另外一个支持经典改选修的依据就是搞民意调者见之谓之查统计，弄几百份，甚至上千份问卷，要大家在上面打“√”或者打“ × ”，结果许多人的确在经典的一栏里打了“ × ”，这个结果经过统计处理好像有意义，因为多数的人认为经典的意义不大，可以改为选修。但是，如果按照孔子的标准，这样的调查有可能没有丝毫意义。为什么呢？因为这是一门见仁见智的学问，你是仁者你方能见仁，你是智者，你方能见智，如果你什么都不是，你怎么见得到经中的“仁”、“智”？那你当然会说经典没啥意义，甚至选修都可以不要。前面我们不是说学习经典要有觉受吗？觉受没有生起，你绝对不会说经典的好话。所以，这个对象问题很重要，不是你随便拿一个人来问话，都可以反映真实。举个例子，像中国古代的四大文学名著，“三国”、“西游”、“水浒”、“红楼”，前三部我都读过不只一次，可是“红楼”呢？我很想读它，也看过不少名人的赞许，特别毛泽东就非常推崇这部名著。可是我每次读它，读到几回，最多十几回就读不下去了，也不知道什么原因，所以，至今我连这部名著也没能通读一遍，只知道个“赤条条，来去无牵挂”，设想如果红学的东西问到我，那会是什么结果呢？我前面曾经跟大家介绍过我们学院的已故名老中医林沛湘教授，在林老那里，现代的内、外、妇、儿这些书可以不读，但是《内经》却不可以不读。林老不读内、外、妇、儿，他就凭一部《内经》。可是内、外、妇、儿的病，他都治得很漂亮。如果问卷问到林老那里，大家可以想一想他会是怎么回答。所以，像经典这样一些见仁见智的学问，我们在征询它的意义时，一定要注意对象，不是你认为经典没什么就没什么，你认为经典没什么，恰恰证明了你在经典中没有得到什么。人家下海发了财，成了百万富翁，偏偏你下海不但没赚到钱，反而亏本，那你当然说下海不好。经典的意义实际上也是这么回事。
4.学习经典的意义
（1）不是守旧
上面我们从文化层面的角度来谈经典，目的就是想说明，经典的年代虽然久远，但，它不一定就过时了，就落后了。所以，大家不要轻易地否定它，遗弃它。不过话又说回来，我们现在强调二千年前的经典，大家还是会担心，这是否在守旧？因此，对于新、旧这样一个概念，大家还是应该从多层面去看待。张仲景在《伤寒杂病论》的序言中谈到：“上古有神农、黄帝、岐伯、伯高、雷公、少俞、少师、仲文，中世有长桑、扁鹊，汉有公乘阳庆及仓公。下此以往，未之闻也。”张仲景在这段文字所显示的资料，提醒我们注意这样一个问题，为什么正值经典产生，或愈是接近经典的年代，名医、大师愈多？而为什么一旦远离这个时代，名医、大师就“未之闻也”？这个现象值得我们去思考。所以，我们现在强调经典的重要，并不是为了其他什么，而是明知我们在时间上离经典愈来愈远了，但是，能否通过有效的学习，使我们在实质上接近它呢？接近它，其实就接近了这些大师，我们通过学习经典，最后把我们自己造就成了雷公、少俞、少师，这有什么不好呢？我想这是我们学习经典的最根本的意义。张仲景在序言的下一段文字中接着谈到：“观今之医，不念思求经旨，以演其所知，各承家技，始终顺旧。”从这段文字我们可以看到，仲景在 1700年前已经清楚地说明了什么是守旧，什么是创新。当时的医生中，各人只抱守家传的一点经验，这就叫守旧；而反过来呢？能够“思求经旨，演其所知”，这就是创新。所以，我们学习经典，学习《内经》、《伤寒》这些著作，完全是为了“演其所知”。演是什么意思呢？演就是推演、扩大、发展、延续的意思。能够把我们那点局限的知识发展、拓宽开来，能够发扬光大它，这个东西就是只有真正地思求经旨。现在我们老说中医要创新才有出路，但，你凭什么去创新呢？所以，搞经典完全不是守旧，而是为了创新。这一点你学进去了，你就会有体会，这个过程究竟是不是创新，你会有感觉，临床实践上也会有印证，光是口说还不行。我经常谈到，做学问要学会“喜新而不厌旧”，这也是孔子的一个思想。孔子所说的，做学问的一个关键就是：“学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。”大家好好琢磨这句话以后再来做学问，不管你做什么学问，西医也好，中医也好，我看就会有着落。学，学什么呢？学就是学习过去的、现在以前的东西，实际上就是旧有的东西，只是这个旧的程度有不同而已。光学现有的东西行不行呢？这种为了学习而学习，孔子认为那是罔然。所以，光是学了很多东西，知识积累了很多，哪怕你成了一部活字典，那还是不行。有知识，不一定有学问。古人的这个认识是很有道理的。所以，孔子说学了还要思，思是什么呢？思就是一个组合的过程，通过这个组合，各种材料，各个部件逐渐碰撞、接触，融合成新的东西。因此，这个过程实际上就是创新的过程。“喜新”这是每个人的习性，但，新不能凭空来，新是从旧中来，所以，“思而不学则殆”。没有材料，我们怎么搞建筑？学习经典亦是如此，要想有收获，就得这样去做。不这样做，光学不思，你哪会有收获，当然是白打工，罔罔然！现在听许多人说《内经》、《伤寒》没什么，不是丢在一边，就是束之高阁，心里面很是难过。这样宝贵的东西，他们却说没什么，怎么不叫人痛心。所以，学经典必须要即思即学，即学即思。
（2）万变不离其经
我们说经典的意义再怎么强调也不过分，这是有实义的。这里我想给大家讲两个我经历的故事。1998年上半年，因为一个偶然的机会，结识了南宁附近宾阳县上的一位老中医，老中医名叫廖炳真，我喜欢称呼他廖老。廖老从医几十年，在某些病的治疗上有独到的经验，但更使我感到佩服的是廖老的医德与人格，所以，我很喜欢去拜访廖老。而廖老亦视我为忘年交，有什么心得都毫无保留地传授给我。一次，廖老给我讲蛇伤的治疗，在旧社会，有些江湖郎中治疗蛇伤往往都会留一手，这一手的方法很巧妙，让你根本没有办法察觉。郎中给你治蛇伤，很快就把蛇毒治住了，让你没有生命危险，很多症状也消除了，可就是有一点，伤口老不好，隔上一段时间伤口又腐烂，你又得到郎中那儿买些药，管上两三个月，就这样拖上一年半载，甚至更长的时间。在江湖上，这叫郎中钓病人，病人养郎中的招数。但是，这个窍门被廖老从父辈那里探知了。窍门就在忌盐，如果让病人忌盐几天，再吃上几剂解毒、生肌的药，伤口很快就长好，而且不再腐烂。就这么一点奥妙，可要是你不知道，你会被折腾得够呛。听过廖老的这席话后，我就在琢磨，这不就是《内经》的东西吗？《素问·金匮真言论》上说：“北方黑色，入通于肾，开窍于二阴，藏精于肾，故病在溪，其味咸，其类水，其畜豕。其谷豆。其应四时，上为辰星，是以知病之在骨也。其音羽，其数六，其臭腐。”肾家的臭是腐，所以，凡属腐烂一类性质的病变都与肾相关。肾病需要忌盐，“多食盐则伤肾”，这既是《内经》的教证，也是普通老百姓都知道的常识，蛇伤引起的伤口腐烂，忌盐几天，再吃几剂普通的中药，伤口便从此愈合，这是一个多么神秘而又极其简单的事实。经典的东西就是这样，没有揭开时，它非常神秘，揭开了，又这么简单，这就是至道不繁！这些东西，百姓日用而不知。像这些江湖郎中，他绝不知道，他留的这一手，原来是《内经》的东西。这就是君子之道。还有一件事，就是廖老治骨癌的经验，骨癌在所有的癌症里，疼痛是最剧烈的。而且这个疼痛往往很难止住，就是用上麻醉剂，效果也不见得理想。而廖老对这个疼痛有个撒手锏，虽然骨癌最后不一定都能治好，但是，这个疼痛却能很快地消除，这就在很大程度上解除了病人的痛苦。廖老用的是什么药呢？就是在一些草药里面加上一味特殊的东西，然后煎汤外洗患处，洗几次以后疼痛就能逐渐消除。这味特殊的东西很灵验，加上它就很快止痛，不加它完全没有这个效果。这样特殊的东西是什么呢？就是棺木的底板上长出的一种东西。过去人死了，用的是土葬，把尸体放在棺材里，再埋在土里，埋下去以后，这个尸体就逐渐腐烂，腐烂的这些东西就往下渗，渗到棺木的底板上，连同木质一同腐坏，上面这个东西就是感受这个腐气而生的。大家可以闭目沉思片刻，在所有的腐气里面，还有比人的尸体腐臭更厉害的吗？所以，说到腐字，应该到这里就打止了。既然这个东西是感受这样一个腐气而生的，那么，按照上述《内经》的教言，它与肾的病变就有一种非常特殊的亲缘关系，所以，用在骨癌上有这样特殊的疗效。后来我问廖老，是谁告诉您用这个方法的？廖老也说不出所以然，这个方法既没有传承，也没有理论的依据，廖老只是觉得骨癌是个怪病，而上述这个东西也是个非常的东西，那就以怪治怪吧，可万没想到有这样好的效果。当我将上面的那段经文翻给廖老看时，廖老这才恍然大悟，原来这又是《内经》的东西。上述这两个事例，虽然都比较特殊，但，都可以从《内经》里面找到教证。当然，这个过程是被动的，事情发生了才去找依据，但这个被动的过程让我们感受到了经典的内涵，经典的潜力。让我们对经典的每一句话都感到不可小视，如果我们对经典建立了这样的信心，然后变被动为主动，利用经典去主动思考一些东西，很多问题就会迎刃而解。所以，我坚信，我们从《内经》里面，必定能够找到解决艾滋病的方法。
