🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Emotional Health Preservation
Ancient Chinese health scholars categorized complex human emotions into seven types: joy, anger, worry, thought, sorrow, fear, and shock—commonly known as the “seven emotions” within the phrase “seven emotions and six desires.”
These “seven emotions” are normal human feelings. If expressed within reasonable limits, allowing emotions to surface outwardly, they benefit health. Conversely, extreme emotional reactions can lead to numerous illnesses. This is why ancient texts state: “Anger harms the liver, joy harms the heart, worry harms the spleen, sorrow harms the lungs, fear harms the kidneys…”
However, due to the complexity and variety of human emotions, distinguishing positive from negative emotions is challenging. Generally, emotions fall into two categories: positive and negative. Positive emotions include affection, admiration, excitement, happiness, and joy—these inspire motivation, creativity, productivity, and contribute positively to physical health. Negative emotions—such as shame, despair, gloom, jealousy, grief, resentment, and intense tension—can severely disrupt normal life, learning, and creativity, and are highly detrimental to health.
Throughout history, there have been cases of death from laughter, sorrow, or rage. Everyone experiences mental fluctuations. Emotional well-being and mental pleasure are crucial factors for health and longevity. To achieve health and longevity, one must pay attention to and overcome emotional instability, maintaining a calm and harmonious state of mind.