Qingyao Zishu Jing: From Talismans to Celestial Initiation

The True Grotto: The Supreme Clarity Scripture of the Green Essence, Purple Texts, and Golden Root

As one of the early classic texts of the Shangqing School (Supreme Clarity School), it was probably compiled during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420 CE).

In Volume Five of The True Declarations (Zhengao), it is stated: “The Dao encompasses the various texts of the Green Essence, Purple Texts, and Golden Root”; The Catalogue of the Supreme Clarity Great Cavern True Scripture (Shangqing Dadong Zhenjing Mu) records “One scroll of the Supreme Clarity Supreme Scripture of the Green Essence, Purple Texts, and Golden Root”—both references denote this very scripture.

The present version in the Daozang (Taoist Canon) consists of two scrolls and is included in the Zhengyi Bu (Orthodox Unity Section).

1. The First Scroll

The first scroll is the original text of The Various Scriptures of the Golden Root (Jingen Zhongjing). Falsely attributed to be “transmitted by the Jade Emperor (Yudi) to the Green Essence Emperor (Qingyao Dijun),” it contains more than ten Taoist practices focused on “contemplating deities (cunshen), ingesting vital energy (fuqi), wearing talismans (peifu), and reciting incantations (nianzhou). These practices include:

Three methods for ingesting purple vital energy (ziqi), solar essence (rijing), and lunar radiance (yuehua);
Three methods for visualizing the Profound Father of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Xuanfu), the Profound Mother (Xuanmu), and the True Maidens of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Zhennü);
One method for drawing in and swallowing solar essence;
Two methods for dispelling solar and lunar eclipses with incantations;
One method for wearing “talismans for overcoming calamities, preserving life, and achieving eternal longevity”;
Two methods for delivering the deceased and purifying defilements through incantations.

2. The Second Scroll

Titled The Scripture of the Primordial Heavenly King (Yuanshi Tianwang Jing), the second scroll is falsely attributed to be “transmitted by the Primordial Heavenly King (Yuanshi Tianwang) to the Supreme Minister Green Youth Lord (Shangxiang Qingtong Jun).” It contains the “method of presenting bamboo slips and submitting tablets to seek immortality,” stating that there are golden bamboo slips and jade tablets in the Palace of the Supreme Spiritual Capital (Taishang Lingdu Zhi Gong). Taoist practitioners who study diligently and maintain firm resolve can receive these texts.

After mastering the method, practitioners first present the bamboo slips to the Eastern Glory (Donghua, a celestial realm associated with immortality) and submit the tablets to the Supreme Clarity (Shangqing) realm. Subsequently, they can receive the transmission of the “Thirty-Nine Chapters of the Great Cavern True Scripture” (Dadong Zhenjing). Through rigorous fasting (jingzhai) and ascetic practices (kuxing), they can ascend to become “True Persons” (zhenren—a high-ranking immortal in Taoist cosmology).