The Gaoshang Yuhuang Benxing Jijing 高上玉皇本行集经

Gaoshang Yuhuang Benxing Jijing (The Collection Sutra of the Original Deeds of the Most High Jade Emperor), commonly known as Yuhuang Jing (The Jade Emperor Sutra), is a classic text of Taoism. Comprising three volumes, it is an essential scripture recited by Taoists during rituals of fasting, prayer, and repentance, as well as in daily religious practices. The author and the exact era of its compilation are unknown, but based on its descriptions of the Jade Emperor’s divine nature, it is speculate to have been written during the Song Dynasty.

The first volume, Qingwei Tiangong Shentong Pin (The Section on the Magical Powers of the Pure and Subtle Heavenly Palace), mainly narrates the origin and divine status of the Jade Emperor. The scripture states: In ancient times, the King of Guangyan Miaole (Radiant Dignity and Wondrous Joy) had no heir. The queen dreamed that the Supreme Lord Daoist Lord held a baby and gave it to her; upon waking, she became pregnant and gave birth to a prince. After ascending to the throne, the prince governed the country wisely, sympathized with the people’s sufferings, then abdicated, left the kingdom, and retreated to the mountains to practice Taoism. After going through 3,200 kalpas (aeons) of such cycles, he finally attained the rank of Golden Immortal, titled Qingjing Juewang Rulai (Tathagata of Pure Tranquility and Awakened Sovereignty), teaching all bodhisattvas to suddenly awaken to the orthodox Mahayana path and gradually enter the mysterious way of emptiness. After another hundred million kalpas of cultivation, he attained the position of the Jade Emperor. Hence, the Jade Emperor can display great magical powers, preaching the way of pure tranquility and liberation to all realms.

The middle volume includes Taishang Daguangming Yuanman Dashenzhou Pin (The Section on the Great Divine Mantra of Supreme Great Brightness and Perfect Completion) and Yuhuang Gongde Pin (The Section on the Jade Emperor’s Merits and Virtues), mainly describing the divine mantras issued by the Jade Emperor and the merits of receiving and upholding this sutra. It claims that the great divine mantra is "the wonderful words of the Primordial Beginning and the true decree of the Jade Emperor," capable of controlling celestial mechanisms above, inspecting the Five Spirits in the middle, and governing the earth spirits below. This mantra is essentially the content of the first volume of Yuanshi Wulao Chishu Yuzi Jing (The Red Script and Jade Characters Sutra of the Five Elders of the Primordial Beginning), with slight additions and deletions. It also states that those who receive and uphold this sutra "will have all their karmic sins forever eliminated, their bodies and minds purified, and ascend to heaven after death."

The third volume consists of Tianzhen Huchi Pin (The Section on Protection by Heavenly Immortals) and Baoying Shenyan Pin (The Section on Karmic Retribution and Divine Manifestations). It describes how those who venerate the sutra will be protected by the emperors and divine generals of the ten directions and obtain thirty kinds of supreme wonderful merits; while those who slander or disbelieve in it will suffer various evil retributions.

This sutra is a classic of Jade Emperor worship. Not only do Taoists often recite it as part of their daily practices, but other rituals related to the Jade Emperor, such as court ceremonies, repentance rituals, and lantern rituals, also take it as their basis. Therefore, it has exerted a significant influence both within Taoism and among the general public.