Golden Mirror of Ancient and Modern Famous Physicians for Clinical Practice · Otolaryngology Volume

Author: Shan Shujian / et al.
Editor-in-Chief: Wu Shaozhen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-08-01
Features:
Excerpt: Luck: There are four causes of blurred vision:
1. Wind-heat. The classics state: "The Shaoyang channel governs the celestial sphere, where wind-heat is scattered, clouds and objects boil, the Taiyin channel flows erratically, and cold arrives, causing alternating occurrences of illness, such as deafness and blindness. This is the manifestation of wind-heat scattered in the eyes."
2. Heat. The classics state: "The Shaoyin channel is in charge, and when heat dominates, the disease manifests as blindness. Treatment should use salty and cold herbs. This is the case where heat dominates and leads to blurred vision."
3. Wind. The classics state: "When the annual water element is deficient, dampness prevails greatly. Subsequently, violent storms erupt, and vision becomes dim and hazy. This is the case where wind dominates and leads to blurred vision."
4. Dryness. The classics state: "When the Yangming channel governs the celestial sphere, dryness dominates, causing dim vision and sore eyes. Treatment should use bitter and warm herbs. This is the case where dryness dominates and leads to blurred vision."
The classics state: "When the liver is deficient, vision becomes dim and hazy, unable to see anything, and the ears produce tears, unable to hear anything, with a tendency to fear, as if being chased by someone. Hai Zang states: Blindness occurs when the liver qi is not regulated. To calm the liver and clarify vision, one may use Yanggan Wan (Lamb Liver Pills), Buhuan San (Liver-Poisoning Powder), and Yanggan Wan (Liver-Nourishing Pills)." Xu Shixue states: The classics say that prolonged reading injures the blood, and blood governs the liver. Therefore, excessive writing harms the liver, leading to blurred vision. When the liver is injured, wind naturally arises, and heat rises, causing blurred vision. It is not advisable to take solely tonic herbs but rather herbs that nourish blood and calm the liver to restore vision.
The classics state: "When the gallbladder transfers heat to the brain, it causes nasal discharge and bleeding, leading to blindness. The Qianjin Fang uses ox gall to soak locust seeds, which are dried for a hundred days and taken one each day after meals to treat this condition." The classics state: "The kidney meridian of the foot-Shaoyin channel, when activated, causes sitting and trying to rise, with dim and hazy vision as if unable to see anything. It is also stated: 'When the Shaoyin channel is said to cause dim and hazy vision upon rising, it is because the yin is internally depleted, leading to dim and hazy vision.' This is due to overexertion in sexual activity, causing blurred vision. For left kidney yin deficiency, use Yiben Zishen Wan (Root-Benefiting Kidney-Nourishing Pill) or Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill). For right kidney yang deficiency, use Bushen Wan (Kidney-Tonifying Pill) or Bawei Dihuang Wan (Eight-Flavor Rehmannia Pill)."
Liu Hejian states: Dim and hazy vision is caused by heat. However, the Xuanfu (transpiration pores) exist in all things—human organs, skin, flesh, muscles, tendons, bones, claws, teeth, and even all worldly objects—as the pathways for the rise and fall of qi. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind, and consciousness can function because these pathways are unobstructed. If they are blocked, they cannot function. If vision is lost, hearing is impaired, the nose cannot smell, the tongue cannot taste, muscles and bones become weak, claws and teeth decay, hair falls out, the skin loses sensitivity, and the intestines and stomach cannot secrete fluids, it is all due to heat stifling the Xuanfu, causing them to close, and preventing qi, fluids, blood, and the body's defenses from rising and falling. Depending on the degree of stagnation, the severity of the illness varies. Thus, when heat stagnates in the eyes, vision is lost. Therefore, mild blurred vision makes it difficult to distinguish nearby objects, as if viewing through a curtain. Sometimes vision is as if looking at fly wings, indicating that the Xuanfu are partially closed.
Postscript: I once studied under the renowned elderly Chinese medicine physician Hong Zheming of Jilin Province, receiving invaluable guidance that benefited me greatly. Through reading, I gradually realized that the experience of elderly physicians is the essence of Chinese medicine, and without it, one cannot truly master the art. Since 1979, I have dedicated myself to studying and organizing the experience of elderly physicians. I have devoted myself to this cause with relentless effort for nearly two decades. Every time I visited them for guidance, I gained profound insights, and exchanging letters and reading their works was as if receiving direct teaching, bringing immense joy! Compiling and revising the Contemporary Famous Physicians' Clinical Essentials series was highly praised by distinguished scholars, who generously contributed their works. Reading the works of these masters—each a world within a flower, a thousand leaves like a thousand Buddhas; their profound insights enlightening and inspiring; their ingenious ideas awakening the mind—I found many treasures hidden in their wisdom, which filled me with joy.
Mr. Hu Guocen, President and Chief Editor of the China National Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, instructed me to compile the clinical experiences of ancient and modern famous physicians and named it The Golden Mirror of Clinical Experiences of Famous Physicians of Ancient and Modern Times. His lofty vision truly resonated with my own. Based on the revised Contemporary Famous Physicians' Clinical Essentials, I selected ancient texts to compile this work. The selection of ancient texts was a rushed effort and lacks refinement. Moreover, with my limited knowledge and experience, I am far from meeting expectations. I sincerely hope the esteemed scholars will kindly offer advice to make this work perfect.
The renowned scholar Fu Fang and Mr. Zhang Nianshun, Deputy Editors-in-Chief of the China National Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, provided guidance on the compilation of this series. The editorial team also devoted significant effort, and my dear friend Director Wu Shaozhen contributed especially greatly. I hereby express my heartfelt gratitude. This series was made possible by the strong support of the elderly masters, especially the renowned Chinese medicine physician Zhu Liangchun, who took time out of his busy schedule to write the preface, his passionate advocacy for the revitalization of Chinese medicine deeply moved me, and his sincerity is unforgettable. Chen Zihua, winner of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Chinese Medicine Physicians of China, and Shi Zhichao, professor, assisted me in various tasks, for which I am also very grateful.
Du Fu, while residing in Chengdu, wrote "Six Quatrain Poems" in which the sixth stanza goes: "Do not doubt the predecessors, for who can surpass them? Discard false styles and embrace elegance; learn from many masters, and you are a master." Although Du Fu spoke of "not reaching the predecessors," he advocated against hastily suppressing or praising, blindly valuing the ancient over the modern. The key is to discard false styles and learn from many masters. The sage of poetry's words perfectly apply to the study of Chinese medicine. "The art of writing is eternal, but success or failure is known only to the heart. If Contemporary Famous Physicians' Clinical Essentials was cherished by many predecessors and beloved by clinical friends, I believe The Golden Mirror of Clinical Experiences of Famous Physicians of Ancient and Modern Times will further benefit clinical practice and earn the recognition of friends, not fading away over time."
Shan Shujian
Spring Festival, 1999
At the Unregret Studio