heard throughout the Three Realms, as we respectfully address the Nine Heavens above. With reverence, we burn incense to the Dao, incense to De, incense to Wuwei, incense of Wuwei and purity, incense of pure naturalness, wondrous incense of the Dongzhen Cavern, Lingbao wisdom incense, incense that transcends the Three Realms, and true incense of the Three Heavens. We respectfully burn incense, submit this invocation, and make offerings to:

• The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, of Void and Naturalness
• The Celestial Worthy of Lingbao, Lord of the Dongxuan Cavern in the True Realm of Shangqing
• The Celestial Worthy of Dao and De, Lord of the Dongshen Cavern in the Immortal Realm of Taiqing
• The Jade Emperor, Supreme Sovereign of the Vast Heaven
• The Great Emperor of the North Pole of Purple Tenuity
• The Great Emperor of the Celestial Sovereign of the Gouchen Star Palace
• The Empress of Earth, Sovereign Goddess of the Earth
• The Celestial Worthy of Great Yi, Savior from Suffering, of the Eastern Pole’s Azure Palace
• The Dao Lord, Duke of Wood and Azure Youth, Assistant Minister of the Eastern Florescence
• The Great Emperor of Longevity of the Southern Pole
• The Primordial Sovereign, Mother of Metal, the Ninefold Numinous Perfect One of the White Jade Turtle Terrace
• The Five Old Lords, Supreme Emperors of the Nine Heavens
• The Supreme Emperors of the Thirty-Two Heavens
• The Lords of Great Yi, Five Blessings, and Ten Spirits
• The Lords of the Eleven Luminaries of Shangqing
• The Nine August Lords of the Northern Dipper in the Central Heaven
• The Lords of the Six Offices of the Southern Dipper
• The Lords of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions in the Four Directions
• The Great Emperors of the Three Offices of Heaven, Earth, and Water
• The Perfect Lords, Four Saints of the North Pole
• The Great Master of the Mysterious Center, the Perfect Lord of Zhengyi Stillness and Response
• The Immortal Elder of the Left Palace of Taiji, the Perfect Lord of Penetrating Response
• The Perfect Lord, Great Historian and Spirit of Divine Merit and Wondrous Deliverance, who oversees all the immortals of the Nine Provinces
• The Perfect Lords, Three Masters of the Lingbao scriptures, registers, and salvation rites
• The High Perfect Ones who preside over the Supreme Mysterious Capital of the Three Heavens
• The sacred assembly of the Celestial Pivot Court of Shangqing
• The High Perfect Ones and Supreme Saints of the scriptures, registers, and methods of the Three Caverns and Four Supplements
• The star spirits of the 365 degrees of the circuit of Heaven
• The Three Perfect Lords of the Three Primordial Periods: Tang, Ge, and Zhou
• The sacred assembly that governs wind, clouds, thunder, rain, and lightning
• The Great Emperor of Fengdu, Lord of the Northern Yin, of the Mysterious Heaven in the Underworld
• The Great Emperor of Fusang, Lord of the Eastern Rosy Dawn, of the Water Realm
• The Holy Emperors of the Five Marchmounts and Five Heavens, and the Perfect Lords who assist their destiny
• The Perfect Lords who preside over the Ten Palaces of the Underworld, lords of the Mysterious Heaven, and the sacred assembly of ghost officials
• The True Lord of Siming, Fengdu …

(The honorifics or ritual instructions that follow may be translated in sequence if present.)

Note: The source is a liturgical invocation used to open the “Declaration and Opening” rite at the altar, in which incense is offered and petitions are submitted one by one to the revered gods of the heavens and the Three Realms. The phrasing often consists of parallel four- and six-character expressions. In a modern rendering, the order of the honorific titles should be retained, while “we respectfully burn incense, submit this invocation, and make offerings” conveys the ritual action without translating every incense name word for word, which would make the passage unwieldy.

This scripture describes the invocation and prayer procedures of the Lingbao School's Yellow Register Retreat (Huanglu Zhai) – a major Daoist purification ritual for the salvation of lost souls. It first enumerates the host of deities to be venerated, including:

Celestial immortals (such as the Registrar Immortals governing sacred grottoes and blessed lands), water deities (like the Divine Kings of Water Palaces, Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, and Source Lords of the Four Great Rivers), underworld officials (such as the Elder of the Yellow Springs and Haoli), local guardian spirits (like City Gods and Earth Deity Lords), as well as protector generals associated with the ritual (including the divine officers and commanders from the Lingbao talismanic registers). All these deities will receive incense offerings, with the Golden Boy Attendant of Incense and Jade Maiden Messenger conveying prayers to the Celestial Emperor.

The text then specifies that this ritual is conducted for the salvation of a particular deceased individual (with their birth and death dates recorded). Disciples have established a sacred arena at a designated location to perform the multi-day Lingbao Yellow Register Grand Retreat, employing methods like incense burning, lamp lighting, scripture recitation, and food offerings to redeem the departed soul. The prayer content unfolds in several dimensions:

First, blessings are invoked for the eternal stability of the imperial house, world peace, prosperity for common people, and abundance for all beings. Next comes the supplication for underworld punishments to cease, allowing all categories of lost souls to attain deliverance. Finally, specific intercessions are made for the deceased relative of the ritual sponsor (zhai zhu): to cleanse karmic transgressions, resolve grievances, and enable their soul to ascend from the Northern Hell Palace to the Southern Immortal Court, while also protecting the living family's household harmony.

The ritual master concludes by declaring the altar fully prepared, inviting the deities to descend and bear witness. The ceremony expresses hope that this meritorious ritual may benefit both yin and yang realms while respectfully awaiting divine responses. The ritual continues with bowing ceremonies and the Lamp Division rite (lighting symbolic lamps representing celestial radiance).

A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Great Rites of the Shangqing Lingbao

The Rite of Dividing the Lamps and Inviting the Light

How to invite the light: First, before an image of the Celestial Worthy of Jade Purity, or before the images of the Three Treasures on the altar—the three Celestial Worthies, Primordial Beginning, Lingbao, and Daode—use the traditional method of a yangsui, a fire mirror for gathering sunlight, or a similar device. Wait until the sun is at its zenith, then take its true fire and use it to light the lamps and candles before the Celestial Worthy of Jade Purity. The high-ranking ritual master then rolls the Talisman of Lamp-Dividing Wisdom Light into a wick and holds it in his hand. He asks two members of the Daoist congregation to each hold a talisman candle and stand on either side of him at his place. After kneeling upright and completing his memorial, the ritual master goes before the Supreme Emperor (the Celestial Worthy), receives the light onto the prepared lamp in his hands, returns to his place, and recites the blessing. He then gives the light to the two attendants in turn to kindle their candles. This is what is called “inviting the light.”

A mistake in recent practice: Recently, some people at Daoist altars do not light any lamps or candles beforehand. The ritual master first rolls a wick in his hands, then delivers the memorial, and afterward gives the lamp to an attendant, who recites the blessing and lights it before the Supreme Emperor. This amounts to sending the lamp directly into the Emperor’s abode instead of inviting the light from before the altar. The reasoning is unsound, and the practice also creates problems for the ritual procedure, so it is explained here.

Rite of Dividing the Lamps

(The ritual master returns to his place, kneels upright, and delivers the memorial.)

I, your servant, of the rank and position of [name], bow twice and respectfully address:

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, natural and unbounded in the Void; the Celestial Worthy of Lingbao, Lord of the Cavern Mystery in the Pure Realm Above; and the Celestial Worthy of Daode, Lord of the Cavern Spirit in the Immortal Realm of Great Clarity. We humbly pray that your Daoist compassion look down upon us and take heed.

Your servant has heard that above the Nine Extremities, amid the clouds of heaven, light shines forth in radiant splendor, without distinction between dawn and dusk. Within the cosmos of the Two Principles, however, brightness and obscurity give rise to the division between day and night. When the sun’s radiance lies hidden, the world remains in misty darkness; when Yin Qi gathers at its roots, the realm becomes especially dim and obscure. Therefore, to carry on the light after the sun has set in the west, no sacred rite is more important than lighting lamps. And to bring radiance to the Northern Capital, nothing should come before spreading mercy and dispelling darkness. I dare to pray for your compassion and kindness, and humbly ask that you grant this petition.

I reflect that my humble nature is frail, and my mortal appearance and lowly character are unworthy. Though I have been fortunate enough to join the ranks of your servants, I have long failed to accumulate meritorious deeds. I ought to withdraw and examine myself; how could I dare to come forward with prayers? Yet the Dharma exists first to aid all beings, and its teachings aim to benefit people. Since I have received sincere petitions, I cannot turn away those who have come in earnest. I have acted upon the intentions expressed in these petitions and recorded them in a memorial to the High Heavens. Now it is fitting to respectfully open the ritual altar. May the fragrant oil keep burning through the night; first, I pray that its radiance spread throughout this altar. May the numinous light illumine the darkness; I hope its grace will extend to all Three Realms. May you bestow life-giving Qi and compassionately save those sunk in delusion. We humbly pray that your Daoist compassion look down upon us and respond through the Mystery.

Explanation: The passage above says that when dividing the lamps, one must first light a lamp before the Celestial Worthy of Jade Purity with sunlight. The ritual master then holds the talisman to invite the light and passes it to the attendants to light their candles. Going straight to the Supreme Emperor to light a lamp without first inviting the light from before the altar does not accord with the ritual procedures. In the memorial, the ritual master addresses the Three Treasures, explaining that the alternation of light and darkness divides the world into day and night, and that lighting lamps to dispel darkness is an important Daoist rite. Although the ritual master is humble and unworthy, he opens the ritual altar in response to sincere petitions, lights the fragrant oil lamps, and prays for light to shine throughout the Three Realms and save those sunk in delusion.

I, your servant, have presumptuously intruded upon the majesty of the Dao and am filled with trembling. I await punishment in the utmost fear and trepidation. I bow my head to the ground and respectfully make this petition.

Proclamation

Venerated Celestial Lords of the Ten Directions, Lords of the Numinous Treasure.

The High Merit officiant steps before the Three Treasures. If already within the ritual space, he steps before the Primordial Celestial Worthy of the Origin of the Way in Jade Purity, one of the heavenly realms of Highest Clarity.

