Library

My friend, Mr. Hong Ji'an (Hong Wei), abandoned his studies for the imperial examinations and devoted himself to medicine. Within a few years, he mastered its profound principles and once showed me his manuscript *Xu Sun Qi Wei* (Opening the Subtle Aspects of Deficiency Consumption). The content is extensive, and the analysis and discussion are clear and precise, surpassing other medical texts. Some might criticize him for recording too many established prescriptions (Cheng Fang), not realizing that established prescriptions are the fundamental rules (Gui Ju) of treatment; these rules have been accumulated over ancient and modern times and cannot be easily changed. As for how to apply them flexibly depends on whether the physician can skillfully utilize their ingenuity. Mr. Ji'an's book truly provides people with the fundamental rules, rather than focusing on displaying cleverness. Mr. Ji'an was also extremely filial. His study of medicine, although initiated by his own illness, was actually aimed at treating his mother's disease. Initially, I observed him weighing medicines and measuring water with extreme precision and care, and he often discussed medicinal properties with me. Therefore, how could I dare to轻视 (disregard) what I have uniquely learned from Mr. Ji'an in the way of medicine? Moreover, how could I disregard something that others would not dare to轻视? It is a pity that after his death, most of his books were lost, and they fear that soon they will only be used by physicians as lids for wine jars. Thus, I specially recorded and preserved them.
Recorded by Luo Shan Zhang Tingmei in the mid-autumn month of Xin Si year of the Qianlong era (1761)

Lu Xuan Gong (Lu Zhi) always copied ancient prescriptions by hand when he saw them. Fan Xi Wen (Fan Zhongyan) said that if he could not serve as a good Prime Minister, he should serve as a good physician. I have suffered from Xu Lao (Deficiency Consumption) for a long time and have grown weary of literary history and medical books. Regarding the syndrome of deficiency consumption, I have particularly reflected upon it, using self-rescue to help others, following the principle that "three fractures of the arm make one a good physician." In the Ren Shen year, while attending duties in the Shanyang official residence, I took advantage of my leisure to list several sentences of my own insights item by item, accumulating them into a volume. This may also be considered a discussion of *Qi Wei*, expounding upon what ancients had not yet revealed, while the prescriptions therein still draw from ancient sources. If ancient prescriptions are unsuitable for current conditions, they are deliberated, added to, or subtracted from, and divinely clarified to preserve the intent of the ancients.
Written by the sick man Hong Wei at the Yinmo Pavilion of the Huai Residence three days after the Double Ninth Festival

The *Su Wen: Shanggu Tianzhen Lun* states: People nowadays treat wine as gruel and consider reckless behavior as normal. They engage in sexual intercourse while drunk, exhaust their essence through desires, and dissipate their true Qi. They do not know how to maintain fullness, nor how to guard their spirit. They pursue only the satisfaction of their hearts, going against the joys of life, and their daily routines lack regulation. Therefore, they age prematurely, becoming decrepit before fifty.
The *Su Wen: Benshen Pian* states: The five Zang organs store essence and must not be injured. Injury leads to loss of retention and Yin deficiency. Yin deficiency results in lack of Qi, and lack of Qi leads to death. Thus, the wise... [text missing] ...prolong life...
The *Su Wen: Shengqi Tongtian Lun* states: The key to Yin and Yang is that Yang must be dense to ensure stability. If the two are not in harmony, it is like spring without autumn or winter without summer. (Similar to the four seasons lacking..., essence...)
The *Su Wen: Xuanming Wuqi Lun* states: Prolonged viewing damages Blood; prolonged lying down damages Qi; prolonged sitting damages flesh; prolonged standing damages bones; prolonged walking damages sinews.
The *Su Wen: Bilun* states: When Yin Qi is quiet, the Spirit is stored within; when agitated, the Spirit dissipates.
