Professor Weng Weijian's Longevity Method
Professor Weng Weijian, born in 1933, began studying Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1951 and graduated from Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (now Beijing University of Chinese Medicine) in 1962, remaining on faculty since. In 1983, he established China’s first TCM Nutrition program and served as head of its department. In 1986, he founded the TCM Health Preservation and Rehabilitation program and served as department head. He has made outstanding contributions in TCM and herbal medicine education, research, and applications in food therapy, health preservation, and rehabilitation.
Professor Weng says the purpose of TCM nutritional health care goes beyond merely treating illness or preventing disease in healthy individuals. Deeper still, it aims to use natural foods to maintain the body in optimal (even super-normal) condition. The dual properties of food—tonification and purgation—best reflect the core of TCM nutrition. He explains that tonifying foods enrich qi, nourish blood, and fill essence; purgative foods clear exterior conditions, reduce heat, and eliminate toxins. The significance of TCM nutrition in daily life is similar to that of medicine, unlike Western nutrition concepts which strictly separate food and medicine, denying direct health benefits to food. However, in the rising trend of “natural therapies,” the health and therapeutic roles of Chinese foods have gained widespread recognition.
For decades, Professor Weng has researched ancient Chinese health-preserving medicinal foods, achieving remarkable results. He has developed over a thousand recipes for Chinese health foods (longevity cuisine) and medicinal health foods (tonic dishes). His recipes do not involve actual drugs; rather, they highlight the medicinal-like effects of natural foods, which are absolutely safe for the human body. Professor Weng states that TCM food therapy and tonic dishes represent a brilliant contribution of traditional Chinese medicine to humanity over five millennia.
With over 20 years of experience in health preservation, Professor Weng has distilled a set of health practices based on “eating, defecating, sleeping, urinating, and moving”: eat a variety of foods—consume at least 30 different types daily—and eat breakfast carefully; ensure adequate bowel movements, ideally two per day, achieved by eating fiber-rich foods and drinking plenty of water—drink at least eight standard glasses of water daily; elderly people should go to bed early and rise early, sleep whenever tired, naturally and without forcing; when urinating, bite your teeth tightly and avoid making sounds—this strengthens teeth and, with consistent practice, can alleviate or even eliminate issues like difficulty urinating; “old age begins with the feet”—the soles of the feet contain over 20 acupoints—stimulate them regularly; walking for one hour daily is excellent. Regardless of season, soak feet in hot water for 15 minutes before bedtime. You may crush one or two liang of rhubarb root, wrap in gauze, boil for 15 minutes, and use the liquid to wash your feet—this has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and blood-activating effects.
If you're busy, break exercise into small segments. For example, before getting up, rub your face with both hands, moving upward from the bottom, repeatedly until cheeks glow red. Gently massage your eyes with fingers and pinch your nasal bridge. Then exhale deeply several times. While lying in bed, perform a wonderful exercise: tense your entire body, hold the tension, then relax completely. Repeat this three times—this activates your lungs and brings profound calm and comfort. You can also bend and stretch your fingers, rotate your ankles, and perform various waist and abdominal exercises and leg lifts. These short bed exercises bring full-day comfort with minimal time investment.
When washing your face, don’t rush to dip the towel in water. First open the hot water bottle, pour a little hot water onto the towel, gently warm your face. Then rinse with cold water—this not only preserves skin health but instantly refreshes you.
Additionally, a basin of cold water is like a swimming pool—providing similar benefits. Before washing your face, take a deep breath, submerge your face in cold water, and slowly exhale, extending the exhalation time as much as possible. Gradually, your breathing will lengthen, lung capacity will increase, and mental clarity will improve.
Generally, if you can walk, don’t stand; if you can stand, don’t sit. Walking and standing are both forms of exercise. Busy people spend too much time sitting and too little time standing or walking. For better health, seize opportunities to stand and walk—never miss chances to climb stairs.