Library

The methods of treating diseases by Qibo and Huangdi (Yellow Emperor), besides acupuncture and moxibustion, have long included massage (Tuina). In later generations, the authentic transmission was lost, and it was replaced by the term "Tui Na" (pushing and grasping). I often see old men and women in rural areas who do not know what meridians are, where acupoints are located, what the pathogenic patterns of exterior-interior, cold-heat, deficiency-excess are, nor what the therapeutic methods of warming, clearing, tonifying, purging, sweating, vomiting, purgation, and harmonizing entail. Yet they indiscriminately push and wipe at will, calling it "wiping away fright" (Mo Jing). Or they recklessly administer homemade pills and powders, resulting in countless premature deaths of infants and children, which causes me deep sorrow. I privately reflect that infants' zang-fu organs are tender and fragile; once exposed to the six exogenous pathogens (wind, cold, summerheat, dampness, dryness, fire), or when phlegm stagnation or food accumulation occurs, they are most prone to convulsions. This is known as acute infantile convulsion (Ji Jing Feng), which Wu Jutong referred to as "Ke Wu Jing" (sudden fright-induced spasm). Among the severe cases, there is chronic infantile convulsion (Man Jing Feng); how to differentiate these syndromes and apply treatments is a matter that fills me with trepidation and feels beyond my capacity. The discipline of pulse diagnosis and herbal medicine relies on inspection, auscultation/olfaction, inquiry, and palpation. Qin Yueren (Bian Que) described these four diagnostic methods as divine, sacred, skilled, and ingenious. Ancient sages emphasized inquiry during clinical practice. Su Shi, Grand Secretary Su, said: "When I am ill, I must inform the physician of all symptoms completely. I seek cure, not to hinder the physician." Pulse theory is profound and ever-changing; determining thousands of varying syndromes merely by palpating twenty-seven pulse positions—how difficult is this! Moreover, Zhang Zhongjing discussed principles such as "following the pulse but not the symptoms" and "following the symptoms but not the pulse," requiring灵动 (spiritual flexibility) and adaptable methods, which both past and present scholars lament as difficult. Furthermore, pediatrics was historically called the "mute department" because pulses cannot be easily palpated and symptoms cannot be verbally reported by infants. Even relying solely on inspection and auscultation, this divine task is far beyond the reach of mediocre practitioners. However, although syndrome differentiation is difficult, it must be done; after differentiation, treatment methods must be devised. In the early Qing Dynasty, Gong Yunlin's *Complete Book of Tui Na* had unclear illustrations and notes, offering no entry point. Xia Yuzhu's *Iron Mirror for Pediatric Medicine* also had some merit, yet one urgently sought massage techniques without success. Mr. Zhang Xinqiao from Jingjiang, harboring a benevolent desire to benefit humanity, mingled with the market crowds and collected medical texts. He observed his clan brother, Di Shan, excelling in Tui Na, curing critical conditions. Initially treating infants, then men and women, his treatments were invariably effective. However, he kept the technique secret and did not transmit it. People admired him for his skill but resented his stinginess. Unfortunately offending the jealousy of Heaven, Di Shan died prematurely. Relying on clan ties, Mr. Zhang stayed at Di Shan's home, searched through bookshelves, and found two volumes of *Secret Essentials of Tui Na*, which he copied upon returning home. He stored them for twenty years, waiting for knowledgeable individuals to collate and revise them, intending to preserve them for posterity and benefit society. In the summer of Dinghai year, Mr. Zhang earnestly entrusted me with this task. After reading the text five times from beginning to end, I realized that this book was actually *Essential Secrets of Tui Na* written by Zhou Yufan, a native of Chu during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It had been printed three times, but the order was chaotic, and the language was vulgar. As the saying goes: "Words without literary grace do not travel far," hence it was rarely seen in bookshops. The original manuscript was lost, leaving only a copy within Mr. Zhang's clan. Therefore, to perfect this art, and since Mr. Zhang was already seventy years old, he urged me to complete this work to fulfill his wish. I dared not refuse. I eliminated repetitive content, deleted verbose and trivial parts, rectified disordered sequences, and replaced colloquialisms with refined language. I also extensively collected supplementary materials to elucidate the text. I titled it *Collated and Corrected Essential Techniques of Massage* (Li Zheng An Mo Yao Shu), aiming to trace its origins and fill its gaps. The compilation prioritizes syndrome differentiation followed by formulation of treatment laws. It took half a year to complete, fulfilling Mr. Zhang's request and demonstrating his compassionate and benevolent heart. The *Book of Documents* states: "Following the Way brings auspiciousness"; the *I Ching* says: "Accumulating good deeds leaves surplus blessings." I hold the guarantee for Mr. Zhang's success. I hereby record the details as follows.
In the winter month of Wuzi year, the 14th year of Guangxu
Zhen Zhen, styled Ti Li Zi, from Baoying (formerly named Li Quan, Xiao Shan), inscribed while traveling in Hanshang.