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When I was fourteen years old, my mother suffered from severe pain in the right hypochondrium and back. A neighboring doctor was invited for a house call at noon but did not arrive until midnight. Anxious and helpless, I hated myself for being unable to treat illness. I privately vowed that if I could practice medicine, I would certainly diagnose neighbors first. From then on, I gradually became concerned with medical affairs and enjoyed reading medical books. At that time, diphtheria (Bai Hou) was epidemic in our village, causing many deaths. Someone printed and distributed *Bai Hou Zhi Fa Ji Biao Jue Wei* (Subtle Analysis of Taboos Against Using Diaphoretic Methods in Treating Diphtheria). I took it and read it carefully. I felt that finding a doctor was difficult; if misdiagnosed or mistreated, life would be hard to save. Thus, my ambition to study medicine arose spontaneously. I also read Shen Guiyu's *Biography of Ye Tianshi*. On his deathbed, Ye Tianshi warned his son: "Medicine can be practiced but should not be taken lightly. One must possess natural aptitude and insight, have read ten thousand volumes, and only then can one use this art to benefit the world. Otherwise, few do not end up killing people; thus, medicinal herbs are like blades. After I die, descendants must be cautious and never speak lightly of practicing medicine." Xu Lingtai also held the view that "medicine is not for everyone to learn," generally meaning that those who are not intelligent, wise, humble, flexible, diligent in reading and self-reflection, and precise in discrimination cannot become doctors. Therefore, practitioners must possess extraordinary talent, broad knowledge, the ability to set aside worldly matters, dedicate several years to study, and receive instruction from a master to achieve a tacit understanding with the ancient sages. This shows how high the requirements for becoming a doctor are. However, I believed that where there is a will, there is a way, and I would never retreat due to difficulties. I enjoyed reading any book that benefited others and aided the world.

One day, Mr. Wu Dahou, a famous physician living next door, saw my poem *Autumn Night Boating*: "The bright moon rises from high branches, coolness arises as the tide grows long. The sound of reading spreads through distant trees, fishing fires reflect on drooping willows. Dew weighs down the lone sail making it steady, wind slants a late-flying goose. The river is cold, all sounds are silent, accompanying wine is only new poetry." He sighed, "A youth with such talent, if he studies medicine, will surely achieve success." My late father, Mr. Songpu, and I were also deeply impressed by Mr. Wu's upright character and solid scholarly foundation, and his medical skills surpassed those of contemporary physicians. Therefore, in the summer of 1918, I became his student. The teacher gave me his self-written thirty-thousand-word work *Jing Yao Jing Yao* (Essentials of the Inner Canon), which I copied and studied, along with other famous works from the Han dynasty onwards. I emphasized practical application of obscure theories and experienced great joy in applying knowledge flexibly.

Mr. Dahou was full of energy. Even after returning from night calls, he would lecture us, his voice resonant and tireless. He not only revered classics such as *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon), *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues), *Shang Han Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage), *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet), *Qian Jin Fang* (Thousand Gold Formulas), and *Wai Tai Mi Yao* (Important Single Prescriptions from the Outer Cabinet), but often said that the most important aspect of practicing medicine is to harbor benevolence and act courageously for justice. Without these qualities, one would not be loved and respected by patients.

After five years of studying medicine, I began substituting for my teacher in consultations during the third year. Consequently, the number of relatives, friends, and neighbors seeking treatment increased daily. After graduating in 1923, I started practicing medicine in Jiading and established a branch clinic in Shanghai.

In 1929, to oppose the Kuomintang's resolution to abolish traditional Chinese medicine, my teacher responded to the call of the Shanghai General Federation of Medicine and Pharmacy, gathering colleagues to establish the Jiading County Branch, and was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee. I served as an Executive Committee member and editor-in-chief of the journal. This marked the beginning of organized medical associations in Jiading County. Thanks to the joint efforts of medical professionals nationwide, the grand cause of Chinese medicine was preserved.

In 1924, the Zhijiang War broke out, and Jiading County bore the brunt. I fled to Shanghai around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although I stayed for only three months, I had more contact with patients in Shanghai. In 1932, due to the January 28th Incident, I sought refuge in Shanghai again. As I successfully treated epidemics and difficult cases, my business grew busier. When the Anti-Japanese War began, I moved my family to Shanghai and opened a clinic at my residence on Fengyang Road.

