《道門科範大全集》Vol. 1

This is the complete morning ritual procedure of the "Birthday Destiny Ceremony" (a liturgical practice celebrating devotees' birthdays and seeking protection from their destiny stars) in Daoism. Compiled and revised by Master Guangcheng Du Guangting, it showcases the solemn liturgical standards of Tang Dynasty Daoist rituals.

At dawn, the ritual masters ascend the altar according to established protocols. The Chief Cantor (ritual director) guides the assembly in paying respects to ancestral masters while maintaining meditative concentration. The High Priest (chief officiant) begins reciting the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," a protective mantra: "The azure yang energy illuminates the four directions, the solar radiance swirls in cyclical motion; the Divine Tiger expels malign forces, the celestial generals shake ritual bells." This incantation destroys wickedness and subdues demons, forcing countless evil spirits to manifest and be bound, while ninefold celestial light swirls in protection and eight-directional numinous powers capture essence monsters. A thousand perfected immortals examine merit records as the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water purify the cosmos. On the left, the Central Yellow True Lord guards with resonant cries; on the right, the Six Ding Divine Generals provide support. The seven transformations and eight harmonies of the incantation circulate through cosmic principles, manifesting the majestic virtue of the Dao. Auspicious clouds flow and merge with the practitioner's Yellow Court (Dantian), achieving unity with the Dao.

The Chief Cantor strikes the ritual drum twenty-four times (symbolizing passage through the twenty-four solar terms), while the High Priest performs the "Incense Offering" ceremony (burning incense to summon deities). At this moment, the highest Daoist deities are reverently invited: the primordial Three Qi (three prenatal energies) of the Supreme Three Heavens - Mysterious, Original, and Primal; the Supreme Dao Lord and Supreme Laozi. Simultaneously, the divine protectors cultivated within the master's body are summoned: the Three-Five Merit Officials (duty deities), Left and Right Emissaries, Incense-Bearing Couriers, Dragon-Riding Messengers, Golden Incense Attendants, Jade Maidens Scattering Flowers, and thirty-six Direct Emissaries from the Five Directional Thearchs - all requested to descend in dignified vestments and orderly array.

The chief officiant announces: "This morning's altar ascent and ritual performance humbly presents the devotees' ('entered intentions' referring to participating believers) petitions. All sincere prayers have been recorded. May the authentic qi of the Ten Directions' Great Dao and numinous treasures' auspicious light descend, flowing into this officiant's form, enabling swift transmission of these petitions to: the Supreme Great Dao, the Three Pure Ones (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Supreme Dao Lord, Supreme Laozi), the Jade Emperor, and the North Polar Purple Subtlety Great Emperor."

The Chief Cantor guides the assembly in declaring their ritual stations (affirming participants' sacred roles), while the High Priest leads all in reverent supplication: "We humbly invoke the Northern Dipper's venerable deities - including the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning who established the Daoist lineage; the Supreme Dao Lord and Supreme Laozi who transmit the Dao and deliver beings; the Jade Emperor who governs the celestial realm; the Celestial Thearch and Purple Subtlety Great Emperor who command the Northern Dipper; and the Seven Star Lords of the Dipper (Jade Emperor's Honored Thearch Lord, Great Emperor of Supreme Tenuity, Mysterious Minister Great Emperor, along with Greedy Wolf, Giant Gate and other star lords). These deities collectively form Daoism's vast Northern Dipper belief system, governing human lifespan, misfortune and fortune."

This passage describes the important Taoist belief system surrounding the Northern Dipper deities and related blessing rituals. In Taoism, the seven stars of the Big Dipper are deified as the Seven Jade Dawn Lords (high-ranking Taoist deities), each with specific titles and functions:

The Seven Northern Dipper Lords are: Minister of Works True Man Jade Dawn Lord of Wealth and Rank; Wandering Pillar of Mysterious Darkness Jade Dawn Lord of Civil Excellence; Dipper Lord of Cinnabar Origin Jade Dawn Lord of Pure Integrity; Grand Minister of the Northern Pole Jade Dawn Lord of Martial Excellence; Heavenly Emperor of Celestial Pass Jade Dawn Lord of Army Breaker; Jade Emperor of Outer Illumination Jade Dawn Lord of External Assistance; and Imperial Truth of Hidden Origin Jade Dawn Lord of Internal Support. Additionally mentioned are the Dipper's Celestial Stem Emperor of Ten Thousand Truths Who Regulates Radiance, and the Nine Imperial Consorts of the Northern Dipper among other stellar deities.

The scripture explains the principle of cosmic formation: After the Great Dao (the Way) differentiated, primordial Qi (vital energy) began circulating, heaven and earth manifested their forms, and Yin-Yang nurtured spiritual consciousness. As the most spiritually endowed beings among creation, humans inherit the divine nature of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate, cosmic origin), condense mysterious Qi, and all depend on nature's transformative power. Taoist practitioners fortunate enough to encounter the Three Caverns (three major divisions of Taoist scriptures) authentic scriptures and study the profound meanings of the Five Scripts (five sacred writings), though dwelling in the mundane world, still aspire through cultivation to accumulate merit, propagate the Dao's teachings, and conform to the Mystic Gate's standards.

