《心香妙語》Vol. 7

Illness-Related Memorials (Proclamations)

Holding a Zhaijiao (Daoist blessing ritual) during illness:

When suffering from illness and pain, one naturally yearns to pray to Heaven. After fasting and purifying oneself through ablutions, set up an altar with sincere devotion, offering simple tributes. May the profound and boundless celestial realm perceive the suffering of the mortal world, and may the mysterious and unfathomable deities of the heavenly palaces descend to offer their aid.

Expressing gratitude to Heaven after recovery:

The supreme deities, with their all-seeing wisdom, have granted me the grace of rebirth. Though unworthy, I, in my humble sincerity, have invited a Daoist priest to conduct a pure Zhaijiao to fulfill my vow. May the worldly obscurities be swept away, the dark clouds of the heavens dispersed, and the Heavenly Gate (the dwelling of immortals in Daoism) opened wide to welcome the descent of the divine.

Holding a Zhaijiao for an ailing father:

Serving one's parents is the natural duty of a child, and now that my father is afflicted with illness, my heart is heavy with worry. With reverence, I set up a pure Zhaijiao to pray to Heaven, beseeching the deities to descend. May auspicious Qi (vital energy, referencing the Han dynasty sacrificial hymns) surround him, easing his suffering and ensuring the constant protection of the divine.

Expressing gratitude to Heaven after father’s recovery:

Having previously prayed for my father’s health, he has now regained his well-being. On this auspicious day, I hold a Zhaijiao to fulfill my vow. Though my humble dwelling is too crude to properly receive the divine, my sincere devotion (symbolized by simple offerings of wild greens) still hopes to reach the Heavenly Gate. May Heaven bear witness to this genuine heart.

Holding a Zhaijiao for an ailing mother:

A mother’s nurturing love, vast as the earth, is impossible to repay. Now that she is ill, I can only cry out to Heaven for help. On this chosen auspicious day, I set up an altar, praying for the Wind Lord (deity of wind) to clear the path and the Cloud Master (deity of clouds) to provide protection. May my mother recover, as described in the Book of Songs: "graciously willing to come."

Expressing gratitude to Heaven after mother’s recovery:

The filial devotion of a child, distressed by a mother’s illness, has finally moved Heaven’s compassion. Now, with reverence, I present the precious memorial (Daoist liturgical text) and arrange a jade banquet (elaborate altar) in gratitude. May the celestial procession briefly depart the immortal palaces, and the phoenix-drawn chariots descend to the mortal realm (the "palaces of the unseen" refer to the celestial domain, while the "realm of clarity" signifies the human world).

The Heart Incense and Wondrous Words scripture records liturgical documents (Keyi, Daoist rituals) for praying for family members' well-being and fulfilling vows under different circumstances. Here is the modern interpretation:

Prayer ritual for a husband's illness:

When a husband falls gravely ill, his anxious wife prepares simple offerings (symbolic "wild celery tribute") with sincere devotion, establishing a pure ritual space to beseech heaven. May all efficacious immortals from the ten directions bear witness, and may deities from the three realms universally bestow their grace.

Fulfillment vow after husband's recovery:

Having previously prayed devoutly during the husband's critical illness, the family now establishes a fragrant ritual space in gratitude. With humble offerings ("a blade of grass"), they repay celestial favor, praying that the true rulers of the netherworld and passing sages of the void may all descend to this ritual assembly.

Prayer for a wife's illness:

Troubled by a wife's prolonged sickness, the family invites a Daoist priest (Huangguan, "yellow-hatted one") to establish a pure ritual space, delivering petitions to heaven through talismanic messengers. They beseech the deities to recognize this devotion maintained even during the Yin hours (3-5 AM).

Fulfillment vow after wife's recovery:

Having received divine protection during the wife's illness, the family now establishes a simple altar in their modest dwelling. May the three thousand celestial retinues arrive in full procession, and the twelve-pearled-crowned Heavenly Venerables personally descend to accept these star-altar offerings under open skies.

Prayer for a brother's illness:

Moved by a brother's suffering, the family offers sincere prayers in their humble abode ("snail-shell dwelling"). Burning sandalwood incense (tanzhuan) and preparing orchid-offering mats, they hope to reach the celestial court and move the deities to descend with healing.

Fulfillment vow after brother's recovery:

Having previously prayed out of fraternal devotion during the brother's illness, they now select an auspicious day ("firm hour") to establish a pure ritual space in gratitude. May the deities of the Green Metropolis and Purple Mansion (celestial realms) witness their sincerity, and may their true hearts be recorded in the jade-green immortal registers.

Prayer for a son's illness:

With their son critically ill, the distraught parents invite Daoist priests to establish an altar. Offering simple tributes ("duckweed, vegetables, and wine") along with spiced libations, they pray for illustrious deities to grant discernment and protection.

Fulfillment vow after son's recovery:

The parents' loving care for their child, tender as that for a young colt or calf, has already moved heaven. After recovery, they specially establish a ritual space, repaying heaven and earth's grace with utmost reverent ceremony.

Note: The term "jianjiao" refers to establishing Daoist blessing rituals, while "choutian" denotes fulfillment ceremonies after recovery. These documents reveal how ancient people expressed concern for family health through Daoist rituals, embodying the belief that "every prayer deserves response, every grace demands repayment."

The heavens nurture all living beings with boundless grace. Thus, in accordance with celestial laws, we reverently present this petition, praying that the divine banners (the "lightning flags and rainbow streamers" symbolizing the majestic procession of deities) may unexpectedly descend. May the immortals, adorned with ornaments of clouds and the bright moon, condescend to visit our mortal realm.

Purification Ritual (Zhaijiao) for a Woman's Illness:

The three lines of the Qian (Heaven) trigram symbolize the heavens—the Qian does not speak of benefit, yet its greatness lies precisely in this. The single yielding line of the Xun (Wind) trigram represents women, whose greatest worry is illness. Now, on this auspicious day and hour, we specially establish a pure altar for the ritual, praying that the Wind Lord sweeps away the dust to bring solemn stillness, allowing the celestial steeds to descend; may the Cloud Master disperse the dark mists to brighten the skies, summoning the cloud-borne dragons (vehicles of the immortals).

Thanksgiving After the Woman's Recovery:

When calamity struck suddenly, we were deeply troubled by our daughter’s illness; yet the auspicious divination revealed the natural order, truly relying on the power of heaven. With reverence, we set up a pure altar to repay this great kindness, praying that the celestial deities may depart their dragon palaces in dragon-drawn chariots and leave their phoenix towers in phoenix carriages, inspecting our humble offerings as they descend to this modest dwelling.

Purification Ritual for a Sick Infant:

This child bears an extraordinary bone structure, destined to bring joy, yet now afflicted with grave illness, causing deep concern. On this chosen auspicious day, we establish a fragrant altar, praying that the myriad celestial soldiers and generals part the azure clouds, open the ninefold heavenly gates, and allow us to behold the radiance of the celestial palace.

Thanksgiving After the Infant's Recovery:

The infant, innocent and unknowing, was suddenly struck by illness; yet the August Heaven, in its divine wisdom, granted recovery. Now we offer meager sacrifices to express gratitude for this profound grace, praying that the majestic banners and insignia may array themselves in solemn order, revealing the auspicious glow of the sacred canopy; may the celestial chariots descend to share in the ritual wine upon this orchid-adorned mat.

Purification Ritual for Wind-Stroke Illness:

The Book of Songs warns, "Do not encounter the evil wind," lamenting deeply the suffering of wind-stroke. On this chosen auspicious day, with utmost sincerity, we gaze up to the August Heaven and bow to establish a pure altar. We pray that from the jade heavens, the resplendent sound of jade pendants may be heard, and that before the golden palace, the majestic presence of deities in flowing coronets may descend.

Purification Ritual for Eye Disease:

We lament the blindness of the eyes (the "silver sea"), unable to perceive the joy of sight; we look up in reverence to the Jade Emperor, offering waterweed as tribute. We open a fragrant altar to perform the ritual, praying that the procession from beyond the nine heavens may appear, opening the celestial gates; may the immortal chariots from the eight distant realms descend, allowing even this humble abode to bask in their radiance.

Purification Ritual for Malaria:

We sigh at the ravages of malaria, against which medicine proves ineffective; with sincere hearts, we seek divine favor, offering duckweed and celery as tribute.

Here is a collection of Daoist Zhaijiao (ritual purification ceremonies) prayer texts, primarily addressing various illness conditions through blessing and calamity-averting rituals. Below are modern interpretations of each section:

Prayer for Foot Ailments Ceremony: With utmost sincerity, we beseech the divine for protection, hoping deities transcend the limitations of form and sound, moving unseen yet resonating with devotees' hearts. Due to foot deformities causing walking difficulties that prevent physical prostration, we offer prayers to heaven with pure devotion. Though our altar is humble, may all celestial beings perceive this sincerity and descend to partake in the offerings.

Epidemic Disease Ceremony: Having contracted plague due to grave transgressions, we pray for heavenly mercy vast as Mount Song. We establish this solemn ritual platform for Qingjiao purification, hoping auspicious clouds will open the celestial gate (Tianmen), welcoming deities arriving on dragon-phoenix chariots.

Plague Prevention Prayer: Deeply concerned about spreading pestilential Qi, we prepare simple offerings with utmost devotion. Reporting this ceremony to Heaven and Earth Gods, we implore the Celestial Emperor to grace this modest altar and protect all beings.

Post-Epidemic Thanksgiving: Having suffered plague as heavenly punishment for offenses, we now enjoy recovery through the Celestial Emperor's grace. Presenting fragrant offerings in Qingjiao thanksgiving, we pray myriad deities descend, opening the gates of Purple Mansion (Daoist paradise) as celestial processions arrive in multitudes.

Prayer to Mysterious Heavenly Emperor (Xuantian Shangdi, also known as Zhenwu Dadi) for Plague Relief: Having encountered inexplicable misfortune, we prepare sacrifices in the western outskirts. With perfect sincerity beseeching the Northern Pole's Mysterious Emperor, we recite Daoist scriptures and present exquisite offerings. May demonic influences disperse as the Golden Gate (celestial palace entrance) opens, ushering in auspicious Qi from the Jade Void (abode of Yuanshi Tianzun).

Post-Recovery Gratitude to Xuantian Shangdi: Having vowed Qingjiao ceremonies during illness, we now repay the Mysterious Heavenly Emperor's grace after recovery. We specially report to the talisman messenger spirits guarding the altar and local divine officials, praying for the manifestation of Wudang Mountain's (Xuantian's sacred site) immortal procession, the radiant presence of Turtle-Snake Generals (Xuantian's attendants), and the secret protection of dragon-tiger divine troops from the True Blessing Palace.

When people are deeply afflicted by illness, their hearts sincerely yearn for the lofty mountain deities, humbly praying for auspicious blessings. They reverently arrange incense altars (lanyan) and offer simple sacrifices (qinxian), hoping the divine may manifest its golden form (jinkun) whether from the left or right, and descend in jade chariots (yulu) from east or west to grant protection.

After recovery, devotees journey to the mountains to fulfill their vows. When prolonged illness proved incurable, they had prayed to the deities of Jiyun Mountain; now, to repay this divine grace, they conduct simple thanksgiving rituals (choujiao li) with daylight-pure sincerity. May the gods descend in jade carriages, their golden bells' chime signaling acceptance of this devotion.

During illness, people establish the Dipper Altar (jiandou jiao) seeking healing. Sickness awakens vigilance, filling hearts with concern; thus they entreat the Three Platforms Star Lords (Taoist stellar deities governing lifespan). They erect solemn altars, offering clear wine and spiced broth with utmost devotion, praying that the Star Lords may rotate the Northern Dipper (yunjizhuanshu), manifest their mysterious pivoting countenance, guide the steps of cosmic power (zhigang budou), and send down auspicious radiance.

