《道門科範大全集》Vol. 26

This is a record of a grand Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremony for praying for offspring. At dawn, the ritual was conducted according to prescribed protocols. The ceremony began with the "Revering the Masters and Concentrating the Mind" segment, where the Daoist priests paid solemn homage to their patriarchs while focusing their intent.

Next, the "Guardian Spirit Incantation" was recited—a protective chant for purifying the altar space. The incantation invoked numerous Daoist divine generals: Qingyang (embodiment of eastern Yang Qi), Shenhu (a mythical beast that exorcises evil), Feitian Liuling (a magical instrument for subduing demons), and other deities capable of dispelling malevolent forces and subduing demonic entities. Additional divine assistance came from Zhonghuang (the god of central Earth virtue) and the Liuding (six Yin spirits) to purify the ritual space. The chant concluded with the phrase "uniting with the Dao in truth," signifying complete harmony with the supreme Way.

Following this, the ritual drum was struck twenty-four times (in Daoism, twenty-four corresponds to the solar terms of the year) to reverently summon the highest Daoist deities: the Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun) and the Jade Emperor. During the ceremony, the Gongcao (inner-body deities) within the priests, along with guardian spirits like the Golden Boy and Jade Maiden, were invoked. These divine attendants, adorned in majestic attire, assisted in conveying the supplications.

With utmost devotion, the priests petitioned for the primordial Dao Qi (cosmic source energy) from the Ten Directions (the eight cardinal points plus above and below) to descend, ensuring their prayers would swiftly reach the celestial court. The ritual then proceeded with sequential homage to various Daoist deities:

• The Three Pure Lords: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun
• The Jade Emperor and the Four Sovereigns (assisting emperors): Gouchen Tianhuang Dadi, Ziwei Beiji Dadi, Houtu Huangdiqi, and Changsheng Dadi
• Other significant deities: Dongji Qinghua Dadi (governor of fertility), Leizu (supreme thunder deity), Taiyi Datian Dadi, and others

Through meticulous liturgical procedures, the entire ceremony sought divine blessings for prosperous offspring by harnessing the radiant power of these deities. Each step embodied the Daoist cosmological principle of "resonance between heaven and humanity," demonstrating how specific ritual frameworks enable communication with the divine.

The text enumerates numerous significant deities and immortals in Daoist belief. Venerable Celestial Worthy Kehan Si Zhangren (the divine inspector of human virtue and vice) and True Lord Jiutian Caifang Yingyuan Baoyun (the high-ranking immortal responsible for patrolling the Nine Heavens and protecting all beings) reside in the celestial realms above.

The described pantheon is vast, including: the Nine Heavenly Sovereign Thearchs, the Thirty-Two Heavenly Sovereign Thearchs, the Five Directional Elder Sovereign Thearchs (such as the Azure Emperor of the East and the Vermilion Emperor of the South), Lord Daojun Donghua Mugong (the immortal ruler of eastern Wood Qi), Primordial Lady Yuanjun Xiling Jinmu (Queen Mother of the West, goddess governing western Metal Qi), as well as solar and lunar deities like the Solar Palace's Imperial Lord Taiyang and the Lunar Palace's Imperial Sovereign Taiyin.

The text further lists stellar deities: the Five Directional Virtue Star Lords (deities of the five planets representing the Five Phases), the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions Star Lords, the Seven Primordial Northern Dipper True Lord Daojuns (deities of the Big Dipper), the Six Southern Dipper True Lord Daojuns, along with numerous other stellar divinities like True Lord Taiyi and the Four Luminaries Star Lords.

The pantheon also includes functional deities: the Three Officials Great Thearchs (Heavenly, Earthly and Water Officials), the Four Saints True Lords of the North Pole (guardian deities under the Purple Tenuity Emperor), the Thunder Ministry deities of the Thunderclap Court system (such as the thunder gods under Celestial Worthy Jiutian Yingyuan Leisheng Puhua), the Birth-Registering and Life-Supervising True Lords overseeing fertility, and Imperial Lord Zitong who governs official ranks.

