《道門科範大全集》Vol. 83

The eighty-third volume of the Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Liturgical Norms documents the nocturnal ritual procedures (Keyi) for the Grand Dongyue Salvation Rite (Zhaijiao), a major Daoist ceremony for the deliverance of deceased souls.

When the ritual master ascends the altar to perform the ceremony, they must first pay homage to the patriarchs according to prescribed rites while maintaining meditative focus. This is followed by reciting the Guardian Spirit Incantation (Weiling Zhou), which conveys: "The stars of the Five Directions radiate auspicious light; the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun) summons the host of divine beings; the energies of Heaven and Earth intertwine and flow." Holding the Jade Talisman and Precious Scepter (ritual implements), one may command the underworld; casting the Fire Seal (Daoist magical technique) dispels malevolent forces. Countless demons and specters are awed into submission, while all manner of strange phenomena dissipate. Sacred brilliance illuminates the night, dissolving all shadows as the gods descend with the speed of wind and lightning. Thus, all beings attain salvation, divine grace spreads across the land, and harmony with the true essence of the Dao (Dao) is achieved.

Next, the ritual drum is struck twenty-four times (a prescribed count), initiating the Incense-Burning Ceremony (Falu) to invoke the deities. The master summons: the Three Primordial Breaths (Sanqi—Xuan, Yuan, Shi) of the Supreme Three Heavens; exalted deities such as the Supreme Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun) and the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun); as well as thirty-six internal divinities, including the Merit Officials (Gongcao) and Left-Right Envoy Spirits within their own body. These deities don solemn vestments, prepared to assist in the ritual.

Proceeding with reverence in the stillness of night, the master solemnly petitions: "May the true Qi (vital energy) of the Ten Directions and the auspicious radiance of the Numinous Treasure (Lingbao) descend, that these earnest prayers swiftly reach the celestial court, directly arriving before the Jade Emperor (Yu Huang Shangdi), sovereign of the Golden Palace of the Vast Heaven."

The master then declares their spiritual authority and humbly entreats: the Seven-Jeweled Sovereigns of Emptiness and Spontaneity; the Celestial Worthy of Supreme Oneness Who Saves from Suffering (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun); the Benevolent and Sagely Emperor of Mount Tai (Dongyue Tiansheng Ren Shengdi) and his retinue, including the Duke of Brilliant Numen (Bingling Gong), along with all perfected beings of the Three Realms. Notably emphasized is the analogy: "Just as ancient emperors communicated with Heaven and Earth through Golden-Clay Jade Registers (sacred documents), so too shall Mount Tai—the underworld authority governing the registers of life and death—surely perceive the master’s sincere devotion to delivering the deceased. Those newly departed souls must still bear unresolved karmic burdens requiring salvation."

(Note: This liturgy exemplifies the Daoist sacred ritual framework for cosmic communication, integrating core elements such as deity invocation, altar purification, and celestial petitions. It embodies the tradition’s religious function of "delivering souls from darkness.")

This scripture describes a Daoist zhaijiao ritual (a purification ceremony) for the salvation of departed souls, containing several key elements:

It first explains that even sins recorded in the black ledgers of transgressions can be absolved through sincere repentance, granting the deceased a chance for rebirth. The ritual officiant (jiaoguan) reflects on the brevity of human life, concerned that karmic burdens may condemn souls to hellish suffering, and seeks through this ceremony to eliminate such negative karma.

The text invokes multiple Daoist deities: the Tianzun who delivers beings from suffering (a high-ranking savior deity), the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (ruler of the underworld), and the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, one of the supreme Daoist divinities) from the Jade Pure realm. The scripture chanting faces eastward, as this direction symbolizes vital energy in Daoist cosmology.

The ceremony takes place under the bright moonlight. The officiant leads devotees in offering incense to Yuanshi Tianzun and other deities, the rising smoke symbolizing their reverence. Through this practice of wuwei (non-action, aligning with natural harmony), they seek to liberate souls from worldly attachments and guide them toward transcendence.

The final prayers wish for the departed to swiftly ascend the immortal path, while invoking longevity for living relatives. The Yellow Register scriptures (huanglu used for salvation rites) can erase records of death, while the Azure Radiance paradise (qinghua) augments earthly lifespans. Symbols like white cranes and spirit turtles—emblems of longevity—adorn the ceremony, invoking heaven's auspicious blessings upon all participants.

The entire passage embodies core Daoist beliefs about salvation rituals: that sincere repentance can move the divine and alter destiny, with zhaijiao ceremonies serving as bridges between realms to absolve sins and elevate souls. The interplay between cosmic forces and ritual action demonstrates how human devotion interacts with celestial mechanisms of judgment and mercy.

