《寿亲养老新书》六字诀考探

An Analysis of the Six-Character Breath in New Writings on Longevity and Healthy Ageing for One’s Elders

六字诀是重要的传统呼吸吐纳方法,用于辅助治疗多种疾病及帮助康复有显著效果。现代六字诀应用多固守套路功法的程式化练习,缺乏灵活性,而相关研究常偏重于动作和声音带来的效果,偏离了六字诀的原旨。金元时期《寿亲养老新书》中所载的《太上玉轴六字气诀》是对六字诀练习方法描述最为详细和完整的古代文献,追溯其源流,与最早完整记载六字诀的《养性延命录》一脉相承。内容中强调了六字诀的核心在于气息,并强调吸气应多于吐气,可避免泻邪太过的弊端及加强六字诀补益扶正之效,在气诀的选用和练习次数上也非常灵活。这些要点对现代六字诀应用及研究有很大提示,说明通过灵活运用,可以加强六字诀的功效及针对性,同时减少副作用;而相关研究应注重六字诀如何通过呼吸影响机体的探讨,才能更好的发挥其价值。

Six-characters Breath (liuzijue) is one the major tuna (exhalation and inhalation) practice, it is effective as a complementary therapy and rehabilitation for many health issues. The clinical application of liuzijue nowday is simply following the existing routine, and researches mostly focus on how the movements and sounds of liuzijue routine influence the health, which is rather different from what the ancient records emphasized. The Supreme Jade Roll of Six-characters Breath (Taishang Yuzhou Liuzi Qijue) recorded in New Writings on Longevity and Healthy Ageing for One’s Elders (Shouqin Yanglao Xinshu) is one of the most complete and detailed ancient literature of liuzijue, and the origin of it could be traced to The Records of Mind Cultivation and Life Prolonging (Yangxing Yanming Lu). According to the record in it, the core of liuzijue is “breath”, and inhalation should be more than exhalation for minimizing the side effect caused by excessive exhalation, as well as reinforcing the tonification effect. It was also flexible in choosing which character breaths to be used and the times of repeating a character breath. These are inspiring records for how to optimize the application and maximize the effect of liuzijue.