Finally mentioned are underworld deities like the Great Thearch of Fengdu, water-dragon systems (dragon kings of the Three Rivers, Four Waterways, Five Lakes and Four Seas), terrestrial spirits (true rulers of famous mountains and rivers), as well as local deities like City Gods and Earth Gods.

The passage particularly emphasizes the supreme existence beyond Yin-Yang—the formless and nameless "Dao." Though invisible and ineffable, it governs seasonal cycles and all growth. When summer Yang Qi flourishes, the Dao manifests as life-nourishing power; it embraces all things, nurturing both great and small. This mysterious force ensures abundant harvests, human prosperity, and keeps malign Qi at bay.

Devotees performing Zhaijiao (Daoist purification rituals) can hear orthodox teachings due to virtuous roots planted in past lives. They should examine their faults, observe precepts with reverence, and through sincere rituals communicate with these deities to seek divine protection.

This scripture records the invocation prayers used in Daoist zhaijiao (a sacrificial ritual). During the ceremony, Daoist priests don formal vestments, select an auspicious date and time, and devoutly petition Haotian Shangdi (the Supreme Deity of Daoism) and all divinities for blessings.

At the commencement, the priests light the first incense stick. The rising smoke symbolizes the ascension of their intentions to the celestial realm, making offerings to the Ten Directions' Dao Treasures (the supreme truth of Daoism). Kneeling in reverence, they dedicate the merit of this incense to praying for the reigning emperor—may the imperial lineage continue for a hundred generations, the sovereign's life span ten thousand years, and the nation receive divine favor like Jiang Yuan (legendary ancestress of the Zhou dynasty who conceived the progenitor Houji by stepping on a giant's footprint), with descendants flourishing like luxuriant pines and bamboos.

The second incense stick is then lit as an offering to the Ten Directions' Scripture Treasures (Daoist canonical texts), transferring merit to the altars of state and ancestral temples. The entire ceremony emphasizes the prayerful attitude of "single-minded sincerity," recognizing that all beings are born of yin-yang, and humanity in particular should be grateful for heaven and earth's creative transformations. The text cites the Yijing's cosmology of "Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) generating the two polarities," along with natural phenomena like otters arranging fish as if making offerings or sunflowers turning toward the sun, as metaphors for humanity's innate reverence toward the divine.

The final supplication expresses the wish that upon attaining the Dao, one may unite with the Great Way, achieving the cultivation state of "eternal preservation with heaven." The recurring phrase "gui shen gui shen gui ming" (devoting body, spirit, and life) throughout the ritual represents the Daoist vow of complete surrender to the Dao's teachings.

This scripture passage describes the prayers and confessions within Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals). The general meaning conveys:

Devout supplications are made to the venerable deities of Daoism, praying that the ancient sages may peacefully receive offerings within the pure and tranquil temple halls. Through solemn rituals that communicate with Heaven, blessings are sought from the divine, enabling ancestors to partake in the grace of the Heavenly Sovereign. The Jiaoguan (ritual officiants) intercede for ancestral merit, hoping their forebears may hear celestial music in the heavenly realms.

At dawn during the ceremony, priests light three sticks of incense whose rising smoke ascends directly to the celestial spheres, making offerings to the Ten Directions' masters. Through the merit of incense burning, blessings are invoked to permeate both the Yin and Yang realms. May the sun, moon, and stars move in harmonious order; may the world know peace with favorable winds and rains for abundant harvests. May floods and droughts cease, and the calamities of war and punishment be eliminated.

The text also expresses the philosophy of repentance and reform, quoting maxims from the Book of Songs and Book of Changes to illustrate how disasters should prompt vigilance while virtuous deeds inspire emulation. It emphasizes the supreme authority of the Heavenly Dao, where sincere repentance holds paramount importance. Just as King Tang's sincerity moved Heaven to send rain during drought, even the ominous Yinghuo Star (Mars) retreats before virtuous words. Even wicked persons, through fasting and ablutions (Daoist purification rites), may serve the Heavenly Sovereign; when noble-minded individuals cultivate reverence and self-reflection, they become worthy to preside over sacrifices.