另外，我再讲一件相关的事情，几年前有两本书曾经引起很大的轰动，一本是美国人写的《学习的革命》，一本是日本医学家春山茂雄博士写的《脑内革命》。尤其是后者引发了世界范围内的脑研究热潮。《脑内革命》这部书的一个焦点问题就是探讨如何提高大脑的效率，唤醒脑细胞的巨大潜能。而这个焦点又集中在如何引发大脑的α波，如何激活内啡呔的分泌。在增加内啡呔的分泌，使大脑处于更多α波状态这个关键环节上，春山茂雄博士总结并提出了许多有效的方法，其中包括运动方面，饮食方法和调节心身方面。在饮食方面，春山茂雄博士的研究显示，在日本所有的常用食品中，惟独有一种日本人很钟爱的食品，在促进内啡呔分泌方面独占鳌头。这种食品，类似于中国的豆豉，就是大豆经过发酵以后制成的，这是日本人每天早餐必备的食品。这种食品为什么对提高大脑功能有这样独特的作用呢？打开经典我们才发现，答案还是在《内经》里面。上过《中基》大家都很清楚，这个属于神经系统的脑，与肾的关系最密切，有道是：“肾主骨生髓，髓通于脑。”所以，要想改善和提高脑的功能，从中医的角度来思考，就要设法从肾入手。这是一个基本的方向和原则。这个方向确定后，那就好办了。还是上面的《素问·金匮真言论》的那段话，肾的谷为豆，其臭为腐。肾之谷为豆，这个很好理解，大家只要拿一颗豆瞧一瞧，你就明白了，豆的外形与肾怎么样？简直一模一样，只是缩小了。所以，豆与肾有一种非常的关系，这是不难理解的。另外，经过发酵的豆，使上述这个“亲情”关系又密切了许多。为什么呢？因为发酵，实际上就是一个腐质化的过程。所以，发酵以后的豆，对肾的作用更大了，对肾的作用大，当然对脑的作用就大，这就从经典的角度印证了春山茂雄的研究。上面这段短短的经文我们已经用它来说明了三个事情。当然，还可以继续地说下去，从这个过程，我们应该可以感受到一些经典的魅力。事情不管你再复杂，不管你再怎么变化，似乎都没有逃出经典，这就叫“万变不离其经”。
（3）读经开智
另一个支持将中医经典改为选修课的依据，是那些搞民意调查的人进行的统计。他们制作几百份甚至上千份问卷，要求人们在上面打“√”或“×”。结果，许多人在“经典”这一栏里打了“×”。经过统计处理，这个结果似乎显得有意义，因为多数人认为经典的意义不大，可以改为选修。但是，如果按照孔子的标准，这样的调查可能毫无意义。为什么呢？因为这是一门见仁见智的学问，你是仁者才能见到其中的“仁”，你是智者才能见到其中的“智”。如果你什么都不是，你怎么能体会到经典中的“仁”和“智”呢？那你当然会说经典没什么意义，甚至连选修都不需要。前面我们不是说学习经典要有“觉受”（对经典的感悟和体验）吗？如果没有产生这种觉受，你绝对不会说经典的好话。所以，调查对象的问题很重要，不是你随便找个人问话，就能反映真实情况。举个例子，像中国古代四大文学名著《三国演义》、《西游记》、《水浒传》和《红楼梦》，前三部我都读过不止一次，但《红楼梦》呢？我很想读它，也看过不少名人的赞许，特别是毛泽东非常推崇这部名著。可是我每次读它，读到几回，最多十几回就读不下去了，也不知道什么原因，所以至今我连这部名著也没能通读一遍，只知道其中“赤条条，来去无牵挂”这句词。设想如果拿红学的问题问我，那会是什么结果呢？我之前曾向大家介绍过我院已故的老中医林沛湘教授。在林老那里，现代的内科学、外科学、妇科学、儿科学这些书可以不读，但《黄帝内经》却不可以不读。林老不读内、外、妇、儿这些现代教材，仅凭一部《黄帝内经》，但他把内、外、妇、儿的病都治得很漂亮。如果问卷问到林老那里，大家可以想一想他会怎么回答。所以，像经典这样一些见仁见智的学问，我们在征询其意义时，一定要注意对象，不是你认为经典没意义就没意义，你认为经典没意义，恰恰证明了你在经典中没有得到什么。人家下海经商发了财，成了百万富翁，偏偏你下海不但没赚到钱，反而亏本，那你当然说下海不好。经典的意义实际上也是这么回事。
4. 学习经典的意义
（1）不是守旧
上面我们从文化层面的角度来谈经典，目的就是想说明，经典的年代虽然久远，但它不一定就过时了，就落后了。所以，大家不要轻易地否定它，遗弃它。不过话又说回来，我们现在强调两千年前的经典，大家还是会担心，这是否在守旧？因此，对于新、旧这样一个概念，大家还是应该从多层面去看待。张仲景在《伤寒杂病论》的序言中谈到：“上古有神农、黄帝、岐伯、伯高、雷公、少俞、少师、仲文，中世有长桑、扁鹊，汉有公乘阳庆及仓公。下此以往，未之闻也。”张仲景在这段文字所显示的资料，提醒我们注意这样一个问题：为什么正值经典产生，或愈是接近经典的年代，名医、大师愈多？而为什么一旦远离这个时代，名医、大师就“未之闻也”？这个现象值得我们去思考。所以，我们现在强调经典的重要，并不是为了其他什么，而是明知我们在时间上离经典愈来愈远了，但是，能否通过有效的学习，使我们在实质上接近它呢？接近它，其实就接近了这些大师。我们通过学习经典，最后把我们自己造就成了雷公、少俞、少师，这有什么不好呢？我想这是我们学习经典的最根本的意义。张仲景在序言的下一段文字中接着谈到：“观今之医，不念思求经旨，以演其所知，各承家技，始终顺旧。”从这段文字我们可以看到，仲景在1700年前已经清楚地说明了什么是守旧，什么是创新。当时的医生中，各人只抱守家传的一点经验，这就叫守旧；而反过来呢？能够“思求经旨，演其所知”，这就是创新。所以，我们学习经典，学习《黄帝内经》、《伤寒论》这些著作，完全是为了“演其所知”。演是什么意思呢？演就是推演、扩大、发展、延续的意思。能够把我们那点局限的知识发展、拓宽开来，能够发扬光大它，这个东西就是只有真正地思求经旨。现在我们老说中医要创新才有出路，但你凭什么去创新呢？所以，搞经典完全不是守旧，而是为了创新。这一点你学进去了，你就会有体会，这个过程究竟是不是创新，你会有感觉，临床实践上也会有印证，光是口说还不行。我经常谈到，做学问要学会“喜新而不厌旧”，这也是孔子的一个思想。孔子所说的，做学问的一个关键就是：“学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。”大家好好琢磨这句话以后再来做学问，不管你做什么学问，西医也好，中医也好，我看就会有着落。学，学什么呢？学就是学习过去的、现在以前的东西，实际上就是旧有的东西，只是这个旧的程度有不同而已。光学现有的东西行不行呢？这种为了学习而学习，孔子认为那是罔然（迷惑而无所得）。所以，光是学了很多东西，知识积累了很多，哪怕你成了一部活字典，那还是不行。有知识，不一定有学问。古人的这个认识是很有道理的。所以，孔子说学了还要思，思是什么呢？思就是一个组合的过程，通过这个组合，各种材料，各个部件逐渐碰撞、接触，融合成新的东西。因此，这个过程实际上就是创新的过程。“喜新”这是每个人的习性，但，新不能凭空来，新是从旧中来，所以，“思而不学则殆”。没有材料，我们怎么搞建筑？学习经典亦是如此，要想有收获，就得这样去做。不这样做，光学不思，你哪会有收获，当然是白打工，罔罔然！现在听许多人说《黄帝内经》、《伤寒论》没什么，不是丢在一边，就是束之高阁，心里面很是难过。这样宝贵的东西，他们却说没什么，怎么不叫人痛心。所以，学经典必须要即思即学，即学即思。
（2）万变不离其经
