Health Preservation Wisdom of Ancient Chinese Medicine

Name: Health Preservation Wisdom of Ancient Chinese Medicine
ISBN: 9787513290760

余浩China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine · ChinaFeb 2025

3.4

Word count: 82K words
Chapters: 65
ISBN: 9787513290760

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Summary

This book is a health-cultivation work by Yu Hao, master of Renzhitang, compiled from transcripts of twelve lectures on Daoist health cultivation he delivered online. Daoist medicine holds that the human body has "three treasures"—jing, qi, and shen. These are the root of life and the three great elements sustaining human life activity. "Jing" is the material basis of life activity, "qi" is its driving force, and shen is regarded as the outward manifestation of life activity, or the overall functional information of the body's life structure. The three mutually generate and reinforce one another: when jing is full and qi abundant, shen is complete—the foundation for nourishing the body and preserving life. Only when jing, qi, and shen are well cultivated can the body develop healthily and fall ill less often. The author proposes that the root of health cultivation lies in nurturing jing, qi, and shen, and that grasping this is the most essential and most orthodox approach. Guided by Daoist medical thought, the author explains how to preserve jing, nourish qi, and generate shen through internal treatment, external treatment, medicinal nourishment, dietary therapy, exercise, and emotional regulation. In accessible language and with vivid cases, the book interprets the author's clinical experience and common health-cultivation questions from daily life, continuing the style and character of the Renzhitang series.

Editor's review

Compiled by Yu Hao, master of Renzhitang, from transcripts of twelve online lectures on Daoist health cultivation, this book centers on the Daoist medical teaching that jing, qi, and shen are the three treasures of life, and systematically explains methods—internal treatment, external treatment, medicinal nourishment, dietary therapy, exercise, and emotional regulation—for preserving jing, nourishing qi, and generating shen. Its value lies in grounding abstract Daoist health-cultivation ideas in everyday, actionable practice, using accessible language and clinical cases to address common health questions, and continuing the Renzhitang series' practice-oriented, theory-respecting style. Its strength is a clear theoretical framework: it first establishes the foundation of jing, qi, and shen, then details specific ways of regulation, avoiding a pile-up of fragmented health tips. It suits readers interested in TCM health cultivation who wish to build a holistic view, to be read slowly in a quiet setting, and also suits TCM enthusiasts reflecting on their own daily routines. Readers should treat the methods as health-cultivation approaches rather than substitutes for diagnosis and treatment, and consult a professional physician for specific conditions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

TCM enthusiasts interested in Daoist health-cultivation ideas who wish to understand the jing-qi-shen theory systematically
Readers who follow health cultivation but find their knowledge fragmented and want a holistic framework
TCM clinicians who can draw on the cases to broaden how they communicate health cultivation
Readers of the Renzhitang series who wish to continue with its accessible medical style

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking standardized treatment plans or remedies by disease
Those inclined toward a purely modern-medical perspective with low tolerance for Daoist medical terminology
Readers hoping to finish quickly and directly copy methods to solve specific illnesses

Reading tips

First read through the theory of jing, qi, and shen, then read chapter by chapter on internal treatment, external treatment, medicinal nourishment, and dietary therapy, taking notes.
For each regulation method, write a short reflection relating it to your own routine and emotional state, and pick one or two to try first.
Treat the cases as a gateway to understanding medical theory rather than directly applying prescriptions; consult a professional TCM physician regarding medication.
Read alongside other books in the Renzhitang series to trace the author's consistent health-cultivation thinking and clinical experience.

About the publisher

China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine China · Founded in 1989

China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on publishing books in traditional Chinese medicine, covering Chinese medical classics, clinical medicine, acupuncture and tuina, materia medica and formulae, and medical history and literature; its catalogue includes 3,277 titles. Representative books include Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue, Shang Han Lun, Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, Yi Zong Jin Jian, and Guo Aichun's Annotated Huangdi Neijing Suwen (Second Edition). These works involve writings by historical physicians such as Qian Yi, Zhang Zhongjing, Wang Shuhe, and Zhang Xichun, as well as documentary studies compiled by contemporary authors including Zhao Xin, Zhen Xueyan, Zhang Yongtai, and Wang Xiangang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the press emphasizes collation and annotation of original Chinese medical classics and the systematic presentation of famous physicians' works, balancing the transmission of ancient editions with reference for clinical application. Public information is limited, and no other publishing fields are covered here.

