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Pine trees possess a millennium's stability, whereas snow lacks even a moment's firmness. If one plants pine in rotting soil, it will inevitably be infested by worms without expectation; if one stores snow on a shady mountain, it will not melt even after passing through summer. Violating their nature makes the firm brittle; following their principles allows the short-lived to become long-lasting. Since this is the case with things, how could human principles be different? Therefore, how can the art of regulation and preservation be neglected?

Human embryos rely on the coagulation of parents' essence and blood. When the fetus is complete after ten months, a single drop of parents' essence and blood is no longer needed, forming merely a sac-like womb. Within it, receiving a trace of spiritual energy from the parents, it grows day by day, while the turbid and foul substances of essence and blood are gradually expelled. Upon reaching full term, overturning heaven and earth, with a peaceful sound, it is born, yet the foul qi of the parents cannot be entirely cleared; oral blood is removed, fetal hair is shaved, and monthly "bianzheng" (developmental changes) occur, alternating with rashes and smallpox-like eruptions. By seven or eight years old, teeth are replaced and renewed, after which the bodily qi gradually clears. Wisdom and cognition grow, establishing a new world and creating its own造化 (creative transformation); gradually reaching fifteen or sixteen years old, one becomes a parent again. Is this not formed by a cluster of the most true qi of heaven and earth? If humans do not cherish themselves, falling into premature death or violent demise, failing to extend life and establish destiny, it is truly pitiable!

Appendix: Fetal Nurturing
Men marrying at thirty and women marrying at twenty were the ancient institutions. Nowadays, people marry prematurely because sickly men and emaciated women feel unable to complete their life tasks without marriage; or newly recovered patients marry due to pressing auspicious dates. It is like a silkworm too ill to spin a cocoon, or a broken blossom unable to bear fruit. Young men and women have scattered spirit gates and agitated five spirits; excessive sexual activity creates karmic seeds for conception. This may result in dwarfs lacking vigor, or individuals with large heads and staring eyes who, though possessing human form, lack wisdom. I have witnessed such cases personally and often feel compassion.

Appendix: Prenatal Education
After conception, if there are no violations throughout, the fetal qi remains pure and genuine, avoiding miscarriage and potentially bringing spiritual dreams or auspicious signs that lead to the birth of virtuous gentlemen. Thus, historical records clearly show examples: Chan Master Jie of Wuzu Mountain admired Su Laoquan and became Scholar Dongpo; a Daoist alchemist from Mount Wuyi entered the family of a lacquer maker and gave birth to Mr. Xishan; Daoist Song accepted offerings from Prince Shi Wei and became Chancellor Song Zhiqing. Spirits involved in reincarnation often produce prodigies and extraordinary scholars. Therefore, prenatal education methods involve letting pregnant women frequently view fine gold, beautiful jade, and ritual vessels like hulian and gui, and listen to recitations of classics and histories, allowing elegant qi to enter the fetus. To desire innate knowledge is a benevolent medical art. The concept of reincarnation and body-snatching is absent in Confucianism; however, prenatal education is indispensable. (Although these two sections are not direct regimens, they are the origin of establishing life.)

Heaven and earth's qi does not descend if it does not ascend, nor enters if it does not exit. A hollow tube filled with water, sealed at the top and suspended, will not leak because there is no ascending qi to allow descending. An empty bottle with a small mouth poured quickly will not fill because exiting air prevents entry. Those who practice health preservation can preserve their spirit, so qi naturally abounds; where spirit goes, qi follows. The entire universe is filled with qi. The key to longevity lies here. Why do humans damage their essence to deplete their qi?

