The Secret to Health and Longevity at the Taihe Gate of Wudang

With the continuous improvement of living conditions, people all want to seek health and longevity. Although there are numerous ways to stay healthy and live a long life, none is more effective than Taoism. The Taihe Gate of Taoism in Wudang originated from Taoist Master Deng Kunlun of the Zhenqing Palace on Wudang Mountain during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. It has been passed down to Mr. Fan Keping of today, who is already the thirteenth generation. Because the Taihe School emphasizes the combination of martial arts and health preservation, each generation of its successors; Not only is his martial arts unparalleled; And they are all healthy and live a long life. For instance, the 10th generation abbot, Master Deng Zhongshan, lived to be over 120 years old. Mr. Li Songru, the 12th generation abbot, at the age of nearly a hundred, still treated patients with difficult and complicated diseases by emitting qi. Mr. Li Zhongqi, the 12th generation successor to the sect, is now over a hundred years old, but he has sharp hearing and vision and walks briskly. What is the secret to the good health and long life of the descendants of the Taihe Gate? A year ago, I was fortunate enough to learn the Taihe School of martial Arts and medical principles from Mr. Fan Keping, which greatly broadened my horizons. For this reason; Based on my personal experience, I have made a preliminary analysis of the secrets to the health and longevity of the Taihe Gate as follows: First, protecting the kidney essence. Essence is the fundamental substance that constitutes and sustains life activities. The Inner Classic states: "Essence is the foundation of the body." The main functions of kidney essence are threefold: First, it governs reproduction and growth and development. Second, the essence gives birth to the brain marrow and serves as the material basis for human thought and consciousness. The third is to refine the vital energy. The Taihe School of Wudang attaches great importance to protecting kidney essence. It takes "Kidney Zi Gong" and "Alchemy Bucket Gong" as compulsory exercises and uses special methods to train the abdominal muscles, life gate, pelvis, lower dantian, front and back Yin and other parts. First, it aims to enhance sexual potency, close the orifices of essence, preserve essence and strengthen the kidneys, laying a foundation for further in-depth cultivation. After practicing martial arts for a period of time, many disciples of this sect can close their mental orifices. Even if they have sexual intercourse with their spouses, they do not release their sperm. Second, clapping the palms: Taihe Gate attaches great importance to exercising the palms. Use patting, striking, chopping and slicing. Special methods such as applying medicinal wine and massaging the palms can help achieve the goals of self-defense, physical fitness and longevity. What is the connection between clapping hands and health and longevity? There are three reasons for this: First, the three Yin meridians of the hand (the Hand Taiyang Lung Meridian, the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian) run from the chest through the curved sides of the upper limbs and stop at the hand. The three Yang meridians of the hand (Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, and Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian) run from the hand through the extensor side of the upper limb and stop at the head. Therefore, patting the palm can have the effect of strengthening the heart and brain. Secondly, the Tuogu and Houxi points on the outer side of the palm are the yuan points of the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian. The sun is one of the three Yangs and the leader of all Yangs, also known as the Great Yang. Bai said, "The term 'Chen Yang' refers to the subordinate of all Yang." "Yang qi, when gentle, nourishes the tendons." Tendons have fascia and zongjin. Although it has different names such as "mujin", in essence, it is all the same "jin". The main function of the sinew is to connect joints and restrain bones, and it also has the role of controlling the functional movement of joints. Therefore, the "Suwen" states: "All sinews belong to the category of joints." "The main sinew is responsible for binding bones and facilitating mechanisms." "Yin is the end point where sinews accumulate." That is to say, the front Yin is where sinews gather and is also called the main sinew. Therefore, patting the outer side of the palm at the Houxi and Wangu acupoints not only nourishes the liver, tendons and joints, but also has an indirect effect on the health of the reproductive organs. Thirdly, patting the palm can make a person's Yang energy strong. The "Suwen" states: The six fu organs are Yang. The six fu organs are the gallbladder, stomach, small intestine, bladder and triple burner, all of which have the functional characteristics of transporting and transforming substances. When the Yang qi is strong, it can enhance the gallbladder's ability to regulate the smooth flow of qi, its role in decision-making and assisting in transportation and transformation; it can also strengthen the stomach's function of digesting food and water and nourishing the whole body; it can enhance the small intestine's ability to digest food and water, distinguish clear and turbid substances, and absorb nutrients; it can enhance the large intestine's ability to absorb water and transform waste into feces for excretion; and it can enhance the bladder's function of storing urine and transforming urine into qi. It enhances the functions of the three jiao in harmonizing the internal organs, promoting the circulation of water and qi to the bladder, warming and distributing body fluids, and promoting the transformation of qi throughout the body. Therefore, frequently clapping the palms can make the human body strong, bold and fearless, and remain vigorous even in old age. Third, practicing the throat The throat is the two openings at the upper end of the airway and esophagus. The Inner Classic states: The throat governs the weather and the pharynx governs the earth's qi. The weather refers to the natural atmosphere, and the earth's qi refers to the essence of food and water. The throat is the gateway for people to take in natural substances. The main function of the pharynx is to transport food and water; the lower part of the throat is connected to the breathing tract and the lungs, making it the gateway for air to exit the human body. The throat has a direct and associated relationship with the twelve meridians and the Ren and Du meridians. Therefore, the functional activities of the throat can directly affect the five internal organs. The weakening of the throat function leads to the corresponding weakening of the functions of the five internal organs and six viscera; the health of the throat function also results in the corresponding health of the five internal organs and six viscera. The Taihe School of Wudang emphasizes the exercise of the throat function. The exercises use methods such as smoke inhalation, throat secretion, vocalization, and deep breathing to train the throat.