Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism
The Nine Xiang'er Precepts, that is, the “Xiang'er Precepts of Lord Lao,” also called the “Xiang'er Precepts of the Venerable Scripture of the Tao and Its Virtue,” derive their text from the Xiang'er Commentary on the Laozi (Laozi Xiang'er Zhu).
When the Way of the Celestial Masters was first established, it took the Tao Te Ching as its principal scripture, and the commentary used by the libationers—who were charged with spreading the teaching—when they expounded the Laozi was the Xiang'er Commentary. The most basic core of the Xiang'er Commentary is inseparable from the Tao of which Laozi spoke: it requires believers to have faith in the true Tao and to keep the commandments of the Tao.
The “Nine Xiang'er Precepts” are the essentials of spiritual practice distilled from the Tao Te Ching. They are divided into upper, middle, and lower grades, nine precepts in all.
The upper-grade precepts are: practice non-action; practice softness and weakness; practice holding to the feminine, and do not be first to move.
The middle-grade precepts are: practice namelessness; practice clarity and stillness; practice all good deeds.
The lower-grade precepts are: practice desirelessness; practice knowing when to stop and being content; practice yielding to others.
These were the first explicit list of rules for conduct in the founding and early development of Taoism. They emphasize that one’s words and deeds must accord with the intent of the Tao—that is, with the Tao’s inner values—and they are regarded as the earliest precepts of Taoism.
The Way of the Celestial Masters holds that those who can keep the upper-grade precepts may hope to be ranked among the immortals; those who can keep the middle-grade precepts may prolong their years; and those who can keep the lower-grade precepts may avoid early death and injury.
The Nine Xiang'er Precepts became one of the principal sets of precepts of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) school.