《道門科範大全集》Vol. 24

This scripture records the ritual procedures of the Wenchang Zhulu Baizhang Daoist ceremony. As the Wenchang Emperor presides over scholarly honors and official positions, this ritual is performed as a liturgy (Keyi) to pray for academic success and career advancement.

At the commencement, the Daoist priests ascend the altar platform according to prescribed protocols. The Dujiang (ritual master) guides the assembly in paying respects to the founding patriarchs while maintaining a reverent state of mind. The Gaogong (chief ritual officiant) recites the Protective Spirit Incantation, summoning the powers of the Five Planets (Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn): Mercury dispels calamities, Jupiter brings prosperity, Mars eliminates misfortunes, Venus wards off military conflicts, and Saturn stabilizes the four directions, ensuring flourishing households and nations. The incantation mentions how the names of these deities are recorded in the celestial jade registers of the heavenly court, enabling them to ride winds and clouds through the ten directions of the universe.

Twenty-four drumbeats then resound, symbolizing communication with the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and the underworld). The Gaogong performs the "Lighting the Sacred Furnace" ritual, reverently inviting the supreme Daoist deities—the Three Primordial Qi (Qi) of the Formless Three Heavens (Wushang Santian Xuanyuanshi Sanqi) and the Supreme Lao Jun—to descend, while simultaneously summoning thirty-six guardian deities from within (including Gongcao messengers, official envoys, golden boys, and jade maidens) who don ceremonial attire to assist in the ritual.

The chief officiant declares the altar's purpose (here "intention entry" refers to filling in specific prayer requests), earnestly beseeching the Dao's energy from all directions to descend so that sincere prayers may reach the celestial court. Subsequent invocations respectfully summon the highest Daoist deities: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), the Nine Emperor Gods, the celestial emperors of the Thirty-Six Heavens, the stellar lords of the Purple Tenuity Enclosure, the Northern and Southern Dipper star deities, and the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions—with special reverence extended to Wenchang the Star Lord and the Three Platforms star officials who govern literary fortune. Through this meticulous liturgical procedure, the ritual establishes communication between humans and deities, beseeching the Wenchang Emperor to bestow scholarly honors and official rank.

The passage depicts a Daoist Zhaijiao ritual (purification ceremony), where various celestial deities and star lords are invited to descend upon the altar. It enumerates numerous revered Daoist divinities, including the Literary Star Lord (Wenchang Xingjun) who governs scholarly fortunes, the Five Sacred Peaks' mountain deities, and the Four Great Rivers' water spirits - all significant celestial and terrestrial powers.

As the ceremony commences, the chief officiant (jiaoguan) declares that although trained in Confucian learning, he has prepared the ritual space with sincere adherence to Daoist liturgical protocols, purifying body and mind through ritual bathing and fasting. The altar is arranged with solemn dignity: sandalwood incense spirals upward, ritual implements gleam with purity, and scripture recitations resonate like celestial music. The celebrant prays for the deities to ride clouds and winds to descend, accept offerings, and bestow blessings upon the mortal realm.

During the "Welcoming the Immortal Procession" segment, deities are respectfully received through ceremonial sequences of tea offerings, wine libations, and musical performances. The officiant addresses petitions to the "Supreme Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven" (Yuhuang Shangdi) - one of Daoism's highest deities - and to the tripartite pantheon of celestial, terrestrial, and aquatic spirits. The liturgy explains that while the Dao is profoundly mysterious, it manifests through human cultivation; though the supreme deities transcend worldly concerns, they never abandon beings needing salvation. This embodies the Daoist principle that "the Dao is never distant from humanity," emphasizing the resonant connection between deities and devotees.

The entire passage demonstrates the sacred solemnity and liturgical precision of Daoist purification rituals, where meticulous ceremonial forms construct bridges between human and divine realms. These rites simultaneously honor the deities while providing practitioners with vital methods for self-purification and divine protection.

This scripture depicts a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremony and its devotional content. The presiding ritual master (jiaoguan) humbly expresses sincere prayers to the celestial deities.

At the ceremony's commencement, the ritual master modestly states: though his cultivation of the Dao remains shallow, he holds the pure intention to benefit the world. Through this sacred ritual, he earnestly petitions the divine beings in the highest heavens. He believes the supreme Dao (the highest truth of Daoism) is omnipotent, and the immortal perfected ones would never forsake any living being.

Through incense offerings and prayers, the master hopes the celestial deities will witness his utmost sincerity, while earth spirits may perceive his devotion during the tranquil night. He specifically prays: to encounter an enlightened ruler in this prosperous era and fulfill his aspirations; for ancestral souls across generations to ascend to the immortal realms; and to cleanse past transgressions while attaining success in imperial examinations (achievement in ancient civil service exams).

