Huangdi Neijing
The Huangdi Neijing is divided into two parts: Ling Shu and Su Wen, and is one of the earliest medical texts in China, recognized as one of the four great classics of traditional medicine.The Huangdi Neijing is a comprehensive medical book that establishes the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) such as the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory, pulse diagnosis, organ theory, meridian theory, etiology, pathogenesis, symptoms, diagnostic methods, treatment principles, and health preservation and astrology theories based on the Daoist philosophy of Huang-Lao.The fundamental materials are derived from the ancient Chinese people’s long-term observations of life phenomena, extensive clinical practices, and basic anatomical knowledge. The Huangdi Neijing lays the foundation for understanding human physiology, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment, making it a highly influential medical work in China, often referred to as the ancestor of medicine.
Original Text and Translation of the Huangdi Neijing
Volume One: Su Wen
Discussion on the True Nature of Ancient Times
【Key Points】
1. Explains the positive significance of health preservation.
Not only can it prevent diseases, but it is also an effective measure for prolonging life.
2. Specifically points out the methods of health preservation: mental cultivation; dietary and lifestyle adjustments; adaptation to environmental and climatic changes; physical exercise.
3. The processes of life, growth, decline, and aging, as well as reproductive functions, are primarily determined by the rise and fall of kidney qi.
4. Lists four different health preservation methods and outcomes to enlighten people on the importance of health preservation for disease prevention and longevity.
【Original Text】
In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor was born with divine intelligence, spoke at a young age, quickly understood his surroundings in childhood, grew up to be both earnest and diligent, and upon reaching adulthood, ascended to the throne.
He then asked the heavenly master: I have heard that people in ancient times lived over a hundred years, and their movements showed no signs of aging; yet people today, at fifty years of age, show signs of weakness. Is this due to the difference in times, or is it because people today do not know how to preserve their health?
Qibo replied: In ancient times, those who understood the way of health preservation followed the principles of Yin and Yang, harmonized with the techniques of numbers, regulated their diet and drink, maintained regular daily routines, did not engage in excessive labor, thus their bodies and spirits thrived together, and they lived to their natural lifespan, exceeding a hundred years before departing.
People today are not like that; they treat wine as water, indulge excessively, become intoxicated and engage in sexual activities, depleting their essence and dissipating their true energy, unaware of the need to maintain fullness, unable to control their spirits, seeking only momentary pleasures, going against the joys of life, and living without regularity, hence they decline by fifty.
Those ancient sages taught that one should avoid evil winds and harmful influences at the right times, maintain tranquility and emptiness, allowing true energy to flow, and guard the spirit within, thus diseases have no source to arise from.
Therefore, they could keep their desires minimal, their hearts peaceful and fearless, labor without fatigue, and their energy would flow smoothly, each fulfilling their wishes.
Thus, they enjoyed their food, wore what they liked, delighted in their customs, and lived happily, regardless of social status, hence they were called simple and unadorned.
Thus, no improper desires could disturb their eyes, and no lewdness could confuse their hearts,whether foolish or wise, virtuous or unworthy,they were not troubled by external matters,thus they aligned with the Dao.
Therefore, those who could live over a hundred years without showing signs of aging did so because their virtues were complete and not endangered.
The Emperor said: When a person ages and has no children, is it due to exhaustion of their resources? Is it the way of heaven?
Qibo said: A girl at seven years old has abundant kidney qi, her teeth change and her hair grows long.
At fourteen, the Heavenly Gui arrives, the Ren Meridian is open, the Tai Chong Meridian is strong, and menstruation occurs regularly, thus she can bear children.
At twenty-one, kidney qi is balanced, thus her true teeth grow and reach their full length.
At twenty-eight, her muscles and bones are strong, and her hair grows to its fullest, making her body robust.
At thirty-five, the Yangming Meridian weakens, her face begins to wither, and her hair starts to fall out.
At forty-two, the three Yang Meridians weaken, her face becomes haggard, and her hair begins to turn white.
