A ritual is often performed by setting up an altar, arranging the ritual implements, reciting scriptures, performing the “Yongjing” (prayer for forgiveness), walking the “Gang” (the eight directions) and chanting mantras. The human element (the Taoist priest) is the most active and dynamic factor in this process, because all of these tasks are performed by them (the Taoist priest is called the “suan tan zhi shi”).

  Jiao altar.

  The altar is set up first when a Jiao is held, and is called the “Jiao altar” or “law altar.” The “altar” refers to a high platform made of earth on flat land, which is used to worship the gods and ancestors.

  According to the Taoist Book of the Gods, “ancient sacrifices all had altars, and later, the prefectures and counties had altars for the gods of the land and grain. The records say: the altars were not covered, and the ancient altars were in the fields. Now they are under the roof, and they are simple.” This shows that the ancient altars were originally open-air, and later moved to the temple.

  Different forms of jiao often have different-sized altars. Large-scale jiao activities usually have several altars, one of which is the main altar, called the “du altar,” and the rest are called “fen altars.” For example, in September 1993, the “Luo Tian Da Jiao” was held at the Baiyun Temple in Beijing. There were 1,200 altars dedicated to various gods, including the main altar, the imperial altar, the altar for saving people, the altar for the three officials, the altar for repaying kindness, the altar for relieving suffering, the altar for relieving the spirits of the dead, and the altar for the blue and black realms.

  The Quanzhen sect's altar is called the “Hunyuan Sect Altar” and is sealed with the “Taoist Scripture Treasure.” The abbot's altar for transmitting precepts is called the “Xuandu Lv Altar.” The Zhengyi sect's altar is called the “Wanfa Sect Altar” and is sealed with the “Tianshi Seal,” which is the “Yangping Zhidu Gong” seal and has been passed down to the present day.

  During the ritual, the Taoist priests with specific titles and duties are collectively referred to as the “clerks,” or “clerks of the altar.” According to the “Golden Seal Da Zhai Bu Zhi Shuo Cheng Yi,” the main clerks are:

  Gao Gong: the highest ranking of the officials. The person in charge must be “moral and virtuous, dignified and well-mannered, respected by the gods and demons, and respected by all.” During the ceremony, he must “walk in the morning, follow the emperor, benefit the three realms, and be courteous to the officials.”

  The second highest position is the supervisor of the sacrificial rites. His duties are to “oversee the regulations, lead the rituals, correct the duties of the altar, and maintain the order of the court”; and to “thoroughly investigate the mistakes, calmly give instructions, be strict and firm, and not be negligent or negligent.” In other words, he is in charge of the sacrificial rituals and is the deputy of the high priest.

  The chief speaker: Together with the high priest and the chief sacristan, they are known as the “three masters.” The person who holds this position must be “well-versed in the rituals, proficient in the law, able to lead the chanting, and a leader of the group”; “he must walk with the steps of the altar, ascend the platform to speak, and be a role model for the people.” In other words, he is in charge of chanting and leading the group, and is also the deputy of the high priest.

  In the Zhengyi school, these three positions are called the “three masters,” while in the Quanzhen school, they are simply called “high priests,” with no mention of “masters.” However, each of these three positions has a clear function in the ritual, complementing each other and jointly exerting a leading role in the ritual. Other officials also have their own duties:

  The attendant of the scriptures: the Taoist responsible for displaying, arranging and storing the scriptures, preparing the sound, tuning and appearance for the chanting of the scriptures.

  Incense attendant: a Taoist priest who is responsible for cleaning the incense burner and the incense table, and keeping the incense burning during the ceremony.

  Lighting: The Taoist priest responsible for arranging and cleaning the lighting equipment ensures that the candles are lit and do not go out during the ceremony.

  Zhiquan and Zhizhong: Taoist priests responsible for striking the bell and the gong. The sound of the bell and the gong directly determines the rhythm of the chanting and the ritual.

  In addition, according to the “Taiqing Yuzhi” chapter 4, the ritual altar attendants also include

  The alchemist: “His duties are to be pure inside and out, with a heart as empty as the universe; to be virtuous and kind, and to be compassionate and considerate. He brings the wonders of the yin and yang into play, and unites the original power of creation; he refines the material and ascends to the true, transcending the mortal and the divine.”

