Which Deities Do Taoist Priests Summon During Rituals?

In the daily lives of many believers, the term "shenxian" (gods and immortals) is often used as a single concept. However, in Taoism’s pantheon system, "shen" (gods) and "xian" (immortals) are distinct.

Simply put, "shen" in Taoism all hold official divine positions, while "xian" are free and unrestrained without such official duties.

Within Taoism’s pantheon, gods are divided into multiple departments based on their divine responsibilities—such as the Thunder Department, the Star Department, and the Underworld Department—with each deity having their own specific duties.

Among the numerous deities, there are several minor gods. Though their divine ranks are low, they are extremely busy, and high-ranking Taoist priests (Gaogong) often summon them during rituals.

In some Chinese film and television works, when Taoist priests perform rituals at an altar, they chant incantations that ordinary people cannot understand. Often, they end the chant with the phrase "Jíjí rú lǜlìng" ("Hurry, as per Luling’s command")! In an instant, the sky and earth change color, and the sun and moon lose their light—creating a seemingly powerful scene.

Legend has it that Luling was an extraordinary person during the Zhou Dynasty, known for running extremely fast, like someone with "flying legs." After his death, Taoism enshrined him as a messenger official in the Thunder Department. Another legend claims Luling was originally a mythical beast from northwestern China, shaped like a horse, with hooves never touching the ground and moving as fast as the wind.

Tufeng Lu (Records of Local Customs) states: "Lìng is pronounced 'líng'; Luling is the name of a god in the Thunder Department, skilled at running—he is invoked to ensure speed." Sou Shen Ji (In Search of Spirits) notes: "Luling was a man during the reign of King Mu of Zhou, skilled at running; after his death, he became a minor ghost in the Thunder Department." When priests chant "Jíjí rú lǜlìng" during rituals, they hope to quickly summon deities to assist in handling matters.

In ancient times, a pregnant woman was often referred to as "shēnhuái liùjiǎ" ("bearing Liujia in the womb"). The "Liujia" here comes from Taoism’s Liuding and Liujia deities.

Liuding and Liujia are the collective names for the six Ding gods and six Jia gods. In Taoist ritual ceremonies (zhaijiao), they are regarded as guardian deities. The six Ding gods correspond to the celestial stems Dīngmǎo, Dīngsì, Dīngwèi, Dīngyǒu, Dīnghài, and Dīngchǒu; the six Jia gods correspond to Jiǎzǐ, Jiǎxū, Jiǎshēn, Jiǎwǔ, Jiǎchén, and Jiǎyín.

High-ranking priests often summon them during rituals to ward off disasters and expel evil spirits. Additionally, they serve as divine generals under the True Martial Emperor (Zhēnwǔ Dàdì), assisting him in subduing evil forces and beheading demons.

Another group of busy deities in Taoism are the Lishi gods (divine warriors), who are dispatched by higher-ranking deities. The most famous among them are the Yellow-Turban Lishi (Huángjīn Lìshì). They appear in literary works such as Water Margin (Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn). Legend has it that they are associated with the Yellow Turban Rebels led by Zhang Jiao, the leader of the Taiping Dao (Way of Great Peace) during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Taoist priests also summon them when performing rituals at an altar.

Furthermore, during certain salvation rituals (for guiding the souls of the deceased), paper money and ingots are burned. When priests conduct the ritual, some "Shenfu Lishi" (divine servants and warriors) obey orders at the altar. These deities seal all the paper money and ingots and deliver them to the souls of the deceased in the underworld.

"Sizhi" (Four Duties) refers to the officers in charge of the year, month, day, and hour; "Gongcao" was an official title in ancient China, referring to minor officials who assisted prefects and county magistrates.

During rituals, priests perform a ceremony called "Jìnbiǎo" ("presenting the memorial"), also known as "Huàbiǎo" ("transforming the memorial") or "Fénshū" ("burning the petition"). This is a crucial ritual in Taoist zhaijiao ceremonies. Through the Jìnbiǎo ritual, high-ranking priests present a written memorial (recording believers’ prayers) to the Heavenly Court, informing the gods in heaven of the prayers.

However, these memorials cannot be delivered directly to the Heavenly Court—they require deities to act as messengers. At this time, priests summon the Sizhi Gongcao to deliver the memorials, thereby conveying the prayers to the Heavenly Court and communicating with the gods.

Although the aforementioned deities hold low divine ranks and are the busiest, they are an indispensable part of Taoism’s pantheon. They are all manifestations of the "Dao" (the fundamental principle of the universe) and represent the essence of the "Dao." They are also deities revered by people.