Chapter 47

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The act of transmission of the Dao involves passing on the true teachings and guiding a disciple toward attaining the Dao. For genuine cultivators with a lineage, this is an essential process that validates the master-disciple relationship. Without it, even if one inherits divine abilities, it cannot be considered a formal apprenticeship. Instead, it would be regarded as secretly imparting the lineage or leaking divine techniques, a grave violation of the rules for many traditions.

Since the Dao cannot be lightly transmitted, it requires thorough evaluation and examination of the disciple’s character, aptitude, and potential before teaching the true path.

For disciples, encountering a renowned master and inheriting the authentic teachings is an immensely significant event. Similarly, for a master, finding a disciple who meets their expectations in temperament, talent, and comprehension is equally momentous. Amid the countless beings in the vast sea of people, finding such a person is no less than finding a needle in the ocean.

The young girl whispered curiously: “I’ve read that transmitting the Dao is highly important and requires three masters, right?”

“Uncle Niu, is today’s process appropriate?”

The Yellow Ox lazily watched the scene and replied indifferently: “Yes, the custom mentions three masters: the Dao Master, the Recommending Master, and the Supervising Master.”

“But under the heavens, who could serve as the Supervising Master for this occasion?”

“As for the Recommending Master, who is traditionally the one who introduces the disciple to the Dao—”

He sighed deeply and said: “Does that senior truly need anyone to recommend a disciple?”

“Who in this world would even qualify to make such a recommendation?”

The matter was treated with great solemnity. After being led away to bathe, Qi Wuhuo was brought back once again.

He recalled reading [Record of Ascension to Immortality] by Tantai Xuan. That book documented Tantai Xuan’s experience of undergoing the Dao transmission as a youth. Since the event was of paramount importance, Tantai Xuan had recorded it meticulously, perhaps out of fear of forgetting the steps and making mistakes when transmitting the Dao to his future disciples.

Thus, Qi Wuhuo knew that the first step was [to lead the disciple before the Great Dao, perform three bows, and offer incense].

Next came the writing of a formal Jade Petition, which stated the following: by burning incense, offering reverence to all deities and saints, the Supreme Celestial Beings, Jade Emperor, the Supreme Heavenly Emperor, the Great Emperor of the North Pole Ziwei, the Sovereign Earth Deity, Houtu, and listing all the celestial and divine names from the Celestial Court to the Netherworld. This demonstrated the solemnity and significance of accepting a disciple into the Dao.

After bathing, Qi Wuhuo still wore his azure robe, but he had untied the grass rope that had previously bound his hair, allowing his black hair to cascade freely down his back.

The boy’s black hair fell nearly to his waist.

Before him was a table, with the elder seated on the opposite side, and Qi Wuhuo on the other. They sat across from each other, with only three sticks of incense, gently emitting a faint fragrance, placed in the center.

The elder stroked his beard and asked with a smile: “Wuhuo, are you familiar with the ritual?”

Qi Wuhuo nodded, exhaling softly. Under the man’s guidance, he offered the three sticks of incense, then picked up a brush, dipping it into golden ink that shimmered faintly. He paused for a moment before beginning to write on the white paper, much like Tantai Xuan had done in the past:

“By burning incense today, I offer reverence to…”

The elder glanced at it briefly, then chuckled and said: “That’s wrong.”

Qi Wuhuo stopped and looked up at the elder, who pointed to the text on the white scroll and said: “It shouldn’t be ‘offer reverence’.”

“Here, you need to use [notify].”

Qi Wuhuo adjusted his grip on the brush and replaced the wording with ‘[respectfully notify]’ the gods.

The elder smiled again and said: “You, ah, you don’t need to be so formal about it at this point. It’s just a ritual, no need for such unnecessary embellishments.”

He casually added,

“One simple word, ‘notify’, will suffice.”

Qi Wuhuo exhaled slowly and rewrote the scroll, completing the ceremonial Jade Petition.

