《青玄濟煉鐵貫斛食》

This is a record of a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) for the salvation of wandering souls, compiled by Song Dynasty Daoist priest Chen Zhongyuan. At the commencement of the ritual, the priests first light three incense sticks as offerings to three important deities:

The first incense stick is offered to Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (the Heavenly Worthy of Supreme Oneness Who Saves from Suffering—a Daoist deity specifically devoted to redeeming lost souls), its smoke ascending toward the Azure Flower Mansion; the second to Shifang Lingbao Tianzun (one of the Three Pure Ones in Daoism), its smoke rising to the Vermilion Mansion; the third to all the sacred beings participating in the ritual assembly, its smoke wafting toward the Yellow Flower Mansion.

When the Jiuku Tianzun descends upon the ritual assembly, sacred manifestations appear—golden lotuses bloom, and the nine-headed lion (the Heavenly Worthy's mount) soars through clouds and mist. At this moment, ritual assistants perform their duties, sounding gongs and beating drums three times each, using these resonances to awaken wandering souls from all directions to come and receive the teachings.

The presiding high-ranking priest ascends the ritual platform to begin expounding the Dharma for the salvation of the deceased. The scripture describes the majestic vision of the Eastern Extremity Azure Flower Exquisite Palace (a Daoist celestial realm) where Jiuku Tianzun resides: purple mists fill the heavens, a thousand lotuses surround the jeweled throne, and nine-headed lions manifest among the clouds. The mention of "breaking the Northern Feng" refers to shattering the bonds of hell (Northern Feng) to liberate the souls for ascension.

The ritual specifically recounts the story of one Zhang Lihua, who was judged by the Three Officials (the Daoist triad governing human fortunes) for her past misdeeds, and later repented before priest Li Ruochong at the Zhangren Temple on Mount Qingcheng. This illustrates the purpose of conducting such ritual assemblies—through the Yellow Register Retreat (a Daoist salvation ritual) to help sinful souls attain liberation.

The entire ceremony employs incense burning, scripture recitation, repentance and other methods to beseech the Heavenly Worthy's compassionate salvation, enabling all kinds of wandering souls to take refuge in the true path and escape the sea of suffering.

The scripture describes a Daoist salvation ritual (Jilian Fahui) to liberate wandering souls. In the deep of night, the ritual master lights incense and, through scripture recitation and ceremonial rites, assists the tormented spirits in hell to escape their suffering.

Those souls consumed by greed, hatred, and ignorance ultimately sink into the painful cycles of rebirth. Only the compassionate teachings of the Dao can grant these lost spirits deliverance on this night. The scripture speaks of the radiant light of the Southern Dipper (Nandou) and Northern Dipper (Beidou) Star Lords, as if one could still hear the voices of the deceased reciting texts in life. These wandering souls, adrift across endless miles, can no longer witness the blooming flowers of Luoyang, though the city may be in full spring.

The ritual master reverently invites the celestial dignitaries to descend: the Eastern Salvific Lord, Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (a Daoist deity of salvation); the Southern Zhuling Duming Tianzun; the Western Huanghua Dangxing Tianzun; and many other divine beings. These deities will illuminate the long night with precious incense and radiant lamps, dispelling the misfortunes of the souls in the underworld.

The ritual takes place at midnight, with the moon rising in the east and the Milky Way shining brilliantly. Through chanting sacred names and burning incense, the master opens the gates of hell, summoning various deities to aid in the salvation. In addition to the aforementioned Tianzun, the master also invites the Benevolent Sage Emperor of the Eastern Peak (Dongyue Tianqi Rensheng Dijun, ruler of the underworld), the Great Emperor of Fengdu (Fengdu Dadi, supreme deity of the underworld), the Ten Kings of Hell (Shidian Yanjun), and other underworld spirits, including the Ghost King of Iron Mountain (Tieweishan Mianran Guiwang).

The master reflects on how, since the dawn of creation, the age of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors has long passed, yet beings in the six realms of rebirth still struggle in suffering. Without such salvation rituals, how could these lost souls attain liberation? With deep compassion for the wandering spirits, the faithful prepare abundant offerings (referred to as "cloud kitchen" offerings), hoping that through this ritual, the souls may escape their torment and ascend swiftly to the heavenly realms.

This scripture describes the Daoist "Azure Mystery Iron Bowl Feeding Ritual" (Qingxuan Jilian Tie Guan Shishi), primarily used for salvation ceremonies to deliver deceased souls and aid beings in the netherworld.

Before the ritual begins, a salvation document (Jilian Wenhan) is recited. The text mentions summoning auspicious purple clouds to open the Gate of Life while sealing the Door of Death with propitious smoke (symbolizing the opening of celestial pathways). The majestic power of the Salvation Celestial Lord (Jiuku Tianshi, the specialized Daoist deity for soul salvation) pervades the ten directions, capable of delivering lost beings from the sea of suffering.

The scripture emphasizes connecting with the netherworld through the Three Qi of the Mysterious Origin (Xuan Yuan Shi, the three primordial energies in Daoist cosmology) to save all beings from karmic obstacles and calamities. Practitioners visualize purple clouds in the Muddy Pellet Palace (Niwan Gong, the crown-point energy center), resonating with the Three Treasure Lords (Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun), using pure celestial Qi to subdue the dark souls of the Nine Nether Realms.

The text details the four stages of cosmic generation: first the Primordial Qi (Xiantian Yiqi), followed by sequential transformation, then the birth of all phenomena, and finally universal illumination. Both the thirty-six celestial heavens and thirty-six subterranean hells are manifestations of the Supreme Mystery (Taixuan, the cosmic origin).

