《靈寶文檢》Vol. 11

Lingbao Textual Forms, Volume One: Advance Memorial for the Great Yellow Register Retreat—Memorial to the Three Pure Ones

Plain-language interpretation

This volume belongs to the system of the Secret Registers of the Central Alliance of Lingbao. It was originally compiled by the Golden Body, a True Adept and ritual officer of the Southern Bureau of Justice; later it was revised by the Cloud Pavilion of Ancient Ling; and it was collated anew by Chen Fuxuan, a later student of Jinxi, whose style name was Hanpu.

The following is the advance memorial submitted before a Great Yellow Register Retreat. It is addressed to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing): the three highest Celestial Worthies of Jade Clarity, Highest Clarity, and Great Clarity.

Your servant, whose office is duly recorded, bows low and prostrates himself a hundred times before presenting this memorial:

I, your servant, dare risk the crime of execution by axe and presume to disturb the hearing of Heaven. I respectfully submit that the Daoist believer (name), of (place of origin), has presented a petition. I shall respectfully proceed to (place) to establish an unsurpassed Great Yellow Register Retreat for (number) days and nights, praying for blessings and beneficence and seeking to recommend and deliver the souls of the deceased (name), the spirits of departed ancestors, and all wandering souls and scattered spirits detained in the netherworld—including beings in the Three Paths of Misfortune and Five Destinies, and all categories of beings born in the Four Modes.

In response to the urgency of this petition, I dare not refuse or delay. The date of (date) has already been selected for the opening of the altar and the commencement of the retreat. A separate, detailed memorial will be submitted. I respectfully record this petition now and present it in advance.

The foregoing petition is respectfully submitted to:

The Primordial Celestial Worthy of the Cavern of Truth, in the sacred realm of Jade Clarity (before the jade throne);

The Celestial Worthy of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern of Mystery, in the sacred realm of Highest Clarity (before the jade throne);

The Celestial Worthy of the Way and Its Virtue of the Cavern of Spirit, in the immortal realm of Great Clarity (before the jade throne).

I humbly pray that, through the compassionate kindness of the Dao, you will grant approval to this memorial, bestow beneficence in advance upon the Three Realms, and first issue your commands to the ten directions, so that all may be informed and all arrangements may receive your attention and be carried out.

I have presumptuously trespassed upon Heaven’s majesty. I am filled with fear and urgency. Deeply conscious of my guilt, I am sincerely fearful and in awe. I bow my head to the ground, prostrate myself, and bow again. I respectfully submit this memorial for your consideration and await your sacred decree.

(The words “Sacred Decree” are written at the top of a strip of plain paper, eight fen wide and the same length as the main sheet. Leave three blank lines below.)

On an auspicious day in the (month) year of (era), your servant, whose office is duly recorded, submits this memorial.

Outer-cover inscription:

Celestial Worthies of the Three Pure Ones and Three Realms of Empty Nonbeing and Natural Spontaneity (before the jade throne)—submitted by your servant, whose office is duly recorded.

Background: The Great Yellow Register Retreat is a major Daoist salvation ritual. Before it begins, a memorial is submitted to the Three Pure Ones to state for whom the retreat is being performed and when the altar will be opened, and to ask the Celestial Worthies to bestow beneficence upon the Three Realms and transmit their commands to the ten directions, so that the subsequent liturgy can proceed in accordance with ritual law. Phrases such as “your servant, whose office is duly recorded” and “before the jade throne” are fixed forms used in ritual documents. The servant’s name, place of origin, and the believer’s name are filled in when the ritual is performed.

A Plain Language Interpretation of the Lingbao Wenjian

I. Cover of the Petition

To: The Heavenly Worthies of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and the Three Heavens of the Void and Natural Way (beneath the jade table)

Your servant, an ordained Daoist of a certain rank, respectfully submits this petition and seals it with due care.

II. Outer Envelope

The petition is addressed and sent to—

The Upper Clarity Celestial Pivot Bureau: for forwarding

Your servant, an ordained Daoist of a certain rank, respectfully secures the seal.

(Note: The format for the August Heaven is the same as that for the Three Pure Ones, except that the words “Heaven’s compassion” are used instead.)