Health preservation is based on not causing injury; this is a crucial statement. Effort beyond one's capacity causes injury; forcing oneself beyond strength causes injury; sorrow and haggardness cause injury; excessive joy or anger causes injury; irregular sleep causes injury; frantic pursuit of desires causes injury; constant worry about disasters causes injury; prolonged talking and laughing causes injury; intoxication and vomiting cause injury; lying down immediately after eating causes injury; rapid walking with panting causes injury; frequent anger and depression cause injury. Accumulated yang to the extreme leads to early death, which is contrary to the Dao. Thus, methods of nurturing character include spitting not far away, walking not fast, listening not intensely, looking not fixedly, sitting not for too long, lying not until fatigue, dressing before feeling cold, undressing before feeling hot; not eating until extremely hungry, avoiding overeating; not drinking until extremely thirsty, avoiding overdrinking. Excessive food leads to accumulation; excessive drink leads to phlegm stagnation. Avoid extreme labor or extreme leisure, late rising, profuse sweating, excessive sleep, raw/cold foods, drinking in the wind, frequent bathing, grand ambitions, and seeking strange effects. In winter, avoid extreme warmth; in summer, avoid excessive coolness; avoid sitting under stars, sleeping without fanning; avoid exposure to extreme cold/heat, strong winds/fog. Do not favor any of the five flavors. Injuries are not always felt immediately but damage longevity over time. *Essentials of Health Preservation* states: One's body resembles a state. The chest is like palaces; limbs are like borders; joints are like rivers; interstices are like intersections. Spirit is the ruler, blood is the minister, qi is the people. Thus, a sage regulates his body as a wise ruler governs his state. Loving the people secures the state; loving qi preserves the body. Ruined people mean a fallen state; depleted qi means a dying body.

It also says: Much thinking scatters spirit; much worrying labors the heart; much laughing turns organs upward; much speech empties the Qi Sea; much joy weakens the bladder; much anger reverses blood in interstices; much pleasure dissipates mind; much sorrow withers face; much desire overwhelms intellect; much aversion agitates lungs; much busyness dries tendons; much scheming depresses wisdom. These destroy life more than axes and corrupt nature more than tigers.

It also says: A clear heart keeps the True Person in place; settled qi expels evil. Deceit saddens the spirit; competition discourages the spirit. Insulting others reduces lifespan; killing beings harms years. Doing good pleases the Soul Spirit (Hun); doing evil delights the Corporeal Spirit (Po). Hun desires life; Po desires death. Maintaining broad-mindedness and tranquility ensures physical and spiritual peace, preventing disaster and disease.

Zhuangzi's passage on longevity is worth reading. Huangdi asked Guangchengzi: How to cultivate the body for longevity? Guangchengzi replied: Excellent question! The essence of the Great Dao is profound and dark; its peak is dim and silent. See nothing, hear nothing, hold spirit in stillness, and the form will naturally correct. Be still and clear, do not tire your form, do not shake your essence, and you can achieve longevity. Guard the inner, close the outer; much knowledge leads to failure. I guard the One and dwell in harmony, thus living 1200 years without decay. If humans can truly not tire their form and not shake their essence, the path to longevity needs no external search.

Eyes are windows of spirit; nose is the gate of qi; Weilu (tailbone area) is the path of essence. Much vision consumes spirit; much breathing depletes qi (rapid breathing); frequent sex exhausts essence. One must close eyes to nourish spirit, regulate breath to nourish qi, and secure the lower source to nourish essence. Full essence yields abundant qi; abundant qi yields complete spirit. Daoists call these the Three Treasures or Great Medicine. This is not heresy but Confucian common sense.

Essence in eyes brings clear sight; in ears brings sharp hearing; in mouth brings proper speech; in heart brings thorough thought. Closing the four gates ensures lifelong safety. Keeping the mouth closed is called "Jiong"; keeping external evils out is called "Bi". Inner closure and outer defense ensure moderation; outer closure and inner defense ensure success. Considering Wenzi's words, why should humans not cherish essence and avoid desire?

Humans regard sleep as rest and food as nourishment. Yet sleep should not be indulged; Zen considers it the head of six desires, damaging spirit and qi. Food should not be excessive; it suppresses yang qi. Imbalanced ascent/descent, intended for health, actually harms life. Gentlemen sleep early and rise early, keeping clarity in body, eating bland vegetarian meals to keep intestines/stomach empty, allowing qi circulation and yin-yang balance. This is the best way. Indulging in soft beds and rich foods is unsuitable.

Men generate yang essence at eight, release it at sixteen, and exhaust it at sixty-four. Women generate Gui Water at seven, it descends at fourteen, and exhausts at forty-nine. I have verified that men's lives often face obstacles after sixty-four; slight negligence leads to swelling, wind-bi, etc., reducing lifespan. Hence, "Seventy is rare since ancient times." Women's lives face obstacles after forty-nine; negligence leads to metrorrhagia, strangury, epigastric diseases, reducing lifespan. Those knowing fate must be cautious during this depletion period, as it is the critical juncture between life and death.

