典藏书目

Heaven and Earth regard the generation and nurturing of all things as their virtue. Among all that living beings hold dear, the body is paramount. The state of physical comfort and peace can be achieved by taking preservation as the foundation. If people in the world focus on this foundation, the root will inevitably become solid. Once the root is solid, how can diseases arise? How can premature death or violent ends occur? There is no one who can surpass this way of preserving life (from *Yangsheng Zachao*).

To preserve hearing, one should often eat until moderately full; to preserve vision, one should often close the eyes to rest; to preserve arms and fingers, one should frequently flex and extend them; to preserve thighs and toes, one should walk frequently (from *Chu Shi Yishu*).

Hair should be combed often, teeth should be tapped frequently, saliva should be swallowed regularly, breath should be refined and cultivated, and hands should be rubbed against the face. These five practices are what is meant by "If you wish not to die, cultivate Kunlun" (referring to the head) (from *Huangting Neijing*).

There are five difficulties in preserving life: failing to extinguish the desire for fame and profit is the first difficulty; failing to eliminate anger and joy is the second difficulty; failing to abandon sensual pleasures is the third difficulty; failing to abstain from rich flavors is the fourth difficulty; and scattering spirit and essence through worry and anxiety is the fifth difficulty. If these five factors remain, even if one hopes for old age, recites profound words, chews essences, and breathes the sun's energy, one cannot avoid a short lifespan. If these five factors are absent, the mind becomes increasingly harmonious and compliant, profound virtue becomes complete day by day, happiness comes naturally without prayer, and longevity extends without seeking it. This is the ultimate principle of life preservation (from Ji Kang's *Yangsheng Lun*).

After eating, use a small paper twist to induce sneezing several times. When the qi flows freely, the eyes will naturally become clear, and phlegm will naturally resolve (from *Suosui Lu*).

Wake up early, sit facing east, rub both hands together until they are hot, then massage the forehead up to the top of the head. Repeat eighteen times (two nines). This method is called "Preserving Niwan" (focusing on the Upper Dantian) (from *Taiping Yulan*).

Using a pillow stuffed with chrysanthemum flowers makes the brain feel cool and clear over time. Placing Cassiae Semen (Jue Ming Zi, 决明子) in the pillow is particularly effective for improving vision (from *Suosui Lu*).

When walking at night, frequently tap the teeth. There is no fixed limit to the number of taps. Evil spirits fear the sound of tooth-tapping and thus do not dare to harm humans. If combined with swallowing saliva and chanting spells, it is even better. In the past, there was a man named Bao Zhu who did not study the Dao nor know any magical arts. In his forties, he suddenly suffered from facial wind disease, resulting in deviation of the mouth and eye. His upper and lower teeth constantly clicked together with a loud sound, day and night without stopping. Yet, he lived to the age of 117 (from *Zhen Gao*).

For ordinary people, indulging in food and drink, especially rich and greasy foods, leads to disharmony of Yin and Yang, which is the root cause of all diseases. This causes internal damage from the Seven Emotions and external invasion by the Six Qi pathogens, jointly creating harm. In such cases, one must diligently rely on medical treatment and therapy; how can one depend on divine protection? It is lamentable that the ways of ghosts appear prominent while the ways of medicine seem obscure (from *Zhen Gao*).