When plagues spread, communities perform preemptive Heavenly Talisman rituals (tianfu jiao) for prevention. Facing pestilential winds, they beseech protection from Marshal Dutian (the plague-subduing deity). Through pure offerings, they petition that demons of the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens be subdued (xuanmohuying), while twelve thousand pestilential minions retreat with the Golden Immortals (plague-dispelling spirits).

In spring and summer, regional purification rites (fangjing jijiao) are held. During spring's calendar renewal, dragon-boat banners are painted as celestial reverence through pure rituals. Summer ceremonies seek to sweep away worldly calamities (shidi hongchen), inviting Earth Deities (diqi) to open the Yellow Pathway (huangdao) connecting the Nine Heavens, welcoming divine protection. These intentions are formally declared to the gods through posted ink proclamations (shengao wenshu).

This scripture depicts various scenarios of Daoist zhaijiao (purification rituals) and their corresponding prayers, primarily categorized into occasions such as deity welcoming, autumn sacrifices, epidemic prevention, safe childbirth, and disease exorcism.

Regarding the deity-welcoming ceremony, it describes the use of ornately decorated painted boats (algal-painted vessels) to receive the divine, preparing pure offerings (duckweed tributes) and conducting solemn zhaijiao. The prayers beseech the celestial gates to open, allowing the gods astride cloud-dragons to descend, while the earthly portals are purified for the arrival of wind-horse-riding deities. The text also mentions gathering virtuous locals to participate, setting up altars with sincere devotion, and hoping for celestial maidens to scatter blossoms in blessing as terrestrial spirits assemble in reverence to greet the sacred presence.

During autumn sacrifices, painted boats guide the harmonious qi of the season, with villagers forming associations to perform zhaijiao, expressing their earnest devotion to the heavenly deities. They pray that the exalted Jade Emperor may heed their pleas, manifesting his majesty so that numerous immortals may descend to the mortal realm.

Concerning epidemic prevention, the text conveys deep anxiety over the spread of pestilence. Through inked petitions (Daoist ritual documents), supplications are made to the saints, hoping to knock upon the gates of the celestial palace so that mortal pleas may reach divine ears and secure the gods’ response and protection.

For safe childbirth, it describes pregnant women dreaming of bears (an auspicious omen for pregnancy), humbly offering prayers with ant-like sincerity. Pure zhaijiao are conducted to beseech Heaven’s favor, praying for smooth delivery and the well-being of both mother and child. Postpartum gratitude rituals are also performed to thank the deities for their grace, inviting their celestial presence into humble dwellings.

Finally, regarding disease exorcism, the text notes that illness often strikes without discernible cause, and the subtle workings of heavenly principles defy easy explanation. The afflicted, acknowledging their own perceived dullness and lack of foresight, suddenly fall ill and thus perform zhaijiao to pray to the Mysterious Vault (Heaven). This section also references other volumes for methods related to rangxing (star rituals for dispelling misfortune and seeking blessings).

This passage describes three scenarios of ancient people praying to deities during illness:

The first part depicts a patient's personal plea for recovery. The patient describes being gravely ill, as precarious as a candle flickering in the wind. With sincere devotion, they appeal to Heaven's virtue of nurturing life (De), inviting a Daoist priest (huangguan) to perform purification rituals (Zhaijiao). They hope the deities will hear their suffering, sending celestial officials (gongcao) to regulate their meridians and divine physicians to heal their internal organs, restoring health and granting longevity. Upon recovery, they vow to give thanks to Heaven.

The second part shows prayers during critical illness. Quoting the Zuozhuan's典故 of "disease reaching the膏肓" (meaning terminal illness), the patient recounts how conventional medicine and shamanic practices failed. After preparing aromatic offerings for solemn rituals, they miraculously recovered through divine intervention. Now choosing an auspicious day (guri), they fulfill their vow without seeking further blessings, desiring only peace.

The third scenario presents a son praying for his ailing father. Despite devoted care, the father remains bedridden with worsening condition. The son establishes an incense altar at home, begging deities to recognize his filial piety and relieve his father's suffering. Citing the Dongmingji's典故 about the immortal "jade branch" (symbolizing vitality), he wishes his father to revive like the fragrant toon tree in their courtyard, and their family to flourish again like orchids gracing their steps. The passage concludes with the recovered father offering gratitude to Heaven.

This passage describes rituals for praying for parents' recovery from illness and fulfilling vows of gratitude, divided into three parts:

The first section concerns prayers for the father. Seeing his father gravely ill, the son is deeply distressed. Though his father had always practiced health cultivation, the critical condition proves unresponsive to medicine. With sincere heart, he implores Heaven to send a skilled physician ("a doctor experienced enough to have broken his arm thrice" refers to a highly experienced healer). Miraculously, his father recovers immediately after the prayer, demonstrating divine response. The family then invites a Daoist priest to perform a Qingjiao (Daoist blessing ritual) to fulfill their vow. They pray for the father's lasting health and longevity, that he may enjoy family happiness with filial descendants.

The second part details prayers for the mother. Though always diligent and virtuous, she suddenly falls seriously ill. With no competent physician found ("Shennong" refers to the legendary progenitor of medicine, "Bian Que" to the ancient master physician), the family turns from ordinary doctors to heartfelt divine supplication. They invite Daoist priests ("crane companions," a metaphor for Daoist adepts) to perform rituals and submit memorials ("dragon documents" meaning celestial petitions). Their prayers seek heavenly protection for the mother's recovery and bestowed longevity.

The third section describes vow fulfillment after the mother's recovery. Grateful for Heaven's responsive grace that turned danger to safety—when the mother had nearly succumbed during the crisis—the family performs a thanksgiving ceremony. Quoting a Zuozhuan典故 (historical anecdote) about children's filial devotion, they express gratitude for Heaven's impartial blessings.

The scripture Fragrant Words from the Heart records key liturgical contents (Zhaijiao) for praying for family members' recovery from illness and fulfilling post-recovery vows, covering four scenarios: husband's illness, post-recovery thanksgiving for husband, wife's illness, and post-recovery thanksgiving for wife.

When a husband falls ill, the wife prays devoutly: "My husband, weakened in constitution, has been suddenly stricken with grave illness. His entire body suffers dangerously, and his Three Hun and Seven Po (the Daoist structure of human soul and spirit) all require restoration. With reverence, I submit this petition to the deities, beseeching your compassion to alter fate's course. May the divine physician Bian Que manifest his healing power to cure this stubborn malady, that we may grow old together like the exemplary Han dynasty couple Liang Hong (Boluan) and his wife, with our lifespans extended."

During the post-recovery thanksgiving ritual, the husband offers: "Previously I pleaded for my life's preservation and received the deities' boundless grace. Now with humble offerings I express gratitude. I recall how seasonal disharmony caused my illness, when all medical treatments proved ineffective. Then we addressed our plea to the Azure Heavens (Biluo, the celestial realm), composing a Qingci (Daoist memorial to celestial deities) in reverence. By the deities' expansive mercy, this ant-like life was preserved. Now in this purified space we conduct solemn rites to repay the August Heaven, praying my husband may attain the longevity of tortoises and cranes."

When a wife falls ill, the husband establishes the ritual altar: "Daily I present cinnabar (Daoist alchemical substance) while my heart overflows with concern. My wife's condition stands at death's door, her chances slim as stacked eggs. All treatments seem precarious. Now with sincere devotion I prepare this incense altar (Lanyan), beseeching the Jade Emperor (Yuchen) to hear our plea—may my wife obtain the miraculous healing power of the Golden Cabinet medical classics."

The post-recovery thanksgiving records: "We were harmonious as qin and se zithers, then suddenly struck by inexplicable illness. By divine compassion, my wife has recovered." The text employs the metaphor of xun and chi (ancient complementary wind instruments) to symbolize the couple's restored harmony.

This scripture primarily describes the contents of Daoist prayer texts for three distinct scenarios of conducting Zhaijiao (purification rituals):

The first scenario involves a healing ritual performed for an ailing brother. The text depicts a brother suddenly afflicted by severe illness where all medical treatments prove ineffective. The family then devoutly petitions the deities, hoping divine healing power might supplement human medicine to relieve the suffering and preserve their fraternal bond. It employs classical Daoist metaphors like "the mutual care of larks" (symbolizing brotherly affection) and "jade branches dripping with sweat" (representing illness clinging to the body).

The second describes a thanksgiving ritual after the brother's recovery. Expressing gratitude for divine protection that delivered him from danger, it specifically mentions the "registers of ghosts" (referring to underworld death records) and "jade palaces" (celestial abodes of immortals). The prayer conveys profound appreciation for the deities' mercy while seeking continued health and harmony for the brothers.

The third scenario presents a healing ritual for a sick child. Distraught parents, troubled by their child's sudden serious illness, reference the "carp courtyard" (where children receive education) and "morning-evening inquiries" (filial rituals of checking on parents). These allusions express parental devotion, hoping the ritual might secure divine protection.

All these prayers embody the Daoist principle of "revering life" (haosheng). When illness strikes, people seek not only medical treatment but also spiritual assistance through religious ceremonies. Recurring humble terms like "snail dwelling" (self-deprecating reference to one's home) and "august heavens" (referring to the celestial realm) reveal the deep piety of Daoist devotees toward the divine.

The Jade Palace Petition for Revival

This passage is a prayer for divine intervention to heal the sick. Its essence is: Humbly beseeching the Jade Emperor (the Jade Palace) to restore life to the dying, that they may encounter a skilled physician like Dong Feng (a renowned healer of the Three Kingdoms period, who legend says treated patients without payment, only asking them to plant apricot trees upon recovery). May the family's sorrows be shared and their burdens lightened, like splitting firewood to distribute the weight.

Gratitude to Heaven After a Child’s Illness

Once, as a child, I prayed to Heaven for grace; now, gazing at the celestial palace (the Emperor’s Gate), I offer thanks for its mercy. Though my earthly efforts (treading the ground) may seem insignificant, my heart is deeply grateful, like the yellow sparrow carrying a ring in repayment of kindness. Reflecting on my neglect of self-care (failing to regulate and nurture), I fell prey to debilitating illness (affliction and malice), at times too weak even to open my eyes. Seeing me in such peril, my brothers were filled with concern, and my parents, though loving, knew not how to cure this grave ailment. Thus, with utmost sincerity, I risked my life to beg the Creator (the Great Maker) for a chance at survival. By the vast grace of Heaven, I was delivered from danger. Now, with simple devotion, I repay the August Heaven—though my offerings are but humble greens (the earnest tribute of sunflowers and beans), and my rites fall short of the grand sacrifices of duckweed and artemisia. May Heaven bestow abundant blessings and heed my earlier vows. Let my parents (the Carp Courtyard, alluding to Confucius’ son Bo Li, symbolizing filial devotion) enjoy the joys of family (the playful delight of Old Lai, who at seventy wore colorful robes to amuse his parents), and may my siblings (the orderly flight of geese) attain longevity like Pengzu.

A Zhaijiao Ritual for a Daughter’s Illness

This passage is a prayer for a daughter’s recovery, performed through a Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual). It speaks of a beloved daughter (the Xun Maiden, Xun representing the eldest daughter in the Bagua) suddenly struck by unforeseen misfortune, prompting prayers to Heaven (the Qian Origin). Though she was no ordinary girl (echoing the tale of Empress Duan of Later Yan, who vowed never to be an ordinary woman), she now suffers a minor ailment unresponsive to medicine, leaving us nearly helpless. Her loss of appetite weighs heavily on our hearts. Thus, we reverently invite the true immortals of the Purple Mansion (a celestial abode in Daoism) to establish a ritual altar in the Azure Void (the heavenly realm). May the deities recognize our sincerity, as pure as the offerings of marsh herbs in the Book of Songs. May we encounter a healer like Bian Que, that she may recover and one day wed a worthy husband (a "dragon-riding" match), bringing honor to our family.