Xing Heshu said: We must cherish our energy. If slightly insufficient, we become tired in tasks, acting reluctantly without sincerity. This is visible in social interactions, let alone major events. Generally, those who carefully preserve from start to finish repel disease, extend life, and grow stronger with age. Despite wealth differences, harmonious Ying-Wei makes all seasons like spring, vastly superior to being rich/noble while sick. Continuous improvement surpasses ordinary understanding.

Ma Xihui, Registrar of Qingzhou, retired at over ninety. Emperor Taizong asked for his regimen. He replied: No special method, only few emotions, little desire, moderating sex/sound/flavor. Liu Gongdu of Tang lived to eighty with strength. Asked his method: Never used spleen/stomach to cook raw/warm cold items, nor used vital qi to support anger/joy. Lu Xugong asked Ren Gonghui about diet. Ren replied: Don't know health arts, but understood *Wenxuan* in middle age: "Stone containing jade makes mountain shine; water holding pearl makes river charming." Lu agreed. These three views clarify health preservation. Alchemical elixirs for immortality are alchemists' nonsense; wise men should not be confused.

Meng Xian, Prefect of Tongzhou, retired to Yifangyang. Though old, his will was strong. Told relatives: To protect body/nature, keep good words near mouth, good medicine near hand. Good words build virtue/blessings; medicine removes disease/health. But good words must be accompanied by good deeds; physical cures must be paired with mental cures.

Ming Dynasty scholar Jiang of Daolin Temple fell ill in Yi Hai year, vomiting blood nearly dying. He stayed in a temple room, meditating with eyes closed, legs crossed, clearing mind day and night. Suddenly, fragrant saliva filled cheeks, white void appeared before him, and deep illness vanished instantly. He said: Reading Guan-Luo books, I saw unity of all things but lacked confidence. At 32-33, meditating in temple due to illness, I cut off fear of death and attachment to mother. After half a year, suddenly my mind was clear, universe felt like one body, breathing/pain/itch had no separation.

Song Dynasty Chao Wenyuan (Chao Hui) married late at 40+. Learned qi refining/form shaping. Lived alone in Daoist courtyard, ignoring other duties. Ordered family not to disturb, served two meals timely, cleared immediately after eating like sacrifices. Said: Debate不如 silence, speech不如 quiet, movement不如 stillness, busyness vs intervals. Also: Clear beats turbid, still beats moving, forgetting beats thinking, silence beats speech, nature beats emotion. Mastering these five victories is the gradual door to Dao. Heard sounds in ears in old age, like music reed, believing it proof of Dao practice. Died at 84.

World says eyebrow hair不如 ear hair, ear hair不如 gluttony (laotao), implying elderly appetite indicates longevity. Not necessarily true. Overeating stifles stomach qi, causing disease; coarse food less harmful, rich food worse; winter/spring less, summer/autumn worse. *Vinaya Pitaka* says monks with illness should first stop eating. My grandfather stopped eating when slightly unwell, died at 92 without bedridden illness due to stomach qi movement. Cao Cishan ate little, skipped dinner, lived nearly 100. Grand Secretary Zhang Yushu ate light breakfast, drank rice soup at dusk, lived near 100. Food supplements qi; hunger ends, satiety brings disease. Using drugs to digest hurts harmony. Su Shi ate until not full, leaving chopsticks. My essay "Five Restraints" on diet says: Delicious food pleases mouth but weak spleen struggles to transform; let gluttons take it, burden belly for peace. Derived from experience.

Ji Kang's *Essay on Health Preservation*: Shennong's superior drugs nourish life, medium drugs nourish nature. Knowing life/nature principles, auxiliary nourishment connects them. People ignore this, obsessed with grains, sights/sounds, dizzy eyes, noisy ears; flavors fry viscera, wine sells intestines; aromatics rot marrow, anger/joy violate righteous qi, worry consumes spirit, sorrow/joy harm purity. With such a tiny body attacked from many sides, easily exhausted inside/outside, how can it last if not wood/stone?

*Baopuzi*: Health preservation requires wide learning/viewing and choosing good. Relying on one aspect is insufficient. Enthusiasts claim specialties: Sexual arts for transcendence; breathing for longevity; stretching/guiding for aging prevention; herbal formulas for disease avoidance. Failure in Dao comes from such partiality.

Wenzhongzi: Good preservers prioritize sleep/food then medicine. Simple and meaningful.

