TCM Wellness · Unit 7: Seasonal Wellness · 中醫養生七

Nourish Yin in Autumn and Winter, Nourish Yang in Spring and Summer

This unit's seasonal lessons have described what each season is doing. This lesson covers the classical principle for what a person should be doing about it.
這個單元的節氣課程描述過每個季節本身在做什麼。這一課要講的是，一個人對此應該採取什麼行動的經典原則。

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Unit 118: Nourish Yin in Autumn and Winter, Nourish Yang in Spring and Summer

This unit's lessons on the four seasons have each described a natural process already underway — spring's growth, summer's venting, autumn's gathering, winter's storing — largely from the outside, as something happening in the wider world. A classical line from the Huangdi Neijing turns the same seasonal structure into direct advice: "nourish yin in autumn and winter, nourish yang in spring and summer," instructing a person to actively support whichever of the two, yin or yang, the current season is already naturally building toward.

這個單元講四季的課，各自描述了一個已經在進行中的自然過程——春天的生長、夏天的宣洩、秋天的收斂、冬天的儲藏——大多是從外部的角度，當成正在更大的世界裡發生的事情來描述。《黃帝內經》裡的一句經典的話，把同樣的節氣結構，轉成直接的行動建議：「秋冬養陰，春夏養陽」，指示一個人主動去支持陰陽當中，目前這個季節本來就已經在自然建立的那一方。

The logic follows the mutual-rooting relationship covered in this course's yin-yang unit: supporting a season's own natural direction, rather than working against it, is considered the easier and more effective path, since the effort lines up with a process the season is already doing on its own instead of fighting it. Autumn and winter are yin's own seasons — cooler, more interior, more storing — so nourishing yin during this stretch works with the grain; spring and summer are yang's own seasons — warmer, more outward, more active — so nourishing yang during this stretch does the same in the opposite direction.

這個邏輯，跟著這門課陰陽單元講過的互根關係走：支持一個季節本身自然的方向，而不是逆著它做，被認為是比較輕鬆、也比較有效的路，因為努力的方向，跟這個季節本來就已經在自己做的過程一致，而不是在跟它對抗。秋冬是陰自己的季節——比較涼、比較內收、比較儲藏——所以在這段期間滋養陰，是順著紋理做；春夏是陽自己的季節——比較溫暖、比較外放、比較活躍——所以在這段期間滋養陽，是往相反方向做同樣的事。

This principle ties together nearly everything this unit has covered about the four seasons into one usable instruction: rather than memorizing a separate, unrelated piece of advice for each of the four seasons, a reader can start from this single line and derive most of the specifics — favor cooling, moistening habits in autumn and winter; favor warming, activating habits in spring and summer — arriving at broadly the same seasonal guidance this unit's earlier lessons described one season at a time.

這個原則，把這個單元幾乎所有講四季的內容，綁進一條可以實際使用的指示裡：與其為四季分別記住四條各自獨立、不相關的建議，讀者可以從這一句話出發，推導出大部分的細節——秋冬偏好偏涼、滋潤的習慣；春夏偏好偏溫、活絡的習慣——得出的，大致上就是這個單元稍早那些課，一個季節一個季節分別描述過的同一套節氣指引。

Read aloud · 課文朗讀

Questions · 閱讀理解

According to the passage, what does "nourish yin in autumn and winter, nourish yang in spring and summer" instruct a person to do?

To actively support whichever of the two, yin or yang, the current season is already naturally building toward.

According to the passage, why is supporting a season's own natural direction considered easier and more effective than working against it?

Because the effort lines up with a process the season is already doing on its own, working with the grain rather than fighting it.

According to the last paragraph, what does this single principle allow a reader to do?

Derive most of the specific seasonal guidance from a single line — favor cooling, moistening habits in autumn and winter, and warming, activating habits in spring and summer — rather than memorizing separate advice for each season.

Words & Phrases · 生字及片語

underway(adj.)進行中的Construction on the new building is already underway.這棟新建築的工程已經在進行中了。mutual-rooting(adj.)互根的The two systems have a mutual-rooting relationship, each depending on the other.這兩套系統有一種互根的關係，彼此依存。line up with(ph.)與…一致Her schedule finally lined up with her sister's.她的行程終於跟她姊姊的一致了。work with the grain(ph.)順著紋理做；順勢而為It's easier to work with the grain of the wood than against it.順著木頭的紋理做，比逆著它做容易得多。derive(v.)推導The formula can be derived from two simpler equations.這個公式可以從兩個比較簡單的方程式推導出來。usable(adj.)可用的；實用的The instructions were clear and usable.這些指示清楚又實用。broadly(adv.)大致上The two plans were broadly similar in their goals.這兩個計畫的目標大致上是相似的。

Quick Check · 小測驗

1. According to the passage, what does this classical line instruct a person to do?

2. According to the passage, why is supporting a season's natural direction considered easier?

3. According to the last paragraph, what does this principle allow a reader to do?

This lesson explains a classical seasonal principle, not medical instructions. Specific dietary or lifestyle changes should be discussed with a licensed doctor.
這是經典節氣原則的說明，不是醫療指示；具體的飲食或生活調整，應該與合格醫師討論。