Daoist Scripture, Volume 3

Invocation of the Deities of the Four Directions

I respectfully invite the Great Deities of the East: the Official of Merit original: Gongcao; the spirit associated with the 'Yin' branch, the Great Surge original: Taichong; the spirit associated with the 'Mao' branch, the Celestial Mainstay original: Tiangang; the spirit associated with the 'Chen' branch, the Azure Emperor, and the Great Deities of the Wood Stems original: Jiayi; representing the Wood element in the Ten Heavenly Stems, to descend to this ritual space 局 (ju) | A designated sacred area or 'game board' where the practitioner performs divination or magic to guard and protect my person.

I respectfully invite the Great Deities of the South: the Great Unity original: Taiyi; the spirit of 'Si', the Victorious Light original: Shengguang; the spirit of 'Wu', the Small Auspiciousness original: Xiaoji; the spirit of 'Wei', the Red Emperor, and the Great Deities of the Fire Stems original: Bingding; representing the Fire element, to descend to this ritual space to guard and protect my person.

I respectfully invite the Great Deities of the West: the Transmitter original: Chuansong; the spirit of 'Shen', the Follower of the Chief original: Congkui; the spirit of 'You', the River Chief original: Hekui; the spirit of 'Xu', the White Emperor, and the Great Deities of the Metal Stems original: Gengxin; representing the Metal element, to descend to this ritual space to guard and protect my person.

I respectfully invite the Great Deities of the North: the Climbing Brilliance original: Dengming; the spirit of 'Hai', the Divine Empress original: Shenhou; the spirit of 'Zi', the Great Auspiciousness original: Daji; the spirit of 'Chou', the Black Emperor, and the Great Deities of the Water Stems original: Rengui; representing the Water element, to descend to this ritual space to guard and protect my person.

Having completed the invocation of the Spirits of the Four Directions, one should proceed from the current Day-Branch original: Richen; the specific day's position in the Chinese sexagenary calendar cycle to determine the upper and lower first-rankings as follows: . . . . . . If it is the hour of the Rat original: Zi, then the Rat occupies the first rank of the upper and lower positions. If it is the hour of the Ox original: Chou, it occupies the second rank of the upper and lower. If it is the hour of the Tiger original: Yin, it occupies the upper and lower—