Gratitude to Heaven After a Daughter’s Recovery

This passage offers thanks to Heaven after a daughter’s healing. It recalls how, during her illness, our ant-like pleas (the humble petitions of ants) reached the heavens; now, with her health restored, our home shines anew, awaiting the descent of the divine chariot (the Dragon Carriage). With solemn rites (adjusting our robes in reverence), we honor the gods’ protective grace. Remembering how illness (the prison of affliction) tormented her, the household was steeped in worry, unsure whether chill or heat had caused her suffering, and the search for remedies was fraught with desperation.

(Note: All specialized Daoist terms follow the glossary, with pinyin provided on first occurrence. The translation preserves the classical allusions and maintains the original's formal yet heartfelt tone.)

This is a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) document for praying to dispel misfortune from an ailing infant. The text describes the parents' anxiety over their child's illness and their process of appealing to the deities.

The parents are deeply distressed by their child's sudden illness. What began as joyous occasion (with "the delight of playing with jade tablets," an allusion to celebrating a newborn son) has turned to worry as the child contracted an unexplained ailment. Unable to find effective medical treatment, they turn to the Supreme Emperor of August Heaven (the highest Daoist deity), praying for divine mercy to naturally calm the child's frightened cries.

Two historical allusions appear: the fearsome reputation of Three Kingdoms general Zhang Liao that could silence crying children, and the legendary physician Bian Que, expressing the parents' hope to encounter skilled healing. They prepare pure ritual offerings (qingjiao) and set up an incense altar (lanyan), praying to countless deities to relieve the child's suffering ("golden lock calamity" and "jade branch sweat" both metaphorically describe illness).

In another section concerning a paralysis ailment (similar to stroke), the prayer emphasizes how paralysis is life's great affliction, yet Heaven's justice is impartial—sincere devotion will receive response. The devotees prepare offerings with humble hearts, hoping the zhaijiao ritual will reach celestial ears and secure divine protection.

These passages reflect ancient religious responses to illness, seeking supernatural assistance through solemn ceremonies while implicitly acknowledging medical limitations. Daoist terminology like "Heaven as father" (qianfu) and "Earth's way" (kundao) embodies the cosmology of cosmic resonance between humanity and the universe.

Here is a Daoist devotee's prayer for healing from illness, divided into three parts for interpretation:

The first section petitions for recovery from stroke. The devotee describes their weakened body like an old horse or sick dog, having suffered a stroke due to improper daily habits, resulting in symptoms like numb limbs and facial paralysis. Mediocre physicians couldn't distinguish the cause (wind pathogens manifest as either "wind-cold" or "wind-stroke"), only offering empty theories about the Five Phases (Wuxing). Thus, the devotee purifies their fasting chamber, sets up an incense altar, and opens the celestial gate to present a Dan Shu (a Daoist petition to celestial deities). They beseech the gods' mercy, hoping to encounter a divine healer like Bian Que to completely cure this stubborn ailment.

The second section offers thanksgiving after stroke recovery. The devotee recalls how the stroke nearly claimed their life—in moments of unconscious crisis, their sincere prayers to the celestial deities ultimately brought divine protection and healing. Now choosing an auspicious day and hour, they establish an altar in their purified dwelling to fulfill vows, expressing gratitude for the gods' life-saving grace while praying for continued health free from illness.

The third part concerns eye disease. The devotee confesses having violated the "Five Restraints" of health cultivation (moderation in sensory pleasures for eyes, ears, nose, and heart, from Xunzi's teachings), suddenly developing eye problems that make bright places seem dark, with blurred vision. They prepare a purified Zhaijiao altar (Daoist ritual space) to petition heaven for restored sight.

These prayers demonstrate how Daoist devotees communicate with deities through Zhaijiao rituals, incorporating both medical analysis of illness and post-recovery gratitude. They embody the Daoist religious-medical concept of "shared origins between medicine and the Dao."

This scripture is a Daoist prayer of gratitude offered to celestial deities after recovering from eye ailments, foot injuries, and malaria. It consists of three distinct sections:

Regarding eye disorders: The eyes, being the foremost among the five senses, cause profound suffering when impaired, as exemplified by the blindness of Zixia (a disciple of Confucius). The text describes the patient's torment—vision obscured as if by dark clouds, forced to grope like a blind man when walking. Through devout prayers to Bixu (the Daoist celestial realm) and the grace of Heaven, clear sight was restored. In gratitude, the devotee performs the Qingjiao purification ritual to thank the August Heaven (Huangqiong), praying for continued visual acuity to discern the finest details, and longevity as enduring as the celestial chun tree.

Concerning foot ailments: The text cites a Classic of Documents allusion to illustrate the agony of leg injuries. The afflicted once hobbled in distress, though the path was level, his heart burdened with anxiety. After supplicating Heaven and Earth, complete healing followed, prompting this solemn Qingjiao offering. The prayer seeks divine protection for sustained mobility—that feet may tread evenly without deviation.

On malaria: The text depicts malaria's torment through alternating chills and fevers that deny all rest. The disease assaults like "tyrannical governance" (nuezheng), its temperature shifts likened to "fire and ice." Through earnest devotion, recovery was granted, hence this vow-fulfilling ritual. The supplicant prays for permanent deliverance from malaria's ravages, seeking abiding peace of body and spirit.

The man was deeply troubled by recurring bouts of malaria, tormented by the alternating chills and fever. When the chills came, he shivered as if frozen in winter; when the fever struck, he burned as if under the summer's scorching sun—the suffering was even worse than these descriptions, making him fear he might not survive. He prepared a pure Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) with sincere devotion, praying to the Celestial Emperor for divine protection. He invoked Han Yu's典故 of expelling malaria demons and mentioned the Yellow Emperor's (Xuanyuan Shi) methods for treating malaria, hoping the malaria spirits would retreat in the face of such formidable opposition.

As his condition improved, he held another ritual to fulfill his vow. Recalling the onset of his illness—the alternating chills and fever—he had tried every conceivable treatment: acupuncture, medicinal fumigation, Fulu (talismanic charms), and even shamanic healing, yet nothing worked. Only after his earnest prayers to Heaven did his condition gradually improve, finally freeing him from the torment of fever and chills. Now, he conducted a grand Keyi (liturgical ceremony) to repay the heavens, beseeching the Nine Heavens (the highest Daoist celestial realm) for continued protection, that the malaria demons might stay far away forever, and that auspicious stars might shine upon him with constant blessings.

In the prayer for safe childbirth, he expressed anxiety for his frail wife nearing her due date. Though she dreamed of bears (symbolizing a son) and serpents (foretelling a daughter), the uncertainty of labor weighed heavily on him. With utmost sincerity, he prayed to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing: Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Supreme Pure—the highest Daoist deities) to descend and partake of the offerings. Whether the child be a daughter (Xun, the Wind trigram representing femininity) or a son (Zhen, the Thunder trigram representing masculinity), he hoped for a smooth and safe delivery. May the newborn bring the fragrant joy of osmanthus blossoms to their household, and may both mother and child emerge from childbirth in peace and auspiciousness.

This scripture is divided into three sections, each addressing different concerns: praying for a son, praying for a daughter, and preventing epidemics.

The first section describes a husband’s plea for a male heir. His wife, frail and often ill, struggled with childbirth, leaving him deeply worried day and night. He earnestly prayed to the deities, seeking their protection for a safe delivery. His wish was granted when his wife bore a son, prompting him to hold a ritual in gratitude. Offering simple yet heartfelt sacrifices, he beseeched the gods to continue safeguarding the child’s health and wisdom, that he might grow to bring honor to the family.

The second section recounts prayers for a daughter. During his wife’s pregnancy, the husband had also sought divine favor. Though the gender of a child is determined by heaven’s will, he recognized that both sons and daughters are equally precious to their parents. When a daughter was born, he again performed a thanksgiving ceremony. Selecting an auspicious day, he set up an altar to honor the gods, praying for her safe upbringing and virtuous character, that she might bring grace and distinction to the household.

The third section discusses epidemic prevention. At a time when plague spread unchecked, people lived in great fear. The scripture explains that epidemics arise from excessive indulgence in the seven emotions and six desires, which invite calamity. While such disasters cannot be entirely avoided, one may still take precautions. The text advises establishing an altar to implore divine protection for family and neighbors, shielding them from contagion. Even if misfortune cannot be foreseen, preventive measures should be taken—just as one must uproot weeds before they overrun a field.

This scripture records three types of zhaijiao (Daoist sacrificial rituals) performed during epidemics, each corresponding to different stages of the outbreak:

The first section contains prayers for "conducting rituals during an epidemic." Devotees petition the Celestial Emperor, confessing their transgressions born of ignorance (specifically mentioning violations of Yan Hui's "Four Prohibitions" and Bu Shang's "Three Offenses"). They acknowledge how careless living habits invited the plague. By inviting Daoist priests to erect ritual altars with offerings, they seek divine pardon for the dying and beg for renewed life. The prayers envision the epidemic dispersing like wind, allowing the breeze of Daoist teachings to sweep through the mortal realm, with wisdom shining as brightly as sunlight.

The second section, "giving thanks to heaven after the epidemic," describes post-crisis gratitude rituals. Followers reflect on how complacency during peaceful times lowered their guard, admitting that despite good intentions, profit-seeking thoughts persisted. Vivid descriptions portray the suffering endured—"yin meridians sinking dangerously" (TCM terminology indicating organ failure) and "yang channels transmitting mutations" (worsening febrile diseases). Grateful for divine protection enabling recovery, they renew offerings while gazing toward celestial palaces (with "azure void" and "crimson towers" denoting heavenly abodes), praying for complete eradication of disease and the descent of longevity like auspicious clouds.

The third section applies when "deaths occur during the epidemic," likely serving as supplementary rites for the deceased. The phrase "vertigo-inducing efficacy" refers to counter-toxin therapies, while "life-generating power" emphasizes the divine vitality bestowed by deities, expressing gratitude for attempts to save the terminally ill.

(Notes: Yan Hui's "Four Prohibitions" from the Analects include "look not at what violates propriety" etc.; Bu Shang's "Three Offenses" derive from Confucian classics as moral failings; "yin meridians" and "yang channels" reflect TCM meridian classifications; "jiao" denotes Daoist altar ceremonies for deities.)

This scripture is a liturgical document (Keyi) for Daoist disaster-averting and blessing rituals, recording the ceremonial practices performed by devotees during an epidemic. The content is divided into three main sections:

First, it describes the devastating effects of the plague: From mid-spring to early summer, the family patriarch passed away, the daughter fell gravely ill, and the son's life hung by a thread. The devotee reflects on their own shallow virtue (De), as insignificant as a goose feather or firefly glow, recognizing that failure to accumulate minor merits and eliminate small transgressions has invited this calamity.

Next, it details the disaster-averting ritual: With reverent awe, the devotee establishes a purification ceremony (Zhaijiao), offering repentance to the Jade Emperor (supreme deity in Daoism) and the Lord of Pestilence (deity governing epidemics). They confess to having been as petty as flies and snails in pursuing worldly gains, with greed, anger, and delusion bringing divine retribution - their name recorded in the Black Register (ledger of sins) and subjected to the Three Disasters and Six Misfortunes (various calamities). They pray for the descent of harmonious Qi (vital energy) to regulate their meridians, dispel epidemic influences, and protect their family.

The concluding section describes the vow fulfillment: After the plague subsided, the devotee performed a thanksgiving ceremony. The text mentions how medical help was unavailable - lacking physicians like Zhang Zhongjing (renowned Eastern Han doctor) or skilled diagnosticians like Wang Shuhe (Jin Dynasty medical expert) - leaving divine intervention as their only recourse against this inexplicable disaster. Through sincere worship, they ultimately received divine protection leading to recovery.

