On Health Preservation in the Treatise on the Stability of Life, Yuan Dynasty
The Treatise on the Stability of Life was authored by Wang Guai, a native of Wuzhou during the Yuan Dynasty. Wang Guai loved alchemy and excelled in medicine, living beyond ninety years. The entire book consists of 16 volumes, focusing on health preservation in the following three aspects:
1. Health preservation must begin from marriage, conception, infancy, and childhood. The book argues: "A moth without silk-producing capability cannot produce cocoons; a flower without fruit cannot bear seeds." Only when both parents are strong and healthy, with abundant essence and blood, can offspring be healthy and long-lived. Therefore, health preservation must start from marriage and conception. During pregnancy, one must strictly observe taboos: abstain from sexual intercourse, control emotions, manage labor and rest, and cultivate a serene disposition to support fetal healthy development. One should emulate King Wen of Zhou’s "prenatal education" method: have pregnant women frequently view gold-inlaid jade, grain containers, mountain and river paintings, and listen to recitations of classics and historical texts, allowing these refined energies to enter the fetus, promoting intellectual development.
2. In middle age, health preservation prioritizes nurturing the heart. Following the principle of "Ling Lan Mi Dian Lun" in Su Wen of the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, Wang Guai emphasizes: "The heart is the sovereign official... When the sovereign is clear, the ministers are secure; thus, health preservation leads to longevity." He also believes that the meaning of "On the Nourishment of Life" in Zhuangzi centers on the heart as the core of health preservation. Thus, nurturing the heart is paramount. Heart cultivation must begin in childhood. After adulthood, immersed in society, those who practice health preservation must eliminate selfish desires, express emotions freely, avoid impatience, refrain from obsessively pursuing fame and fortune, "act according to the ebb and flow of fortune and misfortune, assess abilities and responsibilities appropriately, avoid being swayed by external things to maintain composure, and nurture oneself according to one’s inherent nature." Avoid doing things beyond one’s capabilities—"exerting strength beyond what one can bear"—and maintain a harmonious mindset to prevent excessive mental and physical strain. By conserving essence and preserving spirit, longevity can be achieved.
3. In old age, health preservation emphasizes spiritual cultivation and lifestyle care, with prevention as the priority. In spiritual cultivation, the book cites Confucius: "When old, blood and qi decline; one should beware of greed." It advocates eliminating thoughts of gain and loss to avoid "hesitation and indecision, restless sleep and anxiety," which harm health. Drawing from Laozi’s saying: "Excessive indulgence in life harms life," the text stresses that elderly health preservation should involve reading poems by sages that dispel illusions, "cleansing inner tensions." Maintain detachment from fame and fortune, avoid unwarranted anger, refrain from indulging in sounds and colors, resist excessive taste pleasures, avoid perverse thoughts, avoid reading useless books, and refrain from unnecessary labor. Keep the mind serene to prevent "endless worries day and night" and "overindulgence in pleasure inevitably leads to disaster," ensuring prolonged happiness and longevity. In lifestyle care, due to aging and declining vitality—"spirit follows objects, qi dissipates with spirit, nourishing and protective qi weaken, orifices malfunction"—extra attention is required. Reduce rich tastes, moderate sexual activity. For example, elderly individuals with robust, dense constitutions should use coarse, light, and refreshing clothing, food, and medicine. Meat intake should decrease; fruits should include jujubes, persimmons, lotus root; vegetables should include leeks and radishes. When hungry, eat warm food first, then temperate, cool, or seasonal fruits and vegetables. Avoid random consumption of sticky, spicy, hot, or dry foods. Even if physically thin, elderly with strong constitution and phlegm conditions should be managed similarly to robust elders. For frail, weak elderly, clothing and medicine should be warm and thick. Cold, stomach-damaging, pungent, grilled, raw, greasy foods should be minimized. For obese elderly with frequent loose stools and susceptibility to wind-cold, adopt the same regimen as frail, weak elders.