I, your servant, have heard that the Dao moves without end, manifesting in response to each circumstance, and that heaven’s light has no bounds, dwelling within all things and flowing through them. Therefore, I dare to look up and appeal to the profound mystery, presumptuously making my plea known to the highest heavens. I respectfully beseech you to grant great pardon and graciously reveal your deep benevolence. Have compassion for this humble sincerity and take note of this earnest devotion. May the palace gates of Jade Purity bestow Dao Qi to proclaim your grace; may the heavens of Clear Subtlety, a name for a heavenly realm, spread life-giving fluids to nurture all beings. I beg you to grant my petition and allow me a share of your light, illuminating the Six Extremities and bringing benefit to the Ten Directions, shining upon the myriad heavens and brightening the Nine Earths. I bow low and hold this prayer in mind as I await your flowing grace.

The primordial Qi of the Origin, transformed by the Primordial Celestial Worthy, unfolds and spreads its light; the empty cavern merges with the deep and still. For nine nights, it extends succor to suffering souls in the Yan Kang era; at dawn they ride in hope of the sun. Their evil roots respond to transformation and join with the essence of the peach of Tao Kang. The myriad perfected ones assent in unison, and life-giving Qi fills the vastness.

Invocation after the chime

Supreme Celestial Worthies of the Three Pure Ones. The High Merit officiant holds the prescribed visualization in mind and performs the rite according to the proper form.

Before Jade Purity, he pinches a talisman slip and lights it, inviting the light into his hand, then returns to his place. He holds the ritual tablet in his left hand. Two members of the assembly each hold an unlit slip, pinch it, and stand to the right of the High Merit officiant, beside his left hand.

The High Merit officiant makes a second proclamation:

I, your servant, have heard that from the primordial One of the chaotic cavern, the One gave birth to the Two, which became its form; as the Two Qi gathered and settled, the Two gave rise to the Three, which became their source. Heaven, Earth, and the myriad forms were thereby formed and established. Yin and Yang nurtured and brought forth the many kinds of beings. All that bears this numinous pivot is none other than ancestral Qi. Therefore, I return with sincere devotion to the root and source, and ask that Qi divide and radiate its brilliance. I humbly pray that from the One the Three may be divided, joining the bright radiance of the Three Mornings; and from the Three, may the myriad unfold, flowing with life-giving fluids to the Nine Extremities. May this embody the Great Dao’s divine power to bring forth beings and complete the wondrous transformation by which the Origin opened Heaven. May those above and below remain forever in a land without night; may the human world and the shadowy city of the dead alike be transformed into realms of pure Yang. May the living and the dead receive blessings, and may the hidden and the manifest alike be granted grace.

The High Merit officiant uses the lamp to light the two candles on the left and right. All three stand holding candles and lamp, and recite the incantation:

The Red Brightness opens the chart; its course and transformations unfold naturally. It brings the Three Luminaries to light, before the passage of countless eons. Today, our great vow is that the sunken souls receive refinement; may the layers of darkness and gloom be dispelled, and the souls forever sealed in the Cold Springs be released.

Plain-language interpretation

Please let wisdom’s light shine forth and melt open the hidden pass and icy pool. Let the furnace charcoal grow warm and gentle, and let the flames subside; may we never again climb the mountain of knives or the tree of swords. Let the light turn back and shine in all ten directions, illuminating the heavens. May the karmic burdens of the Five Rebirths be dissolved and all entanglements released. May the Three Mornings shine together, enduring through all ages.

The Luminous Youth receives grace; the Jade Maidens of the Three Lights, perfected immortals above, please act according to these words.

The High Merit Adept’s esoteric spell:

“The Dao gives birth to One; One gives birth to Two; Two gives birth to Three; Three gives birth to the myriad things”—may this radiance shine everywhere, even into the depths of darkness. I, your subject, ask that Qi divide and its radiance spread in every direction, bringing auspicious blessings through the Dao’s protection and bestowing celebrations, so that heavenly favor shines above. With one heart, the assembled faithful light candles everywhere.

Two attendants each hold a candle and distribute them among the Daoist assembly, lighting them throughout the altar area. Then all the lamps are gathered and burned before the Venerable Jade Clarity.

I respectfully follow the established liturgical procedure and look up in prayer for mysterious protection. May the light spread and shine, illuminating the darkness and lighting the hidden depths. I humbly pray that the exalted Venerable Ones of the Great Dao and the sacred sages of the Mysterious Heavens extend their numinous protection and abundant compassionate blessings, illuminating the ten directions and making the Three Realms bright and clear. May people be freed from afflictions and plague, may souls escape the depths of darkness, may beings of the ten classes rise to higher realms, and may all living creatures find peace and well-being. For these reasons, let us recite:

The Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure of the Ten Directions, whose merit is inconceivable.

Notes on the “Lamp-distribution Rite” (commentary within the scripture):

In recent practice, after invoking the light before the Venerable Lord of Heaven, practitioners also go before the Venerable Celestial Master and offer prayers and recite a spell. The lines in the text, “The Imperial Master’s carriage glides aloft in five ranks; nine lights blaze and shine at the Mysterious Gate…” and the like, belong to the format used in the rites of Lu, the True Official, and the Jade Hall, where the Celestial Master is the principal deity. This differs from the ancient standard Lingbao fast rite. Later, Dongxuan masters followed the ancient method but also inserted this spell into their own liturgies. Some even invoked the light before the Lord of Heaven, then went to the Celestial Master a second time to distribute it. The author of this scripture considers all of these practices improper. Each fast rite has its own lineage and foundation; they should not be mixed together or used casually.

In the old Lingbao method, this passage originally contained only the single spell, “The Red Radiance opens the chart; deliverance unfolds naturally.” The “Spell of the Primordial Beginning’s unified Qi, evolving and spreading light” has now been added to it. That is a prayer of invocation, and it is already sufficiently detailed. According to ritual protocol, after invoking the light before the Lord of Heaven, one should not return to the master’s altar to perform the rite again. There is a similar problem with the lamp-distribution rite in Jiang’s Completed Ritual Manual.

In short, invoking the light before the Lord of Heaven and distributing the light before the Celestial Master are two separate lines of practice. In the Dongshen Zhengyi tradition, the Celestial Master is the principal deity, unlike in the ancient standard Lingbao rite. Later practitioners’ mixing of spells and repetition of invocations are considered improper.

The Great Ritual of the Shangqing Lingbao (II): A Plain-Language Interpretation

(1) Supplementary Incantation and the Rite of Inviting Light

An additional incantation reads: “Ninefold Yang, Jade Purity; the Three Lights illumine the Dao; the Lingbao of the Cavern Mystery.”

This passage was not used in the old rites. Today, in accordance with our lineage’s transmission, we dare not adopt material arbitrarily, so we have added it here.

The rite for inviting light proceeds roughly as follows: Use a yangsui—a bronze mirror-like implement for kindling fire from the sun—to catch the sun’s fire and light a candle. Offer it before the altar of the Jade Purity realm, where the Celestial Worthy of Jade Purity is enshrined. The High Merit priest, who leads the offering, then delivers an address and bows. He steps forward to “invite the light,” receives it in his hands, and returns to his place. He then passes it to two attendants, who take turns spreading the light among the altars.

This is the proper way to invite light from the Great Dao. In several prefectures and counties in eastern Zhejiang, however, the practice differs. First, a lamp is lit in the High Merit priest’s hands. He kneels and delivers an address, then the Daoist assembly takes the lamp and carries it before the Three Pure Ones. They read the petitions aloud before each deity and light the lamps; only then do they distribute the light. This amounts to the High Merit priest offering lamplight before the Lord on High, rather than using wisdom-light to illumine the Three Realms. In principle, this does not make sense.

For this reason, we now follow only the older form of the rite.

(2) Rite of the Golden Bell and Jade Chime

Your servant has heard: The true scriptures conceal their mysteries; the myriad transformations hide their forms and remain unseen. From the empty cavern, spirits arise; a single numinous presence begins, taking on visible form. Thus the Five Writings descended, and the Three Caverns opened widely. The teachings of the Dao were made manifest, and their ritual forms fully established. Since the canons and rules were all set forth, the institutions were accordingly laid down.

The rite takes its model from Yin-Yang: metal represents firmness, while jade is prized for its lustrous smoothness. It also accords with Heaven and Earth: the bell’s sound answers above, while the chime’s resonance reaches the hidden depths. Now that the covenant of purification has reached the Jade Palace, and the assembled sages are about to arrive at the precious dais, we arrange the ranks in solemn order and gaze from afar as the immortals’ carriage glides near. We perform the prescribed forms with reverence, raising our eyes toward their pure, indistinct countenances. Thus we present the rite through ritual implements, using distinct sounds to move the spirits. Tigers leap and dragons soar; auspicious Qi fills the ritual realm. Phoenixes wheel and luan birds glide; numinous winds stir, setting the jade pendants ringing. The seen and unseen communicate, and in an instant the spirits respond.

Your servants bow low and ask for a mandate, joining our hands and offering our sincerity. We have presumptuously disturbed the numinous powers; we tremble with awe.

Strike the golden bell twenty-five times.

We humbly reflect: Its form is exalted and its sound far-reaching; it takes shape by modeling itself on gold and establishing its substance. The horned projections are suspended high, the inscriptions grand; it produces sound by setting the gong and striker in motion. In accord with Yang De, it shines above; it solemnly upholds the mysterious order in its entirety. It reaches the summit beyond all summits, following the Brahmic resonance as it rises through the air. The true within the true spreads numinous radiance everywhere and bestows blessings.

With reverence, we face the assembly and proclaim the Incantation for Summoning the Yang Spirits:

The primal pattern stretches vast and boundless; nine rosy clouds illumine the sky. The cinnabar spirits shine forth; the Five Planets move in accord. True Yang surges with urgency, its rhythm attuned to the Mysterious Palace. The Primordial Beginning moves to and fro, and the assembled immortals follow in reverence.

Notes on ritual terms:

Plain-language interpretation

All Qi (vital energy) joins in the immortals; the hidden and subtle descend to the center. The Dao (the Way) gives rise to what is natural, and its transformations are boundless.