  The role of the “sect leader” is to strictly enforce the rules, promote the principles of the Dao, stand at the altar, and be close to the Dao. The role of the “sect leader” is to strictly enforce the rules, promote the principles of the Dao, stand at the altar, and be close to the Dao. The role of the “sect leader” is to strictly enforce the rules, promote the principles of the Dao, stand at the altar, and be close to the Dao. The role of the “sect leader” is to strictly enforce the rules, promote the principles of the Dao, stand at the altar, and be close to the Dao. The role of the “sect leader” is to strictly enforce the rules, promote the principles of the Dao, stand at the altar, and be close to the Dao. The role of the “sect leader” is to strictly enforce the rules, promote the principles of the

  Correct behavior: “Its duty is to be thorough in the rituals, to maintain the principles of the Dao, and to be strict and just in the way of the Dao.”

  Supervising the altar: “Its duty is to purify the world, to suppress evil and support the righteous, to supervise the affairs of the altar, and to first require strict and clean work; to understand the truth and reach the spirit, it must rely on the power of supervision. Things must be done conscientiously, so as not to be late.”

  Clear the way: “Its duty is to clear the way and purify the atmosphere.”

  Zhi Lu: “Its duty is to be the leader of the Xian class with the dignity of the Xuan teachings.”

  Confession: “Its duty is to recite the chapters of the cave and sing the teachings of the Dao.”

  Confession: “Its duty is to recite the scriptures, and to concentrate on the spirit.”

  On the Taoist altar, there are certain rules that must be followed, which are called “ceremonial etiquette.” Because the altar is where the gods and mortals meet, it must not be neglected. Therefore, the rules are set down to “warn against laziness and arrogance, check for transgressions, observe behavior and intentions, and if there are any mistakes, correct them as the situation demands.”

  The “Jiao Altar Qing Gui” (Jiao Altar Regulations) are contained in the “Tian Huang Zhi Dao Tai Qing Yu Ce” (The Heavenly Emperor's Supreme Daoist Book of Jade), which lists 35 items, showing that there is strict discipline on the altar.

  The altar has the necessary settings and supplies, mainly including

  Offerings: incense burners, candle holders, flower vases, incense sticks, etc.

  Offerings: five types of offerings, including incense, flowers, lamps, water and fruit.

  Ritual instruments: There are two types of ritual instruments commonly used in Taoism: one type is used to worship the gods, to pay homage to the ancestors, and to drive away evil spirits and ward off evil, such as the morning and evening ritual tablets (guaijian), ruyi, jade tablets, jade seals, swords (ritual swords), banners, arrows, and tokens (a tablet for summoning the gods), the Tianpengchi (a Taoist ruler made of peach wood), the Zhendanmu (a wooden tablet used to prop up the altar), etc.; the other type is various percussion instruments, such as the cymbals, gongs, bells, drums, bells, conch shells, and bells.

  Flagpoles: The flagpoles are made with a canopy and a pole for holding them. The flags have no canopy and are mostly used for hanging.

  Fujian: yellow paper talismans.

  Table of chapters: the text of the table.

  Water for purification: water used for purifying the altar.

  Hand furnace: a censer with a handle for holding in the hand.

  In the rituals of the altar, there are unique operations and forms. The main methods include external incantations, mantras, and rituals, as well as internal methods such as meditation, reciting the names of the gods, and clenching the teeth to concentrate the mind. The following are the main points

  Chant: refers to the language used to communicate with the gods. In ancient times, “chant” was also used to mean “pray,” and it usually ended with the phrase “urgent as the law commands.” Chanting can be used to invite the gods, expel evil spirits, protect life, and protect the body.

  Jue: The shape formed by pressing and pinching the fingers in a certain way is called a jue, and the process is called pinching a jue. Pinching a jue can be used to control the true and suppress the evil, and to control the generals and manage affairs. Different gods have different jue methods, such as the Lingguan Jue and Doumu Jue.

  Step: refers to the steps of the heavenly pole and the Big Dipper. It is said to have been created by Emperor Yu of the Xia Dynasty, hence the name “Yu's steps.” “Gao” refers to the heavenly pole, and “dou” refers to the Big Dipper. The high priest stands on the altar, which is a square area, and thinks of it as the nine heavens. According to the positions of the stars and constellations, he steps on the ground, which allows him to reach the heavens and pray to the gods. There are many types of gongs, such as the three treasures gong, the twenty-eight constellations gong, and the gong of the meeting of the two extremes. Each has its own use.

