The Qianlong Emperor and the Eight Treasure Cakes
Kong Lingchun
The Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799), aged 89, was the oldest of the 265 emperors from the Qin Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, and was known as Emperor Shoukui. In the fifty-eighth year of Qianlong (1793), the 83rd birthday of the Qianlong Emperor, after the British envoy Ma Garni attended his birthday banquet, he wrote in his diary: "Look at his wind god, the year fish is eighty-three, looking like sixty people, the spirit is strong, and can override the youth." At the time of eating, the order planning is extremely serious and amazing. "This is a miracle in Chinese history.
(i)
The Qianlong Emperor was able to grow old and healthy, relying on the art of health maintenance—he later told his ministers the "Sixteen Character Recipe", that is, "Tuna to the heart, strengthen the bones, timely supplementation, ten constants and four do not". The so-called "timely supplement" emphasizes the combination of medicine and food supplements, especially paying attention to food supplements. "Eight Treasure Cakes" was most liked by the Qianlong Emperor because of its "cold and hot, peaceful and warm remedy, nourishing the spleen and stomach, and repeated miraculous effects".
In the 40th year of Qianlong (1775), the Qianlong Emperor went out to visit the Xingre River for the 31st time, during which he stayed at the summer resort and inspected Mulan for a total of 116 days. During these 116 days, the Qianlong Emperor ate two meals a day, that is, he ate breakfast at the beginning of the day and did not eat dinner at the beginning of the day. That is to say, eat breakfast around 7:40 a.m. and dinner between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. every day.
There is no record of the Qianlong Emperor drinking alcohol in the "Forty Years of Qianlong", but from June 13 (July 10) to September 22 (October 16) to September 16, a total of 96 days, every day after breakfast, when boiling tea (drinking tea), three to four "eight treasure cakes" were used. According to historical records, from this year onwards, the Qianlong Emperor used the "Eight Treasure Cakes" every day.
The recipe for the "Eight Treasure Cakes" was prescribed by the Qianlong Emperor himself. On June 12 (July 9), the eunuch Hu Shijie passed on the emperor's edict: "Tell you to make the eight treasure cakes:
Ginseng two money, poria two two, yam two two, lentil two two, barley two two stir-fried, mustard two two, Jianlian two two meat, japonica rice noodles four two, glutinous rice noodles four two, a total of very fine noodles with sugar eight two and steamed cake, club pharmacy mill noodles. When the noodles were crushed, the general managers Xiao Yunpeng and Zhang Shun, the eunuch Hu Shijie, the pharmacy chief Tian Fu, and the tangguan Chen Shiguan looked at the steamed cake, and when it was steamed, it was cold, and it was sent every day with the boiling tea. ”
In this edict, the Qianlong Emperor not only prescribed the recipe of "Eight Treasure Cakes" and taught the method, but also designated the head of the imperial dining room and the head of the pharmacy as supervisors to "watch".
The composition of "Eight Treasure Cakes" is a product of the same origin as medicine and food. It has obvious effect on people with spleen deficiency and qi deficiency. The ginseng in this formula tonifies the spleen and yang; white art, yam, lotus seed healthy spleen and qi, white lentils have a spleen tonic effect, but at the same time have a certain anti-diarrhea effect, if there is no diarrhea, you can remove the white lentils. Barley dispels dampness and strengthens the spleen, and Poria dispels the dampness of the three burns and replenishes the spleen. Astringent, spleen and kidney.
Since then, the Qianlong Emperor has taken the "Eight Treasure Cakes" every day as the "tea companion" when boiling tea after breakfast, "especially often serves it", until the end of his life, so the Qianlong Emperor's spleen and stomach have always been very good, and it is also an important reason for the longevity of the Qianlong Emperor.
(ii)
Fa Perefite's book "Stagnant Empire: The Collision of Two Worlds" records the health of the Qianlong Emperor in his old age: In 1790, Father Qian Deming described the eighty-year-old man as follows: "He has a steady pace, a loud voice, and does not spend reading and writing, that is, his ears are somewhat deaf." ”
In the sixtieth year of Qianlong (1795), Fan, who was appointed deputy envoy of desheng and sent to Beijing on the orders of the King of the Netherlands, and who had visited Emperor Gaozong, affirmed: "He has all the characteristics of an old man, his eyes often shed tears, his eyelids are difficult to lift, and his cheeks are loose and sagging." ”
Five years apart, two diametrically opposed comments. In the middle of this time, did the old emperor look old? The ambassador (referring to the British envoy Macartney) did not think so. Hettnan said he was only "in his sixties, quick in movement" and "personable". Winder was also sure that there was "no trace of old age" on his face, always smiling and squinting, "looking no more than sixty years old." Macartney also thinks he's only in his sixties. Both believe his health is due to a regular lifestyle — getting up before dawn and sleeping when the sun goes down. A regular lifestyle was one of the important reasons for the Qianlong Emperor's health and longevity.
So, what is the main effect of Qianlong's "Eight Treasure Cakes"? What are the benefits of long-term use in the elderly over the age of sixty? From the analysis of the group, what was the physique of the Qianlong Emperor at that time?
Dr. Zhang Xuehong, an outstanding Chinese medicine talent in Hebei Province, director of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and chief physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Chengde Central Hospital, replied:
From the perspective of the group, the main effect of the eight treasure cakes is to nourish the spleen and kidneys, nourish the mind and nootropics, collect astringency and solidify the essence, and help correct and dispel evil. The therapeutic effect is poor stool, hyperhidrosis and fatigue, shortness of breath and cough, palpitations and insomnia, low voice and lazy speech, pale face, tepid limbs, and thin body. The health care effect of Bazhen Cake is mainly reflected in the three aspects of "Jing Qi", namely: yi jing, preventing senile impotence; yi qi, enhancing righteous qi to fight disease and evil; and benefiting the gods and enhancing memory.
