Recognizing and maintaining the natural purity and clarity of the mind is the key to mental health:

“The accomplished ones of ancient times advised people to guard themselves against zei feng, disease-causing factors. On the mental level, one should remain calm and avoid excessive desires and fantasies, recognizing and maintaining the natural purity and clarity of the mind. When internal energies are able to circulate smoothly and freely, and the energy of the mind is not scattered, but is focused and concentrated, illness and disease can be avoided.

Equalimity within and compassion without is the way for personal wellness:

“Previously, people led a calm and honest existence, detached from undue desire and ambition; they lived with an untained conscience and without fear. They were active, but never depleted themselves. Because they lived simply, these individuals knew contentment, as reflected in their diet of basic but nourishing foods and attire that was appropriate to the season but never luxurious. Since they were happy with their position in life, they did not feel jealousy or greed. They had compassion for others and were helpful and honest, free from destructive habits. They remained unshakable and unswayed by temptations, and they were able to stay centered even when adversity arose. They treated others justly, regardless of their level of intelligence or social position.”

The female and male reproductive physiology of TCM and the infertility process:

Huang Di asked, “When one grows old, one cannot bear children. Is this due to heredity or to the loss of one’s procreative energy?”

Qi Bo answered, “In general, the reproductive physiology of woman is such that at seven years of age her kidney energy becomes full, her permanent teeth come in, and her hair grows long. At fourteen years the tian kui, or fertility essence, matures, the ren/conception and chong/ vital channels responsible for conception open, menstruation begins, and conception is possible. At twenty-one years the kidney energy is strong and healthy, the wisdom teeth appear, and the body is vital and flourishing. At twenty-eight years the bones and tendons are well developed and the hair and secondary sex characteristics are complete. This is the height of female development. At thirty-five years the yangming/stomach and large intestine channels that govern the major facial muscles begin to deplete, the muscles begin to atrophy, facial wrinkles appear, and the hair begins to thin. At forty-nine years the ren and chong channels are completely empty, and the tian kui has dried up. Hence, the flow of the menses ceases and the woman is no longer able to conceive.

“In the male, at eight years of age the kidney energy becomes full, the permanent teeth appear, and the hair becomes long. At sixteen years of age the kidney energy is ample, the tian kui is mature, and the jing is ripe, so procreation is possible. At twenty-four years the kidney qi is abundant, the bones and tendons grow strong, and the wisdom teeth come in. At the thirty-second year the body is at the peak of strength, and functions of the male are at their height. By forty the kidney qi begins to wane, teeth become loose, and the hair starts to fall. At forty-eight the yang energy of the head begins to deplete, the face becomes sallow, the hair grays, and the teeth deteriorate. By fifty-six years the liver energy weakens, causing the tendons to stiffen. At sixty-four the tian kui dries up and the jing is drained, resulting in kidney exhaustion, fatigue and weakness. When the enrgy of all the organs is full, the excess energy stored in the kidney is excreted for the purpose of conception. But now, the organs have aged and their energies have become depleted, the bones and tendons have become frail and stiff, and movements are hampered. The kidney reservoir becomes empty, marking the end of the power of conception.”

The abundance of jing, protecting of vitality (minerals) in five internal organs is the key to prolonged sex life and fertility:

Huang Di remarked, “I notice, however, that some people, even though they are quite elderly, can still conceive.”

Qi Bo replied, “This is because these individuals inherited an unusual abundance of jing and also realized how to lead their lives properly and protect their vitality. At sixty-four and forty-nine, for males and females respectively, these individuals still have excess kidney energy as well as qi and blood, so they still have the capacity to procreate. However, men past the age of sixty-four and women past forty-nine have normally lost this ability.”

Huang Di asked, “ If a wise one who follows the Tao is over one hundred years of age, can he or she still retain the ability to procreate?”

Qi Bo answered, “Yes, it is possible. If one knows how to live a correct way of life, conserves one’s energy, and follow the Tao, yes, it is possible. One could procreate at the age of one hundred years.”

Doing Qi Gong is the core part of living longevity :

Huang Di inquired, “I’ve heard of people in ancient times, spoken of as the immortals, who knew the secrets of the universe and held yin and yang, the world, in the palms of their hands. They extracted essence from nature and practiced various disciplines such as Dao-in and Qi Gong, and breathing and visualization exercises, to integrate the body, mind and spirit. They remained undisturbed and thus attained extraordinary levels of accomplishment. Can you tell me about them?”

Qi Bo responded, “The immortals kept their mental energies focused and refined, and harmonized their bodies with the environment. Thus, they did not show conventional signs of aging and were able to live beyond biological limitations.

There are 4 types of immortals mostly inspiring :

1. “Not so long ago there were people known as achieved beings who had true virtue, understood the way of life and were able to adapt to and harmonize with the universe and the seasons. They too were able to keep their mental energy through proper concentration.

2. “These achieved beings did not live like ordinary humans, who tended to abuse themselves. They were able to travel freely to different times and places since they were not governed by conventional views of time and space. Their sense perceptions were supernormal, going far beyond the sight and hearing of ordinary humans. They were also able to preserve their life spans and live in full health, mush as the immortals did.

