Chinese Medical Encyclopedia,

Author: Chief Editor: Yuan Zhong / et al
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-02-01
Features: Segment: Agate, a Chinese herbal medicine name, appears in Bencao Mengjian. Also known as: Mammoth brain, Ma brain, Wen stone. It is one of the cryptocrystalline varieties of quartz (agate). It occurs in irregular blocky forms, varying in size, with light red, orange red to deep red colors, presenting banded or cloud-like patterns, transparent to semi-transparent, with a smooth or uneven surface and a waxy luster. It is hard and brittle, easily crushed, with a slightly smooth fracture. It has no odor and a faint taste. It dissolves in hydrofluoric acid and potassium hydroxide solutions. It is produced in Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Gansu, Taiwan, and Liaoning. It is crushed, ground into fine powder, or used through water. It has a pungent taste, a cold nature, and is non-toxic. It treats redness and inflammation of the eyes, and the formation of. The main component is silicon dioxide, which often repeats in layers due to the alternation with hydrated silicon dioxide. Due to the inclusion of metal oxides, its color can range from extremely light to dark. Agate injury, an ophthalmic disease name, belongs to one type of chronic. Also known as Agate. It refers to thin, yellowish-white or slightly brown resembling agate. Appears in Zhengzhi Zhunqiang·Qiqiaomeng. It states: "The is thin and not thick, round or slanted, with a dull white color mixed with yellow or slightly red, like agate. Although it appears outside the, it is actually an injury to the liver and gallbladder, with true qi and clear liquid damaged, forming this. It cannot be fully treated, or it may form after a severe illness subsides. With persistent and patient treatment, it can be reduced." Treatment should focus on clarifying the eyes and reducing, and adjusting the balance between deficiency and excess according to the symptoms. Formulas include Shijue Ming San plus cuttlebone or Tuoyi San with modifications. See chronic entry. Agate, an ophthalmic disease name, is the same as Agate injury. See the entry.
(Basic theory term) - Treatment principle. Appears in Suwen·Yinyangyingxiang Dalun. It refers to using warming and qi-tonifying methods for those with weak physical constitution and insufficient yuanqi. Lei Jing: "Those with are in a state of yang decline, and only qi can reach the surface and warm it." Examples include sweet-warm qi-tonifying herbs like ginseng and astragalus, and warm-nourishing yuanqi herbs like aconite and cinnamon bark.
(Basic theory term) - Form and qi. Form refers to the body; qi refers to the function of zang-fu organs. Under normal conditions, form and qi are mutually coordinated. Any imbalance is a pathological state. See and entries.
② Qi-gong term. See Lingjianzi: "The body relies on qi, and qi relies on the body. Form and qi depend on each other to form the body." It refers to the body and its functional activities.
(Basic theory term) - The patient's form and true qi are out of balance. For example, some diabetes patients have a thin body but excessive stomach fire, leading to excessive eating, hunger, irritability, and a manifestation of qi excess and form deficiency. some phlegm-dampness patients have a fat body, with palpitations, shortness of breath, and sweating when moving, showing form excess and qi deficiency. Such imbalances often indicate a more severe condition with a poorer prognosis. Suwen·Yujizhenzang Lun: "Form and qi out of balance is called difficult to treat."
(Basic theory term) - The patient's form and true qi are balanced, such as form excess with qi excess or form deficiency with qi deficiency. These patients, even with severe illness, still have a better prognosis. Suwen·Yujizhenzang Lun: "Form and qi in balance is called treatable."
(Ophthalmic disease name) - Due to blood stasis, the white of the eye becomes red, swollen, and raised, sometimes protruding outside the eyelids, resembling a shrimp's back. Appears in Zhengzhi Zhunqiang·Qiqiaomeng. It states: "Due to severe blood stasis, blood cannot escape, leading to the swelling of the, resembling a shrimp's back. In severe cases, it may protrude outside the eyelids." It corresponds to modern medical conditions like severe inflammation or trauma-induced conjunctival edema, seen in orbital inflammation (e.g., orbital cellulitis, extraocular muscle inflammation), orbital trauma, basilar skull fracture, or cavernous sinus thrombosis. It is often caused by intense fire-toxin, head or orbital trauma, or blood stasis in meridians. Symptoms include eyelid swelling, difficulty closing the eyes, eye pain, and even protruding eyeballs; red and swollen white of the eye exposed outside the eyelids, severe cases with straight-ahead gaze and loss of movement; if the black of the eye is affected, it may impair vision.
