🌿 Folk Prescriptions

The Beginning of Spring is the third solar term of the year. According to ancient lunar calendars: "When the Big Dipper points to Ding, it is called the Beginning of Spring; thunder sounds, hibernating insects all stir and emerge from their burrows, hence the name Beginning of Spring." Here, "Big Dipper" refers to the three stars—Kui, Heng, and Shao—in the Big Dipper constellation. As celestial bodies move, these stars point in different directions and positions, representing different months. In the Gregorian calendar, when the Big Dipper points to Ding, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 345 degrees.
Beginning of Spring marks the time after the Start of Spring when temperatures rise, spring thunder first echoes, awakening various insects that have been dormant in the soil throughout winter. At this time, overwintering insect eggs also begin to hatch. Thus, the Beginning of Spring reflects natural phenological phenomena. However, what truly awakens hibernating animals is not the rumbling thunder but rather the temperature rise in the earth as ambient temperatures increase. During the Beginning of Spring, some regions in China already witness peach blossoms blooming red and plum flowers white, with orioles singing and swallows returning. Most areas have entered the spring farming season. There is a folk saying: "After the Beginning of Spring, warmth returns, frogs croak on hillsides." "Thunder at the Beginning of Spring means poor grain harvests; hearing thunder at the Beginning of Spring means rice will be like mud." This indicates that hearing thunder on or after the Beginning of Spring is normal, signaling favorable weather and good harvests. Some regions avoid thunder before the Beginning of Spring, summarizing the meteorological rule: "If thunder precedes the Beginning of Spring, heavy rains will come like dragons." From this, we can see how crucial seasonal transitions are for farmers. Moreover, for modern individuals—whether businessmen, doctors, or others—accumulating knowledge about phenology can greatly benefit daily life and work.
The health preservation during the Beginning of Spring should be adjusted according to natural phenological changes and individual constitution differences, involving rational mental, daily routine, and dietary adjustments. Constitution differences essentially refer to personalized health care based on individual traits. Due to innate inheritance and influences from various postnatal factors, human beings develop distinct psychological and physiological characteristics during growth, development, and aging processes. These traits often determine susceptibility to certain pathogenic factors and tendencies in disease progression. Therefore, health preservation must be tailored to individuals and cannot be generalized.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), constitution differs from common understanding of temperament. Temperament refers to the overall sum of mental outlook, personality, and behavior shaped by postnatal factors—the "spirit" aspect. Constitution, however, represents a comprehensive reflection of both physical form and spirit. The two are inseparably linked: constitution includes temperament, but temperament does not equal constitution.
Galen, the ancient Roman physician (129–200 AD), based on the humoral theory, classified human temperaments into four types: choleric (quick-tempered, vigorous movements); sanguine (lively, agile actions); phlegmatic (calm, slow movements); and melancholic (fragile, sluggish actions). Modern renowned scientist Pavlov categorized humans into four types: excitable, lively, quiet, and fragile—roughly corresponding to Galen’s classification. This four-type system has had significant influence in Western medicine. Early Chinese medical texts such as *Ling Shu·Yin Yang Twenty-Five People* categorized constitutions into five major types—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water—based on differences in body build, skin color, cognitive ability, emotional response, willpower strength, personality traits, and adaptability to seasonal climates. Each type was further subdivided into five subtypes based on physiological features reflected in head and limb meridians, forming the so-called "Twenty-Five People of Yin-Yang."
Although both Eastern and Western medicine classify human constitutions, Western theories have yet to directly guide clinical treatment or health recovery. Only TCM effectively applies constitutional classification to clinical guidance and health preservation practices.
*Su Wen·Different Methods and Local Adaptations* states: "Due to regional environmental and climatic differences, residents’ lifestyles vary, leading to different constitutions and predispositions to distinct diseases, thus requiring different treatments." Zhu Danxi’s *Ge Zhi Yu Lun* notes: "People differ in height, size, weight, complexion, and skin texture—shorter people aren’t better than taller ones, larger aren’t superior to smaller, fatter aren’t healthier than leaner. White-skinned people tend to have weak lung qi, black-skinned people often lack kidney essence. Since physical forms and appearances differ, internal organs also vary. Even if external symptoms appear similar, treatments must differ significantly." In *Yi Li Ji Yao·Jin Nang Jue Hou Pian*, it says: "Those prone to wind diseases usually have weak defensive qi; those susceptible to cold often have deficient yang qi; those vulnerable to heat typically have weakened yin qi; those easily affected by food stagnation likely have weak spleen-stomach function; those prone to aging-related weakness generally have depleted middle qi." Clearly, disease susceptibility largely depends on one’s constitution—constitution determines vulnerability to specific pathogenic factors. How to correct unfavorable constitutional states is therefore a matter of concern.
Here I emphasize: constitution is not fixed. Even under the same environment, adopting a positive attitude and proactive health measures can correct constitutional imbalances and achieve longevity.
This article focuses on introducing health preservation methods for four common constitutions during the Beginning of Spring.
