Dongui Bogam_06_The Shape and Qi

[形氣定壽夭]
[The Lifespan Is Dependent on the Shape and Qi]

靈樞經曰, 形與氣相任則壽, 不相任則夭. 皮與肉相果則壽, 不相果則夭. 血氣經絡勝形則壽, 不勝形則夭. 形充而皮膚緩者則壽, 形充而皮膚急者則夭. 形充而脉堅大者順也. 形充而脉小以弱者氣衰, 氣衰則危矣. 形充而顴不起者骨小, 骨小而夭矣. 形充而大肉䐃堅而有分者肉堅, 肉堅則壽矣. 形充而大肉無分理不堅者肉脆, 肉脆則夭矣.
It is said in the Divine Pivot (靈樞經): "A person lives long if shape and qi match each other and dies young if they do not. One lives long if the shape is sturdy and the skin is smooth and lives short if the shape is sturdy but the skin is stiff-coarse. If the shape is sturdy and the pulse is strong and big, it is a favorable syndrome. If the shape is sturdy but the pulse is small and weak, it implies weakened gi, a sign of a critical condition. If the shape is sturdy but the cheekbones are not projected, the person's physique is small. A person with a small physique is likely to die young. If the shape is sturdy, the large muscles are firm, and the grain is easy to recognize, the person's flesh is firm; such a person is likely to live long. However, if the large muscles do not have recognizable grain and are not firm, even though the flesh is sturdy, the person has weak flesh; such a person is likely to die young. 

類纂曰, 穀氣勝元氣, 其人肥而不壽. 元氣勝穀氣, 其人瘦而壽.
There is a saying in the Classified Compilation on Nurturing Life (類纂): "If the qi from food gets stronger than the original qi, the person gets fat and cannot live long, if the original qi gets stronger than the qi from food, the person gets thin and can live long." 

虞摶曰, 性急脉亦急, 性緩脉亦緩, 大抵脉緩而遲者多壽, 脉急而數者多夭. 
Yutuan once said, "The pulse is fast in those who have an impetuous personality; the pulse is slow in those who are relaxed. Generally, those who have a slow pulse live long, and those who have a fast pulse usually die young. 

內經曰, 根于中者, 命曰神機, 神去則機息. 盖氣血者, 人身之神也. 脉急數者, 氣血易虧而神機易息, 故多夭. 脉遲緩者, 氣血和平而神機難損, 故多壽. 
There is a saying in the Inner Classic (內經), "What fills the center of life is called spiritual qi; the mechanism stops when the spirit leaves its body." In the case of the human body, qi and blood form the spirit. A person who has a rapid pulse has susceptible qi and blood to damage, and his or her spiritual qi easily stops. This usually leads to death at a young age. A person who has a slow pulse has harmonized qi and blood, and one's spiritual qi is not harmed easily. This usually leads to a long life for the person. 

先哲論江海之潮, 則天地之呼吸, 晝夜只二升二降而已. 人之呼吸, 晝夜一萬三千五百息. 故天地之壽攸久而無窮, 人之壽延者數亦不滿百也.
The early wise people said, "The ebb and tide of the river and ocean are the breathing of the universe. The universe breathes in and out twice a day only; whereas, a human being breathes 13,500 times a day. This is why the lifespan of the universe is limitless and the lifespan of a person does not complete 100 years at most.