正zhèng氣qì存cún內nèi,，邪xié不bù可kě干gān

What does 正氣存內，邪不可干 (zhèng qì cún nèi, xié bù kě gān) mean?

正氣存內，邪不可干 (zhèng qì cún nèi, xié bù kě gān) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "When righteous qi is stored within, pathogenic factors cannot invade." In use it means: A person whose internal vitality is strong and balanced possesses natural resistance to disease and external harmful influences. Maintaining robust inner health is the first line of defense. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.

Literally: "When righteous qi is stored within, pathogenic factors cannot invade."

The reading

The body carries its own fortress, built not of walls but of steady breath, sound sleep, and a spirit held in balance. When internal reserves run full and clear, outside threats find no foothold. This is the oldest principle of preventive medicine: tend to what is already whole, and fragility cannot take root. Wellness begins long before illness arrives, in the quiet discipline of daily living.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typeyànyǔ 諺語
• FocusPresent-minded
• Element木 Wood
• Zodiac tie虎 Year of the Tiger

Source Huangdi Neijing Suwen, Chapter 72, pre-Han dynasty medical classic

Sits beside

Keep reading

Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.