Category: Traditional Medical Texts
(chapter79)Pulse Diagnosis as Meticulous as Judicial Trial
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The ancients said, “Applying herbal medicine is akin to military strategy,” while I propose that “diagnosing pulses resembles investigating a legal case.” Though predecessors have thoroughly explored these profound principles, I particularly endorse Mr. Shicai’s Four-Character Guideline for its clarity and practicality. His teaching states: “Across seasonal pulse manifestations, stomach qi (weiqi) serves as the foundation,” emphasizing…
(chapter78)Excess Damp-Heat Syndrome Causing Spermatorrhea
Mr. Huang Gengyuan from Jiangxi Province was awarded the title of Provincial Commissioner (Fansi) with peacock feather decoration (Hualing) by imperial decree for his military donations, later appointed as Xi’an Grain Intendant (Liangdao). This lucrative position combined with his family wealth allowed him to maintain integrity while treating subordinates kindly, earning widespread respect. At around…
(chapter77)Spleen Deficiency with Dampness-Phlegm Disturbing Mind
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Situ Zhilin (a provincial governor) was originally obese. During a period when provinces were raising military funds, officials gathered in the provincial capital. However, due to depleted treasury reserves, Situ grew increasingly anxious. By summer, he developed peculiar symptoms: restlessness, random muttering, full-body itching, and immediate drowsiness upon closing his eyes. His nightmares consistently featured…
(chapter76)Damp-Phlegm Deep Abscess
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Common illnesses caused by external factors like wind, cold, summer heat, or internal factors like improper diet and exhaustion typically show specific symptoms and pulse patterns. However, diseases caused by phlegm-dampness (abnormal fluid accumulation) manifest in bizarre, ever-changing ways. When symptoms defy description or conventional diagnosis, phlegm-dampness is often the culprit. My colleague Li Youlan, a…
(chapter75)Vomiting due to Food Accumulation
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Patient Background The 4-year-old son of Pang Shouyu (a scholar who passed imperial examinations) suddenly developed symptoms including fever, vomiting at the sight of food, excessive sweating, and loss of consciousness. Due to Pang’s absence while teaching abroad and lack of decision-makers at home, (used in traditional contexts) was delayed until the condition worsened. Initial…
(chapter74)Insomnia from Fluid Retention
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Insomnia (Bu Mei) and Its Treatments Insomnia arises from multiple causes, each requiring specific (used in traditional contexts): Food stagnation requires digestive regulation (Xiao Dao) Fluid retention demands water drainage (Zhu Shui) Yin deficiency needs Yin nourishment (An Yin) Spleen weakness calls for spleen tonification (Bu Pi) Yang excess requires yang containment (Lian Yang) Most…
(chapter73)Prudent Pattern Differentiation and Herb Use
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The art of healing resembles using the right key to unlock a mechanism. One must not only distinguish opposing conditions but also discern seemingly similar ailments—failure to accurately identify or properly treat even closely related disorders will yield no results. Minute differences can lead to vastly divergent outcomes. For instance, phlegm (tan) and fluid retention (yin) both…
(chapter72)Fluid Retention Causing Food Vomiting
A fellow villager named Zhou Pang sought help for his mother in her fifties, who suffered from persistent vomiting after eating. Initially suspected as huoluan (acute vomiting-diarrhea syndrome in TCM terms, distinct from modern cholera), she took several “Tangxi Sha Pills” (shayao – heat-clearing granules) but saw no improvement. Another physician diagnosed her with qi stagnation (blocked energy flow) and…
(chapter71)Fatal Misuse of Laughing Powder (Shi Xiao San)
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…
(chapter70)Qi Stagnation Generating Phlegm
Physician Guo Menghuai’s wife developed an illness due to prolonged emotional distress caused by financial hardship. During episodes, she exhibited the following symptoms: Fullness and tightness in the chest and upper abdomen Intense stomach pain Restlessness and inability to eat Guo, a scholar who ran an elementary school for children, struggled to afford basic meals.…