The *Su Wen: Wulong Jin Ye Bie Pian* states: When Yin and Yang are not in harmony, fluids overflow and flow downward into the Yin orifices. Marrow fluid decreases and flows downward; excessive loss leads to deficiency, causing back pain and soreness in the shins. (When Yin and Yang are not in harmony, Essence and Qi become chaotic and fail to control each other, leading to fluid overflow downward and leakage through the Yin orifices. This causes daily depletion of True Yin, resulting in lower back pain and shin soreness, which marks the onset of Lao Zhai [Consumption].)
The *Su Wen: Tiaojing Lun* states: Yang deficiency leads to external cold; Yin deficiency leads to internal heat.
The *Su Wen: Weiqi Pian* states: Deficiency in the lower part leads to Jue (reversal cold); deficiency in the upper part leads to dizziness.
The *Su Wen: Tongping Xushi Lun* states: What is called Qi deficiency manifests as irregular speech. (Speech cannot continue.) A weak Chi pulse indicates weakness in the lower body. (Kuang, meaning timid and weak. A weak Chi pulse indicates lower deficiency.) A deficient pulse does not resemble Yin. (The Cun Kou pulse alone governs the five Zang organs, belonging to Yin and residing internally. Now, the pulse is hollow in the middle and does not resemble Yin.) In such cases, a slippery pulse indicates survival, while a choppy pulse indicates death.
The *Su Wen: Zangqi Fashi Lun* states: Liver deficiency causes vision problems... (Huang, meaning unclear/blurred) where one cannot see, and hearing loss. (The Gallbladder meridian enters the ear from behind the ear.) There is frequent fear... and pain. (The Heart governs Blood. Blood deficiency fails to nourish sinews and vessels. The chest, abdomen, waist, and hypochondrium are areas reached by the Hand Shaoyin and Jueyin meridians, so pathology manifests here.) Spleen deficiency causes abdominal fullness, borborygmus, and undigested stool diarrhea (Sun), with food not transforming. Lung deficiency causes shortness of breath and difficulty in completing inhalation/exhalation. Deafness occurs because collaterals meet in the ear. Dry throat occurs because the meridian circulates along the throat. Kidney deficiency causes chest pain, and pain in the large and small abdomen. (The Kidney meridian ascends alongside the umbilicus, emerges from the Lung, connects with the Heart, and pours into the chest.) Cold extremities occur because Essence fails to transform into Qi. Unhappiness occurs because Heart and Kidney do not interact, leading to stagnation in the Danzhong.
The *Su Wen: Kouwen Pian* states: Insufficiency of Upper Qi leads to a feeling of emptiness in the brain, painful tinnitus, painful tilting of the head, and dizziness. Insufficiency of Middle Qi leads to urinary and fecal... (Music has the same meaning, likely a textual error or variant referring to bowel/bladder dysfunction).
The *Su Wen: Maiyao Jingwei Lun* states: Speaking in a low voice and only speaking again after a whole day indicates Loss of Qi. (Loss of Lung organ function.) Inability to dress oneself properly and confused speech indicate... (Loss of Spleen organ function.) Incontinence indicates the Bladder's failure to store. (Loss of Kidney organ function.) Those who retain function live; those who lose function die. The five Zang organs are the strength of the body. The head is the palace of clarity. (Essence and Qi of the five Zang and six Fu organs all ascend to the head.) A drooping head and deep-set eyes indicate that Spirit is about to be exhausted. The back is the mansion of the chest. (The back is where the Shu points of the organs are located.) Curvature of the back and drooping shoulders indicate that Fu Qi is about to deteriorate. The waist is the mansion of the Kidney. Inability to turn or sway indicates that the Kidney is about to fail. The knees are the mansion of sinews. Inability to flex and extend, and stooping while walking, indicate that sinews are about to fail. Bones are the mansion of marrow. Inability to stand for long periods and trembling while walking indicate that bones are about to fail.
