《洞真(zhen)九(jiu)真(zhen)中經》云:中央黃老君(jun)者,太(tai)(tai)上太(tai)(tai)微天(tian)(tian)帝君(jun)之(zhi)(zhi)弟子也,以混皇(huang)二年(nian)始(shi)生(sheng)焉(yan)。年(nian)七歲,乃知(zhi)長生(sheng)之(zhi)(zhi)要,天(tian)(tian)仙之(zhi)(zhi)法。仍眇綸上思,欽納真(zhen)玄,蕭條靈(ling)想(xiang),棲心神源。解脫于文蔚之(zhi)(zhi)羅,披素于空(kong)任之(zhi)(zhi)肆。于是太(tai)(tai)上授(shou)《九(jiu)真(zhen)之(zhi)(zhi)訣》、《八(ba)道(dao)秘言(yan)》,施修(xiu)道(dao)成,受書為太(tai)(tai)極(ji)真(zhen)人。
五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)(fang)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)天(tian)(tian)君(jun),為(wei)東(dong)南西(xi)北中五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)(fang)之天(tian)(tian)神,一說為(wei)元始(shi)(shi)天(tian)(tian)王(wang)所化。中國個道派以三清為(wei)始(shi)(shi),比如全真道以太上老(lao)(lao)君(jun)為(wei)主,五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)(fang)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)為(wei)元始(shi)(shi)天(tian)(tian)尊為(wei)主。五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)(fang)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)的名號分別為(wei)東(dong)方(fang)(fang)(fang)青帝(di)青靈(ling)始(shi)(shi)老(lao)(lao)九炁天(tian)(tian)君(jun)、南方(fang)(fang)(fang)赤帝(di)丹(dan)靈(ling)真老(lao)(lao)三炁天(tian)(tian)君(jun)、中央黃帝(di)玄(xuan)靈(ling)黃老(lao)(lao)一炁天(tian)(tian)君(jun)、西(xi)方(fang)(fang)(fang)白帝(di)皓靈(ling)皇老(lao)(lao)七炁天(tian)(tian)君(jun)、北方(fang)(fang)(fang)黑帝(di)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)靈(ling)玄(xuan)老(lao)(lao)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)炁天(tian)(tian)君(jun)。
五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)君(jun)(jun)是(shi)道教(jiao)初期(qi)的(de)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)神(shen)靈(ling)(ling),亦稱(cheng)“五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)帝(di)”。 五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)君(jun)(jun)是(shi)歷代帝(di)王祭祀的(de)對象,“在(zai)(zai)天(tian)(tian)中(zhong)則(ze)稱(cheng)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)上帝(di),在(zai)(zai)天(tian)(tian)文則(ze)稱(cheng)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)帝(di)座及(ji)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)星,在(zai)(zai)神(shen)靈(ling)(ling)則(ze)稱(cheng)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)方(fang)(fang)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)帝(di),在(zai)(zai)山岳則(ze)稱(cheng)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)岳圣帝(di),在(zai)(zai)人(ren)身則(ze)稱(cheng)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)臟神(shen)君(jun)(jun)”。他們(men)與(yu)元始(shi)天(tian)(tian)尊一樣(yang),非后天(tian)(tian)學而得真者,為天(tian)(tian)地開辟之(zhi)前的(de)先天(tian)(tian)神(shen)靈(ling)(ling),所以又(you)稱(cheng)元始(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao),五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)行之(zhi)始(shi)、五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)氣之(zhi)祖。在(zai)(zai)道教(jiao)神(shen)仙體系中(zhong),五(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)老(lao)(lao)君(jun)(jun)沒有具體職司,但(dan)地位崇尊。
以下(xia)五老對應泰(tai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)、衡山(shan)(shan)(shan)、嵩山(shan)(shan)(shan)、華(hua)山(shan)(shan)(shan)、恒山(shan)(shan)(shan)。
東方青靈始老天(tian)君,號稱(cheng)東方木(mu)德青帝太昊伏羲,木(mu)帝也,其(qi)精星。下應泰山神仙;
南(nan)(nan)方丹靈真老天君,號(hao)稱南(nan)(nan)方火德赤(chi)帝炎帝神(shen)農,火帝也,其(qi)精熒屏(ping),下應衡山神(shen)仙;
元(yuan)靈元(yuan)老君,中央(yang)土(tu)德黃帝軒轅(yuan),土(tu)帝也(ye),其精(jing)鎮星,下應嵩(song)山(shan)神仙;
西方豪靈皇帝老(lao)天君(jun),號稱西方金德(de)白(bai)帝金天少昊,金帝也,其精(jing)華太白(bai),下(xia)應華山神仙(xian);
北(bei)方五靈玄老天君,號稱北(bei)方水德黑(hei)帝朱旭,水帝也,其精星,下應恒山神(shen)仙。
此外,還有五老(lao)監真之(zhi)稱(cheng):綿山是五方神會群仙(xian)之(zhi)所,因此善男信女建此殿供奉(feng)。
【東方青帝(di)青靈始老(lao)九(jiu)炁天君】號曰青帝(di)。頭(tou)戴青精(jing)玉冠(guan),衣九(jiu)氣(qi)青羽(yu)衣。常駕蒼(cang)龍,建鶉旗,從神甲乙(yi),官將九(jiu)十萬人。上(shang)導九(jiu)天之和氣(qi),下引九(jiu)泉之流芳,養(yang)二儀以長存,護陰(yin)陽以永昌。
【南方赤帝丹靈真老三(san)炁天(tian)君(jun)】號曰赤帝。頭(tou)戴(dai)赤精玉冠,衣(yi)三(san)氣(qi)丹羽飛衣(yi)。常駕丹龍,建朱旗,從神(shen)丙丁(ding),官將三(san)十萬(wan)人。上導泰清玄(xuan)元之(zhi)(zhi)靈化,下和三(san)氣(qi)之(zhi)(zhi)陶镕,令萬(wan)物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)永存,運天(tian)精之(zhi)(zhi)南夏(xia)。
【中(zhong)央(yang)黃帝玄靈(ling)黃老一炁天君】號(hao)曰黃帝。頭戴黃精(jing)玉冠,衣五(wu)色飛(fei)衣。常駕黃龍,建黃旗,從神戊己(ji),官將十二萬人。上等自然之(zhi)和,下旋五(wu)土之(zhi)靈(ling),天地守(shou)以不虧,陰(yin)陽用之(zhi)不傾。
【西方白帝皓靈(ling)皇老七(qi)炁天君】號曰白帝。頭戴白精(jing)玉冠,衣(yi)白羽(yu)飛衣(yi)。常(chang)駕(jia)白龍,建(jian)素旗(qi),從神(shen)庚辛(xin),官將七(qi)十萬人(ren)。上導(dao)洪精(jing)于上天,下和眾生于靈(ling)衢(qu)。
【北方黑(hei)帝五靈玄老五炁天君】號曰黑(hei)帝。頭(tou)戴玄精玉冠(guan),衣玄羽飛衣。 常駕黑(hei)龍(long),建皂旗(qi),從神壬癸,官(guan)將(jiang)五十萬人。上導五帝之(zhi)流氣,下拯生生之(zhi)眾和(he),護二儀而不傾,保群(qun)命(ming)以(yi)永安。