《上清太微帝君結帶真文法》

This passage describes an esoteric practice from the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition of Daoism called the "Method of Binding the Authentic Text Ribbon," also known as the "Intertwined Ribbon Text." It originates from the Scripture of the Supreme Ultimate's Intertwined Ribbon, preserved in Volume 31 of the Dongzhen (Cavern of Perfection) section of the Daoist canon, transmitted by Master Lu Xiujing, the eminent Southern Dynasties Daoist.

The method requires first observing a 30-day purification retreat (zhaijie) to cleanse body and mind, preparing eight taels of gold and nine pairs of jade clasps as ritual implements. The core practice involves:

1. The Great Subtlety Emperor Lord (Taiwei Dijun), a revered Daoist deity, observes purification in the Jade Clarity Heaven while receiving a covenant transmitted by the Supreme Jade Emperor (Gaoshang Yuhuang). Passing through the nine celestial gates, he binds the ritual ribbon and makes an oath in the Great Void, summoning the Nine Heavenly Deities and Five Directional Essences to mobilize countless divine guardians.

2. The method consists of three sets of talismans (fulu):

• Upper Nine Talismans: Symbolizing the primordial Jing-Qi congealed by the Supreme Jade Emperor in the cosmic void. Written with yellow ink and ingested while facing north (a Daoist talisman ingestion practice), they enable shape-shifting and celestial travel on feathered canopies amidst rosy clouds.
• Middle Nine Talismans: Condensed from the pure Qi of the Nine Heavens. Written with azure ink and ingested while facing north, they grant flight through the Nine Heavens.
• Lower Five Talismans: Representing the foundational Qi of the Five Directional Thearchs. Written with vermilion ink and ingested while facing west, they emit five-colored divine light for ascension to the Great Clarity Realm.

3. Production specifications: Men use white silk (9 chi long × 9 cun wide, symbolizing the ultimate yang number 9×9), while women use purple silk. The text sternly warns that divulging these secrets brings ancestral punishment for seven generations, with no hope of liberation—only those meeting the Purple Simplicity Covenant standards of realization may receive transmission.

Note: "Talisman ingestion" (fu fu) refers to the common Daoist practice of consuming ashes from burned talisman-inscribed silk or wearing them as amulets. This ritual requires precise orientation, timing, and visualization (cunsi) techniques.