During the wine-offering segment (secondary offering), the master continues: the great Dao (cosmic origin) nurtures all things through the primordial qi (primordial cosmic energy). As the most spiritually endowed among all beings, humans should cultivate themselves by wisely using their innate spiritual gifts. He prays for the perfected deities' grace, that he may grow like flourishing crops—first branching with leaves (accumulating knowledge), ultimately bearing abundant fruit (achieving success).

The entire ceremony unfolds with solemn music, as the master seeks to establish sacred communion with the divine, receiving guidance and blessings through this holy medium.

This passage describes the prayer text used in Daoist grand purification rituals (Zhaijiao). During the ceremony, priests devoutly invoke various deities to beseech wisdom and blessings.

The text begins by describing how the descent of celestial beings (Jiangzhen) nourishes practitioners' spiritual essence (Shen), filling their bodies with primordial Dao-Qi. The deities bestow not only wisdom but also honor and longevity. Participants pray these blessings will dispel misfortunes from their families and bring prosperity to their lineages.

It then enumerates the venerated deities: the supreme Taishang Wuji Da Dao (the Ultimate Great Dao), the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing - Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure Celestial Worthies), the Jade Emperor (supreme ruler of heaven), along with guardian deities of the Thirty-Six Divisions of Scriptures, the Five Directional Emperors, and the Three Officials (Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official) - essentially all celestial beings between heaven and earth.

The text emphasizes the cultivation principle of "movement within stillness": while engaging in worldly affairs, one must maintain inner tranquility. It mentions how practitioners should both study the ways of ancient sages and fulfill their duties to rulers. The presiding ritual master (Jiaoguan) devoutly follows doctrine, praying deities open his wisdom to comprehend the Dao's essence while excelling in official service.

Finally, blessings are offered for the emperor and the realm: may the sovereign enjoy longevity with virtuous ministers governing harmoniously, may the seasons bring abundant harvests through balanced Five Phases (Wuxing), and may all under heaven enjoy peace. All participating priests bow again, presenting tea offerings to the Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, Daode Tianzun) and the Six Heavenly Sovereigns, while reciting formal petitions (Shuwen) to express their devotion.

This scripture describes the liturgical procedures (Keyi) and prayer contents of a Daoist jiao offering ceremony (a sacrificial ritual). The presiding Daoist priest confesses sins to the celestial deities, seeks absolution, and prays for blessings on behalf of all beings.

The text first enumerates the duties of heavenly deities at various levels, including immortals who oversee human fortunes and evaluate merits and faults. The priest declares having studied the profound mysteries of the Dao (the Way) from sacred scriptures, and now establishes an altar according to ritual protocols, preparing fine wine and offerings to reverently invite the honored deities to descend to the mortal realm.

Representing the devotees, the priest confesses: "Due to the impurity of our six roots (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) across past and present lives, we have committed sins such as killing and harming living beings, transgressing against the true path. Our names have been recorded in the black registers of the underworld offices." These offenses are documented respectively by the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper, the Three Officials of Heaven-Earth-Water, the mountain deities of Five Peaks, and the water gods of Four Rivers, remaining unforgiven.

The text then expresses concerns about calamities: fearing disasters caused by celestial movements, destructive interactions among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in personal fate, and various curses or legal conflicts. Only through the divine power of the Heavenly Venerables can these be resolved. The priest makes sincere repentance, hoping for pardon.

The prayer encompasses comprehensive blessings: wishing for imperial stability, cessation of warfare, protection from plagues and natural disasters for the people; virtuous talents being employed, thieves vanishing, and distant tribes submitting peacefully; natural growth for all things, and liberation for beings suffering in hell. Finally, it states the completion of the thrice-offered wine ceremony, while humbly apologizing for any ritual inadequacies and begging divine forgiveness.

The concluding section describes the high priest (Gaogong) performing the furnace-closing ritual (reassembling the altar), assisted by guardian spirits like the incense officials, dragon-tiger lords and other protector deities. It prays for the spontaneous generation of golden elixir (Jinye, an alchemical term for precious medicine) and cinnabar-blue auspicious vapors (Danbi, a Daoist term describing propitious energy) at the ritual site, symbolizing the ceremony's perfect completion.

All celestial immortals and divine spirits gather before this incense burner, praying that the jade maidens and immortal youths (attendants to the deities in Daoism) from the ten directions may receive this curling incense smoke. May they swiftly convey our sincere devotions to the supreme source of the Dao—the sacred thrones of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure, the highest triad of deities) and the Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (one of Daoism's supreme deities).

Following this, the ritual of exiting the hall is performed, with chanting of departure hymns to guide the assembly to the Six Curtains Hall (a sacred space for grand Daoist zhaijiao rituals). This passage originates from Volume 24 of the Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Liturgical Norms (Daomen Kefan Daquanji), documenting the standard protocol for inviting deities and conveying sincerity during major Daoist purification ceremonies.