Sun Simiao's *Song of Hygiene*: Humans are precious in heaven/earth; head like heaven, feet like earth; treasure parents' legacy; Five Blessings are supreme. Three taboos for hygiene: Great anger, great desire, great drunkenness. If one exists, prevent loss of true yuan qi. Next, control nature to seek longevity: Fire doesn't rise, heart settles; Wood leaves fire, ash doesn't form; controlling nature extends life. Greed forgets essence; endless use loses primordial spirit; exhausting form scatters neutral qi; what protects the body? Heart too busy tires; form too tired weakens; spirit too injured empties; qi too damaged cuts off. To know hygiene path: Regular joy/laughter, less anger; sincere mind, remove worries; follow reason, cultivate self, remove烦恼. Spring: Xu (sound) brightens eyes; Summer: He (sound) calms heart; Autumn/Winter: Xi (sound) soothes lungs/kidneys; Four Seasons: Hu (sound) aids spleen digestion; Sanjiao: Xi stops heat. Comb hair, refine qi, tap teeth, swallow saliva. To live forever, cultivate Kunlun (head), rub face daily. Spring: Less sour, eat sweet; Winter: Bitter, not salty; Summer: More pungent, less bitter; Autumn: Less pungent, add sour. Seasonal extremes: Moderately avoid sweet; natural five zang safe. Reduce tastes, reduce disease. Spring cold: Don't wear thin clothes; Summer sweat: Change clothes; Autumn/Winter cold: Add layers; don't wait for illness to take medicine. Summer hard to regulate: Hidden yin inside, avoid ice/water; melons/raw/cold: Eat less, avoid autumn malaria/dysentery. Heart strong/Kidney weak: Avoid lust; conserve essence, solidify kidney, keep kidney full. Daily diet: Avoid grease; too full injures spirit, hunger injures stomach; too thirsty injures blood, drinks injure qi. Hunger/thirst moderation avoids lung/heart damage. Drunk forced drinking/eating: Remove these, no disease. Humans need food for life; remove extremes, find ease. Walk slowly 100 steps after eating, rub navel/abdomen to digest; midnight pour clear water (saliva) to root, exhale turbid qi from Dantian. Wine陶冶s nature; excessive drinking prevents hundred diseases. Lung as canopy: Injury causes cough/labor/spirit damage. Don't add salt to tea; invites thieves home; lower jiao cold/emaciation; damages kidney/spleen, adds disease. Sitting/lying: Prevent wind behind head; head wind shortens life; drunk/full in wind: Wind enters five internal organs, disaster. Geese orderly, dogs loyal, black fish face north knowing etiquette; humans without etiquette eat them, heaven/earth/spirits dislike. Body care: Restrict five pungents; unrestrained hurts body; don't trigger false yang; essence exhaustion/withered appearance invites hundred diseases. Home/outside: Thunderstorms/rain/wind: Respect heaven's majesty, sit quietly, clear mind, beware. Love entangles, profit/name binds; leave room for fortune, avoid premature gray hair. Standing tall/eating warm is not shameful; hard to repay boundless grace; burn incense morning/evening bowing to heaven/earth. Body peace/longevity? Calm chest, accumulate good; cherish life/body/qi; study *Song of Hygiene*.

*Bencao Yan yi* General Preface: Those who haven't heard the Dao indulge their hearts, opposing life-preserving medicines. Spirit follows cleverness; worry follows gain/loss; labor follows etiquette; life follows wealth/profit. Four indulgences not stopping make heart diseased. Extreme labor, noisy/violent qi reversal; facing wind, indulging wine, eating sour/spicy makes liver diseased. Raw/cold food, temperature imbalance; long sitting/lying, big full/hunger makes spleen diseased. Loud calling, argumentative replies; exposing to cold/warmth, eating salty/bitter makes lung diseased. Long damp places, forcing into water; indulging desire, laboring form, leaking three fields makes kidney diseased. Five diseases arise, leading to weakness before old age, sickness before weakness; severe sickness leads to death. Alas! All taken by oneself without thought.

Not startled by favor/disgrace, Liver Wood calms; respectful movement/stillness, Heart Fire settles; regulated diet, Spleen Earth doesn't leak; regulated breath/few words, Lung Metal completes; tranquil/no desire, Kidney Water sufficient. These are our life-medicines; people should attend to these words.

People know to cherish life, preserving at solar terms, especially Solstices. Summer Solstice: Regulate; Winter Solstice: Abstain. Yin/Yang waxing/waning at solstices harms more. When Yang first generates, qi is subtle, like sprouting grass, easy to damage; *I Ching* says close doors on solstice days. 《