Cherishing Time

Time should be cherished most. The ancients valued every inch and minute of time, which is reasonable. In my youth, I noticed that many people liked playing mahjong and cards, wasting days and nights, which was a pity. Therefore, I never participated in gambling from childhood. After starting to study medicine in 1918, seeing the vast ocean of Chinese medical classics, even with a long life, it was hard to finish them all, leading to a deeper understanding of the value of time. I also felt that smoking (including opium at that time) wasted time no less than gambling and was even more harmful to spirit and body. However, in the old society, it was not uncommon for patients to offer cigarettes (or opium) or invite gambling to show respect. This led to inability to wake up early, frequent yawning, and laziness. Shouldering and hunching made health precarious, let alone longevity. Reflecting on the past, I felt that the new society's change in customs was blessed. If young people cherish time, their future prospects are limitless.

Youth is naturally curious, but curiosity must be guarded against infiltration by bad habits. My clan uncle, Mr. You Ting, was addicted to opium. At only sixty years old, he was emaciated and bedridden.

One day he told me, "Smoking opium a few times won't make you addicted. You might as well try it to see what fun it is." I smiled and declined, saying, "It's fine if my stomach lacks this one ingredient." My uncle sighed, "I lacked determination despite curiosity. Trying again and again, I suffered for the rest of my life with unspeakable pain." In youth, one should detest and reject harmful things completely, without harboring curiosity. One must focus limited time and energy on lifelong endeavors.

Choosing Goodness to Follow

I have always believed that Western and Chinese medicine each have strengths and weaknesses, and we should learn from each other's strengths and choose goodness to follow. As long as it benefits the patient, I welcome the combination of Chinese and Western medicine and joint consultations. When I first started practicing, I used thermometers, mouth openers, enema devices, etc. Before liberation, cholera epidemics occurred every few years. Cholera patients suffered vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, cold bodies, hidden pulses, and lethargy. Physicians usually administered hot-natured medicines, rarely achieving cures. Based on symptoms of thirst, deep heat with cold extremities, and a rectal temperature of around 40°C, I used formulas such as Huanglian Xiangru Yin (Coptis and Elsholtzia Decoction), Jia Qing Yang, and Tian Sheng Bai Hu Tang (Natural White Tiger Decoction). After vomiting ceased, subsequent doses often turned danger into safety.

Using purgatives for typhoid enteritis easily causes intestinal perforation and hemorrhage, leading to untreatable conditions. Therefore, fearful physicians allowed constipation to persist. I once encountered a patient with over ten days of constipation and persistent high fever. I urgently performed an enema with glycerin water, expelling large amounts of hardened stool, and the fever dropped immediately. *Shang Han Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage) already described methods like pig bile suppositories and honey suppositories. Later generations added fermented ginger and pickle suppositories. These are usable, but glycerin water or suppositories are more convenient, so they can be substituted. If constipation persists for ten or thirty days and is ignored, adverse consequences are inevitable. Thus, I advocate addressing patients' urgent needs and choosing effective treatments.

Not Believing Everything in Books

*Yi Zong Jin Jian* (Golden Mirror of Medicine) states that without Wei Long Er Dan (Two Red Pills), surgical conditions are hard to treat quickly. I have frequently used Er Dan on necrotic ulcers and dead tissue to promote healing with excellent results. However, for patients allergic to arsenic or mercury (experiencing redness, swelling, itching, pain, and worsening ulceration after use), other medicines should be changed immediately without force. Yet famous experts like Xu Lingtai, Wang Hongxu, and Zhang Menglu only knew the dangers and did not believe in the efficacy, regarding them as caustic poisons and advising against use, thereby suppressing these good medicines. Therefore, doctors should connect theory with practice and not listen to one-sided views. Take Xuan Can Zi (Cocklebur Fruit) as another example. It is actually toxic, yet *Su Shen Liang Fang* claims: "Flowers, leaves, roots, and fruits are edible, like vegetables, treating diseases without toxicity. Raw or cooked, pills or powders are all suitable. Eating more is better; long-term use fills marrow and makes skin like jade, a longevity drug." *Jiu Huang Ben Cao* says: "Young cocklebur shoots, soaked in water, washed, and mixed, can relieve hunger. Seeds, roasted and peeled, ground into flour, can make flatbread." However, in 1959, in Tonghua, Jilin Province, civilians ate cakes made from cocklebur powder, resulting in poisoning for 35 people and 7 deaths. The province appealed to the Shanghai Health Bureau, and I attended the rescue meeting. Also, a Shanghai hospital, following *Qian Jin Fang* to treat abdominal edema, had a patient poisoned by decocting and drinking one tael of cocklebur, nearly dying (*Jiu Huang Ben Cao* and *Qian Jin Fang* are cited under Cocklebur in *Ben Cao Gang Mu*). Semen Strychni (Strichnos Nux-vomica) is highly toxic; slightly excessive doses can kill. *Ben Cao Gang Mu* inexplicably claims it is non-toxic, and *Zhongguo Yixue Da Cidian* (Chinese Medical Dictionary) perpetuated this error without correction. Since these two books are daily references for doctors, they deserve special attention.

