"The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" gathers the ways of health preservation from various schools of thought in ancient China, and explores the theories and methods of health preservation and longevity from a medical perspective.
View of Nature
"The unity of heaven and man." The human body must conform to the laws of nature in order to maintain normal life activities. "If one goes against it, disasters will arise; if one follows it, one can avoid illness." Based on the different seasons, methods such as spring health preservation, summer health growth, autumn health harvest, winter health storage, as well as spring and summer yang nourishment, autumn and winter yin nourishment are used to achieve the overall unity of human and nature through the way of nature and the nurturing of natural life.
Prevention and Treatment
"The sage does not treat the already sick, but treats the not yet sick. The sage does not treat the already chaotic, but treats the not yet chaotic. When illness has already formed, then medicine is given; when chaos has already formed, then order is imposed. This is like digging a well when already thirsty, or forging weapons when already at war. Isn't this too late?" It puts forward the idea of preventing before getting sick. "Avoid the invasion of evil winds at the right time; be calm and empty, and true qi will follow; keep the spirit inward, and the disease will be at peace!" Avoid external influences from the six climatic factors and avoid mental stimulation and emotional changes in order to achieve prevention before getting sick.
View of Willpower
"Willpower collects the soul and spirit, adapts to cold and heat, and harmonizes joy and anger." It emphasizes the role of human willpower and combines it with the characteristics of each season to cultivate the spirit and willpower. "In the spring of March, this is called the awakening of Chen, to invigorate the will"; "In the summer of March, this is called the flourishing growth, to prevent anger"; "In the autumn of March, this is called the serene balance, to ensure peace of mind"; "In the winter of March, this is called the closed storage, to make the will retreat and hide." In summary, the spirit and willpower of a person should be relaxed in spring, enriched in summer, stabilized in autumn, and hidden in winter, in order to maintain "no unusual pain in the body, no loss of all things, inexhaustible vitality, focused spirit, intact soul and spirit, no regrets or anger, and the five organs free from evil."
View of Essence and Qi
"Excessive desires and endless worries will weaken the essence and qi, and when the essence and qi are depleted, the spirit will be lost, and the illness will not be cured." The abundance or depletion of essence and qi determines the growth and aging process of the human body and is the source of the body's resistance to diseases. Therefore, health preservation must be cautious in sexual activities and preserve essence and qi.
View of Movement and Stillness
"Being able to move and be still, this is the key to longevity." It advocates the cultivation of both body and spirit. According to the different seasons, physical exercise and mental relaxation should be balanced. In spring, "go to bed early and get up early, take a walk in the courtyard"; in summer, "go to bed early and get up early, not tired of the sun"; in autumn, "go to bed early and get up early, rise with the chickens"; in winter, "go to bed early and get up late, wait for the sunlight."
View of Diet Therapy
"Food is the paramount necessity of the people." It advocates "moderation in eating and drinking" to maintain the source of the spleen and stomach. For example, "excessive eating and drinking will harm the spleen and stomach," which will lead to insufficient transformation of food and easily give rise to various diseases. At the same time, it warns people to carefully balance the five flavors and avoid excessive indulgence. "Use poisonous medicines to counteract evils, use grains for nourishment, use fruits as supplements, use livestock as tonics, and use vegetables as replenishment. Take them in a combination of flavors to nourish essence and increase qi." "Therefore, carefully balance the five flavors, keep the bones strong and the tendons flexible, ensure the smooth flow of qi and blood, and keep the pores tight. In this way, the essence of the bones and qi will be abundant, and by following the rules diligently, one can enjoy a long life."
Small Loopholes in Health Preservation
In daily life, fitness does not necessarily require a large investment or a lot of time. As long as we pay attention, there are many simple and easy methods, even daily habits, that can be used as effective means of fitness.
