Sun Zhenren Health Regimen 孙真人摄养论

Written by Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty.

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

As a classic work of Taoism focusing on health maintenance, this text expounds on the methods of tonifying the zang-fu organs, and its style is similar to The Book of Rites·Monthly Ordinances.

Sun Zhenren Health Regimen

It lists the Qi movement and pathological changes of the five zang-organs and six fu-organs in each of the twelve months of the year, as well as the corresponding dos and don’ts regarding diet, daily routines, and adjustments. For example, in the first lunar month, the kidney Qi is vulnerable to disorders and the lung Qi becomes deficient. One should reduce the intake of salty and sour flavors, and increase pungent flavors to tonify the kidney, nourish the lung, and soothe the stomach Qi. During this month, avoid exposure to freezing cold, refrain from excessive warmth, rise early and go to bed late, do not eat raw green onions or raw smartweed, avoid consuming hibernating creatures, or the meat of tigers, leopards, or foxes. On the fourth day of this month, it is advisable to pluck gray hairs; on the seventh day, one should focus on quiet contemplation of the Dao and observe fasting to accumulate blessings; on the eighth day, take a bath and avoid long-distance travel, among other guidelines. The recommendations for the remaining months are similar in nature. The Secret Catalogue of the Southern Song Dynasty records a one-volume work titled Illustrated Guide to Nourishing Life Through the Interconnection of the Five Zang-Organs by Sun Simiao, which seems to be related to this text.