《雲笈七籤》Vol. 32

Record of Nurturing Nature and Extending Life (with Preface)

People receive primordial Qi and possess spiritual awareness; among all beings, humans are the most precious. What makes human beings precious is, above all, life. Life is the foundation of the spirit, while the body is what the spirit relies on. When the spirit is overused, it grows depleted; when the body is overworked, it is harmed. If one can let the mind and spirit settle in emptiness and stillness, quiet one’s thoughts, and avoid reckless action; follow primordial Qi after the hour of the Rat, once midnight has passed; practice daoyin in a quiet room to regulate Qi and blood through breathing and bodily movements; care for oneself properly; and also take good medicines, then living to a hundred and enjoying a long life may be considered a lifespan suited to human beings.

Those who indulge themselves in sights and sounds, devote all their effort to pursuing wealth and status, and remain troubled by gains and losses, restless and unable to let their worries go; who also disregard propriety and law and eat and drink without restraint—how could such people escape an early death and harm to the body?

During moments of quiet reflection, I read several important works on nourishing life. They were compiled by scholars of earlier generations, including Zhang Zhan and Daolin, as well as Zhai Ping and Huang Shan. All were devoted to the art of nurturing life and gifted in their abilities, with the aim of cherishing and preserving life. Some gathered methods for prolonging life from the scriptures of immortals and perfected beings; others selected longevity practices associated with Pengzu and Li Dan (Laozi). Their collections drew on material from the time of Shennong and the Yellow Emperor through the Wei and Jin periods. Whatever could benefit the nurturing of life without leaving harmful consequences had been recorded in various old books. I have now selected the essentials, removed the excess, arranged the material by subject, and given the sections titles. I have named the work Record of Nurturing Nature and Extending Life, hoping it may help those who are receptive and, through them, benefit the world.

The Shennong Classic says: “Those who eat grains are intelligent and perceptive; those who take minerals have a full, youthful appearance and do not age easily.” This refers to refining and taking the Five Minerals. Those who take lingzhi mushrooms can prolong their lives. Those who take primordial Qi cannot be buried by Heaven and Earth, nor killed by Heaven. Thus, people who cultivate themselves by taking medicines can endure as long as Heaven and Earth and exist alongside the sun and moon.

The Dao Jing of the Venerable Lord says: “The Valley Spirit never dies.” Heshang Gong explains: “‘Valley’ has the meaning of nurturing. If it can nurture the spirit, the spirit will not perish.” Each of the Five Viscera stores a spirit: the liver stores the Hun, the lungs the Po, the heart the Shen, the kidneys the Jing, and the spleen the will. When all Five Viscera are damaged, the Five Spirits depart. This is the meaning of “the Valley Spirit never dies.” The “Mysterious Female” refers to the place where the Way of immortality resides. “Mysterious” is Heaven, corresponding to the nose in the human body; “Female” is Earth, corresponding to the mouth.

Heaven nourishes people with the “Five Qi.” The Five Qi enter through the nose and are stored in the heart. When pure and clear, they transform into refined Qi, giving people alert minds and clear voices; they also form the five innate dispositions. The spirit corresponding to them is called the hun. The hun belongs to Yang and can move in and out. Since the nose connects people with Heaven, it is called the “Mysterious.”

Earth nourishes people with the “Five Flavors.” The Five Flavors enter through the mouth and are stored in the stomach. When turbid and heavy, they transform into the human body—its bones, muscles, and blood vessels—and nourish the six emotions. The spirit corresponding to them is called the po. The po belongs to Yin and can move in and out. It enters and leaves through the mouth, and since the mouth connects people with Earth, it is called the “Female.”

“The gate of the Mysterious and the Female is called the root of Heaven and Earth” means that the nose and mouth are the two portals through which the original Qi of Heaven and Earth flows in and out. “Continuous, as if it were there” describes breathing through the nose and mouth: it should be fine, slow, and subtle, seeming to continue while also seeming almost imperceptible. When using the breath, let it be spacious and unhurried; do not make it hurried or strenuous.

The Classic of Lord Lao’s De (Laojun De Jing) says: “‘Birth’ means that desires arise from the five organs; the hun is settled and the po is at peace, so life can continue. ‘Entering death’ means that desires enter the chest, refined Qi dissipates, and the spirit becomes confused, leading toward death.”

“Of those who follow the way of life, thirteen out of ten; of those who follow the way of death, thirteen out of ten” means that there are thirteen kinds of circumstances associated with life and thirteen associated with death. Here, the human body’s nine orifices and the joints of the four limbs—the “four passes”—serve as examples. Those who cultivate life do not let their eyes look indiscriminately, their ears listen indiscriminately, their nose smell indiscriminately, or their mouth speak indiscriminately. Their hands do not take things carelessly, their feet do not wander without purpose, and they do not squander their refined Qi. The practices that lead toward death are the opposite.

“People who seek life but move into the realm of death are also thirteen out of ten” means that people may originally wish to live, yet through reckless activity arrive at death; there are also thirteen such circumstances. Why does this happen? Because people value survival and health cultivation too highly, they pursue life’s pleasures excessively, distance themselves from the Dao, go against the order of Heaven, and act without restraint.

It is said that those skilled at protecting life can walk on land without encountering rhinoceroses or tigers, and enter a battlefield without being harmed by weapons. The rhinoceros finds no place to gore them with its horn, the tiger no place to strike with its claws, and weapons no opportunity to reach them. Why is this so? Because they have not committed the acts that lead people toward death.

The “Nourishing Life” chapter of the Zhuangzi says: “My life is limited…”

Each person’s natural endowment has its limits, but wisdom has no limits. Ji Kang said, “A person’s nature is stirred into activity when it encounters things. From this arise awareness and feeling, and wisdom is put to use along with them. When nature is stirred and encounters something suitable, once its need is met, it has no further demands. Wisdom, however, keeps pursuing things as feelings arise, and does not stop even when exhausted. Thus the troubles commonly seen in the world come from the use of wisdom, not from nature being stirred into activity.” To use a limited endowment in pursuit of limitless wisdom is to fall into difficulty. Guo Xiang said, “How could someone not be brought to difficulty by relying on a limited nature to pursue limitless wisdom?” Once trapped by wisdom, to use wisdom to attack and control oneself makes matters even more dangerous. Xiang Xiu said, “To be trapped by wisdom and then use wisdom to attack and control oneself—that is even more dangerous.”

Zhuangzi said, “Those who understand the true condition of life do not pursue what life, by its nature, cannot accomplish.” Xiang Xiu said this refers to matters beyond the scope of one’s nature. Zhang Zhan said that following the principles inherent in life and not doing what lies beyond one’s allotted share means not using what is limited to pursue what is limitless. “Those who understand the true condition of fate do not pursue what wisdom cannot change.” Xiang Xiu said this refers to life coming to an end and death being inevitable. Zhang Zhan said that holding to the natural course of life and living out the limits one has received are things wisdom cannot change.

