《太上助國救民總真祕要》Vol. 6

The sixth volume of The Supreme Secret Essentials for Assisting the State and Saving the People records 115 precepts and rituals compiled by Daoist master Yuan Miaozong, organized into ten categories. Among these, the "Gate of Daoist Methods" section contains twenty-seven regulations concerning the execution of ritual practices. Below are excerpts of key provisions:

Officials administering Daoist rites (known as "judges") must understand that their actions in the yang world will incur corresponding consequences in the yin realm, with annual evaluations of merit. Those who suppress evil, rescue the distressed, deliver lost souls, or resolve grievances shall be promoted according to ritual protocols. However, those who bend the law for personal gain or abet wickedness will be investigated and reported by the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water (Daoism’s triad of supervisory deities) and face severe punishment.

Regarding urgent document transmission: In life-or-death emergencies (such as critically ill patients requiring consultation of the yin registry of life and death), emergency dispatches must be issued immediately. Secondary emergencies require submitting petitions to the City God (local guardian deity) with a one-day resolution deadline. Less urgent cases should be reported to the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (sovereign of the underworld) to establish tribunal oversight, with a two-day limit. Routine documents must not exceed three days for processing. Half-day delays incur 100 cane strikes; intentional delays due to private affairs warrant one year of penal labor, with aggravated offenses receiving harsher penalties.

Divine generals and soldiers dispatched by the Eastern Peak Emperor undergo triennial rotations (annual rotations permitted under special circumstances), with detailed merit/demerit records submitted for review. Successor personnel must be arranged one month prior to rotation. Divine troops requesting extended service must petition the Eastern Peak. Unwarranted rotations or failures to rotate incur 100 cane strikes unless justified.

Divine generals delaying orders after acceptance receive 100 cane strikes. Those harming others or accepting bribes face two years of penal labor. Celestial soldiers committing offenses additionally require their transgressions to be reported to the heavenly court.

During ritual performance, unauthorized modifications upon encountering irregularities are forbidden—immediate consultation and awaiting instructions are required (e.g., when dispatched spirit messengers prove ineffective). Violators face two years of penal labor. Non-judges interfering in rituals receive three years.

When dispatching spirits for tasks, negligence causing wrongful seizure of living souls or inducing madness/illness warrants exile over 2,000 li. Fatalities incur two-degree harsher penalties. Open defiance and desecration of Daoist law are punishable by death.

When performing their duties, Daoist ritual masters may carry ritual seals (Daoist ceremonial implements), and their temporary workplaces are termed "mobile offices." Should a master need to summon divine generals or spirit soldiers for assistance, and the summoned beings deliberately disobey orders, they shall be sentenced to one year of penal labor.

For cases involving high-ranking celestial officials (heavenly deities), a formal petition stating the reasons must be submitted to the celestial court. If a master loses important documents, they must immediately report to the Exorcism Tribunal (Daoist judicial institution) for record-keeping and must recover them within a set timeframe. Failure to recover the documents within the deadline incurs one hundred cane strikes, while timely recovery exempts them from punishment.

Spirit beings (various supernatural entities) who refuse to comply with relocation orders issued by the Exorcism Tribunal shall be exiled three thousand li; repeat offenders face execution. Divine generals or spirit soldiers who accept bribes or intentionally release captured malevolent spirits during apprehension shall serve two years of penal labor. If such actions result in the escape of the offender, they shall receive the same punishment as the escaped offender. Should an offender suddenly die after their crimes are exposed at the ritual altar, the specific circumstances must be memorialized.

Local mountain gods, river gods, city gods (urban guardians), earth gods (Tudigong), and other deities below the third rank must carefully verify the seals upon receiving documents from the Exorcism Tribunal and execute orders immediately. Negligence or delay incurs two years of penal labor. If spirit beings remain in the area after receiving an expulsion order, each day of unauthorized stay adds one year of penal labor, up to a maximum of three years.

Should guardian deities like the Liujia spirits (protective generals) or earth gods secretly harbor malevolent entities that should be expelled, they shall serve three years of penal labor. If such concealment results in human deaths, the penalty is exile of three thousand li, except in cases of special celestial pardon.

When commoners petition masters to handle cases, masters who refuse to accept valid petitions, handle them perfunctorily, or falsely attribute blame to spirit beings shall receive one hundred cane strikes—except when acting without prior petition under special circumstances. Spirit beings who engage in illicit relations with mortals shall be exiled three thousand li; severe cases require higher adjudication, with local deities receiving one degree harsher punishment for similar offenses.

Spirit beings who kill without cause, steal property, and remain unrepentant shall be executed upon capture. Local city gods or earth gods who shield such offenders receive the same punishment, while those guilty of negligence incur one hundred cane strikes. Spirit functionaries who delay assigned duties receive one hundred cane strikes; delays in life-or-death cases incur two years of penal labor, and fatalities resulting from delays warrant exile of three thousand li—unless operating under special celestial amnesty.

