Taoist rites for repaying underworld debts, replenishing the treasury of fortune, dispelling evil, releasing the departed, blessing and protection, marriage harmony, and resolving a child-immortal fate.
The Audience Liturgy for the Empress of Heaven is a Taoist rite dedicated to Mazu. This article explains its purposes, the deities it invokes, and the history of the Tianhou Palace in Tianjin, and presents the full liturgical text, from the opening verses and incense hymns to the roll of deities and the sacred proclamation.
Traces Taoist ritual from the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice through the Shangqing and Lingbao schools, Du Guangting's great synthesis, and the Song to Qing dynasties, then explains key terms: the altar, the high priest and other officiants, ritual implements, and forms such as pacing the void, visualization, and hand seals.
Explains the Taoist terms zhai (fast), a rite of abstinence and purification divided into inner and outer fasts, and jiao (offering), a rite of sacrifice to the gods, which merged after the Sui and Tang. It also describes the musical and choreographic parts of the ritual and the duties of the high priest and other officiants.
A ten-question guide to the Taoist Dipper worship ritual, a rite unique to Taoism for averting calamity and praying for blessings and long life: its origin with Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, the Dipper's bond with human life, the nine stars and zodiac signs, the ritual implements, and how and when to take part.
The liturgical text of the Celestial Master consecration rite of the Zhengyi school on Mount Longhu, Jiangxi: purging defilement, sprinkling purifying water, inviting the masters, transforming the body, pacing the stars, sealing the prison, summoning the thunder officers, the blood covenant, and finally dotting the eyes and lighting the lamp to consecrate a sacred image.
The full text of a liturgy from the Zhengtong Taoist Canon for celebrating the sacred birthday of Lord Lao the Most High: birthday offerings, inviting and receiving the holy ones, offerings of incense, flowers, candles, tea, wine, and fruit, the nine sacred proclamations, ten vows of repentance, and the three-round offering rite with the sending-off of the holy ones.
The complete text of the Most High Offering Rite for Dispelling Calamity and Praying for Blessings, as preserved in the Zhengtong Taoist Canon: sealing the altar, the divine incantations of the five directions, lighting the burner and sending forth the officers, the three rounds of offering, the green memorial, and sending off the gods.
The origin of Patriarch Sa's Iron Pot food bestowal rite for hungry souls, followed by the complete Quanzhen text of its opening incense-offering liturgy: opening verses, pacing the void, Patriarch Sa's sacred proclamation, the summons to the five directions, the three sticks of incense, the invocation of the deities, and the reading of the petition.
An introduction to Taoist rites for delivering the dead: the functions of the three hun souls and seven po souls, why deliverance is performed, the rites for orphaned souls, ancestors, karmic creditors, and infant spirits, and the usual steps from fasting and purification to dedicating the merit.
An explanation of what the Taoist term “keyi” (liturgy) means, followed by a catalogue of Taoist rituals: liturgies for the living—temple, blessing, deity-birthday, monastery, and ordination rites—liturgies for the dead, and the rites of the three daily audiences.
Traces Taoist fasts and offerings to their roots—the fast in pre-Qin abstinence rites, the offering in ancient sacrifices to the gods—and their union in Du Guangting's post-fast thanksgiving offering, then examines the ritual's functions of deliverance and averting calamity and its lasting social and cultural value.
The Sanmao Repentance is the most representative scripture-and-repentance liturgy of the Shangqing school. This article explains the place of such liturgies in Taoism, the division into pure and dark offerings, the opening, performance, and sending-off of the repentance at Runzhou Taoist Temple, and the Flaming Mouth rite for hungry ghosts.