長生思想和與頭髮相關的養生方術

The Thought of Eternal Life and Hair-Related Methods for Preserving Health in Traditional China

頭髮在傳統中國文化裡極富於象徵意味。在神仙或長生不死的思想中，仙人所以異於凡人的根本特質不只是永生不死，而更是永遠青春不老。漆黑光潤的頭髮就是表現這種特質的最顯眼的標誌。與此相對照，白髮則是日益老化、邁向死亡的徵候。以頭髮的變化來象徵生長和衰老，正是出於古代中國人的生理知識。頭髮是生命中各階段裡的生理變化的主要指標，由於腎氣興旺才得以長得既長又多，烏黑光亮。當身體逐漸衰老時，頭髮漸短少、脫落、光禿，而顏色也變白、枯澀。在疾病或遇有強烈的情感波動，如恐懼、憂愁、哀傷時，或過度用心思慮時，頭髮也能立即出現上述的變化。一當發現有了白髮，人們常有驚恐、警惕、悲哀、憂愁等反應，或拔掉白髮以求慰藉，或相信在特定的日辰鑷白未必是消極的行動，可使白髮永不再生。針對象徵衰老的白髮、落髮、禿頭等問題，人們不但發展出了大量的方劑，包括各種外用的膏劑、洗髮劑和內服的藥方、藥酒；同時還企圖從這些現象背後的根本原因，即生理機能老化的消除來著手，以尋求標本兼顧地治療。帶有濃厚的長生思想的身心調攝、導引行氣、各種藥物或配方複雜的膏、丹、丸、酒劑服食補益方，都展現了古代中國人對長生不老的強烈渴慕和熱切的追求。

Hair has long been regarded as a powerful symbol in Chinese cultural traditions. In traditional thinking, celestial beings and immortals not only live a long time and do not die, but they also do not age and remain forever young. Pitch-black smooth hair is the most obvious mark in this respect. In contrast, white hair is clearly a sign of increasing age and a mark of impending death. Symbolizing changes in hair to mark either growing or old age first appears in Chinese physiological knowledge systems. Hair during the various stages of one's life exemplifies the physiological changes which are connected to the developments of kidney qi or the vital energy of the body. When the kidney qi practices vigorously, pitch-black and shiny hair is resulted. As the body gradually ages, one's hair gradually decreases, falls out, and becomes white in color, dull and heavy. Illness, or extreme emotions such as fear, depression, times of grief, or intense mental activity also result in significant changes in the hair. On discovering white hairs on their bodies, people were often horrified, shocked, depressed, and would pluck out these hairs as a means of consolation, and often, at a specified time, they would pull out white hairs to counteract the effects of aging and ensure that the white hair never grew again. White hair was a sign of old age, and in response to this, people developed a number of prescriptions, including different types of external pastes, hair washing shampoos, internal medicine, and herbal wines. And also efforts were made to treat both the fundamental and the secondary aspects of the aging process. In ideas of immortality, serious consideration was given to regulating and vitalizing one's body and mind, practicing qigong or promoting circulation of the qi while exercising, and taking different types of tonic prescriptions including pastes, pellets, pills, and so forth, all in active pursuit of seeking longevity.