  Lamp: Refers to the common ritual element of lighting the altar candles on the altar. It was originally a separate ritual element, but was later included in other rituals. Its function is to illuminate the heavens and hell, and to liberate the souls of the dead. Therefore, after a person dies, they must “follow the example of heaven and earth and light a lamp to inform the gods” in the hope of “exceeding the good and difficult.”

  Worship: The most common and most common ritual element in Taoist altars. Commonly known as “kowtowing” and “making a bow,” whether Taoist priests or believers, they must worship in front of the statue of the god, both inside and outside the Taoist temple. This is the first and most fundamental aspect of human belief. Those who are new to the religion must first learn to worship, which is called “passing the kowtow test.” There are four ways to do this, namely, bowing, making a bow, following the example, and bowing in the heart.

  Chanting: The most common and most common ritual element in Taoist altars refers to chanting scriptures. When learning the rituals, one must first learn to chant. There are many ways to chant, including chanting alone, chanting together, chanting once, and chanting many times. The main ones are heart chanting, shape chanting, spirit chanting, heart blessing, secret blessing, and subtle blessing. Through chanting, one can ultimately eliminate natural disasters and protect the emperor; ward off poison and harm, and save the people; and rely on life and death, whose blessings are hard to surpass.

  Buxu: refers to the melody of the chanting on the altar. According to legend, the melody is like the sound of the immortals floating in the air, hence the name “Buxu sound.” The words written according to the Buxu music are called “Buxu words.” The Buxu sound is beautiful and has a profound artistic connotation. The great poet Du Fu praised it: “This song should have been in heaven, how many times can it be heard on earth?”

  Contemplation: Also known as “contemplation,” or simply “contemplation.” It requires the eyes to be closed or slightly closed, and the mind to focus on the appearance and activities of a certain object or spirit, in order to concentrate the mind, remove distractions, and enter the realm of the spirit. Taoism believes that if you don't know how to contemplate, you can't communicate with the spirit world, and the ritual loses its meaning. The objects of meditation are very broad, including the celestial phenomena (the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, etc.), the scenery (the air, the fire), the human body (the five internal organs, the lower abdomen), and the gods (the gods within the body, the gods outside the body), etc. Most of them are taught in secret by the master and the disciple.

  Knocking the teeth: This is the act of knocking the upper teeth against the lower teeth to gather the spirit and drive away evil. It is generally divided into the following: the left knocking is to knock the left upper teeth against the left lower teeth; the right knocking is to knock the right upper teeth against the right lower teeth; the middle knocking is to knock the four upper teeth against the four lower teeth. The left knock is used to knock on the young heavenly gate to respond to the divine lamb, the right knock is used to subdue and drive down, and the sound of the Dharma drum is used to communicate with the true god, which is used for all court performances (see “The Emperor's Daoist Jade Book”).

  Jingbiao: refers to the ritual in which Taoist priests present a written petition (qingci biaozhang) to the heavenly court, also known as “shangbiao.” The ritual involves setting up an altar, inviting the holy spirit, and presenting the petition. The usage of the ritual depends on the rank of the deity. A petition to the highest deity in Taoism is called “shangdabiao,” while a petition to a general deity is called “shangshu.” Finally, the text is burned, called “Hua Biao,” in the hope of reaching the heavenly court, worshiping the heavens, inviting the saints to the altar, granting blessings and longevity, and liberating the spirits of the ancestors.

  Lian Du: This refers to the use of talismans to convert ghosts and gods, so that they can be liberated. Lian refers to the use of real water and real fire to refine the souls of the deceased; Du refers to the practice of asceticism and the liberation of ghosts. Its function is that “people who take it (the talisman) can restore their spirits. Ghosts and gods can also be converted” (see “Shangqing Lingbao Dafa: Water and Fire Lian Du”).

  Feeding the ghosts: a ritual element of Taoist ceremonies, also known as “feeding the ghosts” or “relief,” commonly known as “Yan Kou,” which means setting up a feast to help the ghosts. In the early days of Taoism, there was no feeding the ghosts, but in the Southern Song Dynasty, it already had a rudimentary form, and in the Tang Dynasty, it had a considerable influence and scale. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, rice was served in a hou, which was called “hou food.” Until the liberation, some temples still kept this practice. The ritual of offering food is performed using the method of “cultivation”, which involves the high priest imagining the spirits and ghosts, so that they can ascend to heaven and leave the realm of ghosts.

