Among all things between Heaven and Earth, human beings are the most precious; the head symbolizes Heaven, and the feet symbolize Earth.
The body inherited from parents should be cherished; among inheriting family traditions and the Five Blessings, longevity is the most important.
To maintain health, one must know three prohibitions: extreme anger, excessive desires, and heavy intoxication.
If even one of these three exists, one must guard against the loss of True Yuan Qi (True Original Energy).
To seek longevity, one must first regulate temperament; if fire does not erupt, the Spirit (Shen) will naturally settle.
Wood cannot turn to ash without fire; if humans can regulate their temperament, they can extend their lifespan.
Endless greed for desires leads to forgetting Essence (Jing); excessive mental effort causes the loss of Primordial Spirit (Yuan Shen).
Physical exhaustion scatters the Harmonious Qi (Zhonghe Qi); with what else can one preserve this body?
If the Heart-Mind is over-consumed, it becomes exhausted; if the Form is over-laboried, it becomes weak.
If the Spirit is over-damaged, it becomes deficient; if Qi is over-lost, it becomes severed.
Those who wish to understand the Way of Health Preservation should maintain regular joy and pleasure, and minimize anger.
With a sincere and upright Heart-Mind, eliminating excessive thoughts, one follows principles to cultivate oneself and remove worries.
In Spring, the "Xu" sound brightens the eyes; in Summer, the "He" sound nourishes the Heart; in Autumn, the "Chui" sound and in Winter, the "Hu" sound calm the Lungs and Kidneys.
Throughout the four seasons, the "Hu" sound aids the Spleen in transforming food; the "Xi" sound for the Triple Burner dispels heat that is hard to stop.
Hair should be combed frequently, Qi should be exercised, teeth should be tapped often, and saliva should be swallowed.
To avoid death, cultivate the Kunlun point (head); rub the face frequently with both hands.
In spring months, eat less sour and more sweet; in winter months, eat bitter and avoid salty.
In summer, increase pungent flavors and reduce bitter; in autumn, pungent flavors may be omitted but sourness should be encouraged.
At the end of each season, reduce salt and slightly restrict sweetness; naturally, the Five Zang Organs remain peaceful.
If one can completely eliminate these dietary biases, the body will be healthy; too many flavors make illness difficult to arise.
In cold spring weather, do not wear thin cotton clothes; in summer when sweating is profuse, change clothes appropriately.
In autumn and winter, gradually add warm clothing as it gets colder; do not wait until illness arises to take medicine.
Summer is the hardest season to regulate; Yin Cold lurks inside, so ice water is forbidden.
Raw fruits like melons and peaches should be eaten sparingly to avoid malaria or dysentery in autumn.
When the Heart is strong and the Kidney is weak, this must be remembered; gentlemen exercise self-restraint.
Keep the body constantly full and not empty; daily diet must exclude greasy foods.
Overeating damages the Spirit, hunger damages the Stomach, excessive thirst damages Blood, and drinking too much damages Qi.
Do not eat or drink excessively when hungry or thirsty, to avoid bloating and damage to the Lungs and Heart.
Forcing drinks after drunkenness or forcing food after fullness—no such body remains free of disease.
Humans rely on diet for nourishment; removing extremes brings comfort.
After eating, walk slowly for a hundred steps; rub the navel and abdomen to aid digestion.
At midnight, irrigate the spiritual root with clear water; expel turbid Qi from the Dantian.
Drinking wine can temper character, but excessive drinking invites illness.
The Lung is the Canopy; if injured, coughing and mental strain can shorten life.
Do not use salt to flavor tea; this clearly invites thieves into the Kidney home.
Lower Jiao deficiency and cold cause emaciation; damaging the Kidney and Spleen increases susceptibility to disease.
Guard against wind coming from behind when sitting or lying; wind entering the brain shortens life.
Especially when lying in the wind after being drunk or full, wind touching the body brings disaster.
Geese have order, dogs have righteousness, and black carp facing north knows the ritual of subjects.
If humans lack propriety and righteousness, acting only to eat, Heaven and Earth deities will ultimately disapprove.
Nourishing the body requires regulating the Five Pungents; failing to regulate them harms the body.
Do not let them stir up Deficient Fire causing hair loss; as Essence depletes and Blood withers, illness gradually invades.
Whether at home or away, if encountering thunderstorms or strong winds,
One must be solemn and fearful of Heaven's majesty, gathering the mind in a quiet room with caution.
Entanglements of love and affection bring no freedom; how long will the bonds of profit and fame last?
Relax a little to enjoy your own fortune, avoiding premature whitening of hair throughout the year.
Standing tall under Heaven and walking firmly on Earth is not easy; being well-fed and warmly clad, do you not feel ashamed?
Thinking that there is no way to repay Great Grace, burn incense morning and evening to confess and explain.
How to achieve physical peace and longevity? By keeping the chest/mind level and accumulating much goodness.
Cherish life, cherish the body, and also cherish Qi; please carefully study this Song of Health Preservation.