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]