At forty-nine, the Ren Meridian is deficient, the Tai Chong Meridian weakens, the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, and menstruation ceases, thus her body deteriorates and she loses the ability to bear children.
For a boy at eight years old, kidney qi is full, his hair grows long and his teeth change.
At sixteen, kidney qi is abundant, the Heavenly Gui arrives, essence overflows, and with harmony between Yin and Yang, he can father children.
At twenty-four, kidney qi is full, his muscles and bones are strong, and his true teeth grow fully.
At thirty-two, his muscles and bones are robust, and his flesh is full and strong.
At forty, kidney qi declines, his hair begins to fall out, and his teeth start to decay.
At forty-eight, the upper Yang energy gradually declines, his face becomes haggard, and his hair turns gray.
At fifty-six, liver qi weakens, and the movement of his muscles and bones becomes less agile.
At sixty-four, the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, essence is diminished, kidney function declines, and his teeth and hair fall out, leading to physical fatigue.
The kidneys govern water, receiving and storing the essence from the five organs and six bowels, thus when the five organs are strong, they can overflow.
Now, as the five organs decline, the muscles and bones weaken, and the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, hence the hair turns white, the body becomes heavy, the gait unsteady, and he can no longer father children.
The Emperor said: What is the reason for those who are old yet still have children?
Qibo said: This is due to their innate vitality exceeding that of others, their energy pathways remaining open, and their kidney qi being sufficient.
Such individuals, although capable of reproduction, generally do not exceed the age of sixty-four for men and forty-nine for women, as their essence will be depleted.
The Emperor said: Can those who understand the way of health preservation live to be a hundred and still have children?
Qibo said: Those who understand the way can resist aging and preserve their form; although they are old, they can still bear children.
The Emperor said:
I have heard that in ancient times, there were those called true people, who grasped the changes of heaven and earth, could regulate their breath, stand alone in guarding their spirit, and their muscles and flesh were unified, thus they could live as long as heaven and earth without an end; this is the result of their Daoist cultivation.
In the middle ages, there were those called sages, who possessed pure virtue and fully understood the way, harmonized with Yin and Yang, adjusted to the four seasons, distanced themselves from worldly affairs, accumulated essence, and concentrated their spirit, wandering between heaven and earth, perceiving beyond the eight directions; this indeed extended their lifespan and strengthened their bodies, and they too belong to the category of true people.
Next, there are those called sages, who dwell in harmony with heaven and earth, follow the principles of the eight winds, adapt their desires to the customs of the world, harbor no anger or hatred, act without wanting to separate from the world, wear simple clothing, and do not seek to stand out; externally, they do not overexert their bodies, and internally, they have no burdensome thoughts, aiming for tranquility and joy, and finding satisfaction in self-contentment, thus their bodies do not easily decay, and their spirits do not easily scatter, allowing them to also reach a hundred years.
Next, there are those called wise people, who follow the laws of heaven and earth, resemble the sun and moon, discern the positions of the stars, follow the changes of Yin and Yang, and adapt to the four seasons, aligning with the ancient true people, thus they can also extend their lives, but they still have an end.
【Notes】
① Heavenly Master: A title of respect the Yellow Emperor gave to Qibo.
② Harmonizing with techniques: Refers to using appropriate health preservation methods to harmonize the body.
③ Tranquility and emptiness: Tranquility refers to being calm and quiet; emptiness refers to having no distracting thoughts; tranquility and emptiness mean having a calm and quiet heart without any distractions.
④ Heavenly Gui: Refers to the innate essence stored in the kidneys, which promotes the development of reproductive functions.
⑤ Grasping heaven and earth: Refers to being able to master the laws of natural changes.
⑥ Weapons: Refers generally to weapons.
【Translation】
In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor was born very intelligent, spoke well at a young age, quickly understood his surroundings in childhood, grew up to be earnest and diligent, and upon reaching adulthood, ascended to the throne. He asked Qibo: I have heard that in ancient times, people lived over a hundred years, and their movements showed no signs of aging; yet people today, at fifty years of age, show signs of weakness. Is this due to the difference in times, or is it because people today do not know how to preserve their health?