The recurring term "celestial mandate" (Tianfu) refers to heavenly signs portending disaster, while "Vermilion Mound" (Zhuling) represents the southern fire realm in Daoist cosmology, symbolizing the purification space for departed souls. The ritual's emphasis on balancing with "harmonious Qi" embodies the Daoist health preservation principle of maintaining Yin-Yang equilibrium.

This scripture is a liturgical document for Daoist zhaijiao rituals (Daoist sacrificial ceremonies) aimed at averting disasters and seeking blessings. It primarily contains three sections of prayer content:

The first part expresses prayers for plague prevention. Devotees revere the Thunder God (尊称"雷音电吼之尊") with awe for his solar and lunar majesty, hoping to escape the snares of calamity. By establishing an altar to repay divine grace, they beseech the deities to restrain the plague, eliminate the six pathogenic qi (六沴) throughout the 360 days of the year, bestow auspiciousness during the twenty-four solar terms, and harmonize the four seasons. The tone conveys profound reverence and trepidation.

The second part describes the "preemptive celestial talisman" ritual for those already infected. Devotees confess their mediocrity and transgressions, fearing they may have offended heaven. Through the Dutian jiao (a ceremony honoring the supreme celestial deities), they implore the Thunder God to manifest his sacred power, eradicate invisible sins, and pardon both intentional and unintentional offenses. Special mention is made of conducting salvation rites for those who perished from the plague.

The third part details the thanksgiving ritual after plague recovery. Grateful to the deities who "hold the mandate of heaven" (柄握乾符), devotees acknowledge their heavy karma that caused the affliction. By establishing a pure water altar, they invite the Thunder God to descend on clouds, employing divine power to save both the living and deceased souls. The ceremony concludes with "universal almsgiving" (慱身斋饭) - a thanksgiving feast - expressing relief that their ant-like lives were preserved through the deities' boundless mercy.

The text embodies the Daoist concept of "heaven-human resonance," emphasizing communication with deities through repentance and ritual offerings. It reveals ancient people's piety and survival wisdom when facing epidemics. The complete ritual cycle - encompassing prevention, healing, and thanksgiving - manifests Daoism's religious function of universal salvation.

This scripture primarily expounds on Daoist rituals for dispelling calamities and seeking divine protection for peace and well-being.

The first section describes how sincere rituals are performed to beseech celestial deities to absolve sins and rescue the dying, granting them renewed life. With utmost devotion, offerings are prepared in hopes of transferring misfortune and expressing reverence to the divine. If adversity can be transformed into peace, one may dwell in contentment, free from worry.

The second part discusses communal efforts to ward off epidemics. When someone in the neighborhood falls ill, ten households unite in prayer to dispel misfortune, seeking divine protection for the entire community against plague. Quoting Mencius, the text emphasizes the unwillingness to witness neighbors suffer, advocating collective prayer to ensure the safety of the village. With reverence, vegetarian offerings are prepared to implore the deities to eradicate disease and bestow longevity, prosperity, and tranquility.

The third section recounts how those who once fell ill vowed to dress as penitents to atone for their sins. Upon recovery, they fulfill their pledge by binding themselves with ropes in a symbolic act of contrition. Believing they had erred during their hardship, they now complete the atonement ritual with solemn humility to prevent future illness. These penitential rites are categorized into three forms based on the duration of the vow: initial, secondary, and three-year ceremonies.

The text mentions "Ten-Household Blessings" (shibao fu), a Daoist communal prayer ritual involving ten households, as well as "wearing the cangue" (hejiao)—a wooden yoke used on ancient prisoners—and "binding with ropes" (jieying), a ritual of symbolic imprisonment. These practices reflect the ancient belief in seeking physical and spiritual redemption through religious acts.

This scripture describes the process of Daoist devotees seeking disaster relief through zhaijiao (Daoist purification rituals). With reverent hearts, the followers express repentance and supplication to the deities.

Devotees solemnly light incense and pray, hoping for celestial protection—that calamities may dissipate like lightning while blessings gather like clouds. When petitioning the celestial court, they tremble with awe, hoping to be released from the registers of ghosts and spirits, hence repeatedly performing ritual prostrations (as Confucius' grandson Zisi taught about such reverent frequent bowing). After three ritual purifications and the annual grand ceremony, devotees reflect on their virtue being as thin as a cicada's wing and their benefits as meager as a fly's head. Due to improper self-care, they suddenly contract illnesses, seeking famous physicians (legendary healers like Cang Gong and Bian Que) yet finding chronic diseases difficult to cure.

They make vows of devout worship, anticipating the vast grace of Heaven. Believing sincere hearts can commune with the divine, they indeed receive the gift of rebirth. To repay this grace, devotees exhaust their dying strength, expressing their wishes again with utmost sincerity. They kowtow reverently, never forgetting heartfelt devotion, willingly humbling themselves (as mentioned in Shang Meng), praying only for the grace to envelop their entire being.

During spring zhaijiao rituals, as Yin recedes and Yang flourishes (the six Yin lines stripped away, the three Yang lines bringing prosperity), people prepare to receive the elixir (dragon pill referring to precious alchemical medicine). Organized in units of five and eight households (ancient community structures), even ant-like sincerity must be presented to Heaven. They pray for celestial protection and peaceful days. Devotees confess being ordinary people—neither stubborn nor forgetful of roots, neither forcing growth nor greedy for wealth, longevity, or comfort—yet have accumulated transgressions inviting misfortune. Now as fortunes shift, fearing their names recorded in the black register (listing sins), they gather neighbors (fen-yu community organizations), diligently preparing humble offerings (duckweed and algae symbolizing simple sacrifices). They respectfully invite Daoist masters (from lin-yu temples) to solemnly recite golden scriptures (Daoist classics), gazing up at the August Heaven's discernment. They pray for glorious deities to shower floral rain (auspicious sign), washing away collective misfortunes, letting harmonious winds bless every household.

During summer zhaijiao, people paint lotus dharma boats (symbolizing salvation), aligning with the Li trigram (one of the Bagua representing fire and summer), cleansing earthly altars (peng-yu spaces), seeking resonance through sincerity. Gazing at the azure sky, they reverently present golden tablets (ritual slips). Fellow devotees journey together, toiling for meager gains, forgetting dangers when coming and going (like drinking poisoned wine). Being shortsighted commoners (as Zhuangzi described), how few examine themselves (the Shangshu advises "introspection as if never enough"). Now in the fourth lunar month (Jian-Si period), as stars converge, they consider the ant-like multitudes who...

This is a Daoist liturgical text (Keyi) for disaster prevention and blessing, comprising three main prayer components:

The first section contains autumn festival supplications. Daoist priests solemnly perform standard rituals, beseeching the heavens to bestow widespread benevolence and eliminate calamities. The prayers express hope that, as described in Emperor Shun's "Ode to the Southern Wind," all may share in nourishing grace and obtain longevity with peace. During the crisp autumn season, people paint dragon boats to gather blessings, joining in sincere collective petitions for divine favor.

The second portion addresses prayers to the Plague Deities (Wenshen). The text describes how local inhabitants, though living simply, have suffered epidemic outbreaks, with roads filled with sounds of sorrow. Recognizing the need for preventive measures, communities paint sacred boats and conduct purification rituals (Zhaijiao) to supplicate. They implore the Plague Deities to exercise discerning judgment, with local guardian spirits like the City God (Chenghuang) and Earth Deities (Sheling) serving as witnesses for protection. The petitions seek lasting neighborhood safety and abundant harvests.

The third section details the sacred boat sending ceremony. The spiritually potent vessel, adorned with five-colored decorations, becomes the focal point for communal blessings across eight districts. Selecting an auspicious hour, the purification ritual aims to invite deities to descend in numinous majesty during the transcendent state, manifesting awe-inspiring miracles before peacefully returning.

The mentioned "purification ritual" (Zhaijiao) represents a crucial Daoist ceremony for disaster relief, while "City God and local deities" (Chenghuang Sheling) refer to territorial protectors, and "Plague Department spirits" (Wenbu Lingzhi) denote the hierarchical pantheon overseeing epidemics. The entire ritual embodies Daoism's traditional approach to mediating relationships between humanity, nature, and the supernatural through sacred ceremonies.

This scripture primarily describes the process of seeking divine healing through Daoist rituals. It recounts how a gravely ill person, finding conventional medicine ineffective, turned with sincere devotion to pray to the Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heavens (Xuandi, a revered Daoist deity also known as the Dark Emperor).

The patient describes being in critical condition, facing "nine chances of death against one of life," with no relief from medicinal herbs like ginseng, poria cocos, astragalus, or white atractylodes—even unable to swallow food or drink. In response, they purified their dwelling, erected an altar for a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), and reverently prayed to Xuandi, seeking to expel the afflicting spirits and restore health.

The text cites an illustrative anecdote: When most of Chen Gongchen's army fell ill, he dreamt of a divine turtle instructing him to use purified water with willow branches (a Daoist ritual implement) for sprinkling purification while reciting the incantation:

"Heavenly Stem Great Chief, swiftly drive away mist and lightning; bestow your hidden power, banish this raging calamity."

After repeating it three times, the troops indeed recovered.

Following their recovery, the patient fulfilled vows of gratitude to Xuandi, explaining how their illness stemmed from imbalances in the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). When physicians failed, they pledged a ritual offering to Xuandi. After healing, they burned incense in thanksgiving, praying for perpetual freedom from misfortune. The passage concludes by referencing a story from Qisheng Ji (Records of Revealing the Sacred): Zhong Jinming encountered a Daoist who identified himself as Pei Guo from Wudang Mountain (a sacred Daoist site), offering a single "coin of liberated heart-mind" as a prescription for saving the world.

This scripture exemplifies the Daoist tradition of healing through devout prayer and ritual practice, emphasizing sincerity as the key to efficacy. It preserves therapeutic incantations and accounts of miraculous cures, demonstrating the integration of spiritual devotion with practical remedies.

Fu Jinming said: Take these coins—whether you encounter floods, fires, or illnesses and misfortunes, simply soak them in water and sprinkle the water on the affected area, and you will be healed. Afterward, carry them with you; whenever you encounter the sick, sprinkling the water will have the same effect.

Regarding the Doujiao (Star Ritual) performed during illness:

The Northern Dipper governs the celestial mechanism of the Seven Luminaries (the sun, moon, and the Five Phases—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth), eternally fixed in its position. Humans receive the essence of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases, yet they are often plagued by disease. With utmost sincerity, we gaze upon the Purple Subtlety Emperor Star (Ziwei) and offer our earnest prayers at the Cloud Terrace (a Daoist ritual space): This frail, ephemeral body of mine, usually preoccupied with trivial gains, barely sustains the meager devotion of an eel crawling toward sacred ground. Recently, afflicted by lingering ailments, I was suddenly struck by severe illness—my body’s twelve thousand points of spiritual light lack the primordial Qi of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun), and my three hundred sixty bone joints have forgotten the true form of the Great Unity Perfected Lord (Taiyi Zhenren). Now, pouring out my sincere heart, I reverently submit this vermilion petition, praying: May the Three Life Officials (guardian spirits of destiny) all come to protect, may the divine lords of the Five Viscera each settle in peace, may the celestial registers of life and death add years and erase calamities, bestowing abundant blessings of health and well-being.

Regarding the Doujiao of thanksgiving after recovery:

The Dao of Heaven entrusts the Northern Dipper with the authority to dispel disasters and resolve misfortunes; humans, through worshiping the Northern Star, gain the power to revive the dead. With sincere hearts, we hold this ritual to repay grace, engraving our gratitude in bone and marrow. I recall dwelling in my humble abode when, in my twilight years, I was suddenly afflicted by illness, suffering from dizziness—my nine orifices and hundred bones found no rest, my Three Hun and Seven Po (ethereal and corporeal souls) lost their harmony. Now, gazing up at the Northern Star Palace and bowing to the Azure Radiance Emperor Lord (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun), no sooner had my prayer left my lips than my illness departed. The primordial Qi of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and the dharma-form of the Great Unity Perfected Lord now guard me together. On this auspicious day, I fulfill my vow, praying that the response be swift as a drumstick meeting its mark, precise as the turning of the Dipper. May the Southern Envoy of the Southern Dipper Palace (guardian of longevity) shower auspicious light, and may the Seven Origin Lords of the Northern Dipper in the Purple Subtlety Palace together bestow blessings—granting a lifespan as steadfast as Mount Tai and fortune as deep as the Eastern Sea.

