Sun Yikui Medical Encyclopedia

Author: Han Xuejie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-08-01
Features: Summary
Sun Yiqu (1522–1619) was a renowned Chinese medical scholar during the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy name was Wenyuan, and he was also known as Dongxiu and Shengshengzi. He was from Xiuyin, Anhui. He lived during the Jiajing and Wanli eras of the Ming Dynasty. Sun served as a disciple of Wang Shishan, the successor of the Ming Dynasty.
From a young age, Sun was intelligent and eager to learn. He traveled far and wide to seek teachers and friends, visiting places like Hunan, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. He extensively consulted scholars and explored various medical theories, spending thirty years in this pursuit. Not only did he successfully treat many patients, but he also made significant contributions to medical theory. He had unique insights into the study of the mingmen (life gate) and sanjiao (three burners), among other topics. His diagnoses were often accurate, and his treatments frequently cured severe illnesses. His extensive experience in both theory and practice earned him a reputation during his time.
Sun’s major works include the Chishui Xuanzhu (30 volumes), the Yizhi Xuyu (2 volumes), and the Sunshi Yican (5 volumes). The Sun Yiqu Medical Collection primarily includes:
The Chishui Xuanzhu (30 volumes). This book focuses on clear evidence and discusses over 70 conditions across internal, external, gynecological, and pediatric medicine. It begins with the Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) and various schools of thought, followed by Sun’s personal experiences in explaining causes, symptoms, and prescriptions, supplemented by the experiences of other scholars. It provides detailed analyses of the eight aspects of cold/heat, deficiency/excess, exterior/interior, and qi/blood. It also addresses the confusion between ancient and modern disease names with precision. The prescriptions and medications are well-suited to the conditions they treat. Additionally, it records Sun’s innovative warming and tonifying formulas, such as Zhuangyuan Tang (Vigor-Enhancing Decoction) and Zhuangyuan San (Vigor-Enhancing Powder), reflecting his emphasis on warming and tonifying. It is a classic Chinese medical text with significant theoretical and clinical value, highly regarded by later generations of medical scholars.
The Yizhi Xuyu (2 volumes). This collection contains 78 essays on medical theory, focusing on the Neijing and Nanjing (Classic of Difficulties) while incorporating elements of the Yi (Book of Changes) and Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. It primarily explains the theory of yin-yang and the five elements through the lens of organs, qi/blood, meridians, and acupoints. The discussions on mingmen and xianghuo ( ministerial fire) are particularly detailed. Sun pioneered the theory of mingmen dòngqi lùn (Mingmen Dynamic Qi Theory) and advocated the concept of bu zhifang lùn (non-adherence to fixed formulas). He also provided fair evaluations of the theories of previous scholars.
The Sunshi Yican (5 volumes), also known as the Sun Wenyuan Yican (Sun Wenyuan’s Medical Cases). This work was compiled by Sun’s disciples, Yu Huang and Xu Jingqi, along with his sons Tailai and Penglai, organizing Sun’s case studies in chronological order. The cases are organized by the places where Sun practiced medicine and the time of treatment, including Sanwu Zhiliao (Three Wu Treatments, 2 volumes), Xindu Zhiliao (Xindu Treatments, 2 volumes), and Yixing Zhiliao (Yixing Treatments, 1 volume), totaling 398 cases. Many of the cases demonstrate remarkable efficacy, and the discussions within often elaborate on the diagnosis and treatment, summarizing Sun’s clinical experiences.
The Sun Yiqu Medical Collection is a comprehensive, systematic, analytical, and insightful summary, and research of Sun’s academic experiences. It is suitable for medical workers of all levels, students and teachers of Chinese medical schools, and enthusiasts of traditional Chinese medicine for reference.