Qibo replied: In ancient times, those who understood the way of health preservation followed the principles of Yin and Yang, harmonized with the techniques of numbers, regulated their diet and drink, maintained regular daily routines, did not engage in excessive labor, thus their bodies and spirits thrived together, and they lived to their natural lifespan, exceeding a hundred years before departing. People today are not like that; they treat wine as water, indulge excessively, become intoxicated and engage in sexual activities, depleting their essence and dissipating their true energy, unaware of the need to maintain fullness, unable to control their spirits, seeking only momentary pleasures, going against the joys of life, and living without regularity, hence they decline by fifty.
Those ancient sages taught that one should avoid evil winds and harmful influences at the right times, maintain tranquility and emptiness, allowing true energy to flow, and guard the spirit within, thus diseases have no source to arise from. Therefore, they could keep their desires minimal, their hearts peaceful and fearless, labor without fatigue, and their energy would flow smoothly, each fulfilling their wishes. Thus, they enjoyed their food, wore what they liked, delighted in their customs, and lived happily, regardless of social status, hence they were called simple and unadorned. Thus, no improper desires could disturb their eyes, and no lewdness could confuse their hearts, whether foolish or wise, virtuous or unworthy, they were not troubled by external matters, thus they aligned with the Dao. Therefore, those who could live over a hundred years without showing signs of aging did so because their virtues were complete and not endangered.
The Emperor said: When a person ages and has no children, is it due to exhaustion of their resources? Is it the way of heaven? Qibo said: A girl at seven years old has abundant kidney qi, her teeth change and her hair grows long. At fourteen, the Heavenly Gui arrives, the Ren Meridian is open, the Tai Chong Meridian is strong, and menstruation occurs regularly, thus she can bear children. At twenty-one, kidney qi is balanced, thus her true teeth grow and reach their full length. At twenty-eight, her muscles and bones are strong, and her hair grows to its fullest, making her body robust. At thirty-five, the Yangming Meridian weakens, her face begins to wither, and her hair starts to fall out. At forty-two, the three Yang Meridians weaken, her face becomes haggard, and her hair begins to turn white. At forty-nine, the Ren Meridian is deficient, the Tai Chong Meridian weakens, the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, and menstruation ceases, thus her body deteriorates and she loses the ability to bear children. For a boy at eight years old, kidney qi is full, his hair grows long and his teeth change. At sixteen, kidney qi is abundant, the Heavenly Gui arrives, essence overflows, and with harmony between Yin and Yang, he can father children. At twenty-four, kidney qi is full, his muscles and bones are strong, and his true teeth grow fully. At thirty-two, his muscles and bones are robust, and his flesh is full and strong. At forty, kidney qi declines, his hair begins to fall out, and his teeth start to decay. At forty-eight, the upper Yang energy gradually declines, his face becomes haggard, and his hair turns gray. At fifty-six, liver qi weakens, and the movement of his muscles and bones becomes less agile. At sixty-four, the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, essence is diminished, kidney function declines, and his teeth and hair fall out, leading to physical fatigue. The kidneys govern water, receiving and storing the essence from the five organs and six bowels, thus when the five organs are strong, they can overflow. Now, as the five organs decline, the muscles and bones weaken, and the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, hence the hair turns white, the body becomes heavy, the gait unsteady, and he can no longer father children.
The Emperor said: What is the reason for those who are old yet still have children? Qibo said: This is due to their innate vitality exceeding that of others, their energy pathways remaining open, and their kidney qi being sufficient. Such individuals, although capable of reproduction, generally do not exceed the age of sixty-four for men and forty-nine for women, as their essence will be depleted. The Emperor said: Can those who understand the way of health preservation live to be a hundred and still have children? Qibo said: Those who understand the way can resist aging and preserve their form; although they are old, they can still bear children.
