袁总统身体素来甚好,其思想与记忆力亦远过常人。冬日不
怕寒,头更不畏冷,在小站练兵时,于溯风凛烈之中,常光头出
外。初不以为意,后因受风过久,时觉头痛,一遇思想太过即发。民国初年,遇有不如意事更甚,但不过数日即
瘥。三年之春,因某项事逆意,而痛增剧至三十余日不愈。南通张季直先生电保石屏先师,力言可愈此疾。
得京电复时,适慎庵在沪,师嘱随行。其病系前后脑痛,第一日针百会,第二日针风池、风府,
皆以泄风泄热为主。每一针刺入,袁即感觉脑中发有大声冲墙倒壁而出,再针如服巴豆、大黄直扶肠胃而下。
师曰∶此即风散热降之象,应手而愈。袁总统称奇不置,浓谢而归。
南通张涩老,中年即痿而不兴,其时尚未生子。病原由于幼年用脑过度,可见性与脑最有关系,不尽由于
性病也。耳石屏师名,情托请治。其时石屏师为富安场盐大使,情不可却。为针肾俞、关元、气海、中极数
穴,即日见效。后每觉疲劳时,必延往治。石屏师罢官后,常驻于通,皆涩老为东道主也。一次随师
往,见其仅针关元一穴。因询一针足乎?师曰∶此补精而活其气,不宜太过,过之则兴奋,过甚反于年老阳强
阴弱之体不宜。予亦承赐一联(能以金针引 起 曾从黄石受书来),并长跋于侧,今尚什袭藏之耳。
President Yuan's physical constitution had always been excellent, and his cognitive function and memory far exceeded those of ordinary people. He was not afraid of cold in winter, nor did his head fear the cold wind; during his military training at Xiaozhan, he often went out with his head bare amidst biting winds. Initially, he paid no attention to this, but later, due to prolonged exposure to wind, he frequently experienced headaches that were triggered by excessive mental exertion. In the early years of the Republic of China, symptoms worsened when encountering unsatisfactory events, though they would resolve within a few days. In the spring of the third year, due to a matter going against his wishes, the pain intensified and persisted for over thirty days without healing. Mr. Zhang Zhidong (Zhang Jian) of Nantong telegraphed to recommend Master Shiping, strongly asserting that he could cure this ailment. When the reply from Beijing arrived, Shen'an happened to be in Shanghai, and the Master instructed me to accompany him. The patient's condition involved pain in both the frontal and occipital regions. On the first day, Baihui (GV20) was needled; on the second day, Fengchi (GB20) and Fengfu (GV16) were needled, primarily aiming to disperse wind and clear heat. With each needle insertion, President Yuan felt a loud sound erupting from his brain, as if bursting through walls; subsequent needling produced a sensation similar to taking Crotonis Fructus (Badou) or Rheomi Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang), where the therapeutic force descended directly through the intestines and stomach. The Master stated: "This is the manifestation of wind dispersing and heat descending; the disease will heal upon the arrival of the needle." President Yuan marveled endlessly, expressed profound gratitude, and departed.
Mr. Zhang Se of Nantong suffered from impotence since middle age, at which time he had no offspring. The etiology lay in excessive mental exertion during childhood, demonstrating that sexual function is closely related to the brain and is not solely caused by sexual excess. Admiring the reputation of Master Shiping, he requested treatment through intermediaries. At that time, Master Shiping served as the Salt Commissioner of Fu'an Field and could not refuse the request out of courtesy. Needles were inserted into Shenshu (BL23), Guanyuan (CV4), Qihai (CV6), and Zhongji (CV3), yielding immediate results. Thereafter, whenever he felt fatigued, he would invite the practitioner for treatment. After Master Shiping resigned from office, he resided permanently in Nantong, with Mr. Zhang acting as the host. During one visit accompanying the Master, it was observed that only Guanyuan (CV4) was needled. Inquiry was made as to whether a single needle point was sufficient. The Master replied: "This method tonifies essence and activates qi; stimulation should not be excessive. Over-stimulation leads to excitation, which is contraindicated for constitutions characterized by yang hyperactivity and yin deficiency in old age." I also received a couplet as a gift (content: "Able to use golden needles to invoke [effects], once having received teachings from Huangshi"), accompanied by a long postscript, which I still treasure today.