I. Yin Deficiency Constitution: Characterized by thin physique, hot palms and soles, frequent inner restlessness, insomnia, dry stools, yellow urine, intolerance to spring and summer, and preference for cold drinks.
Health Preservation Methods:
1. Mental Adjustment: Individuals with yin deficiency tend to be irritable and easily angered due to excessive fire from yin deficiency, which disturbs the mind. They should follow the principle of "adding tranquility, emptiness, and spiritual containment." Strengthen self-cultivation, cultivate calmness and composure. Avoid competitive entertainment activities and moderate sexual activity.
2. Environmental Adjustment: Yin-deficient individuals dislike heat and prefer cold. Winter is easy to endure, but summer is difficult. Those with resources should travel or take vacations to seaside, forest, or mountainous areas during spring and summer. Ideally, choose a residence that is quiet and faces south.
3. Dietary Adjustment: The principle is to nourish yin and suppress yang. Consume light foods such as glutinous rice, sesame, honey, dairy products, tofu, fish, vegetables, and sugarcane. Those with resources may consume sea cucumber, turtle meat, crab meat, silver ear fungus, male duck, and Cordyceps sinensis. Minimize spicy, pungent, and drying foods.
4. Physical Exercise: Avoid overly intense activities. Focus on liver and kidney tonification. Tai Chi is particularly suitable.
II. Yang Deficiency Constitution: Typically characterized by a pale, plump build, pale complexion, cold hands and feet, clear and long urination, loose stools, and aversion to cold with preference for warmth.
Health Preservation Methods:
1. Mental Adjustment: Individuals with yang deficiency often exhibit poor mood, fearfulness, or sadness. They should learn to regulate emotions, listen to music frequently, and socialize more.
2. Environmental Adjustment: Yang-deficient individuals have poor adaptation to climate changes. In winter, they should avoid cold and seek warmth. In spring and summer, focus on building yang energy. Follow the principle of "never being tired of sunlight"—expose oneself to sunlight regularly during spring and summer, for at least 15–20 minutes each session. This greatly enhances cold resistance in winter.
3. Physical Exercise: Yang-deficient individuals should strengthen physical exercise year-round. Suitable activities include walking, jogging, Tai Chi, Wu Qin Xi (Five Animal Frolics), sunbathing, and air baths—all essential methods to strengthen defensive yang energy.
4. Dietary Adjustment: Consume yang-nourishing foods such as lamb, dog meat, chicken, and deer meat. Following the principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer," especially during the three fu periods of summer, eat "Fuzi Porridge" (Fuzi 10g, decocted for 30 minutes, then added to 150g rice and cooked until soft) or "Lamb Fuzi Soup" (Fuzi 15g, decocted for 30 minutes, then added to 500g blanched lamb, stewed until tender, seasoned with salt). Combine with the peak yang energy of nature to enhance the body’s yang qi.
III. Blood Stagnation Constitution: Individuals with dull complexion, dark lips, dry skin, and dark eye circles are typically of blood stagnation constitution.
Health Preservation Methods:
1. Physical Exercise: Engage in activities beneficial to heart and blood circulation, such as ballroom dancing, Tai Chi, and health massage. These promote overall bodily activity and improve blood flow.
2. Mental Adjustment: Individuals with blood stagnation often suffer from qi stagnation. Cultivating optimism is crucial. A cheerful mood promotes smooth qi and blood flow, aiding in correcting blood stagnation. Conversely, gloom and depression worsen stagnation tendencies.
3. Dietary Adjustment: Regularly consume foods with blood-activating and stasis-resolving properties, such as peach kernels, black beans, rape, taro, vinegar, and prepare hawthorn porridge and peanut porridge regularly. Also consider using herbs like danggui (Chinese angelica), chuanxiong (Szechwan lovage), danshen (salvia), dihuang (rehmannia), diyu (danshen root), and wujia pi (Acanthopanax bark), or use them in meat broths.
IV. Phlegm-Damp Constitution: Characterized by obesity, loose muscles, preference for fatty and sweet foods, lethargy, and heaviness in the body.
Health Preservation Methods:
1. Environmental Adjustment: Avoid dampness during rainy seasons. Do not live in cold, damp environments.
2. Dietary Regulation: Eat foods that strengthen the spleen, resolve dampness, and eliminate phlegm—such as white radish, broad beans, cabbage, soybeans, onions, purple laver, jellyfish, water chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, loquat, jujubes, coix seed, and red adzuki beans. Limit fatty, rich, sweet, and alcoholic foods, and avoid overeating.
3. Physical Exercise: Individuals with phlegm-damp constitution are often obese and easily fatigued. Long-term engagement in walking, jogging, dancing, and ball games is recommended. Gradually increase activity levels to transform loose skin into firm, dense muscle.
In short, regardless of your constitution, consistent purposeful health preservation can continuously improve quality of life. I believe everyone can extend their lifespan and become healthy and long-lived.