The elder stroked his beard and remarked: “Keep things simple. There’s no need for excessive formality. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

He turned to the man beside him.

The man smiled and cupped his hands, saying,

“When the senior commands, how dare I decline?”

“But since this is such an important occasion, my current attire feels inappropriate.”

The man was dressed in the practical clothes commonly worn by farmers, with short pant legs for ease of work. Yet, when faced with solemn events, even the simplest folk would don more formal attire. The man, appearing honest and unpretentious, rubbed his hands together and chuckled: “To be honest, I didn’t expect to have such an honor today and didn’t prepare properly in advance.”

“Quite the oversight. Fortunately, my wife recently made me a new set of clothes.”

“Please allow me to change into something more fitting and return shortly.”

It took only a moment before he returned.

Now dressed in a new outfit, it appeared somewhat like a Daoist robe but also bore the presence of a warrior’s battle garment.

The man was now adorned in ceremonial attire: a profound crown atop his head, war boots on his feet, a jade belt around his waist, and a magnificent brocade battle robe. The lower part of his robe was embroidered with mountains, rivers, all things, and all spirits, while the upper part bore the pattern of the second star of the Seven Mansions of Xuanwu among the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions. The brilliant stars shone radiantly, pure and sacred like the Supreme Purity realm. His brows and eyes glowed with divine light, and his aura was grand and majestic. He was just like the second Star Lord of the Seven Mansions of Xuanwu descending to the mortal world, resembling the Heavenly Deity of the Ox Mansion, surging with boundless energy upon his descent.

He positioned Qi Wuhuo in front of the incense altar and scroll, smiling as he said: “Who would have thought I would serve as the Dao Master for this occasion?”

He instructed Qi Wuhuo to remain still.

With his own hands, he removed the boy’s worldly garments, down to his shoes, leaving only the plain white inner robe. The discarded mundane clothes and accessories were burned in a ceremonial fire, symbolizing the severance from the secular world.

Next, one of the women in azure robes brought forth a tray. From it, the simple shoes were taken, and with a smile, she said: “Begin by putting on the shoes.”

The elder, holding a dust whisk draped over his arm, spoke gently:

“With these shoes, you step away from the Six Dusts of the mundane world. Though the path to the Dao may be distant, it begins with this first step.”

“May you dedicate yourself wholly to the Dao and tread upon the path of the spiritual altar.”

In a calm tone, he continued: “My disciples, when wearing these [Daoist shoes], shall never walk in malevolent places or enter realms of demons and fiends.”

“They shall frequently ascend to Daoist gatherings and tread the steps of celestial ascension.”

The man then summoned another azure-robed woman, who presented the Water-Patterned Robe, primarily in shades of blue and white. Unlike ordinary Daoist robes, this attire was simpler, more elegant, and exuded a sense of ease and grace. It was divided into an upper garment and lower robes.

First, the lower robe was wrapped around Qi Wuhuo’s waist, its fabric flowing gracefully downward. Then came the cloud-patterned sleeves, which were fastened over his inner garment with armguards before being donned. The wide sleeves bore the delicate patterns of water and clouds, flowing with quiet elegance.

The robe was cut as though from the dawn clouds, shaped into ceremonial attire.

The upper layer was made of frost-like silk, while the lower robe was akin to a garment that soared like the heavens, forming the middle-path attire—an outfit that should never leave the body for even a moment.

Lastly, the azure outer robe was draped over him. Though it was initially large and flowing, it was tied at the waist with the five-colored Daoist belt, giving Qi Wuhuo a clean, dignified appearance with a faint aura of heroic valor.

The elder gazed at the boy before him, watching as he shed his mundane clothing. From the simplicity of a plain white inner robe, to wearing the Daoist shoes, the ceremonial Daoist robe, the cloud-patterned sleeves, and the silk belt, Qi Wuhuo transformed into a graceful and refined young Daoist.

