The The Nine Hidden Dipper Emperors: Daoist Longevity Secrets
Paul Peng"Scripture of the Hidden Names of the Nine Sovereigns of the Dipper": Knowing Them Prolongs Life by a Thousand Years
The "Scripture of the Hidden Names of the Nine Sovereigns of the Dipper" describes methods for visualizing and contemplating the Jade Emperor Divine Lords of the nine stars of the Northern Dipper. The text lists the names, appearances, official ranks, duties, and domains of these nine stars and their deities.
The nine stars are:
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The first, Celestial Pivot Star (Tiān Shū), is the Essence-Soul of the Yang Brilliance Star.
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The second, Celestial Rotating Jade Star (Tiān Xuán), is the Spirit-Soul of the Yin Essence Star.
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The third, Celestial Machine Star (Tiān Jī), is the Essence-Po of the True Man Star.
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The fourth, Celestial Authority Star (Tiān Quán), is the Essence-Po of the Mysterious Darkness Star.
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The fifth, Jade Balancing Star (Yù Héng), is the Spirit-Po of the Cinnabar Origin Star.
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The sixth, Opening Yang Star (Kāi Yáng), is the Spirit-Po of the North Polar Star.
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The seventh, Shimmering Light Star (Yáo Guāng), is the Great Brilliance, the Essence-Soul of the Celestial Pivot Star.
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The eighth, Cave Brilliance Star (Dòng Míng), is the Yang Brilliance, the Essence-Po of the Auxiliary Star.
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The ninth, Hidden Origin Star (Yǐn Yuán), is the Bright Empty Spirit, the Spirit-Soul of the Assistant Star.
Each of these nine stars has a presiding deity, known respectively as the First to the Ninth Jade Emperor Lords. Collectively, they govern the Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens above, command the transcendent immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains in the middle realm, and oversee all humans who study the path to immortality. Practitioners who constantly contemplate the names and forms of these Nine Sovereign Lords, and petition them for blessings, prosperity, longevity, or to subdue adversity and disaster, can have their wishes fulfilled.
The Scripture of the Hidden Names of the Nine Sovereigns of the Dipper
The Scripture of Yellow Emperor and Laozi states:
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The first star, Celestial Pivot, is the Spirit-Soul of the Yang Brilliance Star.
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The second star, Celestial Roaming Star, is the Spirit-Soul of the Yin Essence Star.
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The third star, Celestial Machine, is the Essence-Po of the True Man Star.
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The fourth star, Celestial Authority, is the Essence-Po of the Mysterious Darkness Star.
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The fifth star, Jade Balancing, is the Spirit-Po of the Cinnabar Origin Star.
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The sixth star, Inspecting Yang Star, is the Spirit-Po of the North Polar Star.
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The seventh star, Radiant Light Star, is the Soul of the Celestial Pivot Star, the Great Brilliance.
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The eighth star, Cave Brilliance, is the Essence-Po of the Auxiliary Star, the Yang Brilliance.
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The ninth star, Hidden Origin, is the Soul of the Assistant Star, the Bright Empty Spirit.
Yang Brilliance Star: The Grand Commandant of Heaven, in charge of governance and adjudicating wrongs. Above, it oversees all Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it supervises the transcendent immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains; below, it leads all later students who seek perfection. No deed, great or small, of the spirits and divinities of Heaven and Earth, falls outside its jurisdiction.
Yin Essence Star: The Chief Minister of Heaven, in charge of emolument and rank. Above, it oversees the celestial constellations; below, it leads the myriad spirits and those who study immortality. All matters concerning the study of the Dao, the destiny, emolument, and rank of common people fall under its jurisdiction.
True Man Star: The Minister of Works of Heaven, in charge of divine immortals. Above, it oversees the lofty Perfected of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it supervises the numinous immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains; below, it leads those who study the Dao. All officials of the true immortals fall under its jurisdiction.
Mysterious Darkness Star: The Mobile Commander of Heaven, in charge of punishing rebellion. Above, it oversees the ghosts and spirits of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it commands the Three Offices of the Northern Emperor; below, it supervises the multitudes. All acts of rebellion, treachery, and violent conflict fall under its jurisdiction.
