Pengzu on Life Cultivation 彭祖摄生养性论

The author is unknown.

Parts of its content can be found in Baopuzi: Inner Chapters, and it seems to have been written by a Taoist priest during the Six Dynasties or the Sui and Tang dynasties.

It is included in the Methods Category of the Dongshen Section of The Daozang.

Pengzu on Life Cultivation

This text expounds on the way of nourishing life. It states that those who are gentle and prudent will have a robust spirit, while those who are prone to anger and indulge in their ambitions will have an overactive Qi; "those with a robust spirit enjoy longevity, while those with overactive Qi tend to perish prematurely". One’s thinking, speech, conduct, clothing, food, daily routines and living habits must all be kept within limits, and excesses should be avoided—for extremes are harmful to one’s life. Therefore, the methods of Health Preservation include not spitting too far, not walking too hastily, not straining one’s ears with excessive listening, not tiring one’s eyes with prolonged viewing, not sitting until exhaustion, not lying down to the point of lethargy, putting on clothes only when feeling cold, taking off layers only when feeling hot, not starving oneself excessively, not overeating, not overworking, not indulging in idleness, not seeking extreme warmth in winter, and not pursuing excessive coolness in summer... Maintaining moderation and balance in all things can protect the five zang-organs and the soul from damage.