Ancient method defined one Qian Bi (a measure of powder held on a coin) as powder not falling from a Wuzhu coin. Thus, one Qian Bi of general powder does not equal one Qian, roughly equivalent to two Fen today. Yet some modern manuals changed the dosage of Shizao Tang (Ten Date Decoction) from one Qian Bi per dose to one Qian. Shizao Tang contains Gan Sui (Kansui Root), Da Ji (Spurge Root), and Yuan Hua (Genkwa Flower), all toxic. The use of Shizao Tang in *Shang Han Jin Gui Fang* aims to moderate toxicity. Arbitrarily increasing the dose fivefold now cannot avoid poisoning. Similarly, Beiji Wan (Emergency Pill) dosage was three large beans (red beans), roughly six Li today. It contains Ba Dou (Croton Seed); overdose easily causes poisoning. Some manuals now change this to five Fen per dose. There are many such examples.

Briefly listing these points illustrates the difficulty for students in trusting books entirely. Zhang Zhongjing advocated diligently seeking ancient teachings and collecting various prescriptions. This seems insufficient. Modern medical reports and foreign records should also be monitored.

Reviewing the Old to Understand the New

Merely memorizing books fluently without emotion and practical connection leads to forgetting what was learned. If a physician is too busy to correlate diseases with past studies, how can one handle cases skillfully? Therefore, I review previous records at night for diseases treated during the day, understanding how different schools prescribed solutions. I diligently practice good methods and take poor ones as warnings. I have never had hobbies like smoking, drinking, gambling, or chess, giving me ample time to read Chinese and Western medical literature. Regarding Western books, one must read both new publications and old translations, not neglecting either.

I remember a patient in 1953 diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in Changsha. Upon returning to Shanghai, despite seeing many doctors and accumulating X-rays, the patient was sallow, emaciated, with swollen cervical, inguinal, and popliteal lymph nodes, persistent high fever, and hepatosplenomegaly. Despite continuous anti-tuberculosis drugs, the condition worsened. Observing from multiple aspects, I diagnosed tuberculosis complicated by Hodgkin's disease. The family was astonished, having never heard of it. I arranged a Western medicine consultation. The Western doctor laughed at my diagnosis as absurd, suspecting kala-azar but failing to find the pathogen. Finally, a biopsy at the Red Cross Hospital confirmed my diagnosis, but it was too late for treatment. My diagnosis was based on: 1) significant streptomycin use with worsening symptoms; 2) late-stage TB fever presenting as relapsing fever pattern rather than consumption fever; 3) hepatosplenomegaly. This disease is rare, so new internal medicine textbooks have brief records, unlike the detailed description in the old translation of *Osler's Internal Medicine*. I believe new books should be read, but old books also have reference value, hence my firm belief in reviewing the old to understand the new.

Reading in a Humble Room, Practicing on a Small Boat

Doctors must read and read extensively. Reading requires a quiet environment free from vulgar guests and idlers. It also requires guidance from famous teachers and helpful friends. I remember when studying with my teacher, since he had many rooms, I chose a corner of the back hall with no foot traffic to read and write freely.

Accompanying the teacher for clinical practice often involved sitting on small boats, carrying boxes full of books. With oars splashing in green rippling water, opening a book felt better than meeting ancient sages. Profound truths stirred my soul. When my teacher woke from a nap, we appreciated wonderful texts together and analyzed doubts. Viewing patients and reading books reinforced each other, preventing superficial learning and quick forgetting. Thus, reading in my humble room and practicing on a small boat brought me great joy and unique gains.

Treating Disease Must Seek the Root

A Ms. Zhu presented with total swelling of the right face, claiming it was a carbuncle. I saw her cheek had been pierced six or seven times with knife tips. Asking for the cause, she said she had toothache five or six days ago. Yesterday, a surgeon treated it as a carbuncle, urgently puncturing the swelling, but facial swelling and pain worsened. I lifted her lip to examine and found swollen gums with ripe pus, indicating a dental abscess. I punctured and squeezed out the pus, applying Jin Huang Gao (Golden Yellow Ointment) to the face. The next day, swelling subsided, pain stopped, and she recovered.

A woman visited shortly after childbirth, suffering from insomnia, dizziness, headache, and weakness caused by her infant crying all night. I asked if the child was present. Her husband brought the baby. I unwrapped the swaddling clothes and saw swelling on the infant's abdomen and back. I applied acupuncture thread ligation and sesame oil. That night, the infant stopped crying, and the mother slept peacefully. The mother's insomnia was caused by the infant's erysipelas (Chi You Dan) causing pain and crying all night. Without treating the child's illness, the crying would continue, and the mother's insomnia could not be cured.