(Strike the jade chime thirty times.)

Prostrate, I respectfully make this report: The jade chime is light and lustrous, and its sound is raised only through a clear, gentle, measured rhythm. Since ancient times, it has been fashioned with care and precision; its square shape serves as an emblem, and it takes the Virtue of Kun (Earth) as its model to stabilize and command. It summons the Yin spirits to gather, while its clear, resonant tones ring out like jade. Its secret pattern extends beyond the four quarters; its essence shines clearly and penetrates unseen into the depths of the Six Extremes. It harmonizes the Five Qi, gathers the Five Spirits to serve as witnesses, and calls upon the Yin spirits. With reverent prayer, I respectfully present and proclaim the following.

High above, in the Great Void, in the jade palace and purple chamber, the mysterious altar fashions its instruments: the jade chime rings like fine jade.

It rises, stirring the rosy clouds; Heaven and Earth open and join. The Yin gives birth to sacred chants, which unfold and carry forth the primal order.

A gate of auspicious clouds appears, lifting and rescuing the sunken and the dead. They attain the rank of high immortals and dwell forever in the land of blessing.

(Strike the bell and chime together thirty-six times.)

Prostrate, I respectfully make this report: Yin is summoned and Yang gathers; their wondrous workings lie hidden beyond measure. The pure tones of the golden bell and jade chime reach without end. Though Kan is full and Li is empty, water rises and fire descends; the way of resonance and response unfolds of itself. The power of harmony is set in motion when the moment calls for it: firm and yielding are shaped into instruments, and the tones are attuned to welcome good fortune. The bell and chime ring out, reaching above and below and communicating with the numinous spirits. With reverent prayer, I respectfully present and proclaim the following.

The two Qi mingle: Yin is expressed outwardly, Yang made manifest. Golden harmony stirs auspicious signs; jade’s lustrous purity brings stillness and flourishing.

They respond to one another above and below, reaching the Ten Directions. Their distant vibrations stir the mysterious palace, while girdle pendants ring and resound all around.

The numinous talisman gives its charge; the altar precinct is solemnly prepared. The secret pattern is proclaimed once more, and the myriad spirits open out.

(Sound the metal bell nine times and strike the jade chime six times.)

Prostrate, I respectfully make this report: The canopy of Qian (Heaven) floats above, and the vessel of Kun (Earth) is set below. The myriad forms stand in ordered ranks, their shapes lost in the distant darkness; the Ten Directions extend in solemn circuit, vast beyond the bounds of any realm. Yet in the purification rite, we serve the Emperor: there is no distinction between high and low. Only utmost sincerity can move the spirits, bringing Heaven and humanity into communion. Now, as the altar precinct is about to be made solemn, bell and chime ring together. Their music resounds in the heavens, as though the spirits were traveling to the Emperor’s abode; their high sacred chants seem to evoke the realm of the Mysterious Capital. Let the assembly strengthen its sincerity and join together in praise and song.

Next, begin the ritual proceedings. Circle around and leave the altar; guide the presiding master into the chamber of stillness. Instruct the ritual attendants of the Water Rite to continue at the altar.

Invite one Daoist versed in proper ritual bearing to perform the rite for sealing the altar.

Rite for sealing the altar

Visualize the Three Masters to the west, and visualize the crimson-robed divine official descending astride the Dipper into the water vessel.

Notes for reading the ritual text:

• Jade chime: A chime made of jade or other stone, struck during Daoist rites to communicate with the spirits and mark the ritual sequence.
• “Prostrate, I respectfully…”: A set phrase in ritual texts meaning “I bow and make this report.” It is followed by praise of the ritual implements, altar precinct, and the workings of spiritual response.
• Three Masters, crimson-robed divine official, astride the Dipper, water vessel: During the altar-sealing rite, the officiant visualizes protective divine beings to the west. The divine official descends to the altar astride the Northern Dipper, in connection with the vessel holding ritual water.
• “Guide the presiding master into the chamber of stillness”: The officiating master enters stillness and focuses inward. “Circle around and leave the altar” means to walk around the altar before departing.
• Water Rite attendants: The group of Daoist ritual personnel responsible for rites involving water, including sprinkling and purification.

This translation follows the ritual sequence of the original and retains its names and steps for comparison with the liturgy in practice.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Great Shangqing Lingbao Ritual Manual (Part Two)

Scripture

Place the sword at the Earth Gate, the direction that in ritual symbolizes the lower realm and the earth’s depths. Burn incense above it and make an announcement, setting forth the petition.

Your servant, [name], holding my position in the ritual, am filled with reverence and awe. I bow my head to the ground, prostrate myself, and bow twice more. I respectfully address the sacred presences.

Your servant has heard that when the One Qi first moved, Yin and Yang established their poles; when the Two Modes first came into being, the pure and turbid opened the heavens. Once the myriad beings had been nurtured, their many transformations were revealed. Thus the Five Writings were bestowed and became the foundation of the scriptures; the Three Caverns were proclaimed and set in motion, greatly opening the beginnings of the teachings and ritual codes. They preserve and regulate the cycles of the kalpas, stabilize and secure Heaven and Earth, bring blessings to the state and peace to the times, dispel harmful influences below, rescue the hidden and aid the manifest, and universally deliver both humans and celestial beings.

We, your servants, have taken form through illusory and false conditions, and received our bodily constitution in ignorance and mediocrity. Fortunately, we have been touched by the transformation of the True and Upright and have gained a place among the ranks of the Dao’s teachings and methods. Yet we have not been able to withdraw ourselves and remain hidden; presumptuously, we seek to serve and perform our duties. We set down petitions and list our requests, conveying the prayers of the human world. We establish the ritual altar and perform purification rites, making known the ordinances and standards of the Void Emperor. We know well that this exceeds our station, and can only hope for your grace. We dare to present our urgent concerns, humbly troubling the hearing of the exalted heavens.

Your servants have carefully set forth our intentions, and our sincere feelings are fully recorded in this petition. In reverent accordance with the clear ritual codes, we respectfully open the ritual seat. In the Daoist realm of the Nine Heavens, we pray that a single thought may reach and move the sacred powers. Before the true officials of the Three Realms, we ask that the gathered spirits look upon us and bear witness.

In this lowly, ordinary realm, there is nothing beyond the bounds of the dusty world. We fear that the deluded may be wearied by its defilements, or that baleful forces may remain unbanished. We therefore rely on the permeating radiance of Heaven, hoping that it will dispel and subdue ominous influences. May the Most High Emperor, exalted above, look down with compassion upon this petition. May the great sages of the Heavenly Realms attend closely to the words presented here. We ask that they specially command the celestial offices to dispatch their officers and generals, infuse the ritual water with numinous light, and invest the sacred sword with awe-inspiring brilliance.

May the Five Qi gather and flow in abundance, as the water, guided by the incantation, washes away foulness and defilement. May the Seven Stars shine brilliantly, as the sword, following the Dipper’s steps, destroy demons and evil spirits. May the ten directions be purified and the myriad spirits stand guard. Once the commands are issued, may they reach everywhere; once this petition is delivered, may all who are moved by it respond. Your servant now respectfully closes the petition, gathers the spirit inward, and waits with hands clasped for Heaven’s gracious response.

Your servant, [name], am filled with reverence and awe. I bow my head to the ground, prostrate myself, and bow twice more. Respectfully submitted.

Next, close the petition again. Shut the eyes. With the left hand, form the Emperor’s mudra; with the right, form the sword mudra. Then clasp the hands firmly beneath the ribs. Visualize the Three Steps and Nine Footprints, and summon the Four Sacred Beasts.

The Green Emperor divides forth his spirit and gathers the True. From the position of Zhen, the eastern direction, he extends his body a thousand fathoms. His azure scales reveal an auspicious form. The Green Dragon descends at his command, sweeping away calamity and defilement. He takes his place on my left.

Ritual Context

This passage belongs to the Shangqing Lingbao tradition and contains sections for making a formal announcement and summoning divine generals during a Zhaijiao purification ritual.

The Earth Gate, set in opposition to the “Heavenly Gate,” usually refers to the lower side of the ritual altar or the Kun position. Placing the sword there symbolizes securing the earth and cutting down evil.

The Five Writings and the Three Caverns refer broadly to the scriptures and systems of teaching associated with the Shangqing and other Daoist traditions.

The officers and generals are divine generals from the celestial bureaucracy. At the Emperor’s command, they use ritual water and the sacred sword to dispel evil.

The Three Steps and Nine Footprints, the Four Sacred Beasts, the Green Emperor, and the Green Dragon belong to the practice of pacing the Dipper and summoning the Green Emperor of the East and his Green Dragon general to protect the ritual master’s left side. Their arrival prepares the way for the ritual actions that follow.

Throughout, the speaker addresses the Most High Emperor, the Heavenly Sages, and the true officials of the Three Realms as a subject presenting a petition: opening the ritual seat, asking the sacred powers to witness his sincerity, requesting generals to protect the rite, purifying the altar, and destroying demons. The passage also records the ritual master’s actions, including holding the sword, forming mudras, and visualizing the divine presences.

A. The Four Spirit Generals Descend

The Red Emperor, one of the Five Daoist Emperors and lord of the South’s Fire virtue, manifests a division of his spirit in the Li Palace. Qi gathers and takes form as the Vermilion Bird, the divine fire creature of the South, its cinnabar colors gleaming and its red wings distinct. It appears to burn away demons and anomalies, then comes to stand at my left.

The White Emperor manifests a division of his spirit in the Dui Palace, with a pure and spotless appearance and a roar like heavenly music. It takes the form of the White Tiger, the divine creature of the West’s Metal virtue. It slays evil and cuts down monsters, then comes to stand at my right.

The Black Emperor manifests a division of his spirit in the Kan Palace. Its substance takes shape as a red serpent and a dark tortoise, paired in Yin-Yang; together they are called the Mysterious Warrior, the divine creature of the North’s Water virtue. It guards the altar’s boundary, then comes to stand behind me.

The Four Spirit Generals arrive as soon as they are summoned, receiving the command and hastening like lightning and wind. They then come near the table. I use the water sword—the ritual sword dipped in water—to draw the petition, then take up the sword again.

