Chinese Medical Great Works (3)

Author: Cao Bingzhang
Editor: Wu Shaozhen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-08-01
Features: "Summary of the Pulse Classic" by Tang·Gan Bozong, "Transmission of Famous Physicians" states: Shu He, a native of Gaoping in Western Jin Dynasty, was knowledgeable in classical formulas and skilled in diagnosis. He particularly enjoyed writing. His book compiled discussions on pulse techniques by Qi Bo, Hua Tuo, and others, outlining the principles of yin and yang, exterior and interior, and distinguishing the three parts and nine stations. It categorizes the twelve meridians, twenty-four qi, eight extraordinary meridians, five zang organs, six fu organs, three jiao, and the diseases of the four seasons, totaling ninety-seven chapters. According to Chao Gongwu's "Reading Records," "The Pulse Classic" consists of ten volumes, written by Wang Shu He of Jin Dynasty. The Lin Yi edition in Zhao Fu's Jujing Hall confirms Gongwu's statement. In his preface, he writes: "The principles of pulse are subtle, and its form is difficult to discern. Tense, tight, floating, thready, and deep pulses are similar in appearance, but they are easily understood with the fingers. If tension is mistaken for hidden pulse, treatment will be forever misguided; if slowness is mistaken for delay, danger will arise immediately. Moreover, when multiple signs appear simultaneously, different diseases may share the same pulse. Medicine and herbs are of great importance to life; even He and Qu, who were brilliant, still pondered over them; Zhang Zhongjing, though clear and discerning, also observed the pulse and symptoms. Any doubt should be examined for verification, yet ancient texts and profound meanings are rarely understood by later scholars. The old classics are mysterious and not easily accessible, leading to confusion and bias among learners, each claiming their own expertise, resulting in minor illnesses becoming severe complications and blocking the hope of recovery. This is indeed the case. Now, I have compiled the essential theories of pulse from Qi Bo to Hua Tuo into ten volumes. The roots of all diseases are categorized, and the signs, colors, and symptoms are comprehensively included. If one studies and explores them diligently, they can match the ancient sages and avoid premature death. This book is based on Lin Yi's edition, first published in the first year of Xining in the Song Dynasty, and reprinted in small characters in the third year of Shaosheng. Chen Kongsuo of the Song Dynasty used diagrams to revise and compare, and it was reprinted by the Guangxi Canal Administration. Since the chaos of war, the plates have been lost, and few know about them. In the fourth year of Taiding in the Yuan Dynasty, Liu Yun of Dongyang came to Jianggu and discussed the decline of ancient books with Xie Junweng, the medical professor. He was deeply moved and wanted to publish "The Pulse Classic" in the schools. He entrusted Dong Tianqu, the head of Zonglian Academy, to gather workers and engravers, and the book was completed within a month. The order of the volumes remains the same as Chen's Guangxi edition, without any additions or deletions, intending to preserve the ancient style. The Commercial Press previously published an engraved copy of the Yuan edition in "Four Classics Series." It may be this edition. Cao Bingzhang has a Ming Dynasty edition from the fourth year of Tianqi, corrected and engraved by Miao Xiyong, with an additional two volumes of "The Pulse Shadow Returning to the Origin" by Wang Shu He. It discusses the theory of seven surfaces, eight interiors, and nine pulses, similar to "Pulse Decree," but whether it is Wang Shu He's original work is uncertain. In the Ming Dynasty, Wu Mianxue published an edition that was included in "Medical Orthodoxy," with many missing or incorrect characters, making it difficult to read. Only Yuan Yuan's edition by Yuan Jingcong is relatively complete, but it also has some revisions made by interpretation, seemingly losing its authenticity. Now, I have collected and corrected these books. For ancient texts without evidence, even if they are incorrect, I dare not revise them hastily. Where there are differences in mutual verification, I mark them in the margin for correction by scholars of great learning.
Excerpt: "Question 12 on Disastrous, Terrifying, and Miscellaneous Pulses": "What is meant by '' pulse?" The Master says: "Pulses that are tense, tight, rough, slippery, floating, or deep are considered '' and can cause diseases in the meridians. "Question: "Why is the tight pulse so difficult to diagnose?" The Master says: "If there is no sweat or vomiting, the lung is cold, hence the tight pulse; if coughing, it is due to drinking cold water, hence the tight pulse; if diarrhea, it is due to cold in the stomach, hence the tight pulse." "Question: "When the pulse is deep and slippery, what does it mean?" The Master says: "Deep represents pure yin, while deep represents pure yang. When yin and yang are harmonized, the pulse becomes slippery." "Question: "What is meant by a 'disastrous' pulse?" The Master says: "If a person is ill, the pulse is like the sun, corresponding to the disease's symptoms. When a decoction is prepared, when it is delivered, the patient suddenly vomits or has diarrhea, and abdominal pain occurs. When asked, 'I did not see these symptoms when taking the pulse earlier, but now they have changed,' this is called a 'disastrous' pulse. When asked the cause of vomiting and diarrhea, the answer is, 'Perhaps it was due to medication taken earlier, hence the 'disastrous' pulse.'" "Question: "What does the pulse look like in cases of terror?" The Master says: "The pulse is like tracing silk, continuous and pale in color." "Question: "What does the pulse look like in cases of shame?" The Master says: "The pulse is floating and weak, with the face alternating between pale and red." "Question: "What does the pulse look like in cases of no drinking?" The Master says: "The pulse is rough, and the lips and mouth are dry." "Speech delay indicates wind; shaking the head while speaking indicates internal pain; slow walking indicates external stiffness; sitting and leaning forward indicates shortness of breath; sitting with one knee lowered indicates lower back pain; guarding the abdomen like holding an egg indicates heart pain. When the patient sighs while holding the pulse, there