典藏书目

The True Man said: Although one frequently takes elixirs, if one does not understand the art of nurturing life, it is also difficult to achieve longevity. The way of nurturing life involves constant mild exertion, but one must avoid excessive fatigue and forcing oneself beyond what one can endure. Just as flowing water does not become stagnant and door pivots do not rot, it is because they are in motion. The principle of nurturing life dictates that one should not walk, stand, sit, lie down, look, or listen for prolonged periods. For prolonged looking damages blood, prolonged lying damages qi, prolonged standing damages bones, prolonged sitting damages flesh, and prolonged walking damages sinews. One should not eagerly pursue desires, nor harbor resentment in one's heart; both will shorten one's lifespan. If one can avoid violating these principles, one can attain longevity. Therefore, those who are good at preserving their health often think little, have few distracting thoughts, feel little sorrow, anger, grief, or excessive joy, and eliminate worries and vexations. (Sudden and frequent emotional fluctuations are called "fan" [vexation], while being invaded and touched by external factors is called "nao" [annoyance].) Just as with consuming the five flavors, one must never fly into a rage, as excessive anger startles the spirit and leads to strange dreams at night. When eating, one should not consume multiple types of meat dishes; after eating, one should not drink turbid water, otherwise, hundreds of diseases may arise, harming the soul and affecting others. ... Endure straining appropriately; forcing it causes emaciation of the waist and涩 (astringency/pain) in the urethra, so it is best to let nature take its course. Whenever encountering mountain and river waters, turbid water must not be drunk, as it will certainly cause malaria. Diet should be regulated, and caution exercised at all times, so that misfortune departs and auspiciousness arrives. Wet clothes and sweaty clothes should not be worn for long periods, otherwise, urination may become difficult. When sweating profusely, do not remove all clothes immediately, as this may lead to indigestion and headache. Changing clothes should be done promptly and adjusted properly. Do not sing or chant when about to sleep, as this is inauspicious. Upon waking, the soul and six spirits may be unsettled, leading to melancholy and resentment. Do not place a charcoal brazier near the head, as heat blown into the ears can cause deafness. In summer, one should not expose the skin excessively, causing the facial skin to... (text incomplete). When sleeping, do not suspend the feet high up, as this over time leads to Kidney Water disease and damage to the sacrum. After sweating, do not hang the bed and suspend the feet, as this over time leads to Blood Bi syndrome and affects the dorsum of the feet... (text incomplete). At night, it is customary to sleep with the mouth closed; opening the mouth causes loss of Qi and allows evil pathogens to enter. Lie flat according to Yin and Yang rhythms; referencing Confucius' refusal to lie stiffly like a corpse, it is said that during sleep, the mind should be calm and eyes closed. A person sleeping through the night should turn over five times, which is auspicious. One should not approach and call out urgently. If one has bad dreams at night, there is no need to recount them; if not recounted, there will be no blame. It is also said that whether dreams are good or bad, do not speak of them, to avoid violating the taboos of the sun and moon and losing the harmony of the seasons. Taboos of the months: do not travel far at dusk; lifelong taboos: do not light fires at dusk... (text incomplete). In the twelfth month, cold reaches the thighs; in the first month, it reaches the waist, named San Yang Cheng... (text incomplete). In the second month, it reaches the shoulders; in the third month, it reaches the neck; in the fourth month, it reaches the crown, which are months where Pure Yang is dominant. On every Winter Solstice day, lie on thickly piled straw under the north wall, it is said to receive Spring Frost... (text incomplete).