This scripture details the reward and punishment system of the Daoist Exorcism Bureau (a celestial institution specializing in banishing evil forces), which functions as the legal code of the heavenly realm. The main principle states that all deities who neglect their duties will face severe penalties.

Regarding natural disasters such as locust plagues, droughts, frost, and hailstorms, if local deities fail to promptly protect people's crops, the Exorcism Bureau will dispatch divine generals to intervene. Deities who disobey orders receive one hundred strokes of the rod, with more severe cases reported to the celestial court.

Divine generals and celestial soldiers who either fail to mobilize when required or act without authorization each receive one hundred strokes. For offenses committed by groups of ten or more, the punishment increases by one degree, with the maximum penalty being three years of penal labor.

When human suffering requires the assistance of spirits, those who ignore summons face exile of three thousand li (approximately 1,500 kilometers). Those who attend but perform their duties negligently receive two years of penal labor. Exemptions apply only to those officially dispatched by the celestial court for other duties.

During epidemics causing sores and swelling, the Twelve Year Kings (zodiacal deities rotating annually) and local spirit officials must obey the Exorcism Bureau's orders. Evil entities must be captured and reported immediately—violators receive one hundred strokes.

Mountain Gods, Earth Gods, and City Gods (guardian deities of settlements) who delay capturing malevolent spirits or deliberately allow them to harm people within their jurisdiction face immediate trial before the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (supreme judge of the underworld). Supervising deities failing oversight also receive one hundred strokes.

Erring City Gods and Earth Gods must be reported to the Great Emperor of the Purple Subtlety (one of Daoism's Four Sovereigns), examined by the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water (who bestow blessings, grant amnesties, and resolve hardships respectively), then handed to the Exorcism Bureau for punishment.

During major epidemics causing human and livestock casualties, the presiding Year King deity must immediately contain the plague while reporting to the celestial court. Violators receive one hundred strokes.

For prisoners suffering prolonged wrongful imprisonment, if earthly courts cannot resolve the case, local City Gods and Mountain Gods must manifest to reveal the truth. Officials learning the facts must immediately exonerate the innocent—negligence incurs one year of penal labor, unless the prisoner is genuinely guilty.

Divine generals leaving their posts without authorization receive one hundred strokes. Emergency situations permit temporary reinforcement from nearby temples, but with a cap of five hundred personnel, followed by commendations for meritorious service.

Spirits delaying celestial mandates face escalating penalties: five days' delay brings one hundred strokes, ten days increases the punishment by one degree, up to three years of penal labor. Legitimate exceptions may appeal to the celestial court.

These regulations embody Daoism's cosmic principle of "rewarding good and punishing evil," asserting that the celestial bureaucracy, like human governance, requires disciplinary systems to effectively safeguard humanity.

The Taishang Zhuguo Jiumin Zongzhen Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials for Assisting the Nation and Saving the People) records specific regulations from early Daoist disciplinary codes concerning spirit governance, divided into the Tai Jia and Tai Wu sections.

The Tai Jia section stipulates: Any demonic entity in mountains, forests, or valleys that repeatedly harms humans must be executed. Lesser spirits under its jurisdiction that have not participated in evil acts should be sent to the Eastern Peak (the divine court of Mount Tai) for judgment. Local officials who fail to detect such demonic threats are to be punished with one hundred cane strikes; those who collude with evil spirits face the same penalty. Tree spirits that receive worship but fail to bestow blessings must be eradicated. However, shrines that genuinely benefit the people should have their merits reported to the imperial court—violators of this rule also receive one hundred cane strikes.

The Tai Wu section details sentencing standards for spirit offenses: Deities who refuse to nurture living beings during famines, or who recklessly summon storms and ruin crops, causing deaths, are to be exiled two thousand li and imprisoned by celestial officials. Spirits stealing goods worth over a thousand coins face exile, while thefts below that amount incur two years of penal labor. Those who steal temple offerings are executed outright. Local deities who tolerate malevolent spirits harming humans must be reported immediately by the Day Patrol Spirits (Riyoushen), with negligent patrols punished by one hundred cane strikes.

Document management is strictly regulated: Guardian deities (Gongcao Jiangli) responsible for subduing demons who delay duties or damage official records receive one hundred cane strikes. Unauthorized breaking of seals results in two years of labor, while leaking secrets leads to three-thousand-li exile. Spirits who claim lives without authorization are executed; those who defy summons serve three years of labor. Spirits are forbidden to dwell among humans without permission—violators are caned one hundred times. Deceptive spirits fraudulently accepting sacrifices face two years of labor, with severe cases sent to the Eastern Peak.

