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The "Five Blessings" recorded in the *Hong Fan* chapter of the *Book of Documents* (*Shangshu*) include longevity as the first. Only by possessing longevity can one enjoy other blessings. However, the fourth blessing is "loving virtue" (Yōu Hǎo Dé); and among the "Six Extremes" (Liù Jí - six types of extreme misfortunes), the fifth is "wickedness" (È) and the sixth is "weakness" (Ruò). This demonstrates that virtue is the root of blessings and longevity. If one is obstinate, wicked, and unwilling to love virtue, or is weak and negligent in cultivating virtue, then extreme disasters will follow, cutting off the roots of blessings and longevity. Health preservation (Wèi Shēng) is particularly an important aspect of cultivating virtue. This can be seen from Confucius's caution regarding illnesses and the three prohibitions for gentlemen.

Furthermore, the Yellow Emperor asked Qibo: "I have heard that people in ancient times lived beyond a hundred years without losing their physical vigor, whereas people today lose their vigor by the age of fifty. Is this due to differences in the times and circumstances, or have people lost the way of health preservation?" Qibo replied: "People in ancient times who understood the Great Dao modeled themselves on Yin and Yang, harmonized with proper methods and numbers, regulated their diet, maintained regular daily routines, and did not engage in reckless exertion. Thus, they could maintain unity of form and spirit, completing their natural lifespan and passing away after living a hundred years. People of today are different. They treat wine as if it were water, make recklessness a habit, engage in sexual intercourse while drunk, exhaust their essence through desires, and dissipate their true Qi. They do not know how to preserve fullness, fail to manage their spirit appropriately, seek only mental gratification, go against the joy of life, and lack regularity in their daily routines. Therefore, they decline before reaching fifty."

Observing this, it is clear that the length of life depends entirely on the abundance or deficiency of Essence (Jing), Qi, and Spirit (Shen). Once blood and essence are damaged, Spirit and Qi have no foundation upon which to attach. It becomes difficult to achieve longevity and enjoy various blessings! Among all harms, lustful desire is the most detrimental. Young and strong individuals should practice moderation; the elderly should abstain completely. This applies equally to men and women. Generally, men's essence matures at sixteen (two eights) and ceases at sixty-four (eight eights); women's Tian Gui (menstruation/sexual maturity) arrives at fourteen (two sevens) and stops at forty-nine (seven sevens). Sexual intercourse and ejaculation should not occur too early; ages twenty-eight for men and twenty-one for women are considered optimal. In ancient times, late marriage in youth and early abstinence in middle age often led to long life. Modern people marry early and indulge in desires, leading to the depletion of Kidney Water and hyperactivity of Heart Fire. When spirit and essence are nearly exhausted, even immortal elixirs cannot cure them, and regret comes too late. Wise people should understand this. Essence and marrow are limited; generating them is very difficult, while consuming them is very easy. It is like a lamp: when the oil is full, the light shines bright; when the oil is exhausted, the light goes out. If one indulges in lust, loses essence, and relies on medicinal herbs to borrow strength, abandoning the true Yuan Qi for the false, and internal cultivation for external substances, is this not foolish? Let us use the characters "Greed" (Tān) and "Frugality" (Jiǎn) to awaken people: Do not greedily pursue fleeting fame and wealth, but greedily pursue lasting blessings and longevity; do not be stingy with easily obtained material goods, but be frugal with hard-to-obtain spirit and essence. This inversion is extreme! Secondly, anger and sorrow can damage Qi and Blood, scorch the Harmony of Yuan Qi, and cause unpredictable diseases. Alas! If people can control their emotions and restrain their nature, thereby cherishing blessings and nourishing longevity, even the joy of a king ruling the world would not be exchanged for it. As the *Classic of Poetry* (*Shijing*) says, "Seek your own abundant blessings"; and as the *Book of Documents* (*Shangshu*) states, "You create your own destiny." One will thus constantly enjoy the joy of healing without medication! Even if there is occasional disharmony, as long as Essence, Qi, and Spirit remain solid, recovery can be achieved with a single dose of medicine.