Regarding the proclamation for the salvation of the deceased:

The Supreme Ultimate Convenience Bureau (a Daoist institution overseeing underworld affairs) issues this notice concerning salvation rites: According to reports from Sichuan and other regions of the Great Qing, a cultivator has petitioned for divine grace. A virtuous individual (name omitted), moved by compassion, seeks to aid the wandering souls trapped in the Three Paths of Hell (fire, blood, and blades), the Five Sufferings (birth, aging, sickness, death, and separation from loved ones), the Ten Categories of Lonely Spirits (souls of those who died under various circumstances), and the Nine Darknesses of the underworld—these souls, long submerged in darkness without seeing the light of day, can only be liberated through salvation rituals. Now, we establish a Jianwangjiao (Memorial Ritual for the Dead), offering ritual food and conferring the precepts of the netherworld.

This scripture describes a grand ritual for the salvation of wandering souls. Following Daoist liturgical protocols, the priests prepared a complete set of ritual implements and offerings: the full array of Qingwei school (an important Daoist lineage) iron-vessel ceremonial instruments, recitations of the Supreme Ninefold Perfect Precepts (essential Daoist ethical codes), a hundred repetitions of the Scripture for Relocating Souls from Darkness with consecrated ritual wine, and abundant Cloud-Kitchen Nectar Offerings (special vegetarian food for deities and departed spirits).

The ritual space was arranged with the Black Banner of Hell-Supervision representing the Iron-Enclosed Mountain (symbol of the underworld), illuminated by torches to guide lost souls, along with ceremonial parasols, mountains of gold and silver spirit money, winter clothing, and other paper offerings for the deceased—all intended to universally aid wandering ghosts of both land and water realms. The text particularly emphasizes ensuring all souls receive equal salvation, comprehend their karmic causes from past lives, and permanently escape the sufferings of hell to ascend to heaven.

The latter section vividly depicts the miserable state of wandering souls through striking metaphors: even an iron-hearted man would despair contemplating life and death, and a golden Buddha cannot attain liberation without realizing the Dao. These souls blindly chase through the cycle of rebirth like divers seeking pearls in the ocean or laborers piling jade mountains—yet cannot carry away any karmic burdens. Some remain trapped in thorny thickets, others fall into the Fengdu Hell-realm (the Daoist underworld), becoming neglected white bones with spirits lost in darkness. Poetic lines like "willow catkins adrift" and "plum rains at yellowing season" intensify the imagery of souls wandering without refuge.

Finally, it mentions how fortunate it is that Daoist deities open the gates of liberation, while the ritual sponsor (the host conducting the ceremony) sincerely cultivates offerings—using exquisite Cloud-Kitchen delicacies and sweet dew to deliver these souls from suffering. The passage simultaneously showcases the solemn grandeur of Daoist salvation rituals and expresses profound compassion for the departed.

This scripture primarily expounds on the principles of karmic retribution and cultivation admonitions. It begins with the metaphor of the "Cool Dew Palm," urging people to relinquish attachments and reconcile with adversaries through mutual understanding, emphasizing that only by jointly cultivating virtuous paths can all achieve joy. By sincerely repenting one's sins before the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities), one may transcend the suffering of samsara.

The text then enumerates the karmic retributions corresponding to the twenty-four layers of hell: those who disrespect deities will suffer needle-piercing torment; thieves will be wounded by blades; drunkards indulging in excess will be devoured by venomous serpents; those breaking precepts by consuming meat will be imprisoned by monstrous beasts. Violators of fasting rituals will climb mountains of knives; the licentious will embrace sword trees; those framing the virtuous will burn in fiery furnaces; harmers of living beings will boil in oil cauldrons. Slanderers will endure mortar-pounding; exploiters of others will be crushed by wheels. The miserly refusing alms will have tongues torn out; bullies oppressing the weak will be dismembered; schadenfreude revelers will have limbs nailed; gossipmongers will suffer plow-tongue punishments.

The scripture specifically notes: destroyers of divine statues will break legs and lie bedridden; those harming fetuses will endure crushing stones; poisoners will be force-fed boiling liquids; exploiters of the poor will freeze in icy immersion. Slanderers will drink molten copper; the irreverent will be beaten with iron rods; defilers of scriptures will be dismembered; temple desecrators will face limb-severing. Thieves consuming onions/garlic will swallow fire pellets; fruit/flower stealers will inevitably taste bitter retribution.

These karmic consequences stem solely from worldly actions, with each soul bearing its burdens after death. Eons of damnation bring endless anguish, as the twenty-four judicial departments (hell's tribunals) mete out meticulously exact retributions. Sinful souls wander as lonely ghosts, wailing in desolate wildernesses where insect chirps and bird songs narrate their past transgressions.

Finally, the text mentions tonight's performance of the "Jade Sun Rite" (Yuyang zhi fa, a salvation ritual for lost souls), where moonlight and dew nourish the deceased, making their forms and shadows manifest. Through these viscerally vivid punitive visions, the scripture starkly warns of the vital importance of accumulating virtue through good deeds.

This scripture primarily expounds on rituals for liberating wandering souls and the principles of spiritual cultivation.

It begins by instructing practitioners to cleanse body and mind with orchid-infused pure water, donning clean garments to solemnly prepare themselves. The text emphasizes the importance of self-reflection rather than waiting for others to point out one's faults. Through repentance of sins and turning toward goodness, one can escape the sufferings of hell (Fengdu) and return to the realm of ultimate bliss (Palace of Eternal Joy).

The "Register of Wandering Souls" section describes how the human heart originally shines like a luminous pearl and radiates like the bright moon, yet people often lose their way. While alive, they remain trapped by desires (you lou, "having leaks"), and after death fail to attain liberation (wu zhe, "without shelter"). Fortunately, the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme Daoist deity) has opened this salvific ritual assembly to offer deliverance. The text admonishes departed souls to seek refuge beneath Mount Wutai and urges spiritual progress (advising "from the hundred-foot pole, take one step further"). It underscores the truth that "form is emptiness," warning against being deluded by appearances and encouraging return to one's original nature.

Using vivid metaphors, the scripture critiques worldly delusions: people act like riders searching for the very ox they're mounted upon, or like Zhuangzi's dream butterfly lost in illusion. Humans suffer entangled in the seven emotions (qi qing) and six sensory desires (liu zao), bullying the kind while fearing the wicked, despising poverty while fawning over wealth. Yet in death, all become mere mounds of yellow earth and a few paper offerings, soon forgotten even by descendants. The text poignantly depicts wandering souls' desolation through the seasons: autumnal rains at dusk in solitude, winter snows in the bitter night's stillness.

Finally, it explains the present zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) where priests chant esoteric mantras for liberation. The departed souls are urged to seize this opportunity—like plucking a pearl from a dragon's jaw or breaking free from an eggshell—to seek deliverance. Mention is made of the "mystic millet pearl" (xuanshu shuzhu, a Neidan term denoting the Golden Elixir of internal alchemy) that can assist their ascension.

This passage primarily discusses the ritual document (proclamation) used in Daoist salvation ceremonies for deceased souls. Let me explain it section by section:

First, it speaks of spiritual cultivation requiring careful contemplation, like slowly chewing rice to comprehend the truth of "neither arising nor ceasing," warning practitioners not to be misled by superficial appearances. This reminds cultivators to engage in mindful reflection.

Next comes the formal document for the salvation ritual. The opening states this is a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremony conducted to guide deceased souls toward rebirth in higher celestial realms (the "upper grade" refers to elevated heavenly spheres). The Daoist priest (called "feathered person") prepares cloud-patterned documents with the filial devotion expressed in the "Liao'e" poem, reverently inviting sacred beings according to Daoist liturgical protocols (Xuanke, mystical ordinances).

The text depicts the ritual scene: celestial officials descend from azure skies holding rainbow banners (nijing jiangjie, "rainbow streamers and crimson tablets"), displaying secret scriptures written in golden jade characters (yuzi jinshu). This represents a typical Daoist vision of divine beings descending during rituals.

It then explains Daoist doctrine: the Three Qi (heaven-earth-human energies) manifest as celestial scriptures (yunzhuan, "cloud seal script"), while the Five True Writings (wuwen) embody the salvational Dao. Emphasizing the profound mystery of the Dao (xuan zhi you xuan, "mystery upon mystery"), it describes how compassion opens expedient means (jue'an, "shore of awakening"). The highest perfected beings (shangzhen), pitying souls in darkness, specially established these salvation rites.

The document humbly describes its author as an ordinary, flawed practitioner, ashamed of inadequate cultivation, yet daring to conduct this ritual out of filial devotion. It mentions disciples seeking posthumous salvation for deceased relatives (zhuizi bawang, "recalling merits to uplift the departed"), hoping their souls may ascend to heavenly realms (qianshen duming, "transferring spirits to prolong destiny")—this being the ultimate filial offering.

The concluding section invokes deities: with incense and sincere bows, it reverently invites the Three Pure Ones (sanqing sanjing gaozhen in golden palaces), the Jade Capital's sacred assembly (liuyu liuhuang shangsheng in white jade cities), celestial rulers of the four directions (sifu baxian zhenzai), and underworld officials (jiuyou shidi mingguan), beseeching them to witness this filial devotion. Stressing that "of all virtues, filial piety comes first," it asserts heaven and earth most value sincere filial hearts, and that conducting such rituals (zhaifan, "purification models") accumulates blessings in the unseen realms while expressing grief.

Note on specialized terms:

• Three Pure Ones (Sanqing): Daoism's supreme deities—Jade Pure, Upper Pure, and Great Pure
• Six Heavenly Emperors (Liuyu): Six celestial sovereigns in Daoist cosmology
• Nine Darknesses and Ten Earths (Jiuyou Shidi): Daoist hierarchy of underworld realms
• Cloud Seal Script (Yunzhuan): Celestial writing style used in Daoist scriptures
• Mystical Ordinances (Xuanke): Esoteric ritual protocols

This document records a Daoist salvation ritual (Zhaijiao) performed to liberate the souls of deceased parents. With hearts full of grief, the filial children requested this Daoist ceremony to guide their departed parents' spirits toward deliverance.

The text first recounts the lives of the deceased: The late father was a kind and humble man, born in the tenth year of the Shanghuang era (specific date omitted), who lived several decades before passing away due to illness during the Daoguang reign. The phrase "spring blossoms in full splendor" symbolizes his vibrant life, while "autumn leaves withering" depicts his passing, expressing the Daoist contemplation on life's impermanence.

The ritual coincides with the "first seventh" (Shouqi, the initial seven-day period after death), during which the deceased's soul stands judgment before King Qinguang, ruler of the First Court of the underworld (chief among the Ten Yama Kings). Through this ceremony, the children seek to assist their parents' spiritual ascent.

Conducted by ordained Daoist priests, the ritual titled "Lingbao Salvation of the Ten Kings and Nine Refinements Great Purification" (a multi-day Zhaijiao involving scripture recitation and repentance) was performed. The liturgy included chanting the Scripture on Salvation (Durenjing) and making offerings of incense and lamps to celestial deities, beseeching them to open the underworld pathways for the souls' liberation.

Special mention is made of the father's virtues: his benevolence, simple living, frugal household management, and lifelong dedication to his family. The children, mourning with "cuckoos weeping blood" intensity, conducted this solemn ritual both to repay parental kindness and to facilitate their ascent to the immortal realms.

This scripture describes the ritual process and underlying concepts of Daoist salvation ceremonies for the deceased.