Liezi said, “When young, do not neglect diligent practice; in your prime, do not fail to seize the opportunity; in old age, accept poverty; and in later years, lessen your desires. Keep the Shen at ease and the body at work: this is the way to nourish life.”

Liezi also said, “The fullness and depletion of a body, and its changes of growth and decline, are all connected with Heaven and Earth and responsive to the myriad things.” Zhang Zhan said that human beings are connected with the Qi of Yin-Yang. “From the beginning of life to its end, remain in harmony; keep the spirit tranquil and free of distracting thoughts. This is the way to nourish life.” The commentator says that maintaining harmony from beginning to end keeps the spirit and will from becoming scattered.

The Wondrous True Scripture of Lord Lao says, “People often lose the Dao; it is not that the Dao loses people. People often abandon life; it is not that life abandons people. Therefore, those who nourish life must be careful not to lose the Dao, and those who cultivate the Dao must be careful not to lose life. Let the Dao and life remain together, and let life and the Dao preserve one another.”

The Mystical Instructions of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi says, “Heaven’s Dao brings forth and transforms, so that the myriad things give life to one another without end. Human activity, by contrast, causes the body and spirit to perish. If one continually depletes the spirit and disperses the vital Qi, then when the Qi is exhausted, the body will decay. The body takes vital Qi as its root, and vital Qi is generated by the spirit. Do not disperse the vital Qi, and you can accord with the De of Heaven’s Dao; do not dissipate it through the spirit’s changes, and you can remain aligned with the Dao.” The Mystical Instructions also says, “Transformation through the body belongs to the category of corpse liberation.”

When Shen (spirit) and the body separate, they cannot exist at the same time. The body then changes with the shifting Yin-Yang Qi of late autumn, like a flying bird entering the sea and turning into a clam. Life born through the transformation of Qi is still something one may hope for; the state brought about by the transformation of the body, however, is deeply frightening.

Yan Junping’s Laozi’s Guide and Explanation says: “Let the mind and spirit roam in emptiness and stillness, and gather your intent in what is subtle. Set aside thoughts and become free of desire; direct your destination toward Wuwei (non-action). In this way, you can understand life, extend your years, and abide with the Dao for a long time.”

The Great Being Scripture says that someone once asked in puzzlement: “At first, all things came from the same realm, without form or outside. Later, they received life from the Qi of Yin and Yang. Their bodies and souls dwell between Heaven and Earth, and they depend on food and breath to sustain their growth. Why, then, are some dull and others clever, some strong and others frail, some long-lived and others short-lived?”

The commentator replied: “The formation of the body, and whether one is dull or clever, are determined by Heaven; strength or weakness, long life or early death, depend on the person. The way of Heaven runs its natural course; the human way begins with oneself. If, in the womb, the fetus has ample fetal Qi; after birth, receives enough milk; while growing, eats flavors in moderation; and in adulthood, restrains indulgence in sights and sounds, that person will be strong and long-lived. Conversely, if fetal Qi is deficient in the womb, milk is inadequate after birth, rich foods are excessive while growing, and the senses are indulged in adulthood, that person will be frail and short-lived. If one preserves body and mind from birth through growth, then continues to nourish them, one’s lifespan will be beyond measure.”

The Pivot of the Dao says: “From the moment a person is born, their lifespan has a limit, but this is not fixed by Heaven at birth. It is all due to careless care of the body: eating and drinking without moderation, unrestrained sexual desire, and acting against Yin and Yang. These prevent the soul and spirit from remaining settled, exhaust Jing and Qi, and weaken life. Thus all kinds of illness arise, and one cannot live out the full span of one’s years.”

The River Chart: The Emperor’s Vision Sprouts says: “Those who go against the seasons are in danger; those who follow them are fortunate. In spring and summer, it is fitting to live in high mountain places; in autumn and winter, to live in low places, withdrawn and deeply at rest. In this way one will enjoy good fortune and blessing, and live a long life without end.”

The Luo River Writing: The Mandate Bestowed as Treasure says: “The methods used by the ancients to treat illness were to blend with sweet spring water and nourish with primordial Qi. The medicines they used were neither pungent nor bitter, but sweet in taste. Taken regularly, they spread the body’s fluids through the five viscera and connect them with the lungs. Throughout life, illness will then be rare.”

The Family Sayings of Confucius says: “Those who eat meat are fierce and violent, like tigers and wolves. Those who consume Qi are spiritually illumined and long-lived, like immortals and numinous tortoises. Those who eat grains are intelligent yet short-lived—that is, human beings. Those who take no food do not die and possess spiritual nature; they live only by breathing and have no thoughts.” A supplementary account says: “People with disordered diets are prone to all kinds of illness and malign influences. The less one eats, the more open the mind and the longer the life; the more one eats, the more closed the mind and the shorter the life.”

Sima Tan, the Grand Historian, said: “As for the spirit…” (The original text ends here unfinished.)

Life takes spirit as its foundation, while the body is the vessel in which spirit dwells. If spirit is overused, it will be depleted; if the body is overworked, it will be damaged. If spirit and body decline before their time, how can one speak of enduring alongside Heaven and Earth?

A person lives because they have spirit, and spirit dwells in the body. When spirit and body separate, the person dies. The dead cannot be brought back to life, and dispersed spirit cannot return to the body. This is why the sages placed great importance on nourishing both spirit and body.

There are general principles and key methods for cultivating health. Even if one has not yet grasped all the essentials, simply by regularly examining worldly practices in reverse, one can quietly set out on the right path and achieve much of the desired effect. Should those who are intent on cultivating health not pay attention to this?

The Little You Scripture says to observe the “Twelve Few”: think less, worry less, desire less, take on fewer affairs, speak less, laugh less, grieve less, indulge in pleasure less, rejoice less, grow angry less, have fewer preferences, and feel less aversion. These twelve are the main principles of cultivating health.

Thinking too much exhausts the spirit; worrying too much scatters the will; desiring too much damages wisdom; taking on too many affairs tires the body; speaking too much readily disrupts the breath; laughing too much harms the internal organs; grieving too much unsettles the heart and spirit; indulging too much in pleasure makes the mind undisciplined; excessive joy makes one forgetful, confused, and dull; intense anger throws the channels throughout the body out of balance; too many preferences lead to fixation and a loss of self-control; and too much aversion leaves the heart anxious and agitated. If these “Twelve Excesses” are not eliminated, they will damage the foundation of life. Only by avoiding such excesses of emotion and desire can one approach the state of a perfected person—a person who has attained spiritual cultivation in Daoism.

