Wen Xiaoshu says Making Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) more beautiful, interesting, and closer to life
What we call health preservation is actually about maintaining the balance of Yin and Yang in the human body.
Let’s start with Yin and Yang.The elephant in the room is that discussing principles can be daunting, as listeners have different understandings, leading to the conclusion that no matter how we explain, it will be wrong.So, we won’t discuss principles; instead, let’s return to the old traditions and explore the world between heaven and earth.How do heaven and earth maintain the balance of Yin and Yang?
During the day, the sun rises, emitting light and heat, illuminating all things. All things, after being illuminated, absorb heat and begin to transform. For example, the water in the river transforms from liquid to gas, becoming water vapor, which is lighter and floats up into the sky.Then, when the sun sets and the moon rises, the heated water vapor cools and turns into clouds. The next day, the clouds, filled with water vapor, are heated by the sun again, turning into rain that falls back to the ground.
This is the marvelous journey of a drop of water in nature, and helping the water complete this journey, besides the sun that shines and heats, we consider the sun to belong to Yang, while the cool, dim moon is considered to belong to Yin.It is precisely because of the alternating presence of these two states of Yin and Yang that this drop of water can complete a cycle in nature. The ancients referred to the successful completion of this cycle as the state of Yin-Yang balance.Humans are the same; we also have the sun and moon within our bodies.For example, the heart belongs to fire, belongs to Yang, and is the sun in our body. Therefore, the heart Yang is dispersive, and the function of the heart is to pump blood (disperse) to all tissues and organs of the body.The kidneys belong to water, belong to Yin, and are the moon in our body. Therefore, the kidney Yin is about storage, and the function of the kidneys is to store essence.Returning to our initial question, what does this have to do with cold?Yang is heat and dispersive;Yin is cold and convergent.Because the kidneys have Yin properties, their storage function must be aided by cold to be completed. How do we understand this?Just like that drop of water, if there were only the sun, the drop of water would remain as vapor floating in the sky.Many people would say, how nice it would be to have clouds; they can block the sun and prevent UV rays.If that were the case, the sky would look beautiful, but the ground would be parched, as all the water would have gone up to the sky, leaving the ground dry, just as we mentioned at the beginning: without moisture, there are no conditions for life, resulting in a hellish scene of withering things.
Fortunately, we have the moon, so such a scene has not occurred. Humans cannot only rely on the shining and heating sun while neglecting the beauty of the moon in the cold palace.So, at this point, I believe everyone has felt that cold is quite useful; it is an indispensable part of maintaining the balance of Yin and Yang in heaven and earth, as well as in the human body.
So why do all the articles now say that cold is bad?
Because your body is too weak to bear this cold. If cold is absorbed, it nourishes Yin; if not absorbed, it becomes cold poison.The process of life is actually a process of qi transformation.You eat food, and the food enters the stomach and intestines, where it is heated and transformed, ultimately turning a lump of pork into a nourishing essence that rises to the lungs, where the lungs regulate and send the essence to nourish the organs and tissues that need nourishment, while the excess returns to the kidneys.As mentioned earlier, the kidneys belong to Yin, as water, and when the warm essence meets the cool kidney water, it immediately transforms from gas to liquid (or possibly solid) and is stored for future needs.How important the kidneys are, I believe everyone no longer needs us to elaborate. Here, we will discuss the issues many people encounter at this stage.Where does the cold in the kidneys come from?The Inner Canon says that the kidneys dislike cold; what does this mean?Actually, this is because the kidneys belong to water, which is inherently cold; disliking cold is a way of maintaining local balance. Otherwise, if cold adds to cold, it would not be cold water but cold ice, which is not storage but sealing, like the Arctic, where thick ice layers seal everything below, making it impossible for even the sun to melt it. This results in a lifeless scene.
This principle also applies to the spleen; the spleen dislikes dampness, which is also because the spleen is inherently damp. If it becomes too damp, it leads to flooding, which is also lifeless.So, when your kidney water is normal, you can appropriately eat some warming foods like lamb to warm it; this is the fusion of water and fire. However, if your kidney water is deficient and there is no water, the fire in the pot will burn dry. According to the scriptures, “When the water in the kidneys is deficient, it cannot control the fire; when the kidney water is abundant, the fire is stored; when the kidney water is depleted, the fire moves.”If there is not enough water, it means insufficient Yin cold, and the heart fire continues to burn. At this time, the overall environment of the body will become hot, just like the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. What to do?At this time, we need to strengthen the “Yin qi” to help the body achieve internal balance.Movement generates Yang, stillness generates Yin.The simplest way is to keep yourself in a state of stillness.For example, sitting quietly.
