"Benevolence" is the core content of Confucianism. In the Analects of Confucius, the word "benevolence" appears in more than 100 places, and its meaning is far more than the so-called "benevolence and kinship" in Shuowen, and the deeper meaning is its so-called "love of benevolent people", that is, "universal love".
Confucian benevolence thought also includes filial piety, forgiveness, faithfulness, sensitivity, frugality, courtesy, modesty, softness, firmness, rigidity and courage, with the pursuit of perfection of moral cultivation as the highest goal and the self-improvement of people as the most important position. For example, the so-called "benevolence" in the Analects of Confucius requires "loyalty and forgiveness", tolerance and benefits; For yourself, be "insistent" and be frugal and polite. Confucius, the originator of Confucianism, not only praised Yan Hui, a disciple who "eats one ladle of water, but in a mean alley, people can't bear to go without changing their fun", but also praised himself for "scrimping and saving, leaning on it and enjoying it". Ill-gotten wealth is like a cloud to me. "This kind of ideological and moral cultivation, from the perspective of health, also belongs to the way of longevity.
The so-called "benevolent people don't worry", "an upright man is open and poised" and "benevolent people live long" reflect the internal relationship between "self-cultivation" and "longevity". The story of Spring and Autumn Annals understands this point in this way: "Therefore, the reason why benevolent people live long is that they have no greed outside but are clean inside, and they are calm and righteous, taking the beauty of heaven and earth. It is more and more. "
As for the statement in the Biography of Confucius, "A wise man is kind, disciplined, righteous, and timely, without hurting his nature. Although you will live a long life, you will not be at home "and" nourishing your heart and not being good at lust "in Mencius are particularly meaningful for health preservation.
Filial piety is another important content of Confucian moral norms. For example, in The Analects of Confucius, "Disciples are filial when they enter" and "Parents can do their best, and princes can lead them to life", which certainly embodies the feudal ethics of loyalty and filial piety, but there are also some virtues that are respected by China's traditional ethics.
The "filial piety" emphasized by Confucianism not only advocates "nurturing" but also advocates "respecting" parents. Confucius said, "Today's filial piety means that it can be raised. As for dogs and horses, it can be raised. If disrespectful, why not be different? " All the people in the world are ashamed of being unfilial, thus objectively forming a moral trend of respecting the elderly. As far as Confucianism is concerned, Zhang Zhongjing, Sun Simiao and other famous doctors also take it as their duty to "cure the diseases of their loved ones, save the poor and keep them alive for a long time". There are endless works about bearing children and providing for the aged, and the research on providing for the aged is spectacular. Sun Simiao's "Thousands of Women Spread their Wings" in Tang Dynasty has monographs such as "Providing for the Aged" and "Eating for the Aged". During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, there appeared books on supporting the family by providing for the aged, and new books on supporting the aged by living with parents. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were Shoushi Qingbian, Shouyang Series and Lao Lao Fang Heng, which were very helpful to the development of health preservation, especially to the study of gerontology today.
Confucianism attaches great importance to "ceremony", including the laws and regulations of governing the country and various rituals. Confucian "rule by courtesy" is the guarantee for its implementation of moral policies, which are very complicated, and some systems involving daily life, weddings and funerals are directly related to health care.
For example, in daily life, especially in health, the Analects of Confucius says that "fish is hungry and decayed, its color is bad, it stinks, it is badly cooked, it is not regular to eat, and it must not be eaten." Although there is a lot of meat, there is nothing better than eating. There is no limit to wine, and it is not chaotic. People who sell preserved wine in the market don't eat ","there is nothing to say after eating "and so on.
In the aspect of sleep, it is put forward that "don't talk while sleeping", "don't sleep without a corpse, don't live with guests" and so on. These understandings pay attention to hygiene and prevent diseases.
In addition, The Analects of Confucius also recorded the story that Kang Zi gave medicine, and Confucius refused to take it on the grounds that he had not reached the peak and dared not taste it. Obviously, he knew at that time that drugs of unknown nature could not be used easily. There is an old saying that "people who don't take medicine are Chinese medicine practitioners", which may be from here.
In marriage, there is also a ritual system. Aside from the feudal hierarchy and red tape, Confucius said that "Don't leave a man and a woman if you are indecent, and the marriage is far away" (Book of Rites asks the public) and "Marry a wife with a different surname" (Guoyu Yujin) all have eugenics significance.
According to the Analects of Confucius, Lu married a daughter country, and both Lu and Wu were surnamed Ji. In order to decorate their indecent behavior of intermarriage with the same surname, Zhao Gong renamed Wu Jishi Wu Mengzi. It can be seen that the "ceremony" is so binding that even those in public office are restricted by it.
Similar to this regulation, to some extent, it prevents the bad habit of consanguineous marriage. In feudal society, men were superior to women, and in order to maintain their position in the family, matriarchal families sometimes adopted the way of marriage to obtain some support from their parents. This practice limits the eugenic significance of "not getting married with the same surname" to a certain extent.
The doctrine of the mean is the norm of Confucian thought and behavior. The so-called "golden mean" requires people to be impartial and "allow" their actions and things; Ceremony is the standard to measure too much or too little, meaning "ceremony".
The so-called "overwork, excessive rest, death" in the five instruments of Confucius' Notes is the concrete expression of the concept of the golden mean in health preservation. As far as its influence is concerned, almost all health preservation studies have followed the French style. For example, Su Wen's Theory of Ancient Naivety says that "the law is based on Yin and Yang, and the technique is the basis, and the diet is moderate, and the daily life is regular, so you can't act rashly", and Huai Nan Zi Shi Wen Exegesis says that "sleeping in a proper place, eating and drinking, getting angry, will move around", "If people don't know the festival, Yin and Yang (referring to sexual intercourse) can't.