edwardwhite

Magical mosquito control from "All Encompassing knowledge" Tongtian xiao 通天曉

制蚊符 TALISMAN TO CONTROL MOSQUITOES Note: The translation below is tentative, not least because the print is rather poor in the original and I am not entirely sure about the terminology. The entry begins with a talisman (shown below) but does not state what you are supposed to do with it.

Screenshot 2026-06-02 at 12.10.01.png

https://www.google.nl/books/edition/%E9%80%9A%E5%A4%A9%E6%9B%89/uAA9AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%E9%80%9A%E5%A4%A9%E6%9B%89&pg=PP892&printsec=frontcover

用天師三指頂水。二指書收于間口唸咒云: Use the three fingers of the Celestial master, [flick?] water over the head and with two fingers write the talisman whilst chanting the following mantra.

祖在師國子孫在。界州原來是水性。生成老蛟頭。吾今奉帝令敕尔水中浮。姑蘇。姑蘇。敕法書符。吾今口念咒。逐尔歸湖。 The Ancestor is in the master's country so are his sons and grandsons. The world was initially made of water, which created old mosquitoes. I now venerate the Thearch, and order you to float on the water, Gusu! Gusu! I write this talisman.I chant this mantra, and you will return to lakes 天靈靈。地靈靈。蚊蟲之類。不得留停。歸一 角不得動。聲謹奉太上老君。急急如律令敕速速! Numinous, numinous is heaven. Numinous, numinous is earth. Those of the mosquito and bug kind, do not stop by. Return [if not] you will not move a single corner. Respectfully inviting Taishang Laojun, Swiftly, Swiftly, as if ordaned by the statutes and ordinaneces! command! Quickly! Quickly!

放蚊咒曰:The incantation to release mosquitoes goes: 放蚊蟲。速速上天宮。准吾法令念此咒。此扇不是凡扇。此水不是凡水。長腳蚊公。短脚蚊母。我今晚與你同。我睡盡皆化為塵。蚊蟲。蚊蟲。蚊蟲。放你歸山尋祖宗。急遵老君急急如律令。 I relases the mosquitoes, quickly, quickly, asecend to the hevans. I now recite this mantra by the law. This fan is not an ordinary fan, this water is not ordinary water. Long legged male mosquitoes, short legged female mosquitoes., tonight, I am in the same [place] as you. Once I have finished sleeping you will all turn into dust. Mosquitoes! Mosquitoes! Mosquitoes! , I release you to return to your mountains to find your ancestors. Quickly! in accordance with Laojun, Swiftly, Swiftly, as if ordained by the statutes and ordinances