The Function of the Sword and Water

The sword proclaims authority and issues commands; water washes away what is turbid and lets the clear flow through. Since I have recited the incantation to summon the spirits, visualized the gods, and invited Qi, evil and corrupt forces leave no trace, and defilement and foulness vanish. I respectfully follow the Chong liturgy, one of the Lingbao ritual systems, and proclaim the Heavenly Command.

Next, I hold the sword horizontally over the water bowl to gather Qi.

I respectfully invite the Demon King of the Eastern Blue Heaven to send true Qi into my water. I respectfully invite the Demon King of the Southern Red Heaven to send true Qi into my water. I respectfully invite the Demon King of the Western White Heaven to send true Qi into my water. I respectfully invite the Demon King of the Northern Black Heaven to send true Qi into my water. I respectfully invite the Demon King of the Central Yellow Heaven to send true Qi into my water.

The Great Demons of the Five Emperors are the forebears of the myriad spirits. With banners, pennants, drums, and chimes, they travel through the vastness of space, renowned for their brilliance. The heavens all work in concert, and each sends true Qi into my water. I, so-and-so, hereby proclaim the command of the High Emperor.

Holding the Sword and Sprinkling Water

My sword: it can aid in controlling water and fire; its form accords with Heaven and Earth. Its firm, hard edge has been tempered a hundred times, and its snowy blade holds the image of the Seven Stars. Point it at Heaven, and demonic stars fall dark; summon thunder, and purple lightning surges forth. Now I wield it, rebuke the demonic miasma, and command and restrain the ghosts and spirits of the Three Realms. With one sweep, all is cleared for ten thousand miles, and every evil essence within the earthly realm is destroyed.

I take a mouthful of water and spray it.

My water: it stops or flows according to the circumstances, and it congeals or melts in due season. Earth’s six gives rise to its power of moistening and flowing downward; Heaven’s one gives birth to its nature, pure and clear. When it spreads as rain and dew, it brings forth life everywhere; when it changes to frost and snow, it brings an orderly killing chill. Now I use it to cleanse the altar grounds and summon the upright Qi of the Five Heavens—the heavenly realms of the five directions. With one spray, the Six Extremes, the distant reaches above, below, and in every direction, are free of dust; the earth stretches smooth and level, like green jade.

I take another mouthful of water and spray it.

Next, I recite the Tianpeng Incantation, the protective incantation of Marshal Tianpeng, and spray a mouthful of water.

Next, I recite an incantation and proceed to the East to establish the boundary.

This text belongs to the Shangqing Lingbao Zhaijiao ritual tradition. It describes summoning the Four Spirits—the Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Mysterious Warrior, and other directional divine creatures—and inviting the Great Demons of the Five Emperors to send Qi into the water. The sword and water are then used to sprinkle and purify the altar, establish its boundary, and protect the rite. In the Lingbao tradition, names such as the Demon King of the Blue Heaven generally refer to the principal deities of the heavenly realms in each direction. Sending down true Qi means bringing pure, upright Daoist Qi into the ritual water for use in the subsequent purification and protection rites.

I respectfully summon the officials and retinues of the Limitless Lingbao of the East, the Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings, their messengers, functionaries, and troops. Descend from the sky into the ritual ground, let the spirits move and spread Qi, search out and seize evil essences, drive away ghosts and fiends, and spare none who are guilty. I begin marking the boundary at the Earth Gate and seal it all the way to the East. Act swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

I respectfully summon the officials and retinues of the Limitless Lingbao of the South, the Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings, their messengers, functionaries, and troops. Descend from the sky into the ritual ground, let the spirits move and spread Qi, search out and seize evil essences, burn the ghosts and fiends, and spare none who are guilty. I begin marking the boundary in the East and seal it all the way to the South. Act swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

I respectfully summon the officials and retinues of the Limitless Lingbao of the West, the Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings, their messengers, functionaries, and troops. Descend from the sky into the ritual ground, let the spirits move and spread Qi, search out and seize evil essences, execute and behead the ghosts and fiends, and spare none who are guilty. I begin marking the boundary in the South and seal it all the way to the West. Act swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

I respectfully summon the officials and retinues of the Limitless Lingbao of the North, the Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings, their messengers, functionaries, and troops. Descend from the sky into the ritual ground, let the spirits move and spread Qi, search out and seize evil essences, scatter the ghosts and fiends, and spare none who are guilty. I begin marking the boundary in the West and seal it all the way to the North. Act swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

I respectfully summon the officials and retinues of the Limitless Lingbao of the Center, the Flying Heavenly Spirit Kings, their messengers, functionaries, and troops. Descend from the sky into the ritual ground, let the spirits move and spread Qi, search out and seize evil essences, bury the ghosts and fiends, and spare none who are guilty. I begin marking the boundary in the North and seal it all the way to the Center. Act swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

Next, lay the sword crosswise over the water and summon the troops:

I respectfully summon the troops of the celestial immortals, terrestrial immortals, flying immortals, perfected beings, spirit beings, the sun, moon, and stars, the Nine Palaces and Five Emperors, the Three Rivers and Four Seas, the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, and the City Gods and Earth Deities. Form ranks inside and outside the ritual ground and guard its boundaries. If there are buried corpses, stagnant Qi, or spirits of earth, wood, and stone that act contrary to the Dao, seize them and place them beneath the stars Kui and Gang, driving them a thousand zhang beneath the earth. They must not move or act recklessly. Act swiftly, in accordance with the statutes and commands!

At the Ghost Gate, draw a line on the ground with the sword and write the character “ghost.” Plant the sword upright through the heart of the ghost, recite the incantation and blow onto the ground, then withdraw the sword.

The incantation means:

A command comes from the Nine Heavens, proclaimed to all spirits; swiftly summon the Celestial Perfected, and gather them all at the imperial court. The Great One looks down, observes and controls evil, regulates Qi, and gathers in life. If there are evil spirits, deal with them according to the rites…

Explanatory notes for understanding the ritual:

This passage gives the sequence for establishing a ritual ground and protecting it: first, summon the spirit generals of the five directions to seal the perimeter and clear the space; next, summon troops from many realms to guard the ritual ground; finally, use the sword, written character, and incantation at the Ghost Gate to capture and subdue evil spirits.

Plain-Language Interpretation

(End of Scroll Twenty: Rituals for Summoning the Perfected and Calling Spirits, and for Leaving the Altar)

Whenever an inauspicious event affronts or tests the gods, the Azure Emperor’s Dao issues an order: marshal the divine troops, with the Seven Gods bearing the command. Yue Tianfeng and You Zheng wield their swords, while the vanguard clears the way. Fire bells flash as they are hurled forth, rousing the armored cavalry, tiger soldiers, and celestial troops. Wind and fire fight together to punish evil and filth and destroy demonic spirits. Their power rules beneath the Six Heavens and subdues demonic beings. Once their authority has been displayed and their control imposed, every evil force is reduced to nothing; divine spears sweep away all treachery like lightning.

The one who holds the tally and receives the command—who would dare delay? Whoever rejects the tally and disobeys the command will surely be executed and punished. Let all show reverence and take care, preserving this peace and tranquility. The decree of the Nine Heavens commands: let the myriad gods listen with respect. Hasten, in accordance with the supreme God’s law!

Next, return to the proper position and take up the water sword again. Then take the tablet, bow deeply, and withdraw.

Next, ascend the altar for the overnight preparatory rite. Each officiant should follow the relevant liturgical procedure. Leave the purification chamber and proceed to the master’s tent. All the required steps are listed in the thirty-fifth section of the sequence in the Yellow Register. The procedures for the overnight preparatory rite and the establishment of the retreat altar are included in Master Guangcheng’s ritual manual and are not repeated here. Instructions for ascending the altar and visualization, entering and leaving the room, and the High Merit Master’s secret formulas for burning talismans are detailed in the forty-second section of Talismans and Methods for the Altar. The full procedure for conducting the retreat altar is given here.

The Great Method of the Highest Clarity Numinous Treasure, Scroll Twenty-One (Excerpt)

Section on Talismans and Methods for the Altar

Whenever a retreat altar is established, before the formal memorial is presented—or within the preceding ten or seven days—write the two talismans “Summon the Perfected” and “Call the Spirits” in vermilion on blue silk, and set up their positions in rows. Prepare incense, lamps, candles, pure tea, and seasonal fruit as offerings. The ritual master should offer incense morning and evening, recite the middle section of the scripture, and earnestly pray to the talisman’s emissaries. Alternatively, the talisman designs may be carved on lacquered plaques and offered.

When ascending the altar to pay respects, summoning and refining spirits, or inviting gods and calling generals, first write and burn the two talismans, then proceed with the rite. Use the seal of the Office of the Great Method of the Numinous Treasure throughout.

Talisman for Summoning the Perfected

Talisman for Calling the Spirits

Write these two talismans in vermilion on blue silk, and offer incense and flowers to their emissaries. After seven days, a thousand Perfected may descend and a myriad spirits may be summoned by dispatch. When establishing an altar for a great Yellow Register retreat or performing rites to summon souls and refine them, write the talismans in vermilion on yellow paper, burn them to ash, and scatter the ashes in the ten directions. A thousand Perfected and a myriad spirits will gather at the altar, and the response will reach the mysterious realm.

Note: The source text contains damaged passages, phonetic loan characters, and layout marks (such as “/” indicating divisions). The end of Scroll Twenty and the opening of Scroll Twenty-One are often printed continuously in the classical editions. Phrases such as “Mother-Born Immortal Emperor” may contain erroneous characters; the translation follows the context and understands them in the sense of “holding the tally and receiving the command,” without changing the intended meaning.

When practicing the Dao, if one does not firmly believe in the Great Purification Rite of the Five Sacred Peaks that tests practitioners, and lacks this kind of talismanic writing, the true spirits will not descend and the magic will be used in vain. Without it, Refining and Deliverance and Summoning and Seizing will cause the Three Officials to take action, and no efficacy will appear.

Whenever an altar is established for spiritual vision, two kinds of talismans must come first. They are the divine writings of the Nine Heavens’ Rosy Clouds, secretly stored in the Mysterious Palace and never passed down to the world below. Those who reveal this teaching will have their souls sink into the Northern Office, with no hope of attaining immortality forever.

