The Yongzheng Emperor's Malady: When Imperial Physicians Failed, a Dragon & Tiger Mountain Taoist Performed a Miracle
During the 18th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, a significant precedent was set. The Emperor, in consultation with the 54th Celestial Master Zhang Jizong, established a rule: every three years, the Celestial Master would be responsible for selecting and sending outstanding young Taoists from Longhu Mountain (Longhu Shan) to the capital to serve as "Judges in Seasonal Attendance Before the Emperor."
By the fifth year of the Yongzheng era, the 55th Celestial Master Zhang Xilin arrived in Beijing for his regular audience with the Emperor. Accompanying him was a group of young Taoists destined to become "Imperial Attendant Judges." Among them, a Taoist from Songjiang named Lou Jinyuan (1689-1776) stood out, earning the Celestial Master's highest esteem.
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Lou Jinyuan was a renowned Taoist master of the Qing Dynasty. Hailing from a family of Taoists, he went to Longhu Mountain in his youth, studying under Zhou Dajing, the Tidian (Superintendent) of the Shangqing Palace. Lou mastered the Five Thunder Rituals and various talismanic secrets.
In 1730, his career would take a monumental turn.
The Emperor's Mysterious Illness
Starting around 1729, the Yongzheng Emperor fell seriously ill. The palace physicians exhausted their medical arts but found no cure. By the sixth month of 1730, his condition had deteriorated so severely that he was nearly at the point of arranging his final affairs. The situation was dire.
The Ritual of the Dipper: A Divine Intervention
On October 14, 1730, a pivotal event unfolded in the Eastern Warmth Chamber of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin Dian). Judge Lou Jinyuan performed the "Great Rite of the Prior Heaven Petition to the Dipper" to pray for the Emperor's health and dispel his illness.
This same "Ritual of the Dipper" was famously used by Zhuge Liang in Romance of the Three Kingdoms to extend his own lifespan by lighting the Seven Star Lamps.
A painting from the Yongzheng era by Jiao Bingzhen, The Dipper Ritual, depicts Judge Lou Jinyang performing this very ceremony for the Emperor.
Setting the Sacred Stage
The altar was constructed on the moon terrace in front of the hall—a three-tiered platform made of tables, draped with red carpets and ornate silk table coverings. It was enclosed by railings woven from five-colored cords. Taoist musicians were positioned on either side.
Upon the altar, an offering table held a spirit tablet of the Doumu (Mother of the Dipper). Before it were arranged the classic five offerings: a ding-style incense burner, candleholders, and flower vases. Judge Lou Jinyuan, wearing a black gauze cap and the grand red Taoist robe bestowed upon him by the Emperor, presided over the ceremony, invoking the deities. Kneeling beside him were the Emperor's sons, praying fervently for their father's recovery.
The altar complex included:
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A screen
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Spirit tablets
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Additional offering tables
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Ivory tablets
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Enamel water jar
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Command tally
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Ruler
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Drums, bells, chimes, and other ritual instruments
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Lamps for the Nine Emperor Stars
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An image of Doumu
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Elaborate offerings (incense, flowers, lamps, fruit, tea, food, treasures, pearls, garments)
The assembled Taoists ascended the altar and stood in their designated sections as ceremonial music began.
Who is the Doumu?
Doumu (also known as Doumou or Doulao) is a revered female deity in Taoism. Her formal title is "The Nine Numinous, Most Marvelous, White Jade Turtle Platform, Luminous Golden Mother Primordial Goddess." She is considered the mother of the stars of the Big Dipper (Ursa Major), governing the human soul and the seven orifices. She holds dominion over the divine medicine that brings universal healing, also bearing the title "Eastern Florescence Imperial Lord of Compassionate Salvation, Great Sage of Celestial Healing."
As Lou Jinyuan himself explained in his text Fan Yin Dou Ke:
"The Venerable Dipper has been honored since antiquity. The Doumu is the essence of Venus (Taibai). As Metal generates Water, she is the mother of the Northern Dipper. Since the Northern Dipper is the master of all stars, she is thus the mother of all stars. Venus is called the 'Opener of Brightness,' thus it opens the gate of blessings. It is also called the 'Long Lasting Radiance,' thus it extends the reckoning of longevity. It is fitting for seeking blessings and good fortune."
Doumu is often depicted with three faces and four heads, with four arms on each side holding various sacred implements like the sun, moon, precious bells, golden seal, bow, and spear.
The Cosmic Petition
In this ritual, the Judge, standing at the Dipper Altar, communicates with the divine realm through formal petitions, much like submitting an official document. As the altar was dedicated to Doumu, the petitions were addressed to her. This specific practice is known as the "Ritual of Petitioning the Dipper" from the Zhengyi sect of Dragon & Tiger Mountain, imploring the Doumu to descend upon the altar.
A passage from The Mysterious Ritual of the Prior Heaven Petition to the Doumu illustrates this:
"Heaven and Earth are vast, thus they love all things without exception; the Sun and Moon are lofty and bright, thus they must illuminate even the smallest space. Though the gates of the clouds are distant, the ears of Heaven hear from afar... Let the Messengers of the Four Directnesses and the local spirits of this altar, upon hearing this summons, hasten to the altar to receive commands."
A Miraculous Recovery
Following the sincere and powerful prayers of the ritual, the Emperor's health miraculously improved. Emperor Yongzheng himself attested that the "perverse influences melted away like ice," and his body was "joyful, at ease, and entirely harmonious."
Subsequently, from October 1730 through April 1731, temporary "Dipper Altars" were set up in multiple locations—including the moon terrace of the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing Gong) and within the Yuanming Yuan Imperial Garden—allowing the Emperor to pay his respects conveniently.
Experience the Legacy: The Chongyang Festival & Doumu's Birthday
The 9th day of the 9th lunar month, the Chongyang (Double Yang) Festival, is celebrated as the birthday of the Doumu. Honoring this tradition, the Celestial Master's Temple conducts rituals accordingly.
From the 1st to the 9th day of the 9th month, the Northern Dipper Scripture is recited daily. On the main day of the Chongyang Festival, we recreate the Imperial Dipper Altar according to the specifications of the Qing Dynasty Forbidden City and perform the Prior Heaven Petition to the Dipper ritual.
As scriptures record, during the worship of the Dipper:
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Those seeking fame and profit may receive according to their station.
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Those seeking redress for wrongs will have their petitions sent to the courts of the underworld for fair judgment.
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If a ruler worships the Dipper, his nation will enjoy peace, tranquil borders, tribute from afar, bountiful harvests, and the protection of heaven and earth.
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If a person with a pure Taoist heart worships the Dipper, their community will be free from calamities. With sincere devotion and accumulated merit over one, two, three, or even nine years, their ancestors for nine generations will be elevated to blissful realms, and the living will receive blessings.