(Internal treatment) - For fire-toxin: Clear fire and resolve toxicity, cool blood and resolve stasis. Formulas include Xuanming Wan, Qingwen Baiedu Yin, or Wuye Xiaodu Yin with modifications. For trauma: Promote blood circulation, resolve stasis, and reduce swelling. Formulas include Taohong Siwutang or Xuefu Zhuyu Tang with selected herbs like Suimu and Sanqi powder.
(External treatment) - Can use Sanhuang Eye Drops or 10% Qianliguang Eye Drops. For severe protrusion, manual guidance may be used. For severe trauma swelling, apply pressure bandage.
(Diagnostic work) - Written by Zhou Xuehai of the Qing dynasty, published in 1894. This book focuses on inspection diagnosis, divided into two volumes. It collects theories of inspection diagnosis from past dynasties, clearly organized and thoroughly analyzed, with important reference value for diagnostic studies. It is included in Zhou's Medical Collection. Existing in the 1910 edition of Zhou's Medical Collection and the 1984 lead-printed edition by Jiangsu Science and Technology Press.
(Basic theory term) - Human body shape and constitution. Observing body fatness, morphological features, and strength of constitution has certain reference value for syndrome differentiation and treatment. Suwen·Shangguo Tianzhen Lun: "If the body is not damaged and the spirit is not scattered, one can live to a hundred."
(Gynecological disease name) - Excessive body fat leads to delayed menstruation by 8–9 days or even 40–50 days per cycle for two consecutive cycles. Appears in Ye's Gynecology. Often caused by spleen deficiency and blood deficiency in obese women, combined with phlegm-dampness obstruction, leading to menstrual irregularity. As Kun Yuan Shi Bao states: "Obese women may have menstruation every two or three months, due to excessive phlegm and qi, and blocked meridians by fat." Clinically, symptoms include delayed menstruation, pale color with sticky discharge, or excessive leucorrhea, obesity, greasy tongue coating, and slippery pulse. Treatment involves strengthening the spleen, eliminating dampness, resolving phlegm, and promoting stagnation. Formulas include Cangfu Daotan Wan, Guishao Liujunzi Tang, or Xianggui Erchen Tang with modifications.
(Gynecological disease name) - Due to obesity, spleen deficiency, and phlegm stasis, menstrual blood volume significantly decreases or even stops completely. Appears in Ye's Gynecology. Often caused by obesity, spleen deficiency, inability to transport nutrients, leading to blood stasis and dampness-phlegm obstruction, resulting in poor blood flow and blocked menstruation. Clinically, symptoms include gradually decreasing menstrual volume, pale and sticky blood, or menstrual blood mixed with phlegm, obesity, or abdominal fullness, reduced appetite, nausea, or excessive phlegm, white greasy tongue coating, and slippery pulse. Treatment involves resolving phlegm, draining dampness, promoting blood circulation, and unblocking collaterals. Formulas include Xianggui Erchen Tang plus Zhike, Jiegeng, Chixueteng, and Chuanniukang.
(Gynecological disease name) - Excessive obesity, with fat membranes obstructing the uterus, leading to menstrual cessation for three months or longer. Appears in Danzhi Xinfa. Often caused by extremely obese women with fat membranes obstructing the uterus, occupying the blood sea, blocking meridians, and obstructing Chong and Ren meridians, leading to menstrual blockage. Female Medicine Essentials states: "Obese women's menstrual blockage must be due to phlegm and fat membrane obstruction." Female Medicine Theory·Menstruation Entry quotes Zhu Danxi: "Menstruation not occurring is not due to lack of blood but blocked by phlegm." Clinically, symptoms include delayed menstruation gradually leading to cessation, excessive white leukorrhea like mucus, or nausea, phlegm, abdominal fullness, poor appetite, or fatigue, obesity, pale tongue with greasy coating, and wiry-slippery pulse. Treatment involves resolving phlegm, drying dampness, promoting blood circulation, and unblocking collaterals. Formulas include Cangfu Daotan Tang combined with Foshou San, Xiangsha Liujunzi Tang, or Foshou San with increased Zhike and Shanzha.
