A balanced tale for the Yellow
Emperor
When the Yellow Emperor, Shih Huang Ti, asked his Chief Minister, the very learned Qi
Bo, why it was that people ‘nowadays’ (that was in 2700 BC) did not live as long as they
used too, and what could be done about it? The venerable grey beard replied that it
was because in the past, people practised the Tao, which is the way of life. They
appreciated the principle of balance in all things, of the flow of yin and yang, of the
ceaseless, eternal transformation of the energies of the universe.
But ‘these days’, Qi Bo, advised the Yellow Emperor, in one of the earliest pieces of
medical advice recorded, ‘people have changed their way of life. They drink wine as
though it were water, indulge in destructive activities, drain their jing [the body’s
essence, centred on the kidneys] and deplete their qi [life energy]. They do not know the
secret of conserving their qi or their vitality. Seeking emotional excitement and
monetary pleasures, people disregard the natural rhythm and order of the universe.
They fail to regulate their lifestyle and diet, and sleep improperly. So it is not surprising
that instead of living well for over 100 years they look old at fifty and die soon after.’
Should the Yellow Emperor swallow the advice?