III. Forwarding Petition of the Celestial Pivot Bureau

Your servant, an ordained Daoist of the surname X:

On behalf of a certain person, I propose to hold, on a certain day of this month at a certain place, a Supreme Yellow Register Great Purification Ritual lasting [a certain number of] days and nights. I now submit this petition in advance to the Golden Palaces of the Three Pure Ones.

As this matter must be formally reported to the Golden Palace of the August Heaven, I hereby submit it for the record.

This petition is respectfully presented by your servant, A.

Your servant humbly looks to the True Lord who presides over the Celestial Pivot Bureau beneath the gates of the Three Heavens, and asks that, in your sacred compassion, you kindly forward this petition. Respectfully submitted.

(Do not enclose a yellow inner slip. If petitioning the Jade Emperor alone, place this petition inside the petition envelope.)

IV. Eastern Pole Azure Palace

Your servant, an ordained Daoist of the surname X (as above).

To the Greatly Compassionate, Benevolent and Sagely Taiyi Heavenly Worthy of the Eastern Pole Azure Palace, Who Hears the Cries of the World and Saves Them from Suffering (beneath the lion throne): I humbly ask that your compassionate Dao look down and take pity, magnify your vow, and spread the radiance of your compassion, shining throughout the Three Realms and the ten directions: the heavenly prisons and earthly hells, the shadowy realms and underworld courts, and every dark road and nocturnal realm. May they all be cleared and brightened. I further ask that you send forth the flying celestial spirits to deliver orders first to the underworld offices, so that all guilty souls may be released without delay and gathered together to wait. When the command talisman of the Nine Dragons arrives, send them to the place of the purification ritual, where they may receive the grace of the Dao and attain fruition in the realm of rebirth.

I have presumed to approach the majesty of the Dao and am filled with the utmost trembling and fear. (As above.)

V. Nine Sovereigns of the Northern Dipper / Palace of the Northern Dipper

Your servant, an ordained Daoist of a certain rank:

In addition to what your servant has already reported above (and so on), I now propose to issue in advance the secret writs of the Dark Underworld and the jade documents of Primordial Chaos. I dare not proceed on my own authority, and must first record the matter in a petition and report it for approval.

This petition is respectfully submitted to—

The Great Sages of the Central Heaven, the Nine Sovereigns of the Northern Dipper, Lords of the Dao of the Stars, and the Nine Perfected Ladies of the Northern Dipper: I humbly ask for your true compassion and approval of what your servant has requested, and respectfully seek your special favor for [your servant, X]…

Brief Explanation

The text above gives the formal petition format used in Lingbao purification rites, large scale Daoist purification and offering ceremonies. It is like an official application submitted to the various departments of the heavenly court:

The overall procedure is as follows: before holding a purification ritual, the Daoist submits petitions in turn to the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, the Heavenly Worthy who saves those in suffering, the Lords of the Northern Dipper, and others. The petitions seek permission to establish the ritual altar, request the release of guilty souls from the underworld in advance, and summon the dead to gather and receive the rites.

This scripture is a memorial document used in Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals), where the priest petitions the deities to dispatch divine generals to assist in the salvation of departed souls.

The priest humbly refers to himself as "your servant" and respectfully invokes the assistance of the two sages Shenhu and Heqiao, along with the seven jade maidens, three ministerial envoys, and the four generals Huan, Liu, Wu, and Lu, leading all relevant underworld officials. Holding the ceremonial jade tablet (a Daoist ritual implement), they are to traverse the ten directions and three realms (heaven, earth, and water), as well as the various hells and underworld domains, to summon souls from the five paths (celestial, human, animal, hungry ghost, and hellish), the four modes of birth (womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born), and the three tortures (fire, blood, and blade). In particular, they are to guide the soul of the deceased out of the underworld to the ritual altar, where it may receive liberation and rebirth.

The memorial is then submitted to the "Supreme Mysterious Capital Bureau" (a celestial administrative body in Daoism), announcing that an auspicious date has been chosen to establish the ritual altar. It implores the cooperation of the deities of the three realms (heaven, earth, and water) to ensure the proper execution of all ritual documents and directives.

Finally, the priest addresses the "Palace of the Three Primordial Emperors" (the abodes of the Three Officials—Heavenly, Earthly, and Watery Emperors), explaining that the ritual is being conducted to honor the departed and seek their salvation. The text extols the Three Officials' governance through wuwei (non-action) and their virtuous rule over the three realms, while acknowledging the priest’s own humble abilities—comparing himself to mere grass and wood—yet earnestly beseeching the deities’ boundless compassion to deliver all beings.