Special provisions: Spirits haunting homes receive one hundred cane strikes for one night’s stay, with penalties increasing by one degree per additional five days, up to two years of labor. Those who refuse celestial orders to leave are executed. Mortals suffering prolonged illnesses who dream of ghostly contact may require exorcism rituals (Zhaijiao). These rules reflect early Daoism’s "governing spirits by law" philosophy, establishing a rigorous legal framework to maintain cosmic and human order.

According to the Supreme Secret Essentials for Assisting the Nation and Saving the People, the Exorcism Tribunal under the jurisdiction of the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (the Daoist deity governing the underworld) maintains a rigorous system for managing spirits and ghosts:

Regulations concerning terrestrial deities (earth gods): If a local earth deity fails to promptly report anomalies, they shall receive one hundred cane strikes. Officials of the Exorcism Tribunal may mobilize mountain and river deities to capture troublesome ghosts. Negligence in duty results in one year of penal servitude.

Water management rules: Regardless of a river's size or depth, if water sources fail to nourish crops on schedule, the Nine Riverwater Emperors (deities governing water bodies) will record merits and demerits for reporting. Violators receive one hundred cane strikes. Dragon deities causing unwarranted storms that damage crops are sentenced to one year of servitude; those extorting sacrifices receive two years. Flooding affecting over fifty households due to mismanagement leads to exile of three thousand li; fewer than fifty households incurs three years' penalty. Special considerations apply during famine years.

Regarding malicious spirit activity: Unresolved vengeful ghosts harming the living—even without fatalities—face "form annihilation" (soul dispersion) in the underworld. Malicious spirits harming without cause receive exile for minor offenses, and execution for causing deaths. Ghosts setting fires destroying over ten households face immediate execution; fewer than ten households brings three years' hard labor plus heavy servitude in Fengdu (the underworld capital). Complicit earth deities receive equal punishment.

These statutes reflect Daoism's governance principle of "yang laws and yin justice" working in tandem—regulating natural deities' responsibilities while severely punishing spirits endangering the human realm, thereby maintaining order across both yin and yang worlds.

The Supreme Secret Essentials for Assisting the Nation and Saving the People primarily outlines regulations governing various ghosts and deities, effectively serving as the legal code of the underworld.

Penal Provisions for Wandering Spirits and Wild Ghosts:

Unregistered solitary spirits and wild ghosts who linger in the human realm after death must perform one year of forced labor. Those who impersonate deities to deceive people into offering sacrifices or harm the living are to be exiled for two thousand li. Local earth gods (Tudi Shen) who knowingly fail to report such cases will be similarly punished. Malevolent ghosts that harm the living and then hide are sentenced to three years of labor; those who resist arrest and fight against underworld soldiers are to be executed immediately. Wild ghosts that harass the living under the guise of recently deceased souls to demand offerings are exiled for two thousand li; if they take human lives, their spirits are to be annihilated.

If one’s own ancestors cause disturbances due to lack of offerings, they may be appeased with food sacrifices and guided toward liberation through rituals. However, if they continue to harm the living after receiving offerings, they are to be delivered to the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (Dongyue Dadi), the Daoist sovereign of the underworld, for registration and imprisonment.

Regulations on State Sanctioned Sacrifices:

Unauthorized temples not listed in official sacrificial records that engage in demonic activities or delude the populace are exiled for three thousand li; those responsible for deaths are to be destroyed outright. Deities not officially recognized but genuinely protective of the people may have their merits reported for possible canonization. However, if they exploit their merits to spread plagues or forcibly demand worship, they are sentenced to three years of labor; those who take lives are exiled for three thousand li, and those responsible for ten or more deaths are annihilated.

Local earth gods, as well as deities of land and water, are forbidden from accepting improper sacrifices or participating in heretical rites involving live offerings. Violators face severe punishment by the Three Officials (Sanguan) of Heaven, Earth, and Water, the Daoist triad of cosmic overseers. Officially recognized deities who harm the mortal realm must be reported to the celestial court for judgment. Shrines dedicated to historical figures that endanger the people must be disbanded immediately; those refusing to depart are reported to the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak for disposal.

Provisions on Urgent Reports:

Exceptionally urgent underworld documents must be answered within four shichen (a traditional time unit, roughly two hours each)—note that celestial and underworld deadlines differ. Delays or errors incur one hundred lashes for the responsible underworld officers.

The Supreme Secret Essentials for Assisting the State and Saving the People details the regulations and disciplinary measures of the Daoist Exorcism Bureau (an institution specializing in dispelling evil and subduing demons).

