道教“紫微讳”详解 | Explanation of the Daoist "Ziwei Taboo Character" (紫微讳)
AdminYup1. 紫微讳的定义与来源 | Definition and Origin
什么是道教的“紫微讳”？“紫微讳”是使用率最高、最为大家所熟知的一种讳字，即四御中北极紫微大帝隐讳的简称。秘讳的功效相当于神明的签名，相当于该神一缕神光降临于此。北极紫微大帝执掌天经地纬，以率日月星辰和山川诸神及四时节气等自然现象，能呼风唤雨，役使雷电鬼神。
What is the Daoist "Ziwei Taboo Character" (紫微讳, Zǐwēi Huì)? The Ziwei Taboo Character is the most commonly used and widely recognized type of "taboo character" (讳字, Huìzì). It is the abbreviated secret name of the Great Emperor of the North Star, Ziwei (北极紫微大帝, Běijí Zǐwēi Dàdì), one of the Four Heavenly Ministers (四御, Sì Yù). The efficacy of such secret names (秘讳, Mìhuì) is equivalent to the deity's signature, signifying the descent of a ray of the deity's divine light upon the place or object where it is written. The Great Emperor Ziwei governs the celestial and terrestrial order, commanding the sun, moon, stars, deities of mountains and rivers, and natural phenomena like the four seasons and solar terms. He possesses the power to summon wind and rain and command thunder, lightning, and spirits.
《北阴酆都太玄制魔黑律灵书》载，龙汉元年，有北阴酆都六洞鬼兵，神灵魔王，游行人世，杀害生灵，莫能制御。玉帝召北帝统率神将吏兵，演大魔黑律，行酆都九泉号令符，纠察三界鬼神印，降伏魔群，驱荡妖氛，救护黎庶，功成行满，升入北极中天自然总极紫微大帝之位。
As recorded in the *Lingbao Black Code of Fengdu for Subduing Demons* (《北阴酆都太玄制魔黑律灵书》, Běiyīn Fēngdū Tàixuán Zhìmó Hēilǜ Língshū), in the first year of the Dragon Han era, ghost soldiers from the Six Caves of the Northern Yin Fengdu and demon kings roamed the mortal world, killing living beings uncontrollably. The Jade Emperor summoned the Northern Emperor (北帝, Běidì) to lead celestial generals and soldiers. He promulgated the Great Demon-Subduing Black Code, implemented the Fengdu Nine Springs Command Talismans, and used the Seal for Investigating Spirits of the Three Realms. He vanquished the demon hordes, dispelled evil influences, and rescued the common people. For these meritorious deeds, he was elevated to the position of the Great Emperor Ziwei, the Natural Supreme Ruler of the Central Heaven of the North Pole (北极中天自然总极紫微大帝).
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**2. 紫微讳的形态与结构 | Form and Structure**
紫微讳，有紫微内讳、伏魔紫微讳、杀伐紫微讳等，常见的由云头“雨”字与鬼脚“聻”字合成，具有紫微大帝的职能。唐朝人书“渐”字以驱邪，此则渊源于唐朝的冯渐根据《太平广记》卷七。金韩道昭《五音集韵》中云：“人死作鬼，人见惧之；鬼死作聻，鬼见怕之。若篆书此字贴于门上，一切鬼崇，远离千里。”
There are various forms of the Ziwei Taboo Character, such as the Inner Ziwei Taboo, the Demon-Subduing Ziwei Taboo, and the Martial Ziwei Taboo. The most common form combines the cloud-radical character "雨" (yǔ, rain) at the top with the character "聻" (jiàn) at the bottom, embodying the functions of the Great Emperor Ziwei. The Tang Dynasty practice of writing the character "渐" (jiàn, gradually) to ward off evil originates from Feng Jian, as mentioned in Volume 7 of the *Extensive Records of the Taiping Era* (《太平广记》). Han Daozhao's *Collected Rhymes of the Five Sounds* (《五音集韵》) from the Jin Dynasty states: "When a person dies, they become a ghost, feared by humans; when a ghost dies, it becomes a 聻 (jiàn), feared by ghosts. If this character is written in seal script and posted on the door, all ghostly hauntings will flee a thousand miles away."
