《道門科範大全集》Vol. 32

This passage documents the morning ritual procedure from the Daoist "Oath Fire Disaster-Averting Ceremony." The ceremony begins with priests ascending the altar according to prescribed protocols, reverently paying homage to ancestral masters while silently reciting incantations.

First chanted is the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," a protective charm for exorcism. The incantation invokes deities such as "Qingyang" (yang qi of the east), "Divine Tiger" (a Daoist guardian beast), "Nine Subtleties" (the nine heavenly authentic qi), and "Eight Powers" (mighty spirits of the eight directions), beseeching them to dispel evil forces and purify heaven and earth. The chant concludes with the phrase "uniting with the Dao in authenticity," expressing the aspiration for oneness with the supreme Way.

This is followed by twenty-four strikes of the ritual drum, symbolizing the connection between the three realms (heaven, earth, and humanity). Then the highest Daoist deities—the Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Daojun, and Taishang Laojun) along with the Jade Emperor—are solemnly invited. Simultaneously, internal guardian spirits like the "Three-Five Merit Officers" (protective deities within the body) and "Golden Youth and Jade Maiden" (divine messengers) are summoned, all properly attired and prepared to assist in the ritual.

The presiding priest respectfully submits a memorial, declaring the purpose of the morning ceremony while praying for the descent of Taishang Daoqi (supreme spiritual power) into their person, ensuring swift transmission of petitions to the celestial court. Subsequent prostrations honor various Daoist deities including the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity, the Great Emperor of the North Star, Houtu Huangdiqi (the earth goddess), along with guardian spirits of the thirty-six sacred scriptures, the True Lord of Mars, astral deities, and mountain-river earth spirits.

This ritual exemplifies the fundamental structure of Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals) and keyi (liturgical ceremonies): first purifying the altar and self-protection, then inviting deities, and finally submitting petitions. Through meticulous ritual protocols, Daoist priests seek to bridge the human and divine realms to achieve disaster relief and blessings.

This scripture describes the invocations used by Daoist priests when making offerings to the Fire Department deities during grand Zhaijiao (Daoist purification rituals). The content is divided into several sections:

First, it recounts the mighty powers of the Fire Department deities. The Fire Virtue Star Lord (the Daoist venerated Fire God) resides in the southern Cinnabar Heaven, revered as the Flame Emperor who governs summer seasons. He manifests divine authority both through the Li trigram (one of the Bagua symbolizing fire) and discharges duties within the Taiwei Enclosure (a celestial division). The Fire God can reveal warnings through five ominous signs, yet also bestow ten virtuous blessings.

Next, the priest expresses contrition. We mortals dwelling in the dusty world, our fates bound to celestial movements, often err in speech and conduct. Now during Mars' warning transit, when the Fire God's majesty inspires awe, how could we receive divine protection without sincere repentance? Thus we lead the assembly in grand Zhaijiao, demonstrating devotion through chanting scriptures (Langhan refers to Daoist texts) and gazing toward celestial palaces (Jiangque), confessing transgressions to seek blessings.

The specific petitions follow. The priest declares his mission to spread Daoist truth among humans, observing devotees' sincere reverence for heavenly will, and thus petitions the Three Pure Realms (the supreme Daoist heavens where the highest deities dwell) and all celestial powers. Special prayers are offered for the reigning emperor - may he govern with the benevolence of legendary sage-kings Yao and Shun, bringing national prosperity and eternal stability to the throne.

Finally, the ritual setting is described. At dawn during ceremonial procession, the priest holds incense, praying its smoke ascends to heavenly awareness as offering to the Three Pure Ones (supreme Daoist deities) and all saints. The assembly kneels devoutly, hoping through this incense-offering merit to beseech the emperor's emulation of ancient sage-kings' benevolent, filial governance for enduring state fortune and dynastic revival.

The text mentions "Grand Jiao" (the most solemn Daoist sacrificial rite), "Three Venerables" (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun), and "Saints of Ten Directions" (all celestial and earthly deities) - these specialized terms preserve distinctive Daoist characteristics.

This scripture describes the complete procedure of a Daoist morning ritual, which primarily includes incense offering for blessings and repentance ceremonies.

The ritual begins with priests lighting incense, its smoke ascending to the celestial realm as an offering to the Supreme Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities) and the myriad saints of the ten directions. Through the merit of incense burning, they pray for the liberation of ancestral souls from the sufferings of hell, their ascension to the immortal realms, and their eternal departure from the Five Turbidities (the five defilements of the human world), so they may follow the Celestial Venerable in cultivating the true Dao.

