There are many common Taoist rituals, including morning and evening altar work, welcoming the emperor, celebrating a birthday, presenting a petition, and refining one's spiritual level.

  (1) Morning and evening altar work

  The daily morning and evening rituals of Taoist priests. They date back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties. According to the Preface to the Morning and Evening Rituals, “rituals are also called ‘work’. They are work for oneself, and those who cultivate the Tao rely on the teachings of the sages. By reciting the Golden Book and Jade Edict of the Supreme Sage, one can understand one's true nature. Without the teachings of the sages, one cannot spread the Great Tao, and without the rituals, one cannot maintain one's Yuanhe. They are the gate to the Way of Humanity and the path to cultivating one's nature.”

  Taoist priests perform their daily duties in the morning and evening, reciting incense praises, opening sutras, cleansing mantras, cleansing mouth mantras, cleansing body mantras, and the “Qingjing Jing” and “Yuhuang Xin Yin Miao Jing” in the morning; and reciting “Buxu,” opening sutras, “Xuan Yun Mantra,” “Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Jiuku Bazi Miao Jing,” and “Yuan Shi Tianzun Shuo Shengtian De Dao Zhen Jing” in the evening. Singing praises and worshiping, reciting the immortal scriptures, one is cultivating the mind and character, the second is praying for good fortune, the third is strengthening the heart of the Dao, the fourth is liberating the souls of the dead, and the fifth is embodying the management of the Daoist style of the palace.

  (2) The ritual of blessing

  It is a ritual commonly used in Taoist morning rituals. Zhu means to respectfully invite, and zheng means to welcome the arrival of the gods.

  After the morning altar work is completed, the high priest will make a confession, raise his hands to show respect to the Supreme Being, worship, burn incense, read the manifest, and recite (sing) the mantra (the mantra of the spirit official), showing the great power of the ancestors, who have descended to the altar to protect the scriptures, the Tao, and the altar, so that the Taoist temple is always peaceful.

  (3) Ritual for the solitary

  It is a ritual commonly used in Taoist evening rituals. Ji is the word for sacrifice and for liberating the dead; gu is the word for lonely soul; ji gu is to sacrifice for the lonely souls, to liberate the dead.

  After the evening altar work is completed, the various officials perform the rituals according to the prescribed procedures, including the high-ranking official's confession, the raising of the Supreme Lord of the Taiyi, worship, incense burning, sprinkling of water, the confession and announcement of the seal, the high-ranking official's walking in the five directions and scattering of food, in the hope that the nectar will open the gates of hell and the lonely souls and the dead will ascend to heaven.

  (4) Ritual for celebrating a birthday

  This ritual is used in Taoism to celebrate the birthday of the founder of a sect. The word “zhu” means “celebrate,” and “shou” means “birthday,” so “zhu shou” means “celebrating the birthday of the founder of a sect.” For example, the ninth day of the first lunar month, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and the nineteenth day of the first lunar month are the birthdays of the Jade Emperor, the Heavenly Official, and the Ancestor Qiu, respectively. This ritual is performed at midnight on these days to celebrate the birthday of the founder of the sect.

The procedure is as follows: the various officials perform their duties as required, the high priest and the priest of the Confucian temple chant the praises of the Supreme Emperor of Longevity, the Supreme Master of the Dark Teaching, the Supreme Master of the Taoist Scripture, the Supreme Master of the Three Treasures, the Supreme Master of the Cloud of Incense, the Supreme Master of the Sacred Letter, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Treasure, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet, the Supreme Master of the Ancestral Tablet,

  (5) Celebration rituals

  This is also a Taoist ritual used on the birthday of the founder of a school. The word “celebrate” means to celebrate, and to celebrate the birthday of the founder of a school. It is usually held during the day on the birthday of the founder of a school.

  The procedure is as follows: the various officials perform their duties according to the prescribed order, offering incense and paying tribute; they invoke the Three Pure Ones, the Taoist scripture master, the incense cloud, the supreme being, the incantation, the invocation, the declaration, the confession, the reading of the edict (the edict of the particular ancestor is read on the day of the particular ancestor's birthday), the burning of the edict, and the dismissal of the class.

  Through this ritual, the altar is respectfully greeted to celebrate the birthday of the founder.

  (6) Welcoming the Emperor

  A Taoist ritual dedicated to the Jade Emperor on the morning of his tour of the heavens. Jie means to welcome; jia means the sacred carriage, referring to the Jade Emperor; the ritual of welcoming the Jade Emperor refers to the ritual performed when welcoming the Jade Emperor. The palace holds a grand ceremony to welcome the Jade Emperor at midnight on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month (i.e. midnight), which is referred to as the grand ceremony to welcome the Jade Emperor.