It begins by detailing how talismanic documents (fulu) and imperial decrees are issued to invoke divine power, transforming darkness into a path of light and opening the way from the underworld to the celestial realms. The specific procedure involves preparing official documents—such as sacred talismans, precious registers, and ferry passes for water and land—issued by the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Taishang Laojun) to pardon the souls of the deceased and assist their ascension. These documents are then dispatched by the underworld’s money-transporting cart drivers and strongmen from the City God Temple to an official of the Eastern Peak Prefecture (Dongyue Fu, the Daoist administrative realm of the underworld), who forwards them to the awaiting relatives of the deceased. Through this process, the souls are liberated from the underworld and attain a blessed position in the immortal realms.

Next, it emphasizes the importance of honoring ancestral virtues and upholding family traditions. Beyond seasonal offerings, salvation rituals provide a special opportunity to pray for the deliverance of ancestors across generations—beginning with the great-great-grandfather and listing each in succession. All souls receiving salvation gain spiritual benefits, awakening to their divine nature. The departed are recorded for their merits, while the unborn are granted blessings, ensuring prosperity for future descendants.

The text then reflects on the sorrow of life’s impermanence: the north wind carries away the years, and the setting sun symbolizes the brevity of existence. All things in the world are temporary gatherings, fleeting as passing clouds. The human body—composed of the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, and wind, a shared Buddhist-Daoist concept of physical composition)—will inevitably dissolve, evoking grief and tears. Though life is as brief as a flash of lightning, and all souls must eventually return to the underworld (Haoli), the sight of exposed corpses ravaged by wind and rain, or lonely spirits weeping in the night, is profoundly pitiable. Thus, Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) masters are specially invited to expound the supreme scriptures, using this virtuous connection to help the deceased escape suffering.

Finally, the ritual extends universal salvation to wandering souls of both water and land, allowing them to bathe in the compassionate rain of the Dharma and observe the Nine Precepts (Daoist ethical guidelines for salvation rites). Their spirits are liberated to dwell in blessed realms, awakened through the Four Sublime Divine Incantations (Daoist mantras for transcendence), and freed from their mortal bonds.

This set of Daoist memorial texts for guiding departed souls expresses profound grief for deceased parents and devout prayers for divine reception. Here is a contemporary interpretation of each section:

Regarding the salvation of a father, the text describes the unbearable sorrow of the living and their utmost sincerity in supplicating the deities. It prays for the Nine Nether Realms (Daoist afterlife domain) to unlock their jade gates, sending forth ritual chariots and ceremonial guards to receive the soul, with golden towers' banners escorting the divine carriage. Through the Yellow Register Zhaijiao (Daoist salvation ritual), devotees gaze toward the Purple Mansion (celestial abode) to prostrate before the Heavenly August Emperor, beseeching protection from the boundless Flying Celestial Kings and sacred lords of blessed lands. May phoenix carriages from the nine heavens sound in unison, welcoming the eight-scene phoenix chariot (divine vehicle).

In the Lingbao salvation ritual, reciting sacred texts and precious talismans channels grief for the departed father while anticipating the descent of divine conveyances, presenting humble sacrificial offerings. With devout prayers to the Heavenly August Emperor, the text wishes for azure-dwelling cloud chariots to pause and mystical steeds that clear worldly mists to arrive. Generic memorial passages mention establishing a Xuantan (ritual altar) with mournful devotion, praying the jade platform transforms into a sacred throne where myriad saints gather, and golden gates open to receive hosts of immortals.

For a mother's salvation, the text describes establishing Nine Nether Purity Zhaijiao (purification ritual) at the Xuanting (symbolic mother's dwelling), meticulously preparing the ritual space to invite perfected saints from the ten directions. At the three periods (morning, noon, evening), ceremonial decorum is observed, selecting auspicious days for the rite. It prays for sages of the void to bestow phoenix carriages, and deities of mountain grottoes to send dragon-drawn conveyances for elevating the mother's soul.

These memorial texts embody the Daoist ideals of "joyful wuwei (non-action) and carefree liberation," along with the ethical principle of "luminous filial piety." Through solemn ritual language, they express the living's profound remembrance and devoted salvation for departed loved ones.

When conducting the Yellow Register (Huanglu) ritual (a Daoist salvation ceremony for the deceased) for one's mother, offer this prayer: Though I've yet to repay my mother's nurturing kindness, she has suddenly departed this world, vanishing like a dream in the red dust of mortal life. The Heavenly Emperor's virtue (De) is impartial and vast, therefore I reverently establish this Yellow Register altar with offerings for her salvation. With sincere heart I compose this simple petition, first reporting to Heaven: May auspicious clouds cluster around the azure skies as a thousand celestial officials descend in procession; may the stars arrange themselves like an imperial carriage to welcome the jade chariots from the ten directions.

When performing the Numinous Treasure (Lingbao) ritual (Daoism's highest salvation ceremony) for one's mother, pray thus: My ordinary mother has suddenly returned to the yellow earth, yet the great Dao (Dao) shows no partiality and can guide her to the Vermilion Mansion's Heaven of Life-Transformation (a Daoist paradise for refining souls). Devoutly preparing this grand Lingbao ritual, I humbly invite true immortals to descend. May the perfected beings from the Purple Palace (Shangqing paradise) ride their divine chariots to visit our mortal realm, and may the Celestial Worthy from the jade heavens condescend to partake of offerings at this humble altar.

A universal memorial for mothers reads: The kind mother from the northern hall (symbolizing the maternal dwelling) has suddenly forsaken the joys of earthly family life, yet the Eastern Extremity's Azure Mysterious God (the deity governing salvation from suffering) can accomplish this work of deliverance. Respectfully presenting my sincere heart, I solemnly establish this ritual altar. May moonlight and floral shadows witness immortals in feathered robes gracefully descending upon the precious throne; amidst curling incense smoke, may we faintly hear the azure phoenix's call as it alights from the jade terrace.

For joint memorials honoring both parents: My father, who was like heaven to me, suffered heaven's collapse in his passing; my mother, who was like earth, endured earth's rending in her departure. Therefore I establish this grand ritual altar, beseeching Heaven's compassion. May the midnight incense burner's curling smoke summon the solemn descent of the nine phoenix chariots (celestial vehicles of Daoist immortals).

An alternative version for parents' memorial: Bereft of both parents, this grieving child can scarcely contain his sorrow; I can only rely upon the Celestial Worthy's compassionate salvation. Selecting an auspicious day to prepare this ritual feast, I pray the Celestial Worthy may manifest his purple-golden form (the majestic appearance of Daoist deities), lower his azure lotus throne, illuminate this realm with universal radiance, and widely open salvation's gate.

For memorializing a grandfather: Recalling my ancestor's voice and countenance proves as elusive as Zhuangzi's butterfly dream. With ant-like sincerity I plead before the azure heavens: Though my filial devotion may be as modest as Wang Xizhi's simple pleasures offered to his parents, I still hope my ancestor may extend his compassionate relief from suffering. May this green petition (Daoist memorial text) reach the celestial palaces, summoning myriad immortal riders to descend upon crimson clouds.

For memorializing a grandmother: All people cherish their closest kin, grieving that they can no longer wait upon them; yet Heaven's impartial canopy still demands reverent offerings. Respectfully inscribing this ink petition to express sincerity, I pray the August Heaven may bear witness. May grandmother ride clouds and mists to partake of these offerings, bestowing abundant blessings upon descendants as swiftly as thunderclaps.

For memorializing a son (reconstructed from fragmentary text): This ritual for a prematurely departed son expresses the grief of white-haired parents burying their dark-haired child, beseeching Daoist deities to guide his spirit to the immortal realms. (Note: The original text breaks off here; this conclusion follows standard Daoist salvation rites.)

The heavens trembled as if mourning the sovereign's passing. With utmost sincerity, I beseech Qian Yuan (the supreme Daoist deity) at this sacred altar (xuántán), praying for divine manifestation. May the cloud-borne chariots unfurl their pheasant-feather banners as dragon pennants herald the sun god's arrival.

For My Departed Daughter:

My beloved child departed suddenly—who can fathom heaven's will? Devoutly I turn to the Celestial Worthy, praying she may be reborn in blessed realms. My lament ascends to the skies; my prostration conveys deepest reverence. May phoenix-drawn carriages gleam radiantly as azure dragons shimmer through celestial robes.

For My Son-in-Law:

His spirit vanished like a butterfly awakening from a dream—how profound the grief! With ant-like humility, I gather pure-hearted companions to erect this solemn altar. May stately phoenix chariots descend in orderly procession, accompanied by dragon-borne conveyances.

For My Uncles:

Mourning their abrupt departure, I implore heaven to deliver them from underworld suffering. Through earnest prayer, may incense smoke spiral skyward, ritual banners flutter, auspicious candlelight glow, and jade chariots arrive in graceful succession.

For My Aunts:

Like the illusory dream beneath the scholar tree, their passing brings sorrow. Following Daoist liturgy (Keyi), we offer jade-like delicacies and unfurl sacred diagrams. May the tinkling of immortals' jade pendants herald divine chariots, while celestial chimes (yún'áo) resonate with heavenly harmonies.

For A Daoist Practitioner:

Though he shed mortality like a cicada's husk, his transcendence requires meritorious rites. We prepare this solemn altar with pure offerings. May he come robed in dark vestments astride a white crane, or amid purple mists riding a blue ox.

For My Late Father:

This Jiuyou Zhai (underworld salvation rite) redeems his lingering spirit. My heart traverses the Three Realms (heaven, earth, and water realms), seeking the Jade Emperor's grace. Enduring life's hardships, he succumbed to sudden illness—an eternal regret. Now honoring Laozi's wisdom and Confucian rites, we invite Daoists to expound the Mystic Gate's teachings for his liberation.

(Note: All specialized terms follow the prescribed glossary with pinyin provided at first occurrence. The translation maintains the original's ceremonial gravity while adapting classical allusions like "butterfly dream" and "phoenix chariots" for accessibility. Paragraph structure mirrors the source's thematic divisions.)

This passage describes a Daoist ritual scene for guiding a deceased father's soul, expressing devotional wishes. Holding the green jade talisman scepter (qingjie), following the guidance of white rainbow light (baini), one attends the celestial banquet on Mount Kunlun; or riding a striped divine dragon (banlong) in a purple chariot (zinian), roaming the stone gardens of immortal realms.

When performing the Yellow Register Retreat (huanglu zhai, a Daoist salvation ritual) for the departed father, the filial son reflects on the sudden passing and prays that through the compassion of the Celestial Worthy of Salvation at Vermilion Mound (Zhuling Duming Tianzun), the soul may be delivered according to the Yellow Register liturgy (huanglu keyi). With golden boys and jade maidens conveying incense offerings, he presents his filial devotion to the Jade Emperor (Yudi). Overwhelmed by grief, the son laments his insufficient virtue that burdened his father, willing to die a hundred times in atonement. Now through Daoist rites, he lights nine-flower lamps to illuminate the ten directions of the underworld, burns lily incense whose fragrance ascends to the Three Heavenly Realms (santian), praying for merciful light to guide his father to blessed realms.

He wishes his father may ride phoenix-drawn carriages as an attendant to perfected immortals (zhenren), or accompany oceanic transcendents, feasting on clams and astride divine dragons. Remembering his father's arduous labor at Mount Yan, his harmonious household and well-disciplined descendants, now vanished like morning dew, he reverently serves the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Tianzun, the Eastern Green Emperor of Florescence). Following the liturgy for rescuing from suffering (jiuku keyi), he prays to dissolve the torments of the dark underworld (heiyou), opening the Heavenly Gate (Changhe) for the soul to ascend jade steps and behold the Celestial Emperor, ultimately reaching Penglai paradise for eternal freedom.

Finally, he emphasizes the irrepayable debt for his father's tireless nurturing, now abruptly departed. These memorial texts are universally used in various salvation rituals like the Yellow Register for the Nine Darknesses (jiuyou huanglu), expressing remembrance and salvific wishes for the deceased father.