When a person is in a still environment (this environment refers to the internal mindset), Yin qi naturally arises, and this generated Yin qi will automatically transform into kidney water. This is why, during meditation, one often experiences a sweet aftertaste, based on this principle.Some people say, I sat down but can’t calm down; what should I do?Well, in fact, if there is Yin deficiency, 90% of people cannot calm down because it is too dry inside, just like putting a person in a desert to bake; it is generally difficult for anyone to calm down.What to do? Then eat some cooling foods.For example, millet, pork, etc., these foods that enter the kidney meridian are all cooling.So, appropriately supplementing some “cooling” foods is actually nourishing kidney Yin.(Note: Foods have varying degrees of coldness; for most, mildly cold foods can be consumed, while very cold foods should be used as medicine. Here we refer to mildly cold foods.)Transforming the cold and heat of food into your own cold and heatRequires a healthy spleen and stomach in between▼Many people will jump in at this point. I can’t eat cooling foods; I get diarrhea as soon as I eat them; what’s going on?This is because transforming the cold nature of food into the cold nature needed for kidney water requires the assistance of the stomach and intestines.In other words, food does not directly transform its cold nature; only those with good stomach and intestinal function can transform normally.Those with poor stomach and intestinal function cannot transform the cold they consume into the cold needed for nourishing kidney water, so it becomes cold poison accumulating in the body. This external substance cannot harmonize with any of our organs and will not enter the meridians; it will wander around, cooling wherever it stops, causing pain wherever it settles.The most critical point is that because “external cold binds it, the fire’s stagnant qi will erupt, and it is often beyond remedy,” it not only fails to nourish the cold of kidney water but also exacerbates internal heat.Therefore, as soon as you come into contact with cold foods, your stomach and intestines become uncomfortable, indicating that you have lost the ability to transform “external cold.” At this time, your kidney water, due to insufficient supplementation, gradually depletes.At this point, your internal heat will become more severe, until extreme heat generates cold; even in summer, you will need to wear autumn clothes, and even a piece of fruit or a cold breeze can send you to the hospital.At this time, if you are even less fortunate and read an article thinking that your fear of cold is due to “kidney Yang deficiency,” and then start frantically moxibusting to tonify Yang.
Originally, the kidney water is already dry, and you are increasing the energy of the sun, accelerating the drying up of the last remaining kidney water. At this point, a situation of “Yang excess restraining Yin” has formed, and a serious illness is inevitable.The phenomena described above are what I have witnessed over the years. It is truly regrettable.Therefore, a few years ago, when moxibustion became popular, I advised many people that while moxibustion indeed has great effects, indiscriminately practicing it without proper diagnosis can be harmful. I believe these harms have gradually revealed their adverse effects with the rampant use of moxibustion over the years.Returning to the previous text, if kidney water is insufficient, leading to internal heat, and extreme heat generates cold, at this time, it is actually possible to eat some cooling foods to nourish kidney water. However, if you also have poor stomach and intestines, and as soon as you touch cold foods, you get diarrhea and cannot absorb, this leads to a vicious cycle, a deadlock that cannot be opened; what to do?Then sleep well.Sleeping is the best form of stillness; if you can’t sit quietly, you should at least be able to sleep.Go to bed early and rise early, and the body will automatically nourish Yin; everything still relies on the body to slowly repair itself.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is definitely not just about herbal culture.
Finally, let’s reiterate a couple of points to avoid misunderstandings.First, the cooling foods we mentioned above do not mean you should eat cold drinks or ice beer.In fact, foods that feel cold to the touch should be eaten sparingly or not at all, as they directly harm the stomach and intestines. If the stomach and intestines are damaged, you won’t be able to absorb anything.Chinese people classify food as hot or cold based on its nature, not its touch.What is nature? Simply put, it is the inherent characteristics of food. For example, chili peppers, even if frozen, are still hot in nature. For instance, milk, when boiled into hot milk, is still cold in nature.It does not change based on external factors; its inherent characteristics are what we call “nature.”Moreover, the premise of eating cooling foods to nourish Yin is that your stomach and intestines are healthy enough; only those with healthy stomachs and intestines can transform the cold Yin in food; otherwise, those with poor stomachs and intestines will turn what they eat into cold poison.Second, in modern times, with such good living conditions and abundant nutrients, there are really not many people with true kidney Yang deficiency.So, do not jump to the conclusion that you have kidney Yang deficiency just because you see cold signs and then start a round of Yang tonification. The Inner Canon has never stated that health preservation means to tonify Yang.Please remember,Yin and Yang are a whole; emphasizing one alone will lead to an imbalance of Yin and Yang, and an imbalance of Yin and Yang is the fundamental cause of illness.Third, Traditional Chinese Medicine is definitely not just about herbal culture. When your stomach and intestines cannot absorb cooling foods or medicines, you can completely try other methods to nourish your kidney Yin.For example, quiet sitting practice, going to bed early and rising early, maintaining a good mindset, all of these are methods of nourishing Yin, and even the effects of these methods can surpass those of herbs,as the ancients called it “regulating the spirit, the highest form of medicine.”Alright, I can’t ramble on any longer. In summary, cold is not that bad; it is part of the mechanism of nature, including this cold.Both cold and dampness are indispensable factors in helping maintain the balance of our lives, so please do not fear cold or dampness in the future.Understanding it correctly can turn waste into treasure, using it to help us; this is the true essence conveyed by Chinese culture.Special Reminder:A beautiful day begins! If you like the article, don’t forget toclick the “Looking” button at the bottom right of the article or share it with your friends..Wen Xiaoshu’s other public account——『Wen Xiaoshu Talks History』, please search and follow it on WeChat.Due to limited energy and ability, WeChat regulations only allow for 100 selections, and I cannot reply to all messages; please forgive me. The formulas shared by me are for communication only and should not be taken casually; the consequences are at your own risk.Benefits are here:Open the public account dialogue box and enter “irregular menstruation,” “cold,” “hair loss,” “cold hands and feet,” “stomach pain,” “liver qi stagnation,” “injured essence,” “upper heat and lower cold,” “spleen and stomach,” “insomnia,” “dampness removal,” “qi and blood,” “weight loss,” “constipation,” “diarrhea,” “kidney deficiency,” “acne removal,” “cough,” “nasal inflammation,” “cervical spine,” “depression” to obtain corresponding conditioning formulas.