  The procedure is that after the “morning service” is finished, the “Supreme Spirit of the Supreme Treasure of the Supreme Emperor” says the “True Sutra of Disaster Relief and Disaster Relief,” the high-level official kneels up and asks for the rhyme, starts the “small praise rhyme,” the supervisor takes the incense and stops the board, the high-level official says the text, starts the first verse, the high priest raises the Three Precious Ones of the Great Tao, the high priest raises the hanging, the high priest raises the outline, the high priest says the text, raises the board of the Supreme Being, the congregation says the Supreme Being is here, the congregation leaves the temple to the altar of heaven, and the class is dismissed.

  Through this ritual, we respectfully pay homage to the Jade Emperor, inviting him to descend to the mortal world to bestow blessings, ward off disasters, and prolong life.

  (7) The Great Dedication Ritual

  This is a ritual commonly used at the end of a Taoist ceremony, and is a general confession for the completion of the Taoist ceremony.

  The procedure is as follows: the high priest lights the incense and reads the text, the section leader starts the section, the high priest raises the great banner: “Treasure Supreme Emperor,” the high priest raises the banner and says “Respectfully facing the Dao,” the high priest confesses and says “Dedication as per the law,” the high priest reads aloud the dedication text, the congregation reads “The Great Dharma of the Miro Treasure” and “The Holy Dharma of the Supreme Jade Emperor,” the high priest raises the flower praise and dismisses the class.

  Through this ritual, relying on the power of the Dao, I wish to eliminate my sins and always turn the Dharma Wheel to save all sentient beings.

  (8) The ritual of entering the table

  Jingbiao, also known as “Huabiao” or “Fenshu,” is a very important ritual in Taoist rituals and is widely used in various large-scale Taoist rituals. For example, this ritual is held in the case of jinluo, yuluo, huangluo, or large-scale Taoist rituals.

  The “Jingbiao” ritual originated from ancient Chinese prayer rituals. It gradually became more complex after the Han and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and it was not until the Song and Yuan Dynasties that it became more unified and perfected. However, due to the different systems of Taoist masters and the economic and cultural differences in the regions where they spread, as well as differences in language and customs, there are great differences in the rituals practiced in different regions. For example, the “Jingbiao” ritual currently practiced by Taoism in Shanghai is generally held in three steps. The first step is to open the altar: the master and the Taoist priests kneel and offer incense to the altar, kneeling and offering prayers. The altar is transformed into a fairyland, and the lamps are lit with the lighting method. The second step is to invite the holy: the five sacred deities are enshrined, the holy is invited, and the holy is descended. The third step is to worship the table: the master and the Taoist priests invite the three masters to help them descend to the altar, the high priest silently recites the “incense incantation,” performs the sacrificial rites to the table officer, and the labor officer delivers the table to the heavenly court. Then the table is sealed, and the master draws the rune on the table to show the seal ; the ritual of sending the tablet is performed, and the tablet is burned and dissolved; the high priest steps on the heavenly pole and the heavenly sphere to show that the soul ascends to the heavenly court, silently reciting the tablet text and reporting to the heavens; after the high priest steps on the tablet, he gathers his soul; the masters and officials thank the gods, make offerings, and the ritual of sending the tablet is over, and they leave the hall. This is the core content of the ritual.

  Through this ritual, the Taoist priest will present the written prayers of the believers to the heavens and inform the gods. The saints will descend to the altar to bestow blessings and extend life, and the ancestors will be saved.

  (9) Water and Fire Purification Ritual

  A common ritual in Taoist ceremonies. Water and fire refer to real water and real fire. Water and fire refining means using real water and real fire to refine the souls of the dead and liberate the spirits of the departed. There are three types of water and fire refining: refining the living dead, refining the spirits, and refining the souls of the departed.

  When the ritual is performed, a pool of water and a fire pit are set up on the altar. The pool contains the real water, and the fire pit contains the real fire. The water is drawn from the well at dawn, “in the east well, the last person to draw water” (Shangqing Lingbao Dafa), after burning the water-drawing talisman, and then under candlelight, the water is drawn into the pool. The fire is lit at noon, “facing the sun, cutting bamboo to make fire, and then using an incense seal to draw it in” (ibid.). After the fire is lit, the fire-drawing talisman is burned, and the fire is used to burn the charcoal in the pool.

  The procedure is as follows: incense is offered, the gods are invoked, and the talisman for descending the true spirit is burned; the high priest takes his seat and summons the officers, who descend from heaven; the five emperors' true names are recited; the souls of the dead are summoned, and the water and fire are combined; the nine chapters of the talisman are burned, so that the viscera are reborn; reciting the precepts; reciting the Taoist scripture; the ten precepts for ghosts and gods; the nine wonderful precepts; reciting the precepts; reading the talisman and announcing the tablet; the high priest leaving his seat and sending the soul to the bridge; burning the talisman and playing the music of the Three Pure Ones; the class is dismissed. The core of the ceremony is to summon the spirits of the dead and to refine them through the combination of water and fire.