is no disease; when the pulse is extended and groans, there is no disease—some say groaning indicates disease. If the patient is lying against the wall and does not wake up when the Master arrives, looking sideways—one says looking upward. If the patient speaks three words and stops three times, and the pulse is taken while swallowing saliva, this is feigning illness. If the pulse is harmonious, but the disease is too severe, it is necessary to use emetic and purgative drugs, and acupuncture and moxibustion for dozens or hundreds of times to heal. Delayed and rapid, long and short, miscellaneous pulses: The Yellow Emperor asked: 'I have heard of the pulse methods of stomach qi, the three jiao, the four seasons, and the five elements. You said the pulse has three yin and three yang, and can reveal life and death. The pulse outside reflects the inside, the width of the cun and the inch, I wish to hear about it.' Qi Bo replied: 'In the cun, the essentials of floating, deep, front, back, left, right, deficiency, excess, death, and life are all visible. The pulse coming from the front is excess, coming from the back is deficiency, coming from the opposing element is treacherous, coming from the dominant element is subtle, and coming from the disease itself is normal. External knots indicate swollen masses, while internal knots indicate hernias. If the pulse comes intermittently and is tight, the disease is in the heart, with qi stagnation. A rapid pulse indicates wind; a slippery pulse indicates food stagnation; a slippery and restless pulse indicates heat; a rough pulse indicates cold and dampness. The principles of pulse inversion and sequence should not be discussed with others. The Master said: 'Breathing is the head of the pulse. If the pulse is rapid at first and slow later, it is outgoing rapid and incoming slow, indicating internal deficiency and external excess. If the pulse is slow at first and rapid later, it is outgoing slow and incoming rapid, indicating internal excess and external deficiency. A rapid pulse indicates the, while a slow pulse indicates the . A long and tense pulse indicates liver disease. Bian Que said: 'Disease originating from the liver, a small pulse with little blood indicates heart disease.' Bian Que said: 'A large and pulse indicates heart disease, a firm pulse at the bottom and empty at the top indicates stomach and spleen disease.' Bian Que said: 'Disease originating from the stomach and spleen, a slippery pulse indicates lung disease. Bian Que said: 'Disease originating from the lungs, a large and firm pulse indicates kidney disease, a small and tight pulse. A slippery pulse indicates abundant blood and deficient qi, a rough pulse indicates deficient blood and abundant qi, and a large pulse indicates abundant blood and qi. Also said: A large and firm pulse indicates abundant blood and qi, a small pulse indicates deficient blood and qi, and a fine and faint pulse indicates deficient blood and qi. A deep, fine, slippery, and rapid pulse indicates heat, while a slow and tight pulse indicates cold. Also said: A, rapid, slippery, and rapid pulse indicates heat, while a rough, slow, deep, and fine pulse indicates cold. A full and tight pulse indicates external heat, while a small and firm pulse indicates internal cold. A small and rough pulse indicates chronic illness, while a slippery and floating rapid pulse indicates new illness. A floating and slippery pulse indicates external heat and wind, with difficulty in treatment. A deep and tight pulse indicates heat in the upper jiao and cold in the lower jiao, with immediate diarrhea upon cooling. A deep and fine pulse indicates cold in the lower jiao, frequent urination, intermittent severe pain, and severe diarrhea. A floating and tight and slippery pulse indicates external heat and internal cold, with inability to urinate or defecate. A and large and urgent pulse indicates rapid progression of disease externally, with severe fever and swollen masses. A fine and small and urgent pulse indicates rapid progression of disease internally, with cold hernias and accumulations, and abdominal pain. A heavy and straight pulse that stops indicates blood in the intestines; a heavy and scattered pulse indicates hernia due to cold and food. A straight and scattered pulse that stops indicates diabetes—one says it indicates spreading pain. A heavy pulse that does not reach the cun and wanders indicates disease in the muscles and phlegm. A left turning and heavy pulse indicates slight qi injury in the chest. A right turning pulse that does not reach the cun indicates internal muscle thinness. A continuous and heavy pulse like pearls that does not move indicates wind and cold in the large intestine, lingering without leaving. A continuous and heavy pulse that stops and does not reach the cun, with a soft pulse at the cun, indicates heat knotting in the small intestine membrane, lingering without leaving. A straight and heavy pulse that bounces left and right indicates disease in the blood vessels, with blood clots. A pulse that bounces left and right after stopping indicates disease in the bones and joints. A pulse that is large at the front and small at the back indicates headache and dizziness. A pulse that is small at the front and large at the back indicates chest fullness and shortness of breath. A pulse present in the upper part but absent in the lower part indicates vomiting, and without vomiting, death. A pulse absent in the upper part but present in the lower part indicates no suffering despite difficulty. The pulse is the residence of blood. Long indicates qi governance, short indicates qi disease, rapid indicates restlessness, large indicates disease progression, upper full indicates high qi, lower full indicates qi swelling, intermittent indicates qi decline, fine indicates qi deficiency, and rough indicates heart pain. A turbulent and surging pulse like a gushing spring indicates disease progression and danger. A weak and scattered pulse like a broken string indicates death. A short and urgent pulse indicates disease above, a long and slow pulse indicates disease below. A deep and tense pulse indicates internal disease, a floating and and large pulse indicates external disease. A firm pulse indicates internal disease, while a virtual pulse indicates external disease. Above indicates exterior, below indicates interior. Floating indicates exterior, deep indicates interior."