The ancient Chinese medical text Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon describes multiple types of heart-stomach pain. Over generations, renowned physicians classified these into nine distinct categories, each meticulously detailed. The Qing dynasty medical text Golden Mirror of the Medical Tradition simplified these classifications into rhyming verses for memorization, emphasizing that each type must be differentiated as either deficiency patterns (insufficient bodily functions) or excess patterns (external pathogenic factors), covering all possible causes.
I recall a story about a physician named Wang Weifan from a neighboring village. He was a relative of Wang Danwen, a scholar I knew. Wang Weifan ran a medical practice and sold herbal remedies. One day, a woman with severe stomach pain sought his (used in traditional contexts). He prescribed Shixiao Powder (a herbal formula for promoting blood circulation), which relieved her pain immediately. From then on, he used Shixiao Powder for every heart-stomach pain case. However, results were inconsistent—half of his patients improved, while the others did not.
Wang Weifan had a long-standing opium addiction. One day, he developed severe stomach pain and took Shixiao Powder himself. Instead of improving, his pain intensified. By midnight, he was writhing in agony, pounding his bed in distress. He died before dawn.
Analysis:
- Shixiao Powder (composed of Pollen Typhae (Pu Huang) and Faeces Trogopterori (Wu Ling Zhi)) is specifically designed to dissolve blood stasis. The woman he treated likely had pain caused by blood stagnation, explaining the formula’s effectiveness.
- However, heart-stomach pain can arise from many causes: exposure to cold/heat (wind-cold or summer-heat pathogens), improper diet, or emotional stress. Applying Shixiao Powder without diagnosing the root cause—and ignoring the critical distinction between deficiency and excess—can be fatal.
Wang Weifan’s misuse of Shixiao Powder may have harmed others, and his own death from the same remedy reflects a karmic consequence. This tragedy underscores a vital lesson: Physicians must study extensively to discern the true nature of illnesses and prescribe wisely.
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