There are many well-famed doctors and thinkers who, throughout history, have contributed inspirational sayings aimed at preserving health, but did you know that both in China and Malta, which are located on two different continents over 9000km apart, share many common ideas about traditional health preservation?
A new paper co-authored by Prof. Charles Savona-Ventura from the University of Malta’s Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine, titled ‘Shared Wisdom about Health Preservation in Traditional Maltese and Chinese Proverbs’, aims to pin down on these titbits of crystallisation of national wisdom, and indispensable parts of the extensive traditional Chinese medicine culture, and Maltese culture.
When it comes to moderation in eating and drinking, most proverbs concern diet advice and avoiding excessive eating. According to TCM, overeating may cause stagnation, and drinking too much can cause phlegm-turbidity.
Check out the following proverbs:
- “Min jibla’ wisq imut qasir il-g?omor”(He who eats too much dies young)
- “Aktar tmut in-nies bix-xaba’ u le bil-?u?” (More people die from too much food than of hunger)
- 吃少养命, 吃多害命 (Eating less can live longer; eating too much will reduce life expectancy)
- 少吃香, 多吃伤 (Eating less, one will feel that the food is delicious; eating too much will cause harm to the body)
When it comes to keeping a peaceful mind and regularity in rising and resting, the rules of Yin and Yang are followed to avoid emotional disturbances. “When Yang-qi is exhausted and Yin-qi is abound, one falls asleep.”
Check out the following proverbs:
- “Minn ibakkar fil‐g?odu jista’ jorqod fil‐g?axija” (He who starts work early in the morning can sleep during the night)
- “L‐irqad jag?mel il‐?mira” (Sleep makes the yeast [i.e., regenerates new energy])
- 人勤病就懒,人懒病就勤 (If one is hardworking, he will not often get sick. If one is lazy, he will often fall ill)
- 吃洋参,不如睡五更 (Getting enough sleep is better than eating ginseng)
When it comes to Preventive Treatment and Disease Prevention, people in both cultures have considered disease prevention a priority since ancient times.
Check out the following proverbs:
- “Il‐mard trid tilqag?lu” (One must take preventive measures against illness)
- “L-indafa o?t il-qdusija” (Cleanliness is sister to healthiness)
- 有病早治, 无病早防 (Take preventive measures before a disease occurs; treat the disease at its early stage when it occurs)
- 只忙治病不忙防, 没有忙到点子上 (It is more important to prevent a disease than to treat it)
The journal may be accessed in its entirety .