Subsequently, it enumerates the ten directional Salvation Celestial Lords (each governing one cardinal direction for salvation), including east, south, west, north, etc. During the ritual, water talismans (Shuifu, Daoist ritual charms) are employed to invite the Great Unity Salvation Lord (Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun) to descend sweet dew (symbolizing purification and salvation), performed nine times.

Finally, the Soul-Summoning Mantra is recited twenty-one times. The esoteric incantation "Om bi jia jin jia jin jin jia jin ge lai lai lai zu lai" serves as a special secret mantra for soul deliverance. Through chanting, visualization, talisman application, and mantra recitation, the entire ritual assists deceased souls in escaping hell realms and ascending to the immortal realms.

This passage describes a crucial segment in the Daoist "Green Mysteries Iron Cauldron Alms Ritual" (Qingxuan Jilian Tieguan Hushi) — the ceremony of summoning souls through yellow banners.

The opening incantations, including phrases like "kou jiang" (oral descent), are esoteric mantras unique to Daoism, used to invoke divine presence at the ritual assembly. The text then details the specifications for crafting the yellow banner: a nine-foot-tall yellow flag erected to the right of the altar. At the top of the banner, the character "仙" (xian, immortal) must be inscribed in large strokes, symbolizing the deceased's ascent to the celestial realms. The body of the banner bears passages from the Jiutian Shengshen Zhang Jing (Nine Heavens Spirit-Generating Scripture) concerning the "Qi of the Five Immortal Middle Spirits," along with thirty-six suspended talismanic registers (fulu). Four sacred verses are also inscribed:

"The Supreme Subtlety revolves the yellow banner,

The Unfading Youth commands the spirit-flag,

Summoning from the Eternal Night’s abyss,

Delivering and liberating the souls of the dead."

Key terms here include:

• Taiwei (Supreme Subtlety): Refers to the celestial paradise.
• Wuying Gongzi (Unfading Youth): The deity governing the three human souls (hun).
• Changye Fu (Eternal Night’s Abyss): A metaphor for the Nine Nether Hells.

The yellow banner symbolizes the central primordial Qi (Yuanqi). By rotating the banner, the ritual master draws souls from the underworld to receive liberation.

The scripture further depicts the scene of five directional youths guiding the souls:

• Youths from the East (azure), South (vermilion), West (white), North (black), and Center (yellow) descend the "Jade Steps" (celestial stairway), each holding a banner of their respective color, to lead souls out of the sea of suffering. The central yellow-robed youth, bearing the yellow banner, serves as the primary guide.

The ritual’s essence lies in harnessing the banner’s spiritual power, combined with incantations and talismans, to summon souls trapped in hell to the ritual site, granting them the opportunity for deliverance and rebirth. The mentioned Jiutian Shengshen Zhang Jing is a pivotal Daoist scripture containing esoteric methods for soul salvation.

This passage describes a ritual for the salvation of wandering souls, centered on invoking the power of the Celestial Worthy (the highest deity in Daoism) to deliver souls trapped in the underworld. It begins with the spiritual banner (a ritual implement for summoning souls) calling forth the Celestial Worthy. Through the merits of food offerings (feeding hungry ghosts) and scripture recitation, both the realms of Yin and Yang are benefited. The Five Directional Deities (Wuling) respond with Sanskrit mantras, enabling the lingering souls in the dark underworld to attain liberation and follow the radiant light of the Immortal Peaks (fairyland) to the eternal paradise.

Next comes the sacred incantation of the Supreme Lord Lao (one of the Three Pure Ones, Sanqing), commanding the gates of Fengdu (the underworld) to open. These esoteric syllables possess the power to shatter the iron walls of hell. The scripture depicts the torments of the underworld: flames engulf the iron fortress, trapping solitary souls within. Only through continuous recitation of the Scripture of Ascension and Salvation from Suffering can they be delivered.

Countless Celestial Worthies manifest throughout the ten directions, gathering primordial Qi (Weiqi) and merits to collectively save souls burdened with heavy sins. The text emphasizes the importance of persistent scripture recitation, which can transform the fiery seas of hell into cool tranquility and turn mountains of blades and forests of swords into auspicious clouds. The liberated souls ascend to the Vermilion Palace (the southern realm of eternal life) and transcend the Three Realms to reach the Heaven of Primordial Beginning (the highest celestial realm).

Finally, the Flying Celestial Kings (Dharma-protecting deities) lead the immortals in praise: the teachings of the Celestial Worthy guide all beings, and diligent cultivation of the Dao through Wuwei (non-action, a core Daoist practice) leads to enlightenment. Sincere recitation of the scripture ten thousand times purifies the heart of karmic defilements. As the ritual concludes, the deities bow to the Celestial Worthy and withdraw.

The closing four-line mantra subtly references directional symbolism (with earthly branch directions in parentheses), describing how Fengdu is encircled by Vajra Mountains, while the infinite radiance of the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (one of the Three Pure Ones) illuminates the suffering within the fiery pools of hell. The entire passage exemplifies the Daoist system of soul salvation through sacred language, ritual power, and the blessings of the Celestial Worthies.

The souls submerged in the Ninefold Nether Hell (the deepest underworld in Daoism) feel their forms ascending with the summoning banners of incense clouds. Through the cultivation of meditative stillness and wisdom (Dinghui), pure as lotus blossoms, they ultimately transcend to the sacred realm of eternal tranquility.

Golden light of merit faintly illuminates the dark hells, while radiant pools emit true fragrance. Lotus canopies drift upon auspicious clouds as countless souls rise within harmonious Qi (vital energy), abiding eternally within the Twelve Storied Towers (key energy centers in the body during internal cultivation). At this moment, the decree of the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (one of the highest Daoist deities) must swiftly be conveyed, allowing the souls to roam freely in paradise.