The elder’s expression was gentle as he said: “Clothing is unity; it signifies harmony among fellow Daoists, unified in purity and tranquility.”

“The upper garment is the heavens, and the lower robe is the earth. A Daoist walks between heaven and earth.”

“To neither tilt nor stray—this is what it means to follow the righteous path.”

“My disciple, wearing this robe and walking this path, shall be free from calamities, protected by all saints, untouched by evil, and unapproachable by wickedness. This attire can sever the karmic bonds of three lifetimes of misfortune and enable the transcendence of the nine generations of ancestors.”

The man nearby was momentarily stunned as he looked at the elder. He hadn’t expected this Dao transmission to be more solemn than any he had witnessed before. Even the yellow ox, leisurely munching on tender rice sprouts, froze in its tracks. Turning its head, it saw something that made it rise abruptly from its resting position, its mouth opening in silent astonishment.

!!!

The man, now holding the Daoist crown, turned back and froze, his eyes wide with shock.

The young Daoist stood silently in place. The man had expected to be the one to place the crown on his head. However, the elder had gently placed his hand atop the boy’s head instead, smiling as he said:

“Could this be considered [An immortal strokes my crown; with tied hair, I gain immortality]?”

He waved a hand to dismiss the man, who retreated cautiously. The elder then carefully tidied the boy’s long hair, sighing softly as he said: “Wuhuo has yet to reach the age of crowning.”

Qi Wuhuo responded quietly: “Indeed, after the new year, I will turn fifteen.”

“Haha, in that case, there’s no need for the crown yet.”

“Let us first use a Daoist hairpin.”

The elder chuckled and, with his own hands, gathered the boy’s hair, tying it into place. He then took an ordinary wooden hairpin and used it to secure the boy’s black hair.

It was such a simple gesture.

The young girl couldn’t understand why her father and Uncle Niu seemed so deeply moved, their expressions utterly transformed.

After all, wasn’t it just an old man tying a young boy’s hair?

It was merely a [Daoist hairpin], wasn’t it?

Finally, the elder produced a jade tablet, his smile warm and gentle, and said: “This tablet as its name suggests, serves to simplify matters and is used to gather the mind and focus one’s heart.”

“My disciple, holding this tablet, you must uphold discipline and resolve, gaze upon the stars, and bow before the constellations. Pray to the True Saints of the Celestial Court, illuminate the Daoist teachings, and serve as a model for the heavens and humanity.”

“Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

Qi Wuhuo, clad in the Water-Patterned Robe, with cloud-patterned sleeves draping down, and his black hair secured with the Daoist hairpin, solemnly received the jade tablet with both hands.

The elder stroked his beard with a calm demeanor and recited:

“Profound(Xuan) and more profound, the gateway to all mysteries—it is called the Dao.”

“Looked at, it cannot be seen—it is named the Invisible;

Listened to, it cannot be heard—it is named the Inaudible;

Grasped at, it cannot be touched—it is named the Intangible(Wei).”

“These three cannot be fully comprehended and thus merge into one.

Above, it is not bright; below, it is not dark.

A continuous thread, beyond description, returning again to nothingness.

This is called the formless form and the image of no thing.”

“Entering my school—”

“Your Daoist name shall be Xuanwei!”

“May your name be inscribed upon the jade tablet, and may your robes shimmer with the hues of dawn!”

“Let the myriad spirits oversee and the Five Emperors bear witness!”

!!!

The final proclamation made both the man and the Yellow Ox change their expressions dramatically.

The myriad spirits to oversee and the Five Emperors to bear witness?!!

That one resounding phrase seemed to echo through the heavens and earth, as if it reached up to the Celestial Court above and down to the Netherworld below. The very fabric of the world seemed to shift.

PS: The ritual follows the most orthodox form from the Taishang Chu Jia Chuan Dao Yi (The Supreme Daoist Ritual of Ordination), which is based on the authoritative text from the Orthodox Daoist Canon – Section on Zhengyi under the Rites and Codes.