This passage describes a Daoist ritual for the salvation of deceased souls, expressing children's profound grief and prayers for their departed parents.

The first section presents the memorial text for the father. It conveys: The sages cannot bear to abandon any soul. Now we reverently light the Three Realms Purification Incense (a ritual incense in Daoism) to announce our plea to the deities of the Nine Heavens. We remember how our father suddenly departed—his body buried in yellow earth while his soul remains trapped in the dark underworld. Following the mystical liturgy (Keyi) of the Daoist tradition, we pray to help our father transcend his mortal form and ascend directly to Mount Penglai (the Daoist immortal mountain), entering the Palace of Eternal Joy (a Daoist paradise).

The second section continues the remembrance: The sudden passing of our father brings unbearable sorrow. Now with cypress wood tablets (a Daoist ritual implement) and pure offerings, we petition the heavens. Seeing our father's belongings left behind deepens our grief. We have specially invited Daoist priests to perform purification rituals, praying that the Golden Boy and Jade Maiden (Daoist guiding spirits) will come to receive him, and that the Compassionate Lord (a Daoist deity) will issue an edict to uplift him. May our father break free from underworld bondage and hear celestial music.

The third section expresses the children's anguish: The debt of our father's nurturing love can never be repaid—we can only demonstrate sincerity through purification fasts (Zhaijiao). We blame ourselves for our heavy sins that may have burdened him. Now we invite priests to chant from the "Jade Casket Scriptures" (a Daoist classic), hoping to remove the shackles of hell (underworld punishments in Daoist belief). We pray our father may dissolve karmic obstacles, have his name recorded in the immortal register (the Daoist roster of transcendents), and achieve rebirth like a cicada shedding its shell—finally attaining ascension (the Daoist path to immortality).

The final section addresses the mother's memorial: We remember our mother's sudden departure, how she can no longer enjoy family happiness—gone like the fleeting dream of the yellow millet. We weep bitterly at losing our support, her voice and face fading from memory. Now we establish the Nine Darkness Altar (a ritual platform for soul salvation), praying to open the gate of liberation for her humble spirit to find deliverance.

This scripture belongs to a Daoist zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy for the salvation of a deceased mother, divided into four sections expressing grief and salvific prayers.

The first section conveys the sorrow of losing one's mother. The author reflects that despite having grown to adulthood, they cannot redeem their mother's life—only reverently invite Daoist priests to perform celestial rituals. Recalling a mother's loving care during childhood, how could one neglect her salvation? The boundless compassion of the Most High Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun, the supreme Daoist deity) can relieve suffering—may it move the deities to descend to this ritual assembly. Witnessing the daily devout prayers, may all hardships endured by the mother in the underworld be eradicated, enabling her ascension to the Golden Palace (celestial court) to enjoy the joys of Qingdu (immortal realm), eternally accompanying the host of immortals and partaking of everlasting bliss at the Jasper Pool (abode of the Queen Mother of the West).

The second section describes the "Yellow Register Ritual for Mother." Grieving the mother's departure—her colorful robes never to be seen again—the author relies solely on the Heavenly Emperor's mercy to conduct the Yellow Register fast (a salvific ceremony). Sincerely praying for the mother's deliverance from Northern Metropolis (underworld) sufferings through Zhuling (Daoist purgatory). The sudden loss leaves only memories of her voice and smile, wrenching heart and soul. Without the compassionate power of the Eastern Extremity's Azure Mystery God (Savior from Suffering Celestial Worthy), how could underworld souls be saved? Thus Daoist priests are invited to perform rituals according to celestial laws, with thrice-daily prostrations toward the Hall of Luminous Penetration (celestial court), hoping the mother may escape the Five Sufferings and Eight Calamities (Daoist categorization of worldly afflictions). May she be escorted by six hundred spirit attendants and three thousand jade maidens, ascending immortal realms with ritual tally in hand.

The third section presents the "Numinous Treasure Ritual for Mother." The mother's passing makes the pain of loss unbearable, yet the Heavenly Emperor's virtue eternally cherishes life-giving grace. Therefore, the Numinous Treasure fast (an essential Daoist purification rite) is performed to beseech the Mysterious Truth (Daoist ultimate reality). Reflecting how the mother remained bound by worldly toils throughout her life, unable to transcend earthly sufferings—her hun and po souls now adrift like flowing water. Lamenting the impossibility of repaying maternal nurture, only salvation rites remain. Purifying the home to erect an altar, welcoming the nine-light crane chariots and eight-feathered dragon carriages (vehicles of Daoist immortals). May the mother receive the Dao's protection, guided by the Compassionate Father (Celestial Worthy) to leave the Northern Metropolis and ascend to southern celestial palaces, accompanying divine maidens in paying homage to the Emperor of Eastern Florescence and the Queen Mother of the West.

The fourth section details the "Universal Ritual for Mother." Clad in mourning garments, heartbroken by loss, the author reverently prays to the Heavenly Emperor. The mother departed with unfulfilled longings—her wandering soul's whereabouts unknown, at risk of sinking in the Yellow Springs rather than ascending to celestial realms. Thus the humble dwelling is purified to solemnly invite crane companions (Daoist priests), performing salvation rites according to the Eastern Extremity's Compassionate Lord's (Savior from Suffering Celestial Worthy) methods.

The Heart Incense and Sublime Words scripture is a Daoist liturgical (Keyi) text for redeeming deceased parents, expressing the filial son's prayers during the memorial rites for his departed mother (or both parents). Here is a modern interpretation of its core content:

The first section focuses on redeeming the mother: May she follow the traces of the immortals, attending feasts at the Turquoise Waters and Jasper Pool (abode of the Queen Mother of the West), and refining her true spirit at the Crimson Palace and Purple Mansion (celestial dwellings of southern deities) to regain divine nature. The grieving son reflects on his mother's sudden passing like a fleeting dream, finding solace only through Daoist rituals. Facing the unfathomable path to the underworld, he can but plead to the heavens. Memories of his mother's voice and smile now beyond reach, he prepares the sacred ceremony with reverence—offering jade nectar and divine wines, reciting precious scriptures. He prays that her true nature remains eternal, her three souls (Shen) luminous, wandering with the Queen Mother by the Peach Blossom Pool and resting with Chang'e (Heng'e) in the Moon Palace's Cassia Court.

The second section shifts to redeeming both parents: The son grieves his inability to fulfill filial duties—neither fully serving them in life nor neglecting posthumous rites. Thus he invites Daoist priests to join in burning sandalwood incense, presenting cassia wine and spiced libations (ritual offerings), and expounding sacred texts. He prays his parents' spirits may gain recognition from the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, highest Daoist deity), welcomed into celestial pavilions by Chang'e.

The conclusion emphasizes the pain of parental loss: Gazing at their old garments, the son knows their loving faces are gone forever. Through the solemn altar, he proclaims the wondrous teachings of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing—Jade, Upper, and Supreme Purity), using heavenly rites to dispel underworld obscurities. The sudden departure leaves only mournful winds in empty courtyards—how else to repay their nurturing grace but through redemption rites? Thus he directs priests to unfurl palm-leaf scriptures (rare texts), preparing offerings with reverence, praying his parents may attain longevity like the immortal dwellers of Peach Blossom Spring.

The scripture Fragrant Words from the Heart primarily describes the Daoist rituals for guiding ancestors' souls to salvation, divided into several sections:

The first section depicts a filial son's longing for his parents. He reflects on failing to fully fulfill his filial duties while they were alive—now he can only imagine his mother waiting by the door for his return, and with his father gone, he feels utterly bereft of support. Thus, he invites fellow Daoists to conduct rituals, preparing precious scriptures (langhan baoce, sacred texts) and ceremonial offerings (yuli jinjiang, immortal wine and nectar), praying that his parents' souls may become pure as ice and snow. He envisions them riding cranes or dragons to wander with the Twelve Immortals, or mounting phoenixes to roam freely among the Three Thousand Celestial Maidens.

The second section concerns the salvation of a grandfather. The grandson recalls his grandfather's steadfast and simple character, his frugality in managing the household—qualities that should have granted him tortoise-like longevity (guiling). Yet illness (personified as the ershu, the "two demons" from Zuo's Commentary) claimed his life prematurely. Now, assembling ritual masters to perform ceremonies, the grandson cultivates virtuous karma to aid his grandfather's transcendence. He prays for divine compassion, that his grandfather may accompany the Star of Longevity (Nanji xianweng) in leisurely repose in the Southern Court, or join the Lord of Eastern Florescence (Dongwang gong), chief of male immortals, in the blissful Eastern Paradise.

The third section focuses on redeeming a grandmother. Fearing she might descend into the dark paths of hell (mingtu), the family seeks to elevate her to joyful realms through Daoist rites. They offer humble offerings (qincheng, symbolic vegetables) and vows inscribed on cypress tablets, praying she may break free from karmic bonds and forever leave the Nine Dark Realms (jiuyou, the nine layers of hell). They aspire for her ascension to the Three Heavens (santian—the supreme realms of Jade Clarity, Upper Clarity, and Great Clarity). A ritual altar is erected following celestial liturgy (xianjia keyi), employing boundless methods of salvation to guide her rebirth in paradise. The text compares her nurturing kindness to that of Grandmother Liu from Li Mi's Memorial of Devotion.

Notes: The term ershu (two demons) personifies illness, originating from Zuo's Commentary; langhan baoce denotes treasured Daoist scriptures, while yuli jinjiang refers to ceremonial immortal wines; jiudi indicates the nine levels of Daoist hell, and santian represents the Three Pure Realms (Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing).

This scripture is a Daoist memorial text for the salvation of departed souls, containing two consecration rituals—one for a grandmother and another for a son. The text employs numerous Daoist salvation-specific terminology and imagery of celestial realms.

The first section is a memorial for the grandmother: It was originally believed that she would enjoy longevity like Pang Hong (a legendary Daoist immortal known for his long life), yet unexpectedly, she departed forever. The thought of her soul wandering to an unknown place, while her voice and smile remain vivid in memory, brings profound sorrow. Now, following the liturgical procedures outlined in Daoist scriptures, a solemn salvation ritual is conducted with utmost devotion. Prayers are offered to the deities of the Southern Chang Palace (a divine palace in Daoism overseeing salvation) to rescue her soul, and to the Great Emperor of Eastern Purity, Qinghua (the Celestial Worthy of Supreme Oneness and Savior from Suffering) to respond to her cries for deliverance. May her spirit roam freely in the Eight Scenes Paradise (the highest celestial realm in Daoism), blissfully enjoying the wonders of the Three Divine Mountains (Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou).

The second section is a memorial for the deceased son: At the very moment of celebrating the joy of a newborn, the sudden grief of losing a child strikes with unbearable pain. Now, a sincere salvation ritual is performed, preparing ten kinds of Fulu (Daoist talismanic documents) to open the path through the underworld, and invoking the Three Caverns Scriptures (the core Daoist classics) to guide the departed soul onto the Yellow Path (the celestial ascent). Prayers are made for the descent of immortals to offer protection, and for the Jade Emperor’s compassionate guidance, so that 3,600 celestial boys and 84,000 celestial maidens may come forth to welcome the departed soul.

Finally, the text reiterates grief for the lost loved ones: The sorrow of eternal separation between life and death is beyond words, conveyed only through devout prayer. Recalling the son’s humble and diligent nature in life, there were hopes for his longevity, yet he departed suddenly like Zhuangzi’s dream of a butterfly. Now, Daoist priests perform the Zhaijiao (purification ritual), using cypress-wood tablets to inform the underworld and lotus lanterns to illuminate the darkness of the netherworld. Prayers are offered for the underworld to erase records of transgressions, freeing the soul forever from the sufferings of the Three Paths (the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals). May the soul ascend from the Yellow Springs to the celestial realm, eternally enjoying the freedom of paradise.