Generally speaking, the extravagant and idle tend to have shorter lives, while those who are excessively miserly are also prone to die young. These are the different consequences of heedlessness and overexertion. Farmers often live long, while those accustomed to rich and fatty foods tend to live shorter lives, reflecting the effects of having more or fewer cravings. Those who withdraw from the world to cultivate themselves quietly fall ill less often, while those who are constantly on the move suffer more ailments; this has to do with whether one’s affairs are few or many. Thus, worldly people compete to pursue profit, while Daoist practitioners rarely involve themselves in worldly affairs.

Hu Zhao said: Do not look at improper sights, listen to foul speech, smell rank odors, taste pungent or poisonous things, or devise deceitful schemes in your heart. These things all damage the spirit and shorten life. If one is always sighing, or chanting and whistling loudly without pause from morning to night, does this also invite malign influences? The original asks this as a question with the words “invite malign influences,” meaning: do such actions bring them on?

Ordinary people cannot be entirely free of desire, nor can they avoid having things to do. But they should bring their state of mind into balance, reduce stray thoughts, and quiet their thinking, first avoiding whatever disturbs the spirit and runs counter to one’s nature. This is one way to nourish the spirit.

The Yellow Court Scripture, a Daoist classic on cultivating health, says, “Clear water from the Jade Pool irrigates the numinous root.” With diligent practice, one can preserve the body for a long time. The “natural drink” mentioned here refers to water from the Flower Pond; the “Flower Pond” is the saliva in the mouth. Swallowing saliva with the proper breathing method can lessen hunger.

The Yinshi Neijie says: When saliva is swirled around the mouth, it is like a sweet spring; when gathered in the mouth, it is like jade liquid; when it flows, it is like the Flower Pool—the body’s nourishing fluids; when dispersed, it becomes essence; and when it descends, it is like sweet dew. The mouth, then, is like the Flower Pool, which contains a sweet spring. Swirl the saliva and swallow it to moisten the Five Viscera and nourish the body, keep Qi and blood flowing freely, and generate and nourish the various spirits. The joints of the limbs and the hair all depend on it for their growth.

The Central Classic says: Those who are calm live long; those who are restless die young. Calmness without knowledge of how to preserve life can shorten one’s years, while restlessness combined with knowledge of how to preserve life can also prolong them. In sum, if one follows the ways of life preservation in full, both calmness and activity can serve that purpose.

Han Rong, courtesy name Yuanchang, says: Wine is the essence of the Five Grains and the finest of flavors, yet it can also harm the body. Pleasures are difficult to restrain and easy to overindulge in, so those who preserve life should drink with care.

Shao Zhongkan says: The Five Grains can nourish the body, but cannot make one live long. Medicines can cure illness and prolong life, but may not taste pleasant. What nourishes the body and tastes good is prized by ordinary people; what tastes bitter and harsh yet prolongs life is what Daoist practitioners cherish.

The Suwen records the Yellow Emperor asking Qibo: “I have heard that people in ancient times often lived to a hundred while remaining vigorous in their movements, with their Qi and blood still abundant. People today grow weak in their movements just past the age of fifty. Is this due to a change in the times, or to failings of their own?”

Qibo replied: “In ancient times, those who understood the way of preserving life followed the changes of Yin-Yang and regulated themselves according to the arts of calculation—here, the methods of sexual intercourse. They ate in moderation and kept regular hours for rest and activity. They did not act recklessly, so their bodies and spirits remained in harmony. They lived out their natural years, often surpassing a hundred. People today are different: they drink wine as though it were water and treat indulgence as part of daily life. They engage in intercourse while drunk, exhaust their essence through lust, and dissipate their true Qi through desire. They do not know how to preserve their essence, fail to restrain their desires at the proper times, and do not gather and hold their spirit; they seek only momentary pleasure. They go against the patterns of Yin-Yang and live without restraint or regularity, so they grow weak before reaching fifty.”

Laozi says: A person’s life is generally limited to a hundred years, but one who knows how to practice restraint and care for the body may live to a thousand. It is like burning oil in a lamp: the less the wick is used, the longer it burns. Others speak loudly and at length, while I speak little; others are troubled by many thoughts, while I hold few concerns; others are alarmed and quick to anger, while I do not become angry. I do not let worldly affairs burden my spirit, nor do I deliberately attend to the distinctions between ruler and minister. Quietly content and practicing Wuwei (non-action), I naturally keep my spirit and Qi full. I regard this as the way to long life, though the people of the world may not understand me. Do not think that the unseen and hidden cannot know what is in a person’s heart.

Do not assume that because no one sees you, the gods do not notice. Thoughts in the heart and words spoken under one's breath can also be heard by ghosts and spirits. If one commits transgressions and a full thousand days pass, the gods of the underworld will take that person's lifespan. Therefore, when people do good, the rewards given by the human world are the yang rewards of goodness, and the rewards given by ghosts and spirits are the yin rewards of goodness. When people do evil, the punishments imposed by the human world are the yang punishments of evil, and those imposed by ghosts and spirits are the yin punishments of evil. Thus Heaven does not deceive the people of the world, and people who follow Heaven are like shadows that follow their forms. Earth does not deceive them either, and people who respond to Earth are like echoes that follow sound.

Lord Lao (Laozi) says: One who cultivates goodness and accumulates virtue yet meets with calamity is bearing the misfortunes left behind by ancestors. One who violates prohibitions and commits evil yet obtains good fortune is enjoying the surplus blessings left behind by ancestors.

The famous physician's treatise on illness says: When people do not enjoy their full natural span of years, most of them die young. Most do not know how to cherish themselves. They fly into rage and fight, exhausting their energy in the pursuit of fame and profit. This poisons the spirit and injures the bones from within. Outwardly, the sinews and flesh grow weak, and the blood and qi lose their proper circulation through the channels, so that the body becomes congested, hollow, and leaking. Such conditions invite every kind of illness, while zheng qi (upright qi) declines day by day and xie qi (pernicious qi) grows day by day. The simplicity and clarity of this principle surpass even the comparisons of pouring the waters of the sea onto a small fire, or of a great mountain collapsing to sever a thin stream.

Peng Zu (a legendary figure of great longevity) says: The Dao does not lie in complexity. One need only refrain from thinking of clothing, food, sound, or sexual desire; refrain from thinking of victory or defeat, loss or gain, honor or disgrace; keep the heart free from exhaustion and the body from excess; regularly practice daoyin (a method of stretching, bending, and regulating the breath for health), nourish the inner qi, and practice taixi (embryonic breathing, breathing as an infant does in its mother's womb). Then one may live to a thousand years. Those who wish for longevity without limit should take superior medicines.

