Supreme Truth Health Classic 太上保真养生论

The author is unknown.

It seems to have been written during the Song Dynasty. History of Song·Treatise on Arts and Literature records this book in one volume. The existing version in The Daozang is included in the Methods Category of the Dongshen Section. This book expounds the principles of nourishing life and prolonging lifespan. It states that human beings are the most spiritual beings between heaven and earth, and nothing is more precious than "life and nature"; the way to attain longevity can be learned and mastered. It also mentions that being gentle and maintaining a sense of awe will strengthen the spirit and lead to longevity, while indulging in anger and reckless ambition will overstrain the Qi and result in a short life. Additionally, it sets forth dozens of essential guidelines for health preservation, which mainly focus on purifying the mind and reducing desires. Next to this, it emphasizes that one must exercise restraint and observe taboos in diet, daily routines and living habits, and regularly practice breath regulation, daoyin exercises, swallowing Qi for tonification and purgation, as well as taking medicines to treat impairments and so on.

Supreme Truth Health Classic

Most of the content in this book is adapted from works such as Peng Zu’s Treatise on Nourishing Life and Cultivating Nature and Baopuzi’s Treatise on Nourishing Life—classic texts that embody the core tenets of Taoism.