"The Analects of Confucius·Xianwen" says: "Confucius took a bath and went to court."
Zeng Xi, a disciple of Confucius, also promoted bathing as a state of life, which was highly praised by Confucius.
"Mo Chun, the spring clothes are ready, five or six crowns, six or seven boys, bathing in Yi, dancing in the wind, chanting and returning."
Translated into modern times In Chinese, the original meaning is: In late spring in March, we put on spring clothes, gathered about five or six people, and took six or seven children with us, bathed by the Yishui River, blew in the wind on the high slopes, and sang songs all the way back.
In the Chinese bathing cultural tradition, "bathing before worship" and "fasting and bathing to worship God" are not only a solemn etiquette, but also the belief and spiritual life of the ancients.
In the oracle bone inscriptions more than 3,000 years ago, there are already records of the words "bath", "mu" and "wash". In ancient Chinese, these words also have different meanings: "yu" means to take a bath; "mu" means to wash the face; "bath" means to wash the hands and feet.
In the oracle bone inscriptions, the shape of the word "mu" seems to be hands washing water in the basin; the word "bath" looks like a person standing on a plate, with water droplets falling on his body and head, as if It's people taking a bath in a dish.
According to historical records, as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the code of the supreme ruler stipulated that during major events such as enthronement, succession, memorial ceremonies, and founding of the Yuan Dynasty, one must fast for three days, bathe and change clothes. "Officials have one day off every five days to take a bath." It shows the importance of bathing to the appearance of officials and the respect the ancients had for heaven and earth. Since then, it has been used in all dynasties.
For people today, bathing is not only a way of life, but also a culture. The concept of bathing has also evolved with the changes of the times, and its cultural connotations and various visual characteristics have gradually evolved.
Ever since, various bathing cultures, era backgrounds, modeling designs, as well as the combination with social needs and high-end technology have led to the emergence of various new trends in bathing life. The bathing culture, which centers on bathtubs for family social interaction, has also emerged and developed under the influence of this trend.
There are more and more bathing methods with various names, such as: steam bath, sauna bath, hot spring bath, medicinal bath, flower bath, steam bath, SPA, etc. There are even new ones such as solarium bath, sea bath, etc. Mud baths and more.
Not only that, bathing also draws on and absorbs the methods and concepts of fitness and health care in traditional Chinese medicine, and extends the development of healing methods such as hot boiling, foot soaking, fumigation, and massage.
Of course, the primary purpose of bathing is to cleanse the body; while cleansing the body, it can also prevent diseases. This is briefly described in classics such as "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", "Beishan Jing", and "Book of Rites Nei Principles".
There is indeed a causal relationship between bathing and health, and cleaning oneself and preventing diseases.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that bathing can induce sweating, dispel wind and dampness, promote qi and blood circulation, relax muscles and activate collaterals, reconcile yin and yang, and invigorate the spirit.
Modern medicine believes that bathing can promote body temperature regulation, improve blood circulation and the functional status of the nervous system, and accelerate the metabolism of various tissues and organs.
The following are two examples of long-lived elderly people to illustrate the relationship between bathing and health.
Mr. Xu Teli has gone through many vicissitudes of life, but still lives at the age of 92. The "cold water bath" is indispensable. His method is: after getting up, first wipe your head and face with cold water; then wipe your neck, chest, and back until your skin becomes red and hot. Mr. Xu said: Cold water bath can improve the body's ability to resist cold and exercise the elasticity of blood vessels. It is a "vascular gymnastics".
Mr. Ma Yinchu is an old man who lived to 101 years old, thanks to the "hot and cold water bath". This is also the true biography of a 93-year-old doctor with gray hair and childish face whom he met when he was studying in the United States in his early years. The method of operation is: wash with hot water first every time you take a bath. Hot water enlarges the sweat pores, and the sweat can discharge dirt from the body. In addition, after the blood vessels are heated and expanded, the blood can fully circulate, which is beneficial to metabolism; then take a cold water bath. The temperature of cold water is generally close to body temperature. Cold water constricts dilated blood vessels. Repeated heat and cold stimulate the expansion and contraction of blood vessels, which enhances the elasticity of blood vessels and prevents them from hardening. It delays the aging of human body functions and prolongs life.
However, it should be noted that whether it is a hot water bath or a cold water bath, even the various popular medicinal baths, saunas, etc., not everyone can do it, so it varies from person to person. .
When experiencing or practicing, you should be cautious according to your physical condition and tolerance, and you can consult professionals if necessary.
"Shuowen Jiezi" says: "Mu means washing your hair"; "Bathing means sprinkling your body."
Shampooing your hair, washing your body, and combining bathing and bathing are actually what we call "bathing" in today's sense.
In fact, there are many of them. To put it bluntly, they have different names but similar effects. Bathing, soaking; bathing, bathing; soup bath, shower; three baths, three fumes, three baths, three baths...
Their "differences" are what literati, politicians, etc. advocate. The so-called "bath culture" connotation.
It’s like saying “go to the bathroom” instead of “go to the bathroom”.
There is nothing wrong with taking bath as a way of leisure life or as a method of health therapy. There is no need to "dig in and study" its "lofty" cultural essence with great fanfare.
Respect the customs of various places and treat them with a normal attitude. That’s it.