The ritual repeatedly praises the state of "union with the Dao in perfect truth," expressing profound devotion to the "Supreme Ultimate Great Dao of the Most High" (Daoism's highest spiritual principle) and the "Celestial Worthy of the Three Pure Ones and Three Realms" (supreme deities).

This scripture passage contains confessions of transgressions from Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals). A ritual officiant (Jiaoguan, the presiding Daoist priest) examines his faults before the deities, reflecting on misdeeds committed from past lives to the present existence.

He confesses: His unrestrained mind has been like a runaway horse or a frenzied monkey. He has failed Heaven, Earth, sovereign, and teachers; been unfilial to parents; alienated kinfolk; and abandoned ritual propriety. Specific offenses include neglecting ancestral sacrifices, aborting fetuses (harming one's own flesh and blood), deceiving superiors, ostracizing the virtuous, insatiable greed, hoarding goods for profit, forsaking righteousness for gain, monopolizing wealth and status, taking pleasure in others' misfortune, extinguishing others' family lines, oppressing orphans, grave robbery, and land encroachment.

He further admits to lacking compassion, acting tyrannically, and even committing ecological destruction like "burning forests and draining ponds" or harming living creatures like "boiling silkworm cocoons and overturning nests." These evil deeds remain unredeemed, incurring divine censure. As an official, he was disloyal and unjust, exhausting the people and wasting resources—occupying posts without fulfilling duties, behaving as recklessly as "denuding Ox Mountain" (a metaphor for ravaging nature).

The text cites ancient sages' warnings that such misconduct ultimately leads to familial ruin and severed lineage. The officiant thus sincerely repents, praying the Supreme Celestial Emperor (the highest Daoist deity) will manifest his life-nurturing De (Virtue/Power), granting a chance for renewal—that his family line may continue with descendants as virtuous as the "Eight Dragons of the Xun Clan" (all eight sons of Eastern Han's Xun Shu were exemplary) or as talented as the "Three Phoenixes of Hedong" (Tang Dynasty's Xue Shou and his two brothers).

Finally, he seeks ancestral blessings through accumulated hidden virtue (Yinde), hoping for familial prosperity like the Zhao clan's ten-generation nobility or the Liang clan's eight generations of chancellors. May his lineage emulate: the Zangsun clan (Spring and Autumn period) whose descendants flourished through forthright counsel; the Bing clan (Han Dynasty's Bing Ji lineage) whose generations thrived through accrued virtue; Yu Gong (father of Han's Yu Dingguo) whose household rose through impartiality; or Zhang Tang (Han statesman) whose family prospered by promoting goodness.

This scripture primarily expounds on the principles of karmic retribution and repentance. It teaches that when a person performs good deeds, the heavens will bestow various auspicious blessings; but those who defy celestial principles cannot escape punishment, regardless of other virtues they may possess.

Several historical examples illustrate this: Han dynasty nobles who broke the law saw their lineages extinguished within four or five generations; Yu Xu (a renowned Eastern Han official), though upright, witnessed his family line perish within twenty years. Some who rose through scheming had their descendants deposed; certain families declined within three generations. These misfortunes all resulted from violating cosmic principles.

Yet heaven grants opportunities for redemption. Sincere self-reflection and repentance constitute the greatest blessing. Therefore, we should revere celestial majesty, align with the natural Dao (the Way), and from this day forward reform ourselves to welcome auspicious fortune. All life depends on heaven and earth's creative power, so merits should be attributed to them.

Following are twelve vows, including: may transgressions dissolve, blessings increase, families receive grace, and all under heaven share prosperity. A prayer invites immortal youths and jade maidens to convey this sincerity to the supreme Jade Emperor.

The closing hymn describes how at dawn's ritual space (where Daoist ceremonies are performed), golden elixir (Jinye, an alchemical term for precious medicine) and fairy herbs (Danbi Zhiying) naturally manifest, with perfected immortals gathering before incense burners. The ceremony concludes with ritual exits from the altar space.