Protective rites
Writing and burning a fu talisman
The Taoist talisman written in red or black ink on paper, then pasted, worn, or burned to send its message.
Presented by ClearTrust Customs described as customs, free to read.
A fu, or fulu, is a Taoist talisman: a sheet of paper, most often yellow, written with stylised characters and a cloud-like script, in red cinnabar ink or in black. A trained Taoist priest writes it, and it is believed to carry an order to the spirits and to bring protection or blessing. Fu are found pasted over doors, folded into small packets to be carried, or burned in a rite.
This is an outline of a custom, said as belief and practice. It is not instruction, it does not say that the rite works, and it is not medical advice.
What goes into it
- Yellow paperObjectThe usual ground for the talisman.
- Cinnabar or black inkSubstanceRed ink is the classic choice.
- BrushToolHeld by the priest, who writes the strokes in order.
- Mantra and breathWordSpoken before and during writing.
- FireSubstanceUsed when a fu is burned to send it.
- Lintel or bed headSpaceWhere a fu is commonly pasted.
- Object
- Substance
- Tool
- Word
- Space
Each part has an equal wedge. The ring shows what goes into the rite, not how much. Colour is the part's role.
The steps, drawn
Each drawing shows the kind of act in that step. Details differ from place to place, family to family and practitioner to practitioner.
Step 1: Cleanse The priest purifies himself and the writing space. Step 2: Gather Paper, ink and brush are laid out on the altar. Step 3: Speak Mantras are recited as the strokes are written. Step 4: Cast The talisman is pasted over a door or folded into a packet. Step 5: Light Some fu are burned to send their order to the spirits. Step 6: Close The altar is closed with thanks to the deities.
Writing and use
Before writing, the priest prepares through purification, breath and mantra, and writes the strokes in a set order with a brush, sometimes while stepping in the pattern of the Big Dipper. Some fu are pasted on a lintel or a bed, some are worn, and some are burned so that the smoke is believed to carry the message to the spirit world. The practice goes back many centuries and is attached to particular Taoist lineages such as the Zhengyi tradition.
Cautions and context
Sold talismans from vendors who claim power without ordination are viewed by priests as meaningless, and fraud around fu and similar charms has been reported in several countries. Parts of the full method are restricted to ordained priests. Scholars study fu as a form of written, bureaucratic communication with the spirits, in which the priest acts as a kind of official.
What it is for
- Protect a house or a person
- Send a petition to the spirits
Who does it
Related entries
Also part of it, and being written: Taoism (The religion that holds it.), Zhengyi Dao (The lineage most associated with fu.).
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Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryJaadu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Closed or sacred detail is left out. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Fulu: Youle26, CC BY-SA 4.0, source