Cultivating Health in Accordance with the Variations of the Natural World

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Integration of man and nature, an idea reflecting the spirit of classic Chinese philosophy and permeating Lthe daily lives of Chinese people, is the theoretical basis of traditional cultivation of health.

According to the traditional theory of health cultivation, both man and nature are composed of Qi which is a concept in classic Chinese philosophy. Man lives on earth and under heaven and is integrated with the natural world, that is, in traditional Chinese philosophy man and nature are interrelated. Thus, the changes in the natural world will inevitably affect thephysiological functions and pathological changes of the human body. The idea that man and nature are integrated teach with each other demonstrates the harmony and unity between them. The energy in the earth and heaven emerges in spring, increases in summer, astringes in autumn and hibernates in winter. That is why the theory of health cultivation holds that care should be taken “to invigorate Yang in spring and summer while to nourish Yin in autumn and winter.”The concept of Yangqi refers to the energy that promotes development while the concept of Yinqi refers to the energy that is responsible for storage and accumulation. That is why in the traditionaltheory of health cultivation great attention is paid tomental cultivation, diet and activity in accordance with changes of weather in different seasons.

Spring is a season marked by renewal and the emergence of Yangqi. So in spring, people should go to sleep late and get up early so as to follow the fluctuation of Yangqi. Since spring is the season of resuscitation, people should not stay at home as they do in winter to avoid the cold. Instead, they should engage in more outdoor activities. Morning is the period marked by early augmentation of Yangqi, so in the morning, people should do morning exercises to absorb vital energy from nature.

In spring, people should take food acrid and sweet intaste and warm in nature, avoiding cold, uncooked, sour and wrinkled foods. Generally, wheat, jujubes, orangesand peanuts are recommended; carrots, persimmons and peppers are the vegetables good for health. In spring, it is advisable to drink scented tea, which can disperse thecold that has accumulated in the body during the winter, and refresh the mind and invigorate the brain, effective for banishing lethargy.

Summer is the season marked by the prosperity and superabundance of Yangqi. In this season, people should go to sleep late and get up early in order to preserve Yangqi. During this season, fire in the human body is exuberant while lung Qi is deficient. That is why people cannot sleep soundly during the night. In this case,a nap in the afternoon is good for revitalizing the body. In summer, people should take food good for promoting

Qi and producing body fluid as well as clearing away heat, such as mung bean and polished, round-grain, non-glutinous rice. In summer, green tea is effective in relieving summer heat, removing toxic materials and easing thirst because it is cool in nature. In traditional Chinese medicine, diseases that occur in winter are often treated in summer. The diseases that tend to occur in winter are frequently cold and deficiency ones. In summer, Yangqi in the human body is superabundant, so this will be helpful for removing cold and eliminating both the primary and secondary causes of diseases. For example, respiratory system diseases, arthritis, rheumatism and chronic stomach disorders all can be effectively treated in summer with external applications, acupuncture, moxibustion and decoction. Thirty to forty days after summer solstice(June 21 or 22) are the hottest days in the year, the best period for external application.

Autumn is marked by coolness, the decline of Yangqi and the growth of Yinqi. During this season, people should go to sleep early and get up early to avoid excessive coolness. In autumn, rain often brings forth coldness. However, it is unnecessary to wear more clothes. Exposure to cold is good for stimulating body resistance against the cold in winter. Autumn is also marked by dryness, so people should avoid taking acrid foods and vegetables such as scallions, ginger, garlic and peppers. The recommended foods are sesame, polished glutinous rice, honey and milk products. The tea to be drunk in autumn is oolong tea, which is neither cold nor hot, and effective both for removing latent heat in summer and nourishing the lungs in producing fluid.

In winter, it is icy cold and the land is frozen. This season is marked by recession of Yangqi and predominance of Yinqi. Traditionally in China, people try to replenish themselves in winter by eating mutton, which is hot in nature. The vegetables recommended are lotus and edible fungus. Black tea is best to drink in winter because it is sweet and warm, helps the digestion, warms the stomach, replenishes Qi and strengthens the body. Winter is the season for cultivating essence, so it is advisable to go to sleep early and get up late so as to maintain essence, Qi and spirit inside the body. The changes in the natural world are manifested as variations of the four seasons and the changes of elements. Since human beings are living between the earth and the heavens, they have to restrict their activities within the changes of the natural world. The sages in ancient times cultivated their health in accordance with the changes of weather in the four seasons, carefully adjusting their emotions and living conditions, regulating Yin and Yang as well as balancing various factors concerning their lives.