Essence Preservation and Health Cultivation Method
Essence Preservation and Health Cultivation Method
As stated in *Ling Shu: Chapter on Fundamental Spirit*: “What comes at birth is called essence.” Essence is the substance forming and nourishing the human body. The entire process of reproduction, growth, development, maturity, and aging is mainly governed by kidney essence and kidney qi.
*Su Wen: True Discourse on Gold and Jade* notes: “Essence is the foundation of the body.” Since essence is continuously consumed and replenished, it sustains life. One’s health depends largely on whether kidney essence is abundant. Thus, essence directly influences health and longevity. As *Lei Jing: Volume One* says: “Those skilled in health preservation must safeguard essence. Abundant essence leads to strong Qi, strong Qi ensures complete spirit, complete spirit brings robust health, robust health reduces illness, and strong spirit allows one to remain vigorous even in old age—all rooted in essence.” This reveals that ancient Chinese thought regarded essence, Qi, and spirit as the fundamental materials sustaining life. Essence is the root of Qi, while Qi arises from essence. If essence declines, Qi becomes deficient. Life exists with Qi, dies without it. Essence is also the source of spirit—only with essence can there be spirit. Full spirit implies strong vitality; depleted spirit inevitably leads to weakness. Essence, Qi, and spirit are inseparable; none can be missing, but essence—especially kidney essence—is paramount, as it governs life itself.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the kidneys store essence, which is the innate foundation. *Su Wen: On the Ancient Innocent Truth* states: “The kidneys govern water, receiving and storing essence from all five zang and six fu organs. If essence is not stored, all zang organs decline, tendons and bones lose strength… hair turns white, body weight increases, gait becomes unstable.” This illustrates that abundant kidney essence means strong vitality, better adaptation to environmental changes, enhanced resistance to harmful stimuli, and stronger disease prevention. Thus, health preservation requires abstinence—only by restraining desires can essence be preserved. With abundant, enduring essence and Qi, longevity follows.
Reducing Desires to Nourish the Kidneys
Reducing desires preserves essence, and preserving essence requires nurturing the kidneys. The kidneys house essence; when kidney essence is depleted, the spirit becomes disturbed, leading to early aging and shortened life. As Tang Dynasty physician Sun Simiao said: “Less essence leads to illness; exhausted essence leads to death.” Essence is the root of life. Strong essence means strong spirit, strong spirit means longer life. Indulgence depletes essence, leading to Qi deficiency, resulting in emaciation, sallow complexion, thin legs trembling, loose skin, and loss of hair—rendering one unable to endure labor. Ancient texts like *Secrets of Longevity* warn that failing to restrain desires harms the body: “Internal mental exhaustion... external physical strain—both lead to premature death. Among all, sexual excess is worst, as it harms both body and spirit, depleting both essence and Qi.”
Even without intercourse, excessive desire causes spontaneous essence loss—known as “hidden depletion”—still harming the kidneys and shortening life. Maintaining inner tranquility, guarding the spirit, and cultivating essence depend on reducing desires.
Rest to Preserve Blood
Health preservation also involves moderation in labor—balancing work and rest is essential for preserving essence.
Everyone knows that indulgence depletes essence, but essence originates from blood. Overwork equally harms blood and essence. Mental overuse leads to chronic worry, consuming blood; eye overuse results in blood depletion from prolonged viewing; ear overuse causes blood loss from extended listening. Thus, balancing labor and rest preserves both essence and blood.
Suppress Anger to Protect Muscles and Bones
Constant anger harms the liver. The liver and kidneys share fire (liver fire and kidney fire); the liver governs dispersion, the kidneys govern containment. When liver fire runs rampant, dispersion becomes excessive, and the kidneys cannot seal and store properly—even without sex, essence is damaged. Hence, preserving essence requires suppressing anger.
The liver governs tendons, the kidneys govern bones. Frequent anger or sexual activity damages the liver and kidneys, depriving muscles and bones of nourishment, inevitably leading to physical decline. Emotional imbalance from uncontrolled joy or anger disrupts emotional harmony, obstructs Qi flow, harms the liver and kidneys, and damages the body.
Preserve Essence to Nourish the Brain
Preserving essence to nourish the brain refers to regulating and controlling ejaculation during sexual activity. For example, when nearing climax, close eyes and look upward, focusing mental energy on the Baihui point (crown of the head). The goal is to redirect attention away from sexual activity, minimizing or preventing ejaculation, thus conserving essence to nourish the brain.
According to *The Secret of the Jade Chamber*: “To maintain clear vision, when approaching climax, tilt the head back, hold breath, shout loudly, glare sideways, draw the waist inward, and guide essence back into the meridians.” This shows that preserving essence nourishes the spirit, protects essence and Qi, improves hearing and sight, and benefits health preservation.