Emperors and generals all believed in "immortal grass". In order to live forever and enjoy prosperity, they often send people everywhere to look for immortal grass. A.D. 1 century Shennong's herbal classics began to be recorded. Although the fairy grass has never been found, it has not made the ancients give up the search for longevity drugs, from vegetation to stones and even to alchemy. Ge Hong, the first famous alchemist in ancient China, was in the Jin Dynasty in the 4th century. In order to refine the "elixir of life", he did many chemical experiments. Although he failed to refine the elixir of life, it had a certain influence on the emergence of modern chemistry.
In the process of seeking and using the elixir of life, the ancient Chinese also had many counterproductive experiences.
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, scholar-officials prevailed in taking stones. "Wushi Powder" is made of stalactite, cinnabar, halloysitum rubrum, purple stone and sulfur. Not only did it not prolong life, but it was poisoned for a long time, including some emperors at that time.
Ji Kang, known as the "Seven Sages of Bamboo Forest" in Wei and Jin Dynasties, pointed out that "living in Jin and having yellow teeth" in his health preservation theory and recorded the relationship between geographical environment and diseases.
Liu Che, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, built a big copper basin in Zhang Han Palace to hold nectar and jade powder, hoping to prolong life, but it turned out to be harmful.
Palace ladies in the Tang Dynasty used arsenic as an oral medicine to protect their youthful appearance. Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, took the "elixir" refined by monks in the western regions, and died of digestive organ decay caused by mercury poisoning at the age of 53.
Although the search for "Cao Xian" and "elixir of life" ended in failure. But these explorations can be used for reference and can promote the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica in Ming Dynasty contains 2 17 kinds of metal mineral medicines, which shows that China has known the role of trace elements in metals and health for a long time.
Ancient doctors also left us many incisive expositions on delaying aging, which can be used for reference by modern people.
As early as Huangdi Neijing? In the first article of Su Wen's "On Ancient Innocence", it is recorded that the Yellow Emperor asked Zeebe: "I heard that in ancient times, people were 100 years old in the Spring and Autumn Period, and their mobility remained constant; People now, half a century later, have failed in sports, which is different from the times? Will people miss it? " Qi Bo replied: "Those who know the ancient times, Yin and Yang are in harmony, and several strokes are in harmony. They eat and live in moderation and are not in vain, so they can be in harmony with God and die at the age of 100." Otherwise, people nowadays take wine as their pulp, do whatever they want, get drunk, try their best to exhaust their essence and dissipate their truth, and don't know how to hold it full. From time to time, they will be quick, go against the joy of life, and live uncontrollably, so they will fail in half a century. " This passage, except for the limitation of science and technology at that time, did not involve genetic factors, and thoroughly expounded the relationship between man and living environment and way, the relationship between form and god, and the way of keeping in good health following the laws of nature. For us modern people, it is still a golden prescription to prolong life.
At the same time, Chinese doctors have also summed up rich experience in delaying aging in the long-term and large-scale practice of disease prevention and health care. In addition to lifestyle health care, some drugs such as Poria, Ginseng, Polygonum Multiflori Radix and Lycii Fructus also have the functions of promoting health and prolonging life.
Secondly, the health care application of moxibustion also has important clinical value.
In addition, in order to live a long life, the ancients also created a guiding method to guide their own spirit. Through thinking, breathing, breathing and comprehensive guidance, they entered the state of Qigong, thus creating a Qigong disease prevention and fitness technique with China characteristics.
All the above contents are reflected in the voluminous works on health preservation (nourishing, self-cultivation, hygiene and health protection). Among them, the most influential is the Huangdi Neijing in the pre-Qin period mentioned above; In addition, during the Han, Jin and Six Dynasties, there were Health Preservation Theory, Health Preservation and Longevity Record, Health Preservation Tactics of Taishang Laojun, Qian Jin Fang in Tang Dynasty, Health Preservation and Pension Book in Song Dynasty, Pension Book in Yuan Dynasty, Eating and Drinking Book in Ming Dynasty and Four Essentials of Health Preservation. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 150 kinds of such monographs. The influential representatives are Hua Tuo, Wang Chong, Ji Kang, Ge Hong, Tao Hongjing, Sun Simiao, Qiu Chuji and Yan Yuan.
Thus, ancient China has accumulated very rich experience in health care for the elderly. Some of these arguments on longevity are of great reference value and contribute to the development of traditional Chinese medicine.
Since modern times, China has organized some scientific research institutions to carry out research on delaying aging and achieved many results.
Many large hospitals in China have gerontology research institutes or laboratories. The first national conference on gerontology and gerontology was held in Beijing from 65438 to 0964.
After the China Committee of the World Assembly on Ageing was established in China from 65438 to 0982, various provinces and cities successively set up agencies such as the Working Committee on Ageing and the Gerontology Society. The research work of these institutions has absorbed the beneficial essence from the ancient health preservation theory, inherited and carried forward the national culture and medical heritage, and combined with modern medical knowledge and technology, has done a lot of useful work for strengthening people's physique and prolonging life, which has effectively promoted the development of gerontology. Since the beginning of the new century, the upsurge of national medical care is rising in China.