我们说经典的意义再怎么强调也不过分，这是有实义的。这里我想给大家讲两个我经历的故事。1998年上半年，因为一个偶然的机会，结识了南宁附近宾阳县的一位老中医，老中医名叫廖炳真，我喜欢称呼他廖老。廖老从医几十年，在某些病的治疗上有独到的经验，但更使我感到佩服的是廖老的医德与人格，所以，我很喜欢去拜访廖老。而廖老亦视我为忘年交，有什么心得都毫无保留地传授给我。一次，廖老给我讲蛇伤的治疗，在旧社会，有些江湖郎中治疗蛇伤往往都会留一手，这一手的方法很巧妙，让你根本没有办法察觉。郎中给你治蛇伤，很快就把蛇毒治住了，让你没有生命危险，很多症状也消除了，可就是有一点，伤口老不好，隔上一段时间伤口又腐烂，你又得到郎中那儿买些药，管上两三个月，就这样拖上一年半载，甚至更长的时间。在江湖上，这叫郎中钓病人，病人养郎中的招数。但是，这个窍门被廖老从父辈那里探知了。窍门就在忌盐，如果让病人忌盐几天，再吃上几剂解毒、生肌的药，伤口很快就长好，而且不再腐烂。就这么一点奥妙，可要是你不知道，你会被折腾得够呛。听过廖老的这席话后，我就在琢磨，这不就是《黄帝内经》的东西吗？《素问·金匮真言论》上说：“北方黑色，入通于肾，开窍于二阴，藏精于肾，故病在溪，其味咸，其类水，其畜豕。其谷豆。其应四时，上为辰星，是以知病之在骨也。其音羽，其数六，其臭腐。”肾家的臭是腐，所以，凡属腐烂一类性质的病变都与肾相关。肾病需要忌盐，“多食盐则伤肾”，这既是《黄帝内经》的教证，也是普通老百姓都知道的常识，蛇伤引起的伤口腐烂，忌盐几天，再吃几剂普通的中药，伤口便从此愈合，这是一个多么神秘而又极其简单的事实。经典的东西就是这样，没有揭开时，它非常神秘，揭开了，又这么简单，这就是至道不繁！这些东西，百姓日用而不知。像这些江湖郎中，他绝不知道，他留的这一手，原来是《黄帝内经》的东西。这就是君子之道。还有一件事，就是廖老治骨癌的经验，骨癌在所有的癌症里，疼痛是最剧烈的。而且这个疼痛往往很难止住，就是用上麻醉剂，效果也不见得理想。而廖老对这个疼痛有个撒手锏，虽然骨癌最后不一定都能治好，但是，这个疼痛却能很快地消除，这就在很大程度上解除了病人的痛苦。廖老用的是什么药呢？就是在一些草药里面加上一味特殊的东西，然后煎汤外洗患处，洗几次以后疼痛就能逐渐消除。这味特殊的东西很灵验，加上它就很快止痛，不加它完全没有这个效果。这样特殊的东西是什么呢？就是棺木的底板上长出的一种东西。过去人死了，用的是土葬，把尸体放在棺材里，再埋在土里，埋下去以后，这个尸体就逐渐腐烂，腐烂的这些东西就往下渗，渗到棺木的底板上，连同木质一同腐坏，上面这个东西就是感受这个腐气而生的。大家可以闭目沉思片刻，在所有的腐气里面，还有比人的尸体腐臭更厉害的吗？所以，说到腐字，应该到这里就打止了。既然这个东西是感受这样一个腐气而生的，那么，按照上述《黄帝内经》的教言，它与肾的病变就有一种非常特殊的亲缘关系，所以，用在骨癌上有这样特殊的疗效。后来我问廖老，是谁告诉您用这个方法的？廖老也说不出所以然，这个方法既没有传承，也没有理论的依据，廖老只是觉得骨癌是个怪病，而上述这个东西也是个非常的东西，那就以怪治怪吧，可万没想到有这样好的效果。当我将上面的那段经文翻给廖老看时，廖老这才恍然大悟，原来这又是《黄帝内经》的东西。上述这两个事例，虽然都比较特殊，但，都可以从《黄帝内经》里面找到教证。当然，这个过程是被动的，事情发生了才去找依据，但这个被动的过程让我们感受到了经典的内涵，经典的潜力。让我们对经典的每一句话都感到不可小视，如果我们对经典建立了这样的信心，然后变被动为主动，利用经典去主动思考一些东西，很多问题就会迎刃而解。所以，我坚信，我们从《黄帝内经》里面，必定能够找到解决艾滋病的方法。
另外，我再讲一件相关的事情，几年前有两本书曾经引起很大的轰动，一本是美国人写的《学习的革命》，一本是日本医学家春山茂雄博士写的《脑内革命》。尤其是后者引发了世界范围内的脑研究热潮。《脑内革命》这部书的一个焦点问题就是探讨如何提高大脑的效率，唤醒脑细胞的巨大潜能。而这个焦点又集中在如何引发大脑的α波，如何激活内啡呔的分泌。在增加内啡呔的分泌，使大脑处于更多α波状态这个关键环节上，春山茂雄博士总结并提出了许多有效的方法，其中包括运动方面，饮食方法和调节心身方面。在饮食方面，春山茂雄博士的研究显示，在日本所有的常用食品中，惟独有一种日本人很钟爱的食品，在促进内啡呔分泌方面独占鳌头。这种食品，类似于中国的豆豉，就是大豆经过发酵以后制成的，这是日本人每天早餐必备的食品。这种食品为什么对提高大脑功能有这样独特的作用呢？打开经典我们才发现，答案还是在《黄帝内经》里面。上过《中医基础理论》大家都很清楚，这个属于神经系统的脑，与肾的关系最密切，有道是：“肾主骨生髓，髓通于脑。”所以，要想改善和提高脑的功能，从中医的角度来思考，就要设法从肾入手。这是一个基本的方向和原则。这个方向确定后，那就好办了。还是上面的《素问·金匮真言论》的那段话，肾的谷为豆，其臭为腐。肾之谷为豆，这个很好理解，大家只要拿一颗豆瞧一瞧，你就明白了，豆的外形与肾怎么样？简直一模一样，只是缩小了。所以，豆与肾有一种非常的关系，这是不难理解的。另外，经过发酵的豆，使上述这个“亲情”关系又密切了许多。为什么呢？因为发酵，实际上就是一个腐质化的过程。所以，发酵以后的豆，对肾的作用更大了，对肾的作用大，当然对脑的作用就大，这就从经典的角度印证了春山茂雄的研究。上面这段短短的经文我们已经用它来说明了三个事情。当然，还可以继续地说下去，从这个过程，我们应该可以感受到一些经典的魅力。事情不管你再复杂，不管你再怎么变化，似乎都没有逃出经典，这就叫“万变不离其经”。
（3）读经开智
Another basis for supporting the change of classical texts from required to elective courses is the statistical surveys conducted by public opinion pollsters. They create hundreds, or even thousands, of questionnaires, asking people to mark a "√" or an "×". As a result, many people indeed marked an "×" in the column for "classical texts". After statistical processing, this result seems meaningful, because the majority believe that the significance of classical texts is not great and they can be changed to elective courses. However, according to Confucius's standards, such a survey might be completely meaningless. Why? Because this is a field where different people have different insights; only a benevolent person can perceive its benevolence, and only a wise person can perceive its wisdom. If you are neither, how can you perceive the "benevolence" and "wisdom" within the classics? Then you would naturally say that the classics have no significance, or that even elective status is