A twenty-year-old girl came wearing a wig, having lost seventy percent of her hair. She claimed years of ineffective treatment elsewhere and extreme mental tension. Detailed inquiry revealed scant menstruation, dysmenorrhea, insomnia, and vivid dreams. Studying her age, emotions, sleep, and menstrual status, I realized that comprehensive treatment was necessary. Focusing only on hair growth would be futile. This confirms the ancient saying: "Do not just treat phlegm when seeing phlegm, do not just stop bleeding when seeing blood, do not deplete Qi when wheezing, do not obstruct leakage when essence escapes." This is not meant to shock but emphasizes seeking the root of disease. Before prescribing, I conducted psychological counseling, guaranteeing hair regrowth but insisting on curing dysmenorrhea and insomnia first, advising against tension, and convincing her that recovery would not take long. My experience suggests that for such cases, doctors must avoid frowning and instead adopt a fully optimistic tone to comfort the patient, followed by careful treatment. Otherwise, the patient's tension alone can worsen internal symptoms and hair loss.

Being Both Amiable and Serious

Patients should be treated with both amiability and seriousness. Amiability allows patients to describe their suffering fully. Subjective symptoms are crucial; without concealment or omission, doctors save themselves from blind groping and ambiguity. However, seriousness is also needed so that patients can disclose difficult-to-share conditions without hesitation, aiding diagnosis and treatment. For example, the symptom of "dreaming of intercourse with ghosts" (sexual organ tactile hallucination) is recorded in ancient texts but rarely mentioned in modern case histories. This is not because the symptom no longer exists, but because outpatient clinics are crowded, and patients find it hard to confess. If a doctor behaves seriously and earnestly to relieve suffering, patients willing to recover will pour out their secrets. I once treated a patient with uterine tuberculosis accompanied by this symptom. She had suffered for years, was weak, unable to work for five years, and anti-tuberculosis drugs failed to resolve the issue. Nightmares plagued her for years, causing great pain. Because I understood the situation thoroughly, she recovered soon after treatment. She happily told me it was like a hooked fish suddenly freed, how delightful it was.

Urgency for Others

In the past, farmers in my hometown were relatively poor. In the 1920s, literacy was low, and sick people often sought gods and witches. Only when patients were comatose, had persistent high fever with chest distension and rapid breathing, or suffered hematemesis, epistaxis, or metrorrhagia, would they knock on a doctor's door in the middle of the night. Rural and urban distances ranged from five to thirty li. Compounding and decocting medicines often caused delays, missing rescue opportunities.

After graduating, I did not forget my teacher's teaching: to share others' urgency as my own. Hearing knocks at midnight, I would dress quickly, ask about the illness, and instruct the visitor to buy emergency patent medicines first (buying on credit if no money), saving time for rescue.

Mr. Zhang, a pot mender, drank salt brine in anger after arguing with his wife. His daughter cried to neighbor Xiao. Xiao ran to nearby Western doctor Xu for help. Xu refused, citing the poison's severity and lack of experience. Xiao then sought me. I ordered four taels of Gancao (Licorice Root) bought immediately. Xiao had no money, so I gave him one yuan. Rushing to the patient's home, I asked neighbors to help fill a bathtub with well water and float over ten large bowls. Once the licorice decoction boiled, it was divided into bowls to cool. I urged Mr. Zhang to drink several bowls, then suggested tofu pudding. He was saved. Cold licorice soup for salt brine poisoning is recorded in *Chongqing Tang Suibi*.

Caring for Patients Beyond Prescriptions

To be responsible, doctors should not consider writing a prescription the end of their duty. They should also care about decocting and administering medicine. For patients with trismus unable to swallow, mouth openers or nasogastric tubes must be used to administer as much as possible. If families are unskilled in administration or vomit the medicine, immediate supplementation is necessary to avoid affecting efficacy or delaying treatment.

In 1940, patient Wen Zhonglu suffered from typhus, coma, and convulsions, a terrifying state. Attending physicians retreated. At midnight, I was called. After assessing symptoms, I urgently ordered four pills of Zhibao Dan (Precious Treasure Pill). Family members failed to administer it correctly, spilling it. I used a mouth opener to force-feed. When the medicine stuck in the throat, I vibrated his neck until it went down. Sitting for about an hour, I first heard bowel sounds, then saw eye movement and blinking before he woke. He recovered after regulation with modified Qingwen Baidu Yin (Clear Plague and Defeat Toxin Decoction). Administering medication in crises is like fighting fire; one cannot hesitate too much. After explaining the severity to the family, one must respond calmly. Fearfulness leads to errors.