Zhong Changtong (a thinker of the Eastern Han) says: People who indulge the six emotions and the five natures have thoughts in their hearts but do not use them to think, and words in their mouths but do not use them to speak. Their bodies have a place of rest, yet they do not abide in it. They accept everything but let things change as they will, take pleasure in indulgence, and do not know how to cherish themselves. Planning their affairs with such a mind, they do not realize that they are wasting themselves away each day, nor that the things of the physical form are by nature easily lost.

Peng Zu and Lao Dan (Laozi) were probably not like this. They belonged to the same category as ordinary people, yet their lifespans differed from those of ordinary people.

Chen Jiyuan Fang (Chen Ji, courtesy name Yuanfang, of the Eastern Han) says: Hundreds of illnesses arise, and early deaths are mostly caused by food and drink, whose harm exceeds that of sound and sexual desire. Sound and sex can be cut off entirely for more than a year, but food and drink cannot be abolished. In a single day, though their benefits are many, their harms are very close to the body. Excessive eating injures the body, while moderate eating benefits it.

Zhang Zhan (a scholar of the Eastern Jin and commentator on the Liezi) explains: Anyone who pursues power and wealth, even if not invaded by pernicious qi, will be injured within the spirit, and the body will ultimately move toward death. This is not a demon attacking from outside. Rather, it is like ice and charcoal tormenting each other inside the body, collapsing on their own and damaging the zhongjiao (middle burner), until the person vomits blood.

When pathogenic influences invade, they can dry and scorch the skin and damage the sinews and vessels, eventually causing numbness and spasms in the limbs. The benefits and harms that wealth and poverty bring to people, like the misfortunes brought by power and status, can all injure the body. Movement wards off cold, while stillness wards off heat; combining movement with stillness helps promote longevity. When Jing and Qi are pure and settled, they can accord with the Dao.

The Zhuangzi says that a True Person—a person who has attained the Dao—does not dream while asleep. The Shenzi says that someone whose mind is free of concerns does not dream at night. The Daoist Zhang lived to be over a hundred and remained very vigorous. He said that the way to cultivate one’s nature is to avoid walking, sitting, or lying down for too long, and to avoid listening for too long. One should not force oneself to eat or drink, get excessively drunk, grieve deeply, feel intense sorrow, or think too much. This is what is called “harmony and balance,” maintaining a moderate equilibrium. Those who can maintain harmony and balance will surely live long.

The Immortals’ Scripture says, “My life and destiny are in my own hands, not Heaven’s.” Only the foolish fail to understand this principle and recognize that it is essential to preserving life. The causes of the many illnesses and harmful winds that afflict people lie in indulging desires, giving free rein to emotions, and failing to cherish oneself. As a result, the body grows weak and damaged. It is like a withered tree that snaps when the wind blows, or an eroding riverbank that collapses as soon as the water reaches it. Even without taking medicine, a person who knows how to cherish Jing and Qi and restrain desire may live to be one or two hundred years old.

In the preface to his Collection on Nurturing Life, Zhang Zhan says that the essentials of nurturing life comprise ten principles: first, gather and calm the spirit; second, cherish Jing and Qi; third, preserve the body; fourth, practice Daoyin—using bodily movements and breath to nourish the body; fifth, speak with care; sixth, eat and drink in moderation; seventh, restrain sexual activity; eighth, avoid being influenced by worldly customs; ninth, make use of medicine; and tenth, observe prohibitions and cautions. All other principles can be summed up in these.

The Daoist called the Green Ox, whose surname was Feng and courtesy name was Junda, said that people should not pursue pleasure without restraint; those who crave pleasure find it hard to live long. But one should also avoid forcing oneself to do what exceeds one’s abilities, such as lifting heavy objects, pulling with great force, or digging and laboring until the sinews and bones are exhausted without stopping. Moderate work, however, is better than idleness and indulgence. It is good to keep doing some activity from morning to night, so that the body remains in motion and does not stagnate. When tired, one should rest, then resume after recovering. This follows the same principle as Daoyin.

Flowing water does not become foul, and door pivots do not rot, because they are in constant motion. After eating one’s fill, one should not sit or lie down; instead, walk around or do some work to aid digestion. Otherwise, food may stagnate and fail to digest, and symptoms such as numbness in the hands and feet, difficulty moving, a dull complexion, and wrinkled skin may arise, ultimately shortening one’s life.

Huangfu Long asked the Daoist called the Green Ox for guidance. The Daoist said in brief, “Keep the body in frequent motion, and eat little at each meal. When working, do not…” The original text breaks off here.

Everything should be done in moderation. Do less that goes to excess, and do not let the body become overly depleted. Eat less rich, greasy food; moderate salty and sour flavors; think less; keep joy and anger in check; avoid rushing about in pursuit of things; and be cautious in sexual relations. Emperor Wu of Han followed these principles, and they did produce results.

Peng Zu said, “Even if people do not understand the arts of cultivation, as long as they know how to care for their bodies according to reason, they can usually live to the age of one hundred and twenty. Those who do not reach that age have all suffered damage to their bodies. If they understand the ways of nourishing life a little, they can live to two hundred and forty; if they also make some use of medicines, they can live to four hundred and eighty.” Ji Kang likewise said, “When the cultivation of life accords with reason, the best outcome is a thousand years; even the least is a hundred.”

Peng Zu said, “The methods of nourishing life consist simply in not harming the body. Keep warm in winter and cool in summer, so the body follows the changes of the seasons; then it will be at ease. Clothes that are too thick and bedding that is too heavy burden the body and bring on illnesses caused by wind and cold. Eating too much rich food, cured meat, or dried meat, and drinking and eating to excess, lead to stagnation and illness. Indulging in beauty and filling one’s household with wives and concubines brings physical depletion. Giving oneself over to sorrowful music may delight the ear and stir the heart, yet it causes people to neglect their proper affairs. Roaming about for pleasure and hunting in the wild lead people to abandon restraint. Seeking to defeat others, annexing the weak, and profiting from disorder ultimately end in failure through arrogance and ease. Even sages and worthies sometimes lose sight of the principles of nourishing life.

“The various methods of nourishing life are like water and fire: they must not be allowed to go beyond measure. Once they do, they cause harm instead.”

Peng Zu said, “When people do not understand the ways of nourishing life, taking medicines can instead damage their blood and Qi (vital energy). The body becomes weak and hollow within, and the marrow and brain are no longer well nourished; the roots of illness have already taken hold inside. Wind and cold, alcohol, sexual indulgence, and other external influences merely seize the opportunity to invade and trigger disease. If the body were sound and full to begin with, how could these illnesses arise?”

An immortal said, “No crime is greater than sexual misconduct, no misfortune greater than greed, and no transgression greater than slander. These three are like vehicles that bring calamity: on a small scale they harm the self; on a large scale they harm the family. If you wish to live longer and suffer fewer illnesses, you must give up what depletes your essence and Qi. Do not seek excessive warmth, lest you consume the marrow; do not expose yourself to excessive cold, lest you damage the muscles. Do not cough and spit too much, lest you lose the body’s fluids. Do not suddenly shout loudly, lest you startle the hun and po. Do not weep for a long time, lest Shen (spirit) become sorrowful and knotted. Do not become angry, lest the spirit grow unsettled. Do not dwell excessively on what your heart clings to, lest your mind become confused. If you can act in this way, you can live a long life.”

