Yi Ching Health Preservation: The Source of Traditional Chinese Health Preservation
"The Book of Changes" represents the core spirit of China's excellent traditional culture. The content of the I Ching for health preservation has survived to this day. Although the language is inevitably esoteric and difficult to understand due to its age, its ideas and methods still have high practical value. The idea of "neutralizing yin and yang" in traditional Chinese medicine health preservation comes from the "I Ching". For thousands of years, the Chinese people's unique health science has relied on the essence of traditional Chinese culture and has been integrated into people's daily lives, demonstrating the healthy lifestyle of the Chinese nation in the form of customs, habits, etiquette and norms.
One Source and Four Branches of I Ching Health
The structure of Chinese culture can be summarized as “One Source, Three Streams, Two Five Classics”. The “first source” is Yi, the “third stream” is Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism, the two branches are Chinese medicine and Chinese arts, and the five classics are the Yi Jing, the Nei Jing, the Analects of Confucius, the Tao Te Ching, and the Sixth Patriarch Tantra Sutra. 》.
In the Huangdi Nei Jing, the first theoretical classic of Chinese health science, the opening chapter of "Su Wen" discusses health preservation in a huge space based on the laws of human life, encouraging the world to follow the example of the ancients and "law on yin and yang" , and in harmony with Shu Shu", we can healthily enjoy the natural length and quality of life given to the human body by God. This is the "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" as the outer version of the Yi Jing health preservation, which explains health preservation from the perspective of a doctor.
In addition, when "Guoxue health preservation" is implemented into individual health preservation individuals, the basic knowledge structure often contains such elements: such as Shao Xi Confucianism, Xi Ju Zi Ye, You Cheng Ting Xun, Zhang Huang lineage, etc. This is Confucianism The inheritance of a line of learning is orderly; another example is Chong Ling Advocating for Taoism, being elegant and fond of immortals, and being fond of talking about Lao and Zhuang, etc., are the common threads of the Taoist lineage; another example is being good at interpreting scriptures, which means being influenced by Buddhist thought; there are also the simultaneous advancement of Yi and medicine, and the simultaneous cultivation of Buddhism and Taoism, etc. , these all show that he has the roots of the "Yi family" and "medical family" in academic origin.
From the above description, it can be seen that the academic origin of the Yi Jing health preservation is from one source - Yi Xue, and also comprehensively absorbed the thoughts of four tributaries - Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and medical schools, especially the The health science based on the diagnosis and treatment practices of doctors is even more convinced and adopted by the Chinese people. Based on the previous sages' discussions and personal research and practice, the author proposed the concept of "Guoxue Health Preservation", created the "Yi Dao Health Preservation Gong", established the theory of "Yi Dao as the main body, and the three religions combined with Yi", advocating that "Yi soul and Buddha's heart, Confucianism and Taoism are the backbone, "The combined use of medicine and Yi, the five classics return to their origin", and the pursuit of inner-seeking practice to open up the road to life enlightenment is essentially the spiritual purpose, core value and practical experience of the "one source and four branches" of the "Yi Ching" health preservation.
The core ideas of the I Ching’s health preservation
The “life philosophy” of the I Ching’s health preservation is the only way to cultivate the mind and maintain health. It is summarized by the ancestors from the perspective of health preservation in the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. What comes out is summarized and refined by looking up at astronomy, observing geography, and studying human affairs. It is the experience of our ancestors in protecting human physical and mental health. These wisdoms and methods can teach us now some "health methods that are more important than eating."
For example, Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty had a famous saying, "My fate depends on me but not on Heaven." It means that life lies in one's own choices, rather than being determined by external factors. This idea of "seeking within" and making one's own decisions freely is one of the core spirits of the Yi Jing health regimen. Seeking within is the unique wisdom of the Chinese people. In fact, human life is very simple, that is, from zero to one, and then from one to zero. Therefore, one must have a zero mentality in life. Some people may ask: Modern people are highly dependent on money and wealth. In fact, if the thinking does not change, it will be difficult to change this dependence on material conditions. Relying on material conditions is, in the final analysis, an "external pursuit" approach. Relying on external conditions to achieve goals is very hard, uncontrollable, and unfree.
The wisdom of the Chinese people is that they have long advocated the idea of "seeking within". To maintain health, we must "seek within", which means seeking within ourselves the essence, energy, and spirit that we possess. From a Taoist perspective, the foundation of human health is Yuan Jing, Yuan Qi, and Yuan Shen. Yuanjing is closely related to human reproductive function. To maintain Yuanjing inwardly, we need to abstain from sexual intercourse to preserve essence and reduce consumption. The Yuan Qi and Yuan Shen need to be nurtured by Yuan Jing for a long time before they can be correspondingly perfect. Yuan Jing is like soil, Yuan Qi is like nutrients, and Yuan Shen is like a plant. Therefore, nourishing Yuan Jing by seeking within is the top priority.
The specific method of nourishing the essence internally can be meridian massage. There are two key acupoints: the first acupoint is the lower Dantian, which is called "Guanyuan point" in traditional Chinese medicine, and the second acupoint is "Ming" Gate hole". Massaging these two acupoints with the "Laogong point" in the palm of your hand can have the effect of maintaining Yuanjing, because Laogong point is an acupoint on the pericardium meridian, where the heart hides the spirit. Massage the acupoint on the kidneys to maintain Yuanjing, and the heart and kidneys intersect. Full of energy and spirit.
The Six Main Methods of I Ching Health Preservation
The I Ching Health Preservation combines the strengths of all the excellent traditional Chinese cultures, and doctors are especially good at specific implementation. Therefore, the main methods of I Ching Health Preservation are The specific method is similar to traditional Chinese medicine. The "Huangdi Neijing" established the six major medical techniques of traditional Chinese medicine for treating diseases in the "Different Methods and Prescriptions": Bianstone (scraping), acupuncture, moxibustion, traditional Chinese medicine, Daoyin, and Qigong (gong method). These methods are also easy to use. Specific methods of maintaining health. In addition, there are Taoist methods such as keeping spirits, fasting, and taking food, Confucian methods of nourishing qi, sitting quietly, etc., and Zen meditation methods, thinking cultivation, etc., which are all specific methods of health preservation in the I Ching, and can be selected according to individual needs.
Among them, Daoyin can be widely used in the health care of all kinds of people. It originated from ancient times and has been popular as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The "leading" of Daoyin is to activate the limbs, and also to guide the movement of Qi in the meridians in the body with thoughts. The pitching, flexion and extension done by "Yin", and the breathing, movement of Qi, massage, etc. done by "Yin", the two work together to exercise the body and cultivate the spirit. Through the guidance movement of the human body, it can help digestion, joints, and Promote blood circulation, dredge meridians, and achieve the purpose of curing diseases and prolonging life.