3. “There was a third type of person, known as the sage. The sages lived peacefully under heaven on earth, following the rhythms of the planet and the universe. They adapted to society without being swayed by cultural trends. They were free form emotional extremes and lived balanced, contened existence. The outward appearance, behavior and thinking did not reflect the conflicting norms of society. The sages appeared busy but never were depleted. Internally they did not overburden themselves. They abided in calmness, recognizing the empty nature of phenomenological existence. The sages lived over one hundred years because they did not scatter and disperse their energies.

4. “A fourth type were natural people who followed the Tao and were called naturalists. They lived in accordance with the rhythmic patterns of the seasons: heaven and earth, moon, sun, and stars. They aspired to follow the ways of ancient times, choosing not to lead excessive lifestyles. They, too, lived plainly and enjoyed long life.”

The above 4 types of immortals have been the mentals for all Daoists practitioners and Master Chinese Medicine Doctors over the 5000 years Chinese history. It has been more relevant for us today to study and gain insight for the wellbeing of all.

This conclude the 1^st chapter , the Universal Truth, of the Yellow Emperor classic of Internal Medicine. Thanks for reading… more to come next.

In searching for the origin of traditional Chinese medicine and the three treasure, we took a trip in late September 2009  to visit Qiao Shan Mountain located  in the north of Xian China where we saw the Cypress trees planted by The Yellow Emperor himself 5000 years ago (see photos).

Cypress Tree Planted by the Yellow Emperor

Cypress Tree Planted by Yellow Emperor

With a mindfulness of respect, we worshiped the Yellow Emperor  in front of his temple (see photo) for being the founder of traditional Chinese medicine — recognized throughout Chinese history and from which we can now enjoy the benefits of Acupuncture, Qigong and herbal medicine called the 3 treasure of human health care in the world today.

Worshiping the Yellow Emperor

Neijing is one of the most important classics of Daoism, as well as the highest authority on traditional Chinese medicine. Its authorship is attributed to the great Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, who reigned during the 3^rd millennium BCE. This new translation consists of eighty-one chapters of the section of the Neijing known as the Suwen, or “Questions of Organic and Fundamental Nature.” (The other section, called the Lingshu, is a technical book on acupuncture and is not included here.)

Written in the form of a discourse between Huang Di and his ministers, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine contains a wealth of knowledge, including etiology, psychology, and cosmology. All of these subjects are discussed in a holistic context that says life is not fragmented, as in the model provided by modern science, but rather that all the pieces make up an interconnected whole. By revealing the natural laws of this holistic universe, the book offers much practical advice on how to promote a long, happy, and healthy life.

The original text of the Neijing presents broad concepts and is often brief with details. The translator’s(Dr Ni Maoshing) elucidations and interpretations, incorporated into the translation, help not only to clarify the meaning of the text but also to make it a highly readable narrative for students – as well as for everyone curious about the underlying principles of Chinese medicine.

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Lets take the 1^st chapter to enjoy…Chapter 1: THE UNIVERSL TRUTH as re- edited and titled by Master  Jirong Zhang

WHO WAS THE YELLOW EMPEROR:

In ancient times the Yellow Emperor, Huang Di, was known to have been a child prodigy. As he grew he showed himself to be sincere, wise, honest and compassionate. He became very learned and developed keen powers for observing nature. His people recognized him as a natural leader and chose him as their emperor.

WHAT WAS THEN THE REASONS FOR GOOD HEALTH AND LONGEVITY :

During his reign, Huang Di discoursed on medicine, health, lifestyle, nutrition and Taoist cosmology with his ministers Qi Bo, Lei Gong, and others, Their first discussion began with Huang Di inquiring, “I’ve heard that in the days of old everyone lived one hundred years without showing the usual signs of aging. In our time, however, people age prematurely living only fifty years. Is this due to a change in the environment, or is it because people have lost the correct way of life?”

THREE TREASURE WERE THE REASONS:

Qi Bo replied, “In the past, people practiced the Dao, the Way of Life. They understood the principle of balance, of yin and yang, as represented by the transformation of the energies of the universe. Thus, they formulated practices such as Dao-in, an exercise combining stretching, massaging, Acupuncture and Qi Gong breathing to promote energy flow and  and  meditation to help maintain and harmonize themselves with the universe. They ate a balanced diet and herbs at regular times, arose and retired at regular hours, avoided overstressing their bodies and minds, and refrained from over indulgence of all kinds. They maintained well-being of body and mind; thus, it is not surprising that they lived over one hundred years.

This is why at the Three Treasure Natural Medicine Clinics(www.3treasure.com)we always trying to combine the treatment of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbals and Medical Qi Gong exercises together for the faster results that everyone looking for.

WRONG LIFE STYLE WAS THE COURSES:

“These days, people have changed their way of life. They drink wine as though it were water, indulge excessively in destructive activities, drain their jing-the body’s essence that is stored in the kidneys-and deplete their qi. They do not know the secret of conserving their energy and vitality. Seeking emotional excitement and momentary pleasures, people disregard the natural rhythm and order of the universe. They fail to regulate their lifestyle and diet, and sleep improperly. So it is not surprising that they look old at fifty and die soon after.

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The Medical care system under yellow emperor:

After many years of war many lives were lost. the most important thing for the country was to increase the population size so as to rebuid the economy. Without a good health it would be difficulty. Doctors then under the Yellow Emperor’s medical care system was paid for the numbers of patients un-treated in each community. This had encouraged the doctors to focus on how to help the patients to be very healthy by living in a better life style….so prevention was more important than a cure…. For more information view  www.3treasure.com or call 07-33738668