Nourishing Life and Longevity
Medicine and Taoism were historically intertwined and are believed to share a common origin that can be traced back to ancient shamans known for their spiritual incantations and rituals. This connection gave birth to “Taoist medicine”, blending herbal and acupuncture treatments with Taoist practices. During the Qin and Han dynasties (221 B.C.–220 A.D.), China saw a fusion between the immortality quest, alchemy, astrology, and Yin-Yang and Five Elements theories with traditional medicine. As Taoism was formalized as a religion towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, shamanistic and traditional medical practices were blended with Taoist philosophy, to form a distinct Taoist medical tradition. This tradition incorporated theories of cosmic and human harmony, qi, and the interplay of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, alongside treatments including abstention from grains, dietary therapies, external alchemy, medicinal pillows, incantations, and talismanic water. It also embraced internal alchemy, qi-guiding exercises, meditation, and health-preserving sexual practices. These approaches to disease treatment and longevity, significant in ancient times, continue to deeply influence contemporary society.
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Yuhan Midian
(Secret Text of the Jade Box)
Anonymous
Jinling Jingshan Shulin printed edition, part of the Yimen Guangdu Series, Wanli period (1573–1620), Ming dynastyDisplayed in this exhibition is the “Three Corpses” illustration from Yuhan Midian. Taoism teaches that three malevolent entities lie within the human body, known as the “three corpses”, “three worms”, or “three Pengs”. Initially seen as ghosts in the spleen, these beings are thought to attract evils from without and poison the body. Later Taoist texts depicted them as parasites and developed distinct representations for each: Peng Ju, the upper corpse, delights in vehicles and horses and extravagant pleasures; Peng Zhi, the middle one, is gluttonous and greedy; and Peng Yuqiao, the lower corpse, is obsessed with sexual desire. All three lead people astray. They depend on the vital energy of grains for sustenance, so abstaining from grain starves them and prevents them from inhabiting the body. To prolong life, practices such as “absorbing qi” or “embryonic breathing” are recommended, along with the consumption of certain medicinal herbs to facilitate abstinence from grains.
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