The *Ling Shu: Jingmai Pian* states: When Qi of the Hand Taiyin (Lung) ceases, skin and hair become dry. The Taiyin meridian distributes Qi to moisten the skin and hair. Thus, if Qi fails to nourish, skin and hair become dry; if skin and hair become dry, body fluids leave the joints; if body fluids leave the joints, nails wither and hair breaks. Hair breaking indicates that hair dies first. Bing days worsen, Ding days bring death, as Fire conquers Metal. When Qi of the Hand Shaoyin (Heart) ceases, vessels are blocked. Blocked vessels mean blood does not flow. Non-flowing blood means hair and complexion lose luster. Thus, a face black as lacquered charcoal indicates that Blood dies first. Ren days worsen, Gui days bring death, as Water conquers Fire. When Qi of the Foot Taiyin (Spleen) ceases, vessels fail to nourish muscle. Lips and tongue are the root of muscle. Vessels failing to nourish lead to soft muscle; soft muscle leads to flaccid tongue, fullness in the philtrum, and everted lips. Everted lips indicate that flesh dies first. Jia days worsen, Yi days bring death, as Wood conquers Earth. When Qi of the Foot Shaoyin (Kidney) ceases, bones wither. Shaoyin is the Winter pulse, hidden and moistening the marrow. Thus, if bones are not moistened, flesh cannot adhere. If flesh and bone are not intimate, flesh becomes soft and recedes. Receding flesh makes teeth appear long and dirty, and hair loses luster. Loss of hair luster indicates that bone dies first. Wu days worsen, Ji days bring death, as Earth conquers Water. When Qi of the Foot Jueyin (Liver) ceases, sinews sever. Jueyin is the Liver pulse. The Liver harmonizes with sinews. Sinews gather at the genitalia and connect to the base of the tongue. Thus, vessels failing to nourish lead to spastic sinews. Spastic sinews pull the tongue and testicles. Cyan lips, curled tongue, and retracted testicles indicate that sinews die first. Geng days worsen, Xin days bring death, as Metal conquers Wood. When all five Yin Qi cease, the eye system twists, causing vertigo. (Essence of the five Zang organs all ascend to the eyes.) Vertigo indicates that Zhi (Will) dies first. (Zhi resides in the Kidney and is the Spirit of Yin.) Death follows Zhi death by one and a half days. When all six Yang Qi cease, Yin and Yang separate. Separation leads to sweating through the pores and exit of absolute sweat. Thus, prognosis in the morning predicts death in the evening, and vice versa.
The *Su Wen: Fang Sheng Shuai Lun* states: Extreme Yin deficiency leads to cessation of Heaven Qi. (Yin deficiency prevents ascent; lack of ascent leads to cessation of Heaven Qi and failure to descend.) Extreme Yang excess leads to... (Yang hyperactivity prevents descent; lack of descent leads to insufficiency of Earth Qi and failure to ascend.) Weak form and deficient Qi lead to death. Excess form and Qi but deficient Pulse Qi lead to death. (Zang Qi fails first.) Excess Pulse Qi but deficient form and Qi allow for survival.
The *Su Wen: Sanbu Jiuhou Lun* states: When the five Zang organs have failed, the complexion must be premature and dull. Dullness inevitably leads to death. Robust form with fine pulse, shortness of breath, and insufficient Qi indicate danger. (Apparent excess externally but internal insufficiency; branches are lush but roots are damaged.) Emaciated form with large pulse and excessive Qi in the chest indicates death. (Yin Qi has failed, leaving solitary Yang.) Emaciated flesh and bones with even regulated nine-pulse readings indicate death. (Spleen Qi has collapsed.)
The *Su Wen: Pingren Qixiang Lun* states: Prominent blue veins on the arms indicate Blood loss. Slow and choppy Chi pulse indicates Jie Yi (exhaustion/weakness). Resting with a rapid pulse indicates Blood loss. (Pathogenic excess usually causes restlessness; a rapid pulse with calm resting indicates Yin deficiency and Blood loss rather than Yang pathogen. Yi refers to the Chi pulse.) Choppy Chi pulse with slippery overall pulse indicates profuse sweating. (Choppy Chi skin indicates deficient Ying Blood; slippery Chi pulse indicates flourishing Yin Fire. Yang excess and Yin deficiency cause sweating.) Cold Chi skin with fine pulse indicates delayed diarrhea. (Cold Chi skin indicates declining Spleen Yang; fine Chi pulse indicates declining Kidney Yang. Spleen-Kidney deficiency-cold causes diarrhea.) Rough and constantly hot Chi pulse indicates Re Zhong (Internal Heat). (Rough Chi indicates insufficient True Yin; constant heat indicates surplus Yin Fire, thus Internal Heat.)