Official petitions from the Exorcism Bureau to the celestial court are categorized into three urgency levels: the most urgent must be processed within one day, moderately urgent within three days, and routine matters within seven days. These petitions must be transmitted via formal documents, escorted through each jurisdiction until delivered. Deliberate obstruction or delay incurs punishment—one day’s delay warrants one hundred strokes of the rod, two days’ delay increases the penalty by one degree, with a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment. Particularly severe cases must be reported to the celestial court.

The ritual robes (fafu), star crowns (xingguan), and vermilion shoes (zhuxie) of Exorcism Bureau officials may only be worn during demon-subduing ceremonies. Violators face one year’s imprisonment. Unnecessarily disturbing spirits or deities outside of rituals incurs a two-year sentence.

The spiritual offices (fazhi) of the bureau’s officials are conferred by the Shangqing Jade Registers (a celestial roster of immortals), granting authority over demons across the Three Realms. The formal appointment documents must be inscribed in red and black characters on yellow silk, mounted as scrolls, and presented to the recipient. Masters must instruct disciples that all esoteric oral teachings (kǒujué) must be transmitted strictly through direct oral instruction without omission. Violators are monitored by the Three Officials (Sanguan—the Great Emperors of Heaven, Earth, and Water).

Judges (faguan) who impart orthodox methods (zhengfa) to virtuous practitioners and achieve notable success in saving lives may submit annual merit petitions for exceptional imperial rewards.

Failing to recommend deserving candidates or recommending unworthy ones incurs one year’s imprisonment. Unauthorized transmission of ritual seals (fayin) or oral teachings without reporting carries the same penalty. If the master voluntarily reports the violation within 100 days, the disciple is exempt; otherwise, both are punished equally.

Disciples who disregard their master’s instructions or violate ritual protocols after ordination face one year’s imprisonment. Severe offenses may prompt the master to petition the celestial court—first annihilating the offender’s physical body, then extending punishment to their clan.

If a Daoist seeks to transmit methods to save lives but the presiding master obstructs them for personal gain, the master receives one hundred strokes. Accepting bribes—one bolt of cloth warrants one year’s imprisonment, ten bolts increase the penalty by one degree (up to three years), accompanied by demotion by two ranks. Accepting food or wine as bribes incurs the same penalty.

Judges who save twenty critically ill patients annually are eligible for promotion by one rank.

This Daoist disciplinary text primarily addresses regulations concerning the promotion of ritual masters (fashi), the transmission and use of esoteric arts, and penalties for violations. The specific provisions are as follows:

Regarding rank advancement: If a group exceeds twenty members, promotions may follow the celestial hierarchy system. However, falsely petitioning for rank elevation in the human realm or fabricating merits to obtain positions warrants one year of penal labor. Those who falsely claim to have received official ritual titles before formal application receive two years of labor. Similarly, those whose petitions are pending but prematurely assume master-disciple relationships also incur two years of penal labor.

For newly appointed masters learning celestial talismans (tianfu), star-diagram seals (xingdou yinjue), and other arts: Practice talismans must be carved on gold, jade, or fragrant wood. After practice, they must be immediately cleansed with perfumed water and cast into flowing rivers—violators face one year of penal labor.

Strict limitations govern orthodox method (zhengfa) transmission: It is forbidden to teach casually for profit or to accept payment but later refuse instruction—both offenses incur two years of labor. Teaching counterfeit arts under the guise of orthodox methods warrants three years. Unauthorized display of orthodox methods or ghost statutes (guilü) to outsiders, permitting their copying for frivolous purposes, or discussing secret techniques with non-practitioners all carry three-year penalties. Using arts to mock spirits (shen) brings one year of labor, while deliberately enabling others to harm spirits through magic incurs two years—if this results in death, the punishment is exile to three thousand li (approximately 1,500 kilometers).

Scriptural study and cultivation require dignified decorum and cleanliness; violations lead to two-thousand-li exile. When submitting petitions to the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) celestial court, they must be transmitted through the duty officer (gongcao) of the day. Spirit capture must be executed by the temple's designated divine generals. Failure to report when required or improper reporting both warrant one hundred cane strikes.

For transmitting celestial texts and secret registers (tianshu milu): Copies may be made, but the original must be stored in stone caskets within sacred mountain caves. Upon promotion, all previously learned scriptures and talismans must be incinerated and cast into rivers—only documents corresponding to one's current rank may be retained. Unburned materials should be wrapped in old ritual robes before river disposal. Used talismanic brushes, cinnabar, and ritual implements must be burned and sunk in water or buried in mountain stone chambers, sealed with esoteric hand-seals (juefa)—violators face one year of labor.

These precepts reflect Daoism's rigorous approach to esoteric transmission, prohibiting the exploitation of arts for personal gain or sacrilege against the sacred. All ritual objects and scriptures must be handled reverently to maintain their sanctity. Penalties—primarily labor or exile—mirror characteristics of ancient religious jurisprudence.