Note: This follows the standard format of Daoist zhaijiao documents, which includes:

1. Invocation of Deities – Summoning various divine beings for assistance.

2. Memorial Submission – Reporting the ritual to celestial authorities.

3. Supplication – Pleading for the Three Officials’ mercy in salvation.

The text repeatedly employs deferential phrases such as "in utmost reverence and trepidation," reflecting the characteristic humility of Daoist liturgical language.

This scripture is a memorial document (zouzhang) used in Daoist purification rituals (zhaijiao), expressing the reverent supplications of the ritual master (who humbly refers to himself as "this unworthy one") when conducting ceremonies to liberate departed souls. Let me explain its core content in sections:

The master first modestly states that although he has studied the sacred classics, he has yet to fully comprehend their profound mysteries; though practicing the methods of the Lingbao tradition (an important Daoist school), his insufficient merit leaves him ashamed. He acknowledges presuming to take the role of libationer (jijiu, the ritual officiant), yet approaches with utmost sincerity in praying for the salvation of the deceased, hoping to complete the soul-deliverance ceremony through divine assistance.

Next comes praise for the Three Supreme Deities (Sanqing), described as rulers of the celestial realms and masters of yin-yang transformations. The master implores these deities to mercifully grant his petition—to transmit the memorial to the underworld officials of the Five Sacred Mountains and the Nine Springs, enabling the souls' liberation. Simultaneously, he prays for divine protection over filial descendants and the flourishing of orthodox Daoist teachings.

The "Five Protectors" mentioned refer to key Daoist guardian deities: Marshal Tianpeng, Vice-Marshal Tianyou, Yisheng Zhenjun, Zhenwu the Perfected Warrior, and Celestial Master Zhang (Zhengyi Zhenren). The master petitions these five to forward his memorial to the heavenly court, requesting cooperation from all relevant deities across the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and water) in supporting the ritual.

Finally, he prays that during the altar-opening ceremony, the Thunder Ministry and weather deities might calm wind and rain for clear skies, while dispatching Lingbao's celestial officials to assist in completing the rites. The document concludes with profoundly reverent language, reaffirming the master's devout awe.

Such memorials belong to the "petition" category in Daoist rituals—formal communications between masters and deities that must follow strict formats before being burned to reach the heavens. The text employs numerous humble expressions and set phrases, reflecting the solemnity characteristic of Daoist ceremonial literature.

This document is an official dispatch issued during the Daoist Yellow Register Great Purification (a large-scale zhaijiao ritual for the salvation of deceased souls) to various underworld deities. The content is divided into three main sections:

First, it petitions Beiyin Fengdu the Great Emperor (the supreme deity governing the underworld), requesting him to issue orders to all underworld departments including the Six Heavens and Ten Caverns, the Five Sacred Mountains and Nine Nether Realms. Upon receiving the talismanic mandate, these offices must immediately release all categories of sinful souls, allowing them to attend the purification altar for salvation. Similar requests are made to the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak (deity overseeing human life and death), asking deities of the Five Sacred Mountains and other locations to release wandering souls for deliverance.

Next, the document addresses the Water Palace's Fusang the Great Emperor (deity governing water-bound souls), instructing dragon courts and water palaces across the Nine Rivers and Four Seas to release aquatic spirits. These directives emphasize immediate compliance upon talisman receipt, ensuring souls can promptly reach the altar to receive salvific grace.

Finally, it issues commands to the Lingbao school's divine generals, officers, and regional earth deities (local tutelary gods) of the Nine Provinces. They are instructed to follow the standards of the Dongxuan Lingbao Jing (Scripture of Lingbao's Mysterious Cavern), leading their troops to garrison the ritual site. Their assistance is required for summoning souls, presenting memorials, and other ritual procedures, guaranteeing the ceremony connects with the Nine Heavens above and penetrates the underworld below. This ensures souls attain salvation without disturbing the living. The mentioned Nine Provinces (Yang, Qing, Xu, etc.) refer to ancient Chinese administrative divisions, here indicating the need to notify all local earth deities for ritual coordination.