The frigid hells are filled with sorrow, yet the souls turn back to bow in reverence to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (the foremost of the Three Pure Ones). Through the Numinous Treasure talismans (Fulu) of the Goddess Nüqing and the sacred documents of the True Emperor of Zhongshan (a northern deity in the Five Sacred Peaks cosmology), even a single moment of sincere devotion can elevate them to the Great Purity Heaven (one of the Three Pure Realms), where they may contemplate the realm of Supreme Non-Being (the origin of the Dao). The light of merit spirals through the Ninefold Nether Hell, gradually generating the Violet Emptiness Qi (the highest primordial energy).

Next comes the ritual of salvation by the Celestial Worthies: The Eastern Celestial Worthy of Jade Treasure and Imperial Majesty delivers souls from the Wind and Thunder Hell with the power of storms; the Southern Celestial Worthy of Mystic Truth and Boundless Blessings saves those in the Blazing Fire Hell; the Western Celestial Worthy of Supreme Wonder and Ultimate Purity liberates souls from the Vajra Hell (the Mountain of Knives); the Northern Celestial Worthy of Mystic Radiance and Jade Palace rescues those in the Frozen Abyss Hell; the Northeastern Celestial Worthy of Transcendent Salvation and Holy Virtue uplifts souls from the Cauldron of Boiling Broth Hell; the Southeastern Celestial Worthy of Life-Giving Deliverance redeems those suffering in the Bronze Pillar Hell (punishment by scorching); the Southwestern Celestial Worthy of Great Numinous Emptiness and Imperial Majesty frees souls from the Dismemberment Hell. Each Celestial Worthy recites esoteric Daoist mantras such as "Om Ah Hum," unlocking layer by layer the seals of Fengdu (the capital of the underworld) within the Palace of the Eastern Extremity (abode of the Salvation Deities).

This passage describes Dongji Qingxuan Shangdi, identified as Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, and his manifestations as Tianzun rescuing souls from hell. Written as an incantation, it repeatedly recites the name of Jiuku Tianzun and the hell-breaking formula “an ya hong hong ya li hong hong hong.”

Specifically, the Lingbao Jiuku Tianzun of the ten directions manifests different forms in the eastern Changle World, or Dongji Palace. These successively break open the seventh through fifteenth levels of Fengdu hell, the Daoist underworld. Each level has its own Tianzun and name:

• Level seven: Taihua Tianzun breaks open Huoche hell.
• Level eight: Minghuang Tianzun breaks open Tianlao hell.
• Level nine: Dongshen Tianzun breaks open Wujian hell.
• Level ten: Bazui Tianzun breaks open Wuliang hell.
• Level eleven: Dadu Tianzun breaks open Leijie hell.
• Level twelve: Jieyin Tianzun breaks open Nüqing hell.
• Level thirteen: Duming Tianzun breaks open Daoshan hell.
• Level fourteen: Kuhai Tianzun breaks open Jianshu hell.
• Level fifteen: Huhun Tianzun breaks open Xiashi hell.

These divine titles express functions of deliverance: bazui means removing guilt, jieyin means guiding and receiving, and duming means delivering life. Repeated recitation emphasizes Jiuku Tianzun's divine power to break open hell and deliver the dead. Such texts are commonly used in Daoist jilian rituals for delivering souls. By chanting the incantations, priests symbolically open the gates of hell and guide souls out of the sea of suffering.

This scripture contains ritual incantations from Daoist salvation ceremonies, primarily describing how the Ten Directions' Lingbao Salvation Deities (venerated figures in Daoism specializing in redeeming lost souls) break through the underworld to deliver the deceased.

The incantation repeatedly chants mantras such as "Om Ah Hum Hum Ah Li Hum," synchronized with ritual gestures like "piercing Fengdu from the Eastern Pole Palace." Fengdu (the Daoist netherworld) contains eighteen layers of hell. The text specifies that the sixteenth layer, the Frozen Ice Hell, is liberated by the White Emperor Lingbao Deity, while the seventeenth layer, the Blazing Furnace Hell, is saved by the Wheel-Turning Sacred King Deity. The eighteenth layer requires a special ritual act—"breaking it by striking the ruler."

The latter section depicts the manifold sufferings of the mortal world: warfare and chaos, disease and death, natural disasters, and sudden misfortunes, which leave many as "wronged and vengeful spirits." These lost souls endure desolate conditions in the underworld, their bones exposed in the wilderness, rarely receiving offerings from living relatives. By portraying these tragic scenes, the scripture emphasizes the vital importance of salvation rituals.

References to the "Three Strategies and Six Tactics" (classic military texts) and the "Five Classics and Dynastic Histories" (Confucian canons) demonstrate how Daoist salvation rites incorporate elements of traditional culture. "Nine Schools of Art" denotes diverse crafts, while "scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants" represent all social classes, indicating that these rituals apply universally to all wandering souls.

Tonight, with great compassion in their hearts, the presiding masters pray for the Perfected Ones (enlightened adepts) to open the supreme and profound Daoist methods, establishing the Jiuyou (Netherworld) Zhaijiao ritual assembly to deliver all souls suffering in the three wretched paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal realms). Hearing this summons, may you not decline due to the thousand-mile journey, but come forth to receive liberation. All present reverently face the heavens and chant this great hymn:

Lonely souls of generations past and recent deceased, whether tended by descendants or forgotten in the mortal realm—how rarely you receive earthly incense offerings. Starlight and moonbeams dimly illuminate ancient pathways, while drizzling rain veils desolate villages. Pity the white bones piled beneath yellow earth, and the newly departed buried beside old graves. Tonight, you may rely on the power of virtuous merit, guided by spirit banners, as we earnestly await your arrival.