The Emperor said: I have heard that in ancient times, there were those called true people, who grasped the changes of heaven and earth, could regulate their breath, stand alone in guarding their spirit, and their muscles and flesh were unified, thus they could live as long as heaven and earth without an end; this is the result of their Daoist cultivation. In the middle ages, there were those called sages, who possessed pure virtue and fully understood the way, harmonized with Yin and Yang, adjusted to the four seasons, distanced themselves from worldly affairs, accumulated essence, and concentrated their spirit, wandering between heaven and earth, perceiving beyond the eight directions; this indeed extended their lifespan and strengthened their bodies, and they too belong to the category of true people. Next, there are those called sages, who dwell in harmony with heaven and earth, follow the principles of the eight winds, adapt their desires to the customs of the world, harbor no anger or hatred, act without wanting to separate from the world, wear simple clothing, and do not seek to stand out; externally, they do not overexert their bodies, and internally, they have no burdensome thoughts, aiming for tranquility and joy, and finding satisfaction in self-contentment, thus their bodies do not easily decay, and their spirits do not easily scatter, allowing them to also reach a hundred years. Next, there are those called wise people, who follow the laws of heaven and earth, resemble the sun and moon, discern the positions of the stars, follow the changes of Yin and Yang, and adapt to the four seasons, aligning with the ancient true people, thus they can also extend their lives, but they still have an end.
【Notes】
1. Heavenly Master: A title of respect the Yellow Emperor gave to Qibo.
2. Harmonizing with techniques: Refers to using appropriate health preservation methods to harmonize the body.
3. Tranquility and emptiness: Tranquility refers to being calm and quiet; emptiness refers to having no distracting thoughts; tranquility and emptiness mean having a calm and quiet heart without any distractions.
4. Heavenly Gui: Refers to the innate essence stored in the kidneys, which promotes the development of reproductive functions.
5. Grasping heaven and earth: Refers to being able to master the laws of natural changes.
6. Weapons: Refers generally to weapons.
【Translation】
In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor was born very intelligent, spoke well at a young age, quickly understood his surroundings in childhood, grew up to be earnest and diligent, and upon reaching adulthood, ascended to the throne. He asked Qibo: I have heard that in ancient times, people lived over a hundred years, and their movements showed no signs of aging; yet people today, at fifty years of age, show signs of weakness. Is this due to the difference in times, or is it because people today do not know how to preserve their health?
Qibo replied: In ancient times, those who understood the way of health preservation followed the principles of Yin and Yang, harmonized with the techniques of numbers, regulated their diet and drink, maintained regular daily routines, did not engage in excessive labor, thus their bodies and spirits thrived together, and they lived to their natural lifespan, exceeding a hundred years before departing. People today are not like that; they treat wine as water, indulge excessively, become intoxicated and engage in sexual activities, depleting their essence and dissipating their true energy, unaware of the need to maintain fullness, unable to control their spirits, seeking only momentary pleasures, going against the joys of life, and living without regularity, hence they decline by fifty.
Those ancient sages taught that one should avoid evil winds and harmful influences at the right times, maintain tranquility and emptiness, allowing true energy to flow, and guard the spirit within, thus diseases have no source to arise from. Therefore, they could keep their desires minimal, their hearts peaceful and fearless, labor without fatigue, and their energy would flow smoothly, each fulfilling their wishes. Thus, they enjoyed their food, wore what they liked, delighted in their customs, and lived happily, regardless of social status, hence they were called simple and unadorned. Thus, no improper desires could disturb their eyes, and no lewdness could confuse their hearts, whether foolish or wise, virtuous or unworthy, they were not troubled by external matters, thus they aligned with the Dao. Therefore, those who could live over a hundred years without showing signs of aging did so because their virtues were complete and not endangered.