This passage outlines the regulations concerning the transmission of Daoist lineages (chuandu) and the conduct of ritual masters (faguan) who perform Daoist rites.

Regarding the timing of transmission ceremonies, they may be held on Jiazi days, Gengshen days, during the Three Primes festivals (Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, Xiayuan), the Eight Solar Terms (beginning with Lichun, the Start of Spring), the Five La fasting days (important Daoist purification days), or one's birth zodiac day. Disciples must kneel to receive ritual implements such as ceremonial swords, seals, oral instructions, brush and inkstone, and cinnabar—all of which must first be consecrated through sacrificial rites. Valuable offerings of gold and silver should be melted into coins for deity offerings or charity to the poor; personal misuse incurs three years of penal labor.

When a ritual master's sudden death is preceded by supernatural omens, this signifies a celestial summons. Without such signs, it indicates arrest by underworld officials. In such cases, relatives must immediately burn the master's ordination documents (fadie) and ritual robes (the credential papers and rank-specific regalia bestowed by their teacher) and scatter the ashes into the Yangtze River, transmitting them via the Water Official to underworld authorities. Violators face two years of penal labor.

When a master completes their spiritual merit and receives celestial summons, physical signs manifest: the body undulates like a crawling snake, ears hear wind sounds, eyes glaze over, the neck stiffens, kidney pain arises, and internal Qi surges from the Yongquan point at the feet to burst through the crown. At this time, ordination documents and talismanic seals must be properly sealed, clean ritual robes donned, and final arrangements made before ascension—attended by auspicious clouds and immortal officials. If the body fails prematurely, local earth deities will assist relatives in handling the remains accordingly. Violators face exile over three thousand li, with capital punishment for severe cases.

Regulations for ritual implements: scriptures recording ghost statutes must be stored in incense boxes with colored pouches. Before consultation, practitioners must purify their mind and establish protective boundaries, reading no more than five lines at a time to prevent spirit theft. Laypersons demonstrating merit through effective exorcism and community service may be accepted as disciples for orthodox teachings. Unconsecrated temple implements—including ritual swords, seals, writing tools, cinnabar, and sanctified water—are strictly prohibited from personal use. Disciples must kneel during initiation, and blood-oath covenants are required when masters ascend the altar to impart precepts.

This scripture outlines the specific operational protocols that Daoist ritual masters (Faguan) must observe when performing exorcisms, healing rituals, and ceremonial offerings.

Regarding oath-taking ceremonies: The master must first drink cinnabar-infused water, divide golden rings, and break talismanic pledges to swear sacred vows before receiving secret formulas and magical scripts. When kneeling to accept the official seal and sword symbolizing spiritual authority, they must report to the deities while dispersing the Three Corpses (the three malevolent spirits believed to reside within the human body) to the limbs, thereby absolving sins and aligning their actions with celestial will.

On managing exorcism personnel: Deity generals and soldiers dispatched by the Great Emperor of Eastern Peak (Dongyue Dadi) should be rewarded with wine, food, and monetary offerings. They must remain at their posts in constant readiness, never to be deployed for personal purposes.

Protocols for processions: When passing temples, the master must form the Celestial Warrior hand-seal (Tianjue), sound the celestial drum, and summon inner spirit officials and guardian generals to form an imposing retinue—ensuring divine beings will naturally respond with reverence.

Taboos for sacrificial rites: Morning offerings should harness vibrant Yang Qi. When submitting memorials during zhaijiao purification rituals, sandalwood and frankincense must not be burned.

Healing principles: If exhaustive efforts cannot save a patient, it signifies their lifespan's natural conclusion, making further rituals unnecessary. Petitions for saving lives should be concise, emphasizing mortal peril to seek heavenly mercy.

Case handling procedures: Upon receiving exorcism petitions, the master must enter a divine trance state to process cases, stamp documents, and dispatch envoys. For memorials to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and Jade Emperor, select auspicious timings—first burn protective talismans with documents, then dispatch merit-officer deities (heavenly messengers) for delivery.

Altar arrangements: Seat the Investigative Envoy (a supervisory deity) separately beside the Three Pure Ones' altar—no other deity positions may approach the main shrine.

Document preparation: Before writing petitions in meditation chambers, protect the space with ritual dippers to prevent mental distractions. Suppress vengeful spirits with ritual implements when encountering haunting deceased souls.

Livestock plagues: Investigate casualty numbers and submit petitions to the Year-King Deity (Nianwang Shen) responsible for animal welfare to dispel epidemics.

Handling offerings: Price donated items according to the donor's sincerity, dividing proceeds threefold: one portion for ritual offerings, one for almsgiving, and one for temple maintenance.

Disciplinary measures: For recalcitrant evil entities, establish hell prisons for confinement and punishment.

