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In ancient times, divine physicians used reed mats and dogs (as ritual offerings or symbols). When people sought medical help for illnesses, they would simply face north and recite incantations; after ten words, the illness would be cured. This is the origin of the ancient "Zhuyou" (Incantation Therapy) department.

According to *Lie Xian Zhuan* (Biographies of Immortals), Shi Huang was a physician during the reign of the Yellow Emperor. He was skilled at identifying the physical form and qi of horses to determine life and death, curing them instantly upon treatment. Once, a dragon appeared before him, drooping its ears and opening its mouth. Shi Huang said, "This dragon is ill; I can cure it." He then needled its lips and mouth, administered a decoction of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao, 甘草), and the dragon recovered. Later, dragons appeared by the water's edge on several occasions, and Shi Huang went to treat them. One day, a dragon carried him away on its back, and no one knew where he went.

Shi Huang was a minister during the reign of Emperor Yao, treating Yao with "Hong Shu" (a specific medical art). He could use incantations to extend people's fortune and cure their diseases. He cursed trees, and they withered; he cursed birds, and they fell.

According to *Zizhi Tongjian* (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance), Yi Yin assisted King Tang of Shang in conquering Jie of Xia and exiled Tai Jia to the Tong Palace. Pitying the suffering of the common people, he authored *Tangye Bencao* (Materia Medica of Tangye Liquor), clarifying the cold, hot, warm, and cool properties of herbs, as well as their sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, salty, and bland tastes; their light/clear and heavy/turbid natures; the ascending and descending of yin and yang; and the appropriate pathways into the exterior and interior of the twelve meridians. Modern physicians discussing herb properties all regard Yi Yin as their ancestral master. Yi Yin wrote *Tangye Bencao*, which is still in circulation today.

Yi Yin initially served as a medical official in Zhou. He stated that only the five grains and five types of medicines can nourish and treat illnesses, while the five tones and five colors reveal vitality. By observing changes in the nine orifices and correlating them with the movements of the five zang organs, he employed "Wu Du" (Five Poisons) to attack pathogens and used herbal remedies to treat patients. This is recorded in *Shiji* (Records of the Grand Historian).

The above three individuals have no detailed biographies; they were all excellent physicians of the Zhou dynasty.

Qin Yueren (Bian Que) has an unknown surname; he was a person from the Spring and Autumn period and a renowned physician of Qin. A man named Zhang requested treatment for a back ailment. Bian Que told him, "It is not my back [that is the issue]; you may let me treat it." Upon treatment, Bian Que cured him immediately. One must entrust something before it can be treated. This is recorded in *Yinzi*.

Qin Yueren was a person from the Spring and Autumn period, with an unknown surname. Duke Ping of Jin sought medical treatment from Qin. Qin sent He, a physician, to treat him. He said, "It cannot be cured." The Duke suffered from an illness caused by excessive indulgence in women, resembling gu poison (蛊毒), arising from lust and confusion. A virtuous minister is about to die; Heaven's mandate does not protect [him]. Excessive indulgence generates major illnesses; exceeding limits leads to death. Excess yin causes cold diseases; excess yang causes heat diseases; excess wind causes diseases of the extremities; excess rain causes abdominal diseases; intercourse in darkness causes mental confusion; intercourse in brightness causes heart diseases. Your Majesty currently lacks restraint and is confused by desires; it cannot be cured." The Duke said, "What a fine physician." That year, Zhao Wenzi indeed passed away, and later, Duke Ping also died. This is recorded in *Chunqiu Zuozhuan* (Zuo's Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals).