The Essential Spells for Spirit Animals (Chinese: 灵兽要术) is an ancient Chinese book documenting commonly used spells for spirit animals.
Revisions
This book is believed to be originally authored by Diaochan the Spirit Weasel in the Eastern Han Dynasty (circa 192). Its earliest known version is the Essential Spells for Spirit Animals Expanded (Chinese: 增补灵兽要术) by Sun Wukong the Spirit Monkey in the Tang Dynasty (circa 645), which includes over 300 spells and is referred to as the “Sun Edition.”
The book was lost during turbulent times, and what remained was compiled by Bai Suzhen the Spirit Snake in the Southern Song Dynasty (circa 977), containing 108 spells with annotations by Suzhen, titled The Annotated Fragments of the Essential Spells for Spirit Animals (Chinese: 增补灵兽要术残本并注), also known as the “Bai Edition.”
Modern spirit animals have rewritten the Bai Edition in vernacular Chinese, resulting in the Modern Chinese Essential Spells for Spirit Animals Explained (Chinese: 新华灵兽要术译注), or the “New Edition,” which features 72 spells after removing obsolete ones and adding new ones.
Similar books
There are similar spellbooks authored by spirit animals of different countries and regions, showcasing the unique characteristics of spells worldwide and their historical exchanges.
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