🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Longevity and good health are universal aspirations. Traditional Chinese medicine has long studied health preservation. Since the *Huangdi Neijing* over two thousand years ago, numerous physicians, Daoists, and Buddhists have explored and elaborated on health principles, gradually forming a systematic theory of TCM health preservation. In summary, there are eight essential guidelines:
1. Emotional Well-being: Maintaining emotional balance is crucial for health and longevity. Tao Hongjing wrote in *Yi Xing Yan Shou Lu*: “The greatest danger to health is excessive worry and sorrow. Only those who maintain inner harmony can live long.”
2. Control Desires: Health preservation emphasizes stillness, achieving a state where all thoughts cease except one. It also demands noble character and an open heart. Sun Simiao said: “Those who die prematurely often neglect self-care, exhaust themselves chasing fame and profit.” Thus, good health preservers “should not be greedy for desires,” “keep the mind free of false thoughts,” “seek nothing excessive,” and “begin each day by speaking of good deeds, not calculating wealth.”
3. Moderation in Sexuality: Refers to having controlled sexual activity. Human growth and development rely on kidney essence. Abundant kidney essence ensures vitality and strong resistance. To preserve kidney essence, one must restrain sexual desire. Indulgence in lust and excess will damage essence, harm the body, and shorten life.
4. Adapt to the Four Seasons: Humans live in nature, and adapting to seasonal changes is fundamental to health preservation. *Lüshi Chunqiu* states: “Longevity comes not from artificially extending life, but from fulfilling one’s natural lifespan—by avoiding harm.” Harm refers to abnormal weather—such as inappropriate climate patterns, extreme cold, heat, dryness, or dampness—known in TCM as the “Six Evils.”
5. Balanced Diet: The spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal health. Irregular eating damages them, leading to illness and premature aging. The *Huangdi Neijing* warns: “Excess in flavors creates imbalance,” “Overeating injures the intestines and stomach,” “Too much salt causes blood to thicken and discolor,” “Too much bitterness causes skin dryness and hair loss.” Sun Simiao offered comprehensive and scientific advice: beyond “not eating too full,” “simple meals,” “prefer warm food,” and “light, sweet, and bland items,” he emphasized meal preparation methods and hygiene—such as “chew food thoroughly, do not swallow raw,” “do not speak loudly while eating,” “always rub your face and abdomen after meals,” “avoid raw vegetables, raw rice, small beans, stale food, and turbid alcohol,” “never eat raw, sticky, or slippery foods.” These practices prevent spleen-stomach damage, food poisoning, and infectious diseases—and are vital for disease prevention and longevity.
6. Regular Exercise: Humans are integrated wholes. Regular movement keeps energy abundant and the body strong. As early as Han Dynasty, Hua Tuo advocated exercise to prevent illness: “The body must move; movement helps digest food, promotes blood circulation, and prevents disease.” Sun Simiao also said in *Qianjin Fang*: “To preserve health, engage in slight labor,” “Keep the body active but never to exhaustion”—reminding people to move regularly to prevent illness and extend life.
7. Follow Natural Rhythms: To live long and healthy, one must follow age-specific routines. Sun Simiao observed: “After age fifty, yang energy declines daily. Mental strength wanes, memory fails, laziness sets in, plans become ineffective. Vision and hearing deteriorate, progress slows, life feels empty, forgetfulness, irritability, and personality changes occur.” This shows that aging brings physiological and morphological changes. We must care for and understand elders, adapt to their nature, and help them enjoy their later years fully.
8. Use Medicinal Substances: Life varies widely, and illness is inevitable. Using medicinal substances is part of health preservation. Ancient people valued herbs and formulas to prevent disease, treat illness, and prolong life. Many longevity prescriptions were developed. However, health preservation cannot rely solely on medicine. As Sun Simiao warned: “Even with constant medicinal use, without mastering health-preserving arts, one cannot achieve longevity. Even with jade elixirs and golden pills, life cannot be extended.”