An Accessible Interpretation of Lingbao Wenjian

This text is a model for official notices and dispatches used in Lingbao liturgies. A ritual master carries talismans and registers, then sends notices through successive levels of authority—to the spirits of mountains and rivers, the City God, the merit officers of the Three Realms, and the Office of the Divine Tiger that pursues and seizes souls. Documents are then dispatched upward to the Heavenly Court so that the purification ritual and assembly may proceed smoothly.

To the Presiding Spirits of the Mountains and Rivers and the Great Gods of the Local Altars

To the presiding spirits of the mountains and rivers of (a certain) prefecture, and the great gods of its local altars:

After carefully examining the circumstances, investigate and record the sins and blessings of the living, assess the merits and faults of the departed, and exercise authority over souls and the paths of the underworld. This charge extends to the famous mountains, great rivers, City Gods, sites enshrined in official rites, sacred altars, and all other places throughout the realm. Wherever this dispatch reaches, respond according to the established regulations and carry out its instructions.

You are also requested to arrive at the ritual altar in advance and work together to bring the merit-making rite to completion. Upon receiving this dispatch, comply and carry out the instructions. Respectfully dispatched.

To the City God of the Prefectural Seat

Presented to the presiding City God of (a certain) prefecture:

After carefully examining the circumstances, issue instructions to the famous mountains, great rivers, City Gods of all counties within your jurisdiction, local districts enshrined in official rites, historical sites, and other places. Your duties are the same as those described above. Respectfully dispatched.

To the Merit Officers and Local Deities

Presented to the Direct Tally Officers of the Three Realms, the Four Duty Merit Officers, the Twelve Hourly Duty Lords, the Merit Officers of the Six Paths, the Officer on Duty for the Purification Rite, and the local earth gods and other deities:

Review the matter carefully and transmit it upward to the Upper Realm.

Ensure that it reaches the palaces of the heavens and the true offices of the Three Realms, so that the myriad saints may witness it and the hundred gods receive their duties. Copy out the memorial, circulate the talismanic edicts, transmit the dispatches and petitions, and proclaim the orders. Respond when summoned, undertake the assigned work, and establish communication whenever called. Respectfully dispatched.

To the Office of the Divine Tiger That Pursues and Seizes Souls

Presented to the officials, commanders, officers, and troops of the Office of the Divine Tiger That Pursues and Seizes Souls:

After carefully examining the circumstances, order all personnel to proceed at once to the relevant office and await instructions. When the Jade Warrant of Primordial Unity is issued, please carry it and deliver notice throughout the offices of the underworld. Pursue and seize the departed souls, carry out the required actions, and arrive at the altar by the appointed hour, so that the response may be made manifest. Respectfully dispatched.

Dispatch to the Upper Realm: Opening of the Official Document

Our office has reverently received the ritual registers, carries the talismanic seals, serves under the command of the Divine Empyrean, and holds office in the Lingbao tradition. We follow the ritual regulations, which authorize us to submit dispatches and petitions. A matter of urgent concern is now being presented to the Heavenly Court, and the following documents must therefore be dispatched:

1. Memorial petitions for submission: (several) copies, with envelopes and seals intact, to be presented at (a certain) palace or celestial gate. List each destination separately.

2. Official dispatches: (several) copies, with seals intact, to be delivered to (a certain) office. List each destination separately.

Notes:

A local altar god governs the land and communal altar of a particular area.

Official dispatches and petitions are documents used in Daoist purification rituals, modeled on human administrative paperwork and delivered to the various offices of the heavens and the underworld.

The Office of the Divine Tiger That Pursues and Seizes Souls is a ritual office responsible for summoning the departed and escorting spirits of the dead.

“Departed souls” is a respectful term for the souls of the dead and spirits of the unseen world.

The Jade Warrant of Primordial Unity is a jade talismanic command issued by the Upper Realm.

In summary, this is a complete format for official correspondence: from the local deities, City Gods, and merit officers of the human realm, through the underworld offices of the Divine Tiger, and onward by dispatch of memorials and official documents to the celestial palaces.

The document listed on the right is a guanwen, a formal notice used to transmit orders and report matters.