The *Su Wen: Lunji Zhouchi Pian* states: Weak flesh at the Chi position indicates Jie Yi and desire to lie down. (Weak Chi flesh implies emaciation; emaciation indicates Yin deficiency, hence Jie Yi and desire to rest.) Emaciation indicates untreatable chills and fever. (If emaciation occurs, chills and fever arise, indicating collapse of True Yin.) Burning heat at the Chi position with a large Renying pulse indicates Blood loss. (Hot Chi skin indicates Fire in Yin; large Renying indicates Yang excess, thus Blood loss.) Hard and large Chi with very small pulse, shortness of breath, and increasing irritability indicate immediate death. (Hard/large Chi with very small pulse indicates decline of True Qi and extreme Yin deficiency, leading to immediate death. Men, meaning irritability.)
The *Su Wen: Xieqi Zangfu Bingxing Pian* states: All small pulses indicate insufficiency of Yin-Yang, Form, and Qi. Do not use needles; regulate with sweet herbs.
The *Su Wen: Daqi Lun* states: A pulsating pulse with epistaxis and fever indicates death. (Pulsating pulse indicates strong Yin deficiency, worst with blood loss. Strong pulse with fever indicates... [missing text]). A hanging hook floating pulse is a normal pulse. (Pulsating is taboo, but Yin deficiency often presents with floating/large pulses. If the pulse comes neither high nor low, suspended like an object, floating and hooked without losing neutral Qi, it is normal and not worrying.) A floating combined pulse, resembling a rapid pulse with more than ten beats per breath, indicates insufficiency of Jing Qi. Mild appearance predicts death in 90 days. (First appearance predicts death in 90 days; if seen for a long time, death is sooner. The 90-day period accounts for seasonal changes affecting human Qi.) A pulse like burning firewood indicates depletion of Heart Essence. Death occurs when grass dries. (Rootless pulse of the Fire organ; grass drying signifies end of Yang.) A pulse like scattered leaves indicates insufficiency of Liver Qi. Death occurs when tree leaves fall. (Metal conquers Wood.) A pulse like a visiting scholar (Sheng Ke), obstructed yet beating, indicates insufficiency of Kidney Qi. Death occurs when jujube flowers fall. (Jujube flowers bloom and fall; Fire flourishes, Water fails, leading to death.) A pulse like a mud pellet, hard and short/choppy, indicates insufficiency of Stomach Essence. Death occurs when elm seeds fall. (Elm seeds fall in late spring; Wood flourishes, Earth fails.) A pulse like a horizontal bar, long and hard, indicates insufficiency of Gallbladder Qi. Death occurs when grain ripens. (Grain ripens in Autumn; Metal command flourishes.) A pulse like a string or thread, tight and thin, indicates insufficiency of Bao (Uterus) Essence. (Bao is the uterus, gathering Yuan Yang of Mingmen; True Yuan is depleted.) Frequent talking predicts death at frost; silence is treatable. (Talking indicates Yin fails to store and Deficient Yang floats outward, dying when frost falls. Silence indicates Kidney Qi remains quiet, thus treatable.) A pulse like intersecting lacquer, flowing sideways and entangled, indicates mild appearance predicts death in 30 days. (Yin-Yang partial failure accelerates death; 30 days corresponds to lunar cycle changes.) A pulse like a gushing spring, floating and beating in muscles, indicates insufficiency of Taiyang (Bladder) Qi. Lack of smell/presence predicts death when leek shoots appear. (Exterior excess, interior deficiency, insufficient Yin Essence. Leek shoots mark end of winter/beginning of spring when Water declines.) A pulse like collapsing earth, unpressable, indicates insufficiency of Muscle Qi. Black color appearing first predicts death when white... appears. (Muscle Qi is Spleen Qi; black indicates Earth failure extreme and Water