🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Twenty years ago, a centenarian in Japan with white hair and youthful appearance publicly revealed her family’s treasured manuscript, "Sixteen Essentials of Health Preservation," sparking nationwide copying frenzy. The sixteen practices—combing hair often, rubbing the face frequently, rotating the eyes, plucking the ears, licking the tongue, tapping the teeth, swallowing saliva, keeping the mind calm, warming the back, protecting the chest, massaging the abdomen, contracting the anus (anal lifting), shaking limbs, rubbing the soles, drying the skin, and refraining from speaking during bowel movements—are primarily based on self-massage and qigong techniques performed upon waking and before sleeping. If practiced accurately and consistently, they can achieve health preservation and disease prevention. Indeed, this Japanese woman and her ancestors attained longevity and good health precisely by following the "Sixteen Essentials."
Looking back at Chinese history, among emperors, the most renowned for longevity was Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Aisin Gioro Hongli, who lived to 89 and ruled for 60 years—unmatched by any other emperor. Why did most emperors die young, yet Qianlong enjoy robust health and exceptional longevity? Besides his early training in horseback riding and archery, his secret lay in his disciplined health preservation. According to a descendant of a court physician, Qianlong’s health regimen boiled down to sixteen characters: "Purify the lungs through breathing, move the body, follow ten regular habits and four taboos." The "Ten Regular Habits and Four Taboos" deserve further explanation.
The "Ten Regular Habits" refer to ten fundamental daily actions: tapping teeth, swallowing saliva, plucking ears, rubbing nose, rotating eyes, rubbing face, massaging feet, massaging abdomen, stretching limbs, and lifting the anus. The "Four Taboos" mean avoiding four daily pitfalls: no talking while eating, no speaking while lying down, no drunkenness while drinking, and no obsession with sex. Clearly, Emperor Qianlong’s longevity secrets stemmed directly from the "Sixteen Essentials."
Some argue that genetics determine constitution and lifespan. But examining Qianlong’s case, his father Yongzheng died young from poor health after ruling only 13 years, and his son Jiaqing ruled only 25 years. This shows that postnatal care and regulation are closely linked to health and longevity. Overemphasizing genetics while neglecting personal effort often leads people to accept fate passively, missing opportunities to change their destiny—a true regret.
Historical research suggests the "Sixteen Essentials" originated from ancient "Five Essentials of Kunlun Cultivation," "Sixteen Lines on Disease Prevention and Longevity," and parts of the "Left Cave True Scripture’s Massage and Qigong Instructions." References appear in Ge Hong’s *Baopuzi* (Jin Dynasty), Gong Ju Zhong’s *Honglu Dianxue*, Hu Wenhuan’s *Leixiu Yaojue*, Li Zhongzi’s *Yisheng Wei Lun*, and Leng Qian’s *Xiuling Yaoyi*, though content varies slightly.
Among common people, countless individuals have benefited from applying one or two of the "Sixteen Essentials" for health preservation. Yet those who truly grasp the essence, understand the underlying principles, and know both what and why they do it are rare—like phoenix feathers or unicorn horns.
Based on modern health science and drawing from Ming Dynasty Leng Qian’s *Xiuling Yaoyi* as a model, combined with extensive historical literature, scientific research, and personal experience, we have reorganized and compiled *Secrets of Healthy Living*, aiming to apply ancient wisdom to modern life—simple, practical, and easy to learn.
Postscript: Dr. Zhang Junbin graduated from the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Wangjing Branch), under mentor Professor Luo Kan. Currently serving as Chair of the Kaohsiung Health Preservation Association, Dr. Zhang has actively promoted preventive medicine, auricular diagnosis, and traditional health preservation across China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Starting with this issue, *Health Preservation* magazine will serially publish Dr. Zhang’s *Secrets of Healthy Living* for readers’ enjoyment.