Now with single-minded focus, we summon all wandering souls:

Lonely spirits beyond the realms of Yao and Shun, all ghosts within the Middle Kingdom; souls of scholar-officials who served the state, spirits of generals and soldiers who defended borders; departed souls within the Northern Yin Fengdu realm, ghostly multitudes in the underworld cities; solitary spirits from the boundless worlds, deceased beings of the six destinies; wandering souls from the three-thousandfold cosmos, ghostly kinds from the four continents; lonely spirits within the Nine Provinces, departed souls across ten thousand nations; deceased from the floating worlds of the south, ghostly beings in the central land of China.

Immortal souls of Daoist priests in feathered robes, monastic spirits in kasaya robes with staffs; warrior souls who campaigned by imperial decree, merchant ghosts of traveling traders; spirits of fengshui masters, souls of portrait artists; scholar ghosts who studied ten years by cold windows, alchemist spirits who refined elixirs for decades; souls of scholars seeking fame through three lifetimes, ghosts who lost their original nature; spirits who rode fat horses in silken robes when alive, now hungry ghosts lacking clothing and food; reckless woodcutter spirits, old angler ghosts in green raincoats; lonely souls severed from kindness, deceased spirits wounded in brawls; souls lingering in the three wretched paths, all kinds of unattended ghosts; spirits of those who hanged themselves, ghosts executed by royal decree; souls who worked to exhaustion and illness, wounded spirits who died with grievances; drowned ghosts of water suicides, spirits crushed by landslides or falling trees; lonely souls of self-beheadings and hangings, deceased mothers who died in childbirth; all lonely spirits within this region, departed souls from nearby villages.

At this moment tonight, we sincerely invite the souls of the dead to come and receive deliverance. We wave flowered banners and call repeatedly, hoping that all souls will descend to the ritual assembly.

We especially summon local earth deities, neighbors and fellow villagers, worthy people of past generations, and wandering souls with no one to care for them. Whether you are the dead in thousand-year-old tombs or lonely souls in ancient abandoned graves, whether you have gone through winter and summer without anyone making offerings, tonight we follow the orthodox ritual to help you leave the sea of suffering and ascend to Heaven. Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun is here: all souls, come swiftly to the assembly.

The sacred name of Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun has limitless wondrous power and can instantly manifest relief from suffering. Holding a willow branch, he sprinkles sweet dew. Wherever his auspicious light reaches, it can break open hell; Luofeng refers to hell. He dwells in Miaoyan Palace in the eastern Changle World, seated on a nine-colored lotus throne and surrounded by countless true immortals and billions of rays of auspicious light. He is a manifestation of a Tianzun of the Yuqing realm and compassionately helps the world through countless cosmic trials. His majestic purple-gold form responds to beings according to their circumstances, and he vows to deliver all beings of the ten directions. No matter how many ages pass, whenever he hears a call he immediately comes to relieve suffering.

His decree reaches hell, and immortal children deliver the order to open its prisons. Brilliant divine light illuminates the underworld and lifts souls out of the depths of the Nine Springs. The Shishang Fu must be recited here. Let punishment cease in the three harmful paths—hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals—and let beings of all six paths come to the altar. These souls come from everywhere: soldiers killed in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, unclaimed remains from the turmoil of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and people buried in wilderness during the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Wei eras. Year after year, no one tends their graves or makes offerings. Without adequate food or clothing, they suffer hunger and cold, their flesh torn and bodies reduced to skin and bone. Young and old weep bitterly. Disabled people stagger along walls, while those who cannot hear or speak wave their hands and shake their heads. Their condition is deeply wretched.

Note: Luofeng refers to Daoist hell. Santu liudao, the three harmful paths and six paths of rebirth, is a Buddhist concept adopted into Daoism. Shishang Fu is a special talisman used in rituals of deliverance.

This scripture describes the scene and ritual procedures of the Daoist "Relief and Nourishment" salvation ceremony. Before the ritual altar gather suffering souls of the deceased—some paralyzed, some blind, some pulling at each other, some aggressive and others feeble—all shivering with hunger and cold, their faces streaked with tears. The Daoist priest admonishes these souls: having come to the altar, they must observe proper decorum, refrain from pushing and clamoring, avoid harboring deceit like snakes and rats, and abstain from devouring food like tigers and wolves.

Through esoteric methods, the priest transforms ordinary food into "Dharma nourishment" capable of sustaining the souls: first silently reciting the mantra "Nán wāi wèi hóu dìng jí lì" seven times, then writing secret characters in a bowl with purified water while visualizing moonlight illuminating the "splendid pool" (referring to the mouth), and finally spraying the consecrated water over the food. This is followed by chanting the "Opening the Throat" mantra to help the souls unblock their constricted passages.

The subsequent passage details the threefold efficacy of sprinkling purified water: the first sprinkling allows souls to drink like celestial nectar, quenching the fire of hunger in their throats; the second sprinkling expands their five viscera, awakening them to the eternal Dao (the Way); the third sprinkling purifies their hun and po souls until they radiate golden light, becoming worthy to behold the Supreme Dao Ancestor. The text concludes by emphasizing how difficult it is to resolve karmic entanglements among sentient beings, requiring reliance on the wondrous methods of the Heavenly Worthy of Universal Salvation (the Most High Lord of the Eastern Extremity).

Note: Special characters like [雨/食知] and [雨/食化] are Daoist secret symbols, their forms and meanings typically transmitted orally among priests; "Jade Clarity Manifestation" refers to the responsive emanation of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (first among the Three Pure Ones). The entire ritual embodies Daoist religious practice—using spiritual power, mantras, and incantations to deliver souls from suffering.