《广成仪制•乾元咒枣全集》指出，紫微讳可按照三官四圣、南北斗等分解。另外，紫微讳共计二十八划，二十八星宿也暗合于内，在一定程度显示紫微讳可广泛用于驱邪、镇煞、伏魔、杀伐、收惊、退煞等。
The *Guangcheng Ritual System: Complete Collection of Qianyuan Date Incantations* (《广成仪制•乾元咒枣全集》) explains that the Ziwei Taboo Character can be deconstructed into elements representing the Three Officials (三官, Sānguān - Heaven, Earth, Water), the Four Saints (四圣, Sì Shèng - usually celestial marshals), the Southern Dipper (南斗, Nándǒu), and the Northern Dipper (北斗, Běidǒu). Furthermore, the complete Ziwei Taboo Character consists of exactly 28 strokes, subtly corresponding to the 28 Lunar Mansions (二十八星宿, Èrshíbā Xīngxiù). This structure indicates its wide applicability in exorcism (驱邪, qūxié), suppressing malignant forces (镇煞, zhènshà), subduing demons (伏魔, fúmó), martial applications (杀伐, shāfá), curing fright (收惊, shōujīng), and dispelling negative energies (退煞, tuìshà).
该讳拆解出来为，“雨”“漸”“耳”三字...雨字八画，代表着八卦，后衍生为八卦符头；氵三画，代表着天地水三官；斤字四画，代表着北极四圣；車字七画，代表着北斗七星；耳字六画，即为南斗六星；结合在一起即为“中天星主北极紫微太皇大帝亲统三官四圣南辰北斗亲征行事”。
The character can be deconstructed into three parts: "雨" (yǔ), "漸" (jiàn - decomposed further), and "耳" (ěr). Specifically:
* "雨" (8 strokes): Represents the Eight Trigrams (八卦, Bāguà), later evolving into the "Eight Trigrams Talisman Head" (八卦符头).
* The water radical "氵" (3 strokes, part of "漸"): Represents the Three Officials (Heaven, Earth, Water).
* The component "斤" (4 strokes, part of "漸"): Represents the Four Saints of the North Pole (北极四圣).
* The component "車" (7 strokes, part of "漸"): Represents the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper (北斗七星).
* "耳" (6 strokes): Represents the Six Stars of the Southern Dipper (南斗六星).
* Combined, the entire character signifies: "The Great Celestial Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole, Lord of the Central Heaven Stars, personally commands the Three Officials, Four Saints, Southern Dipper, and Northern Dipper to carry out his expedition."
**3. 紫微讳的妙用与运用 | Efficacy and Application**
道教密讳用在很多地方，比如画符、开光、加持等方面，一般在道场科仪中都是虚书的（凌空书写），在符则多以其做“符头”，或者书而涂之，成一个团；也有将诸多讳字叠书在一起，通常情况下符的“符胆”即是多字或多讳叠书而成。而且大多数神仙隐讳，只有写法而没有读音。法事进行过程中，高功法师变身施法，击令招将，向东南巽方噀水以令书讳，签定与神将的契约，方才算是完成了整个招将过程。这就好像我们在称呼别人的时候，连别人的名字都不知道，被招呼的人自然不会应答是一个道理。
Daoist secret taboo characters are used in many contexts, such as drawing talismans (画符, huàfú), consecration (开光, kāiguāng), and empowerment (加持, jiāchí). During rituals, they are often written "virtually" (虚书, xūshū - traced in the air). On talismans, they frequently serve as the "Talisman Head" (符头, fútóu), or are written and then smudged into a blob. Sometimes, multiple taboo characters are written overlapping each other; often, the "Talismanic Core" (符胆, fúdǎn) is formed by such overlapping characters or words. Furthermore, most deities' secret names have only a written form and no specific pronunciation. During rituals, the High Priest (高功, Gāogōng), transformed and performing the rites, strikes the command block to summon the celestial generals. Facing the southeast (the direction of Xun in the Bagua), he sprays water (噀水, xùnshuǐ) and commands the writing of the taboo character, thereby signing a contract with the celestial generals, completing the summoning process. This principle is akin to calling someone without knowing their name – the person being called naturally wouldn't respond.