  Through this ritual, the water and fire are combined to transcend the netherworld and guide the deceased.

  (10) The Lantern Ritual

  A kind of ritual commonly used in Taoist ceremonies. It refers to a ceremony in which a lamp is used as an important ritual instrument, and is usually held after sunset. It includes the Nine-Yin Lamp Ritual, the Big Dipper Lamp Ritual, the Life-Cycle Lamp Ritual, the Blood Lake Lamp Ritual, etc.

  The origin of the lantern ritual is in the ancient Chinese sacrificial and prayer rituals. By the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was already a position of “lantern attendant” in the ritual altar. By the late Tang and Five Dynasties, there was already a complete ritual lantern ritual in Taoist rituals. During the Yuan Dynasty, the lantern ritual was widely used in Taoist temples. After development, it was roughly divided into two categories: the gold and yellow ritual lanterns.

  The procedure for the Jinlu type of ritual is: entering the altar, opening the white (passing the message), returning to the life and praising, reciting the sutra, announcing the message, and returning to the life.

  The procedure for the yellow-paper type of ritual is: entering the altar, opening the white paper (to convey the meaning), raising the name of the Supreme Being and chanting praises, reciting the sutra, announcing the message, and dedicating the merits. It can be seen that the Daoist ritual is different from the Buddhist ritual in the part of raising the name of the Supreme Being and chanting praises, which is related to the liberation of the dead.

  The source of the fire in the lantern rite is the sunlight at noon, which is then used to light the various lanterns on the altar in the lantern rite.

  Through this ritual, the heavens are illuminated, the darkness is dispelled, the underworld is reached, and the Hall of the Unfortunate is projected.

  现行道教常用的斋醮科仪很多，大略有：早晚坛功课、接驾、祝寿、进表、炼度等等，现择要分述如下。

  (一)早晚坛功课

  道教住观道士每日早晚例行的科仪。约起于南北朝以后。据《早晚功课经·序》曰：“功课者，课功也。课自己之功也，修自身之道者，赖先圣之典也。诵上圣之金书玉诰，明自己本性真心，非科教不能弘大道，非课涌无以保养元和。是人道之门墙，修性之径路。”

  在观道士每日卯、酉之时上殿做功课，早诵香赞、开经偈、净心咒、净口咒、净身咒以及《清静经》、《玉皇心印妙经》等；晚诵步虚、开经偈、玄蕴咒、《太上洞玄灵宝救苦拔罪妙经》、《元始天尊说生天得道真经》等。唱赞礼拜，讽诵仙经，一是修真养性，二是祈祷吉祥，三是坚定道心，四是超度亡灵，五是体现宫观道风管理。

  (二)祝将科仪

  常用于道教早坛功课出坛中的一种科仪。祝为恭请之意，将即神真；祝将是恭迎神真登临坛场。

  早坛功课化天地疏文后，通过高功表白，举威显化天尊、礼拜、上香、宣表、念(唱)咒(灵官咒)，显示祖师赫赫威灵，降临坛场，以护经护道护坛庭，达到道门常清静。

  (三)祭孤科仪

  常用于道教晚坛功课出坛中的一种科仪。祭为祭祀、超度之意；孤为孤魂；祭孤即祭祀孤魂，为亡灵超度。

  晚坛功课出坛，各执事如法如仪后，通过高功表白、举太乙救苦天尊、礼拜、上香、洒净水、表白宣表篆、高功步罡撒食，以期甘露洒开地狱门，孤魂亡灵升仙都。

  (四)祝寿科仪

  道教用于祖师圣诞之时的科仪。祝为庆贺之意，寿为寿辰，祝寿即庆贺祖师寿辰。如正月初九、正月十五、正月十九，分别为玉皇、天官、邱祖的圣诞，于当天晚上零点例行此仪，以贺祖师诞辰。

其程式为：各执事如威如仪，高功、表白，齐举玄教万寿天尊，上香礼赞，举道经师宝天尊，咏“三宝香”韵，举香云达信天尊，宣表念祖师宝浩(某祖师圣诞即念某祖师诰)、焚表、退班。

  (五)庆贺科仪

  亦为道教用于祖师圣诞之日的科仪。庆为庆祝之意，庆贺即庆祝祖师诞辰。一般在祖师圣诞日白天举行。

  其程式为：各执事如列如仪，上香礼赞；举三清应化天尊，举道经师宝天尊，举香云达信天尊，上祝香咒，上威灵咒，宣表、表白、念诰(某祖师圣诞即念某祖师诰)、焚表、退班。

  通过此仪，恭对醮坛，以贺祖师圣诞。

  (六)接驾科仪

  道教专用于玉皇巡天之晨的科仪。接为迎接之意；驾为圣驾，指玉皇大帝；接驾科仪指迎接玉皇大帝时所行的朝科。宫观于农历腊月二十五日子时(即零点)举行迎接王帝圣驾大典，简称迎銮接驾。