In the second incense-offering segment, special prayers are directed to the Fire Virtue Star Lord (the deity governing fire), beseeching his blessings to dispel calamitous stars and bring prosperity to the nation. The ritual seeks peace across the land, flourishing populations, and a shared welcome to an era of radiant prosperity.

The ceremony concludes with repentance rites, consisting of three invocations and three prostrations. The presiding priest and all participants devoutly petition the Daoist pantheon, paying homage to the Supreme Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, the Nine Emperor Stars of the Northern Dipper (the seven stars of the Big Dipper plus two auxiliary stars), the sacred beings of all directions, the guardian deities of the Thirty-Six Divisions of Scriptures (key Daoist texts), and deities such as the Fire Virtue True Lord.

Through incense offerings and sincere prayers, the ritual serves both to liberate the deceased and bless the living, ultimately aspiring to the state of "uniting with the Dao in truth" (yu Dao he zhen). This recurring core aspiration reflects the ultimate goal of Daoist cultivation.

This passage depicts a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremony and its associated prayers. Daoism holds that through devout rituals, one can resonate with the true spirits of the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm) and harmonize the forces of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The opening traces Daoism's origins: its teachings of purity and wuwei (non-action) were already evident during the Western Zhou dynasty, while the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity, also known as Celestial Master tradition) teachings spread during the Eastern Han. From the creation of all things by the Primordial Sovereign (highest Daoist deity), the supreme Dao has reigned absolute. After Pangu separated heaven and earth, divine beings assumed governance. The cosmos established fixed positions for Yin and Yang - with north and south corresponding to Kan (Water) and Li (Fire) from the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), while sun, moon and stars moved in orderly patterns to harmonize the dual energies of Yin-Yang and command the myriad spirits.

Special emphasis is placed on the importance of the Fire Virtue Star Lord (Mars, known as Yinghuo): positioned at the celestial center, it governs calamities including disease, famine, and war. Improper human conduct may trigger celestial anomalies. The presiding ritual master (jiaoguan) observes Mars moving to the southern quadrant, corresponding to the Li trigram (symbolizing fire) - a portent requiring preventive measures.

The Daoist priests humbly refer to themselves as "servants" to show piety: "We have long revered the Dao of emptiness, studying scriptures and wearing fulu (talismans and registers) while conducting ourselves according to keyi (liturgical protocols), hoping to resonate with true spirits and purge worldly defilements." The prayers seek purification of body and mind through ritual, preserving one's innate spiritual light to sanctify the altar and attract divine presence.

Specific petitions include: restraining malignant stellar influences; pacifying Mars' calamities; Venus (governing warfare) eliminating conflicts; preventing fires and floods; the Vermilion Mansion Emperor (southern fire deity) bestowing longevity; the Southern Pole Immortal Elder granting extended life; transforming the baleful influences of Mars and its constellations into blessings while restoring their proper celestial courses. Ultimately, the prayers seek communal protection from sudden disasters, shared peace, cosmic harmony, enduring national fortune, and public wellbeing.

The concluding "Twelve Petitions" represent standard ritual formulae. During the closing furnace ceremony (fulu), invocations summon the Incense Official Messengers, Dragon-Tiger Guardians (protector deities) and others, that the morning ritual space may spontaneously produce auspicious signs like golden elixir (xian medicine) and cinnabar-jade herbs (xian flora), symbolizing the ceremony's successful completion. The entire scripture demonstrates Daoist religious practices of astrological observation and Five Phases harmonization for dispelling misfortune and invoking blessings.

All celestial immortals and divine spirits gather before this incense burner, praying that the immortal youths and maidens from the ten directions (all spatial dimensions) may receive this curling incense smoke and swiftly convey our petitions to the supreme source of the Great Dao—before the sacred throne of the Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (one of Daoism's highest deities who governs the celestial realm).

This passage comes from the "Hymn of Departure" in the thirty-second volume of the Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Liturgical Texts (Daomen Kefan Daquanji). It describes a crucial moment in Daoist ritual practice. After completing their ceremonial duties, Daoist priests use burning incense as a medium to transmit human prayers to the celestial deities. The term "your servant" (chen) is the humble self-reference priests use before the divine. This text exemplifies the fundamental Daoist model of "human-divine communication," where specific ritual protocols establish connections between the earthly and celestial realms.