明朝自嘉靖年間開始，社會經濟蓬勃發展，不同階層的文化互相影響與流動，改變了當時知識份子的想法。如何同時兼顧物質享樂與保養生命，這想法深深影響著晚明對養生的觀念。在社會、經濟等多方面的影響下，晚明的養生理論以「閒賞」、「玩賞」的態度重新詮釋「養生」觀念，從相關文獻中可以發現在晚明文人的巧思下，熱鬧繁華的城市生活與清靜脫俗的養生原則，兩者巧妙的結合而並行不悖。他們兼顧享受現實物質生活與保養身心，建構出一個充滿閒情雅致，而又能養生延壽的生活方式，養生已不再是自我的事情，而是與其個人的家庭、生活、品味、學養等各層面息息相關，展現出不同於往的生活態度。這也可以從中看出明代知識份子對於身心與生命的思索軌跡。 The economy started to boom since the Jia-Jing period of the Ming Dynasty. The cultures of different social classes began to fluid and influence one another, it changed the thoughts of the intellectuals. The idea of balancing both enjoying the material life and taking care of life deeply effected the way of regimen in the late Ming. Under the various influences of society and economy, the theory of regimen in the late Ming was renovated with “playing” and “appreciation”. It constructed a life style full of elegant leisures yet maintaining health and extending life, showing an attitude about life different from the past. It also showed the thinking trace in mental and life aspects of the intellectuals in the Ming.