When spiritual disturbances caused by malevolent entities lead to mental restlessness and weakened kidney Qi, one may ingest or wear Fulu (Daoist talismanic registers) to suppress the affliction.

For children experiencing nighttime frights and incessant crying, the Kitchen God of the household, the Eaves Deity, and the Four Heavenly Kings should be petitioned for intervention. The Swift-Flying Celestial Messenger, however, requires the Three Lights Talisman (imbued with the power of sun, moon, and stars) for effective remedy.

Officials performing Daoist rituals to aid people daily must cover their own expenses without accepting bribes, as Heaven will naturally bestow blessings accordingly. For major affairs, submitting memorial petitions with sincere devotion ensures unseen assistance will manifest without lack. Those who unlawfully collect wealth from commoners forfeit worldly blessings.

If a household stove or business establishment is oppressed by malign Qi, disrupting operations, dispatch deities using the Three Lights Talisman to restore order.

Before construction or renovation projects, issue documents to appease the Grand Duke of Jupiter (Taisui) and subordinate Earth Spirits to prevent their mischief.

When strange phenomena occur near ponds or embankments—causing abnormal construction delays or untimely damage—commission the local Earth God to expel the disturbances. Should the malign entities resist, suppress them with the Three Lights Talisman before legal adjudication.

During epidemics, follow protocol by petitioning Earth Gods and other deities while submitting documents to the Annual Plague God to recall toxic Qi. For urgent petitions, temple officials must perform the Yu Steps (Daoist ritual pacing), undergo spirit possession, and silently recite memorials.

For childless widows or the destitute lacking descendants, first resolve the Three Punishments and Six Harms (inauspicious astrological configurations) through ritual before bestowing protective talismans.

When residential environments suffer geopathic stress, Yin-Yang imbalance, familial discord, or chronic misfortune, grant authentic Zhengyi registers to neutralize these afflictions.

Handle affairs with measured judgment—never casually mobilize celestial generals or spirit soldiers. Address petitions immediately without blaming ghosts and deities.

When transmitting orthodox Daoist methods, select an auspicious day to conduct the Transmission Rite (Zhaijiao), offering 120 portions of spirit money according to liturgical protocols. Half-offerings are permissible with prior notification to Heaven and Earth. After submitting the Recommendation Document, properly confer incantations, official appointments, and authentic registers while notifying the Eastern Peak Emperor (Dongyue Dadi) to transfer the recipient's celestial registry and absolve nine generations of ancestors—liberating them from purgatory to heavenly rebirth. All altar procedures must strictly adhere to the school's canonical regulations.

In the Daoist Exorcism Bureau (an institution specializing in subduing demons and eliminating evil), the promotion system for judges follows a hierarchical structure: one begins as the Right Judge, then advances to Right Chief Judge, followed by Left Judge, and then Left Chief Judge. These positions all involve shared responsibility for managing the affairs of the Exorcism Bureau. If one accumulates sufficient merit (De), they may ascend to the ranks of immortals, becoming a Grand Dharma Master (Dutian Dafazhu) and participating in the decision-making processes of the bureau.

Those with even greater merit progress through the following positions in sequence:

• Golden Hall Minister of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Jinqu Dafu) — requires saving over twenty people within a year or successfully praying for rain during droughts or floods.
• Minister of the Water Department (Shui Bu Shangshu)
• Minister of the Wood Department (Mu Bu Shangshu)
• Minister of the Earth Department (Tu Bu Shangshu)
• Minister of the Metal Department (Jin Bu Shangshu)
• Minister of the Fire Department (Huo Bu Shangshu) (each of these requires saving more than twenty people annually).

For particularly outstanding achievements—such as averting major calamities—one may rise further to become an Envoy of the Purple Tenuity Palace (Ziwei Gongshi) or Daily Duty Primordial Lord (Rizhi Yuanjun), which demands assisting the nation in eliminating disasters, stabilizing borders, and secretly deploying underworld soldiers to protect imperial rule within a year.

Those who eradicate natural disasters like locust plagues within a year are granted the title Censor of the Golden Hall of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Jinqu Yushi). If one voluntarily establishes an altar on a sacred mountain, submits memorials praying for the emperor’s longevity, and achieves verifiable spiritual efficacy, they may ascend to Attendant of the Golden Hall Upper Immortals (Jinqu Shangxian Shizhong).

Further cultivation leading to transcendence of worldly concerns, aiding sentient beings in escaping suffering, and personally petitioning the Southern Bureau (a netherworld administrative office) to bless the people qualifies one for successive promotions:

• Prime Minister of the Purple Mansion (Zifu Shangxiang)
• Grand Minister of the Mystic Metropolis (Xuandu Daxiang)
• Upper Minister of the Great Mystery (Taixuan Shangxiang)
• Upper Minister of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji Shangxiang)
• Upper Minister of the Golden Hall (Jinqu Shangxiang)

The highest attainment is reserved for those who grasp the true meaning of the Dao (Dao), unbound by mere words, capable of quelling disturbances by flood dragons in rivers and lakes, landslides, and floods—truly benefiting the nation and its people. Such individuals are enfeoffed as Supreme Minister of the Infinite (Wuji Shangxiang).

