Study On The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Daoyin Practice

Daoyin(导引)is a therapy of traditional Chinese medicine,it was mentioned together with acupuncture,medication and tuina(推拿)in Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic(黄帝内经)and Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases(伤寒论).However,it is mainly practiced as a health exercise nowdays,and rarely be used as a treatment.The therapeutic potential of daoyin is underestimated,and it is sometimes regarded as outside the mainstream TCM studies.Some scholars suggested that daoyin can be applied more efficiently based on TCM syndrome differentiation,while the implementation is difficult since both health professionals and patients know little about it.There are various clinical trials done on classical daoyin routines such as the Eight Pieces of Brocades(八段锦)and the Five Animals’Frolic(五禽戏),but basic research is insufficient,includes study on the theoretical basis,the mechanism and effects of daoyin,from perspective of both TCM and conventional medicine.Daoyin,as an easily handled practice can meet the public’s need for convenient and low cost therapy.A classic daoyin practice,Twenty-four Solar Terms Daoyin(二十四节气导引法),is the research subject of this study.The related ancient and modern literatures are collected and analyzed,to investigate the theoretical basis and mechanism of the practice,then on the foundation of these discussions explore the application of it.Twenty-four Solar Terms Daoyin(24STD)is a traditional daoyin practice based on the doctrine of five circuits and six qi(五运六气学说),the doctrines of meridians and collaterals(经络)and of visceral manifestation(藏象).There are 24 independent exercises to be practiced following the twenty-four solar terms calender,or rearranged for specific needs.Beside the therapeutic effects,it also is an efficient vehicle helps to better understand the solar terms calendric system and the philosophy behind it.It is a comprehensive exercise embodying the ideology of health cultivation,to follow the natural changes manifested as time and unite with the great nature.The Heart Reflection of Life Preservation(保生心鉴)is confirmed to be the first and most major literature of 24STD,and the editor Hermit Tiefeng(铁峰居士)made great contribution to the development and circulation of 24STD by revising and perfecting it.The discussion in this paper is based on the texts from Heart Reflection of Life Preservation.In Heart Reflection of Life Preservation,the practice is named as Supreme Clarity Diagram of The Gathering and Dispersion of Water and Fire Following Twenry-Four Qi(太清二十四气水火聚散图).This name implicates the theme of the practice,tuning up our bodily yin yang and five elements(五行),namely,qi,blood and visceral systems,by active exercises following the according changes in nature manifested as time.It is an implementation of how TCM perceive "time" and the nature,and the formation of such thoughts was greatly influenced by traditional Chinese philosophy.Most of the movements from 24STD can be traced back to earlier historical records,tracing these records not only help to learn about the evolvement and the mechanism of the practice itself,a clear track of the overall development of daoyin is also revealed.Much contents from Heart Reflection of Life Preservation are unseen in other literatures,includes the preparations before practice,precautions,a list of reference books,and discussions on the significance and principles of health cultivation,these are obviously supplements amended by Hermt Tiefeng and greatly helpful for the study of the practice.Most of the 24STD are sitting exercises,the corresponding six qi,meridians,and indications are stated,beside the description of the movements.The indications are related to the meridians,and the connection between the meridians and the solar terms is clearly based on the doctrine of five circuits and six qi,confirming that it is the major theory backing up the practice.When classify the solar terms daoyin exercises by seasons,the exercises categorized under each season have specific features.The spring solar terms daoyin emphasize the neck and the head,promoting the upward flow of bodily qi by turning the head,which corresponds to the ascending qi in nature during the spring.The summer solar terms daoyin emphasize the limbs,by limb exercises influence the chest cavity,since heart zang is corresponded to the summer,and chest is where the heart reside;the upper limb movements help to disperse the qi and correspond to the blooming qi during summer,while the lower limb movements help to prevent excessive dispersion of qi.The autumn solar terms daoyin emphasize the shoulders and the back,by which to influence the lung,since lung is responsible for descent and corresponds to the descending qi during autumn.The winter solar terms daoyin emphasize the lumbar and the limbs,because lumbar is where the kidney resides,and kidney is responsible for storing and corresponds to the converging qi during the winter;the circulation in limbs is weakened during the winter and that may cause pain and other issues,limb exercises help to promote the circulation and prevent from such disorders.The spleen has no dominant season,that the last two solar terms daoyin of every season work on the spleen,featuring spine movement and limb movement.The texts from other literatures are compared in the study,the Abstract of The Treatise on The Ultimately Primal Qi for Life Preservation(太初元气接要保生之论)emphasizes breathing exercises,meditation and saliva swallowing,while the other records are rather similar to that in Heart Reflection of Life Preservation.Fixed routine is not the only choice for daoyin practicing,the movements and exercises can be rearranged to meet specific needs.Daoyin prescription is a more efficient solution to the application of 24STD as a therapy,and there are multiple ways of formulating the prescription.The exercises can be classified according to their effects on the five zang(五脏),and rearrange base on visceral syndrome differentiation.They may also be classified by meridians,then rearrange base on meridian syndrome differentiation.Or they can be classified according to the five circuits and six qi doctrine,and rearrange base on the general circuit,guest circuit and guest qi of the year.Another choice is to design the prescription base on the celestial control(司天),terrestrial effect(在泉)and general circuit of the birth date and estimated pregnant date of the practitioner.The twenty-four solar terms calender was applied to all aspects of life in ancient China,not only a guide for agriculture.It emphasizes the harmony with the nature,and greatly influenced the political structure,governmental administration,social ethics,folk customs,and daily life habits of the ancient Chinese.Although the practicability of it is diminished,it has been deeply rooted in the Chinese culture and worth promotion.It do have positive influence on the agriculture,rural reconstruction,and promoting cultural confidence in modern China.The 24STD can not only plays a part in the promotion of public health,it also is an efficient vehicle for the twenty-four solar terms calender and help to maximize the contemporary value of it.The evolvement,the theoretical basis,and the mechanism of 24STD are investigated in this study,and different ways of formulating daoyin prescription are discussed.The study is intended to use 24STD as an example,to fill the gap in daoyin researches,and provide solid theoretical basis for the implementation of 24STD as a therapy.