Talismans hold a crucial position in Taoist magic. Most Taoist magical practices are inseparable from talismans, and this is even more true for rituals.
Taoism holds that spiritual talismans and sacred texts originated from the opening of the Red Brightness Diagram. They were formed from the void into Buddhist chants, with dragon-shaped patterns and phoenix-like seal scripts, radiating light from eight corners. The Heavenly True August Man took up his brush to write them and passed them down to the world. The true texts and jade characters used in altar ceremonies possess infinite magical power. They can stabilize the state and ensure eternal peace above, and redeem the underworld and benefit all living beings below. They can be used for seeking immortality and receiving the Dao, warding off celestial influences, subduing demons, and eliminating floods. The Precious Mirror of Spiritual Jade records various talismans used in sacrificial rituals, and several are briefly introduced below:
1. Streamer Talismans
Altar ceremonies require the erection of streamers, known as spiritual streamers or the Great Spiritual Treasure Streamers. In ancient times, streamers were made of silk or satin, each forty-nine feet long. During sacrificial rituals, long poles were erected around the altar to display the streamers, which were painted with various talismanic inscriptions. There are many types of streamers, and different ceremonies require streamers with different names, such as the Four Realms Streamer, Oath Streamer, Altar Establishment Streamer, Radiance Returning Streamer, Great Mercy Precious Streamer, Supreme Unity Salvation Streamer, Spirit Transfer Precious Streamer, Yellow Returning Precious Streamer, Dragon Boy Streamer, True Summons Streamer, and Spirit Summons Streamer—too many to enumerate.
Talismanic inscriptions are further divided into top, front, and back streamer talismans. For example, the top of the Supreme Unity Soul Summons Streamer is inscribed with a human-shaped soul-summoning talisman, while the front and back bear different inscriptions. Talismans used to summon ghosts include the Soul-Chasing Talisman, Soul-Capturing Talisman, Soul-Guiding Talisman, Soul-Gathering Talisman, Soul-Taking Talisman, and Soul-Driving Talisman.
The above refers to large streamers; there are also small ones, such as the Hell-Breaking Streamer used in salvation rituals for the deceased. Made of seven feet of red silk, it is hung in the prison lamp altar while reciting incantations during the ceremony. Each streamer is also painted with talismans. Common talismans for breaking the Twenty-Four Hells include:
Body-Nailing Talisman, Body-Locking Talisman, Bronze Pillar Talisman, Molten Bronze Talisman, Venomous Snake Talisman, Body-Shredding Talisman, Sawing Talisman, Iron Plow Talisman, Iron Staff Talisman, Sword Mountain Talisman, Cold Ice Talisman, Boiling Cauldron Talisman, Iron Wheel Talisman, Furnace Charcoal Talisman, Iron Pellet Talisman, Sword Forest Talisman, Evil Juice Talisman, Charcoal-Eating Talisman, Stone Pressing Talisman, Iron Awl Talisman, Iron Bed Talisman, Body-Shattering Talisman, Tongue-Pulling Talisman, and Mountain-Piling Talisman.
Talismans on spiritual streamers take forms such as graphics and script talismans. The characters on script talismans are generally legible, and the Precious Mirror of Spiritual Jade records translations of some talismans. For example, the Enlightenment Streamer Talisman has the translation:
Six Jia Messengers, hold the streamer to enlighten and guide.
Some streamer talismans are incantations, known as the commonly used spell-talismans in Taoism. For instance, the translations of two spell-talismans on the Yang Radiance Bridge-Crossing Streamer are:
Yang Radiance Spell-Talisman
Bright is the sun's radiance, divine light penetrates the Three Pure Realms.
Qi disperses within the profound void, spiritual mist rises from the purple court.
Controlling and riding the wind and clouds, drifting beyond the formless.
Root-Returning Spell-Talisman
Bright Buddhist chants fly through the mysterious scenery, opening and delivering souls from the long night.