Tonight, a grand Compassion Dharma Assembly will be held to deliver countless wandering spirits as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. The Daoist priests recite sacred mantras and secret incantations, empowering the ritual with the divine strength of their feathered-robed celestial retinue.

This Zhaijiao (purification ritual) originates from the manifestation of the Most Compassionate Savior from Suffering Celestial Venerable (Jiuku Tianzun) in the clouds. He comes to guide all beings out of their various miseries, remaining true to his original vow by attending tonight's assembly to relieve wandering spirits and help them ascend swiftly to the heavenly realms.

In the City of Wrongful Deaths (where spirits of those who died unnaturally gather), mournful winds howl incessantly. Ghosts of those who perished through murder for wealth or endless cycles of vengeance; the deceased who hanged themselves, drowned, or fell from cliffs; those who died from legal punishments or sudden disasters—all await tonight to partake in the Nectar Dharma Feast (ritual offerings in Daoist salvation rites).

Daoist priests in feathered robes and ritual headdresses hold golden tablets (Daoist ritual implements) while cultivating Purple Qi and Yellow Sprouts (Neidan terminology). They pay homage to the Northern Dipper stars, nourishing themselves on pine and dew, healing people through Fu water (Daoist curative magic). These accomplished cultivators and immortal adepts also come to receive the nectar offerings.

Buddhist monks and nuns in kasaya robes, though observing precepts and chanting mantras while practicing meditation, have lost their original minds to the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion. Like untamed horses teased by the mind-monkey (metaphor for distracting thoughts), these lost practitioners also come to receive the nectar offerings.

Loyal and courageous soldiers who defended their homeland followed imperial orders to guard the frontiers. Battlefields seethed with killing energy, banners blotting out the sun—all consequences of past evil karma. These fallen military spirits also come to partake in the Nectar Dharma Feast.

Generals and soldiers who served their country with utmost loyalty, clad in armor and bearing flags to protect the realm. They obeyed commands to deploy formations and engage the enemy—these heroic souls of loyal ministers and valiant warriors also come to receive offerings.

Merchants who traveled far and wide to make a living, crossing oceans just to support their families. They left wives and children behind, exhausting their wits, laboring day and night in foreign lands. These wandering spirits of merchants who died abroad also come to receive sustenance.

Widowers, widows, orphans, the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled—those who idled away their days without productive work. Begging by walls to survive, they ultimately starved to death—these drifting souls also come to accept the charity.

Treacherous ministers who abused power and misled the nation, committing countless evils and injustice throughout their lives. They sowed discord and oppressed the good—these virtueless souls also come to receive the nectar.

The Qingxuan Jilian Tieguo Hushi scripture depicts the suffering conditions of various wandering souls, praying they may receive nourishment through the ritual's sweet dew. Here is a contemporary interpretation:

Those women who once made their living singing and dancing in pleasure quarters—their vermilion lips and powdered faces once enjoyed silken-canopied romance, squandering youth for fleeting smiles. Now these romantic wandering souls too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Scholars who studied by cold windows once harbored soaring ambitions, dreaming of passing imperial exams to honor their ancestors, yet met untimely deaths before fulfillment. These unrecognized heroic souls too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Physicians who roamed streets practicing medicine, yet lacking true understanding, brought harm while intending good. These misguided healer spirits too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Farmers toiling day and night—sowing in spring, harvesting in autumn, paying grain taxes—their dark hair and rosy cheeks withered into aged exhaustion. These labor-worn village spirits too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

During famine years when plague spread, rice became precious as pearls, cold hearths stood smokeless without relief, starved corpses littered fields wailing to heaven. These hunger-stricken wandering souls too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Whether souls from the Three Paths and Five Sufferings, beings of both yin and yang realms—all are summoned to this ritual assembly to share the sweet dew's nourishment, receive precepts, and ascend toward immortality. May all eight calamities' wandering souls be liberated to celestial realms.

Merchant travelers on rivers suddenly struck by storms—their boats shattered, bodies sunk beneath waves. These drowned spirits too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Karmic debts from past lives causing difficult births or miscarriages—mother and child perishing together as blood-defiled ghosts. These childbirth-lost spirits too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Summer travelers in sixth-month heat without water—scorching toxins claiming their lives. These heat-stricken wandering souls too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

Winter wayfarers in twelfth-month blizzards—thin-clad bodies freezing on roads. These cold-stricken wandering souls too come to receive the sweet dew's nourishment.

This scripture expresses Daoism's compassionate ideal of universal salvation by vividly portraying various souls' tragic fates. Through the Jilian ritual, all wandering spirits are offered sweet dew nourishment to transcend suffering.

This scripture describes the scene in the Daoist "Jilian Hushi" ritual (a ceremony for liberating wandering souls) where various types of lonely spirits are summoned to receive the nectar of Dharma offerings.

Those who perished from cold and hunger, come swiftly to receive this nourishing nectar. Some were obsessed with wine and lust in life, stealing chickens and dogs, drowning in drunken delusion; some elderly failed to restrain their minds, wandering homeless; others were violent murderers and arsonists who ended imprisoned and tortured. All these souls who died through unwholesome karma are now summoned for deliverance.

The scripture enumerates ten categories of untimely deaths: those who jumped into wells or rivers, fell from cliffs or hanged themselves, perished in traffic accidents, were killed by wild beasts, died by weapons, drowned or burned, took poison, or succumbed to debt... Tonight all these wandering souls shall receive divine grace.

The Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering (a Daoist deity specializing in soul salvation) manifests boundless power, witnessing beings drowning in the sea of suffering. Like preparing a ferry at the crossing, he sprinkles nectar with a willow branch, guiding souls to the Azure Radiance Assembly (a Daoist pure land).

