玉清宝诰
志心皈命礼。
三界之上,梵炁弥罗,上极无上,天中之天。郁罗萧台,玉山上京。渺渺金阙,森罗净泓。玄元一炁,混沌之先。宝珠之中,玄之又玄。开明三景,化生诸天。亿万天真,无鞅数众。旋斗历箕,回度五常。巍巍大范,万道之宗。大罗玉清,虚无自然。至真妙道,元始天尊。

铜范铸像,素面须髯,建上清灵明冠,衷袍端坐,外服离尘青玉锦氅,束七宝带,手捧黍米宝珠。玉清居于三清首位。《历代神仙通鉴》谓:“元者本也, 始者初也,先天之气也。”《太玄真一本际经》说: “无宗之上,而独能为万物之始,故名元始,运道一切为极尊,而常处三清,出诸天上,故称天尊。”《云笈七签》卷二谓:“太真科云: ‘混沌之前,道气未显,于恍莽之中有无形象天尊,谓无象可察也,后经一劫,乃有无名天尊,谓有质可睹,不可名也。又经一劫,从混洞太无元,乃化生元始天尊,谓有名有质,为万物之初始也。极道之宗元,挺生乎自然,寿无亿之数,不始不终,永存绵绵,息则为气,凝则为神,不无不有,非空非色,居上境为万天之元,居中境为万化之根,居下境为万帝之尊。端居清微天玉清圣境中。无可宗名,强名曰道,强名曰元始’。”根据道经的描述,元始天尊禀自然之气,存在于宇宙万物之前。他的本体常存不灭,即使天地全部毁灭,也丝毫影响不了他的存在。每当新的天地形成时,天尊就会降临人世间,传授秘道,开劫度人。所度者都是天仙上品,包括太上老君、天真皇人、五方天帝等神仙。每当新的天地开辟时,都有其年号,曰延康、赤明、龙汉、开皇等,年号之间相距长达四十一亿万年。并且,元始天尊位居三十六天的最上层“大罗天”中,所居仙府称为“玄都玉京”。玉京之中,黄金铺地,玉石为阶,宫中有七宝、珍玉,仙王、仙公、仙卿、仙伯、仙大夫等居于中央和两旁的仙殿中。元始天尊的诞辰为冬至日。

Three statues of bronze gilt are erected to the deities, located inside San Sheng Gong
San Qing, also named as the Three Pure Ones, are the most honourable deities in Taoism. These deities include Yu Qing Yuan Shi Tian Zun (玉清元始天尊), Shang Qing Ling Bao Tian Zun (上清灵宝天尊) and Tai Qing Dao De Tian Zun (太清道德天尊). The trinity is the manifestation of the “Three One” Theory of Tao. In the 42nd chapter of Taoist classic Dao De Jing (道德经), it was said that “Tao produced One, One produced Two, Two produced Three and Three produced All Things. All Things carry Yin and Yang, when these two are well integrated, that is harmony.” In the 14th chapter, Tao was also described as an essence “Looked at but cannot be seen; Listened to but cannot be heard; Reached for but cannot be obtained. These three senses cannot be analysed, but they mingle and act as one.”
It is believed that San Qing is the manifestation of Yuan Shi Tian Zun, who comes into being at the beginning of Jing Qi (精气) and resides in Da Luo Tian (大罗天). He is eternal, limitless and formless. He was incarnated into two other deities namely Ling Bao Tian Zun during the time of Tai Shi (太始) - a state of the beginning of “form”, and Dao De Tian Zun during the time of Tai Su (太素) - a state of the beginning of “substance”.