🌿 Folk Prescriptions

This is especially important in autumn, primarily because of the significant climate changes during this season. Early autumn is dominated by heat and dampness; for a relatively long period around mid-autumn, dryness prevails; while in late autumn and deep autumn, coolness and coldness become dominant. Therefore, people must remain vigilant in all aspects of daily life—sleeping, dressing, skincare, and living environment—and pay attention to health preservation.
First, clothing care. With summer ending and autumn beginning, cool breezes blow gently. Although it's chilly, it's not yet freezing, and people can still tolerate it. It's advisable to engage in some physical exercise. This is similar to the principle of allowing children to experience slight hunger and coldness. If one observes a single leaf falling and understands autumn has arrived, and immediately puts on heavy fur garments, they will find it hard to take them off later. As cold intensifies, one will keep adding more layers, gradually weakening their ability to resist cold. Why are those who swim in winter water so resilient to cold? Because they have been training daily since autumn, enduring cold gradually, enhancing their constitution and adapting to climate changes. Thus, "autumn cold exposure" is an active health-promoting practice emphasized throughout history as a key autumn health preservation method. In simple terms, "autumn cold exposure" means not rushing to add clothes in autumn, intentionally letting the body experience a bit of cold. This avoids overheating and excessive sweating caused by over-dressing, prevents evaporation of sweat and depletion of yin fluids, and stops yang energy from leaking out—thus aligning with autumn’s need for internal storage of yin essence and retention of yang energy. Of course, "autumn cold exposure" should be tailored to individual differences and weather changes. For elderly people and children, whose physiological functions are weaker and resistance lower, extra caution is needed for warmth during late autumn. If temperatures drop sharply or rain/snow occurs, stop "autumn cold exposure" and wear more clothes.
Moreover, the meaning of "autumn cold exposure" extends beyond clothing care—it should be broadly interpreted as a general health preservation principle for autumn: no matter what activity one undertakes, one should always heed the "cold" principle, avoiding excessive sweating to ensure inward retention of yin essence and prevent outward dissipation of yang energy.
Autumn weather is changeable, with variations between cold and heat, warm dryness and cool dryness. Therefore, clothing adjustments must be timely. Ancient wisdom says: "Adjust diet and clothing according to seasons"; "Avoid excess like avoiding danger, change clothes according to temperature." This emphasizes the need to adjust clothing based on climate changes. Autumn weather can be unpredictable—even within the same region, one may experience "four seasons in a day, different weather every ten miles." To maintain stable body temperature, it's wise to prepare several autumn outfits such as lined jackets, spring-autumn shirts, woolen sweaters, and light knitted garments.
Second, skincare. During autumn, as the weather turns colder, human skin often struggles to adapt quickly. Blood circulation slows down, skin becomes dry, and fine wrinkles easily appear, especially around the eyes. Thus, autumn demands special attention to skin care.
Psychological beauty methods: Skin appearance is closely related to emotional state. When stressed, anxious, or restless, facial blemishes and dark spots easily emerge. The reason skin changes correlate strongly with emotions lies in hormones and autonomic nervous system balance, which directly reflect mood shifts on the skin. While cosmetics help achieve beauty, psychological well-being is equally crucial.
There's a Chinese saying: "A smile shortens ten years," indicating that smiling is the most direct and fundamental beauty method. When happy and laughing, one naturally appears rosy-cheeked and radiant. This is because facial muscle movements during laughter accelerate blood circulation and metabolism in the face, enhancing skin elasticity. Hence, foreign countries now include laughter among sports-based beauty practices. Since emotional state affects endocrine balance, it plays a major role in determining skin beauty. When feeling down, one should promptly relax mentally and use positive self-suggestion to shift from gloom to cheerfulness, achieving mental beauty.
