Skip to content
Encyclopaedia of Ancient, Obscure and Esoteric East Asian Religious Practices

Three Corpses: Six-Geng Calendrical Regimen

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

Canonical entry drawn from a single source layer in 22_AGGRESSIVE_ARCHIVE_SWEEP_VII_v3_0.md.

Research layers

Section titled “Research layers”

Layer 1: Three Corpses: Six-Geng Calendrical Regimen

Section titled “Layer 1: Three Corpses: Six-Geng Calendrical Regimen”

Source file: 22_AGGRESSIVE_ARCHIVE_SWEEP_VII_v3_0.md

Primary witness: Yunji Qiqian 雲笈七籤, fascicle 81, “Gengshen Section”
Class: DAOIST INTERNAL-DEMONOLOGY / TALISMANIC ASCETIC REGIMEN

The Yunji Qiqian gives a detailed calendrical program tied to the six Geng days.

Source-preserved operations

Section titled “Source-preserved operations”
  1. Gengshen day: write the Three-Corpses talisman; wearing it is prescribed.
  2. Gengzi day: the source describes swallowing the talisman.
  3. On the six Geng days, write one’s name and place it in the Yuanming lu / Register of Original Destiny.
  4. A separate passage instructs using thin white/bamboo paper and cinnabar writing for a talisman aimed at eliminating the Nine Worms.
  5. Each Geng day is treated as part of a recurring regimen rather than a one-time charm.

Historical rationale

Section titled “Historical rationale”

The Three Corpses and Nine Worms are described as agents of disease and as beings whose activity is especially dangerous on Gengshen nights.

Safety note

Section titled “Safety note”

The historical text includes swallowing written talismans. This is preserved as textual evidence, not recommended as modern practice because historical inks/pigments and modern substitutes have different toxicity profiles.