Talisman of the Three Mornings’ Wisdom Light

Use yellow paper, nine inches wide and three inches across, and write three lines with a vermilion brush. Pass the talisman through incense smoke, form the Jade Emperor’s Hand Seal, and visualize the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sending down wisdom light that flows into the talisman. To invite the light, roll the talisman into a paper candle. The ritual master and two members of the Daoist assembly each hold one. After the ritual master invites the light into his hand, he returns to his place, then distributes it to the two people on his left and right, who scatter and dot it in turn.

Morning Incantation for Entering the Chamber

Four Enlightened Merit Officers, messengers who connect with the true, the jade youth who transmit words, and the pure dark maidens who attend the Chamber of Stillness: communicate for me with the true gods of the Daoist chamber. May the life-giving Qi of the Upper Origin enter my body, so that whatever I petition may be heard above.

Incantation for Leaving the Chamber

Leave Yin and enter Yang; may the myriad gods open the passages and clear the way. When the rite is complete, I ask that the Yellow Chamber be closed, and that the pure maidens who attend the Chamber of Stillness clearly prepare the divine palace.

Night Incantation for Entering the Chamber

Four Supreme Merit Officers, Dragon and Tiger messengers, life-giving Qi of Orthodox Unity, and pure maidens attending the Chamber of Stillness: when I make a petition at night, may the Enlightened Youth and the Maiden of the Upper Origin enter the Yellow Chamber with me. May all that I petition be heard above.

Incantation for Leaving the Chamber

The Mysterious High Yin; the eight windows open and shine. What I have presented is communicated by the Maiden, who connects with the spirits. When the rite is complete, return to your places; may the myriad gods sink into stillness.

For details on the left and right steps, see “The Section on Entering the Chamber of Stillness to Greet the Origin.”

Whenever entering the chamber, first step in with the right foot; when leaving, first step out with the left. As you approach the entrance, visualize the incense officers and messengers, with the Dragon and Tiger Lords standing on either side of the incense table. In the morning, also visualize one Four Enlightened Merit Officer and one Messenger Who Connects with the True attending the Chamber of Stillness, along with two jade youths and two maidens who transmit words—six figures arranged in rows on either side. At night, visualize one of each of the Four Supreme Merit Officers, the pure maidens attending the Chamber of Stillness, the Enlightened Youth, and the Maiden of the Upper Mystery, along with two Dragon and Tiger messengers—six figures arranged in rows on either side. The chamber one enters is the Earthly Gate. If one is to ascend to the altar, then… (the original continues here with another section).

Note: The Great Purification Rite of the Five Sacred Peaks that tests practitioners, the Great Purification Rite, the Three Officials, Refining and Deliverance, Summoning and Seizing, the Jade Emperor’s Hand Seal, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Yellow Chamber, and “Entering the Chamber of Stillness to Greet the Origin” are all terms used in Shangqing and Lingbao Zhaijiao and visualization rites. The talismanic formulas, steps, and incantations for the inner and outer chambers should be consulted alongside the complete ritual manual; this passage only clarifies the meaning.

On the left side of the Earth Gate (a portal in the ritual space symbolizing the boundary of the earth), first visualize and silently recite the incantation. After passing through the Earth Gate, visualize the divine officers and Jade Maidens. Once they have conveyed the intention of the purification ritual and brought its proceedings to completion, they each depart. These practices appear in the Jade Maiden method in the ritual regulations of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen), the three divisions of Daoist scriptures.

This incantation is used whenever entering or leaving a portal. Recently, some people with little understanding have seen in the Essential Guide to Zhengyi that this incantation is used in morning practice, and have therefore claimed that it belongs to the ritual registers of Dongxuan and is distinct from other methods. This calculated attempt to appear original cannot be trusted.

Ascending the Altar

Whenever ascending the altar, first offer incense at the six stations arranged for the ritual. Then one person carries the hand censer while another is responsible for striking the chime. The leader chants the verses of praise and guides the ritual master up to the altar. The ritual master and the Daoist assembly should stand in ordered ranks on the left and right, facing one another before the altar.

Before the ritual master enters the altar enclosure, the Senior Merit Officer, who presides over the ritual, should first enter through the Earth Gate and ascend to the inner altar; the Daoist assembly follows. Recently, some have had the group walk around as they would ordinarily, with the Senior Merit Officer behind the assembly. They enter through the Xun Gate (the portal in the southeast) and perform the bows only after reaching the outer altar. Then the Senior Merit Officer enters first through the Earth Gate, while the assembly stands aside and lets him pass between them. This is extremely improper.

The Jiang Family’s Ritual Procedures in Brief therefore also says that the Senior Merit Officer should lead when ascending the altar and follow when leaving it. This accords with the ancient ritual regulations and is the more appropriate practice.

The Senior Merit Officer silently recites the incantation and enters through the Earth Gate; the Daoist assembly enters the altar enclosure together. The Ritual Lecturer, whose duties include delivering explanations and transmitting the ritual instructions, circles to the east side of the central altar and stands facing west. The six ritual officers stand near the center of the central altar, facing east. The Senior Merit Officer and the ritual officials ascend together to the Heavenly Gate and enter the inner altar.

By day, offer incense to the Ten Directions, beginning in the east; at night, begin in the north. Then offer incense at the imperial altar table. The Senior Merit Officer burns incense, silently recites the incantation, and visualizes according to the ritual. After the ritual officials have finished offering incense, they leave through the Heavenly Gate, circle to the left, and come to the central altar, where they stand facing north. The Senior Merit Officer returns to his place, raises the hand censer, offers incense, silently recites the incantation, and then proceeds according to the ritual.

When the hand censer is taken back, the person in charge of the chime strikes it, and the assembly begins chanting the Hymn of Learning to Become an Immortal. The Daoist assembly goes first, followed by the Senior Merit Officer, who leaves the inner altar through the Heavenly Gate. At the central altar he takes his place at the rear of the assembly, then exits through the Earth Gate, recites the incantation, and circles around to leave through the Xun Gate. He proceeds to the Master’s Canopy to make the concluding dedication, and finally enters the quiet chamber used for purification and meditation, as is customary.

All other portals outside the altar should be blocked, leaving only the Xun Gate open for passage. The central altar should be entered and exited through the Earth Gate, while the inner altar should be entered and exited through the Heavenly Gate. Recently, some have had people enter the central and inner altars through the Earth Gate and leave through the Heavenly Gate. All of these practices are incorrect. The ritual regulations of Master Guangcheng and Lu…

The ritual methods of the Jianji tradition, part of Daoist purification rites, all say that one must enter the altar precinct through the Earth Gate and ascend the altar through the Heaven Gate, offering incense toward the Ten Directions.

This has been the rule since ancient times and must not be changed to suit popular custom. The inner altar is arranged in accordance with the celestial pattern, so one enters and leaves through the Heaven Gate. The middle altar symbolizes the earth, so one enters and leaves through the Earth Gate. These practices must not be altered.

Visualization at Dawn

Visualize the qi of blue clouds filling the purification hall. There are eight Azure Dragons and eight lions; visualize them according to the methods described in the scripture. Their meaning is the same as in the visualization described earlier: centered on the altar, they guard its surroundings. Celestial Immortals, Earth Immortals, the sun, moon, and stars, the troops and horses of the Five Emperors—nine hundred million myriads in all—and the Supervising and Attendant Officials, divine officials responsible for oversight and service in the Three Realms, are arrayed on the left and right.

According to the ritual, after ascending the altar, first visualize the Three Most High Worthies seated solemnly on the Heavenly Treasure Platform, with the scripture on the left and the master on the right, as if they were before your eyes. Then visualize the assembled immortals standing in attendance and protection, while the myriad spirits guard the place closely. In this way, the Immortal Assembly of the Mysterious Terrace—the scene of immortals arrayed in their places to protect the altar precinct—is established, and the rites proceed in sequence. The rites performed over the three morning sessions follow this same pattern; only the qi being visualized differs.

Next, visualize blue qi rising from the liver like clouds, with Azure Dragons and lions within it. Celestial Immortals, Earth Immortals, Flying Immortals, and the troops and horses of the Five Emperors of the Five Directions encircle and cover the purification officiant and the members of their household.

First visualize the blue qi of Heaven descending, then visualize the blue qi within yourself rising outward. The two blend together, filling the entire altar precinct with blue qi. At this time, the yin qi of night has only just receded, and the sunlight has not yet appeared. The Virtue of Wood is flourishing, and blue qi naturally arises. The Celestial, Earth, and Flying Immortals are the immortal officers and troops mentioned at the beginning of the altar rite. The Five Emperors are the Azure Emperor of the East, the Red Emperor of the South, the White Emperor of the West, the Black Emperor of the North, and the Yellow Emperor of the Center. They govern the righteous qi of the Five Directions, oversee the seasons, and command troops to protect the purification altar. The Daoist, Second Mysterious, Third Mysterious, and Fourth Beginning officials listed among the ritual officers are all deities who govern the seasonal order, and their duties accord with this arrangement.

Next, visualize the true qi of the Five Viscera, the Five Sacred Peaks corresponding to the organs within the body, and the Five Emperors surging out through the nose, covering you and filling the entire altar precinct. Their radiance shines brightly, illuminating the Ten Directions. A circular image of Heaven appears above your head, radiant like the sun and moon. Your entire body becomes golden, clearly visible both inside and out.

The Five Sacred Peaks mentioned here are not mountains outside the body, but the five peaks within the body that correspond to the Five Viscera. The Elixir Classics contain related diagrams. The troops and horses of the Five Sacred Peaks mentioned earlier, by contrast, are the spirits of mountains and waters.

The guard troops and horses at the ritual altar will come at the command to protect it. As explained earlier, first visualize blue Qi rising in the heavens, then visualize the troops and horses: these are the guards outside the altar. The Five Emperors of the Five Directions described here refer to Qi within the body. The entire method of practice requires the inner and outer realms to correspond.

The Five Emperors described here are spirits formed from Qi within the body. When Qi is abundant and responsive, it can give rise to spirits. The Great Cavern Perfect Scripture also describes seeing the Five Emperors through visualization. That scripture belongs to the Heavenly Treasure tradition, while the method discussed here is a Numinous Treasure practice, so it is not often cited. For related material on the five viscera, see the Yellow Court Inner Chamber Scripture.