Medicinal beauty methods: Classified by administration route, they fall into external and oral categories. By target area, they include facial skin beauty agents, organ beauty agents, hair beauty agents, body shape beauty agents, and fragrance-enhancing agents. By purpose, they are divided into preventive and therapeutic types. By dosage form, they include ointments, powders, pastes, liquids, emulsions, decoctions, pills, etc. By specific function, they include moisturizing and beautifying complexion, anti-aging and wrinkle prevention, whitening and brightening face, softening hands and skin, improving vision and eyelids, promoting eyelash and eyebrow growth, enhancing lip color, strengthening nose and ears, cleaning teeth and reinforcing gums. By source, they include imperial secret formulas, immortal prescriptions, and folk remedies. As shown above, medicinal beauty methods are richly diverse—here we provide only examples.
Shenghui Facial Ointment Formula: 200g bitter almond (soaked in hot water, peeled), 90g white Aconite root powder, each 60g finely ground cinnabar and lead powder, 250g sheep marrow, 1g pearl powder, 30g white peony root powder, 300ml wine, 7 egg whites. First, soak bitter almonds briefly in a little wine, grind into paste. Then add egg whites and grind 100 times. Add sheep marrow and grind 200 times. Finally mix in other powdered ingredients gradually, adding wine until thoroughly blended. Store in a porcelain container. Apply nightly after washing face with water, then wipe dry. This formula makes complexion rosy and glowing like peach blossoms.
Dihuang Beauty Pill: Use raw Rehmannia glutinosa in any amount, and appropriate honey. Clean and crush raw Rehmannia, extract juice, simmer slowly over low heat until thickened. Add honey and continue cooking until mixture can be rolled into pills. Remove and roll into small pill size like mulberry seeds. Take 15–20g with warm rice wine three times daily. Long-term use maintains youthfulness, keeps skin fresh and clear—"after 100 days, face looks like peach blossom."
Apricot Kernel Beauty Ointment: 100g apricot kernel, 200g talc powder, 100g mica powder, 50g white angelica root. First, dry and finely powder apricot kernels and white angelica root. Mix evenly with talc and mica powder. Add honey to make a soft ointment. Apply a small amount daily to face. This product moisturizes skin, treats dry, dull complexion or facial dark spots.
Flower Pollen External Wash Method: 10g flower pollen. Boil in water for 30 minutes, collect juice, apply externally to face daily. This formula moisturizes and beautifies skin, treating rough skin, allergies, freckles, and dark spots.
Formula for Eternal Youthful Appearance: 800g ginger, 250g jujube, 100g refined salt, 150g licorice, 25g cloves, 25g agarwood, 200g fennel. Crush all herbs into coarse powder, mix uniformly. Use 15–25g per dose, boil in morning or steep in boiling water. Functions: strengthen spleen and stomach, regulate defensive and nutritive qi, nourish blood and qi. Has anti-aging and youthful appearance effects, keeping face young.
Cixi Empress’ Youth-Keeping Formula: Pearl in appropriate quantity, ground into powder. Take one small tea spoonful with warm tea once every 10 days. Clears heat, nourishes yin, preserves youth, making skin smooth and lustrous. "Long-term use makes face look like a child."
Formula for Ever-Youthful Face: 100g wolfberry root, 30g raw Rehmannia glutinosa. Long-term use makes face look like a child.
Formula for White, Clear, and Radiant Complexion: 60g each of white spikenard, white Aconite root, white atractylodes, white angelica root, 90g ligusticum root, 3 pieces pig pancreas (remove residue and red juice, fully crushed). Grind all six ingredients into powder. First, mix 250g brassica seeds with 250ml wine and 250ml water, boil several times, crush into paste. Combine with other powders, add to wine-water mixture, store in ceramic vessel, seal for 3 days. Apply nightly to face, wash off next morning with rinsing water. This formula makes face white, clear, and radiant.
