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As stated in the ‘Huangdi Neijing’: “The five organs are where the spirit, blood, qi, and soul are stored.“
The five organs are the foundation of life, each with its own responsibilities, yet interconnected. Just as the ancients used the five elements to symbolize the five organs, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth interact with each other, embodying the principles of the universe within our flesh and blood.
Modern people seek longevity through elixirs, forgetting the fundamentals, unaware that the ultimate secrets of life were already hidden in the dialogues between Qi Bo and the Yellow Emperor two thousand years ago.
1. Nourish the Heart: Calmness Leads to Longevity, Harmonizing Qi and Blood
Explanation:
The heart is the “ruler’s organ,” akin to the emperor seated in the Ming Hall of the Forbidden City. The Ming dynasty physician Zhang Jingyue said: “When the heart is calm, all diseases cease; when the heart is agitated, the five organs tremble.” Modern people often experience chest tightness and palpitations, which are not necessarily due to organic heart disease, but rather the spirit being troubled by worldly distractions.
Insights:
The heart functions like the ‘CEO’ of the body, overseeing the circulation of qi and blood. Modern individuals frequently feel anxious or suffer from insomnia, which may not indicate heart failure, but rather an overload of concerns—work stress, family conflicts, and information bombardment from phones, exhausting the ‘CEO’.
Wang Yangming, when exiled to Longchang in Guizhou, sat quietly in a cave every day and gained profound insights. Just as a phone needs to be rebooted after prolonged use, taking a moment to pause when feeling chaotic can lead to clarity.
Lu You, at 80, could still write poetry, attributing his secret to a slow lifestyle like “sweeping fallen flowers on rainy days,” which alleviated his anxiety.
Feeling a headache from a meeting? Take ten deep breaths and imagine exhaling all your worries.
Don’t scroll through your phone before bed! Try turning off the lights and listening to soft music for a while, as if giving your brain a massage.
2. Nourish the Liver: Align with Nature, Soothe the Liver and Regulate Qi to Unleash Emotions
Explanation:
The liver is like a general, responsible for strategy and decision-making. Spring corresponds to wood and the liver meridian, but modern people often stay up late scrolling on their phones, akin to pulling the root of liver qi during the early hours (3-5 AM). Zhang Zhongjing warned in the ‘Jinkui Yaolue’: “When liver disease is seen, know that the liver transmits to the spleen,” indicating that stagnant liver qi will eventually undermine the entire system.
Insights:
The liver acts like a ‘traffic officer,’ responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of qi throughout the body. However, modern individuals who work late or suppress their feelings create blockages, leading to nodules and acne.
Tao Yuanming resigned to return to the countryside to grow chrysanthemums, effectively giving his liver a ‘vacation’—observing green plants is more beneficial than taking liver protection pills.
When feeling pent-up anger, stand up and stretch, imagining the ‘toxic qi’ in your liver floating away from the top of your head.
Shouting a few times at the window in the morning (you can do it in the shower if you’re shy) is more invigorating than coffee.
3. Strengthen the Spleen: Eat in Moderation, Enhance Spleen and Stomach Function
Explanation:
The spleen is like a granary manager; the ‘Spleen and Stomach Treatise’ states: “Internal injury to the spleen and stomach leads to the emergence of a hundred diseases.” However, modern people treat the spleen and stomach as a garbage disposal—morning iced coffee extinguishes yang qi, and late-night spicy hot pot increases dampness, akin to pouring sewage into the granary.
Insights:
The spleen and stomach are like the ‘cafeteria staff’; the quality of food determines the nutrition of the entire body. Yet, modern people consume greasy pancakes with iced coffee in the morning and barbecue with beer at midnight, effectively turning the cafeteria into a dump.
Bai Juyi had a simple lunch of one dish and rice daily, seemingly frugal, yet he lived to 75—plain food is the ‘comfort zone’ for the spleen and stomach.
Li Shizhen recommended dried tangerine peel soaked in water, akin to drinking hawthorn juice after a big meal, helping to cleanse the stomach and intestines.
Don’t eat anything after 8 PM! Imagine your spleen and stomach also need to clock out and rest.
In summer, reduce iced drinks and switch to warm water with apple slices; your spleen and stomach will thank you.
4. Nourish the Lungs: Moisten Yin and Lungs, Resist External Pathogens to Protect Breathing
Explanation:
The lungs are like a canopy, akin to the coffered ceiling of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, needing to be both permeable and protective. However, air-conditioned rooms create ‘neither wind nor cold’ pathogenic qi, and the mask-wearing era has made breathing a struggle.
Sun Simiao said, “Lung qi is connected to autumn,” yet modern people bulk up in autumn, akin to covering the screen with mud.
Insights:
The lungs function as the body’s ‘fresh air system,’ but people now spend all day in air-conditioned rooms wearing masks, akin to covering the ventilation fan with plastic.
Li Qingzhao, lying down to read, may seem lazy, but deep breathing is the best way to nourish the lungs.
Traditional Chinese medicine uses pear syrup to treat coughs, similar to using a humidifier in a dry room.
Feeling suffocated while wearing a mask on the subway? Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds, then purse your lips and exhale slowly for 6 seconds.
In the morning, open the window and mimic a rooster’s crow (keep it quiet), which can awaken your sleeping lungs.
5. Nourish the Kidneys: Strengthen the Foundation, Cultivate Essence, Moderation to Preserve Vitality
Explanation:
The kidneys store essence, like a reservoir at the end of the Grand Canal, requiring a steady flow. However, modern people treat kidney essence like a credit card, overextending it—daytime coffee is ‘eating the grain of the next day,’ while nighttime indulgence is like ‘killing the hen for its eggs.’ As Zhang Jiebin stated: “When kidney qi is deficient, all bones lose nourishment.”
Insights:
The kidneys are the body’s ‘piggy bank,’ but modern individuals who stay up late, drink coffee, and indulge excessively are effectively smashing the piggy bank to spend the money.
The tea sage Lu Yu said, “Tea is cold in nature,” reminding us that excessive coffee consumption can deplete kidney qi.
Daoists retreat for quiet reflection on the first and fifteenth of each month, effectively ‘recharging’ their kidneys.
Go to bed before 11 PM! Imagine your kidneys secretly repairing your body.
If you experience lower back pain from prolonged sitting, stretch like a cat and perform pelvic floor exercises with your heels against the chair.
Conclusion:
Nourishing the five organs is not about consuming rare treasures, but rather caring for five potted plants—calming the heart, stretching the liver, feeding the spleen and stomach, ventilating the lungs, and minimizing disturbances to the kidneys.
Next time your health check report shows issues, don’t rush to take medication; try sitting quietly in the dark for 10 minutes before bed, swapping takeout for millet porridge, or venting your frustrations into the air—these cost-free old methods are the true ‘health black technology.’
Remember: Your body is smarter than your phone; don’t let it run on ‘overload’ all day!
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