During the ritual, paper money is burned, offerings of gold, silver and silks are presented, scripture banners are raised, and tea with vegetarian offerings is prepared. Having received these provisions, the souls may proceed to the Vermilion Palace (where Daoist soul refinement occurs) for liberation, ultimately ascending to the celestial realms.

The scripture concludes by explaining the principle of samsara: Heaven and Earth operate by their laws, the transformation between humans and ghosts being as incompatible as ice and coals. These souls suffer in Mount Fengdu (the Daoist underworld) due to unresolved negative karma—like trees severed from their roots that cannot regrow. Regardless of gender or wisdom, all who fail to sever unwholesome ties face inevitable calamity, finding liberation only through such deliverance rituals.

This scripture describes the Daoist "Feeding the Flaming Mouths" (施食) ritual for delivering departed souls. It conveys that regardless of one's social status in life, all descend into the netherworld after death, where unattended wandering spirits become pitiful hungry ghosts. This age-old predicament is truly lamentable. Thus, this salvific ceremony is specially conducted to universally distribute spiritual food with compassionate intent.

The text mentions how the "Heavenly Worthy of Nectarous Dew" manifests ambrosial dharma-feasts for all spirits. May these beings, upon being nourished, abandon their greed and transcend the cycle of rebirth, attaining rebirth in pure and blissful realms. The ritual master proclaims: Now we offer food to all spirits—where a single grain of rice expands throughout the ten directions, satisfying countless ghosts as numerous as the Ganges' sands.

The merits of this offering are then described: departed souls will dwell eternally in joyful celestial palaces, basking in spring-like tranquility. Through universal distribution of this nectar, beings are cleansed of worldly afflictions and return to the true path. All participants in the ritual are to recite in unison the Scripture of the Five Kitchens (五厨经), a classic text of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice.

The scripture also contains essential cultivation instructions: When primordial Qi (the foundational energy) merges with the Great Harmony Qi (cosmic harmonizing energy), one accesses profound mystical states. Practitioners should neither force conscious intention nor cling to thoughtlessness—maintaining naturalness is the true path. Authentic cultivation requires preserving fundamental authenticity, eliminating distractions, progressing diligently yet without attachment to the practice itself.

Subsequently, deities like the "King of Food Transformation" are invoked to convert ordinary food into dharma-feasts imbued with celestial energy, allowing all famished souls to taste ambrosial flavors. Further supplications invite the Supreme Lord of the East (ruler of male immortals), Queen Mother of the West (sovereign of female immortals), and the Heavenly Worthy of Supreme Oneness Who Saves from Suffering to descend. May the boundless dharma-food of the Three Heavens fill the dharma-realm, relieving all starving souls who thereby attain purified forms, liberated from hunger and thirst, collectively reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Special emphasis is given to the equal distribution of food to demonic spirits, hungry ghosts, hell beings, and animals. Through empowered celestial delicacies, a single grain eternally satisfies countless spirits as numerous as Ganges' sands—consuming it enables ascension to the Jade Pool paradise. Offering this sustenance to netherworld beings generates inconceivable merit, aiding their liberation from cyclic existence.

The scripture concludes by praising the "Heavenly Worthy of Transcending Rebirth and Transformation," a deity specializing in delivering departed souls. The entire passage embodies Daoism's compassionate vision of universal salvation, using this ritual to relieve suffering across all realms of existence.

This scripture describes the Daoist ritual for liberating departed souls. The text begins by depicting the offering of sweet dew to universally aid the wandering spirits in the dark underworld, enabling them to escape the sea of suffering, be reborn in the Pure Land (the Daoist celestial paradise), and ultimately transcend the cycle of the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, Realm of Form, and Formless Realm).

During the salvation ritual, departed souls must first take refuge in the "Three Treasures" (the fundamental objects of veneration in Daoism):

The first refuge is the "Treasure of Dao" — the formless cosmic origin that moves the sun and moon, upholds heaven and earth, and serves as the root of all beings and sages. Taking refuge in the Dao Treasure eliminates karmic obstacles of the body and prevents falling into hell realms.

The second refuge is the "Treasure of Scriptures" — referring to sacred Daoist texts endowed with divine power. Taking refuge in the Scripture Treasure purifies karmic obstructions of the mind and prevents rebirth in the hungry ghost realm.

The third refuge is the "Treasure of Masters" — including Daoist patriarchs and ritual specialists who guide beings across the sea of suffering. Taking refuge in the Master Treasure cleanses karmic defilements of speech and avoids rebirth in the animal realm.

After taking refuge, the departed souls must observe the first of the Nine Precepts: filial piety toward parents. This reflects Daoism's integration of Confucian ethics into its cultivation system. Through refuge-taking and precept-keeping, departed souls can purify their karmic obstacles and ultimately attain rebirth in the Pure Land to enjoy celestial bliss.

The scripture presents the complete Daoist process of soul liberation—from food offerings and salvation to taking refuge and upholding precepts—culminating in liberation from cyclic existence. It harmoniously combines Daoist cosmology, cultivation methods, and ethical requirements.

Filial piety is the fundamental principle between heaven and earth, and the basic tenet of human relations. Those who can uphold this precept—the Initial Truth Precepts (Chuzhenjie, the primary cultivation precepts in Daoism)—will be reborn as humans in their next life, blessed with dignified features and longevity. Practitioners present here, can you maintain this precept? (The assembly responds.) Both celestial and earthly realms should revere and follow it.

The second precept demands loyal and diligent service to one’s sovereign. Whether advancing or retreating, one must always seek to fulfill their duty, correct mistakes, act wisely to preserve themselves, and serve their ruler tirelessly day and night. Those who uphold this fulfill the Mindful Truth Precepts (Nianzhenjie), ensuring rebirth with noble status and illustrious rank.

