The Eight Great Guides to a Life of Abundance (Illustrated and Annotated Edition)

Author: Gao Lian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-22
Features: Zun Sheng Ba Jian is categorized into eight sections, each titled as a jian, including: Qing Xiu Miao Lun Jian (Essays on Cultivating Virtue), Si Shi Tiao She Jian (Regulating Life Through the Four Seasons), Ju Zhi An Le Jian (Daily Life for Comfort), Yan Nian Que Bing Jian (Extending Life and Dispelling Illness), Yan Xian Qing Shang Jian (Leisurely Enjoyments), Yin Xuan Fu Shi Jian (Dining and Nourishment), Ling Mi Dan Yao Jian (Spiritual and Secret Medicine), and Chen Wai Xie Ju Jian (Transcendent Pursuits), hence the name "Eight Jians." It is a comprehensive book on the daily interests of the Han people. Amidst the charming notes and short essays of Ming and Qing literati, Zun Sheng Ba Jian captivates readers with its elegant and refined classical charm. It reveals the splendid essence of classical aesthetics with its clear and natural elegance, reaching the pinnacle of beauty. What makes this book extraordinary is its approach to health cultivation that goes beyond medicine and alchemy, and its discussion of eternal life embedded in chess, music, calligraphy, and painting. In the charm of the qin (a traditional Chinese zither), the appreciation of antiques, the joys of a study, and the artistic realms of painting, it allows one to forget worries and lose track of time, truly deserving of being called a "wonderful book for cultivating the mind and nurturing nature...