(This statement is one chapter of the Longevity & Life Preservation in Oriental Medicine, which was written by Lee Je-Ma, and translated by Prof. Choi Seung-Hoon)
 

In a town of 10,000 people, the number of Taiyin type is about five thousand. The number of Shaoyang type is about three thousand, the Shaoyin type is about two thousand and the Taiyang type only is about three to ten or more.

The Taiyang person has a developed nape of the neck for the rising posture and a slender waist for standing posture. The Shaoyang person has a developed chest for the self - embracing posture and small hips for the sitting posture. The Taiyin person has a thick waist for the standing posture and a weak nape of the neck for the rising posture. The Shaoyin person has developed hips for the sitting posture and a weak chest for the self - embracing posture.

The Taiyang person is skilled at communicating and has a talent for social acquaintances. The Shaoyang person has a warrior mental vitality and has a talent for a appointed roles. The Taiyin person is skilled at accomplishments and a talent for living quarters. The Shaoyin person is skilled at good conduct and has a telent for clanships.

The Taiyangs' bodies are easily recognizied, but, because they are very rare, they are most difficult to identify. Their napes of the necks are developed and they are able to communcate well. They have a determined character, but have yege(dysphagia), fanwei(regurgitation of food from stomach) and jieyi(generalized fatigue and lassitude) so they are easy to identify. Until their sickness becomes serious, they appear to be normal. The elderly Shaoyin person also may have jieyi, so we should not confuse him with the Taiyang person.

The body of Taiyang female is big and strong, but since she has a small Liver, narrow waist, and her uterus function is weak, she can seldom give birth. We can easily see this to be true by noticing the Taiyang mare and cow, though their bodies are big and strong, they also can seldom give birth.
The Shaoyang person has a developed upper body and weak lower body, and his chest is developed and his feet are light. He is quick, sharp and brave. Since they are numerous, they can identified most easily among the four types.

Since some of the Shaoyang persons have small and smart - looking appearences like the Shaoyin person, we must carefully observe their symptoms such as chills and fever and not confuse them with the Shaoyin types.

The Taiyin and the Shaoyin persons are similar in body shape and thus are difficult to
distinguish, but if we diagnose the symptoms carefully, we can distinguish them clearly. When the Taiyin person spontaneaously sweats, he is healthy, but if the Shaoyin person has
spontaneous sweating, he is serioulsy ill. If the skin of the Taiyin person is too solid and hard, he will be healthy. the Taiyin person tends to have severe palpitations and chest pain, and the Shaoyin person tends to exhibit restless involuntary movement of the limbs. The corners of a Taiyin person's eyes tend to turn upward and he often has pain in his eyes. The Shaoyin type does not have same characteristics. The Shaoyin type generally breathes smoothly, but sometimes sighs deeply. But the Taiyin type does not sigh deeply. If the two get malaria with chills, the Taiyin is able to drink cold water, but the Shaoyin cannot drink cold water.
The Taiyin's pulse is long and tight and the Shaoyin's pulse is smoothe and weak. The Taiyin's flesh is solid and the Shaoyin's flesh is tender. The Taiyin's appearance is gentle, his speech is not eloquent, but persistent, and his behavior is fair. The Shaoyin's appearance is neat, his speech is natural and his behavior is shrewd.

Usually, the Shaoyins are mostly short, but some of them may be six to seven feet tall. As for the Taiyins, they are usually tall, but some of them are five feet or shorter.

The Taiyin person always has fearful mind. If he calms his mind, he can be stable and harmonize his life with the way. If he is too fearful, his mind will be seriously worse, experiencing severe palpitations. Severe palpitations are a serious problem for the Taiyin person.

The Shaoyang person always suffers from anxiety. If he calms his mind, he can be stable and harmonize his life with the way. If he is too anxious, his mind will be chained. If his anxiety becomes extreme, he will become seriously ill, experiencing amnesia is a serious problem for the Shaoyang person.

The Shaoyin type always has a nervous mind. If his nervous mind becomes stable, then his Spleen Qi will be activated. The Taiyang person always has a rash personality. If he can slow down his pace, his Liver Blood will become regulated.

The Shaoyin person has problems with his pharynx and larynx. Those problems are serious and chronic, we should not let these problems go untreated, but should treat them with Shengui Bawu Tang (Decoction of Eight Precious Ingredients with Ginseng and Ramulus Cinnamomi), roe liver or gold snake liguor.

Some Taiyang persons may have constipation for eight or nine days. This indicates nothing too serious, and so it is not to be worried about too much. But we still cannot ignore it. We can treat it with Mihouteng Wujiapi Tang (Decoction of Caulis Actinidiae Chinensis and Cortex Acanthopancis).

If the Taiyang person has passed a lot of urine, he is very healthy. If the Taiyin person
sweated a lot, he is very healthy. If the Shaoyang person's bowel movement was smooth, he is very healthy. If the Shaoyin person digests well, he is very healthy.

When the Taiyang person gets dysphagia, the upper-jiao of the Esophagus feels like a harsh wind passing through. When the Taiyin person gets dysentery, the middle-jiao of the Small Intestine feels obstructed, as if by dense fog. When the Shaoyang person gets constipation, then his diaphragm will surely feel like fire. When the Shaoyin person has continuous diarrhea, the hypogastric region surely feels as cold as ice. If we know the person's type and the patterns of his symptoms, there will be no uncertainty in prescrbing the proper medicine.

We must identify the person's constitution very carefully by observing his appearance. If we fail after several attempts, we can identify his type clearly by referring to the patterns of symptoms. Only after we are sure, we can prescribe the medicine. We must not prescribe even one pack of medicine carelessly. Even one pack may kill a seriously ill patient.

Hua Tuo said "The key to a healthy life lies in engaging in moderate labor, and avoiding
excessive fatigue."

Once an old man said, "People may eat twice a day, but should not eat four or five times a day. People should not continue to eat after meals. If you can follow such a way, you will have a long life."

I have added, "I'd like to say that the Taiyin person always calms his fearful mind by looking outside himself. The Shaoyang person always calms his anxious mind by looking within. The Taiyang person slows down his rash mind by retreating one step. The Shaoyin person can calm his nervous mind by moving one step forward. In this way, all four types may live a long life."

Again, I have said, "The Taiyang type should be cautious of becoming angry or sorrowful. The Shaoyang type should be cautious of becoming sorrowful or angryl. The Taiyin type should be cautious of becoming excessively joyful or pleased. The Shaoyin type should be cautious of becoming excessively pleased or joyful. In this way, all four types may live a long life."