Miscellaneous Prohibitions, Averting Calamity, and Seeking Blessings

Looking for too long harms the blood; lying down for too long harms Qi; standing for too long harms the bones; walking for too long harms the sinews; sitting for too long harms the flesh. Excessive thought and forcing oneself to show off one’s strength harm people. Worry, anger, and grief harm people. Excessive joy and delight harm people. Anger that lingers and cannot be dispelled harms people. Urgently pursuing one’s desires harms people … The original text breaks off at the character “威.”

Worry, cold, and excessive heat all harm the body. When Yin and Yang Qi fail to unite, the body is harmed as well.

Sexual relations between men and women should follow health practices such as Daoyin exercises. Avoiding things that harm the body and understanding the arts of Yin and Yang are the way to long life and freedom from death. Great joy makes the breath disperse; deep sorrow makes it sluggish. Spent Jing and Qi leave a person weak and drowsy. Excessive spitting brings agitation, while craving rich foods can cause diarrhea. Ordinary people know only how to crave the five flavors, not how precious their original Qi is. The sages know that excess in the five flavors is harmful, so they do not overeat. They know that original Qi can be cultivated, so they keep their mouths closed and speak little, allowing Jing and Qi to settle and the breath to grow even. If saliva is not swallowed, the Qi Sea—the place within the body where original Qi is stored and nourished—receives no moisture. When the Qi Sea is dry, bodily fluids become deficient. Thus, cultivating original Qi and drinking sweet spring water are the foundations of prolonging life.

Bathing at irregular times is inauspicious, as is bathing together as a married couple. Do not have sexual relations just after bathing, after drinking and eating your fill, after returning from a long journey, or when utterly exhausted. These situations can easily lead to illness, so take particular care.

Men should not sleep with their heads facing north; it is said this unsettles the spirit and makes one prone to worry and forgetfulness. Do not crouch or sit beside a well, a practice forbidden both in ancient times and today. If a wall extends in front of you, do not sit or lie down parallel to it. Having your hair blown about by the wind may bring on illnesses such as epilepsy. Do not stare at the sun or moon with your eyes wide open for a long time, lest your eyesight be damaged.

When sweating heavily, do not take off your clothes, or you may become afflicted by wind disease that causes paralysis on one side of the body. After bathing, do not expose your head to the wind, lest you contract a severe wind illness or a painful, stabbing condition. After becoming chilled, do not immediately warm yourself by a fire; this may bring on epilepsy, wind-induced dizziness, or headache. Do not sit for a long time on the edge of a bed with your feet hanging down, or the blood vessels may become obstructed, causing heaviness in the feet and lower back pain. If your feet are sweaty, do not put them straight into water, or you may develop illnesses such as bone Bi syndrome. Holding in urine for a long time chills the vessels and may also lead to cold Bi syndrome.

After sweating from eating hot food, do not immediately expose yourself to the wind, lest you develop a headache, dry eyes, and drowsiness. Do not sing before going to sleep, or speak loudly upon waking, lest you deplete your original Qi. If a bird flies into a person, do not eat it. Birds with their mouths open, or with sores beneath their feathers, must not be eaten either.

Washing your hair with hot rice water and then rinsing it with cold water can easily cause wind illness of the head. Do not place a brazier beside your head while sleeping, lest your spirit become unsettled. In winter, keep your feet warm and your head cool. In spring and autumn, keep both head and feet cool. This is the health practice that sages have always followed.

Eating immediately after crying can easily cause an illness of the Qi. At night…

Do not cover your head while sleeping. Women should not straddle the cooking stove. Do not spit too far; this may cause lung disease, making the hands and feet feel heavy and bringing on back pain and coughing.

When someone is afflicted by a nightmare—startled in sleep, feeling pressed down and unable to move—do not shine a light on them, or the shock may kill them. Call to them softly in the dark, and the danger will pass. Do not get too close, and do not rush to shout loudly.

Do not sleep with your mouth open for a long time, or you may develop excessive thirst and lose color in your face. When you get up in the morning, do not wash your face with cold water while opening your eyes; this may make them dry and irritated, damage your sight, or cause them to water often. If you have become overheated while traveling, do not wash your face with river water, even if you come upon a river, or dark spots may appear on your face.

After waking suddenly from sleep, do not drink water right away. If you then lie down and sleep again, you may develop water impediment, a disorder associated with impaired movement of fluids in the body. After sweating out a seasonal illness and just recovering, do not drink cold water either, or it may harm the heart and abdomen and prevent the body from regaining its balance.

When fasting, do not see a corpse or smell its odor, lest the odor enter through the nose and cause illness. If you must view a corpse, first drink wine and chew garlic to ward off what is called its poisonous vapor. Do not let children point at the moon, or sores may appear behind their ears. These sores are called “moon-meeting sores.” Crush a toad and apply it to the sores, and they will heal without any others appearing.

A woman who has recently given birth should not see someone with body odor, as this is said to make her body swell. Do not tuck your head beneath your shoulder while sleeping, or the six spirits—the person’s mental and spiritual faculties—will become unsettled.

In spring and summer, it is better to sleep with your head facing east; in autumn and winter, it is better to face west. This is said to benefit the body. When hungry, a man should urinate sitting down; after a full meal, he should urinate standing up. This may help prevent illness. It is best to sleep on your side with your knees bent, which helps preserve your strength. You may turn from side to side often while sleeping. Speak and laugh sparingly, and do not raise your voice or make a commotion.

In spring, it is best to go to bed early and rise early. In summer and autumn, go to bed a little later and rise early. In winter, go to bed early and rise late. These habits are all beneficial. “Rising early” means not before the rooster crows; “rising late” means no later than sunrise. In winter, Heaven and Earth are closed and still, and Yang Qi lies hidden. People should avoid exertion and sweating, lest their Yang Qi dissipate and harm the body.

After bathing, do not stand in the wind. Do not tie up your hair while it is wet. Sleeping with wet hair may bring on head-wind, dizziness, chest oppression, hair loss, facial swelling, toothache, or deafness. Do not wear wet clothes or clothes soaked with sweat. Wearing them for a long time may cause sores or wind disorders.