unnecessary. Didn't we say earlier that learning the classics requires "jueshou" (a deep personal realization or experiential understanding)? Without this realization arising, you absolutely will not speak well of the classics. Therefore, the issue of the subject/object of inquiry is very important; you cannot simply ask anyone and expect it to reflect the truth. For example, regarding the Four Great Classical Novels of ancient China—"Romance of the Three Kingdoms," "Journey to the West," "Water Margin," and "Dream of the Red Chamber"—I have read the first three more than once. But what about "Dream of the Red Chamber"? I really wanted to read it, and I have seen many celebrities praise it, especially Mao Zedong, who highly esteemed this masterpiece. Yet every time I read it, after a few chapters, at most ten or so, I cannot continue reading, and I do not know why. Thus, to this day, I have not finished reading this masterpiece through, knowing only the line "naked coming, naked going, with no attachments." Imagine if I were asked questions about Redology (the study of "Dream of the Red Chamber"), what would the result be? I previously introduced to everyone Professor Lin Peixiang, a renowned late traditional Chinese medicine practitioner from our college. At Professor Lin's place, one could skip reading modern textbooks on Internal Medicine, Surgery, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, but one absolutely must read the *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon). Professor Lin did not read these modern internal, surgical, gynecological, and pediatric books; he relied solely on the *Huangdi Neijing*. Yet, he treated diseases in these fields beautifully. If the questionnaire reached Professor Lin, you can imagine how he would answer. Therefore, for subjects like the classics which invite diverse interpretations, when we inquire about their significance, we must pay attention to the object of inquiry. It is not that because you think the classics are insignificant, they are insignificant; your belief that they are insignificant precisely proves that you have gained nothing from them. If others go into business ("xia hai") and become millionaires, while you go into business and lose money instead of making any, you would naturally say that going into business is bad. The significance of the classics is actually the same thing.
4. The Significance of Learning the Classics
(1) Not Being Conservative
Above, we discussed the classics from a cultural perspective, aiming to illustrate that although the classics are ancient, they are not necessarily outdated or backward. Therefore, do not easily deny or abandon them. However, having said that, now that we emphasize classics from two thousand years ago, people still worry: is this being conservative? Therefore, regarding the concepts of "new" and "old," everyone should view them from multiple levels. Zhang Zhongjing mentioned in the preface of *Shanghan Zabing Lun* (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases): "In ancient times, there were Shennong, Huangdi, Qibo, Bogao, Leigong, Shaoyu, Shaoshi, and Zhongwen; in the middle ages, there were Changsang and Bianque; in the Han dynasty, there were Gongcheng Yangqing and Cang Gong. Since then, none have been heard of." The data presented in this passage by Zhang Zhongjing reminds