The third precept is compassion and abstention from killing. Seeing living beings, one cannot bear to witness their death; hearing their cries, one cannot bear to eat their flesh—hence the noble person keeps distant from the kitchen. Observing this constitutes the Holding Truth Precepts (Chizhenjie), leading to wealth and honor in future lives.

The fourth precept requires purity and self-restraint. Even in solitude, one must remain vigilant; in the smallest matters, one must be cautious. A noble person is even stricter when alone. This is called the Upright Truth Precepts (Zhengzhenjie), ensuring auspiciousness and peace in rebirth.

The fifth precept teaches against theft and emphasizes righteousness over profit. Faced with gain, one considers virtue; in times of danger, one fulfills their duty without forgetting past commitments—this marks a mature person. This is the Preserving Truth Precepts (Baozhenjie), ensuring pure and virtuous karma in the next life.

The sixth precept warns against unrestrained anger. A noble person praises goodness while tolerating shortcomings, for raging fury only harms oneself. This is the Guarding Truth Precepts (Shouzhenjie), ensuring stability and joy in future rebirths.

After each precept, practitioners are asked whether they can uphold it, emphasizing that these rules should be revered in both celestial and earthly realms. By linking virtues like filial piety, loyalty, compassion, integrity, honesty, and forbearance to future blessings, these precepts reflect Daoism’s integration of ethical conduct with spiritual cultivation.

This passage expounds on the "Nine Authentic Precepts" in Daoist cultivation, specifically detailing the fifth, eighth, and ninth precepts.

The fifth precept requires practitioners to be upright and free from deceit. A true noble person maintains benevolence and propriety in their heart, while those who flatter with sweet words and superficial manners lack genuine virtue. Those who uphold this precept will be reborn with ten perfect physical marks in their next human incarnation. Known as the "Precept of Authentic Completion," it leads to true fulfillment.

The eighth precept emphasizes humility and reverence. The noble person stands in awe of Heaven's decree, respects those of great virtue (De), and follows the teachings of sages, whereas petty minds lack such reverence. Adherents of this precept will ultimately attain the supreme orthodox Dao. It is called the "Precept of Attaining Authenticity."

The ninth precept demands single-minded devotion to the Dao. The Heavenly Dao is supremely simple and singular—whether in favorable or adverse circumstances, one must remain steadfast until reaching the state where one's actions naturally align with the Way without transgressing its principles. Those who uphold this precept will achieve the fruition of a Dharma King of the Great Dao. It is known as the "Precept of Complete Authenticity."

The scripture concludes by revealing that these nine authentic precepts are actually secret teachings transmitted by the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest deities in Daoism. Heaven treasures them, yet they are rarely heard in the human world. Each character comprehended brings merit, and each precept upheld yields karmic reward. Upon hearing these secret truths, one gains profound insight into the mysteries. When expounding scriptures at the ritual altar (Fatan), clarity of judgment arises; facing life and death, one attains liberation. Reaching this state allows free movement without attachment, eternally abiding with the Dao in carefree ease.

The following lines depict the solemn grandeur of the ritual assembly: amid incense, candles, and flowers, it seems as if eternal day never yields to night; auspicious clouds swirl, revealing the golden elixir (shu zhu); celestial beings clad in radiant robes descend upon the jade altar (Yu Ju), proclaiming the precious registers (Fulu) and golden scriptures in turn. The text in parentheses likely records ritual proceedings—mentioning the salvation of departed souls, their transformation in the Southern Palace (where Daoism holds the soul journeys after death), eternal liberation from the Five Sufferings (birth, aging, sickness, death, and other human afflictions), and carefree ascension to the highest celestial realm of Shangqing.

This passage contains core material from the Qingxuan Jilian Tieguan Shishi, a Daoist ritual for delivering the dead and offering food from an iron vessel. It has three main parts.

The opening is a document of pardon, a baolu issued by Taishang Laojun, to free souls from the suffering of hell. It declares that this talismanic command allows souls in the northern Luofeng hell, or Beidu, to cleanse their wrongdoing, undergo transformation through cosmic cycles and rebirth, and ultimately transcend the three realms of desire, form, and formlessness. Through this zhaijiao ritual, all souls, whether wise or foolish, high-ranking or lowly, can receive deliverance. Their hunger, thirst, and sorrow are relieved, and they can travel freely between the underworld and Heaven.

The middle section uses poetic verses to advise the living: do not grieve excessively for the dead, but make the most of the opportunity to practice in this life. Just as ascending the faqiao, a symbolic ritual bridge, enables one to ride the wind straight to Yujing Mountain, the highest Daoist heavenly realm, scripture and incantation recitation can make souls pure and liberated like the bright moon in the sky.

The final section presents Lingshu incantations of the four directions, divided here into secret texts for the east, south, and west. Apparently obscure phrases such as “dan lou a hui” and “nan yan dong fu” are Daoist fanyin sacred utterances, each syllable corresponding to a particular celestial power. For example, the eastern incantation summons the star lords of the twenty-eight lunar mansions, the sixiang; the southern incantation mobilizes the deities of the Nine Heavens, the jiudu. Sound vibrations connect the three realms, helping souls overcome demonic obstacles, the moluo falun, and ascend to the immortal realm. During the ceremony, these incantations must be recited in full together with cunxiang visualization and shoujue ritual hand gestures.

