Methods of Nourishing Life and Daoyin

Hu WenhuanQunyan Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.2

Word count: 54K words
Chapters: 42

Summary

A work on qigong daoyin in one volume by Hu Wenhuan of the Ming dynasty. The book focuses on daoyin methods for health preservation and curing illness. It lists 27 categories of diseases, each with several methods for selection. The methods are based mainly on the "Health-Preserving Daoyin Methods" recorded in the Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Various Diseases. In addition, the sections on supplementation and the elderly include some content from the Taqing Daoyin Health-Preserving Classic, the Tongxuan Collection, and other works.

Editor's review

Health-Preserving Daoyin Methods is a dedicated qigong daoyin work by Hu Wenhuan of the Ming dynasty: one volume in length yet systematic in content. The book is organized into 27 categories by disease, each containing several daoyin methods for readers to choose and practice according to their condition. Its methods are based mainly on the "Health-Preserving Daoyin Methods" recorded in the Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Various Diseases, supplemented with content from the Taqing Daoyin Health-Preserving Classic, the Tongxuan Collection, and other sources, making it both a documentary compilation and a practical guide. Qunyan Press published an edited edition in 2024, offering enthusiasts of traditional health preservation an accessible reader for study. It can be read as a sourcebook of ancient daoyin techniques, showing how people of the past used bodily movement and breath regulation to address various ailments; at the same time, readers should note that the methods belong to the realm of traditional health preservation and cannot replace modern medical diagnosis and treatment. Suitable for readers interested in Chinese medicine health preservation, qigong daoyin, and ancient conceptions of the body.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Enthusiasts of Chinese medicine health preservation and qigong daoyin who wish to understand the origins of ancient methods
Students at Chinese medicine colleges, as supplementary reading on daoyin literature
Readers in literature and history interested in traditional views of the body and approaches to illness care

Not a good fit for

Patients seeking modern medical diagnosis and treatment plans
Readers lacking classical Chinese proficiency who are unwilling to use annotations

Reading tips

First read the table of contents to understand the 27 disease categories, then choose relevant sections according to interest
Read alongside the relevant entries in the Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Various Diseases to understand the documentary sources of the methods
Confirm your own physical condition before practicing; the methods are for health-preservation reference only, not treatment
Organize the similarities and differences among the methods in each category to form personal reading notes

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
养生导引法
一、中风门
二、风痹门
三、心腹痛门
四、霍乱门
五、呕吐门
六、气门
七、痰饮门
八、痨瘵门
九、胁痛门
十、腰痛门
十一、香港脚门
十二、积聚门
十三、脾胃门
（一）导引行气法
（二）虾蟆行气法
（三）入火法
（四）龟鳖行气法
（五）雁行气法
（六）龙行气法
（七）入水法
（八）宁先生导引行气法
（九）彭祖谷仙卧引法
（十）王子乔八神导引法
（十一）五禽戏法
（十二）服气吐纳诀
十五、消渴门
十六、胀满门
十七、眼目门
十八、喉舌门
十九、口齿门
二十、鼻门
二十一、耳门
二十二、遗泄门
二十三、淋门
二十四、二便不通门
二十五、疝气门
二十六、诸痔门
二十七、老人门
（一）修真书六字诀
（二）通玄集周天法

FAQ

Which sources do the methods in this book mainly come from?

According to the materials, the methods are based mainly on the "Health-Preserving Daoyin Methods" recorded in the Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Various Diseases, and the sections on supplementation and the elderly include some content from the Taqing Daoyin Health-Preserving Classic, the Tongxuan Collection, and other works. The book is a compilation and organization of ancient daoyin literature.

Can the daoyin methods in the book be practiced as written?

The methods belong to the tradition of health-preserving daoyin and can serve as a reference for understanding how people of the past preserved health. However, ancient methods are described concisely, and individual physical conditions vary greatly. Assess your own condition before practicing; those with illnesses must rely on modern medical diagnosis and treatment, and the book cannot replace professional medical advice.

What do the 27 disease categories include?

The materials state only that the book lists 27 disease categories, each with several methods for selection, without listing the specific categories one by one. Readers can consult the book's table of contents to learn the names of the categories and their corresponding methods, then read as needed.

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About the author

Hu Wenhuan Author · Chinese

Hu Wenhuan, courtesy name Defu and styled Quan'an, was a Ming dynasty man of letters, book collector and publisher. His ancestral home was Wuyuan in Jiangxi, and he lived in Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou). The dates of his birth and death remain unsettled in scholarship, and public information is limited, so details of his life are largely unknown. Over his lifetime he compiled and printed hundreds of titles, notably the Geshi Congshu and Qunyin Leixuan, making him an important publisher of the late Ming. Five of his works are included here, spanning medicine, health cultivation, incense culture and folk customs: Suwen Lingshu Xinde discusses key points of the medical classics; Yangsheng Daoyin Fa explains daily health practices and daoyin exercises; Xianglian Runse concerns women's adornment and daily life; Zhongsi Mijue deals with fertility and family lineage; and Lüchuang Hongxiu gathers related texts and illustrations in a four-volume set. These works are mostly practical in orientation and plainly written, reflecting his aim of spreading knowledge through publishing.