Life medicine is the highest knowledge in anthropology, and it is also a saying that sages value medicine and pharmacology.
The Huangdi Neijing discusses familiar concepts such as the four cardinal directions and the four seasons, making the learning process a beautiful journey of capturing the light and shadows of nature; it allows us to explore and unlock the secrets of our body and soul, serving as an important starting point for reorganizing and perfecting our lives.
1. Its Unique Position in Chinese Studies
As the ancient saying goes, “Cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world,” everything is based on humanity.The human body is the most intricate self-organizing system among all organizational systems, relying on its nature to exist, balance, and harmonize.It is a natural existence, self-sufficient, and embodies a harmonious mechanism.Chinese culture has always emphasized a human-centered approach. The Great Learning speaks of ultimate goodness, which must be realized in the tranquility and stability of the human heart; the Doctrine of the Mean states that excess and deficiency stem from the functions of the organs.For instance, if a person’s liver fire is excessive, their heart will be restless, leading to impatience in actions; if kidney essence is insufficient, they will lack energy, leading to incomplete thinking and potential failure in tasks.
2. Enhancing Self-Awareness
Vitality, spirit, courage, willpower, and intelligence—what is the inherent connection between these life forces and our physical constitution? In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our strength originates from the waist and kidneys.If the lung and kidney qi is abundant, one can act with great vigor, which is often referred to as having courage; the so-called spirit represents the ability of the heart and kidneys to connect. If heart energy and kidney essence are insufficient, one will appear lackluster; the Huangdi Neijing states that the gallbladder governs decision-making, which is largely related to the sufficiency of gallbladder qi and essence.A person’s achievements depend on their willpower. “Intention” refers to the ability to transform, which is the breadth of thought, while “will” refers to the ability to retain, which is the ability to focus. Willpower reflects the embodiment of the body’s transformative and retaining capabilities. How much can one transform? How much can one retain? This reflects a person’s willpower.If a person is very intelligent and possesses a broad mind but cannot focus or persist, their will is weak, and they will still fail in their endeavors.TCM believes that “the kidney opens to the ears, and the liver opens to the eyes.” This means that the essence of the kidneys connects to the ears, and the essence of the liver connects to the eyes. To assess a person’s intelligence, one must look at their liver and kidney functions. Good liver function leads to good eyesight; good kidney function leads to good hearing. If one experiences tinnitus or blurred vision, it indicates issues with the liver and kidneys.Our life vitality stems from the body itself, and studying the Huangdi Neijing strengthens our wisdom and vitality, teaching us a fundamental ability.
3. Cultivating Our Insight
The Huangdi Neijing emphasizes inner insight, which is a method of cognition. Studying it consciously cultivates and enhances our inner insight; it encourages us to look inward, observe, and comprehend our lives.The Huangdi Neijing guides us on how to align with the forces of nature. Just as TCM states that the heart governs dispersion, the heart continuously beats and disperses, symbolizing its nature; the generation of liver qi determines our mental state; we cannot only dissipate without absorbing, while lung qi governs convergence and descent; the stronger the kidney water’s ability to store, the stronger our heart fire’s dispersal ability, allowing us to have more energy to give back to society.Studying the Huangdi Neijing is a return to traditional culture. It allows us to grasp the unique charm of the Huangdi Neijing through understanding the natural world. By observing the phenomena of nature, we can understand the changes within the human body and address issues in our daily lives.Let us move from understanding and application to developing good lifestyle habits for self-management in disease prevention and health maintenance; let us use its way of thinking to manage our relationships with nature, the environment, and society.TCM Expert
Dr. Cao DafeiMaster of Jing Ai Tang
Initiator of the “Zen Medicine Lushan · Free Health” TCM Experience Camp
Practicing TCM physician, inheritor of the medical lineage of Sun Simiao
Director of the Xinglin Branch of the Chinese Folk Medicine Research Association
Trained under the original technology team of heat-sensitive moxibustion at Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Director of the Jiujiang Nutrition Society, Jiangxi TCM Volunteer Association
Passionate about traditional culture, studying the I Ching, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism
Enthusiast of TCM, tea ceremony, Tai Chi, calligraphy, and Ba Duan Jin
Practicing health preservation according to the Huangdi Neijing, integrating Daoist techniques, and harmonizing body and mind
Book an appointment with Dr. Cao📞13879207005 (WeChat same number)
