I have noticed, from pictures, more than a few top level, Chinese internal practioners over the past 50-100 years have large puffy bags under their eyes (above the age of 60).
Any comment on this phenomeneon? Is this a Chinese condition or does the practice promote this condition?
[QUOTE=kfson;979366]I have noticed, from pictures, more than a few top level, Chinese internal practioners over the past 50-100 years have large puffy bags under their eyes (above the age of 60).
Any comment on this phenomeneon? Is this a Chinese condition or does the practice promote this condition?[/QUOTE]considering the levels of pollutants in the earth and water supplies, it’s easy to believe that these bags under the eyes are due to the disintegration of the kidney, which has to deal with all these chemicals. 
which is to say that perhaps you are only paying attention to the bags under old kung fu masters eyes ands not those of the general population aswell.
[QUOTE=uki;979403]considering the levels of pollutants in the earth and water supplies, it’s easy to believe that these bags under the eyes are due to the disintegration of the kidney, which has to deal with all these chemicals. :)[/QUOTE]
which is to say that perhaps you are only paying attention to the bags under old kung fu masters eyes ans not those of the general population aswell.
[QUOTE=uki;979403]considering the levels of pollutants in the earth and water supplies, it’s easy to believe that these bags under the eyes are due to the disintegration of the kidney, which has to deal with all these chemicals.
which is to say that perhaps you are only paying attention to the bags under old kung fu masters eyes ands not those of the general population aswell.[/QUOTE]
Well, I was looking at a Xing I book which gave a long history with pictures of masters. Then I was on an internet site from Taiwon showing a well known school of internal art. Many of those masters had puffy bags under their eyes.
The Xing I history claims it’s practitioners live the longest of the internal arts. But the bags made me wonder if the practice was abusing the body in some manner. Or maybe it is the way some Chinese age.
It would seem abuse of the kidney is a short path to the grave.
its from all the stress of having to deal with crappy students.
maybbe so
[QUOTE=Lucas;979421]its from all the stress of having to deal with crappy students.
:)[/QUOTE]
Um, well, maybe so…
But I had bags under my eyes long before I took taiji… I don’t think I have any Chinese folks in my ancestry, but you just never know… not many Chinese in Texas in the 1800’s…
Maybe my kidney’s crappin’ out???
I would say that the puffy eyes are a common Chinese point of aging. The eye of the Asian is different from that of other races, and you have to consider the reason for this as well. Have you never wondered why the Chinese have eyes so different from Europeans? Chinese have a perminent squint, where the European has big cow eyes.
puffy cow eyes
[QUOTE=Lee Chiang Po;979425]I would say that the puffy eyes are a common Chinese point of aging. The eye of the Asian is different from that of other races, and you have to consider the reason for this as well. Have you never wondered why the Chinese have eyes so different from Europeans? Chinese have a perminent squint, where the European has big cow eyes.[/QUOTE]
puffy big cow eyes here…
my eyes are more like an eagles!
localized sub-orbital edema has to do w/vascular & lymphatic drainage, which is in the domain of those two respective systems as opposed to the renals (bearing in mind that in the TCM construct, “Kidney” function has little actual correlation to the physiology of kidneys from a contemporary perspective, so relating this to the TCM “Kidney” may work in context of that particular system)
[QUOTE=taai gihk yahn;979436]localized sub-orbital edema has to do w/vascular & lymphatic drainage, which is in the domain of those two respective systems as opposed to the renals (bearing in mind that in the TCM construct, “Kidney” function has little actual correlation to the physiology of kidneys from a contemporary perspective, so relating this to the TCM “Kidney” may work in context of that particular system)[/QUOTE]
Would you say that the “localized sub-orbital edema” is the result of the Chinese genetic makeup rather than Internal Style practice?
[QUOTE=kfson;979438]Would you say that the “localized sub-orbital edema” is the result of the Chinese genetic makeup rather than Internal Style practice?[/QUOTE]
no, I would not say anything about that at all; what I am saying is that it is mediated by the systems I mentioned earlier; as to the the reason(s) for which a given individual or ethnic group might be relatively more predisposed to this, that is something about which I would not speculate - I am simply pointing out that from a contemporary physiological perspective it has more to do w/local vascular / lymphatic drainage than it does w/the renal system;
that, and a lack of cucumbers…
y;know, like slices to place on your eyes like Mommy Dearest..?
Sleep well, eat well.
Who knows how those masters lived. While some of them may have lived in peaceful monasteries, others may have lived through revolution. Some may have been overfed with rich food, others may have eaten what they could find. Some may have slept 8 hours a night, some may have slept with one eye open.
The ones with bags under their eyes probably had sleep, stress and/or dietary issues first and foremost.
Alcoholism and/or diabetes which brings with it, obesity, renal problems, circulatory problems, and high blood pressure!
You’ve stumbled onto the secret: without the large, puffy bags under the eyes, you will achieve nothing.
[QUOTE=RickMatz;979502]You’ve stumbled onto the secret: without the large, puffy bags under the eyes, you will achieve nothing.[/QUOTE]
actually, based on my direct experience with a number of old (80+) Chinese sifu, the secret to longevity appears to be related to smoking at least a pack a day, cussing freely, gambling without restraint, and drinking with moderate abandon; but that’s just me…
[QUOTE=taai gihk yahn;979539]actually, based on my direct experience with a number of old (80+) Chinese sifu, the secret to longevity appears to be related to smoking at least a pack a day, cussing freely, gambling without restraint, and drinking with moderate abandon; but that’s just me…[/QUOTE]the secret is simply to just be.
Here is an example, Wang Jiwu, who lived to be 100:
Bags under eyes = lack of punany.