Michael Saso

The Daoist Chiao (Jiao) 醮 Classic Rites of Cosmic Renewal Click here for In Depth Explanation of the Jiao

The Jiao (Chiao) 醮 is an ancient ritual dating from the beginnings of religious Daoism, used to bless the village temple, the community, and all of nature, through “inner alchemy” meditations acted out as a dramatic liturgy. The classic Jiao follows this pattern:

1. Fa Piao (Fa Biao) 发表 Ch’ing Shen (qing shen) 请神，Announcing the Jiao, Inviting the Spirits, purifying the sacred Daoist altar with Thunder and Lightning 五雷法.
Click on frame below to begin Part 1.

2. Su Ch’i (Su Qi) 宿啟， Planting the 5 sacred writs 真文(5 elements, 5 colors, 5 inner organs) to renew all nature (macrocosm) and human body (microcosm).
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3. Fen Teng (Fen Deng)分燈，light a new fire, recite Laozi Ch. 42 “Dao gives birth to 1, 2, 3,” that gestates the entire cosmos; followed on the 2nd day by the Morning, Noon, and Night Audiences 早，午，晚朝, in which Qi 炁breath (head), Shen神 spirit (heart), and Jing精 intuition (belly) are renewed and purified;
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4. Sung Piao (Song Biao) 送表（疏文）send a memorial petition to the heavens;
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5. fang shui deng 放水燈，floating the lanterns to release all souls from purgatory-hell.
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6. Tao Ch’ang (Dao Chang) 道場，Rite of Union with the Dao; dance the sacred Steps of Yu the demiurge (who stopped the floods) 禹步；步虛，”Pacing the Void”, the dance of Union with the Dao; falu 發籙, sending forth all images of spirits from the Daoist’s inner body, to attain “Union with the Dao.”
Click frame below to start Part 6.