Tàishàng dòngxuán língbǎo xiāoráng huǒzāi jīng 太上洞玄靈寶消禳火災經
Scripture for Dispelling and Averting Fire-Disasters, of the Most High Cavern-Mystery Numinous Treasure
About the work
A very short three-folio Sòng (or later) apotropaic scripture concerning fire-disasters and the fire-bureaucracy of the celestial administration. Transmitted in the Dàozàng in a composite juàn with DZ 357, DZ 358, and DZ 360 (KR5b0041, KR5b0042, KR5b0044).
Prefaces
No prefaces in the source. The text opens directly with the revelation scene at the Jīnxiān tán 金仙壇 altar and carries no author preface or transmission colophon.
Abstract
Dated to the Sòng (960–1279) or later by Schmidt (Schipper & Verellen, Taoist Canon 3: 991, DZ 359), on the basis of the celestial bureaucracy presupposed in the text — a highly developed “Ministry of Fire” (Huǒbù 火部) staffed by named celestial generals — whose institutional structure mirrors the fire-deity cults that spread in Chinese popular religion from the eleventh century onward (cf. Sòng shǐ 宋史 103.2513–15).
The scriptural narrative: during a visit of inspection to the Ministry of Fire, the Língbǎo tiānzūn bestows upon Chìlíng shénjūn 赤靈神君, the highest deity of the Ministry, a formula of invocation (zhòu 咒) and exhorts him to promulgate it in the world (2a). Through this invocation, repentant sinners can obtain remission of their transgressions and be spared the fires normally sent upon them as celestial punishment; the deities further undertake to protect the house of the penitent against the attacks of unauthorised fire-demons (huǒjīng 火精, huǒguài 火怪).
Translations and research
- Schipper, Kristofer, and Franciscus Verellen, eds. The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004, 3:991 (DZ 359).