The Old Lord said: On the first day of the first lunar month, stand in the courtyard facing the Yin direction (northeast), bow twice, and pray: “So-and-so has received the grace of the Great Dao year after year. O Mysterious Gate of Great Clarity, may you take back from so-and-so the year that has passed.” Men and women should each recite this three times…

Practicing this method regularly can prolong life and preserve vitality. The Mysterious Maiden had a method for purifying the spirit, and related accounts also appear in the Huainanzi. The rules for making offerings to the Kitchen God all aim to align people’s conduct with the true spirits and thereby protect life. A secret method in the Immortal’s Scripture says:

You should often visualize in your mind a mass of Qi inside your body, about the size of an egg, red within and yellow without. This can drive away all manner of evil influences and prolong life. If you wish to drive away all evil beings and the ghosts of the dead, often visualize this mass of Qi transforming into a flame as bright as the Northern Dipper, shining with radiant light. Then no evil beings will dare to intrude, and you will be able to enter places where epidemics are spreading. When sleeping at night, often visualize red Qi outside your body and white Qi within, covering your whole body to ward off evil influences and ghosts.

Laojun said: When ordinary people seek the Dao, they must not commit the “Five Rebellions” or the “Six Inauspicious Acts.” Committing them will bring calamity.

The “Five Rebellions” are these: facing west while relieving oneself is the first; facing north, the second; facing the sun, the third; facing the moon, the fourth; and looking up at the sky and stars, the fifth.

The “Six Inauspicious Acts” are these: getting up naked at night is the first; becoming angry upon rising in the morning, the second; cursing the Kitchen God, the third; pointing one’s feet toward a fire, the fourth; “drawing together” as a married couple (the original wording is unclear), the fifth; and resenting one’s teacher, the sixth.

After getting up in the morning, people should often say auspicious words, and Heaven will bestow blessings. Repeatedly saying things like “What should I do?” or singing and whistling is called “inviting misfortune,” so take care. Do not sing while lying in bed, or you will invite an ominous sign. Sleeping face down on a bed is inauspicious; eating or drinking while lying face down on a bed is inauspicious; and striking plates with a spoon or chopsticks is also inauspicious.

The spirit who oversees hidden misfortune dwells on the left side of a person’s mouth. If someone encounters hidden misfortune, this spirit reports it to Heaven, which then examines that person’s hun and po souls. The spirit who oversees killing and punishment dwells on the right side of a person’s mouth. If someone speaks wickedly, this spirit reports it to Siming, the deity who governs human lifespans and registers of destiny. Siming records the offenses, and when the accumulated sins are sufficient, killing and punishment are imposed. These two spirits monitor people’s speech, hoping only that they will not commit wrongs. How, then, can people afford to be careless with their words?

The tongue is like a weapon of the body. Good and evil both arise from speech, which is why Daoists regard it with caution.

Drinking “Jade Spring”—that is, the saliva in the mouth—can prolong life and eliminate all illnesses. Each day, from the crowing of the cock, dawn, noon, midafternoon, dusk, and midnight, rinse the mouth seven times in all over the course of a day and night. Each time, let the mouth fill with saliva, then swallow it.

To keep the hair, blood, teeth, bones, and nails in good condition, comb your hair, tap your teeth, and trim your nails regularly. Comb your hair a thousand times and it will be less likely to turn white; tap your teeth morning and evening and they will be less likely to decay; do not cut your nails too often, and your sinews and vessels will not deteriorate.

People often want to look in a mirror. This is called “preserving the form”: keeping one’s body in mind so that body and spirit sustain one another. If you are merely proud of your appearance and admiring your reflection, you would be better off not looking in the mirror. Ordinary people often…

On the first day of the first month, the second day of the second month, the third day of the third month, the eighth day of the fourth month, the first day of the fifth month, the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month, the eleventh day of the seventh month, the eighth day of the eighth month, the twenty-first day of the ninth month, the fourteenth day of the tenth month, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and the thirtieth day of the twelfth month, gather goji greens and boil them into a soup for bathing. This can give the complexion a healthy glow and make one less prone to illness and aging.

When a lunar eclipse occurs, one should find a way to help people and avert calamity. Helping people in this way is like saving ten thousand lives; its merit is equal to that of Heaven. (The Way of Heaven does not delight in killing, and sages model themselves on this.) Those who know that the Way of Heaven does not delight in killing help Heaven and Earth nurture the myriad things. Thus they can draw exceptional blessings and have auspicious dreams as well. Bad dreams may be spoken aloud; keeping silent about them can lengthen one’s life.

Healing Illness by Nourishing Qi

The Scripture of Primordial Yang says: Regularly inhale through the nose, hold the breath in the mouth, and move it around with the tongue until it fills the mouth; then swallow it. The best practice is to swallow a thousand times in a day and a night. One should eat less. Eating too much makes the breath run contrary and disordered, blocking the hundred channels. When the hundred channels are blocked, Qi cannot circulate; when Qi cannot circulate, one falls ill.

The Mystic Instructions says: The will is the commander of Qi, and Qi is the force that fills the body. Good deeds support life, while evil deeds harm the physical form. The method of circulating Qi is therefore to eat sparingly and in moderation, move the body to harmonize the breath, and focus the mind while firmly guarding the body within and without, above and below. Let Shen and Qi extend throughout the whole body, so that the physical form is at ease and the breath flows freely. During practice, keep the mind on Guanyuan, the Dantian area below the navel. When the breath is full and abundant, harmful Qi will leave on its own.

Peng Zu says: Regularly hold the breath and circulate it within the body from early morning until noon. Then kneel and sit, rub the eyes, massage the body, moisten the lips with the tongue and swallow the saliva, and take in Qi several dozen times. Then stand, move about, and speak or laugh. If you occasionally feel tired or unwell, use Daoyin—coordinating bodily movements to regulate the breath—and breath retention to treat the affected area. At such times, focus your attention on your own body: clearly sense the location of the head and face, the nine apertures, the five organs, the limbs, and even the tips of the hair. Imagine the breath moving through the body like clouds, starting at the nose and mouth and reaching down to the fingertips. In this way, the breath becomes clear and harmonious, and the spirit settles; there is no need for needles, medicine, moxibustion, or lancing.

To use Qi circulation to relieve various pains, focus your attention on the place where the pain is: if your head hurts, visualize the head; if your foot hurts, visualize the foot. Then guide harmonious Qi there to treat it. Continue for a while, and the pain will subside on its own. If seasonal influences bring on a chill, you can induce sweating by holding the breath. When sweat spreads over the whole body, the chill will ease.

Circulating and holding the breath are important methods for nourishing the body, but one must first understand their principles. They should preferably be practiced on an empty stomach; do not eat until overly full. The original text continues with material that is incomplete.

When Qi flows freely, it must not be obstructed; otherwise, stagnation may result, and sores or boils may even develop. This is like the source of a spring, which must not be blocked. Eating raw fish, raw vegetables, or fatty meat, or allowing emotions such as joy, anger, worry, and resentment to build up before practicing Qi circulation can easily cause Qi to surge upward.