Facial Cleansing Remedy: 30g each of horehound leaves, white angelica root, sandalwood, sandalwood, trichosanthes root, paper mulberry fruit, white poria, stephania root, 75g each of spikenard, litsea cubeba, sweet flag, 30g cloves, 9g musk (ground), 30g agarwood, 120g black bindweed, 90g red adzuki beans, 30g chuanxiong, 500g glutinous rice. Grind all ingredients into extremely fine powder. Use a small amount in warm water to wash face twice daily. Long-term use makes face fragrant and skin fair and tender.
Massage Beauty Methods: Throughout history, health practitioners emphasized "frequent face rubbing." Sun Zhenren’s Hygiene Song says: "To live long, rub your head constantly; always massage your face with both hands." Great health expert Tao Hongjing said: "Warm your hands, then rub your face from top to bottom to remove evil qi and give face a healthy glow." Tang Dynasty medical sage Sun Simiao in "Qianjin Yifang·Elderly Care Guidelines" also stated: "Warm your palms, then rub your face from top to bottom 27 times, removing 'dryness' (facial dullness, dark complexion), giving face radiance and protecting against wind-cold, headaches, and various diseases." These show ancient people highly valued facial massage for beauty. Key points include: first, stay calm, breathe naturally, and relax the whole body during massage. Second, use light, gentle techniques—avoid strong stimulation—only require mild soreness. Third, wash hands and face before operation; apply skincare cream to aid procedure and enhance effect. Fourth, frequency, sequence, and duration can vary depending on circumstances—complete full routine or partial sections as needed, flexible and adaptable. Fifth, avoid excessive skin stretching to prevent damage and sagging. Sixth, for lasting beauty and health through self-massage, persistence is essential—don’t rush. With consistent practice, satisfactory results will follow.
First, discuss eye beauty massage.
Eyes are windows to the soul and a vital sensory organ for facial beauty. Healthy, lively eyes greatly enhance vitality and visual appeal. Regular massage of the eyes improves blood circulation around the eye area, regulates visual and ocular nerves, relieves eye muscle fatigue, and delays drooping eyelids and periorbital wrinkles. Specific massage techniques:
Seated upright, gaze straight ahead. First rotate eyes clockwise 10 times, then focus forward briefly. Next rotate counterclockwise 10 times, focus forward again. Finally close eyes gently, use index and middle fingers of both hands to softly stroke the same side of the eyelid for about 1–2 minutes. This is the eye rotation method;
Use thumbs to press and rub Jingming acupoint about 30 times; then use index fingers to press and rub Zanzhu acupoint on the same side 3 times; next press firmly on Taiyang acupoints with index finger pads, rub when a sense of soreness arises, 30 times; finally press firmly on Sibai acupoints with index finger tips, rub when soreness occurs, 30 times. This is the acupoint pressing method.
Make fists, use the radial side of the proximal interphalangeal joints of the index fingers to firmly press along the orbital rim, scraping from inside outward, 15 times each upper and lower orbit, aiming for a sensation of soreness and distension. This is the orbital scraping method.
Gently close eyes, bring fingers together, use middle and ring finger pads to press at Jingming point, then glide outward to Tongziliao point, repeat 30–50 times. This is the orbital spreading method.
The above massage techniques clear the mind, improve vision, relieve eye fatigue, prevent wrinkles, and beautify the eyes. Perform once daily in morning and evening, or use when experiencing eye fatigue.
Next, discuss nasal beauty massage.
The nose sits centrally on the face, prominent and significant. A beautiful nose shape and unobstructed nostrils are essential components of facial beauty. Practical evidence shows nasal massage promotes blood circulation in nasal mucosa, enhances secretion of nasal mucus, stimulates ciliary movement of epithelial cells, increases resistance to illness. It also helps elevate and refine the nasal bridge, enhancing aesthetic appearance. Specific massage techniques:
Press and rub acupoints: Use middle finger tip to press and rub Yingxiang acupoint 30 times, then press and rub Suliáo acupoint 30 times;
Push and rub the nose: Join five fingers of both hands, place index and middle fingers on the same side of the nose, push upward from Yingxiang to nasal root, about 30 times, producing mild warmth;
Squeeze the nasal root: Use right thumb and index finger to pinch the nasal root, pressure should not be too strong, squeeze continuously 30 times.
