In the practices of Taoism, thunder-struck wood is revered as the king of talismans, believed to contain mysterious powers capable of warding off evil and averting misfortune. Thunder-struck wood, as the name suggests, refers to trees that have been struck by lightning. Among these, thunder-struck jujube wood is considered the premier material for crafting talismans due to its unique properties and energy, as documented in Taoist scriptures such as “The Complete Collection of Taoist Methods,” “Taoist Method Collection,” and “The Seven Volumes of the Cloudy Satchel.”
Taoism has a profound belief in thunder deities, with the thunder department headed by the main deity, the Nine Heavens Responding to the Universal Thunderclap, which includes many gods such as the Thunder God and the Lightning Mother, and Marshal Tian Peng. In Taoist rituals, the “Five Thunders Command” talisman made from thunder-struck jujube wood is thought to possess the divine might to command thunder and lightning. “Taoist Method Collection” mentions, “In practicing thunder methods, without Marshal Tian Peng, one cannot command thunder gods. Practicing thunder methods alone, without Marshal Tian Peng, there can be no manifestation.” This highlights the importance of Marshal Tian Peng in thunder methods, and Taoist priests use the Tian Peng ruler, made from thunder-struck jujube wood, to wield Marshal Tian Peng’s divine power for exorcising evil and averting calamities.
Taoism believes that thunder-struck jujube wood represents the heavenly thunder among the five thunders of heaven, earth, water, divine, and society, and it stimulates the wood’s magical energy. Thunder-struck wood is close to being a complete set of the five elements: the tree itself is wood, growing in soil gives it the attribute of earth, nourished by water it gains the attribute of water, struck by lightning it acquires the attribute of fire, and processed with metal tools it takes on the attribute of metal. However, not all trees struck by lightning can become thunder-struck wood; only those that survive the lightning strike can accumulate the energy of the thunder and contain the divine power of divine punishment.
In cultivation novels, thunder tribulations are often depicted as trials that practitioners must undergo. However, Taoist scriptures and biographies of immortals do not record any immortals who have undergone thunder tribulations. The thunder tribulation, or transformation tribulation, stems from Taoism’s understanding of the balance of Yin and Yang, suggesting that beings of a different kind, being entirely Yin, clash with Yin and Yang, and are more prone to lightning strikes. Only by enduring nine layers of thunder tribulations can one achieve the status of a solar deity.
Taoism considers thunder-struck jujube wood to be the essence of the interaction of Yin and Yang in heaven and earth, containing the righteous energy of heavenly stems and the spirit of elves. When crafting talismans, ceremonies must also be held to seal and gather the thunder, using the Five Thunders’ righteous method to seal and store, carve on an auspicious day, and refine with secret methods, believing that only in this way can the efficacy of thunder-struck jujube wood be maximized. Taoism makes various talismans from thunder-struck jujube wood, such as talismans, seals, and Tian Peng rulers, among which the talisman is one of the most important talismans in Taoism, and high-ranking priests can use it to summon deities and dispatch generals. The shape of the talisman is round in the upper part and square in the lower part, representing the round sky and the square earth, reflecting Taoism’s reverence for heaven and earth and its philosophy of taking nature as the foundation.
In the process of cultivation, the so-called thunder tribulations and tribulations are actually aids in the cultivation of the mind and virtue, illustrating the difficulty of achieving the Tao. Thunder-struck wood, as a mysterious power in Taoist talismans, is not only the physical power of thunder and lightning but also the power of spirit and faith.