Anyone wishing to learn Qi circulation should proceed gradually. Liu An said, “Take in living Qi and breathe out dead Qi, and you can live for a long time.” The “living Qi” mentioned here means the air inhaled through the nose. Those who cannot devote themselves to practicing Qi absorption can practice frequently throughout the day, from morning to night, keeping at it steadily and gently extending the breath. Inhale only through the nose and exhale through the mouth. This is what is called “expelling the old and taking in the new.”

The Jing of Qi Absorption says, “The Dao is Qi. Nurture Qi, and you can attain the Dao; attain the Dao, and you can endure for a long time. Shen is Jing. Nurture Jing, and Shen will become bright; when Shen is bright, you can live long.” Jing is the source from which the blood vessels circulate, and it is also the numinous energy that protects the bones. When Jing dissipates, the bones wither; when the bones wither, the person dies. Those who cultivate the Dao must therefore cherish their Jing and Qi.

From midnight until noon is living Qi; from after noon until midnight is dead Qi. During the time when living Qi is abundant, lie on your back, close your eyes, and clasp your hands firmly. “Clasping firmly” means pressing the thumb with the four fingers, as an infant does when making a fist. Then hold your breath and silently count to two hundred, before exhaling through the mouth. Gradually increase the length of time you hold your breath each day. This practice can bring the body and its spirits to completeness and settle the Five Organs. If you can hold your breath for two hundred and fifty breaths, the Canopy of Heaven will become bright; when it is bright, your ears and eyes will become keen, your whole body will be free of illness, and pernicious Qi will be unable to invade you.

When circulating Qi, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, breathing lightly and for a long time. This is called “long breathing.” There is only one kind of inhalation, but six kinds of exhalation: chui, hu, xi, he, xu, and si. These are different methods of breathing out. A person’s breathing naturally consists of one exhalation and one inhalation. To practice long breathing, you can use these exhalation methods: use “chui” when the weather is cold and “hu” when it is warm. According to their different effects, “chui” can reduce heat, “hu” can dispel wind, “xi” can relieve vexation, “he” can direct Qi downward, “xu” can disperse congestion, and “si” can ease extreme fatigue. When people are utterly exhausted, they often make “xu” and “si” sounds. Daoist Qi circulation generally does not recommend these two, because they are methods for regulating the mind within long breathing. Both men and women can practice this method, which comes from an immortal’s scripture.

Those who practice Qi should first remove the hairs inside the nose, since the nose is regarded as a passage for communicating with Shen. Do not draw in external Qi in strong winds, severe cold, or intense heat. The Treatise on Understanding Medicine says, “The root of illness…” The original text ends here incomplete.

From birth, people are subject to five kinds of strain. As these strains accumulate, they first injure the heart and kidneys, allowing pathogenic influences to take advantage of the weakness and invade; the internal organs then fall ill as well.

The “Five Strains” are strain of the will, strain of thought, strain of the heart, strain of worry, and physical fatigue. The Five Strains can give rise to the “Six Extremes”: exhaustion of Qi, blood, sinews, bones, Jing, and marrow. The Six Extremes in turn lead to the “Seven Injuries,” which then develop into the “Seven Pains.”

Those afflicted by the Seven Pains have an excess of pathogenic influences and a shortage of vital Qi. They are often mentally unsettled, suddenly angry or suddenly sad, and persistently gloomy. Food fails to nourish the body; the skin grows thin, the face loses its luster, and the hair turns white and brittle. In severe cases, they may develop “Great Wind,” a serious wind-pathogen disorder, with symptoms such as paralysis on one side of the body, contracted sinews and vessels, limbs stiff and curled, blocked channels, wasting, shortness of breath, and pain in the lower back and legs. These disorders arise from marrying too young and exhausting Jing through excessive sexual activity, which depletes Qi and blood and causes severe strain.

All illnesses involve the Five Viscera, so one must learn to recognize their corresponding symptoms. Those who do not understand them should not casually attempt methods of treatment. A person with heart disease may feel alternating chills and fever; exhaling can be used to regulate it. A person with lung disease may feel fullness and distension in the chest and diaphragm; exhale with the sound “xu.” A person with spleen disease may feel as though wind is moving through the body, causing instability, itching, pain, and chest oppression; exhale with the sound “xi.” A person with liver disease may have painful eyes and feel sorrowful and unhappy; exhale with the sound “he.”

These are some of the twelve methods for regulating Qi. In practice, always breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, making the exhalations in sequence with the sounds “chui, hu, xu, he, xi, si, tu.” Patients should practice these methods with reverence and concentration. The scripture says that doing so can cure illness. This is an important method for treating disease and prolonging life.

Daoyin and Massage

The Daoyin Jing says: Before getting up in the morning, first click the teeth fourteen times. Close the eyes, make a firm fist with each hand in the health-preserving gesture known as “firm grasp,” rinse the mouth, and swallow the saliva in three portions. Then hold the breath until you can no longer do so, and slowly exhale. After repeating this three times, get up and sit cross-legged. Turn the head from side to side like an owl looking around, then gently sway the body until you can go no further; repeat three times.

Next, get out of bed, keep the hands in the firm-grasp position, and hold the breath while stamping the heels on the ground three times. Then move the body with one hand above and the other below, holding the breath until you can go no further; repeat three times. After that, cross the hands behind the neck and turn the neck from side to side as far as possible; repeat three times. Then extend the legs, cross the hands, and bend the body forward and backward as far as possible; repeat three times as well. Practice these movements morning and evening, and do more repetitions if you can.

In the morning, you may also rub your palms together until they are warm, then place the warm palms over the eyes three times. Next, press the eyes with your fingers four…

“Clenched hold” (a fist-clenching method used in Daoist health practices) can brighten the eyes. According to the scripture, it gathers in the hun and restrains the po, as though setting a doorway in place for the hun and po. It is a way to preserve essence, brighten the eyes, retain one’s years, and calm the po. If practiced throughout the day, it is said that harmful influences and every kind of poison cannot enter.

To practice the clenched hold, bend the thumb beneath the other four fingers, then close the four fingers around it. Persist in the practice without interruption; it is said that eventually the eyes will no longer open. Another account says this practice can protect a person from demonic apparitions.

The Inner Explanation says that six things in the human body deplete a person: first, essence; second, saliva; third, tears; fourth, nasal mucus; fifth, sweat; and sixth, urine. They deplete a person to different degrees. If you can go all day without a runny nose or spitting, let saliva collect until it fills the mouth, rinse it around, and then swallow it. You can also keep a date pit in your mouth; when saliva forms, swallow it. The point is to swallow the saliva, not the date pit. This is an important health practice.

Each morning, you can begin by tapping the teeth thirty-six times; three hundred times is even better if you can manage it. This is said to strengthen the teeth and prevent pain. Then move the tongue around the mouth to gather saliva. Once the mouth is full, swallow it. Repeat this three times.