Now coinciding with a devotee's birthdate (or anniversary), faithful followers have reverently established an altar to initiate the ritual space, following the protocol of the Tenfold Splendor Assembly (ceremony for the descent of ten-directional deities), burning incense and making prostrations to beseech the Nine Heavens' Venerable Deities to descend and bestow blessings. May the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (supreme Taoist deity) look down with favor, may all saints manifest their numinous power, commanding the Five Directional Thearchs and all authentic saints to open the registers of longevity in the Southern Chang Immortal Palace (realm governing lifespan), adding to blessings and longevity; and to inscribe auspiciousness in the Eastern Dipper's (constellation governing destiny) azure records.

At dawn, the ritual assembly begins the ceremony, lighting the first stick of incense. The incense smoke ascends directly to the Jade Pure Realm (highest heaven where the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning resides), forming a canopy to make offerings to the Celestial Worthy in the Great Canopy Heaven (supreme heaven). May this incense reach divine hearing and make offerings to all celestial deities.

This scripture records the incense offering ritual from Daoist morning liturgy. With utmost devotion, priests pay homage to the Supreme Three Pure Ones (the highest Daoist deities: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun) and all saints of the ten directions, seeking blessings through the merit of incense burning.

The ceremony unfolds in three parts: First, incense is offered to the "Treasure of Dao," praying for the emperor's longevity, national stability, the imperial family's prosperity, and ministers' capable governance. The incense smoke ascends directly to Shangqing Palace (one of the Three Pure Realms) to nourish the Great Dao Lord of Jade Dawn (Lingbao Tianzun).

Next comes the "Treasure of Scriptures" offering, where merits are dedicated to the ritual patron. Prayers are made for the family's protection by immortals, peaceful spirit through consuming Golden Elixir (Daoist immortality elixir), and ancestral ascension to celestial realms (Zhuling refers to the southern immortal realm, while Danjian denotes the register recording immortal lineages).

Finally, incense is presented to the "Treasure of Masters," wishing the merits to benefit all beings between heaven and earth. May darkness be illuminated in the underworld (Jiuye and Santu represent hell realms), and all creatures flourish unimpeded. The fragrant smoke reaches Taiqing Palace (abode of Daode Tianzun) to nourish the Mysterious Elder Lord of Five Spirits (an incarnation of Daode Tianzun).

After each offering, priests vow to take refuge in the Three Treasures (Dao, Scriptures, and Masters), seeking unity with the Dao (achieving complete harmony with the Way). The entire ritual embodies the Daoist compassionate spirit of "repaying four kindnesses above while aiding the suffering below in three miserable realms."

This scripture describes the complete procedure of a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual). The ritual master, leading the altar officials, first reports to the Sanqing (Three Pure Ones—Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure, the three supreme deities) and various celestial beings, announcing the commencement of the ceremony.

At the start of the ritual, the master humbly refers to himself as "your servant," lighting the Crane Flame Lantern symbolizing illumination and burning dragon-shaped incense. Through the sounds of the Jade Tablets (Daoist documents) and the Clear Chime (ritual instrument), they convey their intentions to the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm) and the Ten Heavens (divine domains corresponding to the Ten Heavenly Stems). The scripture mentions how the "Two Qi" (Yin-Yang energies) intertwine to generate all things, and how every five hundred years, a sage must descend—all beings born of the essence of Heaven and Earth.

Within the solemn altar space, the master follows the protocols of the Lingbao Mingke (Numinous Treasure Liturgical Code), performing the "Three Invocations and Three Prostrations" to devoutly pray before the Sanqing Realms (abodes of the Three Celestial Worthies). They beseech the deities to bestow blessings, ensuring the emperor's rule remains stable, the nation prospers, the people live in peace, and the stars move in harmony. Simultaneously, they perform salvation rites for beings trapped in the Nine Netherworlds (hell), hoping all Three Realms may receive divine grace.

The latter part of the ritual involves specific actions: the Zhiqing (chime master) strikes the chime twelve times to represent twelve vows, the Dujiang (lead cantor) guides the visualization of divine beings, and the Gaogong (chief ritual master) conducts the Returning to the Brazier ceremony. Finally, they pray that the incense smoke may be carried by immortal youths and jade maidens, swiftly delivering the master's sincerity to the supreme Sanqing Celestial Worthies. Through ritual implements like incense, lamps, tablets, and chimes, the ceremony constructs a bridge between humans and the divine, embodying the Daoist cultivation principle of "Heaven-Human resonance."

This passage describes the standardized liturgical procedures in Daoist rituals. The Supreme Jade Emperor (the highest deity in Daoism) and the Great Emperor of the North Star (the deity governing celestial bodies) serve as the primary objects of veneration in this ceremony.

The ritual commences with the "Zhiqing" (the Daoist priest responsible for guiding the ceremony by striking the qing stone chimes) leading the congregation in chanting the "Chutang Song" (Hymn of Departure), a eulogy recited when leaving the main hall. The assembly then processes from the main hall to the "Liu Mu Tang" (a specialized ritual space for conducting particular Keyi liturgies). This account originates from the first volume of Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Liturgical Norms, documenting the standard procedures for deity veneration and ritual space transitions in major Daoist assemblies.

The entire ceremony maintains solemn dignity, expressing reverence for the deities through prescribed ceremonial movements and spatial transitions, while simultaneously codifying the behavioral standards for Daoist priests conducting religious services.