《道門科範大全集》Vol. 87

This records a grand Daoist ritual ceremony known as the "Lingbao Worship of the Divine Great Offering." Before the ceremony began, the Daoist priests ascended the altar platform following standard procedures, paying reverent homage to their patriarchs while focusing their minds in silent incantation.

The first recitation was the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," which summons the powers of the Five Planets (Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Saturn): Mercury dispels calamities, Jupiter brings prosperity, Mars dissolves misfortunes, Venus wards off warfare, and Saturn stabilizes the four directions, safeguarding the nation and its people. The names of these stellar deities are recorded on the celestial jade tablets of the heavenly court, enabling them to ride the winds and clouds across the ten directions of the cosmos, gathering all manner of divine spirits.

Next, the ritual drum was struck twenty-four times, symbolizing the awakening of celestial and earthly deities. The incense burner was then opened to reverently invite the supreme Daoist deities—the "Supreme Dao Lord of the Three Primordial Qi of the Three Heavens" and the "Supreme Elder Lord" (Taishang Laojun)—to descend. Simultaneously, the guardian spirits within the priests' bodies (such as the thirty-six divine attendants, messengers, incense youths, and jade maidens) were summoned to manifest, all properly attired and ready to convey petitions.

During the midnight hour—the most auspicious time for communion with the divine—the priests offered devout prayers: May the supreme Dao Qi (vital energy) and the auspicious radiance of Lingbao descend, ensuring that their petitions swiftly reach the celestial court, particularly the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi).

The priests then formally identified themselves and made supplications to all revered deities: including the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the sun and moon, stars and constellations, the Southern and Northern Dippers, the Three Officials and Five Emperors, the Four Saints and True Immortals of the heavenly court, as well as deities of the underworld, mountains and rivers, the Thunder Ministry, city gods, and local earth gods. The priests affirmed their belief that while the Dao of Heaven is profound and mysterious, it protects the virtuous; the divine is impartial and upright, responding to those with sincere hearts.

Finally, special homage was paid to the presiding deity of the ceremony (referred to as the "divine seat"), praising its merits in safeguarding the nation, protecting the people, eliminating harm, and promoting prosperity. The auspicious date was carefully chosen for this solemn offering, with fragrant sacrifices presented as the community joined in celebration. Through meticulous liturgical procedures (Keyi), the entire ceremony constructed a sacred space for communication between humanity and the divine.

All living beings joyfully await the divine response from the sacred realms—even the slightest omen suffices to reciprocate humanity's devout supplications.

During the initial offering of the Divine Descent ritual, we present scattered flowers as tribute. With utmost sincerity, I petition the Three Pure Ones (the supreme Daoist deities: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Grand Pure) and the exalted perfected sages of the ten directions. May all deities witnessing this Zhaijiao purification ritual open wide your compassion and perceive with utmost clarity. It is said the divine excel in forgiving and aiding mortals, never abandoning living beings. The supreme sages claim no merit for themselves—precisely thus their De (Virtue) shines brighter. While mortals fear overstepping when seeking audience with the sacred, the sages' compassion flows like radiant light.

(Facing the sacred altar) This deity embodies the Dao's true numinosity, descending to eradicate demons as effortlessly as plucking dead branches, while assisting nations to flourish with majestic divine might. On this auspicious occasion, how dare we neglect our gratitude? Though our offerings of millet, melons, and fruits are humble, they carry our sincerest reverence, hoping for the deities' unseen protection. Now permit me to recite the prayer.

During the secondary offering with scattered flowers, the prayer's message has been fully conveyed. I, your disciple, pour forth my most urgent and devout aspirations from the depths of my heart. The divine response is unfathomable—as inevitable as echoes in a hollow valley. May the exalted deities dwelling in the upper realms heed mortal petitions, applying your luminous wisdom to bestow boundless grace. Ancient rites record how deities possess foresight; the Book of Documents clarifies their authority over rewards and punishments. Only such profound sageliness can eternally illuminate the world.

(Again facing the altar) This deity shares in heaven's radiance and condenses the essence of sacred peaks—both sage and divinity, establishing celestial principles while safeguarding the human realm. Your awe-inspiring majesty and exalted titles deserve these pure-hearted offerings of fragrant tributes. May you descend to partake, oversee our rites, accept our sincerity, heed our words, and witness our actions. Should the deities cherish your people, blessings will be boundless. With reverent solemnity, we now complete the final offering.

Lastly, I solemnly address the Three Pure Ones and perfected sages of the ten directions: It is said humanity forms the core of heaven and earth—without human hearts, the cosmos loses meaning; deities anchor Yin-Yang's foundation—without this root, the dual forces lose their numinosity. Heaven cannot exist apart from humanity, nor humanity without heaven. Only through this mutual resonance between celestial and mortal may cosmic harmony endure.

This passage describes the scene and prayer content of a grand Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual). During the ceremony, the presiding priest expresses devout wishes to the deities, seeking divine protection from celestial and earthly spirits.

The text begins by emphasizing the harmonious governance of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and Humanity—and the mutual resonance between deities and mortals, which leads to a state of peace unified in Dao and De (Virtue). The presiding priest declares that he upholds the ancient Dao and has received a heavenly mandate to maintain human order. It specifically mentions the state’s reverence for ritual propriety, rewarding those who have contributed to dispelling calamities and honoring virtuous sages with posthumous titles, all to ensure national stability and the people’s well-being.

The jiao master (presiding priest) expresses long-held gratitude for divine grace, now presenting modest offerings as a sincere gesture. The ritual has already completed the "threefold offering" (a full sequence of three ceremonial presentations), so the prayers are not repeated, only beseeching the deities’ magnanimous virtue to shield ordinary people from misfortune. The prayer wishes that, from this day forward, sins may vanish like morning dew under the sun, while blessings endure like rivers that never freeze in winter (a metaphor for lasting fortune). May roads be safe, homes peaceful, legal disputes and quarrels dissolve, and fires, thieves, and fierce beasts stay far away. May all comings and goings be perpetually guarded by divine protection.

This is followed by the "Twelve Wishes" (the specific twelve blessings are not listed in the original text). In the "returning to the furnace" phase (the concluding segment of the ritual), the priest respectfully invites the incense officials, the Left and Right Dragon-Tiger Lords, the incense-attending spirit officers, and other deities, praying that the ritual space spontaneously produces golden elixir (immortal medicine) and jade-green numinous herbs, drawing countless perfected immortals and divine spirits before the incense burner. The prayer asks that celestial youths and jade maidens from the ten directions convey the incense smoke, swiftly delivering the jiao master’s sincerity to the presence of the Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (one of Daoism’s supreme deities).

The ceremony concludes with the "Departure Hymn," reverently sending off the sacred procession and completing the entire zhaijiao by burning paper offerings (transforming wealth). This text originates from The Complete Compendium of Daoist Liturgical Norms, Volume 87, which meticulously records the standardized procedures for grand Daoist zhaijiao rituals.