When ascending the altar to perform a purification ritual, one may use a simple method of visualization: imagine the liver releasing blue Qi, the lungs white Qi, the spleen yellow Qi, the heart red Qi, and the kidneys black Qi. First let these forms of Qi fill the whole body; then imagine them surging out through the nose and rising like clouds. Within each of the five forms of Qi is an Emperor Lord, dressed in ceremonial robes whose colors correspond to the directions. Once the five Qi fill the ritual altar, imagine your body gently rising with the breath, becoming clear and luminous within and without. The body seems no longer to be an ordinary form of flesh, burdened by impurities. Light shines from the back of the neck like the sun, illuminating all four directions and reflecting across the whole body until it appears golden.

Midday Visualization

Imagine yellow clouds filling the ritual hall. As described earlier, qilin and lions guard the front and rear, while celestial and earthly immortals are visualized in the same way as during the morning practice. Next, imagine yellow Qi rising from the spleen like billowing clouds, while the true Qi of the five viscera, five sacred mountains, and Five Emperors surges out through the nose.

Ascend the altar during the hour of the Snake and descend after the fourth quarter of the hour of the Horse. This timing is chosen because the sun is then approaching its highest point and Yang Qi is at its peak. The spleen corresponds to Earth, whose Qi is vigorous in all four seasons. The hour of the Horse corresponds to Li, which represents the south and Fire; Fire gives rise to Earth. At this time, one aligns above with primordial Qi and can establish resonance below. Do not let the practice run past midday, or the Qi used in visualization will no longer accord with the season, and the practice will be out of order.

Visualization at Sunset

Imagine white clouds filling the ritual hall, with white tigers and lions as described earlier. Then imagine white Qi rising from the lungs like billowing clouds, with the white tigers and lions within it, appearing as before. Next, imagine the true Qi of the five viscera, five sacred mountains, and Five Emperors surging out through the nose, using the same method as in the morning visualization. For evening practice, ascend the altar before the sun has set.

During cultivation, Yin white Qi has not yet fully formed, and white Qi is at its height. At this time, it should be made to respond upward to primordial Qi, and the two should be brought together through visualization.

Within the human body, primordial Qi belongs to the lower Dantian (energy center); the lungs, meanwhile, are the mother of Water. Lung Qi is at its height at dusk, which means that Water is about to form. Thus, the white Qi that arises in the lungs responds upward to primordial Qi and mingles with it.

I once privately read the Yellow Register Purification Ritual Manual, compiled by Master Du Guangcheng. It records that, according to the Ancient Rites of the Golden Register and the Old Methods of the Yellow Register, on the night of the preliminary invocation and during the declaration of merit, one must first perform the Natural Court Audience before carrying out the purification rites. Accordingly, the Ritual for Initiating the Purification says that everyone should first perform the Natural Court Audience together. Only after the three prostrations should they announce the purification, fill the offices, explain the precepts, and proclaim the prohibitions.

This method has been handed down through Master Lu and Celestial Master Kou across many generations. Everyone agrees that the purification rites come from the Numinous Treasure tradition, and that the Natural Court Audience is their foundation. Performing it first therefore shows that the foundation has not been forgotten. In recent times, some ignorant and shallow people have failed to understand the intentions of the sages of antiquity. This was Zhang Yunguang’s error, which led later practitioners to follow his example: they first set up the six offices before the Mysterious Master, established the liturgy, and bestowed the ritual registers, and only then ascended the altar. They even claimed that this was “preparing the purification rite of Master Jianji.” Their understanding is so shallow, yet people still follow their example. This not only violates ritual order but also amounts to slandering the sages. Gentlemen versed in the teachings should join in correcting this practice.

Errors have also crept into the transmission of the old methods. At the Natural Court Audience held when initiating the purification and declaring merit, the rite should have paid homage to the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure. Instead, it was mistakenly transmitted as paying homage to the Celestial Worthy, Sovereign of Jade Treasure. This departs somewhat from the original intent of the Natural Court Audience, and was probably caused by errors in copying and transmission over the centuries. The rite has now been corrected. This correction is not based on conjecture, but on the proper destination indicated by ritual precedent. This is what Master Du records.

Every subtle difference in the liturgies of Lu Jianji and Zhang Qingdu has been examined point by point, without omitting any of the old texts. Master Du, too, has offered only the view of his own school.

(On the colors blue-green, yellow, and white.) As for visualizing blue-green Qi at the morning audience, yellow Qi at the midday audience, and white Qi at the evening audience, the commentary says that these are the original ancestors of Heaven and Earth. The Scripture on the Generation of the Spirits says that the three Qi—blue-green, yellow, and white—form the Three Realms and Three Palaces, and are the beginning of all beings and things throughout the ages. According to this account, the liturgical manual of Lu Jianji at that time…

These two accounts do not differ. The scripture therefore clearly says that during the three morning observances, one should visualize Qi (vital energy) in three colors: blue-green, yellow, and white.

In recent times, most surviving copies of Lu Jun’s (Lu Xiujing’s) ritual manuals have been fragmentary and incomplete. I have seen several, and their contents are quite similar. Only the version passed down by people in eastern Zhejiang changes the midday observance to visualization of red Qi. This has had a considerable influence. In heaven, blue-green Qi corresponds to the Jade Clarity realm; in the human body, it corresponds to the upper Dantian, and its Qi is rooted in the liver. Yellow Qi corresponds to the Highest Clarity realm in heaven and the middle Dantian in the body, with its Qi rooted in the spleen. White Qi corresponds to the Great Clarity realm in heaven and the lower Dantian in the body, with its Qi rooted in the lungs.

All these accounts come from orthodox scriptures. In cultivating, therefore, one should visualize the Qi within oneself in accord with the Qi of heaven and at the corresponding times. People see that the ritual manuals passed down to them differ slightly and conclude that those versions represent Jianji’s (Lu Xiujing’s) definitive view. This, I fear, does not accord with the principle explained here.

Moreover, when Master Du Guangcheng found discrepancies in Lu Xiujing’s ritual manuals, he did not leave them unexplained. He pointed out that the Jianji ritual manuals of the Tang dynasty had not been altered on this matter; rather, many errors had crept in through generations of copying. Some details also diverge from the original manuals, and minor points differ from what Du Guangcheng says. Du Guangcheng has already made their origins and transmission quite clear.

The color of the Qi visualized at the midday observance is an important matter in Zhaijiao (purification ritual). If Lu Xiujing’s ritual manuals prescribed visualizing red Qi at midday, while Master Du Guangcheng held that yellow Qi should be visualized then, how could he have failed to explain their differences in detail? Du Guangcheng’s ritual manuals were used to submit petitions to the High Mystery—the deities of the highest heavens—and to make solemn declarations and vows before heaven and earth. After they came into use in later generations, their efficacy was demonstrated on many occasions.

The Jiang family’s Completed Ritual Manual says that, in textual and scriptural scholarship, its author’s knowledge exceeded Du Guangcheng’s: he had studied widely across ancient and modern times and had also sought instruction from sages of earlier generations. Accordingly, in the manuals for establishing and dismantling an altar and in the manuals for the nine morning observances, he adopted Du Guangcheng’s wording. As for the regulations and specific procedures of the liturgy, he sometimes followed Du Guangcheng’s views and sometimes rejected them. The Completed Ritual Manual follows this approach throughout. Its author prided himself on his superior learning, believing himself to surpass his predecessors and stand apart from them. Yet since he examined each matter repeatedly and made his own choices, compiling a school of his own, he ought to have discarded Du Guangcheng’s wording altogether and written anew. That would have avoided a mixture of materials lacking unity and established standards that could be handed down to later generations; only then would the work have been complete.

If he rejected Du Guangcheng’s views, yet still adopted his…

This passage may inevitably contain errors caused by insufficient consideration, like a tiny flaw in a flawless jade. In visualizing during the noon audience—the court rite or purification ritual performed at noon—one should visualize yellow Qi. Ritual manuals compiled by Du Guangting, a Daoist scholar of the Tang dynasty, including Establishing the Altar and the “Nine Audiences,” record a ready-made ritual that calls for visualizing red Qi at the noon audience and omits the visualization for one audience. This is Du Guangting’s account, and it is probably mistaken. If the account is wrong, how could the relevant material properly be included in Within the Offering Ritual? Yet this ritual method was once presented to Du Guangting by his transmission master, who had petitioned for it and passed it on to him, so I dare not alter it on my own.

The teaching honored by the ritual masters in Within the Offering Ritual is this: at the beginning, before chaos had divided, the two forms of Yin and Yang were intermingled, but had not yet taken visible shape. The source of the Great Dao contained the Three Qi—the three primordial vital energies that constitute Heaven, Earth, and all things—but they had not yet emerged. When primordial Qi divided, the Three Numina—here, numinous beings differentiated from primordial Qi—also came into being. From them, Heaven and Earth were nurtured and all things formed. The Dao is the foundation of all things and, in truth, the ancestral source of the myriad Qi. When primordial Qi divided from one into three, they were called the Mysterious, Originating, and Primordial Qi. Taken together, they are called the Great Dao; considered separately, they are called the Three Qi; when they take form and are named, they are called the Three Venerable Lords of Taishang.

Without this Qi, Heaven could not move, Earth could not remain stable, and human beings could not survive. The scriptures also call the Three Qi the “Three Clouds of Essence.” They are the ancestral source of Heaven and Earth, the spirits, and all things. Within and beyond the Six Directions—above, below, and the four cardinal directions—nothing is without Dao Qi. Wherever Dao Qi is present, the Three Clouds of Essence dwell. When emptiness and stillness reach their utmost, the numinous appears; the numinous gives rise to the divine. Therefore, the purification altar has only a place for the “Limitless Great Dao,” because this designation encompasses the Three Qi. One Qi transforms into Three Qi; at first they cannot be named or portrayed. Only after they gather and take visible form do the Three Venerable Lords of Taishang appear.