Cinnabar Origin Star: The Lord of the Northern Dipper in Heaven, in charge of the Registers of Fate. Above, it oversees all registers of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it controls the ledgers of ghosts and spirits; below, it directs the fate registers of students of perfection and the common people. It encompasses all matters of Heaven and Earth.
North Polar Star: The Grand Minister of Sacrifices of Heaven, in charge of promotion and advancement. Above, it oversees the Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it commands the transcendent immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains; below, it leads the persons of all students. All advancements achieved through merit and diligence fall under its purview.
Celestial Pivot Star: The High Emperor of Heaven, in charge of the mechanisms and movements of Heaven and Earth, such as the length of the four seasons, and the cycles of cosmic prosperity/adversity and kalpas. All these fall under its jurisdiction.
Auxiliary Star: The Star of the Celestial Venerable and Jade Emperor. It is called Constant Yang. It is in charge of flight and immortality. Above, it governs the Nine Heavens; below, it leads the Nine Earths. The offices of the immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains and the Four Rivers are all subject to it.
Assistant Star: The Star of the Grand Emperor's True Being. It is called Empty, signifying constant emptiness and concealment. It is in charge of limitless transformations.
The Precious Register of the River Chart states:
First, Yang Brilliance Star: The Grand Commandant of Heaven, administers justice and presides over wrongs. Above, it oversees the Perfected of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it supervises the transcendent immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains; below, it leads later students who are Realized Persons. [It judges] the gravity of the merits and faults of the spirits of Heaven and Earth. Its realm spans 920 li. There is a Blue-Green City with a Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Guards the Dipper, titled Lord of the Ninefold Dawn. His surname is Shangling, private name is Yao Tian Chui. He wears a Ninefold Dawn Jade Crown and robes of Blue Feathered Garments. He holds the Mysterious Diagram of the Dipper and sits within the Jade Tower. Those who know his inner hidden name will have the Jade Dawn shine down upon them, enabling them to fly through the void.
Second, Yin Essence Star: The Chief Minister of Heaven, presides over emolument and rank. Above, it oversees the celestial constellations; below, it leads the myriad spirits and those who study immortality. Its realm spans 555 li. There is a Five-Colored Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Grasps the Chief, titled the Northern Ascending Dawn Lord. His surname is Yuying, private name is Ji Mingguang. He wears a Mysterious Essence Jade Crown and robes of Dark Feathered Garments. He holds a Five-Colored Feathered Credential.
Third, True Man Star: The Minister of Works of Heaven, presides over divine immortals. Above, it oversees the lofty Perfected of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it supervises the numinous immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains; below, it leads those who study the Dao. Its realm spans 770 li. There is a Yellow Terrace Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Treads the Dipper, titled the Lord of Immortals and Flowering Spirit. His surname is Gui Lin, private name is Du Zhong Ji. He wears a Flying Dawn Precious Crown and robes of Blue Feathered Garments. He holds the Green Register from within the Dipper.
Fourth, Mysterious Darkness Star: The Mobile Commander of Heaven, presides over punishing rebellion. Above, it oversees the ghosts and spirits of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it commands the Three Offices of the Northern Emperor; below, it supervises the multitudes. Its realm spans 800 li. There is a Vermilion Terrace Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Paces the Dipper, titled the Mysterious Ascending Flying Canopy Dawn Lord. His surname is Ming Shu, private name is Yao Tian Zhu. He wears a Triple Splendor Precious Dawn Crown and robes of Cinnabar Brocade Feathered Garments. He holds a Credential of the Nine Numinous.
Fifth, Cinnabar Origin Star: The Lord of the Northern Dipper in Heaven, presides over the Registers of Fate and Records. Above, it oversees all registers of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it controls the ledger entries of ghosts and spirits; below, it directs the fate registers of students of perfection and the common people. There is nothing in all the Heavens and Earths it does not govern. Its realm spans 720 li. There is a Plain Terrace Gold Tower, and a Realized Being who Treads the Guideline, titled the Golden Chief of the Sevenfold Dawn Lord. His surname is Shang Kai, private name is Bian Wu Dao. He wears a Seven Treasures Flying Heaven Crown and robes of White Brocade Feathered Garments. He holds the Register of the Green Origin.