(Basic theory term) - One type of . Obese but weak with shortness of breath and inability to sigh, indicating a severe condition. Lingshu·Shoutian Gangrou: "Form overcomes qi is dangerous."
(Basic theory term) - Imbalance between form and color. Lingshu·Yin-Yang Wushi Ren divides people into five forms (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) with corresponding colors (green, red, yellow, white, black). For example, a wood-form person with yellowish color is ; a fire-form person with white color is . This folk theory is for reference and needs further study.
(Basic theory term) - Appears in Suwen·Tongping Xushi Lun and other texts. It uses inspection diagnosis to measure the patient's form and constitution, providing reference for syndrome differentiation and treatment.
(TCM term) - Appears in Records of the Grand Historian·Self-Introduction by Sima Qian: "What humans are born of is spirit; what they depend on is form. Excessive use of spirit depletes it, excessive labor exhausts the body, and separation of form and spirit leads to death. The dead cannot be resurrected, nor can the separated return. Thus, sages value it. From this perspective, spirit is the root of life, and form is the means of life." Form refers to the body, and spirit refers to the mind. In TCM literature, the theory of spirit-form runs through, with meanings:
① Spirit as the ruler and root of life. Lingshu·Tiannian Lun: "Losing spirit leads to death; gaining spirit leads to life." Also Nourishing Life Theory: "Spirit and body are like a country with a ruler. If spirit is agitated internally and body is wasted externally, it is like a ruler'sness causing chaos below."
② Spirit generated by qi. Book of Nurturing the Elderly and Serving the Parents: "Humans live by qi, qi follows spirit. Nourishing qi and preserving spirit can attain the true way."
③ Spirit and form are inseparable and mutually functional. On the Nature of the Soul: "Form is the substance of spirit, and spirit is the function of form. Thus, form is its substance, and spirit is its function. Form and spirit cannot be separated."
④ Separation of spirit and form leads to death. Book of Nourishing Nature and Prolonging Life: "What humans live by is spirit, and what spirit depends on is form. Separation of spirit and form leads to death, which cannot be resurrected or returned."
⑤ TCM prioritizes nurturing spirit. Simple Records: "People only know to nourish form but not spirit, to love the body but not the spirit. Yet, form is the vehicle for spirit. When spirit departs, a person dies, like a vehicle breaking and a horse running wild." Also Compendium of Literary Collections: "The highest priority is to nourish spirit, followed by nourishing form."
⑥ The effect of is to make spirit and form harmonious and mutually supportive. Nourishing Life Theory: "Thus, a noble person knows that form depends on spirit to stand, and spirit depends on form to exist. Understanding the ease of life's loss and the harm of excess, they cultivate nature to preserve spirit, calm the mind to preserve the body. Love and hatred do not linger in emotions, and joy and sorrow do not stay in thoughts. Without confusion, the body and qi are peaceful. Breathing, nourishing life, make spirit and form harmonious and mutually supportive."
⑦ TCM treatment can regulate spirit and form, achieving unity for an ideal state. Pulse Observation: "Spirit and form mutually support each other, the beginning of the true way; spirit and form together, called entering the true way; spirit and form both excellent, harmonizing with the Dao; spirit and form both abandoned, called proving the true way. Broadly guiding future learners to awaken the true way."
(TCM term) - Appears in Jindan Zhentuan·Li Kan Shu: "At the beginning of the universe, humans were born from parents, and after repairing, they rely on the true mother to obtain medicine. Medicine is the external medicine produced in the postnatal. Those who obtain medicine take the external medicine of the postnatal, store it in the body, and combine it with the postnatal qi and blood to transform yin essence into true mercury, then ." It refers to harmonious spirit and form with complete function. Spirit-form unity is achieved through regulating yin-yang and the interaction of internal and external medicines.