Wandering spirits return at the appointed time, each qi returning to its original root.
The Yang Radiance Spell-Talisman is written on the streamer body, and the Root-Returning Spell-Talisman is written on both ends of the streamer.
Twenty-four streamers are erected inside and outside the sacrificial altar, each with six talismanic characters that also serve as the streamer's name. The translations of the talismanic texts for the twenty-four altar streamers are:
Soul-Guiding Bright Light Streamer, Mighty Spirit Salvation Streamer,
Radiant Compassionate Shade Streamer, Brahma Qi Vast Net Streamer,
Bright Cloud Wisdom Streamer, Dharma Lamp Illumination Streamer,
Spiritual Radiance Eight Sceneries Streamer, Profound Bright True Determination Streamer,
Wisdom Sun Flowing Light Streamer, Golden Seed Cave Spirit Streamer,
Kindness Penetrating Yin and Yang Streamer, Flowing Radiance Plain Scenery Streamer,
Five Kalpas Enlightenment Streamer, Universal Light Streamer,
Blended Transformation Life-Distinguishing Streamer, Spiritual Light Bright Shining Streamer,
2. Gate Talismans
Talismans written on the gate plaques of the sacrificial altar. The altar is generally divided into outer, middle, and inner altars, each with gates, and the gate plaques are also inscribed with talismans. For example, the Imperial Altar has the following talismans:
Outer Altar: Cave Clear Qi Talisman, Brahma Conduct Qi Talisman, Cave Yang Qi Talisman, Brahma Yang Qi Talisman, Minor Yang Qi Talisman, Brahma Penetration Qi Talisman, Cave Yin Qi Talisman, Brahma Origin Talisman, Sun Gate Talisman, Moon Gate Talisman.
Middle Altar: Heaven Gate Talisman, Earth Gate Talisman, Human Gate Talisman, Ghost Gate Talisman.
Inner Altar: Green Glory Primordial Yang Gate Talisman, Initial Yang Birth Qi Gate Talisman, Nine Spirits Imperial True Gate Talisman, Cave Yang Great Light Gate Talisman, Primordial Emperor High Constellation Gate Talisman, Yin-Penetrating Golden Tower Gate Talisman, Nine Immortals Brahma Conduct Gate Talisman, Great Luo Flying Brahma Gate Talisman, Yin Birth Vast Spirit Gate Talisman, Spiritual Penetration Forbidden Gate Talisman.
Each gate talisman is also inscribed with a true text, such as celestial script, hidden script, precious chapter, or jade chapter. For example, the Sun Gate Talisman has the Sun Palace Bright Radiance Sun Soul Refining Demon-Subduing Precious Chapter:
Harmonious yang radiates bright qi, blazing radiance opens the great void.
Ten cycles rotate through heaven's pass, eight sceneries pay homage to the Purple Microstar.
Inspect and subdue the demon hordes, evil temptations dare not intrude.
Redeem from the five sufferings, great harmony ascends to the blessed hall.
Volume 35 of Ning Quanzhen's Supreme Clearance Spiritual Treasure Great Method records an Eight Gates Soul-Summoning Altar with eight gate plate talismans. These talismans are written on yellow paper plates, each one foot four inches tall, erected around the altar, two per side. Taoism holds that when the deceased comes into contact with these talismans, their souls will enter the altar, visible to all.
