Kung-Fu, or Tauist Medical Gymnastics, by John Dudgeon, [1895], at sacred-texts.com
Kung-Fu, or Tauist Medical Gymnastics, by John Dudgeon, [1895], at sacred-texts.com
No. 48.—The Patriarch of P‘êng's (#) * Method of brightening the Vision.
Sit on the ground firmly, reverse the two hands and place them behind, extend the left leg, flex the right knee and press it upon the left leg equal to a period of 5 respirations, and induce the lungs to drive out the wind. If this attitude be assumed for a long time, things at night will be seen as clear as day.
Another method is at cock-crow to rub the two hands warm, and iron (as it were) the eyes; rub thrice and iron the eyes as often; then take the finger and rub the eyes, and right and left will become divinely brilliant.
The Ti-hwang Pills (same as Shêng-ti; sea No. 8) for clearing the Eyes.
These exercises conclude with a description of three Figures. The first is a pipe or reed (see Figure below), which is introduced into the two nostrils 3 fên, and in calibre must fit exactly the nostrils, so as to allow no leakage of air. The tube is pervious, and the apex has an aperture for blowing into. It is employed in constant coughing, in profuse perspiration, body hot, voice hoarse or lost, loss of flesh and constitutional weakness. In the case of hæmoptysis, a cure is guaranteed in seven days by its use. It is only necessary to hem or flow into the tube.
The second Figure is designed against fulness of the chest, and weakness of the air (constitution). The instrument (see Illustration below) is to be placed on the navel. It will also cure amenorrhœa and spermatorrhœa.
Before blowing into it, take 3 li of musk (10 li = 1 candareen), gum olibanum 1 mace; catechu, myrrh, and sandal wood, of each 1 mace. Powder, and with honey form into cakes, one cake to be applied to the navel. Take 1 slice of ginger, the size of the cake and half the thickness of a cash (Chinese copper money); take the artemisia (Tanacetum Chinense) and make into a pill or tuft the size of a bean (number unimportant), and burn till the ginger is hot. When the heat is felt inside, remove the medicine and blow into the instrument. No second application is necessary.
The third instrument (see Figure below) is to be inserted two fên into the meatus urinarius, for the cure of spermatorrhœa; to be introduced smeared with wax. The blowing into it is to be according to the age of the patient, one blow for each year; the number may be increased, but not diminished.
In the fourth illustration (a tube resembling a rib), the patient reclines on the back with warm water or olibanum wine in the mouth; afterwards a young man is to blow into the tube according to the above directions. The following is the method.
A portion is dropped into the small end of the tube and placed in the nose; the youth then blows into the other end with all his force; the sick person waits till he experiences the #. Onions and garlick and all sorts of acid and acrid things are to be avoided. This plan, if followed for a long time, will add to one's longevity. If, after using the method, warmth is felt inside, woman's milk may be drunk.
202:* The Patriarch of Pang is a mythical being, who is reputed to have attained a fabulous longevity. He was 767 years of age when the Yin dynasty came to an end (1123 B.C.). He is said to have nourished himself upon the powder of mother-o’-pearl and similar substances. By some be is regarded as one of the incarnations of Lau-tse.