版权信息
出版说明
自序
第一讲人体生命活动的运作原理
一、人有三宝——精、气、神
二、肉体、能量与意识
三、归根曰静
四、心无杂念方能养神
五、万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和
第二讲养生就是养精、养气、养神
一、养生最忌盲目跟风
二、身心合一
三、神、气、形相合
养生问答
第三讲养生重点之养神
一、养神为养生之重
二、识神和元神
三、静坐时候为什么要看鼻尖，眼睛半睁半闭？
养生问答
第四讲养生重点之养气
一、气从何而生
二、气从何而耗
三、气的运行
养生问答
第五讲养生重点之养形
一、养形体，吃对很重要
二、五气与养形
三、五味与养形
四、五气太过的危害
五、养形的原则
六、从气与神的角度看养形
养生问答
第六讲养生之术十二字（上）
一、养生十二字
二、阴阳对
养生问答
第七讲养生之术十二字（中）
一、同名配
二、三才位
养生问答
第八讲养生之术十二字（下）
一、身是菩提树，舌是菩提叶
二、身体状态如何，从手一看便知
三、活用养生十二字治疗疾病
四、全息汇与象思维
养生问答
第九讲通过望诊判断身体状态
一、阳神与阴神
二、神的几种状态
三、通过望局部可以判断神的状态
养生问答
第十讲通过切诊判断精气神状态
一、按诊
二、脉诊
养生问答
第十一讲内病外治养生法
一、中医治病，根本在于调气
二、11种外治保健法
第十二讲药食养生法
一、炼精化气，炼气还神，炼神还虚
二、药食养气
三、补精更要惜精
四、调神贵在清净
五、最好的养生
养生问答

FAQ

What makes this book different from common health-cultivation books on the market?

The book takes the Daoist medical concept of jing, qi, and shen as its theoretical thread: it first establishes the root of life, then details regulation through internal treatment, external treatment, medicinal nourishment, dietary therapy, exercise, and emotional regulation. It builds a framework before presenting methods rather than listing scattered tips, making it suitable for readers who want to understand the logic of health cultivation systematically.

Can I understand it without a TCM background?

Yes. The book explains in accessible language with clinical cases, Daoist medical terms are mostly explained in context, and the twelve-lecture structure makes for gradual progress. Concepts such as jing, qi, shen, and fu yang still require some patience; it is best to read the theory first before the specific methods, and to slow down when encountering unfamiliar terms.

Can the dietary and exercise methods be followed directly?

The methods are health-cultivation ideas and shared experience, usable as reference for daily regulation. But individual constitutions vary greatly; for medicinal nourishment, external treatment, and specific prescriptions, one should not copy them on one's own—especially those with chronic illness or on medication, who should first consult a professional TCM physician.

Is it suitable as a gift for elders?

If the elder is interested in TCM health cultivation and willing to read slowly to understand the medical theory, the book's accessible language and vivid cases make it fairly suitable. But if the elder prefers looking up remedies by disease or wants quick results, the theoretical portion may feel excessive; learn their reading preferences before choosing.

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About the author

余浩 Author

Yu Hao is an author about whom little public information is available; details of his identity and life have not been clearly recorded. Judging from the 18 works held in the collection, he is an author focused on clinical practice and educational writing in traditional Chinese medicine, commonly classified under medicine and health. Representative works include the four volumes of the Renzhitang Clinical Follow-up Diaries, Renzhitang Lectures on Chinese Materia Medica, Renzhitang Teachings on Pulse Diagnosis: The TCM Journey from Beginner to Practitioner, Nine Yin and Yang Needles: Revealing the Needling Method Created by the Master of Renzhitang, and Renzhitang Clinical Reflections on Chinese Materia Medica, Volume 2. Most of these works carry the Renzhitang name and center on clinical follow-up records, materia medica explanations, introductory pulse studies, and needling practice. The writing emphasizes clinical experience and teaching, is plain in style, and stresses practical applicability, making it suitable for TCM learners and clinical practitioners.