Classical Canon

Author: Zhang Jiabin (Ming) / Edited by Guo Hongyao et al.
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-02-01
Features: Lei Jing (The Classified Canon) is one of the representative works of the famous Ming Dynasty physician Zhang Jingyue. It is also a comprehensive classification study of the Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) following the Taishu (Great Elements) by Yang Shangshan of the Sui Dynasty. Zhang Jingyue categorized the Lingshu (The Spiritual Pivot) and Suwen (Basic Questions) into twelve major categories and three hundred ninety sections, totaling thirty-two volumes. The entire work extensively interprets the meanings of the classical texts through the lens of Yi (I Ching) theory, the five elements, the six Qi cycles, and the theories of Zang-fu organs, Yin-Yang, Qi, and blood. It has greatly inspired later generations and is highly revered. Lei Jing Tu Yi (Illustrated Compendium of Lei Jing) consists of eleven volumes, primarily using illustrations to explain the five elements and six Qi cycles, Zang-fu organ measurements, meridian origins and terminations, and acupuncture treatment methods. This book is well-organized and rich in references, making it highly influential on later generations. Lei Jing Fu Yi (Supplementary Compendium of Lei Jing) comprises four volumes, covering the connection between the Yi Jing (Book of Changes) and traditional Chinese medicine theory, the relationship between ancient music theory and medicine, acupuncture formulas, and numerous academic medical essays by the author. This book has many editions. For this collation, the Tian Ming De Tang edition is used as the base text, with the Ming Jin Changqiang Tongyong edition and the Qing Jiaqing 4th year (1799) Jin Chang Cuiying Tang edition as the main reference texts. The following notes are provided:
1. Where the base text differs from the reference text but the meaning remains clear, no annotations are added, and the base text is retained. If the reference text provides a more comprehensive meaning, the original text is preserved with annotations.
2. Obvious errors, variant characters, colloquial characters, damaged characters, and common homophones are corrected directly.
3. The book contains numerous quotations, often supplemented with the author's own interpretations. Where the meaning is clear, no changes are made. For obvious mistakes, omissions, or redundancies, corrections, additions, or deletions are made directly. For uncertain cases, annotations are provided.
4. If the table of contents of the base text differs from the main text, both are used to make additions, without annotations.
5. Due to changes in layout, original directional terms like "right" and "left" are uniformly changed to "upper" and "lower" without additional notes.