counter-attacking. White... in Spring indicates Wood flourishes, Earth fails.) A pulse like a uvula, floating and tender, pressing makes it larger, indicates insufficiency of Twelve Shu points. (Shu points are on the back, connecting twelve meridians and Zang-Fu Qi.) Death occurs when water freezes. (Yin excess leads to isolation of solitary Yang.) A pulse like an inverted knife, superficially small/urgent, deeply hard/large/urgent, indicates Five Zang depression-heat and Chills/Fever solely combining with the Kidney. (Five Zang depression-heat causes chills/fever; Yang flourishes, Yin declines, combining with Kidney.) Such persons cannot sit. Death occurs at Lichun. (Waist is Kidney mansion. Lichun brings Yang excess, Yin declines, leading to death.) A pulse like a pill, small, slippery but not direct under hand, indicates insufficiency of Large Intestine Qi. Death occurs when jujube leaves grow. (Jujube leaves grow in early summer; Fire flourishes, conquering Metal.) A pulse like flowers, light, floating, and weak, causes fear, aversion to sitting/lying, and listening while standing/walking, indicates insufficiency of Small Intestine Qi. (Small Intestine is exterior-interior with Heart; Heart Qi is timid and unable to settle.) Death occurs in late Autumn. (Bing Fire tomb in Xu.)
The *Su Wen: Yuji Zhenzang Lun* states: Withering of large bones (shoulder drooping, neck tilting, heavy waist, failing knees; Kidney governs bones, withering bones indicate Kidney failure). Collapsing of large flesh (thin Chi skin, emaciated arm flesh; Spleen governs flesh, collapsing flesh indicates Spleen failure). Fullness in chest, difficult breathing, movement causing body vibration (Lung governs Qi; fullness/vibration indicates Qi fails to return to origin, Lung failure). Death expected in six months. (Six months represent annual Yin-Yang transition.) Appearance of Zhen Zang (True Organ) pulse allows prediction of death date based on conquering days. Withering bones, collapsing flesh, chest fullness, difficult breathing, internal pain radiating to shoulder/neck (pathology reaches Heart meridian). Death expected in one month. (More severe than before, death coincides with solar term shift.) Appearance of Zhen Zang pulse allows prediction. Withering bones, collapsing flesh, chest fullness, difficult breathing, internal pain radiating to shoulder/neck, body heat, emaciation, and broken flesh (Jun, junction of muscle/flesh, indicating Liver failure). Appearance of Zhen Zang pulse predicts death within ten days. (Five Zang injured, Zhen Zang pulse appears, death imminent.) Withering bones, collapsing flesh, internal dissipation of shoulder marrow (due to bone withering), worsening movement (due to flesh collapse), no Zhen Zang pulse yet. Death expected in one year. (Symptoms incomplete, but collapse signaled; lasts one year, new year energy cannot revive.) Appearance of Zhen Zang pulse allows prediction. Withering bones, collapsing flesh, chest fullness, abdominal pain, heart discomfort, shoulder/neck/body heat, broken flesh/emaciation, sunken eye sockets, Zhen Zang pulse appears, blindness. Immediate death. (Spirit Qi has detached.) If consciousness remains, death occurs at the time of the conquering element. (Spirit Qi remains, waiting for conquering time.) True Liver pulse: tense inside and out like touching a blade, buzzing like plucking a zither string, cyan-white dull complexion, hair breaking precedes death. True Heart pulse: hard and pulsating like rolling coix seeds, red-black dull complexion, hair breaking precedes death. True Lung pulse: large and empty, like feathers hitting a person, white-red dull complexion, hair breaking precedes death. True Kidney pulse: pounding and abrupt, like fingers snapping stones, black-yellow... generally with hair breaking, death ensues.