The Emperor said: When a person ages and has no children, is it due to exhaustion of their resources? Is it the way of heaven? Qibo said: A girl at seven years old has abundant kidney qi, her teeth change and her hair grows long. At fourteen, the Heavenly Gui arrives, the Ren Meridian is open, the Tai Chong Meridian is strong, and menstruation occurs regularly, thus she can bear children. At twenty-one, kidney qi is balanced, thus her true teeth grow and reach their full length. At twenty-eight, her muscles and bones are strong, and her hair grows to its fullest, making her body robust. At thirty-five, the Yangming Meridian weakens, her face begins to wither, and her hair starts to fall out. At forty-two, the three Yang Meridians weaken, her face becomes haggard, and her hair begins to turn white. At forty-nine, the Ren Meridian is deficient, the Tai Chong Meridian weakens, the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, and menstruation ceases, thus her body deteriorates and she loses the ability to bear children. For a boy at eight years old, kidney qi is full, his hair grows long and his teeth change. At sixteen, kidney qi is abundant, the Heavenly Gui arrives, essence overflows, and with harmony between Yin and Yang, he can father children. At twenty-four, kidney qi is full, his muscles and bones are strong, and his true teeth grow fully. At thirty-two, his muscles and bones are robust, and his flesh is full and strong. At forty, kidney qi declines, his hair begins to fall out, and his teeth start to decay. At forty-eight, the upper Yang energy gradually declines, his face becomes haggard, and his hair turns gray. At fifty-six, liver qi weakens, and the movement of his muscles and bones becomes less agile. At sixty-four, the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, essence is diminished, kidney function declines, and his teeth and hair fall out, leading to physical fatigue. The kidneys govern water, receiving and storing the essence from the five organs and six bowels, thus when the five organs are strong, they can overflow. Now, as the five organs decline, the muscles and bones weaken, and the Heavenly Gui is exhausted, hence the hair turns white, the body becomes heavy, the gait unsteady, and he can no longer father children.
The Emperor said: What is the reason for those who are old yet still have children? Qibo said: This is due to their innate vitality exceeding that of others, their energy pathways remaining open, and their kidney qi being sufficient. Such individuals, although capable of reproduction, generally do not exceed the age of sixty-four for men and forty-nine for women, as their essence will be depleted. The Emperor said: Can those who understand the way of health preservation live to be a hundred and still have children? Qibo said: Those who understand the way can resist aging and preserve their form; although they are old, they can still bear children.
The Emperor said: I have heard that in ancient times, there were those called true people, who grasped the changes of heaven and earth, could regulate their breath, stand alone in guarding their spirit, and their muscles and flesh were unified, thus they could live as long as heaven and earth without an end; this is the result of their Daoist cultivation. In the middle ages, there were those called sages, who possessed pure virtue and fully understood the way, harmonized with Yin and Yang, adjusted to the four seasons, distanced themselves from worldly affairs, accumulated essence, and concentrated their spirit, wandering between heaven and earth, perceiving beyond the eight directions; this indeed extended their lifespan and strengthened their bodies, and they too belong to the category of true people. Next, there are those called sages, who dwell in harmony with heaven and earth, follow the principles of the eight winds, adapt their desires to the customs of the world, harbor no anger or hatred, act without wanting to separate from the world, wear simple clothing, and do not seek to stand out; externally, they do not overexert their bodies, and internally, they have no burdensome thoughts, aiming for tranquility and joy, and finding satisfaction in self-contentment, thus their bodies do not easily decay, and their spirits do not easily scatter, allowing them to also reach a hundred years. Next, there are those called wise people, who follow the laws of heaven and earth, resemble the sun and moon, discern the positions of the stars, follow the changes of Yin and Yang, and adapt to the four seasons, aligning with the ancient true people, thus they can also extend their lives, but they still have an end.
【Notes】
1. Heavenly Master: A title of respect the Yellow Emperor gave to Qibo.
2. Harmonizing with techniques: Refers to using appropriate health preservation methods to harmonize the body.
3. Tranquility and emptiness: Tranquility refers to being calm and quiet; emptiness refers to having no distracting thoughts; tranquility and emptiness mean having a calm and quiet heart without any distractions.
4. Heavenly Gui: Refers to the innate essence stored in the kidneys, which promotes the development of reproductive functions.
5. Grasping heaven and earth: Refers to being able to master the laws of natural changes.
6. Weapons: Refers generally to weapons.