Proverbs of Yang Sheng

Selected Chinese Proverbs on Yang Sheng

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药补不如食补,食补不如气补,气补不如神补

To improve your health —

  • Medicine supplement is not as good as nutrition supplement;
  • Nutrition supplement is not as good as Qi supplement;
  • Qi supplement is not as good as shen (spirit) supplement.

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恬淡虚无,真气从之,精神内守,病安何来?

Remain detached and empty-mind,  the genuine Qi flows easily;

Keeping essence-spirits within, no illness could arise…

Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic, Plain Questions

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笑一笑,十年少;愁一愁,白了头。

Smile a smile and you will look ten years younger.

Worry a worry and you will gain more gray hair.

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人法地,地法天,天法道,道法自然

Human follows the law of the Earth; the Earth follows the law of the universe;

The universe follows the law of the Dao; the Dao follows the law of the nature.

— Lao Zi  “Dao De Jing”


治病先治神,疗病先疗心。

Healing the spirit before healing the sickness

Treating the mind before treating the disease.

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心宽一寸,病退一尺。

When the mind is one inch wider (opener), the sickness will be one foot more reduced.

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吹啹呼吸,吐故纳新,熊经鸟伸,为寿而已矣。 此导引之士,养形之人,彭祖寿考者之所好也。

To huff and puff (inhale/exhale), blow out the old and breathe in the new,
do the ‘bear-hang’ and the ‘bird-stretch’ so as to live a long life.
Such are the principles of the Dao-yin practitioners,
the people who nourish their body seeking longevity like Pengzu.

— Zhuang Zi (369—286BC)

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养生以养心为主,心不病则神不病,神不病则身不病

Yang Sheng is mainly about nourishing the mind,
When mind is healthy, the Shen (spirit) is healthy,
When Shen is healthy, the body is healthy…

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口中言少,心头事少,肚中食少,自然睡少。依此四少,神仙可了。

Mouth talks less, mind worries less, stomach holds less, naturally sleep less.  With the four “less” practice the longevity can be achieved.

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[Complied and translated by Kevin Chen]

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