To the Divine Messenger of the Upper Realm, who conveys documents, and the Duty Gongcao Officer, who presents reports on our behalf: harness the divine chariot and fly across the stars. Let the cloud chariot race like lightning, soaring ten thousand miles in an instant and rising to the Ninth Heaven in a single breath. Carry this document up to the celestial realm, so that the matters sincerely set forth here may be delivered directly. Should evil spirits obstruct it from below, or malign influences intrude, seize them and escort them to the Office of the Underworld, arrest them, and deliver them to the Celestial Prison for punishment. See that this is carried out swiftly and effectively, without delay. Accordingly, this guanwen is issued.

Middle Realm.

Our office has received its appointed duties and is subordinate to the Divine Empyrean, the celestial administration named in Daoist tradition. We uphold the Lingbao teachings and are charged with investigating demons, evils, and falsehoods, as well as saving beings in both the manifest and hidden realms. Whenever a matter must be reported through an official notice, the document must be sent to the appropriate bureau. A petition is now being sent to the True Office of the Middle Realm, and the following guanwen is to be issued:

One: A number of petitions are respectfully submitted, sealed in a square case with the seals affixed, and sent to a certain palace for presentation. The exact number of copies is listed individually.

One: A number of official notices are issued, securely sealed, and delivered for submission to a certain deity. The exact number of copies is listed individually.

The document listed on the right is a guanwen.

To the Middle Realm’s Duty-Day Messenger of the Talisman, responsible for conveying reports, and to the local terrestrial deities: ride the wind and hasten on your way. Perform the art of flying steps, secretly pass through to every place, and make a thorough search of the Office of the Underworld. Let all its officials learn of the affairs of the Middle Realm. Deliver the documents swiftly, so that the proper retribution may be made clear. If demonic forces interfere, seize them and bring them to our office for punishment. Carry this out swiftly and do not delay. Accordingly, this guanwen is issued.

Lower Realm.

Our office respectfully receives the sacred document and is endowed with the response of the Dharma’s power. The Great Dharma benefits people and all things throughout the world and governs the underworld. Since the appropriate divine offices have been established, their prescribed rites must be observed. An urgent matter now requires official reporting and must be transmitted by this bureau. A dispatch is being sent to the True Office of the Lower Realm, and the following guanwen is to be issued:

One: A number of petitions are respectfully submitted, sealed in a square case with the seals firmly affixed, and sent to a certain place for presentation. The remaining details are listed individually as above.

The document listed on the right is a guanwen.

To the Lower Realm’s Gongcao Officers and Talisman Messengers: secretly open a passage through every barrier and obstruction. Enter the depths of the Nine Springs, proceed to the hidden palaces of the earth, and enter the underworld’s gates and courts. Wherever you arrive, convey this message in full. Act with all haste, to display divine authority and make retribution manifest in good time. Do not delay; carry this out immediately. Accordingly, this guanwen is issued.

A further guanwen is issued.

The official jurisdiction of this office is as follows: This office governs … .

A Plain-Language Reading of the Lingbao Document Forms

The offices that administer the law in the Three Heavens and the clerical posts of the Five Offices are governed by established statutes and precedents. Communications and petitions must reach all Three Realms. The ritual procedures are clearly laid out, and official documents must be conveyed to the Nine Heavens. Now, urgent words have been submitted in a petition, and they must therefore be formally sent onward.

Submitting and Sending a Document

The letter is enclosed, and its seal is securely affixed. It is presented above to the palace of [name].

Official Communication

To the merit officers, messengers, officials on assignment, officers, clerks, and soldiers who transmit petitions throughout the Three Realms: fly swiftly through the skies and deliver this letter without delay. Across ten thousand miles of cloud road, its truth can be made manifest in an instant; throughout the three thousand domains of the Dharma Realm, its report must likewise be delivered in but a moment. So this communication is issued.

Explanation

This text gives the form for a Lingbao Zhaijiao (purification ritual) dispatch and official communication. The first section describes the offices that administer the law in the Three Heavens and the clerical posts of the Five Offices, along with the channels of communication among the Three Realms and the Nine Heavens. The middle section gives the formula for submitting a document to a named palace. The final section summons the merit officers, messengers, and others who transmit petitions throughout the Three Realms, instructing them to carry the letter swiftly through the heavens. It is to travel ten thousand miles of cloud road and arrive in an instant, making its truth known and reporting it throughout the Dharma Realm. This concludes Volume One.