白玉蟾祖师曾说：“今但专佩一箓，专受一职，专行一法，专判一司文字，于一司将吏前，专用一符一水，不过只是心与神会，用之则灵耳。恰如真龙，但一滴水，便作滂沛，岂用如许繁耶！”祖师的话，对修道学法之士是个很好的指点！所以，修好一个紫微讳字，很多斋主的问题都可以解决...紫微讳就是一个字，但其蕴含的能量是不容小觑的，民间艺人为了方便（也可能是传承不对），去掉雨字头，仅用聻（jiàn）字都可以治疗惊吓鬼怪...坊间中，以此为小孩子其收惊，治疗许多小儿疾病的，更是数不胜数。
Patriarch Bai Yuchan (白玉蟾祖师) once said: "Now, if one merely carries a single register (箓, lù), receives a single office, practices a single method, and judges documents for a single department, using only a single talisman and a single spray of water before the officers of that department – this is simply the meeting of mind and spirit. When used, it becomes efficacious. It is like a true dragon: a single drop of water can create a downpour; why use so much complexity?" The Patriarch's words are excellent guidance for Daoist practitioners! Therefore, mastering the single Ziwei Taboo Character can resolve many problems faced by patrons... The Ziwei Taboo is just one character, but the energy it contains should not be underestimated. For convenience (or perhaps due to incorrect transmission), folk practitioners sometimes omit the "雨" radical and use only the "聻" (jiàn) character to treat fright caused by ghosts and spirits... Countless instances exist in folk practice where this character is used to cure fright (收惊) in children and treat various childhood ailments.
紫微大帝乃北极之尊，众星之君父。又化身为酆都大帝，主管酆都鬼神之事，部下有万千官将，兵马无数...这就说明紫薇大帝三界位高权重，而且在地司更是有着直接的权力；这个“直接”二字，体现在哪里呢？体现在不管在古迹、还是书符、还是天神地祇之科书，都会经常的用到紫微讳，频率非常之高...很多修奉酆都地司、地祇大法的道友，其为斋主处理疑难杂症，不但灵验，而且其应如响，如在眼前...
The Great Emperor Ziwei is the supreme ruler of the North Pole, the sovereign father of all stars. He also manifests as the Great Emperor of Fengdu (酆都大帝, Fēngdū Dàdì), governing the affairs of spirits and ghosts in Fengdu, with countless officers and soldiers under his command... This illustrates Emperor Ziwei's high rank and immense authority across the Three Realms (三界, Sānjiè - Heaven, Earth, Water/Underworld), and particularly his direct power over the Earthly Administration (地司, Dìsī). Where is this "directness" manifested? It is seen in the extremely high frequency with which the Ziwei Taboo Character appears – whether in ancient texts, on talismans, or in ritual manuals for celestial and terrestrial deities... Many practitioners cultivating the Fengdu Earth Administration and Earth Deity traditions find that when they use it to resolve patrons' difficult problems, the results are not only efficacious but also swift and tangible...
**4. 紫微讳作为信令与护身法宝 | As a Command Token and Protective Talisman**
紫微讳，相当于紫微大帝的信令，也是紫微派调兵遣将的主符。所以紫微讳的出现，代表的是紫微大帝御驾亲临，精灵鬼怪皆而避之；以紫微讳字做临坛护身之法宝，古例太多...
The Ziwei Taboo Character is equivalent to a command token of the Great Emperor Ziwei and is the primary talisman for the Ziwei tradition to deploy celestial troops. Therefore, the appearance of the Ziwei Taboo signifies the personal presence of the Great Emperor Ziwei, causing spirits, ghosts, and demons to flee. There are numerous ancient examples of using the written Ziwei Taboo as a protective treasure at the altar or for personal safeguarding...
