Jiuchi Banfu Jing: Mountain & Sea Talismans for Immortality

The True Grotto: The Supreme Scripture of the Nine Red Striped Talismans and the Inner Truth of the Five Emperors

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

In Volume Five of The True Declarations (Zhengao), it is stated that “the Immortal Dao includes The Nine Red Striped Talismans for Sealing Mountains and Sinking Seas”; The Catalogue of the Supreme Clarity Great Cavern True Scripture (Shangqing Dadong Zhenjing Mu) records “One scroll of the Supreme Clarity: The Supreme Six Jia and Nine Red Striped Talismans”—both references refer to this very scripture.

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

The entire text contains three Taoist practices, detailed as follows:

The Supreme Method of Inner Contemplation of the True Forms of the Five Emperors for Transformation and Immortality

This practice describes how Taoist priests enter the Five Great Mountains (Wuyue, sacred mountains in Taoism), and perform cunsi (visualization meditation) on the true forms of the Five Emperors to ward off evil and achieve immortality.
The Supreme Method of Inner Contemplation in the Five Great Mountains for Inscribing Names and Confirming Immortality

It explains that when Taoist priests enter the mountains, they visualize the Emperor Lords of the Five Great Mountains, bury five “Nine Red Mountain-Subduing Talismans for Seeking Immortality” in the mountains, and recite incantations while silently praying—all as a method to seek immortality.
The Supreme Method of the Water Emperors of the Four Seas for Absolving Sins and Erasing Records

This practice states that Taoist priests visualize the Water Emperors of the Four Seas, throw four “Nine Red Sea-Sealing Talismans for Connecting with the True” into the sea, and recite incantations while quietly praying—aimed at absolving sins and attaining immortality.

The Taoist practices throughout the text primarily focus on “contemplating deities and reciting incantations” as well as “submitting tablets and burying talismans.”