Portrait of Kaibara Ekken (貝原益軒の肖像) (1630-1714)
Ekiken Kaibara (Ekken Kaibara) was an Edo Era philosopher whom Philipp Franz von Siebold, the German physician and botanist who spent time in Nagasaki, once called “the Aristotle of Japan.” He authored numerous works, including Yōjōkun (The Book of Life-Nourishing Principles), which is still read even today. Kaibara was born and raised in Chikuzen Province (now Fukuoka Prefecture). In addition to being a scholar, he spent many years in the service of the Kuroda Clan.
When he was young, he loved to read, and he was smart enough to be considered a child prodigy. He did not spend all of his time absorbed in books, however. He was also known to go out into the field to see things for himself. Back then, most scholarly books were written in difficult Chinese characters, but Kaibara wrote in simple Japanese that even commoners could read, which led to his works becoming widely read.
Kaibara’s most famous work, Yōjōkun, was a handbook for healthy living that he wrote when he was 83 years old. In it, he wrote that one needed to be emotionally healthy, not just physically healthy, to lead a long and fulfilling life. When he was younger, Kaibara also studied medicine. Another one of his famous works was Yamato Honzō (Medicinal Herbs of Japan), which listed and classified Japan’s medicinal herbs, animals, minerals and agricultural goods. It was the first book dealing with medicinal plants ever written in Japan.
"Doing this will definitely shorten your life" - the 300-year-old classic declares, "But we still do it anyway" - the real reason
Summary text from an book by Kaibara Ekiken
The author of the classic health book " Yōjōkun " published in 1713 was the physician Kaibara Ekiken. The book begins with the words "health is the greatest happiness in life," and explains "how people should live in order to be happy." We will deliver the essence of the book from the latest edition, edited and translated by the physician Masako Okuda.
*This article is a re-edited version of an excerpt from Kaibara Ekiken's " Abridged Translation of Health Instructions for Building a Body That Doesn't Get Sick" (edited and translated by Okuda Masako, Discover 21).
To gain wisdom you must live long
When we are young, we are easily impulsive and lack wisdom. We are ignorant of history and unfamiliar with social change. We often make mistakes that we later regret, and we don't understand the logic of things or the joys of life.
If you live a long life, you will make new discoveries every day and be able to do things you couldn't do before. Only then can you deepen your studies and knowledge. That is why you must take care of yourself and live a long life at all costs. If you make a firm resolution to master the art of health care, you can extend your lifespan.
(Volume 1, General Overview)
A long and healthy life is easier than making money or getting ahead in life.
Many people dream of making money or getting ahead in life, and so they flatter others or rely on gods and Buddhas. On the other hand, very few people make an effort to take care of themselves in order to live a long and healthy life. Making money and getting ahead in life involve the help of others, so they are not something you can achieve on your own, and no matter how hard you try, it usually doesn't work. On the other hand, good health and prosperity are things that concern your own body, so they are easy to achieve if you put your mind to it.
It is foolish to pursue what is difficult to obtain and to neglect what is easy to obtain. In fact, even if you gain status and fame, it is of no use if you are prone to illness and have a short life.
(Volume 1, General Overview)
Greed will lead you astray from the path to longevity
The body is naturally capable of lasting for 100 years. It would be such a waste to destroy it by not giving in to our desires for even a moment.
If you want to live a long and peaceful life, you must not be swayed by your desires. Whether you give in to your desires or resist them is the difference between a long life and a short one.
(Volume 2, General Overview, Part 2)
Be a diligent ant rather than a lazy grasshopper
It is best to start taking care of yourself when you are young and have the strength. If a person who relied on unhealthy living in their youth starts taking care of themselves when they are older, it is like a rich person who has been living a life of luxury going bankrupt and panicking to become frugal. It is still better to take care of yourself when you are older, but the effect is less.
(Volume 2, General Overview, Part 2)
Don't lie to yourself
The reason why we can't stop doing something even though we know it's wrong is because we don't really believe it's wrong. In other words, our feelings are lying. We must not lie to ourselves.
(Volume 2, General Overview, Part 2)
It's not because I'm weak-hearted that I can't stand it
There are people who say, "Everyone knows that we shouldn't eat too much. But it's hard to resist, so we just eat." I don't think that's true. People like that don't really understand health care.
If you fall into a pond, you will drown. If you step into a fire, you will be burned to death. If you drink poison, you will be poisoned to death. Everyone knows this, so no one would voluntarily jump into water and die. People deliberately do dangerous things because they don't know they are dangerous. It is foolish. If you have a good understanding of health care, you would not indulge in whatever you please.
(Volume 2, General Overview, Part 2)
The body is corroded from the inside and out
The causes of illness exist both inside and outside the body. Causes that arise within the body include the seven desires for food, sex, sleep, etc., and the seven emotions, including joy, anger, sadness, and pleasure . * External influences on the body are caused by the living environment, such as wind, cold, heat, and humidity.
Control excessive desires and emotions and avoid bad environments, and you will stay healthy.
(Volume 1, General Overview)
Too much nutrition weakens the body
People take in nutrients from outside the body through food, but if there is an excess of nutrients, the life force within the body is lost. Think of it like a plant. If you give too much fertilizer, moisture will seep out of the roots and the roots will wilt.
If you water a plant too much, its roots will rot. The same is true for people. If you don't eat too much, your body's natural vitality will be nourished, and you will live longer and live out your natural lifespan.
(Volume 1, General Overview)
Pleasure is the seed of pain, pain is the seed of pleasure
Indulging in fine food and sexual indulgence may make you feel good for a while, but it will damage your body and cause you long-term suffering. If you don't like this, you should refrain from doing things that give you quick enjoyment. It's a matter of taking it easy first and suffering later, or suffering first and taking it easy later. The same goes for health care. If you suppress your desires and emotions, you will surely be happy later.
(Volume 2, General Overview, Part 2)
Anger and desire are the greatest enemies of health care
Of all the emotions, the ones that are most detrimental to one's health are anger and desire. Anger burns the heart, and desire drowns the heart. Both rob us of our energy and strength. We need to carefully control them.
(Volume 2, General Overview, Part 2)
Keep your mind quiet and your body moving
It is good to keep the mind quiet and the body moving. Sitting all day makes you ill. Standing or walking for long periods is also bad, but lying down or sitting for long periods is the worst.
(Volume 5, The Five Senses)
Health care starts with a healthy stomach
People digest the food they eat in their stomach and intestines, sending nutrients to the whole body to sustain life. It's similar to how plants grow by absorbing nutrients from the soil. Therefore, if you want to take care of your health, it's essential to first get your stomach and intestines in good condition.
(Volume 3, Food and Drink)
Food is a double-edged sword
Food is the most important thing in life, and we cannot survive even half a day without food and drink. However, at the same time, our desire for food is very strong. If we eat and drink as we please, we will inevitably damage our stomachs, get sick, and die.
(Volume 3, Food and Drink)
Avoid fatty foods and eat only a little meat.
Food should be lightly seasoned and heavy, greasy foods should be avoided. Raw, cold, and hard foods should be avoided, and one soup dish and one or two side dishes should be recommended. Only one type of meat should be eaten, and if meat is used in the soup, it should not be used as a side dish. Meat makes the stomach feel heavy, so do not eat too much of it.
(Volume 3, Food and Drink)
