Sanwu Xinghua Jue: Ethics as the Root of Daoist Practice

Dongzhen Taishang Basu Zhenjing: The Marvelous Instructions on Altar Rituals, Talismans, and Documents

It is an early classic of the Shangqing School, presumably compiled during the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties (c. 317–589 CE). As one of the texts dedicated to the marvelous instructions for practicing the Basu Zhenjing (Scripture of the Eight Essences), it consists of one scroll and is included in the "Zhengyi Section" (the core section of the Taoist Canon focusing on orthodox rituals and doctrines) of the Daozang (Taoist Canon).

This text elaborates on the oath-making and covenant ceremonies for transmitting Shangqing scriptures, precepts, and ritual tallies (falü). It states that practitioners of the Dao who have the opportunity to access the precious Dadong Jing (Scripture of the Great Cavern) must abide by ritual protocols, seek out a qualified teacher to receive esoteric instructions, and conduct cultivation on a ritual altar. Only then can they understand the fundamental origin of the Dao and attain the state of "Supreme Truth" (zhizhen).

The scripture-transmission ceremony includes procedures such as constructing the altar, the teacher and disciple entering the altar, reciting incantations, summoning celestial officials (chuguan), visualizing deities (cunshen), making declarations to celestial beings (qigao), burying talismans, and presenting ritual bamboo slips (toujian).

Key Terminology Notes

Shangqing School: A major Taoist school founded in the 4th century CE, emphasizing esoteric meditation, deity visualization, and formal ritual transmission of scriptures, distinct from earlier ritual-focused Taoist schools.
Daozang (Taoist Canon): The comprehensive collection of Taoist scriptures, commentaries, and ritual texts compiled over centuries, serving as the primary repository of Taoist religious and philosophical heritage.
Falü (Ritual Tallies): Sacred wooden or metal tallies used in Taoist rituals, symbolizing the practitioner’s authority to communicate with celestial beings and perform sacred ceremonies.
Cunshen (Deity Visualization): A foundational Shangqing practice involving concentrated mental visualization of deities, believed to establish a connection between the practitioner and the divine realm during rituals.
Toujian (Presenting Bamboo Slips): A Taoist ritual act where written prayers or declarations are placed (often buried or submerged) to convey intentions to celestial deities or ancestral spirits.