The Root of Health Preservation—Virtue and Nature
The Root of Health Preservation—Virtue and Nature
In discussions about moral cultivation and its relation to health and longevity, many thinkers and health preservers in Chinese history have placed great emphasis on cultivating nature and virtue, even regarding them as the "root of health preservation."
Confucius proposed "virtue nourishes the body," "great virtue inevitably brings longevity," "the benevolent live long," and "cultivate life through the Way, cultivate the Way through benevolence." "Benevolence" refers to empathy and affection between people. "Longevity" has two meanings: first, actual lifespan; second, "longevity means not dying after death"—that is, though someone’s lifespan may not be long, their achievements and reputation may endure forever, thus exceeding ordinary longevity.
Laozi advocated "reducing selfish thoughts, eliminating greed," stating: "The greatest disaster is not knowing contentment; the greatest fault is desiring more." A person greedy for material pleasures will inevitably crave more, fantasize endlessly, and even harm others for personal gain, ultimately causing mental unrest and damaging health due to excessive psychological burden.
Mengzi proposed a positive view of health preservation: "Love life without clinging to it," placing benevolence and righteousness above life, believing one should "give up life for righteousness" when necessary. His famous words—"wealth and honor cannot corrupt, poverty and lowliness cannot sway, power and might cannot subdue"—have inspired generations of virtuous people. He also promoted the social ethos of "respect elders, extend care to others’ elders; cherish children, extend care to others’ children." He believed that good moral cultivation, like qigong practice, benefits physical health, and everyone should "cultivate the great righteous energy."
Dong Zhongshu of the Han Dynasty stated: "Nurture the heart through righteousness." Noble morals and character can keep the heart perpetually joyful and mentally healthy. "A person with righteousness, even if poor, can find happiness; one without righteousness, even if rich, cannot survive." "Thus, the truly virtuous live long because they are free from greed internally and remain serene, their hearts balanced and upright, drawing heaven’s beauty to nourish their bodies."
Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty wrote in *Qianjin Yaofang*: "If nature is inherently good, then all internal and external diseases will not arise spontaneously, nor will calamities or chaos occur. This is the essence of cultivating nature."
The Ming Dynasty text *Shoushi Baoyuan* states: "Accumulating good deeds and maintaining hidden virtue can extend life." Zhang Jingyue wrote in *Xianhou Tian Di Lun*: "Only joy can nourish life; the happiest thing is doing good." This concisely reveals the connection between doing good, joy, and health preservation.
Qing Dynasty health preserver Shi Tianji believed: "Those who truly preserve life should prioritize virtue, with nourishment as auxiliary." He proposed cultivating a calm heart, a right-minded heart, a joyful heart, a kind heart, a harmonious heart, and a peaceful heart—these being the essentials of moral cultivation.