This passage contains the incantations and invocations from the Qingxuan Jilian Tieguan Shishi liturgy, a Daoist ritual for delivering deceased souls. Here is the section-by-section interpretation:

The opening segments feature esoteric Daoist mantras from the "Eight Celestial Spiritual Texts," where each composite character contains special spiritual power. Phrases like "Daoli Chanyou" invoke the names of the thirty-six demon kings from Luofeng (Daoism's northern underworld) to subdue malevolent spirits. The "Northern Spiritual Text" depicts the netherworld's landscape, with "nine suns guiding Qian" symbolizing the Big Dipper's nine stars leading souls, while "Kun Mother covering east" represents the earth sustaining all beings.

Following are the roll calls of invoked deities: The "Numinous Treasure Food-Transforming Divine King" converts ritual offerings into boundless sustenance; "Three Heavens Register-Holding Generals" oversee celestial documents; "Nine Chapter Spirit-Birth Talisman Messengers" escort souls for rebirth; and "Five Directions Soul-Guiding Youths" specialize in directing souls to their proper destinations. These deities collaborate to complete the salvation ritual.

The passage "On this day we prepare ritual offerings" declares the ceremonial foods are ready, inviting deities to partake before escorting souls. The burned memorial document (a Daoist official petition) ascends directly to the celestial court, concluding with the standard imperative phrase "urgently as the law commands" indicating immediate execution.

The final salvation mantra "Purified soul and spirit" depicts the ideal outcome: the deceased's spirit becomes purified ("all Qi eternally preserved"), liberated from suffering ("free from all distress"), ultimately ascending to heaven ("soaring to Supreme Clarity"). "Guarded by the Three Realms, welcomed by the Five Emperors" signifies the soul's reception by deities across all realms.

This scripture describes a Daoist salvation ritual for liberating wandering souls. It focuses on using ceremonial practices to help lost spirits escape the sufferings of hell and ascend to celestial realms.

The text first mentions using the Fire Bell (a ritual implement) to vibrate the eight directions, swiftly guiding the deceased souls heavenward. The ritual master forms the Lotus Mudra (a Daoist hand seal) while visualizing the souls undergoing nine purifications through the dual energies of Water and Fire (Yin-Yang forces) at the Central Palace (corresponding to the Dantian energy center). Finally, the spirits ascend from the Mud Ball Palace (crown point) directly to the Southern Palace (abode of immortals).

Vivid imagery depicts the souls' pitiful state in the hungry ghost realm: perpetually stranded on the shores of the River of Attachment (metaphor for suffering from desires), deprived of sunlight. Thanks to the Great Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) bequeathing this salvation method, the souls can escape this sea of bitterness. Poetic metaphors describe their condition: mouths filled with yellow sand, withered grass in the setting sun, heaps of bleached bones, drifting in black winds.

The ceremony sequentially invokes three celestial venerables from the cosmic directions:

1. The Most Supreme Savior from the Eastern Pole Palace (presiding over eastern salvation), who delivers souls from thunder calamities

2. The Alchemical Fire Lord from the Southern Pole Palace (presiding over southern refinement), who relieves souls from stone-crushing torment

3. The Heavenly Ascension Master from the Western Pole Palace (presiding over western liberation), who frees souls from sand-dragging punishment

Each section depicts souls joyfully treading lotus blossoms toward the Vermilion Mansion (southern refinement site). The ritual culminates in prayers that transform hell's bronze pillars and storms into cool serenity, boiling oil cauldrons into sweet dew—enabling all souls to awaken through scripture and attain salvation.

The entire ceremony embodies the Daoist compassionate ideal of "delivering the netherworld." Through the ritual master's spiritual power and the celestial venerables' blessings, lost souls escape infernal suffering and ascend to heavenly realms.

This passage describes the setting and aspirations of a Daoist Qingxuan jilian ceremony for delivering the dead. It explains how the ritual frees souls from hell's suffering and raises them to the immortal realm.

The opening depicts an immortal landscape: Yaochi, a celestial pool adorned with seven treasures, and Langyuan, an immortal residence like Penglai Island. Even Tiewei Mountain and Wujian hell can become dongtian fudi, sacred grotto-heavens and blessed lands. Suffering in the santu—the paths of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals—ceases, and the anguish of the eight adversities ends.

Ancestors, teachers, elders, relatives, and friends can quickly reach a place of happiness and embark on cultivation. Practitioners can understand the true source of their nature, and faithful devotees can grasp the mysteries of xuanguan, the crucial gateway of cultivation. Through this ritual, they can repay four kinds of kindness, received from Heaven and Earth, the ruler, parents, and teachers, and obtain pardon for wrongdoing in the past, present, and future. May all sentient beings reach dao'an, the shore of liberation, together.

When the ceremony is complete, nine generations of ancestors and parents from seven lifetimes can ascend. Beings of the four forms of birth—womb, egg, moisture, and transformation—and the six paths—heavenly beings, asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings—are liberated. Male souls ride white cranes and female souls blue-green luan birds, flying toward an eternally bright, pure Heaven. Dongji Qinghua Dadi, or Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, sends auspicious light to receive and guide them, while Dantian Zhenren of the south shows the way upward.

Finally, the passage describes the eternally peaceful immortal realm they will reach: three thousand silver worlds and twelve jade towers. Like the Chan image of a moon reflected in every river with water, all souls can receive deliverance. Tonight offers the opportunity to enter Heaven, and good causes finally bear good fruit. Pure lands of supreme happiness lie in every direction, including Penglai Island, Zhuling Fu, and Dafu Tang. Souls need no longer suffer in the cold courts of the underworld; through tonight's ceremony, all may ascend swiftly.

The closing contains praise and hui xiang, the dedication of merit, thanking the Tianzun and sacred assembly and wishing that wandering souls may be reborn in pure lands and blessings arise naturally. A final note identifies this as the complete Tieguan Shishi ritual recorded in the Guangcheng Yizhi, in a version held by Erxian An.