3. Lamp Talismans
Taoist altar ceremonies use lamps to penetrate darkness, break through hells, and deliver souls. Various lamp styles are paired with lamp talismans, as Taoism believes that only when dharma lamps are combined with divine talismans can they possess the magical power to dispel darkness and illuminate the underworld. The True Person's Twenty-Four Precepts Sutra states: All humans who commit twenty-four kinds of sins in life will undergo twenty-four retributions after death, transforming into twenty-four hells. Therefore, salvation rituals for the deceased require erecting twenty-four hell lamps in the altar to penetrate the twenty-four hells and deliver the deceased souls—and it is the lamp talismans that possess the power to break through hells. The Twenty-Four Hell Lamp Talismans are:
Hell-Breaking Body-Nailing Talisman, Hell-Breaking Body-Locking Talisman, Hell-Breaking Bronze Pillar Talisman, Hell-Breaking Molten Bronze Talisman, Hell-Breaking Venomous Snake Talisman, Hell-Breaking Body-Shredding Talisman, Hell-Breaking Sawing Talisman, Hell-Breaking Iron Plow Talisman, Hell-Breaking Iron Staff Talisman, Hell-Breaking Sword Mountain Talisman, Hell-Breaking Cold Ice Talisman, Hell-Breaking Boiling Cauldron Talisman, Hell-Breaking Iron Wheel Talisman, Hell-Breaking Furnace Charcoal Talisman, Hell-Breaking Iron Pellet Talisman, Hell-Breaking Sword Forest Talisman, Hell-Breaking Evil Juice Talisman, Hell-Breaking Charcoal-Eating Talisman, Hell-Breaking Stone Pressing Talisman, Hell-Breaking Iron Awl Talisman, Hell-Breaking Iron Bed Talisman, Hell-Breaking Body-Shattering Talisman, Hell-Breaking Tongue-Pulling Talisman, and Hell-Breaking Mountain-Piling Talisman.
Within the twenty-four hells, deceased souls must also pass through the realms of the Three Paths, Five Sufferings, and Eight Calamities, hence the Eternal Deliverance from Three Paths, Five Sufferings, and Eight Calamities Talisman. The altar also has special Eight Calamities Lamps with corresponding Eight Calamities Lamp Talismans:
Calamity-Dispelling Thunder and Lightning Talisman, Calamity-Dispelling Sand and Stone Carrying Talisman, Calamity-Dispelling Sea Water Drawing Talisman, Calamity-Dispelling Sword Mountain Hell Talisman, Calamity-Dispelling Sword Forest Hell Talisman, Calamity-Dispelling Boiling Cauldron Hell Talisman, Calamity-Dispelling Furnace Charcoal Hell Talisman, and Calamity-Dispelling Cold Ice Hell Talisman.
Lamp talismans are burned one by one when extinguishing the lamps. During the burning, the priest recites the incantation:
Heavenly Honored One saves all deluded beings, redeeming them from the eight calamities.
Celebrate the gathering in the human realm, the five sufferings are eliminated together.
Eternally extinguish the ford of the Three Paths, radiating cycles of illumination.
Abide in profound tranquility and true constancy, through endless kalpas without limit.
Quickly, as ordered by the law!
These are Taoist spell-talismans, the most widely used magical means. Taoism holds that burning talismans and reciting incantations can communicate with heaven.
Taoism also has Nine Layers Lamp Talismans, which are paired with Nine Heavens Lamps. The first heaven is in the center of the Nine Heavens Lamp diagram, and the other eight heavens are arranged in the eight directions, with Nine Layers Lamp Talismans erected accordingly.
4. Altar Ritual Spiritual Talismans
In various sacrificial rituals, talismanic inscriptions are burned on the altar to pray to the gods. Different rituals require burning different talismans, collectively referred to as altar ritual spiritual talismans. For example, in refinement and salvation rituals, the high priest successively burns the Karmic Debt Confession Talisman, Water Summoning Talisman, Fire Summoning Talisman, Nine Waters Rebirth Talisman, Nine Fires Rebirth Talisman, Eighteen Great Grottoes Talisman, Nine Chapters Talisman, Five Spirits Unification Talisman, Jade Infant Transformation Talisman, and Immortal-to-Human Transformation Talisman. The high priest performs step rituals to harmonize qi, either throwing talismans into the water basin or the fire pit. In the Dragon Tablet Casting Ceremony, three tablet spiritual talismans are cast together with the dragon tablet.
