Huangdi asked Zeebe: I heard that people in ancient times could see their centenarians without weakening their movements; Nowadays, people who have just reached or exceeded 50 years old look old and have no strength. Is this caused by the difference of the times, or is it caused by people's ignorance of health preservation?
Qi Bo replied: In ancient times, people were able to maintain their health and live according to the laws of natural changes, and adapted and reconciled them to make them tend to be balanced. Eat moderately, work and rest regularly, don't overwork, don't indulge excessively, so the body and spirit are very strong, and you can live to the natural life of human beings, and you will die when you are over 100 years old.
People are different now. They regard wine as water, binge drinking without restraint, regard abnormal living habits as normal, indulge in lust after drinking, make the yin decline, consume the true qi, don't know how to save energy, are not good at conditioning the spirit, and have fun against the laws of life for inner happiness, so they begin to age at the age of 50.
In ancient times, when teaching ordinary people, people who really knew the way of keeping in good health would certainly talk about avoiding evil spirits such as virtual evil and thief wind in time, keeping inner peace, eliminating all distractions, making the true qi unobstructed and the spirit not diarrhea, so that patients would not happen.
Therefore, people can be quiet and carefree, have less selfish desires, be calm without worry, work hard without fatigue, so that the qi in the body is smooth and everyone can be satisfied with their own thoughts.
What food people eat is sweet, what clothes they wear are comfortable, they like their own customs, and they don't envy each other regardless of their social status. These people can be said to be simple and flashy.
Therefore, all improper appetites can't interfere with their vision and hearing, and all perverse things can't confuse their minds. No matter the wise, sage, fool or humble, they will not worry about external things, which is in line with the way of health preservation. The reason why they are over 100 years old is that they understand and master the method of self-cultivation and their bodies are not harmed by internal evils and external evils.
The yellow emperor said: people are old and can't have any more children. Is this caused by energy exhaustion, or is it limited by the laws of nature?
Qi Bo said: When a woman is seven years old, her kidney qi begins to flourish, her teeth change and her hair grows vigorously. By the age of fourteen, the substances that can promote reproductive function began to mature, the pulse condition was stable, the pulse gas was strong, and menstruation came on time, so I had fertility; At the age of twenty-one, the kidneys are peaceful and full, wisdom teeth grow out and teeth grow out; 28-year-old, strong bones and muscles, hair growth has reached the most vigorous period. At this time, the body is the strongest; At the age of thirty-five, Yang Ming's meridian qi and blood gradually failed, his face began to wither and his hair began to fall off. At the age of forty-two, the blood of Sanyang meridian was exhausted, and her face was completely withered and her hair turned white. Forty-nine-year-old, ren pulse qi and blood are weak, and chong pulse qi and blood are also weak. Sunflowers are dry, menstruation is cut off, the body is weak, and fertility is lost.
When the man was eight years old, his kidneys were full, his hair began to thicken and his teeth had been changed. At the age of sixteen, the kidney qi began to flourish, the sunflower began to mature, the essence was full, the sexes crossed, and they could give birth; Twenty-four years old, with peaceful and full kidney, strong bones and muscles, long wisdom teeth and long teeth; Thirty-two years old, plump and strong; At the age of forty, the kidney is weak, the hair begins to fall off, and the teeth begin to decline; At the age of forty-eight, the Yangming meridian in the upper part of the human body gradually declined, his face became haggard and his temples began to turn white. At the age of 56, the liver qi is weak, the muscles and veins are weak, the sunflower is dry, the essence is reduced, the kidney is deficient, and the mental body is aging; At the age of sixty-four, both teeth and hair have fallen off.
The kidney has the function of regulating fluid, receiving and storing the essence of other viscera, so the five internal organs are powerful and the kidney can excrete essence. When people are old, their five internal organs function declines, their bones and muscles are weak, and the sunflower is exhausted, so their hair is pale, their bodies are heavy, their feet are unstable, and they cannot bear children.
The Yellow Emperor said: Some people are very old, but they can still have children. Why?
Qi Bo said: This is because his natural energy is stronger than ordinary people, his qi and blood meridians are smooth, and his kidney qi is more than enough. Although such people can have children, generally speaking, when men are not over 64 years old and women are not over 49 years old, their essence will be exhausted.
The Yellow Emperor said: Can a person who knows how to keep in good health still have children around 100 years old?
Qi Bo said: People who know how to keep fit can prevent aging and keep fit, so they can still have children despite their advanced age.
The Yellow Emperor said: I heard that there were people called real people in ancient times. They understand the laws of nature, master the mechanism of the change of yin and yang in heaven and earth, can get rid of the old and absorb the new and adjust the essence, get rid of solitude, hide the spirit in it, and achieve the perfect unity of bones and muscles and spirit, so they can live with heaven and earth forever. This is the result of his self-cultivation.
In the Middle Ages, there were people called Zhiren. Their moral character is noble, they are familiar with the way of keeping in good health, they can adapt to the changes of Yin and Yang, stay away from worldly troubles, conserve their energy, travel in the vast world, and directly see and hear from all directions. In this way, people can prolong their life and keep fit, and such people can also be listed as real people.
Secondly, there are people called saints. They can live comfortably between heaven and earth, obey the rules of the Eight Winds, adapt their hobbies and desires to the secular society, have no feelings of anger and resentment, do not deviate from the general requirements of the secular world, wear ordinary striped clothes, and behave without secular constraints. They are not physically exhausted by business, do not bear too heavy a burden ideologically, and pursue comfort and happiness, so they are not satisfied with safety.
Secondly, there are people called sages. They observe the movement of the sun and the moon according to the changes of heaven and earth, identify the positions of the stars, obey the ups and downs of yin and yang, adapt to the changes of the climate of the four seasons, follow the example of ancient real people, and strive to make life conform to the way of keeping in good health. People who do this can also prolong their life, but there are certain limits.