From Daily Duty Primordial Lord to Supreme Minister of the Infinite, there are nine levels of promotion, requiring the attainment of the Nine Great Registers of the Shangqing Tradition (Shangqing Jiudeng Dafulu), the highest Daoist ordination credentials. Other positions follow the celestial bureaucracy system, prioritizing the Three Primes (Sanyuan: Upper, Middle, and Lower Origin) as the primary standard. Promotion begins below the Dongshen (Cavern of Spirit) level, starting as a Lower Origin First-Rank Immortal Official (Xiayuan Yipin Xianguan), then advancing to Commissioner of the Northern Pole Exorcism Bureau (Zhi Beiji Quxie Yuanshi), followed by Middle Origin First-Rank Immortal Official Judging the Northern Pole Exorcism Bureau (Zhongyuan Yipin Xianguan Pan Beiji Quxie Yuan), and ultimately reaching the Upper Origin level.

This scripture outlines the ceremonial protocols for high-ranking Daoist immortals (First-Rank Immortal Official and Judge of Fengdu) who, after completing their meritorious cultivation, may ascend to the Golden Palace (celestial court) to serve the Three Pure Ones (Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure—the highest triad of deities).

When submitting memorials to the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, or the Big Dipper Lords, the officiating priest must first transform into divine form. The memorial should clearly state the purpose, with the priest referring to themselves as "your subject," following prescribed procedures for document submission, and concluding with the invocation "May the talisman be received and implemented." During daily travels, the ritual master should silently visualize the Six Ding Generals, Four Seasonal Duty Officers, local earth deities, and seal-guarding warriors as their protective entourage, while magically instructing them against errors.

For audiences with the Celestial Emperor to expel pestilence and evil forces, the master must first don the Big Dipper Talisman of the Three Platforms, assuming the identity of an Exorcism Court Emissary. The audience location varies seasonally: the Golden Hall during New Year, the Lapis Lazuli Hall in spring, the Jeweled Pearl Hall in summer, the Silver Hall in autumn, and the Crystal Hall in winter. After presenting matters, the master must proceed to the Celestial Pivot Court to lead the Four Heavenly Kings, Twelve Great Generals, and other celestial troops through the heavenly gate on missions.

Establishing a Celestial Prison (a Daoist boundary for suppressing evil) requires first petitioning the Lord of Mount Tai with details of time and location, then memorializing the Celestial Emperor to confirm compliance with Five Dippers Prison regulations. Talismans must be written with "Heavenly Virtue Brushes" or "Monthly Virtue Brushes" crafted on auspicious dates, using Black Emperor Ink, cinnabar, and the Five Dragons Precious Inkstone. Only after gathering heaven-earth Qi (vital energy) through transmitted methods may they be employed.

When subduing fierce spirits, the master should tactfully dispatch divine generals while forming the "Demon-Restraining Mudra," covering themselves with the Big Dipper Seal, and proclaiming: "Your transgressions are temporarily recorded—my fundamental purpose is delivering the people." For disaster-relief and blessing rituals (Zhaijiao), the master must first submit memorials to the True Lords of Constellations as a "disciple," expressing sincere petitions for calamity-dispelling and longevity.

The text concludes with key points for pacing the stars (Daoist ritual steps) and incantations: pause at the Heavenly Gang position while snapping fingers to form seals; when drawing talismans and chanting, star-pacing must begin from the Big Dipper's first star, the Greedy Wolf. These protocols embody the sacred correspondence between heaven and humanity in Daoist ritual systems.

This scripture describes Daoist rituals for worshipping deities and the accompanying incantations.

The ceremonies should be conducted on specific days corresponding to each season: six Jia days in spring, six Bing days in summer, six Geng days in autumn, and six Gui days in winter. The altar is set outside the gate, offering vegetarian fruits, jujube soup and other tributes, primarily to the Three Realms Messengers (celestial beings responsible for communication), the Four Duty Recorders (deities documenting merits and faults), and the local Earth God. First, paper money must be burned for the Earth God, followed by an explanation of the ritual's purpose.

During the ceremony, the following invocation is recited: "By the decree of the Jade Emperor, I assist in the operation of the Dao (the Way), supporting the nation and relieving the people. All acts of talismanic magic (Fulu), exorcisms, healing, and dispelling misfortunes require your divine messengers' mediation. Today we prepare wine, fruits, and paper money as offerings, humbly requesting your mighty spiritual power to bless all beings."

