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In the ninth year of Taiping Xingguo, Emperor Taizong said to the Chancellor: "My daily routine follows a fixed pattern. Between Chen (07:00-09:00) and Si (09:00-11:00), after concluding official affairs, I immediately begin reading books and do not retire until late at night. I rise when the fifth watch drum beats. Even during the intense heat of summer days, I have never taken a nap. My diet is also moderate. Having adhered to this for a long time, I feel my physical strength has greatly improved. Generally, people feel drowsy and turbid after eating; if they do not exercise their limbs and lie down, Qi and Blood will stagnate, and various diseases will arise naturally. How can one expect to feel fresh and clear in such a state? Laozi said: 'My life is determined by me, not by Heaven.' This entirely depends on human self-regulation. You should also pay attention to this and not neglect your own health preservation." (From Yang Yi's *Yang Wengong Tan Yuan*)

Excessive thinking exhausts the Spirit (Shen); excessive thoughts scatter the Will (Zhi); excessive desires cloud the mind; excessive tasks labor the body; excessive speech depletes Qi; excessive laughter damages the internal organs; excessive sorrow frightens the Heart; excessive joy causes speech to overflow; excessive delight causes the Will to become disordered; excessive anger makes the meridians unstable; excessive attachment leads to obsession and lack of reason; excessive aversion leads to haggardness and lack of joy.

When ability does not match the effort of thinking, or strength cannot bear heavy lifting, deep sorrow and resentment, grief and emaciation, excessive joy and pleasure, eagerly pursuing desires, anxiously worrying about harms, prolonged talking and laughing, irregular sleep and rest, drawing bows and shooting arrows, drunkenness and vomiting, lying down immediately after full meals, running and jumping causing panting and fatigue, loud cheering and crying—all these disrupt the interaction between Yin and Yang. (From *Suo Hui Lu*, same source)

Eat light flavors to reduce thinking; conserve mental energy; restrain desires; guard against anger and joy; cherish Yuan Qi (Original Qi); simplify speech; regard gains and losses lightly; dispel sorrow and discouragement; eliminate delusions; stay away from likes and dislikes; restrain eyes and ears; be diligent in introspection. (Same source)

Those who have not heard the Dao indulge their minds, going against the joy of life; they use their Spirit to pursue cleverness; they use worry and fear to pursue gains and losses; they use toil and hardship to pursue etiquette; they use their bodies to pursue wealth and profit. If these four pursuits are not abandoned, the Heart will develop disease through mental distress; if one labors the body excessively, causing Qi to reverse, drinks while exposed to wind, and indulges in spicy and salty foods, the Liver will develop disease; if food and drink are too cold, raw, warm, or cool without moderation, if one sits or lies for too long, or eats too much or too little, the Spleen will develop disease; if one shouts excessively, argues, socializes, exposes oneself to cold and heat, and indulges in salty and bitter foods, the Lung will develop disease; if one sits on damp ground for too long, forces entry into water, indulges in sexual activity and labors the body, causing leakage of Essence from the Three Jiao (San Jiao), the Kidney will develop disease. Once these five diseases arise, one becomes frail before old age, and sick before becoming frail. When disease arrives, it layers upon itself; when severe, death is inevitable. Alas! These are all self-inflicted due to a lack of reflection. Those who practice health preservation must be cautious about these five points, which can lead to a lifetime free from suffering. The Classics say: "Treat disease before it arises, not after it has arisen," precisely for this reason.