Sixth, North Polar Star: The Grand Minister of Sacrifices of Heaven, presides over promotion and advancement. Above, it oversees the Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens; in the middle, it commands the transcendent immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains; below, it leads the students and their ranks. Its realm spans 770 li. There is a Mysterious Terrace Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Paces the Firm, titled the Northern Dawn Flying Splendor Lord. His surname is Ming Ling, private name is Chang Shang Yuan. He wears a Flying Essence Splendor Crown and robes of Purple Brocade Feathered Garments. He holds the Jade Policy of the Nine Dippers.
Seventh, Celestial Pivot Star: The High Emperor of Heaven, presides over the mechanisms and movements of Heaven and Earth, the length of the four seasons, and the cycles of prosperity/adversity and kalpas. Its realm spans 900 li. There is a Nine-Storied Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Rides the Dragon, titled the Lord of the Total Numinous, Ninefold Origin, Northern Canopy Dawn. His surname is Xuan Shu, private name is Kai Tian Tu. He wears a Nine Origins Precious Crown and robes of Nine-Colored Brocade Garments. He holds the Seal of Brilliant Spirit.
Eighth, Auxiliary Star: The Star of the Celestial Venerable and Jade Emperor. It is called Constant Yang. It presides over flight and immortality. Above, it governs the Nine Heavens; below, it leads the Nine Earths. [It oversees] the offices of the immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains and the Four Rivers. Its realm spans 990 li. There is a Purple Aura Jade Tower, and a Realized Being who Roams the Three Realms, titled the Imperial Venerable of the Ninefold Dawn Lord. His surname is Jing Chang, private name is Kong Shang Kai Zheng Yan. He wears a Flying Essence Jade Crown and robes of Nine-Colored Phoenix Garments. He holds a Fire Bell.
Ninth, Assistant Star: The Star of the Grand Emperor's True Being. It is called Empty Concealment. It presides over limitless transformations. Its realm spans 990 li. There is a Jade Tower and Purple Lodge, and a Realized Being who Wanders the Triple Yang, titled the Imperial True Origin Dawn Lord. His surname is You Kong, private name is Ming Yang Hui You Liao. He wears a Flying Heaven Jade Crown and robes of the Nine Heavens Dragon Garments. He holds the Imperial Document.
If you, O Seeker, wish to accuse others of wrongs, clarify your own correctness, stop another's evil, proclaim your own goodness, blame yourself without resenting others, understand principle and individually seek blessings, eliminate sins and prolong fortune, petition the First Jade Emperor Lord, the Grand Commandant of Heaven.
If you seek official position in the Yin-Yang studies, or strive for salary and rank, petition the Second Jade Emperor Lord, the Chief Minister of Heaven.
If you study the Dao aspiring to immortality, seeking to penetrate the spiritual and reach sagehood, petition the Third Jade Emperor Lord, the Minister of Works of Heaven.
If you wish to subdue ghosts, spirits, and malevolent rebels, or execute hidden and visible evil spirits, petition the Fourth Jade Emperor Lord, the Mobile Commander of Heaven.
If you wish to establish merit and build virtue, increase your tally of years and prolong life, petition the Fifth Jade Emperor Lord, the Dipper Lord of Heaven.
If you suffer stagnation, illness, or hardship, and beg for relief and exemption, petition the Sixth Jade Emperor Lord, the Grand Minister of Sacrifices of Heaven.
If Heaven and Earth are obstructed and agitated, with qi and climate discordant, petition the Seventh Jade Emperor Lord, the High Emperor of Heaven.
If you wish to ward off numerous disasters, whether flying above or treading below, petition the Eighth Jade Emperor Lord, the Venerable Jade Emperor of Heaven.
If you wish for limitless transformations, responding to and saving all beings, petition the Ninth Jade Emperor Lord, the Grand Emperor of Heaven.
The inner surnames and hidden names of the Nine Sovereign Lords and the Nine Consorts are as above. Knowing them prolongs life by a thousand years. Constantly visualize them every evening, striving to see the majestic light of the forms of the Sovereign Lords and Consorts, recollecting their surnames and hidden names, concentrating and preserving them in the heart. If one can perceive the eighth and ninth stars, lifespan will be prolonged without end.
