Read famous doctors

Author: Zhang Cunti
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Publish Date: 2006-06-01
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Old felt hats and grass hats as medicine guides — shifting mindset. In the early Qing Dynasty, a Li surname shopkeeper in Shanxi fell seriously ill, suffering from dizziness, confusion, dull eyesight, decreased appetite, fatigue, and exhaustion. Despite seeking medical help and various remedies, his condition worsened. His illness became so severe that he was emaciated and near death. At this point, he sought treatment from the renowned physician Fu Shan. After examining him through the four diagnostic methods, Fu Shan concluded that the illness was due to overexertion of the mind, damaging the liver and spleen. Although the illness was severe, there was still a glimmer of hope. "The prescription is not difficult, but finding the two medicine guides is the challenge. One is a hundred human brains, and the other is a hundred coils of dragon grass." The patient was visibly surprised upon hearing this. Fu Shan explained, "The oil from the human head is the essence of the brain, all permeated into the felt hat. This old felt hat, soaked in head oil, is a human brain. The dragon grass, meanwhile, is an old grass hat that has been nourished by sweat and essence, making it effective for healing. You must personally search for these two medicine guides." From then on, the shopkeeper went to the city gate every morning to search among the crowd of people carrying loads and pushing carts for the medicine guides. Day by day, he found more and more medicine guides, and his mood improved. After a year, the shopkeeper brought the medicine guides to Fu Shan for the prescription. Fu Shan smiled and said to him, "By eliminating distractions and focusing solely on finding the medicine guides, your body has already recovered. No further prescription is needed." At this moment, the shopkeeper finally realized that the strange medicine guides were meant to shift his mindset and keep him active, thereby treating his bizarre illness.
Boiling stones as medicine guides — healing a heart ailment. There was a loving couple who occasionally had a disagreement over small matters. The wife became upset and refused to eat or drink, eventually lying bedridden. The husband sought treatment from Fu Qingzhu. After listening to the story, Fu Qingzhu picked up a small stone, instructed him to add water and simmer it gently until it softened, using a low flame. He also told him to keep adding water and not to leave the pot unattended while boiling. The husband, desperate for his wife to recover, boiled the stone day and night. His eyes grew red from exhaustion, and he grew thinner, yet he remained tireless. Seeing this, the wife could not help but turn her anger into joy and took over boiling the stone for her husband. She then asked her husband to go ask Fu Qingzhu, "Why can't the stone be boiled soft?" Fu Qingzhu replied with a smile, "Go back. She is already cured. Although the stone cannot be softened, your sincere devotion has softened her heart."