(TCM term) - Appears in Nourishing Life Theory: "Breathing, nourishing life, make spirit and form harmonious and mutually supportive." It refers to the interaction and unity of spirit and form. When yin is balanced and yang is sealed, regulating spirit and form can achieve unity.
(Basic theory term) - Appears in Suwen·Bujiajiuhou Lun.
① Refers to the four fu organs (stomach, small intestine, large intestine, bladder) that store form. Suwen Lingшу Jizhu:
② Refers to four parts (head, angles, ears, eyes, mouth, chest). Huangdi Neijing Suwen Wang Bing's annotation.
(Basic theory term) - The body is cold. Lingshu·Eiqi Zangfu Bingxing: "Form cold and cold drinks harm the lungs." Also means body cold.
(Gynecological disease name) - Ye's Gynecology: "Thin body with blood deficiency generating heat leads to blocked menstruation, indicating internal injury to Chong and Ren meridians. Take Ginseng Siwutang with Dihuang Wan."
(Gynecological disease name) - Due to thin body, qi deficiency, and blood stasis, leading to weak blood flow and menstrual blockage. Ye's Gynecology records: "Thin body with heat and depression, blood deficiency and qi deficiency, take Qinlian Siwutang combined with Kaiyu Erchen Tang."
(Gynecological disease name) - Women with thin body and blood deficiency leading to delayed menstruation without other symptoms. Ye's Gynecology records: "Thin body with no other symptoms and delayed menstruation, indicating blood deficiency. Take Shizhen Dabu Tang. If poor appetite and weak spleen and stomach, delayed menstruation, take Yigong San combined with Xianggui Tang, plus Dihuang Wan."
(Gynecological disease name) - Thin body, qi deficiency, and blood deficiency leading to menstrual volume less than normal. Ye's Gynecology: "Thin body with reduced menstruation, indicating weak blood and qi. Take Jiawei Siwutang (Siwutang with ginseng, Xiangfu, licorice, ginger, and jujubes)."
(Basic theory term) - Form refers to tangible objects, and refers to the qi of heaven. Suwen·Wuyun Dali Lun: "The movement of form and is like the root and branches of a tree." It means the relationship between things on earth and the qi of heaven is as close as roots and branches.
(Medical book) - Written by Yang Fengting of the Qing dynasty, published in 1759. The book has 8 volumes: Volumes 1–2 discuss pulse diagnosis, Volumes 3–4 discuss miscellaneous medical theories, Volumes 5–7 discuss internal medicine, and Volume 8 discusses gynecology. Existing in the 1911 edition of Chengdu Zhang Xinglong's annotated printing and the 1911 edition of Xuanzong Shugu Book Bureau.
(Diagnostic term) -
① Appears in Experience of Treating Sores and Ulcers. Also known as (tutong) and (shushen). Due to heart-spleen heat, symptoms include frequently sticking the tongue out, retracting and twisting, left and right, red and swollen tongue, mouth and tongue ulcers, thirst for cold drinks. Treatment involves clearing heart-spleen heat. For sore throat, phlegm-dampness obstruction, hoarse voice, tongue unable to retract, frequent movement, often wanting to touch with hands, use Sanren needle to remove evil blood, and take Qingyan Lige Tang internally. Due to spleen-kidney heat, symptoms include non-swollen tongue, frequently sticking out, thirst for hot drinks, drooling at corners of mouth, loose stools. Treatment involves tonifying spleen and kidney.
② Same as (tutongshu). Tongue sticking out is; slightly protruding, retracting and repeating, or protruding to lick lips or corners of mouth is. Often combined as, seen in warm diseases, belonging to heart-spleen excess heat. If tongue is purplish-red and, it is a severe symptom of heat-toxin attacking the heart. Congenital deficiency in children, weak kidney qi, may also show, with pale tongue color being a sign of deficiency.