The Theoretical Basis |
Lao Zi: “Cherish no worries and keep away from fame and gain” During the periods of the spring and autumn and the warring states, LaoZi, the originator of Taoism, put forward his ideas about life cultivation: “Cherish no worries and keep away from fame and gain”, “Man restores the pure and innocent nature of the ancients”, “Conform to nature”, “Cherish mild character” and “Train the body to remove depression”, The chief gist of these ideas lies in mental tranquilization and abstinence from improper personal desires. Only in this way, can human spirit be cultivated, essence and qi internally stored. Consequently, health and longevity can be obtained. Experts on life cultivation throughout the ages have attached importance to the though on life cultivation of “ cherishing no worries and keeping away from fame and gain.” It is the theoretical source of TCM life cultivation. According to the record of historical literature, the life span of LaoZi exceeded 160 years. Confucius: “Be benevolent to achieve longevity”
Confucius was the academic founder of Confucianism. As far as life cultivation and longevity are concerned, Confucius advocated moral life cultivation, stressed the importance of cultivation of the mind, that material desires should be reduced as much as possible and that human behavior should be restrained by social norms. Of these social norms, the philosophical concepts of “benevolence” and “the doctrine of the mean” were also embodied in his life cultivation practice such as “three kinds of abstinence for gentlemen” (Namely: “abstinence from sexual life, abstinence from fights and abstinence from worrying about personal gains and losses.”) In addition, people should live a regular life and avoid overstrain and overrest; dietary requirements should be nutritious, fresh, clean, meticulously cooked and delicious. Though Confucius lived in an age of chaos caused by war, his life span also reached 72 years. Menicus, another representative figure of Confucianism who was good at cultivating noble spirit, died at the age of 83 years. HuaTuo: “Ageing does not occur with the movement of the body” HuaTuo, the noted doctor in the Han Dynasty, theoretically expounded life cultivation with the bodily movement. He thought “movement” promotes easy digestion and smooth blood circulation, and that in this way, people can enjoy long life just as “running water is never stale and a door hinge never gets worm-eaten.” On this basis, he invented the famous “WuQinXi”, or the five mimic-animal games. It is an easy, convenient and effective keep fit exercise which imitates the motions of the five animals of tiger, dear, bear, monkey and bird. HuaTuo lived to be over. HuaTuo should have been a longevous man if he had not been detained and killed. Tao HongJing: “Cultivate the mind to nourish the body”
Tao HongJing, the famous expert on life cultivation in the southern dynasty, had a good command of medicine and was well versed in Buddhism and Taoism. His book “Records on Cultivating Character and Prolonging Life” is the earliest extant treatise on life cultivation in china. The book discusses a great number of life cultivation principles and methods, the main ones of which include conformity to seasonal changes, regulation of emotions, movement of every joint, regulation of respiration, moderate amount of food intake, light physical labor, proper sexual life, etc. Of all the principles and methods, “Cultivate the mind to nourish the body” is the dominant idea. Tao HongJing also died at the age of 80.
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