The teachings are established on the basis of the scriptures, and the scriptures are transmitted by masters. That is why the liturgy includes both scripture and master. During a ritual, one first pays homage to the master in accordance with the rites. Before that, one visualizes the Three Venerable Lords of Taishang in the Heavenly Treasure Platform: to the left are the thirty-six divisions of revered scriptures, and to the right is the Great Master of the Mysterious Center. This is what the scripture says. From scripture to master, and onward to the thousand perfected beings and myriad spirits, all belong to Dao Qi; the Three Venerable Lords of Taishang are the ancestral source of Qi. Rituals of Zhaijiao and the methods of the scriptures cannot be transmitted and practiced without a master’s instruction, which is why one pays homage to the master.

In this light, I have no direct connection to the Dao and scriptures outside myself. What matters is bringing the Qi within me into accord with Dao Qi, and using the Shen within me to summon the spirits. This is the pivot through which the two sides communicate, and the way to achieve resonance and response. At this point, the arts of calculation arise: waxing and waning, fullness and emptiness, decline and dormancy, and flourishing and vitality each correspond to different Qi conditions. Within the human body, too, there is…

When the three original Qi energies of life gather in one body, they cannot function on their own unless each is made active and responsive. One must therefore first draw on the Dao Qi, the primal energy of the Dao, so that one’s own Qi can work its wonders. Without first clarifying one’s heart and spirit, one also cannot sense the divine presence of the Dao.

Practice must be carried out at the proper times in the morning, at midday, and in the evening, without missing any of the three periods. In this way, generative Qi can arise and one’s own Qi can become abundant.

Azure Qi corresponds to the upper Dantian, the body’s upper energy center where the spirit is stored and Qi is refined; its source is the liver. The liver corresponds to Wood, whose Qi is strongest in the hours of Yin and Mao, so practice should be done at dawn, when Wood Qi is flourishing. At the Zhaijiao ritual altar, first visualize azure clouds filling the ritual space: this is the mysterious Qi of Heaven. Then visualize Azure Qi rising from the liver and billowing out like clouds: this is the mysterious Qi within the body. When the Qi of Heaven and the Qi of the body unite, the assembled immortals, celestial troops and horses, and the myriad perfected beings and spirits will encircle and protect the altar. This is how resonance and communion come about.

Yellow Qi corresponds to the middle Dantian, and its source is the spleen. The spleen corresponds to Earth, whose Qi is sustained in each of the four seasons rather than flourishing in any single period. Among the Five Phases, Earth occupies the center and has no fixed time of generation. Earth Qi is generated by Fire, which is strongest at midday; thus Earth flourishes by drawing on the generative Qi of its mother phase, Fire. At the midday service, first visualize yellow cloud Qi filling the ritual altar: this is the original Qi of Heaven. Then visualize Yellow Qi rising from the spleen and billowing out like clouds: this is the original Qi within the body. When the Qi of Heaven and the Qi of the person unite, the assembled immortals, celestial troops and horses, and the myriad perfected beings and spirits will encircle and protect the altar. This is how resonance and communion come about.

White Qi corresponds to the lower Dantian, and its source is the lungs. The lungs correspond to Metal, whose Qi is strongest in the hours of Shen and You, around sunset, so practice should be done when Metal Qi is flourishing. At the evening service, first visualize white cloud Qi filling the ritual altar: this is the primordial Qi of Heaven. Then visualize White Qi rising from the lungs and billowing out like clouds: this is the primordial Qi within the body. When the Qi of Heaven and the Qi of the person unite, the assembled immortals, celestial troops and horses, and the myriad perfected beings and spirits will encircle and protect the altar. This is how resonance and communion come about.

Azure, Yellow, and White Qi correspond respectively to the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, and emerge respectively from the liver, spleen, and lungs. This is the method found in Du Guangting’s liturgies, which cite scriptures and follow ritual prescriptions. The liver, spleen, and lungs are the sources of Qi, while the upper, middle, and lower Dantian are its dwelling places. Wood and Fire are Yang; Metal and Water are Yin; Earth, however, …

In the Five Phases, Fire is the mother of Earth, so Fire is used to explain when Earth becomes vigorous. The Liver corresponds to Wood, and Wood generates Fire; both Wood and Fire belong to Yang. Thus, although azure Qi (vital energy) originates in the Liver, it belongs to the Upper Field (Upper Dantian), because it is Yang. The Lungs correspond to Metal, and Metal generates Water; both Metal and Water belong to Yin. Thus, although white Qi originates in the Lungs, it belongs to the Lower Field (Lower Dantian), because it is Yin.

Only the yellow Qi generated by the Spleen corresponds to Earth. The heavenly number five and the earthly number ten meet in the Central Palace (the central direction), thereby generating Earth. Earth occupies the limits of the heavenly and earthly numbers and is the foundation of Yin and Yang. Its source lies in the Middle Field (Middle Dantian), and it flourishes along with its mother Qi during the hours of the Snake and Horse. Therefore, use azure Qi in the morning, yellow Qi at midday, and white Qi in the evening; ascend to unite with the Three Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning. From refining away the mundane and attaining sagehood, to realizing the Way of transcendence and reaching the true realm, all take this as their foundation—something that words cannot fully explain.

Methods of cultivation and application are scattered throughout the various scriptures. The forms and colors of Qi differ, and not all belong to the practices discussed here. The azure, yellow, and white Qi used at a ritual altar for Zhaijiao (purification ritual) are recorded in several scriptures. Du Guangting’s method for visualizing the azure, yellow, and white Qi at the ritual altar is based on the Scripture of Natural Awe-Inspiring Dignity.

The Lingbao scriptures are broad in scope. Among them, the Scripture for Delivering Humanity encompasses the myriad methods. It is a scripture transmitted by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning; the Daoist Lord composed its preface and passed it down, calling it the essential guide to the middle vehicle of cultivation. Even when Heaven and Earth are remade, this scripture must not be discarded. It has been known throughout the ages that the methods of Zhaijiao originate in Lingbao. Rituals should take the Great Lingbao Method as their guiding principle.

The Scripture for Delivering Humanity says: “Enter a quiet chamber and face east. Knock the teeth thirty-two times, so that the sound reaches the thirty-two heavens; bow toward the heart of Heaven thirty-two times. Close your eyes and quietly contemplate yourself seated amid clouds of azure, yellow, and white Qi, with deep obscurity within and without; the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, lion, and white crane stand in formation on either side.” This is the oral formula transmitted by the Daoist Lord.

When reciting the scriptures, gather and cultivate the Three Qi. There is no fixed time for visualization and cultivation, since the scriptures may be recited from morning to night; therefore, one must be equipped with the Three Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning. The phrase “deep obscurity within and without” also means that a person’s Qi joins with the Qi of Heaven, bringing about resonance between humanity and Heaven. Forms arise within the Dao Qi, and thus sacred creatures such as the Four Emblems appear.

For morning and evening cultivation at a ritual altar, three periods are prescribed each day, and they must not be changed. In each period, one rides the Qi as it arises and flourishes, using the human…

The Qi within the body—the inner breath and vital energy—becomes full as it moves with the hours of the day, and may thereby resonate with Heaven. One should therefore first visualize cloud Qi filling the purification hall, then visualize the Qi within the body rising like clouds. This is the same principle of resonance described in the scripture: when Qi becomes full, it takes on an image.

Thus, in the morning one should visualize the Azure Dragon Lion; at midday, the Qilin Lion; and in the evening, the White Tiger Lion. These are the same objects of visualization used in the scripture. When reciting the scripture, one visualizes these images as a whole; at the ritual altar, one visualizes them individually. There is no contradiction between the two.

The various ritual forms are already recorded in Master Du’s version. The rites actually performed according to the Lingbao methods, in turn, follow the standards laid down in the scriptures of the Supreme Lord Daoist Sovereign. How can those who preside over rituals fail to examine this matter closely? The method of visualization should be practiced in daily life; only then, upon reaching the altar, can one hope to resonate with things that are difficult to reach.

The claim that, during the midday court ritual, red Qi issues from the heart because Fire is strong at noon is at least plausible. But to say that one must first visualize red cloud Qi covering and surrounding the purification hall—and that this Qi is celestial Qi—is another matter. No scripture from ancient times has ever said that red Qi exists within the Three Realms, and this claim also differs from what Master Du advocates.

Recently, some presumptuous people have specialized in preaching rites that are empty and vague. They want to imitate Zhuangzi and Liezi, but cannot do so, and instead use this as a way to deceive the world and win a false reputation. During Zhaijiao rituals, they indulge in grandiose talk to conceal their shortcomings. Many who study the Dao fail to examine how shallow or profound these teachings are, and are consequently misled.

As for the Three Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning, these too refer to the primordial state before differentiation: the nine Qi divide into three Qi, and the three Qi then unite into one. Therefore, it is equally wrong to deceive people with exaggerated claims while failing to explain how the Mystery, Origin, and Beginning transform into the Three Venerable Ones, or to examine the distinctions among the Azure, Yellow, and White Qi.

The transformation of the three Qi into Azure, Yellow, and White is also described in the Scripture of the Three Origins’ Precepts and Admonitions. It says that when Qi first coalesced, it formed the Azure, Yellow, and White Qi, which were placed in the three palaces of the Upper Origin: in the center was the Qi of Azure Yang, on the left the Yellow Qi of Origin, and on the right the White Qi of the Cavern, all under the authority of the Celestial Official. These all belong to Jade Clarity and are collectively assigned to the Upper Origin. This is how the three Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning separately coalesced into form.

When the Yellow Qi later divided downward, it coalesced into the Qi of Primordial Cavern, Blended Spirit. The essence of the Yellow Qi gathered to its utmost, and the three palaces of the Middle Origin were established, under the authority of the Earth Official…

As Qi (vital energy) differentiates downward, it condenses into the Qi of the turbid marsh. The bright, pure vital essence of the spirits also gathers with it, forming the three palaces of the Lower Primordial Realm, which are governed by the Water Palace. This is the general meaning behind the scripture’s account of the three Qi belonging respectively to the Three Primordial Realms.

The claim that the human body contains three Qi, residing respectively in the upper, middle, and lower fields, does not mean that the human body is literally Heaven and Earth. Rather, it means that people take Heaven and Earth as their model in forming their bodies, and so the body also contains the three Qi.