This is a segment of ritual incense invocation from Daoist Zhaijiao ceremonies, depicting the scene of priests conducting rituals at dusk. The Daoist priest lights incense, allowing its smoke to ascend to the celestial realms as an offering to the Three Pure Ones (Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, Taiqing Jiangsheng Tianzun, etc.), expressing heartfelt devotion.

First, the priest offers incense to the "Most High Lord of Numinous Treasure from the Shangqing Pure Realm," praying that the incense smoke may rise directly to the heavens to nourish the venerable deities. Simultaneously, he invokes blessings for the ancestors of the ritual patron (jiaoguan), wishing that their seven generations of forebears may receive golden tablets and jade registers (Daoist salvation documents), swiftly ascending to the Jade Capital—the highest Daoist paradise—transcending the constraints of the Three Realms. May they gain the demon kings' recommendation to be inscribed in immortal registers and granted audience with the Celestial Emperor, thus avoiding litigation in the underworld and preventing misfortunes from befalling their descendants.

The priest then turns to offer incense to the "Lord of Divine Descent from the Taiqing Pure Realm," dedicating the ritual merits to all wandering souls. The text vividly describes those without descendants to honor them: victims of untimely deaths, starvation, or war; those who perished from falls, drowning, or in prisons; even deceased animals. These souls remain trapped in the Three Wretched Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, animal rebirth), unable to attain liberation. Through the Dao-power of the celestial lords, the priest prays they may shed ignorance and be guided to salvation during tonight's ritual assembly.

The passage concludes with "union with the Dao in perfect truth," expressing the ultimate pursuit of merging with the supreme Dao. The entire scripture manifests Daoism's compassionate vision of universal salvation—offering deliverance not only for the patrons' ancestors but also extending grace to all suffering spirits.

This scripture describes a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremony for the salvation of departed souls. The ritual master leads the officiant in devout supplication to various deities, seeking divine power to deliver the deceased.

The text first explains that the departed soul has been freed from demonic afflictions and returned to the mortal realm to hear the Dao's teachings. Through incense-burning rites, the soul now takes refuge in the master-teacher and perfected sages, praying for union with the Dao. The ceremony then proceeds with the threefold bowing and prostration ritual to formally invoke deities including the Great Emperor of Eastern Peak (ruler of the underworld), the Celestial Worthy of Universal Salvation (specialized in soul redemption), as well as the Lord of Mount Tai's Prefecture (administrator of the netherworld) along with his retinue and the underworld's civil and martial judges.

The text cites the legend of Guan Lu (a renowned fangshi practitioner from the Three Kingdoms period) who could ascend mountains to subdue ghosts, illustrating Mount Tai's sacred status as the imperial fengshan ceremonial site that governs both yin and yang realms, specifically overseeing karmic retribution. It emphasizes that departed souls undergo merit assessment in the underworld, with their ascension speed determined by earthly virtues. The bereaved family's profound grief remains unassuaged despite setting up memorial tablets.

Finally, the scripture details ritual arrangements including purifying the altar, lighting lamps, and incense offerings to convey sincere devotion to the deities. Prayers seek underworld pardon for the soul's transgressions, that it may attain rebirth through refining deliverance and regain spiritual illumination. Should the departed soul retain consciousness, it would surely feel this grace. The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist religious concept of using Zhaijiao rituals to redeem souls and benefit both yin and yang realms.

This scripture describes the complete sequence of a Daoist Zhaijiao Keyi (purification ritual), where practitioners take refuge in the Dao with profound gratitude, beseeching the compassionate protection of the celestial venerable ones (supreme deities in Daoism) so that all sentient beings may receive deliverance (salvation through transcendence).

During the ritual, the Daoist priest first proclaims the Twelve Great Vows (the grand pledges of Daoist cultivation), followed by the "Returning the Incense Burner" ceremony—a concluding rite where the incense burner is ceremoniously restored to its place. At this moment, invocations are made to the Incense Official Messengers (divine officers overseeing ritual incense), the Dragon-Tiger Guardians (protector deities flanking the altar), and various Attendant Incense Spirits (divine beings responsible for ritual aromas). The priest prays that the sacred space for nocturnal meditation and cultivation may spontaneously generate Golden Fluids (a Neidan term referring to refined internal essences) and Cinnabar-Green Immortal Herbs (divine flora of longevity), while hoping celestial perfected beings (immortal sages) from all directions might gather before the incense burner.

The ritual culminates in supplicating the Jade Maidens and Immortal Youths (celestial attendants) from the Ten Directions (all cosmic realms) to receive the sacred incense smoke and swiftly convey the practitioner’s devout prayers to the supreme presence of the Jade Emperor (the highest deity in Daoism). The entire ceremony concludes with the "Exit Hall Hymn" (a closing eulogy) and the "Departure from the Altar" (ritual exit from the sacred space). This passage comprehensively presents the standard liturgical sequence of a Daoist ritual, from initial vows to its auspicious completion.