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The *Daozang Jing* (Daoist Canon) states: "Laozi said: The immortals of ancient times practiced Dao Yin (a health-preserving method involving physical movement and breathing regulation), capable of stretching their bodies like birds, pulling and extending their skin and limbs, moving various joints, in order to seek resistance against aging. This was named the 'Play of Five Animals.' By pulling and extending the limbs and feet, one substitutes for Dao Yin. If the body feels unwell, one rises to perform the play of one animal; thus, sweating slightly and then stopping makes the body feel light. Practicing this universally allows one to live over nine hundred years, with clear hearing and sight, and complete, firm teeth. Indeed, practicing Dao Yin is very easy, but few actually do it. How sad!

1. Tiger Play: Kneel on all fours on the ground, take three steps forward without advancing, then three steps backward without retreating. Longly stretch the skin, suddenly move forward, suddenly move backward, look up at the sky and then return; crouch on the ground, walk forward and backward seven times each.

2. Bear Play: Lie flat on your back, hold both knees with your hands, lift your head, press the left hand against the ground seven times, and the right hand also seven times; press the feet against the ground, support the ground with both hands to the left and right seven times each.

3. Deer Play: Kneel on all fours on the ground, extend the neck and look back, three times to the left and three times to the right; extend the right foot with the left leg, extend the left foot with the right leg, extending and retracting to the left and right three times each.

4. Ape Play: Climb an object to suspend the body, extend and contract the body, up and down seven times; hook an object with the feet to hang upside down, shake left and right seven times each; sitting, hook the toes (or head) with both hands seven times each.

5. Bird Play: Stand up, raise one foot, extend both arms, fan them forcefully as if spreading wings, fourteen times (two sevens) each; sitting, extend the legs, hook the toes with the hands, seven times each; extend and contract both arms seven times each.

The method of the Five Animal Plays should be done according to one's strength, limited by sweating. It lightens the body, aids digestion, boosts Qi and strength, and eliminates a hundred diseases. Hua Tuo practiced it and lived over ten thousand years, teaching his disciples. Wu Pu from Guangling also gained longevity through its practice.

[Explanation] This section, "Five Animal Plays Method," and other sections, "Breath Control and Exhalation Instructions," are selected from the Ming Dynasty's *Zhengtong Daozang · Dongshen Bu · Taishang Laojun Yangsheng Jue* (Supreme Pure Lord's Health Preservation Instructions).

The Five Animal Plays are Dao Yin techniques compiled by ancients imitating the movements of birds and beasts. The *Zhuangzi* already mentions movements such as "Bear Hanging and Bird Stretching." The *Huainanzi* further records six animal movements: "Bear Hanging, Bird Stretching, Bathing, Owl Gazing, and Tiger Looking." Hua Tuo, a famous physician of the Later Han Dynasty, inherited some experiences from predecessors and compiled the "Five Animal Plays." The *Book of Later Han · Biography of Hua Tuo* states: "Hua Tuo told Wu Pu, 'The human body needs labor, but not to the point of exhaustion. Movement allows grain Qi to digest and blood vessels to flow smoothly, preventing disease. It is like a door hinge that does not rot. Therefore, the immortals of old engaged in Dao Yin, mimicking bears hanging, birds stretching, and owls looking back, pulling and twisting the waist and body, moving various joints, to seek resistance against aging. I have a technique called the Play of Five Animals: first Tiger, second Deer, third Bear, fourth Ape, fifth Bird. It also eliminates diseases and benefits the limbs, serving as Dao Yin. If the body feels unwell, rise and perform the play of one animal, sweat profusely, apply powder afterwards, and the body will feel light, and appetite will return.' Wu Pu practiced this and lived to be over ninety years old. His hearing and sight were clear, and his teeth were complete and firm." Because Hua Tuo was knowledgeable in health preservation methods, people believed he was nearly a hundred years old, yet his appearance remained youthful. After the Five Animal Plays were included in the *Daozang*, they were titled *Taishang Laojun Yangsheng Jue*, containing untrue claims such as "Hua Tuo practiced it and lived over ten thousand years, Wu Pu practiced it and lived over nine hundred years." However, the described movements of the Five Animals are vividly imitative of animal postures and involve significant physical exertion, reflecting the simple and authentic nature of ancient Five Animal Plays.

1. Tiger Play: Mimics a tiger going out. All four limbs and hands/feet crouch on the ground in a squatting position. First, step in place three times with the front limbs (hands), then three times with the hind limbs (feet). Then relax and stretch the skin and muscles. From the crouching position, jump forward suddenly and backward suddenly, jumping forward and backward seven times each. Finally, lift the head and look up at the sky, resembling a tiger staring and roaring long, concluding the exercise.

2. Bear Play: Mimics the posture of a lying bear lifting its head to look around. Lie on your back, hold your knees with both hands, lift your head, turn and look around to the left side of the ground and chest seven times, then to the right side seven times. Then turn over, crouch on all fours, and support the ground with hands to the left and right seven times each.

3. Deer Play: Mimics the stretched and high-spirited posture of a deer. Crouch on all fours, extend the neck and lift the head, looking back left and right three times each. When looking back, extend the neck to the left while straightening the right foot, and extend the neck to the right while straightening the left foot, extending and retracting left and right three times each.

4. Ape Play: Mimics an ape climbing trees and branches, agile and flexible. Use both hands to climb an object (such as tree branches) to suspend the body in mid-air, pull up, extend and contract the limbs, up and down seven times; then hook tree branches or similar objects with the feet to hang upside down, shaking left and right seven times each; then, in a sitting position, straighten both legs, hook the feet with both hands, lower the head downwards until the head touches the feet, seven times each.

5. Bird Play: Mimics the posture of a crane standing lightly and flying freely. Stand, with one foot on the ground and the other bent, forming a white crane independent stance. Extend both arms, fan them forcefully up and down, as if birds flying, switching feet to stand independently left and right seven times. Then sit, extend the legs, hook the toes with the hands, doing this left and right seven times each. Then straighten, contract, and move both arms, doing this left and right seven times each.

Precautions: During practice, one can practice only one play or all five plays simultaneously. One should act according to one's physical condition, doing one's best, with slight sweating as the limit.