Heaven is pure Yang: it gathers light, clear Qi and rises to become Heaven. Although Heaven is not made up of the Qi of Wood and Fire, among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), Fire by nature flames upward and is unquestionably pure Yang. Fire arises from Wood, which is therefore its mother. Wood originates in the Earth and grows upward. Water, meanwhile, floats and supports Metal, which is firmer in substance than Water or Earth. Wood and Fire occupy the southeast and therefore both belong to Yang. Since pure Yang Qi resides above, azure Qi resides in the upper field. The Qi of the mother gives rise to the Qi of the child, which follows it. Azure Qi comes from the Liver, the source of azure Qi within the body. Heaven takes shape through azure Yang Qi to form the three palaces of the Upper Primordial Realm; accordingly, the body’s azure Qi resides in the upper field.

Water is pure Yin. It receives the quality of utmost softness and moistens all things as it flows downward. Among the Five Phases, Water naturally descends. When it reaches low ground, it seeps in and surges; at higher elevations, it flows and changes. It transforms in countless ways, yet ultimately returns beneath the Earth. That Water is pure Yin is likewise clear. Water arises from Metal, which is therefore its mother. Metal originates in the Earth and is hard and heavy. Earth, Water, and Fire are all lighter than Metal; Metal and Water occupy the northwest and therefore both belong to Yin. Since pure Yin Qi resides below, white Qi resides in the lower field, symbolizing Water. Water resides in the lower field, yet its Qi is white rather than black, because the mother’s Qi is accompanied by the child’s Qi: white Qi comes from the Lungs, the source of white Qi within the body. Water takes shape through the bright, pure Qi of the spirits to form the three palaces of the Lower Primordial Realm; accordingly, the body’s white Qi resides in the lower field.

As for Earth, its Qi is turbid and heavy, and its foundation anchors Heaven and Earth between them. Earth belongs to Kun and to Yin, but its fundamental substance is soil, which occupies the center. Thus yellow Qi resides in the middle field, symbolizing Earth. The middle field is also called the Crimson Palace, yet it manifests yellow Qi rather than red Qi because Qi comes from the Spleen, and…

They reside in different places, just as a son stays with his mother: the azure Qi is not in the liver but in the Upper Dantian; the white Qi is not in the lungs but in the Lower Dantian. From this we can see that all three Dantian are places where the three Qi reside.

According to the Great Cavern Scripture and the Yellow Court Scripture, the Upper Dantian lies three inches inward from the point between the eyebrows. The heart’s location is called the Crimson Palace and is the Middle Dantian. Three inches below the navel lies the Sea of Qi, which is the Lower Dantian. During cultivation, visualizing the three Dantian and the three Qi within oneself takes its model from the three origins of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, and from the three palaces. The Dao’s crimson Qi appears in distinct forms in the human body, becoming the Dao’s expression and activity within the body.

Visualizing clouds of azure, yellow, and white Qi in Heaven represents the three primordial Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning. These three Qi are the foundation of the Dao and the source of primordial Qi. In regulating the body’s five Qi, one cannot set aside the role of the Five Phases. Metal and Wood must interact, and Water and Fire must ascend and descend; all of this depends on the Yellow Matron (a symbol of the medium that harmonizes Yin and Yang) to bring them into balance in the central palace. The Four Images (the interacting forces of Yin and Yang, Water and Fire, and the like) thereby combine to form the Great Medicine. Metal and Water belong to Yin, Wood and Fire to Yang, while Earth is their foundation.

Thus the azure, yellow, and white Qi are the beginning of all methods and the source of all transformations. They bring forth the six directions and stabilize the eight quarters, generate the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, and nourish all things. They encompass Heaven and Earth while also reaching into the finest details. Where could the azure, yellow, and white Qi be absent?

The Zhaijiao and Keyi traditions (Daoist purification, sacrificial, and prayer rites) have been handed down for a long time, and the ancient scriptures describe them clearly. To suddenly claim that the three Qi are yellow and red would be difficult to reconcile with sound principle and may also go against the natural order. In a purification rite, when one visualizes azure and red Qi, it is plainly impossible to identify them directly as the three Qi of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning.

Within the human body, the three Qi are the source of Wood, Fire, and Metal, from which the liver, heart, and lungs arise. The Five Phases—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—are all equally important. What reasoning could justify setting aside Water and Earth and using only Wood, Fire, and Metal? The five organs—the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—form one whole. Setting aside the spleen and kidneys and using only the liver, heart, and lungs must likewise rest on a clear basis.

In terms of Yin and Yang, Wood and Fire belong to Yang, while Metal belongs to Yin. The three Qi would therefore comprise two Yang and one Yin, an unequal balance. This would neither correspond to the Three Realms of Highest Clarity nor accord with the alchemical scriptures’ account of the inner medicine. Moreover, the visualization practice at the ritual altar proceeds as follows: at the morning service, one first visualizes azure clouds covering the sky, then imagines azure Qi rising like clouds within the body; at the midday service, one visualizes yellow, and at the evening service, white, and so on. These visualizations all refer to the three Qi within the body…

The Qi within the palace rises and joins with the Qi of the Three Realms in Heaven. Then, through the deployment of troops and horses, the proper Qi of the five directions is brought down. The scripture also states clearly that one should visualize the true Qi of the five viscera, the Five Sacred Peaks, and the Five Emperors emerging through the nose, spreading over the whole body, and filling the entire ritual altar. This assigns the five viscera to the Five Phases and, in practice, uses Qi in the five colors of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

If the blue, yellow, and white Qi mentioned earlier issues from within the body but does not unite with the dark, primal, and initial Qi, how are we to understand the claim that each of the five Qi within the body has its own presiding force? In addition to the explanations already given, some have proposed changing the dark, primal, and initial Qi in Heaven to the three colors blue, red, and white. Even if this claim were debated before the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, it could not stand. The correct principle recognized in both ancient and modern times is hard to mistake. Even if someone privately possessed other versions of the scripture, they would provide little basis for such a claim. For this reason, Yunzong does not dare follow this interpretation.

Lu Jianji’s ritual manuals have recently been altered, making them difficult to verify. Yet in tracing the origins of the Three Caverns’ teachings, cataloguing the categories of scriptures in the Four Supplements, and distinguishing the genuine from the false while examining disputed points, Master Lu displayed learning far beyond that of ancient or modern scholars. He was unlike later writers who boast of themselves and insist that they alone are right. Although the two or three explanations mentioned above sound quite convincing, they certainly were not written by Master Lu himself.

Master Lu’s books have been handed down from the Song and Qi dynasties to the present, and errors were bound to arise in the course of copying over nearly a thousand years. When Du Guangcheng compiled manuals for Zhaijiao purification rituals, he had already examined the ritual texts of the Three Caverns during the Tang dynasty and consulted Master Lu’s ritual standards. If Master Lu’s original work had contained this claim, how could Master Du have failed to record it in detail? He explained other, less significant differences one by one, yet left this point unmentioned. This is enough to show that Master Lu’s book had not been corrupted by the Tang dynasty. The versions Yunzong has seen, however, differ from one another.

To attribute these claims to Master Lu now would be to commit the fault of disrupting the teachings and incur the blame of slandering a worthy man. Though aware of my own limitations, I have followed the standards established by Du Guangcheng for twenty years. Those who have studied with me, read this book, and practiced according to it may do so with confidence.

If it is wrong to visualize yellow Qi during the noon court ritual, the fault lies with Du Guangcheng for adopting, without due care, the ritual of the Jing of Natural Awe-Inspiring Dignity. The Great Lingbao Method, by contrast, follows the Jing of Salvation, compiled by the Most High Lord of the Dao, and uses blue, yellow, and white Qi.

Acting in this way should not be considered a violation of the scriptures’ intent on my part, Yunchong. As for the placement of the Three Treasures, “The Supreme One, the Limitless Great Dao” should not be installed as one of the Three Venerable Ones, nor placed in the position of the Master of the Mystery. If the “Three Venerable Ones of the Supreme One” were to be added, the method of visualization recorded in the Scripture on the Ritual Deportment of Honoring the Masters would no longer apply. This, too, cannot be counted as my fault.

What I, Yunchong, rely on is what the scriptures record about the rules for transmitting the teachings, together with what was passed down by the three masters. My late teacher Du Guangcheng, for his part, relied on the accounts in earlier scriptures of the blue, yellow, and white Qi. Among these, the Scripture on Deliverance of Humanity is the best foundation for the method of visualization. Although other scriptures sometimes offer different accounts, in performing a purification retreat one should especially not abandon the foundation laid by the Scripture on Deliverance of Humanity.

The Flying-Heaven Ten Sections of Wondrous Scriptures comprises thirty-six volumes. Most are texts copied from one another, and several volumes are books printed from woodblocks in later times. Only the one-volume Scripture on Deliverance of Humanity has been transmitted from remote antiquity and should not be altered lightly. The Great Method of Lingbao takes the Scripture on Deliverance of Humanity as its central source, and the essentials of visualization lie in the blue, yellow, and white Qi. When establishing an altar or performing a purification retreat, one must not depart from the foundations of the Lingbao method and rely instead on far-fetched proofs drawn from here and there. Such an approach cannot be accepted.

Master Du’s ritual code for purification retreats has been followed throughout the world for four or five hundred years; later generations should not change it arbitrarily. Its volumes are complete, unlike Lu Xiujing’s liturgies, whose chapters have been lost over the long passage of time, making confusion easy. Nor have people in recent times forged and inserted the separate title “Three Venerable Ones of the Supreme One,” or added words on their own to the sections concerning the Three Treasures. Anyone in the world can examine the matter. A person’s private views may perhaps mislead others for a time, but as time passes, the true and the false will naturally become clear.

Fellow Daoists who follow this book may do so with peace of mind. They may also report directly to the Highest Emperor that they visualize the blue, yellow, and white Qi, and perform the rites accordingly during the three morning ceremonies. This is how I, Yunchong, now follow Master Du’s ritual code for purification retreats, and it may perhaps dispel all doubts. Even if something in it is improper, Master Du did not mislead later generations. Moreover, the practice of visualizing the three Qi truly comes from the scriptural prescriptions of the Lord Dao. What, then, have I, Yunchong, to worry about?

—Great Method of the Highest Clarity Lingbao, Volume Twenty-One