The Taishang Wuxing Qi Yuan Kongchang Jue 太上五星七元空常诀

The Supreme Secret of the Five Planets and Seven Origins in the Void and Eternity (Taishang Wuxing Qiyuan Kongchang Jue), author unknown.

Judging from its content and wording, it was likely written by Taoist priests of the Shangqing School during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.

It consists of one scroll and is included in the Fangfa Lei (Methods Category) of the Dongshen Bu (Divine Grotto Section) of the Daozang (Taoist Canon).

This text discusses the "Dao of flying steps in the Void and Eternity" (feibu kongchang zhi dao), which refers to the Taoist technique of preserving the spirit, focusing on the true deities, treading the ritual steps (gang) and the Big Dipper (dou), and flying through the Void and Eternity realm of the Five Planets and Seven Origins.

The first part is the "Dao of flying steps to the Five Planets". Its core practice involves treading on the "Five Planets Gang Diagram", contemplating the descent of the divine lords of the Five Planets (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal), reciting incantations while holding one’s breath, and chanting the names of the "Twenty-Four Deities of the Three Eights Scenes" (sanbu bajing shen) within the body.

The second part discusses the "method of flying steps to the Seven Origins". Its key practice includes treading on the "Seven Origins Void and Eternity Gang Diagram", reciting incantations while holding one’s breath, and contemplating the names of the deities of the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper as well as the two auxiliary stars (Fuxing and Bixing).

Practicing this Dao allows one to split their form, transform their appearance, and conceal their body and shadow. The final part is the "Essential Secret of Cultivating the Void and Eternity", which involves treading on the "Flying Steps Void and Eternity Gang Diagram" and chanting the names of the deities of the Five Planets and Seven Origins.

It is stated that "Void and Eternity" (Kongchang) represents the soul of heaven and earth, and the functional operation of Yin and Yang. "Eternity (Chang) refers to eternal Yang, which governs the ascension to immortality; Void (Kong) refers to eternal emptiness and concealment, which governs transformation without fixed form." Practicing this Dao enables one to split their form into illusory visions, achieve longevity, and ascend to immortality.

This text is an excerpt compiled from early Shangqing classics, and its content is related to Zhengao (True Declarations) and Taishang Huiyuan Jiudao Feixing Yu Jing (The Supreme Scripture of Nine Dao of Returning to Origin and Flying Feathers). See the entry for that text.