These massage techniques strengthen the nose, clear nasal passages, moisturize skin, and enhance appearance. Besides nasal beauty, they can prevent various nasal diseases and colds.
Also, discuss facial skin beauty massage.
The facial skin is one’s "front door"—its condition directly affects overall appearance. Common protective facial massage methods include:
Direct rubbing of face: Place both palms flat on either side of the nose, use palm or entire hand to rub up and down repeatedly 10–15 times, covering the entire cheek from beside the nose to the front of the ear, until face reddens and warms;
Face tapping: Bring four fingers together, tap the entire face skin in order—forehead, eye area, nose area, face—for 1–2 minutes;
Divided pushing of forehead: Join four fingers, place fingertips upward on Yintang point, push outward from inner brow to temples, repeat 3–5 times. Then repeat along a higher line from inner to outer brow, progressively increasing height until entire forehead is covered. Then start from hairline downward, gradually lowering the line until reaching the eyebrows.
Press and rub acupoints: Use thumbs or index fingers of both hands to press and rub bilateral Sibai, Chengqi, Dicang acupoints and Jiaxia Chengjiang acupoint, one minute per point, apply even pressure with vibration technique.
These massage techniques promote blood circulation, moisturize skin, prevent wrinkles and spots, refresh the mind and head. Besides facial beauty, they can treat colds, mental fatigue, dizziness, and blurred vision. Generally perform twice daily—preferably in morning and before bedtime. However, note: always wash face with warm water before and after massage, dry completely. Avoid excessive force to prevent skin injury.
Traditional Cosmetic Beauty Methods.
Traditional cosmetics mainly use natural Chinese herbs or foodstuffs as raw materials, with bases including animal fats, honey, milk, plant oils. These nature-derived components suit the human body well. Especially given current concerns about safety and pharmacological effects of synthetic chemicals, traditional cosmetics hold greater advantages in today’s "natural trend" and have broad development prospects.
Zhang Guifei Facial Cream
Take one fresh egg, pierce a small hole on the shell, pour out yolk, keep only the egg white. Fill the cavity with 60g finely ground cinnabar, then seal the hole with wax. Place it with other eggs to be incubated in a hen’s nest. When chicks hatch, the preparation is ready for use.
This facial cream was a secret recipe used by Consort Zhang Lihua, favorite of Emperor Chen Houzhu of Southern Dynasties, allegedly derived from the "Zhen Fang" of the Western Queen Mother. Regular use of Zhang Guifei Facial Cream can make complexion rosy and luminous, smooth and moist. Not only does it eliminate dark spots and discoloration, but it also improves skin laxity.
Empress’ Facial Cleansing Powder
Formula: 30g each of Chuanxiong, Xixin, Gaoben, Bai Fuzi, Ruixiang, Dongguazi, Chenxiang, Tuguigen, Guanglingling (Lingxiangcao); 60g each of Bai Tan, Gan Song, Bai Ji, Wu Baizhi, Bai Fuling, Du Lingling (Jiucengta); 45g Bai Lian, 15g each of Bai Shu, Lizi Neipi, 150g Chushih, 300g Zaojiao Wei, 6g Bingpian, 750g glutinous rice flour, 4 loofahs.
Preparation: Grind all ingredients except Zaojiao Wei and glutinous rice flour into fine powder. Mix in Zaojiao Wei and glutinous rice flour, store tightly.
Usage: Use daily to wash face.
Effects: Brightens spirit, reduces wrinkles, removes dark spots.