若有灵异缠身、阴邪不退者，可随身携带紫微讳护身牌，并辅以口诀化解：`夹上青云盖左边三点金车动龙身现斤字斩妖精耳听雷声响万吓 [hè]化灰尘吾奉太上老君急急如律令驱走邪妖精`
* **备注:** 因书讳法门的不同，紫微讳的口诀咒语也略有不同。但是不管怎么写，都要二十八笔完成，以谙合天象星宿之数。
If plagued by spiritual entities or persistent negative Yin forces, one can carry a protective plaque inscribed with the Ziwei Taboo Character, accompanied by the following incantation:
`Jiā shàng qīngyún gài, Zuǒbiān sān diǎn jīn, Chē dòng lóng shēn xiàn, Jīn zì zhǎn yāojing, Ěr tīng léishēng xiǎng, Wàn hè [hè] huà huīchén, Wú fèng Tàishàng Lǎojūn jíjí rú lǜlìng, Qū zǒu xié yāo jīng!`
*(Translation of Incantation Feel/Meaning: Pressed under a canopy of azure clouds, Three golden dots to the left, The carriage moves, the dragon's body appears, The character 'Jin' slays demonic essences, Ears hear the thunder's roar, Ten thousand threats turn to ashes, By the decree of the Most High Lord Lao, Urgently as the Law Commands, Drive away evil spirits and demonic essences!)*
* **Note:** The specific incantation may vary slightly depending on the lineage and method of writing the taboo character. However, regardless of the writing style, it must always be completed in 28 strokes to correspond with the number of celestial constellations.
**5. 现代背景下的应用 | Application in the Modern Context**
目前，现实中的状况是梦魇的人越来越多...这和整个外界的大环境有关系，阴阳二炁不调，必然会导致浊气盛行、秽杂之气丛生；这个时候，或身体阴虚（女性明显）、或八字纯阴、或大运低迷、或身体突受强烈干扰者等等情况，就会感召此等阴气附着临身；严重者感应飞快，可当场发作，就是经常能看到的某某人被附体了...而稍好一些的，则转变成了病气，后续浊气上脑，从而梦魇之类不绝...
Currently, instances of sleep paralysis/night terrors (梦魇, mèngyǎn) are increasing... This relates to the broader environmental imbalance: disharmony between Yin and Yang Qi inevitably leads to the prevalence of turbid Qi and the proliferation of foul and miscellaneous energies. At such times, individuals who are constitutionally Yin-deficient (more common in women), have a purely Yin BaZi (八字) chart, are experiencing a period of low fortune (大运低迷), or have suffered sudden, strong external interference, are more susceptible to attracting and attaching these Yin energies. In severe cases, the reaction is swift and can manifest immediately as what is often seen as "possession"... In less severe cases, the energy transforms into pathogenic Qi; subsequently, as the turbid Qi ascends to the brain, it results in recurring issues like nightmares and sleep paralysis...
在道末看来，这都是个气的范畴，都是看不见摸不到的。经常有自称神仙附体的人，每每描绘栩栩如生...其实这仅是个像：但又不是假象，却也不是实体；以气聚而凝，还是在气的范畴内。所以，以吾之气澄彼之气，混元不待...这便是守正之道。若每个人都有一件正气法宝护体，则元气免遭侵蚀。即便万邪围绕，则烛光不灭、无可奈何也...
From a Daoist perspective, all this pertains to the realm of Qi (气), which is invisible and intangible. People who claim to be possessed by immortals often describe vivid experiences... In reality, this is merely an "image" (像, xiàng): not entirely false, but not a physical entity either; it is Qi coagulating and concentrating, still within the realm of Qi. Therefore, using one's own Qi to clarify and settle that other Qi, harmonizing the Primordial Chaos (混元, Hùnyuán) without delay... this is the Way of Guarding the Correct/Orthodox (守正之道, Shǒuzhèng zhī Dào). If each person possesses a righteous protective talisman, their primordial Qi (元气, Yuánqì) can be shielded from erosion. Even if surrounded by myriad evils, the candle flame remains unextinguished, leaving the evils powerless...