From Korea to Japan: The East Asian Transmission and Localization of Zhu Quan’s Huo Ren Xin

Abstract Since ancient times, humans have endeavored to maintain their health. These methods are collectively referred to as “ Yang Sheng (养生) ” or health preservation practices. The concept of Yang Sheng originated and was nurtured in ancient China. By the Ming dynasty, this practice had transcended the elite scholarly class and began to garner the attention of the general populace. With the development of the publishing industry, a large number of Yang Sheng -related books were created, disseminated, and widely read. Zhu Quan (朱权), a representative literatus of the Ming dynasty and a member of the imperial family, left behind a vast body of writings across multiple fields, including Yang Sheng , medicine, Daoism, history, drama, and phonology. Among these, his works on Yang Sheng and medicine were also transmitted to Korea and Japan, exerting an influence on East Asian Yang Sheng culture. Previous studies have largely lacked a systematic examination of Zhu Quan’s thought on Yang Sheng and have paid little attention to the transmission of this thought in Korea and Japan. This study begins with an analysis of his Yang Sheng -related text Huo Ren Xin (《活人心》 Enlivening the Human Heart ), and through an exploration of the core ideas in this work as well as its dissemination and reception in Korea and Japan, it attempts to shed light on the modes of transmission and exchange within East Asian Yang Sheng culture. First, the paper investigates the formation of Zhu Quan’s thinking by examining his life and intellectual background. It then analyzes the compilation, content, and conceptual features of Huo Ren Xin , and explores its transmission in Korea and Japan based on extant editions. Finally, through an examination of medical texts and literary works by scholars in Korea and Japan, the study further elucidates the acceptance and transmission of Zhu Quan’s Yang Sheng thought across East Asia.