Library

Chen Zishan stated: There are various types of Shanghan (Cold Damage disease), and it is difficult to analyze them comprehensively with a single general approach. When the face and eyes are both red accompanied by sneezing, along with coarse breathing and body heat, this indicates Shanghan. He further stated: On the first day of Shanghan, there is generalized body heat, headache and brain pain, mental confusion, and in severe cases, delirious speech.

Treatment method: Push San Guan (Three Passages, located on the radial border of the forearm from wrist to elbow), Retreat Liu Fu (Six Palaces, located on the ulnar border of the forearm from elbow to wrist), Da Ma Guo Tian He (Horse Beating Across the River of Heaven, pushing from Zong Jin to Qu Chi), Shui Di Lao Ming Yue (Fishing for the Bright Moon at the Bottom of the Water, kneading and pinching the hypothenar eminence on the ulnar side of the palm), Fen Yin Yang (Dividing Yin and Yang, pushing the lateral sides of both wrist creases), Yun Ba Gua (Moving the Eight Trigrams, circular pushing on the palm), Wu Zhi Jian (Five Finger Tips, pinching the tips of all ten fingers), Dou Zhou (Elbow Rotation, rotating the flexed elbow). For those without sweat, pinch Xin Jing (Heart Meridian, distal segment of the middle finger), Nei Lao Gong (Inner Laogong, center of the palm), and Jian Jing (Shoulder Well). (This is not used if there is sweating.)

Tu Weisheng stated: Shanghan is cold pathogen stagnating at the exterior; treatment should exclusively use warm dispersal methods, while cold-cooling methods are contraindicated. The method "Shui Di Lao Ming Yue" mentioned in this section requires careful application by the practitioner. It can only be used after the cold pathogen has transformed into heat and the heat pathogen has entered the interior; this is a treatment method for severe cold pathogen.

Chen Zishan stated: On the second day of Shanghan, Jie Xiong (Chest Binding, characterized by fullness and pain in the chest and diaphragm) and abdominal distension occur, appetite decreases, spirit becomes lethargic, there is internal heat and external cold, and pain throughout the bone joints.

Treatment method: Push San Guan, Retreat Liu Fu, Clear Xin Jing, Fen Yin Yang, Yun Ba Gua. If there is pain in the chest and diaphragm, add Tui Fei Jing (Push Lung Meridian, distal segment of the ring finger). If food intake is poor, add Bu Pi Tu (Tonify Earth/Spleen, radial border or rotary push of the thumb tip), press Quchi (Pool at the Crook, lateral end of elbow crease), and press Yangchi (Sunken Pool, midpoint of dorsal wrist crease).

Chen Zishan stated: On the third day of Shanghan, pain throughout the bone joints occurs, urination and defecation are obstructed, and the abdomen is distended.

Treatment method: Push San Guan, Clear Fei Jing, He Yin Yang (Harmonizing Yin and Yang, pushing the central and lateral aspects of both wrist creases), Yun Ba Gua, Kai Xiong (Opening the Chest, pushing the bilateral costal regions), Yun Dou Zhou, Tian Men Ru Hu Kou (Heaven's Gate Entering Tiger's Mouth, pushing from Yintang to Hegu), Tui Si Heng Wen (Pushing Four Horizontal Lines, transverse creases of the proximal interphalangeal joints of the index, middle, ring, and little fingers), Shui Di Lao Ming Yue, Chi Feng Yao Tou (Red Phoenix Shaking Head, shaking the middle finger), Rou Tai Yang (Kneading Taiyang, depression one finger-width posterior to the outer canthus), Rou Wu Zhi Jie (Kneading Five Finger Joints, interphalangeal joints of the fingers). Press Zan Zhu (Gathering Bamboo, depression at the medial end of the eyebrow), press Quchi, press Jian Jing.

Chen Zishan stated: On the fourth day of Shanghan, foot pain and lower back pain occur, eyes become red, food intake is poor, and mental state is chaotic.

Treatment method: Push San Guan, Retreat Liu Fu, press Quchi, pinch Hu Kou (Tiger's Mouth area, Hegu region), Er Ren Shang Ma (Two People Ascending Mount Shang, depression between the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones on the dorsum of the hand), pinch Wu Zhi Jie, Shui Di Lao Ming Yue, Fei Jing Zou Qi (Flying Meridians and Moving Qi, techniques to promote qi circulation), Da Ma Guo Tian He.

Chen Zishan stated: On the fifth day of Shanghan, the pathogen spreads through the meridians; there may be constipation, normal or frequent urination, or hiccuping and Huoluan (acute vomiting and diarrhea).

Treatment method: Push San Guan, Qing Tian He Shui (Clearing the River of Heaven, pushing from wrist to elbow along the midline of the anterior forearm), Bu Pi Tu, Yun Ba Gua, Qing Shen Shui (Clearing Kidney Water, distal segment of the little finger), Qing Fei Jing, Da Ma Guo Tian He.

Chen Zishan stated: On the sixth day of Shanghan, Qi and Blood are deficient, food intake is poor, lower back pain and asthma occur, heart pain and headache occur.

Treatment method: Push San Guan, Clear Fei Jing, Tui Si Heng Wen, Yun Ba Gua, Qing Tian Xin Shui (Clearing Heavenly Heart Water, tip of the middle finger), Shui Di Lao Ming Yue, Chi Feng Yao Tou, An Xian Cuo Mo (Pressing Strings and Rubbing, pushing the costal regions as if playing strings), Fei Jing Zou Qi, press Quchi, press Jian Jing, press Hegu, Fen Yin Yang.

Chen Zishan stated: On the seventh day of Shanghan, the pathogen transforms and spreads through the Six Meridians, disseminates to the four limbs, and affects various meridians; there may be dysentery or malaria; adjust the pushing accordingly.

Treatment method: Push San Guan, Retreat Liu Fu, Qing Tian He Shui, Clear Fei Jing, Tui Si Heng Wen, Bu Shen Shui (Tonify Kidney Water, distal segment of the little finger), He Yin Yang, Tian Men Ru Hu Kou, Rou Dou Zhou, press Quchi, press Jian Jing, press Taiyang, Tui Pi Tu. If it is Dan Nue (Hot Malaria), knead the middle joint and base of the five fingers. For treating malaria via pushing, one must commonly use fixed, unchanging techniques first, and then apply this specific method for best efficacy.

Tu Weisheng stated: Chen Zishan's symptoms and treatments in this section are constrained by the theory that Shanghan transmits one meridian per day, which is also constrained by the ancients' emphasis on counting the days of Shanghan. One should know that although Shanghan transmission proceeds from shallow to deep and from exterior to interior, it entirely depends on the strength of Qi and Blood in specific meridians for its transfer. Thus, some cases transmit daily to involve all six meridians, some stop after transmitting to one or two meridians, some remain in one meridian for dozens of days without transmission, and some begin not in the Taiyang meridian but directly affect Yangming, Shaoyang, or the Three Yin meridians. Since transmission patterns differ, symptom manifestations also vary. In treating diseases, we should only observe which meridian's symptoms appear and treat that meridian; we must never differentiate between treating Yin or Yang meridians based solely on the number of days passed. If one merely adheres to the number of days, how could a disease lasting five or six days, still in the Taiyang meridian, be treated as Shaoyin or Jueyin? Therefore, the method of treatment should employ flexibility and adapt to the circumstances. The phrase "commonly using unchanging [techniques]" is quite insightful.