us to pay attention to such a problem: why were there more famous doctors and masters during the time when the classics were produced, or closer to that era? And why did famous doctors and masters become "unheard of" once one moved away from that era? This phenomenon is worth thinking about. Therefore, our current emphasis on the importance of the classics is not for anything else, but rather, knowing that we are increasingly distant from the classics in time, can we approach them substantially through effective learning? Approaching them is actually approaching these masters. By learning the classics, we eventually forge ourselves into Leigong, Shaoyu, and Shaoshi. What is wrong with that? I think this is the fundamental significance of learning the classics. In the next paragraph of the preface, Zhang Zhongjing continues: "Observing today's physicians, they do not ponder and seek the principles of the classics to expand their knowledge; each adheres to family techniques, always following the old." From this text, we can see that 1,700 years ago, Zhongjing clearly explained what conservatism and innovation are. Among the physicians of that time, each holding onto only a bit of experience passed down in their family was called conservatism; conversely, being able to "ponder and seek the principles of the classics, and expand upon one's knowledge" was innovation. Therefore, our learning of the classics, studying works like the *Huangdi Neijing* and *Shanghan Lun*, is entirely for the purpose of "expanding upon one's knowledge." What does "yan" (expand/deduce) mean? It means deducing, expanding, developing, and continuing. To develop and broaden our limited knowledge, to carry forward and magnify it—this is truly seeking the principles of the classics. We often say that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) needs innovation to find a way out, but on what basis do you innovate? Therefore, engaging with the classics is not conservatism at all, but rather for the sake of innovation. If you truly learn this, you will have a sense of it; you will feel whether this process is innovation, and clinical practice will verify it; mere talk is not enough. I often mention that in scholarship, one should learn to "love the new without disliking the old," which is also an idea of Confucius. A key point made by Confucius regarding scholarship is: "Learning without thought leads to confusion; thought without learning ends in peril." Everyone should ponder this sentence carefully before engaging in scholarship. No matter what field you are in, Western medicine or TCM, I believe you will find your footing. What is to be learned? Learning means studying things of the past, things prior to the present, which are essentially old things, differing only in degree. Is it okay to only learn existing things? Confucius believed that learning for the sake of learning alone is futile (wang ran). Therefore, just learning a lot of things and accumulating much knowledge, even if you become a living dictionary, is still not enough. Having knowledge does not necessarily mean having scholarship/wisdom. The ancients' understanding of this is very reasonable. Therefore, Confucius said that after learning, one must think. What is thinking? Thinking is a process of combination; through this combination, various materials and