These Taoist talismans, imitating the forms of clouds, celestial bodies, and stars—like writing yet not writing, like diagrams yet not diagrams—serve as credentials to communicate between humans and gods. Lu Xiujing once said:
All talismanic inscriptions have characters, but humans cannot understand them. Those who can interpret the talisman characters can summon all spirits and command all ghosts, without any obstruction.
Given the immense divine power of talismans, their writing and production must be done with piety and solemnity. When drawing a talisman, one must recite incantations, pinch finger gestures, knock the teeth, and visualize. For example, when writing the Jade Clear Wisdom Light Talisman in lamp rituals, the incantation is recited:
Sun, moon, stars, illuminate the deepest springs. Primordial unity qi, evolves the three origins. Blend with the void, prior to the Brahma qi. The Jade Emperor has issued an order, proclaimed to the ten heavens. Yang radiance blazes, yin scenes are clear and round. Void and brightness penetrate and reflect, brightly illuminating the altar. Light purifies all emptiness, scenes unite with profound mystery. Clarify the human realm, responding and transforming naturally. Quickly, as decreed by the Primordial Heavenly Emperor!
Volume 39 of Ning Quanzhen's Supreme Clearance Spiritual Treasure Great Method describes the method of writing talismans: one must set up an incense table and ritual instruments. The talisman-writing priest visualizes the cinnabar inkstone and water basin as the sun and moon, the paper as a golden tablet, the brush as a green dragon, and the incense smoke as white clouds. Forming the Big Dipper seal with the hands, visualizing the Five Big Dippers surrounding the body, performing the Void Step ritual, pinching the Heavenly Emperor's finger gesture, visualizing entering the Three Terraces and Big Dipper, flicking the dipper with both hands, bowing and offering incense, knocking the teeth, kneeling, and reporting to the gods:
Your minister now, in response to the believer's request, respectfully establishes a pure chamber and follows the Spiritual Treasure sacrificial method to write all corresponding talismans and decrees, awaiting the appointed time to use them in accordance with the rules.... I implore the grace of heaven, condescend to show compassion, and specially bestow the wonderful light of the great Dao and the upright qi of the ten directions, flowing into the orifices of your minister's body and mind, and into the cinnabar, ink, and instruments. May knots be resolved, fetal roots be purified, thoughts be clarified, and true light be stirred to radiate—each stroke aligning with an orifice, harmonizing with the Dao and the true. May all implementations manifest auspicious responses, conforming to the profound mysteries of the supreme Dao, and completing the merit of salvation.
The priest contemplates the Supreme Dao Lord ordering immortals to descend and bestow the talismans. After respectfully reciting the prayer, they guide qi thirty-two times before taking a seat to write the talisman. When putting brush to paper, the spirit must not wander, and the qi must not be scattered—mind and talisman must be one, talisman and mind unified. The talisman is completed in one stroke, written in a single flourish.
Volume 67 of the Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Methods discusses the functions of talismans and the secrets of writing them: Talismans are the union of yin and yang. Only those with utmost sincerity under heaven can use them. If sincerity is lacking, the talisman will naturally be ineffective. Therefore, writing a talisman requires uniting one's essence with the essence of heaven, earth, and all things; uniting one's spirit with the spirit of heaven, earth, and all things. It demands the harmony of essences, the reliance of spirits, the unification of one's qi with the qi of others—essence controlling spirit, spirit controlling qi, qi controlling talisman, and talisman controlling spirits. Thus, actions here elicit responses there, feelings here stir spiritual power there. Hence, with a sheet of paper, one can summon ghosts and gods, who cannot but respond.
In short, the talisman writer guides qi and focuses the spirit, pouring "essence" and "spirit" into the tip of the brush. Only such a written Taoist talisman possesses the spiritual power to command ghosts and gods. Where the talisman descends, there is no obstruction, no being unredeemed—that is the secret of writing talismans.
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