This is followed by two oath texts:

The first, "Oath to the Duty Recorders," states: "You deities have attained supreme divinity through your past cultivation of the Great Dao (the Way). You relieve suffering, traverse the realms of Yin-Yang, and possess boundless spiritual power (Shen). Evil spirits tremble at your name, and the sick recover at your presence. As I subdue demons through orthodox methods, I require your mighty power to capture ghosts, eliminate calamities, and bring blessings to the people. Today's modest offerings express our gratitude—please partake of these tributes."

The second, "Oath to the Divine Generals," addresses the martial hosts dispatched by the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (Dongyue): "Eat and drink your fill, marshal your majesty, and strictly observe celestial laws. With peerless martial skills and profound strategy, you come by the Eastern Peak Emperor's command to vanquish evil. At your mere approach, malicious spirits shall dissipate like dust. Your service to the nation and relief of the people create immeasurable merit. As a Dao cultivator, I rely on your protection—to refine my nature and attain immortality through inner cultivation (Neidan), to propagate the orthodox path and accumulate hidden virtue. May we jointly accomplish these merits through your divine power."

The text mentions "six Jia days" and similar terms referring to specific dates in the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches calendar system. The "Three Realms Messengers" are celestial beings in Daoism responsible for message delivery, while the "Four Duty Recorders" are deities recording human virtues and faults. "Eastern Peak" refers to Mount Tai, a significant abode of deities in Daoist tradition.

This scripture primarily describes how the divine generals and officers of the Northern Pole Demon-Subduing Court (a crucial Taoist institution for exorcism) assist cultivators in upholding orthodox teachings and delivering sentient beings.

The text explains that when practitioners accumulate virtuous deeds—such as healing the populace, dispelling pathogenic influences, and eradicating malevolent entities—they stimulate the flourishing of blessings. Such actions not only benefit all beings but also allow the guardian deities to share in the accumulated merit. All conduct should align with celestial principles, eliminating wickedness while supporting righteous paths, ultimately overcoming cunning stratagems through the transformative power of De (Virtue).

The divine officers of the Northern Pole Demon-Subduing Court operate under the Jade Emperor's imperial decree. They wield celestial seals (Taoist ritual implements) ranging from the smallest (1.8 square inches) to the largest (5 square inches). These sacred seals can mobilize countless celestial troops, terrifying demonic entities upon sight and restoring peace to the afflicted. The deities can manifest in colossal forms (with heads touching Mount Sumeru and shoulders bearing the sun and moon) or shrink to conceal themselves within a single hair strand, demonstrating their boundless supernatural powers.

A stern warning is issued: any divine officer who deliberately disobeys commands or neglects duties will face severe punishment. Normally, these deities remain on rotational standby, appearing only when summoned and otherwise dwelling invisibly between heaven and earth. The scripture concludes by emphasizing that these decrees must be clearly communicated to all celestial officers.

(Note: The character "垓" represents an ancient numerical unit equal to 10²⁰; "Mount Sumeru" refers to the cosmic mountain at the center of Buddhist cosmology, reflecting Taoist-Buddhist syncretism here; "Emperor's Bell" denotes the Taoist ritual instrument Sanqing chimes.)

This scripture documents the Daoist protocols for summoning celestial soldiers and divine generals. It enumerates the names and duties of various heavenly troops: the Southern Dipper's celestial soldiers number 3,600, the Black Fiend divine troops 50,000, along with systematically organized heavenly forces like the Four Wheels Orthodox Unit and the Radiant Light Division. These include deities such as Celestial Guards (Tian Ding), Powerful Warriors (Li Shi), Vajra Guardians (Jin Gang), and Great Illumination Beings (Da Ming), plus 1,000 Flying Dragon Cavalry Officers (Fei Long Qi Li) assigned specialized tasks like dragon-slaying and watercourse control.

Special instructions note that troops dispatched from Mount Tai must be divided into two shifts rotating daily to accompany ritual masters. Exceptions may be made for emergencies, but all forces must remain stationed at designated bases without unauthorized movement. Two chief deities—the Commander of Troops (Tong Bing Shen Jiang) and the Ritual-Assisting General (Zhu Fa Shen Jiang)—oversee deployment, with cavalry and infantry numbers to be reported to the Eastern Peak (Mount Tai's deity).

The text emphasizes strict obedience: meritorious service earns heavenly rewards while disobedience brings severe punishment. It concludes with issuance dates and the officiating ritual master's seal.

(Note: This forms part of Daoist "Chu Guan" liturgy where masters invoke celestial armies through talismans (Fulu) for exorcisms and disaster-averting rituals, embodying Daoism's "state-protecting, people-saving" ethos. The Mount Tai contingent reflects the sacred mountain's unique status in Daoist belief as the underworld's administrative center.)