  其程式是《早课》念完《太上灵宝天尊说禳灾度厄真经》，高功跪起启请韵、起“小赞韵”，监院拈香、刹板，高功说文，提科起步虚韵，高功举大罗三宝天尊，高功起吊挂，高功提纲、表白，高功说文、起天尊板，众念鹤驾采临天尊，众出殿至天坛，退班。

  通过此仪恭对瑶坛，延请玉帝降临人间，赐福禳灾，延龄益寿。

  (七)大回向科仪

  常用于道场圆满时的一种科仪，是为道场圆满做的总忏悔。

  其程式为：高功拈香说文，提科起步文，高功举大罗：宝天尊，高功起吊挂、提科提“恭对道前”，表白接“回向如法，高功朗念回向文，众念《弥罗宝诰》及《洞玄灵宝高上玉皇本行集经》，高功起送花赞、退班。

  通过此仪，仗道威力，愿罪消除，常，转法轮，普度群晶。

  (八)进表科仪

  进表亦称“化表”、“焚疏”，是道教斋醮中一种非常重要的科仪，广泛应用于各种大犁的斋醮活动中。例如金箓、玉箓、黄箓，或者大型醮会，均要举行此仪。

  进表，源于中国古代的祈祷仪式，经两汉南北朝、隋唐诸代的发展，逐渐由简趋繁，直至宋元以后才日趋统一和完善。但由于道法师承的系统不同以及传播地域的经济文化，乃至语言、风俗习惯的差异，各地在演习中有了很大的不同。例如上海道教现行“进表”科仪，大体分三个步骤举行。第一步为启坛：法师和众道士人坛敬香，跪奏祝告，醮坛被幻化成瑶坛仙境，以分灯法点燃全坛之灯，击金玉之声，然后漱水。净洒坛场。第二步为请圣：奉安五方神圣、请圣、降圣。第三步为拜表：法师和众道士奉请三师相助，降临坛场，高功默念“薰香咒”，行祭礼于司表仙官，以劳动仙官递送表文于天庭，然后封表，法师虚画符文于表上，以示封缄；行送表礼，焚表化行；高功步罡踏斗，以示元神飞升天庭，默念表文，禀告上苍，高功在踏表后，收敛元神；众法师和执事致谢众神，献供，上表结束，退堂。此为进表科仪的核心内容。

  通过此仪，道士将书写信众祈愿的表文呈达天庭，祭告上苍。众圣降临坛场，赐福延龄，先灵受度。

  (九)水火炼度仪

  道教斋醮中常用的一种科仪。水火即真水真火，水火炼度即指用真水真火，交炼亡灵，拔度幽魂。包括：九炼生尸、灵宝炼度和南昌炼度三种。

  在举行该仪时，坛场上要设置水池和火沼，水池盛真水，火沼置真火。其中真水是在拂晓时，“于东井中，人末汲者”(《上清灵宝大法》)，经焚请水符后，在烛光下，汲水入水池内；真火是在日午时，“面日，截竹取火，下用印香引之”(同上)，火着后，焚请火符，引火烧沼内炭。

  其程式为：祝香，启闻上帝，焚降真诏灵符；高功就座召将吏，存将吏降临，次念五帝真讳；收召亡魂，水火交炼；焚符九章，使亡魂之脏腑生神；说戒；举道经师宝；鬼神十戒；九真妙戒；举奉戒颂；读符告简牒；高功下座，送魂度桥；焚燎，举三清乐；退班。其核心是收召亡魂，水火交炼。

  通过此仪，水火交炼，超阴度亡。

  (十)灯仪

  道教斋醮中常用的一种科仪。指以灯为丰要法器的一种仪式，多在日落后举行。包括：九幽灯仪、北斗灯仪、本命灯仪、血湖灯仪等。

  灯仪源于中国古代的祭祷仪式，至南北朝时，醮坛执事中已有“侍灯”一职，到唐末五代，道教斋醮中就有了完整的礼灯仪。元朝时期，灯仪被广泛地运用于金箓、玉箓类道场中。后经过发展，大体分为金箓、黄箓两大类。

  金箓类灯仪的程式是：入坛、启白(通意)、皈命和赞颂、讽经、宣疏、回向。

  黄箓类灯仪的程式是：入坛、启白(通意)、举天尊之号和赞颂、讽经、宣疏、回向。可见刁；同灯仪在举天尊之号和赞颂部分有所区别，这与破狱度亡有关。

  灯仪中的火种的来源是，从正午阳光取得火源，然后再在分灯仪中点燃坛场各灯。

  通过此仪，照耀诸天，续明破暗，下通九幽地狱，上映无福极堂。