• Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation
  • Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation
  • Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation
  • Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation
  • Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation
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Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation

Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan (English-Chinese Edition): A Yuan Dynasty Classic of Chinese Health Preservation

Li Pengfei‘s Five-Volume Treatise on the “Three Yuan” of Heaven, Earth and Humanity — Conserve Essence, Regulate Daily Life, and Eat with Measure to Live a Longer, Healthier Life
This is not a modern self-help book about diet and exercise, and it is not a general history of Chinese medicine. It is a bilingual edition of a Yuan dynasty health-preservation classic, written by Li Pengfei in 1291, organized around a simple framework: human lifespan is divided into three “yuan”—heaven, earth, and humanity—each with its own way of being protected or depleted. The first volume is about conserving essence and controlling desire; the second is about regulating daily life, emotions, and the small habits of washing, combing, sitting, and sleeping; the third is about eating with measure, with detailed notes on over 150 foods and their benefits and harms. The fourth and fifth volumes cover tonics, guided exercises, and moral cultivation. The English translation is presented alongside the Chinese, with transliterated classical titles and bilingual notes on herbal names. If you want to study a genuine Yuan dynasty health classic in a readable bilingual format—rather than read a modern summary or a general wellness guide—this is it.
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Detail

What Is This Book About?

The Book on Prolonging Life by Cultivating Three-Yuan was written in 1291 by Li Pengfei, a Yuan Dynasty scholar trained in medicine. He gathered health practices from sources as varied as the Huangdi Neijing, Daoist cultivation manuals, Confucian self-cultivation texts, and folk customs, then organized them under one framework: the “Three Yuan”-.

The Three Yuan are Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Heaven-Yuan longevity comes from conserving essence — in plain terms, not overindulging your desires. Earth-Yuan longevity comes from keeping a regular routine. Human-Yuan longevity comes from eating with restraint-. Li argued that mastering these three could let a person live to 180. You don't need to take the number literally, but the logic is solid: bodies tend to break down when you burn out your essence, wreck your sleep, and eat carelessly.

Why Read It Today?

Because it's a usable classic. Many ancient health texts are either too mystical or too formulaic for ordinary readers. Li Pengfei wrote for people who wanted practical guidance. The book covers what to eat and when, which emotions affect which organs, and how to adjust sleep by season — all things you can check against your own daily life-. No prior knowledge of Chinese medicine is needed.

Why This Bilingual Edition?

For English-speaking readers, classical Chinese is the main barrier. This edition, translated by scholars Fan Yanni and Han Hui, presents the original Chinese alongside English translation, so English readers can follow the meaning without losing the source. It belongs to the Classics of Chinese Medical Health Preservation Translation Series, a project with established expertise in rendering Chinese medical classics into English-.

Who Is It For?

  • Readers interested in Chinese medicine or Daoist approaches to health

  • Anyone curious about the traditional Chinese idea of “treating illness before it starts”

  • People already adjusting their sleep, diet, or habits who want a structured framework

  • Students of Chinese language or Chinese medical translation

Who Is It Not For?

If you're looking for a quick-fix remedy or a modern nutrition manual, this isn't it. It's a classic to read slowly and apply gradually.

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