Taoist Spell: Spell to Slay the Middle Corpse

The Middle Corpse, Peng Zhi, is named Zhonghuang (the Yellow Center). It dwells in the realm of desire and craving, hiding by the abdomen to escape detection. It drifts and transforms, its form never fixed to one shape. It seizes human souls and spirits, scurrying to disrupt the Three Palaces. The "innocent core" (pure essence of life) is tossed about, driving people to madness. Lust and desire harm the spirit—all sins stem from this tiny demon.

True Person [Name], has been decreed by the Supreme God. Clad in jade talismans, bearing jade inscriptions and golden seals. Their name is engraved in the Primordial Diagram; the three desires are already vanquished. By the command of the Primordial Origin, we slay the corpse’s form. Sever its roots and extinguish its lineage—let it never rise again to flutter. The wandering soul undergoes refinement; the five viscera are cooled and soothed. True immortals stand guard in peace; radiance blooms within the viscera. The Five Emperors (celestial deities) shine their light upon this, and Taiyi (the Great Unity) arranges the ranks. In the Middle Yuan (the middle period of spiritual cultivation), we bathe, donning crowns and robes. Dissolve the mortal form to transform into a luminous vision, glowing with jade-like radiance. Ascend to the Upper Purity (Shangqing) Heaven, feeding and resting in the boundless void. Forever preserving the state of nature, enduring as heaven and earth are eternal.

In Taoism, it is believed that three "corpses" (corrupting forces) reside within the human body—upper, middle, and lower. These corpses are considered the root causes of human desires, illnesses, and misfortunes. The Middle Corpse, named Peng Zhi, corresponds to the "Middle Palace" of the human body (the abdominal region and internal organs), and is particularly associated with lust and carnal desires. It is regarded as the key factor that disturbs the mind and leads to abnormal behavior.

The Three Palaces refer to the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers) in the human body—located near the between the eyebrows, the chest, and the lower abdomen, respectively. These are the main areas where the Middle Corpse wanders and wreaks havoc, disrupting the body’s normal functions.

The jade talismans, jade inscriptions, and golden seals are not ordinary objects; they are tokens symbolizing divine mandate and celestial authority in Taoism. They signify that the spell caster has received recognition from the heavenly realm and possesses the legitimate qualification to carry out the task of "slaying the corpse."

Shangqing (Upper Purity) is one of the "Three Pure Heavens" (Yuqing, Shangqing, Taiqing) in Taoism—a celestial realm where immortals reside. "Ascending to Shangqing" is the ultimate spiritual goal prayed for in the spell, symbolizing liberation from mortal constraints and entry into the immortal realm to enjoy eternal peace. This reflects Taoism’s core pursuit of purifying the body and mind through "slaying the corpse" to draw closer to the state of immortality.