Category: Traditional Medical Texts
lmproper Diet with Cold Exposure Leading to Phlegm-Dampness
Li Lianfang, the prefect of Yuzhou (equivalent to a modern-day mayor), and I had been friends since childhood, bonding over poetry and essays. After passing the provincial imperial exam (juren) in the Xinhai year, he qualified for an official post and was appointed as a prefect. While waiting for his assignment in the capital, we…
Qi Stagnation Causing Phlegm Vomiting
Official Zhang Hancha from the Ministry of Works (an ancient institution similar to a modern construction ministry) was widely regarded as the most knowledgeable and virtuous scholar in our hometown. His younger brother Zhang Tiehua, who served as a county magistrate, had taken the imperial examinations (China’s ancient civil service exams) in the same year…
Mistreatment of Cold Syndrome
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There was a tea merchant (whose name has been lost to history) operating in the capital city. He contracted malaria during summer. Despite consulting many doctors and taking various medications, he would still experience full-body chills and shivering every afternoon, lasting over two hours. After months of prolonged illness, he became emaciated to the point…
Liver Fire Excess with Qi-Blood Stasis
Case 1: Misdiagnosis of a High-ranking Official’s Daughter-in-Law The eldest daughter-in-law of the Prime Minister’s household (wife of official Zihe) had an irritable temperament. Due to the strict household rules, her prolonged emotional suppression led to abdominal bloating and a two-month absence of menstruation. Everyone mistakenly assumed she was pregnant and avoided proper medical examination.…
Post Stroke Limb Swelling and Pain
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Here’s an English translation with cultural adaptations for international readers (retaining all details and adding contextual explanations): Mid-Autumn Medical Case During the Mid-Autumn Festival, I suffered a recurring severe arm pain and summoned Mr. Cao, a junior official from the Ministry of Rites (“Bu Cao” – a low-ranking position in the Six Ministries during Ming-Qing…
Dizziness from Spleen Deficiency with Dampness
Medical Case Record of Qi Shouyang (Former National High-Ranking Official) Translated with Cultural Contextualization During his recuperation in the capital, Mr. Qi Shouyang suffered from chronic dizziness characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, and vertigo-like spatial disorientation. Multiple physicians had diagnosed this as constitutional weakness, prescribing prolonged use of ginseng and astragalus supplements without improvement. Symptoms…
Food Retention Triggering Diarrhea
Medical Case Record: Severe Diarrhea Treated with Sequential Herbal Formulas I once treated an unnamed merchant working at a traditional money exchange house (Qianzhuang) who developed severe diarrhea during summer. The initial physician diagnosed “excessive internal fire” and prescribed Chengqi Decoction (a classic purgative formula containing rhubarb/Da Huang and mirabilite/Mang Xiao for heat clearance). This…
Wind Pathogen Invading Organs Causing Sudden Aphasia
Medical Case Study: Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Stroke-Like Symptoms Patient Profile: Mu Qitong, a merchant manager from Dongxiang, exhibited obesity and chronic overeating. During a summer banquet in Beijing, he suddenly developed acute symptoms: loss of speech, limb paralysis, and severe abdominal distension, requiring emergency transport home. Initial Misdiagnosis: A Southern Chinese acquaintance (with…
Spleen Deficiency Causing Digestive Constipation
Case Study: TCM Treatment for Chronic Constipation Due to Spleen Deficiency Patient Background Xue Heming (courtesy name He Ting), a respected censor from Lingchuan, Shanxi, was known for his integrity. While overseeing official appointments at the Ministry of Personnel, he maintained strict ethical standards. Later as an imperial censor, his forthright memorials often displeased the…
Cholera with Vomiting and Diarrhea
Less than a month after Guanxiang recovered from illness, his elder brother Weiqing (a county magistrate awaiting official appointment in the capital) was invited to a friend’s banquet. After indulging in food and wine, suffering from the summer heat, and overconfident in his strong constitution, he recklessly ate an entire watermelon. Late that night around…