Facial Mask Beauty Methods
Applying medicated substances and nutrients mixed with suitable base directly onto the face, forming a film-like layer, this common therapy offers various benefits such as health maintenance, whitening, anti-aging, acne treatment, and wart removal. Depending on the base, masks come in gel, paste, plaster, and herbal powder forms. Often combined with herbal steam baths and facial massage.
China is one of the earliest countries using facial masks. Traditional masks often consist of egg whites, boiled pig trotter gel, or egg whites/pig trotter broth mixed with fine herbal powders with beauty effects, such as the "Zhan Zhou Gao" and "Xingren Gao" in "Puji Fang," and "Ti Jiang Mask" in "Beiji Qianjin Yaofang," all known for moisturizing skin, maintaining youthful appearance, and cleansing beauty. Due to abundant natural resources and traditional therapeutic advantages of Chinese herbs, TCM facial masks have long been favored by physicians and widely circulated in folk communities.
Cucumber Facial Mask
Chop cucumber with skin into thin slices or scrape off the peel with a knife, then apply directly to the face. This mask moisturizes, softens, and brightens skin. Suitable for dry skin. Use 2–3 times weekly during summer and autumn, each application lasting 15 minutes.
Protein Facial Mask
Take the egg white from one egg, apply directly to the face. A protein film forms on the skin surface after a few minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse off with cold water. Suitable for coarse pores and shallow wrinkles.
Milk Serum Facial Mask
Mix milk serum and flour in a 1:1 ratio, apply to face. Rinse with warm water after drying. Suitable for dry and aging skin.
Besides the above methods—psychological, medicinal, massage, cosmetic, and mask beauty—there are also acupuncture, qigong, dietary therapies, etc., which are not discussed here. These beauty methods apply not just in autumn but throughout the year, though they deserve particular emphasis in autumn.
Third, sleep care.
In sleep, Huangdi Neijing advises: "Go to bed early and rise early, rise with chickens." Meaning in autumn, as climate cools, go to bed earlier to follow yin essence storage, and rise earlier to follow yang energy expansion. Regarding sleeping direction, ancients proposed "westward facing in autumn and winter." As recorded in "Qianjin Yaofang·Dao Lin Yangxing": "When lying down, in spring and summer face east, in autumn and winter face west." "Laolao Hengyan" cites "Ji Yu Zao": "When sleeping, in spring and summer head toward east, in autumn and winter head toward west." This is because spring and summer belong to yang—head should face east; autumn and winter belong to yin—head should face west, conforming to the principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer, nourishing yin in autumn and winter."
In sexual life, TCM sexology holds that during autumn and winter, one should follow nature’s principle of gathering and storing, moderate sexual activity, conserve yin essence. This is particularly crucial for middle-aged and elderly people. After age 40, yin energy declines gradually. Aging leads to reduced vitality—a natural process. Yet, if one carefully nurtures kidney essence, slowing aging and achieving longevity is entirely possible. Thus, moderation in sexual activity is essential for the elderly. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Bao Hui lived to 88, remained vigorous. When Jia Si Dao asked him his secret, he replied: "Old man relies solely on fifty years of eating 'solitary sleep pills.'" Everyone laughed. As the saying goes: "Excessive indulgence hastens aging," "Sexual exhaustion shortens life." These are not exaggerations—they carry scientific truth. Sun Simiao in "Qianjin Yaofang·Fangzhong Buyi" states: "At age twenty (meaning 20–29), ejaculate every four days; at thirty, every eight days; at forty, every sixteen days; at fifty, every twenty days; at sixty, refrain from ejaculation. If still physically strong, ejaculate once monthly." Most health practitioners agree with Sun Simiao’s recommended frequency. Evidence shows excessive sexual activity often causes symptoms such as weak waist and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, forgetfulness, fatigue, sallow complexion, mental dullness, frequent urination, male impotence, premature ejaculation, sperm leakage, female menstrual irregularities, abdominal pain, increased vaginal discharge.