Next, rub the fingers until warm, then warm the eyes with them fourteen times. This is said to brighten the eyes. Each morning, as soon as you get up, cover both ears with your hands and rub them up and down until they are warm. Do this fourteen times; it is said to prevent deafness. Then tap the teeth again, rinse the mouth, and swallow the saliva three times. Pinch the nose and hold your breath. Reach the right hand over the top of the head and pull the left ear fourteen times; then reach the left hand over the head and pull the right ear fourteen times. This is said to prolong life and prevent deafness.

Next, pull upward on the hair at both temples fourteen times. Then grasp all the hair with both hands and pull upward as hard as you can, fourteen times. This is said to help Qi and blood circulate and prevent the hair from turning white.

There is another method: rub the hands until warm, then stroke the face from top to bottom to dispel harmful influences and give the face a healthy glow. Rub the hands warm again and stroke the whole body from top to bottom. This is called “dry bathing,” a method of rubbing the body without water. It is said to ward off various illnesses, including wind-cold, seasonal pestilence, fever, and headache. Before bed, you can also rub the body regularly with both hands; this is called dry bathing and is used to ward off harmful wind.

Sit upright. Support the head with the left hand while extending the right arm upward as far as possible, lifting with force and shaking the body along with it three times. Then support the head with the right hand and shake three times. This is said to relieve weariness and mental dullness. Before sunrise, sit upright facing south, place both hands on the thighs, and stretch and shake with force three times. This is said to give the complexion a healthy glow.

After rising in the morning, before washing or dressing, sit upright. First clasp your right hand with your left and place them on your left thigh. Press the thigh forward and backward as firmly as you can, three times. Then clasp your left hand with your right, place them on your right thigh, and knead and press it back and forth, also three times. Next, stretch both arms straight out in front of you as far as they will go and strike forward three times. Cross your hands in front of your chest, extend your elbows forward as far as you can, and do this three times.

Then straighten your left arm and bend your right, pulling them apart as hard as you can, as though drawing a bow strong enough to bear the weight of one hu and five dou. Now pull the bow with your right hand, using the same movement. Next, brace your right hand against the ground and raise your left hand toward the sky, stretching as far as you can; then switch sides. Bend both hands forward and strike out forcefully, twenty-one times on each side. Afterward, bend your left arm and reach it as far behind your back as possible, clenching your fist three times; do the same with your right arm. These movements can ease fatigue and discomfort in the back, shoulders, arms, and elbows. It is best to do them regularly.

After these exercises in the morning, place a long cane under your arm, let your left foot hang over the edge of the bed, and extend it slowly. Then pull the foot firmly five to seven times. Repeat with the right foot. This can ease beriberi, pain and heaviness, as well as cold in the lower back and kidneys, cold impediment (numbness and pain caused by cold), and cold knees. It is best to pull each foot three times in the morning and evening. Do not eat until you are overly full or hold in your urine. If you do not use a cane, keep the foot being stretched off the ground and hold on to an object for support.

Combing your hair one thousand strokes each morning and evening can greatly ease head wind (discomfort caused by wind affecting the head) and help keep your hair from turning white. After combing, rub salt crystals and raw sesame oil over the crown of your head for better results. If you have Shenming ointment, applying it is also beneficial.

When preparing to wash and groom yourself in the morning, click your teeth together one hundred and sixty times. When saliva gathers in your mouth, swallow it. Then rinse your mouth with water and rub your teeth with powdered salt. Next, hold a little slightly sour, clear liquid in your mouth and rinse carefully. Wash your eyes with salt water, then wash your face with cold water, taking care not to let it run into your eyes. The book says this routine can keep the teeth strong and clean, make the eyes bright and free from tearing, and prevent cavities. When washing your face in the morning, after rinsing your mouth, swallow one or two mouthfuls of cold water; this is said to clear the mind and dispel heat and tension in the chest.

Hua Tuo, a famous physician of the Eastern Han dynasty from Qiao Commandery, passed on methods of nourishing life to his disciples Wu Pu of Guangling and Fan A of Pengcheng. Hua Tuo once told Wu Pu, “The human body needs to move, but should not be worked to exhaustion. When the body is kept in motion, the essence produced from food can disperse and the blood vessels can circulate, making illness less likely. It is like a door pivot: when it turns often, it is less likely to rot.”

As for the immortal and Han-dynasty Daoist Junqian, he taught daoyin exercises—health practices that work the body through movement and breathing. He imitated the movements of apes and owls, turning his head, stretching his torso, and moving the joints throughout his body in the hope of slowing aging.

I also have a set of exercises called the “Five Animal Frolics,” with movements modeled on the tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird. They can ward off illness and benefit the hands and feet. When practicing daoyin, if you feel uncomfortable, get up and imitate an animal’s movements until you begin to sweat lightly, then stop and rub your body with powder. You will feel lighter, and your appetite will return. Wu Pu practiced this way and, even in his nineties, still had keen hearing and clear eyesight, strong teeth, and an appetite like a young person’s.

Tiger Frolic: Get down on all fours. First pounce forward three times, then retreat twice. Stretch your torso fully, suddenly arch back and look up at the sky, then return to the all-fours position. Repeat the forward and backward movements seven times each.

Deer Frolic: Get down on all fours, stretch your neck, and look back: three times to the left and twice to the right. Then extend your legs and feet to either side, three times on one side and twice on the other.

Bear Frolic: Lie on your back and clasp your hands below your knees. Raise your head and turn to the left, bringing it close to the ground; repeat seven times. Turn to the right in the same way, also seven times. Then squat, brace your hands on the ground, and shift from side to side.

Ape Frolic: Hang from an object and extend and contract your body, moving up and down seventeen times. Then hook your feet over an object and hang, swinging from side to side seven times. Next, hook your hands over an object and raise your body upright; then press your hands against your head. Repeat each movement seven times.

Bird Frolic: Stand with your feet together and raise your hands overhead. Lift one foot, stretch your arms, raise your eyebrows, and exert yourself; repeat fourteen times on each side. Then sit and extend your legs. Hold your feet with your hands and push them forward; repeat seven times. Next, draw your arms in and extend them again, seven times each.

When practicing the Five Animal Frolics, work within your abilities and continue until you sweat. Afterward, rub your body with powder. This is said to aid digestion, stimulate the appetite, and ward off various illnesses. Practiced regularly, the exercises can help prolong life.

There is another method: before eating, sit quietly, cross your hands, and stretch your arms and thighs to activate the channels throughout the body. The text considers this more beneficial than taking medicinal decoctions. Sitting upright and breathing out toward the sky can quickly disperse Qi that has built up after overeating or drinking too much. Practiced in summer, it can also make you feel cool.