  Scattering flowers: a common ritual element in the ritual composition of the altar. Through the imagined divine chariot, the altar is transformed into the Yao altar where the immortals reside. The ritual of scattering flowers is used to praise the immortals and transform the altar. Unlike Buddhism, Taoism's “scattering flowers” is not the actual scattering of flowers, but chanting. Therefore, there are many different types of flower-scattering lyrics, mostly in five-character, seven-character, and song form.

  Dissolving grievances and resolving knots: The so-called grievances mainly refer to various interpersonal grievances in the world, which have caused the involvement of the underworld, the suffering of the ghosts and spirits, and the retribution in the world of the living. It is believed that rituals and runes must be used to dissolve grievances and resolve knots, in order to seek the ascension of ghosts and spirits and peace in the world of the living.

  Invoking the Three Masters: This refers to the ritual of paying respect to the Three Masters. The Three Masters are the Master of the Dao, the Master of the Records and the Master of the Classics. Every large Daoist temple has a shrine to the Three Masters. At the beginning of the ceremony, the high priest bows to the shrine to invoke the Three Masters and ask for their blessings. When the ceremony is over, the high priest must pay respect to the Three Masters to show his gratitude and never forget their kindness.

  The above-mentioned ceremonies constitute the scenes of large and small vegetarian feasts.

There are three main types of Taoist fasting and purification ceremonies currently in use:

  (1) Quanzhen Taoist temples

  Taoist temples of the Quanzhen school: for example, the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, the Taiqing Palace on Laoshan Mountain in Qingdao, and the Changchun Temple in Wuhan. The Quanzhen school's jiao activities include rituals such as reciting scriptures, receiving the emperor, celebrating birthdays, praying for blessings, extending life, warding off disasters, offering to the heavens, summoning the spirits, scattering flowers, and offering food. The morning and evening liturgies include the Sutra of the Three Officials, the Sutra of the Big Dipper, the Sutra of the True Martial God, the Sutra of the Receiving of Life, the Sutra of the Supreme Jade Emperor, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the Three Supreme Ones, the Sutra of the

  (2) Zhengyi School Taoist Temples

  Zhengyi sect Taoist temples: Baiyun Temple in Shanghai, Xuanmiao Temple in Suzhou, and the Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu. Zhengyi sect Taoist temple rituals include the following: the ritual for the appointment of a Taoist priest, the ritual for the consecration of a Taoist priest, the ritual for the fulfillment of a vow, the ritual for celebrating a birthday, the ritual for presenting a petition, the ritual for offering to the gods, the ritual for the purification of the dead, the ritual for the dispatch of the dead, the ritual for the appeasement of the dead, the ritual for the opening of the gates of the underworld, the ritual for inviting the gods, the ritual for the worship of the fire gods, the ritual for welcoming the emperor and his entourage, and the ritual for The repentance rituals include morning and evening rituals, the Jade Emperor's repentance ritual, the Thunder God's repentance ritual, the Zhenwu's repentance ritual, the Three Palace's repentance ritual, the Duijing's repentance ritual, the Chaotian's repentance ritual, the Qingxuan's repentance ritual, the Jiuyou's repentance ritual, etc.

  The Zhengyi sect of Taoism places great emphasis on the ritual ceremonies of the Jiao sect, because this is their main source of income. Therefore, the Zhengyi sect's Jiao activities are very exciting and the content is also very rich.

  (3) Taoist priests living in the diaspora

  The term “scattered Taoist priests” refers to Taoist priests who are not based in temples and are mostly from the Zhengyi school. They are characterized by not being based in temples, or by being based in families and passing down their teachings from generation to generation, or by being based in individuals and recruiting disciples, and holding jiaojiao activities in people's homes whenever they have the opportunity. They are mainly distributed in the suburbs of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, Hubei and other places.

  Most of the Taoist priests in the diaspora follow the teachings of Longhu Mountain, and their families have been passing down the teachings for generations. Therefore, the sutras they recite are also commonly used in Taoist temples, mainly including the Three Official Gods Sutra, the Spirit Official Sutra, the King's Heart Sutra, the Jade Emperor's Sutra, the Supreme Three-Yuan Great Sutra, the Kitchen God's Sutra, etc.