components gradually collide, contact, and fuse into something new. Therefore, this process is essentially a process of innovation. "Loving the new" is everyone's habit, but the new cannot come from nowhere; the new comes from the old. Hence, "thought without learning ends in peril." Without materials, how can we build? Learning the classics is the same; to gain something, one must do it this way. If one does not do this, merely learning without thinking, how can one gain anything? It would certainly be working in vain, feeling lost and confused! Now, hearing many people say that the *Huangdi Neijing* and *Shanghan Lun* are insignificant, either throwing them aside or placing them on high shelves, makes my heart ache. Such precious things, they say are insignificant; how can this not make one distressed? Therefore, learning the classics requires simultaneous thinking and learning, simultaneous learning and thinking.
(2) All Changes Do Not Depart from the Classics
We say that emphasizing the significance of the classics cannot be overdone; this has substantial meaning. Here, I want to tell you two stories from my own experience. In the first half of 1998, due to a chance opportunity, I met an old TCM practitioner named Liao Bingzhen, whom I liked to call Old Man Liao, in Binyang County near Nanning. Old Man Liao had practiced medicine for decades and had unique experiences in treating certain diseases, but what impressed me even more was his medical ethics and personality, so I liked to visit him often. Old Man Liao also regarded me as a friend regardless of age and taught me his insights without reservation. Once, Old Man Liao told me about the treatment of snakebites. In the old society, some itinerant quacks treating snakebites would often keep a trick up their sleeve. This trick was very clever, leaving you no way to detect it. The quack would treat your snakebite quickly, stopping the snake venom so you faced no life danger and many symptoms disappeared. However, there was one point: the wound would never heal properly. After a period of time, the wound would rot again, and you would have to buy medicine from the quack, which would manage the condition for two or three months. This way, it would drag on for a year and a half, or even longer. In the jianghu (underworld/marketplace), this was called the quack fishing for patients, and the patient feeding the quack. However, this secret was discovered by Old Man Liao from his elders. The secret lay in avoiding salt. If the patient avoided salt for a few days, and then took a few doses of detoxifying and flesh-regenerating herbs, the wound would heal quickly and stop rotting. Just this little mystery, but if you didn't know it, you would be tormented enough. After hearing Old Man Liao's words, I pondered: isn't this something from the *Huangdi Neijing*? The *Suwen: Jingui Zhenyan Lun* says: "The North corresponds to black, entering into communication with the Kidney, opening into the two lower orifices, storing essence in the Kidney, thus disease occurs in the sinews/vessels. Its flavor is salty, its category is water, its animal is the pig, its grain is beans. It corresponds to the four seasons, appearing above as the Star Chen (Mercury), thus we know the disease is in the bones. Its tone is Yu, its number is six, its odor is putrid." The odor associated