ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature

Zunsheng bajian 遵生八牋

Oct 31, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Zunsheng bajian 遵生八牋 (also written 遵生八箋) "Eight treatises on following the principles of life", full title Yashangzhai Zunsheng bajian 雅尚齋遵生八箋, is an encyclopaedia compiled during the late Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Gao Lian 高濂 (c. 1600), courtesy name Shenfu 深甫, style Ruinan 瑞南. His study was called Yasheng Clause 雅尚齋 "Holding high the refined".

He hailed from Qiantang 錢塘 (modern Hangzhou 杭州, Zhejiang) and was a famous poet and writer of the Wanli reign-period 萬曆 (1573-1619). Gao also wrote the story collections Yuzuanji 玉簪記 and Jiexiaoji 節孝記, and his poems are assembled in the collections Yashangzhai shicao 雅尚齋詩草 and Fangcanglou ci 芳藏樓詞. Gao Lian was very interested in diet and "nourishing life" (yangsheng 養生), and this interest accordingly found reflection in his 19-juan-long book Zunsheng bajian.

The collection was finished in 1591. The themes are arranged in eight categories. The first two fascicles explain the basic rules of hygiene as found in the "teachings" of the Yellow Emperor 黃帝 and the Daoist master Laozi 老子. The next part explains the forms of diet through the year, in accordance with the seasons. The third part gives insight into how the conditions of dwelling, furniture and interior influence health. The fourth part provides information about methods to prolong life, especially by "ingestion of air" (fuqi 服氣) and gymnastics (daoyin 導引). Healthy diet (eating and drinking) is referred to in the fifth treatise. The nourishment of the spirit during leisure time and "pure enjoyments" (qingshang 清賞) is the theme of the sixth part, to which a short chapter on flower cultivation in appended. This treatise is followed by the seventh, dealing with inner alchemy and pharmacology, and the production of "numinous secrets" (lingmi 靈秘) and "cinnabar drugs" (danyao 丹藥). The final part of the book includes stories about one hundred immortals and Daoist masters through history.

The Zunsheng bajian covers all important aspects of physical and mental hygiene for a healthy and long-lasting life. It is a reflection of the teachings of Daoist masters and medical experts from several centuries, and this in a very practical way that can be adhered to by everyone. Because of this less theoretic nature the Zunsheng bajian is a rich source for medicine, hygienic practice, and different tools used in the daily life of the educated class.

The oldest print was produced by Gao Lian himself. This original version was bound in 12 booklets and one copy of it survives in the Library of Congress, just like another version from that time, bound in 15 booklets. A third original print includes 20 booklets and is owned by the Library of Peking University (Beijing Daxue Tushuguan 北京大學圖書館). It is introduced by a preface written by Tu Long 屠隆 (1543-1605), one by Li Shiying 李時英 (b. 1545), and one by Gao Lian himself. A younger print dates from the Chongzhen reign-period 崇禎 (1628-1644), and one edition revised by the owner of the Xuanxue Study 弦雪居 from 1810.

