Qīng wēi hóng fàn dào mén gōng kè 清微宏範道門功課
Daily Ritual-Course of the Daoist Order, Pure-Subtle Broad-Standard
anonymous compilation of the Qīngwēi pài 清微派 / Quánzhēn liturgical day-course
The principal daily-recitation manual of the Qīngwēi sub-school of late-imperial Daoism — a complete morning-and-evening ritual-recitation course that prescribes the form of the daily cháo lǐ (morning-rite) and wǎn lǐ (evening-rite) for residents in Daoist cónglín (clergy-grove) institutions. The work covers the recitation of standard scriptures, mantras, repentance-formulas, and the performance of the ritual gestures over a 12-hour day. The Qīngwēi sub-school flourished in the SòngYuánMíng under the Léifǎ Thunder-Magic tradition, with later reformation under Quánzhēn / Lóngmén; the present DZJY recension represents the late-Qīng integration of the Qīngwēi liturgical practice within the Quánzhēn cónglín framework.
Prefaces
Anonymous preface. “The gold-book and jade-tablet are the gate-of-entry to the Way; the treasure-proclamations and elixir-scriptures are the path of cultivating-immortality. Obtaining the gate, one may restore the original-real nature; following the path, one may refine the unbreakable body. Therefore feathered-gentlemen dwelling in cónglín offer incense for three thousand days; in conduct-and-upholding through twelve hours, in chanting morning-and-evening, on the feast-days connecting up to the shèngzhēn, day-and-night offering sincerity to wish-extend our state-fortune. Without diligent recitation, how can we nourish the original-harmony? Without setting up the kēyí, no broadcasting of the mystery-wonder. — Jīng (scripture) is the heart-lineage of the former-sages; zhòu (spell) is the wonderful-method of the supreme-immortals. Reciting it sincerely, the scripture is illumined; doing it earnestly, the method is verified. Scripture-illumined, the Way is wedded inwardly; method-verified, the spirits penetrate outwardly. — When scripture-illumined-and-method-verified are both complete, when inner-merit and outer-conduct are both filled — this is the staircase of cultivating-virtuous-character, the raft of seeking-superior-attestation. — If one can determined-resolutely whole-heart, in the twelve-hour fierce-bravely-precision-advance, never retreating — in the world ones can leave-the-world; in the dust-realm one can rid-of-dust; emerging-and-entering empty-and-no, rambling-the-cosmos, free-and-easy-as-one-pleases, no-extinction-no-life; the inch-square space not stained by a single dust; the wonderful-application directly transcending the Three Realms. — Such a one ends his single-thought-of-dust-root, leaves the three-paths’ bitter-distress, treads the great-Way of cháng shēng, crosses the bitter-sea’s mighty-waves; warding-off-disaster the disaster fades; praying-for-fortune the fortune arrives; no asking unanswered, every feeling penetrating-through. — The recitation of various-grade immortal-scriptures and various-perfected’s treasure-names, mouth-purifying-heart-purifying-body-purifying spells, altar-pacifying-Heaven-pacifying-Earth-pacifying-spirit-pacifying chapters — although these are only mid-hall day-courses, they are the supreme xūn xiū (smoke-perfume cultivation). Only when the three-thousand-merit is full and the eight-hundred-conduct is round, then one is the supreme-man of the dharma-gate, the great-husband of the xuán guān (mystery-belvedere). — Therefore I have gathered the assembly and engraved-it for circulation, hoping for ever-extending propagation, that the Quánzhēn dào lǚ may follow the canonical-teaching, faithfully-receive-and-uphold. — Therefore the preface.”
Abstract
The standard daily-liturgical manual of the QīngwēiQuánzhēn lineage in DZJY. Anonymous; composition c. 1700–1809. The work is one of the principal late-imperial gōng kè (daily-ritual-course) manuals, paralleling the Buddhist zǎowǎn kèsòng and providing the standard recitation-and-performance rule-of-life for residents in Daoist clergy-groves. For the broader liturgical context see Goossaert, The Taoists of Peking, and Lagerwey, Taoist Ritual in Chinese Society and History.
Translations and research
- Goossaert, Vincent. The Taoists of Peking, 1800–1949. Harvard 2007.
- Lagerwey, John. Taoist Ritual in Chinese Society and History. Macmillan 1987.
- Komjathy, Louis. The Way of Complete Perfection. SUNY 2013.