with the Kidney organ system is putrefaction. Therefore, lesions of a putrefactive nature are related to the Kidney. Kidney diseases require avoiding salt; "excessive salt intake damages the Kidney." This is both a teaching proof from the *Huangdi Neijing* and common knowledge among ordinary people. For snakebite-induced wound rot, avoiding salt for a few days and taking a few doses of ordinary Chinese herbal medicine allows the wound to heal permanently. This is a mysterious yet extremely simple fact. Things in the classics are like this: when uncovered, they are very mysterious; once revealed, they are so simple. This is the principle that the highest Dao is not complex! These things are used daily by the common people without their knowing it. Like these itinerant quacks, they absolutely do not know that this trick they kept up their sleeve was actually from the *Huangdi Neijing*. This is the Way of the Gentleman. Another matter is Old Man Liao's experience in treating bone cancer. Among all cancers, bone cancer causes the most severe pain. Moreover, this pain is often hard to stop; even using anesthetics, the effect is not necessarily ideal. Old Man Liao had a trump card for this pain. Although bone cancer may not always be curable in the end, this pain can be eliminated quickly, thereby largely relieving the patient's suffering. What medicine did Old Man Liao use? He added a special substance to some herbal medicines, decocted it into a soup, and washed the affected area externally. After washing a few times, the pain gradually subsided. This special substance was very effective; adding it stopped the pain quickly, while not adding it had no such effect. What was this special substance? It was a substance growing on the bottom board of a coffin. In the past, people were buried in earth coffins. The corpse was placed in the coffin and buried underground. After burial, the corpse gradually rotted, and the rotting substances seeped downward into the bottom board of the coffin, corroding the wood along with it. The substance on top grew by absorbing this putrid qi. Everyone close your eyes and contemplate for a moment: among all putrid airs, is there anything worse than the stench of a human corpse? Therefore, speaking of the character "fu" (putrefaction/rot), it should stop here. Since this substance grew by absorbing such putrid qi, then, according to the aforementioned teachings of the *Huangdi Neijing*, it has a very special kinship relationship with Kidney pathology. Thus, it has such special efficacy when used for bone cancer. Later, I asked Old Man Liao who told him to use this method. Old Man Liao could not explain why; this method had no lineage transmission nor theoretical basis. Old Man Liao simply felt that bone cancer was a strange disease, and the aforementioned substance was also a very unusual thing, so he used the strange to treat the strange. Unexpectedly, it had such good effects. When I showed him the aforementioned scripture passage, Old Man Liao suddenly realized: this was again something from the *Huangdi Neijing*. Although the above two cases are relatively special, they can both find proof in the *Huangdi Neijing*. Of course, this process was passive; we sought the basis only after the event occurred. But this passive process allowed us to feel the connotation and potential of the classics. It made us feel that every word of the classics should not be underestimated. If we establish such confidence in the classics, and then turn passive into active, using the classics to actively think about things, many problems will be solved readily. Therefore, I firmly believe that we will definitely be able to find methods to solve AIDS from the *Huangdi Neijing*.