Table 1. Contents of the Zunsheng bajian 遵生八牋
1-2 清修妙論箋 I Wondrous treatise about purification and recreation
3-6 四時調攝箋 II Tempering and regulating through the four seasons
7-8 起居安樂箋 III Joy and pleasure when rising and living
9-10 延年卻病箋 IV Prolonging life and preventing diseases
11-13 飲饌服食箋 V Drinking and diet (see Yinzhuan fushi jian)
14-16 燕閑清賞箋 VI Leisure and enjoyment
17-18 靈秘丹藥箋 VII Numinous secrets and cinnabar drugs
19 塵外遐舉箋 VIII Beyond the worldly dust and far from rank and office
Sources:
Bai Xue 白雪, Qiao Lina 喬麗娜 (2011). "Cong Zunsheng bajian kan Ming-Qing shiqi Zhongguo chuantong yangsheng wenhua 從《遵生八箋》看明清時期中國傳統養生文化", Wushu yanjiu 武術研究, 8 (12): 94-96.
Berk, William, ed. (1986). Chinese Healing Arts: Internal Kung-fu (Burbank, CA: Unique Publications).
Chen Feng 陳鋒 (2019). "Mingdai wenren se shenhui pinwei Yangsheng, qiju yu shangwan: Zunsheng bajian jietu 明代文人的生活品味:養生、起居與賞玩——《遵生八箋》解讀", Zhongguo jingji yu shehui shi pinglun 中國經濟與社會史評論, 2019: 334-353.
Chen, Hsiu-fen (2008). "Nourishing Life, Cultivation and Material Culture in the Late Ming: Some Thoughts on Zunsheng bajian (Eight Discourses on Respecting Life, 1591)", Asian Medicine, 4: 29-45.
Fang Xinran 房欣然, Lü Jiufang 呂九芳 (2016). "Ming-Qing wenren yangsheng zhuanzhu dui laonian jiaju sheji de qishi: Yi Zunsheng bajian, Laolao hengyen wei li 明清文人養生專著對老年家居設計的啟示——以《遵生八箋》、《老老恆言》為例", Jiaju yu shinei zhuangshi 家具與室内裝飾, 2016 (3): 26-28.
Frühauf, Heiner, transl. (2006). "Promoting Health and Relaxation During the Four Seasons by Gao Lin [sic], 16th Century". classicalchinesemedicine.org.
Gao Wei 高偉, Li Yiman 李沂蔓 (2018). "Zunsheng yingjing: Yi Zunsheng bajian wei li tantao Zhongguo chuantong yangsheng zhihui zhong de jiankang renju huanjing sixiang 遵生營境——以《遵生八箋》為例探討中國傳統養生智慧中的健康人居環境思想", Zhongguo yuanlin 中國園林, 2018 (7): 69-73.
Guo Zhengyi 郭正誼 (1995). "Zunsheng bajian tiyao 《尊生八牋》提要", in Guo Zhengyi 郭正誼, ed. Zhongguo kexue jishu dianji tonghui 中國科學技術典籍通彙, part Huaxue 化學 (Zhengzhou: Henan jiaoyu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 563-564.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 2001.
Lin Jiwei 林基偉, Wang Kai 王凱, Sun Xiaosheng 孫曉生 (2015). "Zunsheng bajian de yangsheng sixiang ji qi xianshi yiyi 《遵生八箋》的養生思想及其現實意義", Xin Zhongyi 新中醫, 2015 (9): 220-222.
Liu Guoliang 劉國梁, ed. (1991). Renti kexue cidian 人體科學辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 655.
Liu Lixiang 劉理想, Li Zhigeng 李志更 (2009). "Zunsheng bajian sishi yangsheng de shijian tujing tanxi 《遵生八箋》四時養生的實踐途徑探析", Shijia Zhong-Xiyi jiehe zazhi 世界中西醫結合雜誌, 2009 (12): 847-849.
Ou Yihong 歐貽宏 (1998). "Zunsheng bajian yu Kaopan yushi 《遵生八箋》與《考槃餘事》", Tushuguan luntan 圖書館論壇, 1998 (1): 78-79+21.
Shi Huimin 石惠民 (2014). "Cong Zunsheng bajian lun Mingdai cha wenhua yu yangsheng 從《遵生八箋》論明代茶文化與養生", Yishu keji 藝術科技, 2014 (3): 432.
Shu Yinglan 舒迎瀾 (2002). "Woguo zui zao de chahua lilun: Zunsheng bajian Gaozi pinghua san shuo pingjie 我國最早的插花理論——《遵生八箋·高子瓶花三說》評介", Yuanlin 園林, 200 2(1): 6-7.
Wang Yan 王妍 (2013). "Zunsheng bajian banben kao 《遵生八箋》版本考", Kaifeng Wenhua Yishu Zhiye Xueyuan xuebao 開封文化藝術職業學院學報, 2013 (7): 3-4.
Wang Yuguang 王余光, Xu Yan 徐雁, eds. (1999). Zhongguo dushu da cidian 中國讀書大辭典 (Nanjing: Nanjing daxue chubanshe), 1206.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1987). Jianming Zhongguo guji cidian 簡明中國古籍辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 933.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1994). Zhonghua gu wenxian da cidian 中華古文獻大辭典, Vol. Wenxue 文學卷 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 758.
Xiao Lengleng 肖棱棱, Cao Fanrong 曹藩榮 (2019). "Cong Zunsheng bajian lun Mingdai wenren dui chaqi de xuanze ji shenmei zhuiqiu 從《遵生八箋》論明代文人對茶器的選擇及審美追求", Guandong chaye 廣東茶葉, 2019 (3): 19-23.
Yang Zhongjian 楊忠建 (2015). "Ming Zunsheng bajian yu Gao Lian de yundong yangsheng sixiang 明《遵生八箋》與高濂的運動養生思想", Lantai shijie 蘭臺世界, 2015 (36): 147-148.
Ye Minghua 葉明花, Jiang Lisheng 蔣力生 (2021). "Zunsheng bajian chengshu beijing ji xueshu xisiang chanlun 《遵生八箋》成書背景及學術思想闡論", Zhongyi xuebao 中醫學報, 36 (12): 2500-2504.
Yu Ying'ao 余瀛鰲, Li Jingwei 李經緯, eds. (2000). Zhongyi wenxian cidian 中醫文獻辭典 (Beijing: Beijing kexue jishu chubanshe), 720.
Yu Yixuan 俞儀萱 et al. (2021). "Zunsheng bajian zhong de Zhongyi yangsheng xiang wenhua yanjiu 《遵生八箋》中的中醫養生香文化研究", Zhongguo Zhongyi jichu Xiyue zazhi 中國中醫基礎醫學雜誌, 27 (8): 1286-1288+1315.
張山, 裴錫榮, eds. (1994). Zhonghua wushu da cidian 中華武術大辭典 (Nanjing: Jiangsu kexue jishu chubanshe), 335.
Zhang Yan 張燕 (2000). "Lun Zunsheng bajian de shenmei sixiang ji qi chengyin 論《遵生八箋》的審美思想及其成因", Hubei Meishu Xueyuan xuebao 湖北美術學院學報, 2000 (1): 55-61.
Zhao Hankun 趙含坤, ed. (2005). Zhongguo leishu 中國類書 (Shijiazhuang: Hebei renmin chubanshe), 242.
Zhu Jie 朱傑, Guo Haiying 郭海英 (2011). "Zunsheng bajian yinshi yangsheng jingsuo tanxi 《遵生八箋》飲食養生精髓探析", Jiangsu Zhongyiyao 江蘇中醫藥, 2011 (5): 5-7.
Zhu Jiajin 朱家溍 (1992). "Zunsheng bajian 遵生八箋", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, part Meishu 美術 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1187.
Zhuang Shufan 莊樹藩, ed. (1990). Zhonghua gu wenxian da cidian 中華古文獻大辭典, Vol. Yiyao 醫藥卷 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 305.