From the perspective of drug composition, people with the following discomfort should eat Eight Treasure Cakes: pale face (not ruddy), slightly poor appetite, frequent diarrhea, tasteless and sweaty eating, frequent coughing, insomnia, palpitations (can be understood as arrhythmia), shortness of breath, lazy speech, often lack of energy. According to the pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine, it is speculated that the adapted population is congenital spleen and stomach weakness, lung disease has not been effectively controlled since childhood, and after youth, excessive thoughts are injured and blood, and sexual life is also paid attention to in old age. According to the effect of the eight treasure cake drugs, there is a possibility of treating arrhythmias.
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On July 22, when the Qianlong Emperor was boiling tea, Xiao Yunpeng, the general manager, played: "The eight treasure cakes are finished." The Qianlong Emperor decreed: "The front is combined, and then add two or two pieces of sugar." That is to say, on June 13, when the morning meal and tea were drunk, the "Eight Treasure Cakes" were taken, and by July 22, the first batch of "Eight Treasure Cakes" had been used up, and when the second batch of "Eight Treasure Cakes" was made, the Qianlong Emperor let two or two white sugars be added while keeping the original group unchanged.
In this regard, Dr. Zhang Xuehong explained that increasing the sweetness of the "Eight Treasure Cakes" shows that the Qianlong Emperor is tasteless and tasteless. In addition, Chinese medicine believes that people with a weak spleen like to eat sweet. The Qianlong Emperor had a weak spleen and stomach, indigestion after eating meat, bloating and diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Sweating, diarrhea, often sperm slippery sperm (mustard is astringent sperm), ginseng tonic, can cure the elderly functional impotence.
Through in-depth understanding with Dr. Zhang Xuehong on the composition of the "Eight Precious Cakes", according to the four diagnosis methods of Traditional Chinese medicine "Looking, Hearing, Asking and Cutting", we can boldly speculate that the Qianlong Emperor was: thin, pale, low-speaking, coughing and panting after walking a few steps, often frowning, and cold hands and feet. From a medical point of view, stomach discord is restless, spleen and stomach are emotional organs, people with bad stomachs are slightly anxious, so he is often unhappy and sad.
When talking about why the Qianlong Emperor was in such a physical condition and would live to be eighty-nine years old, the doctor said: "The Qianlong Emperor has a bad stomach, but he can control his diet very disciplinedly. Small amount of activity, less consumption, and less eating are also a major reason for longevity. ”
"Eight Treasure Cakes" is the "Eight Immortal Cakes" created in the Ming Dynasty. The recipe for the "Eight Immortals Cake" first appeared in the Ming Dynasty surgeon Chen Shigong (1555-1636) in the "Orthodox Surgery". The main components are: ginseng, poria, lotus seeds, coix kernels, yam and other eight kinds of traditional Chinese medicine. This recipe is Chen Shigong's family heirloom recipe. According to the literature, this formula has a good effect on the treatment of spleen and stomach weakness, less food and tiredness, easy vomiting and diarrhea. "Eight Immortal Cake" made into a cake shape, take several strips every morning, adhere to the 100 days can gradually feel healthy, long-term to nourish the spleen and stomach, strong Yuanyang, light body and old age.
According to the "Integration of Qing Palace Medical Cases" edited by Chen Keji, around the fortieth year of Qianlong (1775), the imperial doctor of the Tai Hospital increased or decreased the medicinal taste of chen's eight immortal cakes, adjusted the amount, and made them into cakes unique to the Qing court and presented them to the emperor for consumption, thus gaining the appreciation of the Qianlong Emperor. According to the Qing Dynasty pulse case and the "Bottom Book of Medicine", the Qianlong Emperor was not cold or hot, peaceful and warm, nourishing the spleen and stomach, and repeatedly having miraculous effects", plus its color, incense, and taste, similar to dim sum snacks, which can cure diseases and fitness, therefore, in the Qing Dynasty, from eight imperial concubines to the eunuchs of the various classes of palace women, the old and young compete to take food, which is regarded as a tonic and longevity elixir.
The Qianlong Emperor entered the "Eight Treasure Cakes" when boiling tea after breakfast, so what tea did the Qianlong Emperor use?
Qianlong went down to the south of the river to visit Hangzhou, went to the Lion Peak Lake Gongmiao Temple to drink tea, and sealed the eighteen tea trees in front of the temple as the West Lake Longjing of imperial tea. West Lake Longjing tea was a favorite of the Qianlong Emperor. According to the "Qing Barnyard Copy" "Gaozong Drinking Longjing New Tea": "Hangzhou Longjing New Tea, at first picked from GuYu, the former is yellow, and later before the Qingming Dynasty, the collector paid tribute and was the head. When it is given, there are few people, and they are as thin as a man. Yuè [瀹] is slightly fragrant, and it is impossible to distinguish its taste. Emperor Gaozong ordered the production of Sanqing tea, with plum blossoms, bergamot, and pine nuts to be used for tea, and there are poems. This tea is given on the day of the tea feast, and the tea bowl is also copied from the imperial poem. After the feast, the courtiers returned home. ”
Although it is not explicitly stated here that the Qianlong Emperor drank the West Lake Longjing "when boiling tea after breakfast", it is also said that the West Lake Longjing tea was the Qianlong Emperor's favorite.
The picture in this article comes from the network