Additionally, I will tell another related story. A few years ago, two books caused a great sensation: one written by an American titled *The Revolution of Learning*, and another by Japanese physician Dr. Shigeo Haruyama titled *Brain Revolutionary*. Especially the latter triggered a global brain research boom. A focal point of *Brain Revolutionary* was exploring how to improve brain efficiency and awaken the huge potential of brain cells. This focus centered on how to induce alpha waves in the brain and how to activate the secretion of endorphins. On this key link of increasing endorphin secretion and keeping the brain in more alpha wave states, Dr. Haruyama summarized and proposed many effective methods, including aspects of exercise, dietary methods, and mind-body regulation. In terms of diet, Dr. Haruyama's research showed that among all commonly used foods in Japan, there was only one food loved by Japanese people that stood out in promoting endorphin secretion. This food is similar to Chinese douchi (fermented soybeans); it is made from soybeans after fermentation and is a staple food for Japanese people for breakfast every day. Why does this food have such a unique role in improving brain function? Opening the classics, we discover that the answer is still in the *Huangdi Neijing*. Those who have taken "Basic Theory of TCM" are very clear: the brain, belonging to the nervous system, has the closest relationship with the Kidney. As the saying goes: "The Kidney governs bones and generates marrow, and marrow connects to the brain." Therefore, to improve and enhance brain function, thinking from a TCM perspective, one must try to start from the Kidney. This is a basic direction and principle. Once this direction is determined, it becomes easy. Still referring to the passage from *Suwen: Jingui Zhenyan Lun* above: the grain of the Kidney is beans, and its odor is putrefaction. The grain of the Kidney being beans is easy to understand; everyone just look at a bean, and you will understand. What is the shape of a bean compared to the Kidney? It is exactly the same, just smaller. So, beans have a very special relationship with the Kidney, which is not difficult to understand. Additionally, fermented beans make this "kinship" relationship even closer. Why? Because fermentation is essentially a process of putrefaction. Therefore, fermented beans have a greater effect on the Kidney; having a greater effect on the Kidney naturally means a greater effect on the brain. This verifies Dr. Haruyama's research from the perspective of the classics. With this short passage of scripture, we have already explained three things. Of course, we could continue speaking; from this process, we should be able to feel some of the charm of the classics. No matter how complex things are, no matter how much they change, it seems they do not escape the classics. This is called "all changes do not depart from the classics."
(3) Reading Classics Opens Wisdom