2023
3.21
Spring Equinox
“Yang is born in Zi and ends at Wu, reaching the midpoint at Mao, hence spring is the time of Yang. The second month of spring is the Spring Equinox. At this time, Yin and Yang are balanced, resulting in equal day and night.” — “Yueling Shihier Hou Jiejie”
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Yang Qi Rises, Day and Night are Equal
“First Sign: The Arrival of Swallows”: The swallow, known as Xuan Niao, returns from the south after the Spring Equinox.
“Second Sign: Thunder Sounds”: The sound of thunder signifies the rising Yang Qi of spring, breaking through the cold Yin, resonating loudly.
“Third Sign: The First Lightning”: After the Spring Equinox, the increasing Yang Qi leads to more frequent occurrences of thunder and lightning, which are normal natural phenomena.
During the Spring Equinox, day and night are equal, with cold and heat balanced, and the Yin and Yang energies are in harmony. This is an important time to adjust the body’s Yin and Yang imbalances and restore the coordination of organ functions, ensuring smooth Qi and blood flow. During this season, health maintenance should focus on soothing the liver and reducing fire, nurturing the spleen and stomach, emphasizing “harmony” and adhering to the principle of valuing balance.
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Soothe the Liver and Strengthen the Spleen, Balance is Key
The dietary principle avoids extremes of heat and cold, striving for moderation. It is essential to consume foods that help maintain the coordination and balance of organ functions, adjusting the body’s constitution to achieve the goal of mutual supplementation of Yin and Yang.
Eat more sprouted foods to help the body adapt to the rising energy of spring; consume sweet foods to assist the spleen’s function, such as jujubes (Da Zao), millet (Xiao Mi), yellow soybeans (Huang Dou), spinach (Bo Cai), and carrots (Hu Luo Bo); limit sour foods to prevent excessive sourness from inhibiting the liver’s energy; and consume foods that nourish Yang Qi without causing dryness, such as yam (Shan Yao), coix seed (Yi Yi Ren), glutinous rice (Nuomi), and white lentils (Bai Bian Dou).
★ Recommended Nourishing Formula for Spring Equinox ★
Red Bean Rose Chrysanthemum Tea
Ingredients: 30g red beans (Chi Xiao Dou), 10g rose (Mei Gui), 10g chrysanthemum (Ju Hua), 15g goji berries (Gou Qi), 10g jujubes (Hong Zao), 10g hawthorn (Shan Zha)
Preparation: Soak the red beans for 2-3 hours, then boil for 10-15 minutes. Once boiling, add jujubes and hawthorn, simmer for 10 minutes, then add rose, goji berries, and chrysanthemum, cooking for another 5 minutes. Optionally, add a little honey or rock sugar for flavor.
Effects: Soothes the liver, strengthens the spleen, nourishes Yin, invigorates blood, and harmonizes the ingredients without stagnation.
★ Recommended Nourishing Formula for Spring Equinox ★
Poria and Two Rice Congee
Ingredients: 30g poria (Fu Ling), 60g coix seed (Yi Yi), 120g japonica rice (Jing Mi), 15g dried tangerine peel (Chen Pi), appropriate amount of rock sugar.
Preparation: Wash the poria, coix seed, and japonica rice, then place them in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and cook until the rice is soft and the congee is ready. Add rock sugar to taste.
Effects: Strengthens the spleen, benefits Qi, regulates Qi, and promotes dampness elimination.
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Engage in Yang Activities, Align with the Season, Maintain Emotional Balance
As spring brings revival, Yang Qi rises. Exercise should promote the rise of Yang Qi and strengthen the functions of various organs, such as walking, hiking, flying kites, and practicing Tai Chi to stretch the body and mind, integrating with nature to promote smooth blood circulation and Qi flow, avoiding excessive sweating.
In terms of mental health, strive to maintain a relaxed, cheerful, and optimistic mood, avoiding emotional fluctuations that hinder the normal flow of liver Qi.
During the Spring Equinox, with balanced Yin and Yang, it is advisable to sleep late and rise early. During the day, when Yang Qi is dominant, one should engage in work, following the principle of “sleeping late and rising early, walking widely in the courtyard.” At night, when Yin Qi is dominant, rest is essential, and one should sleep before the Zi hour (around 11 PM).
Although Yang Qi is gradually increasing during the Spring Equinox, it is still important to guard against wind and cold, adjusting clothing accordingly. Wear soft, loose clothing to facilitate the expansion of Yang Qi, adapting to seasonal changes to achieve optimal health benefits.
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Moxibustion to Assist Yang, Foot Baths for Warmth
Health maintenance during the Spring Equinox should focus on balance, avoiding excessive supplementation and elevation. Moxibustion can assist Yang and dispel cold; during this time, it is advisable to shorten the duration of moxibustion treatments, performing them once a week, with each acupoint treated for 20 minutes until the area is slightly red. Select acupoints such as Gan Shu (Liver Shu), Pi Shu (Spleen Shu), Tai Chong (Liver Source Point), Zu San Li (Stomach Point) for moxibustion based on individual diagnosis.
Gan Shu Point: Located on the back, below the spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra, 1.5 inches lateral, it is a key point for treating liver and gallbladder disorders.
Function: Soothes the liver, regulates Qi, clears heat, nourishes the liver, brightens the eyes, and alleviates pain.
Pi Shu Point: Located on the back, below the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra, 1.5 inches lateral, it is a key point for treating spleen and stomach disorders.
Function: Strengthens the spleen, dispels dampness, and harmonizes the stomach.
Tai Chong Point: Located on the dorsum of the foot, in the depression between the first and second metatarsal bones, it is the source point of the liver meridian.
Function: Helps to soothe the liver, regulate Qi, and calm internal heat.
Meridian Health: Focus on the gallbladder meridian, performing moderate tapping and massage along the meridian to promote gallbladder Qi flow and regulate the eleven organs.
Foot Bath for Dispelling Cold and Dampness: After the Spring Equinox, rainfall increases, and dampness can easily accumulate. Special attention should be paid to keeping the lower limbs, especially the feet, warm. Therefore, during the Spring Equinox, one can choose to soak feet in water boiled with mugwort (Ai Ye) or cinnamon (Rou Gui), optionally adding chicken blood vine (Ji Xue Teng), cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi), muscle relaxant herb (Shen Jin Cao), or goldenrod (Yi Zhi Huang) to enhance warmth and circulation.
When soaking feet, the water should cover the ankles, for 15-20 minutes for adults, and 3-5 minutes for children, to promote meridian smoothness and invigorate blood and Qi.
“In the third month of spring, this is the time for emergence. Heaven and earth are born together, all things flourish. Sleep at night and rise early, walk widely in the courtyard, loosen your hair and relax your body, so that your spirit can thrive. Give life without killing, provide without taking, reward without punishing; this is the response to spring energy and the way of health preservation.”
—— “Huangdi Neijing: Treatise on the Regulation of Qi”
During the Spring Equinox, the liver wood is in command, and the liver governs the smooth flow of Qi, which is essential for maintaining the balance of Yin and Yang in the body. Health maintenance should adapt to seasonal changes, and following the Yin-Yang transformations of the four seasons is the best way to harmonize the body’s health, aiming for balance, which is the “way of health preservation.”
This article is authored by the Director of the Preventive Health Department, Chief Physician Ti Guixiang
Deputy Chief Physician Lv Pin, Huang Mengwen, Master’s Student Zeng Jing
Source: Preventive Health Department
Editor: Zhang Jing
Reviewer: Fan Aihan
Coordinator: Yin Lu
Supervisor: Wang Xiaopin