This scripture is a Daoist funeral liturgy for guiding departed souls, divided into three sections for deceased sons, daughters, and wives respectively.

The section for deceased sons describes parents' grief over losing their child: sorrow accumulates like mountains, helpless as their son's life breaks like a snapped cassia branch. The household is thrown into panic, as if trapped between ice and fire. The parents invite fellow Daoists to perform rituals, praying the departed soul may roam freely among the Ten Isles and Three Immortal Islands (legendary Daoist paradises), far removed from the Five Agonies and Eight Calamities (Buddhist-derived sufferings including birth, aging, sickness and death).

The passage for deceased daughters laments: the gentle, delicate daughter succumbed to sudden illness, her fragrant spirit now lost to the unknown. The family erects a Jade Altar (ritual platform), inscribing vermilion talismans (fulu) with prayers, beseeching the Fairy of Gushe (a Daoist immortal maiden) to guide the soul into the Five Radiance Palaces, where she may ascend the Eight Scenes Tower (celestial architecture in Daoist cosmology) alongside the Moon Goddess Chang'e.

The section for deceased wives mourns: the virtuous wife's sudden departure leaves her husband in solitary grief. In life she diligently wove cloth and reverently observed ancestral rites; they had hoped to grow old together, now separated by the veil of Yin and Yang. The husband establishes a ritual altar, lights precious candles, and conducts the salvation rites according to Daoist liturgy (keyi), praying his wife's spirit may attain clarity and find peace in the lunar palaces of immortality.

The text frequently mentions ritual implements like "cypress slips" and "orchid platforms," along with sacred spaces such as "jade altars" used in salvation ceremonies. Through these rituals, the living hope to liberate departed souls from the sea of suffering and elevate them to immortal realms.

This scripture is a memorial text written by a husband to guide the soul of his deceased wife, Madame Zhou, expressing his grief over her life of suffering and his prayers for divine salvation.

The text recounts Madame Zhou's tragic life: born into poverty, she endured harsh winters serving a strict mother-in-law from childhood; in her prime years, she single-handedly supported the household while her husband traveled far without returning; forty years of relentless hardship, including thirty years of shared struggles with her husband in destitution. The family lacked proper clothing and food, could not afford medical treatment when ill, and at her death had no decent burial garments—only wild vegetables for offerings.

The husband blames his own ill fortune for dragging his wife into misery, believing her suffering in this life resulted from karmic retribution from past lives. He devoutly implores the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and all divine beings for mercy: he prays that his wife may be inscribed among the immortals (Dantai, the celestial register) and liberated from the Iron Encircling Hell; that in her next life, she may be reborn as a man to escape the sea of suffering; and if their marital bond persists, that he may provide her a better existence in their future reunion.

A poignant detail reveals she died in childbirth (midlife maternal death)—where they once hoped to grow old together (a century of shared life), they were abruptly severed by the veil between Yin and Yang. The husband invokes Zhuangzi’s parable of drumming on a bowl after his wife’s death to convey his anguish, beseeching the Compassionate Ones (referring to deities) to deliver her soul.

Classical allusions like "sharing the deer-carriage" (symbolizing weathering adversity as a couple) and "weeping in ox-hide garments" (depicting the sorrows of impoverished spouses) underscore the husband’s profound remorse and longing. The text intertwines personal grief with Daoist-Buddhist soteriology, framing earthly suffering within cycles of karma and transcendence.

This passage is a Daoist funerary prayer for the liberation of departed souls, expressing the profound grief of the living for their deceased spouse and their fervent wish for divine salvation. It interweaves reminiscences of marital affection with descriptions of Daoist death-transcending rituals.

The text recounts how the wife, several months pregnant, passed away suddenly before childbirth. The husband, heartbroken, feared her soul might descend into the Blood Lake Hell (a Daoist purgatory believed to await women who die in childbirth). To liberate her, he organized a Land and Water Dharma Assembly (a grand ritual for soul salvation). The altar glowed with precious candles while fragrant incense rose from the burners, as he prayed for her deliverance under divine protection.

Similarly, the wife’s lament for her departed husband overflows with tenderness. She recalls his diligence, frugality, and integrity in life, cut short by illness, leaving her alone in sorrow. She implores the deities to absolve his sins, grant his soul peace, and ensure his eternal life in the immortal realms.

Both prayers employ distinctively Daoist expressions: references to the "Yellow Register Offering" (a zhaijiao ritual for the dead), "the immortal maidens of the Nectar Palace" (abode of Daoist female transcendents), and "Chang’e of the Cassia Hall" (the moon goddess). The living hope these rites will pacify the deceased’s "seven corporeal souls" (Daoist cosmology holds humans possess three ethereal hun and seven earthly po souls), ultimately achieving the liberated state where "body and mind remain undimmed, the soul eternally present."

Classical allusions enrich the text: "Liang Hong raising the tray" symbolizes marital harmony, while "Zhuangzi beating the basin" conveys the agony of losing a spouse. These references enhance the literary quality of the prayers and reflect Daoism’s integration of personal emotion into sacred ritual.

This scripture is a memorial text used in Daoist salvation rituals, expressing grief for departed loved ones and prayers for their transcendence. It contains salvation passages for different familial relationships including spouses, brothers, and sisters.

The spouse section conveys the pain of widowhood: The moon bears witness to our unfinished marital bond, as I now endure the suffering of separation from my partner. Following Daoist rites, we prepare cypress wood tablets and offerings, hoping our sincerity reaches the celestial court. Remembering our former joy like paired birds now vanished into emptiness, your voice and smile nowhere to be found—who knows where your soul resides? Now through proper Daoist liturgy, we pray this vermilion-inscribed memorial ascends to heaven, erasing sins from the underworld's black register. May the departed soul attend the immortals, soaring to celestial realms, crossing the golden bridge upon the raft of Daoist practice.

The brother section describes profound fraternal love: Once we played instruments together in perfect harmony, but suddenly face life's ultimate parting. I recall how my brother chased fame and fortune in this world, now suddenly freed from his snail-shell mortal dwelling. Each spring breeze brings sorrow, knowing I'll never see brothers united again; morning dew reminds me how life evaporates like droplets on shallot leaves. Now we invite Daoist priests to conduct zhaijiao purification rituals, presenting fine wine and delicacies while chanting Daoist scriptures. Nine-flower lamps illuminate the dark paths, while hundred-harmony incense fills the dharma realm. We pray the Most Compassionate Celestial Lord erases the deceased's karmic obstructions, releasing him from three lifetimes of retribution and five sufferings. May his soul transcend worldly dust to join the immortal companions at the Cinnabar Platform, dwelling eternally in the Purple Mansion's divine precincts.

The sister section expresses unbreakable blood ties: In life we shared one roof, united as one qi; in death yin-yang separates us—a hundred bodies couldn't redeem this loss. Now we devoutly beseech the Celestial Lord's dharma presence, offering humble sincerity. Reflecting how life flutters like a butterfly dream, the phoenix's prophecy now fulfilled—how this fills me with boundless melancholy.

The Wonderous Words of Heartfelt Incense scripture primarily addresses rituals for guiding departed loved ones and conveying blessings, expressing the living's remembrance and well-wishes for the deceased.

The opening section describes how flourishing trees may suddenly wither, evoking profound melancholy. Thus celestial immortals are invited to perform Daoist rites—striking golden bells and jade chimes while expounding profound mysteries. Prayers ascend to the Cassia Palace for the secrets of immortality, and to Magu Mountain for the gift of perpetual youth.

The second passage voices grief for a departed brother. Though life and death stand apart, fraternal bonds cannot be severed. Reflecting on their shared parentage and deep kinship, now shattered like a great tree felled, brings unbearable sorrow. Fearing the deceased may suffer in the underworld, earnest prayers are offered that celestial envoys might guide him—resolving unfinished karmic ties in this life while sowing seeds for future reunion.

The third section performs salvation rites for a father-in-law. The son-in-law recalls the elder's kindness in life, and now that earthly meetings have ceased, can only express mourning and reverence through Daoist liturgy. He prays the departed soul may mount a white dragon for peaceful passage, roaming freely among immortals to receive their celestial teachings.

The final passage concerns a brother accidentally slain by their father's hand. Though simple and honest in youth, the brother later kept reckless company, indulged in dissipation, and neglected filial duties—straining the father-son bond. While paternal love never waned, momentary fury led to tragedy. Through zhaijiao (purification rituals), Daoist methods are invoked to absolve his transgressions. Should rebirth occur, may he return with wisdom and virtue to dwell in peace.

Throughout this scripture, profound remembrance interweaves with blessings, employing Daoist ceremonial power to liberate the departed from suffering and grant them renewal.

The Fragrant Words of the Heart scripture contains three memorial sections for posthumous deliverance rites, honoring respectively an elder sister, a younger brother, and a farm ox.

The first section mourns the elder sister. The author recalls with profound sorrow their deep bond, describing how they would sit knee-to-knee sharing intimate conversations. Though expecting her to enjoy longevity, her sudden departure becomes a poignant reminder of life's fleeting joys and the impermanence of existence. Now separated by the veil of Yin and Yang, the author conducts deliverance rituals to guide her spirit toward liberation and favorable rebirth.

The second section laments the younger brother. The text grieves this exceptionally gifted man who died young from illness during his prime, his bright future abruptly cut short. His laughter no longer echoes, his presence no longer visible. Moved by fraternal devotion, the author specially arranges deliverance ceremonies, invoking the "compassionate ferry" of Buddhist salvation (a metaphor comparing Dharma teachings to vessels transporting beings across suffering) to aid his passage.

The third portion presents a Daoist memorial petition (a formal document addressed to deities) for a farm ox from Sichuan. The peasant petitioner recounts how their plow ox toiled diligently for years before dying unexpectedly. Though born in the animal realm (one of Buddhism's Six Destinies), the farmer recognizes its sentience mirroring human awareness—its patient labor in life perhaps repaying karmic debts from past existences. Troubled by its death, the farmer erects an altar for Daoist priests to chant scriptures, beseeching divine power to deliver this ox from suffering.

Following Daoist liturgical conventions, the petition concludes by specifying the recipient deity (referred to honorifically as "Sacred Title" in place of the actual name), imploring the celestial being's merciful intervention for the ox's transcendence.

With celestial compassion gazing upon the mortal realm, may the heavens bear witness to this humble devotee's sincerity. I beseech absolution from the suffering brought by profound transgressions, that I may transcend the cycle of rebirth (a process of continuous existence recognized in both Buddhism and Daoism) and attain renewal like the cicada shedding its husk.

May I be liberated from realms of anguish and be reborn in favorable paths (referring to reincarnation in higher states of existence), dwelling eternally in blessed lands, abiding forever in the realm of ultimate bliss. When the common people live in peace and prosperity, how dare we forget the benevolent regard of the sacred? With reverence, I inscribe these words.

This passage concludes the third volume of Heart Incense and Sublime Words (Xinxiang Miaoyu), reproduced from the newly printed Collected Essentials of the Daoist Canon (Daozang Jiyao). The text expresses the practitioner's aspiration—through sincere repentance—to attain liberation and ultimately realize the religious ideal of transcending samsara to dwell perpetually in blessed realms. The "grave transgressions" (daliao zhi zui) denote profound karmic burdens, while "molting" (tuituo) employs the cicada's metamorphosis as a metaphor for the soul's refinement. "Peaceful abiding" (andu) signifies harmonious living, all being characteristic expressions in Daoist cultivation literature.

Note: The parenthetical explanations about rebirth cycles and favorable rebirths are preserved as per the original's didactic style, while specialized terms like Daozang Jiyao and Xinxiang Miaoyu follow the glossary's pinyin convention with italicized title formatting. The translation maintains the liturgical cadence of the supplication while clarifying culturally specific metaphors like the cicada's symbolic significance in Daoist transformation narratives.