典藏书目

Any physician must observe the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the complexion and pulse (Mai, 脉). To observe the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the complexion and pulse, one must examine the generating and overcoming relationships among the Five Elements (Wu Xing, 五行: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). To examine the generating and overcoming relationships of the Five Elements, one must study the numerical principles of the He Tu (River Chart) and Luo Shu (Luo Writing). Mr. Wang Haogu of Haicang was a distinguished figure in medicine; he expounded the profound medical theories of his teacher, Elder Li Dongyuan, and wrote a book titled *Ci Shi Nan Zhi* (Difficulties in This Matter). In this book, he first recorded ten physicians worthy of emulation, including Ji Zi's *Hong Fan* (Great Plan) and Wang Shuhe's *Mai Jue* (Pulse Classic). Thus, it is known that Wang Shuhe's *Mai Jue* should be transmitted alongside the *Hong Fan* Nine Categories for eternity. Therefore, Wang Shuhe classified seven floating pulses as Yang, with odd numbers, and eight deep pulses as Yin, with even numbers. Additionally, there are nine distinct pulse types corresponding to the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces, totaling twenty-four pulse types, which correspond to the twenty-four solar terms. His intention was undoubtedly profound and far-reaching. However, some commentators argue that twenty-four pulse types are insufficient to fully capture the spirit and characteristics of all pulses, thereby disparaging Wang Shuhe's *Mai Jue*. They fail to realize that these twenty-four pulse types serve as the general guidelines for all pulses, just as the Eight Trigrams (Ba Gua, 八卦) guide the *I Ching* (Book of Changes). Would they also claim that the Eight Trigrams are insufficient to exhaust the principles of the *I Ching*, and thus disparage Fuxi? Zhu Xi stated: "Heaven generates all things through Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. Humans exist between Heaven and Earth and are also among these things. However, things obtain only a partial aspect of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, whereas humans obtain their complete essence." Yet, among things, there are those that possess the fullness of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, such as the He Tu and Luo Shu. If one does not understand the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, so be it; but if one wishes to understand them, from where else can one learn except through the He Tu and Luo Shu? Nevertheless, this cannot be discussed lightly. One must know the fundamental reasons behind the He Tu and Luo Shu before one can progress from the hall to the inner chamber, achieving mastery. I will now attempt to explain the origins of the He Tu in simple terms. The He Tu refers to the time of Fuxi, when a dragon-horse emerged from the Yellow River carrying a chart. Was there another chart carried by the dragon-horse? No, it was simply the natural spiral patterns on the dragon-horse's back fur, naturally forming such shapes: One and Six at the bottom, Two and Seven at the top, Three and Eight on the left, Four and Nine on the right, and Five and Ten in the center. Summing up the patterns in the top, bottom, left, right, and center yields a total of fifty-five. The principle here moves counter-clockwise from left to East, then South, Center, West, and back to North, proceeding in order, utilizing generation (Sheng, 生). It must be understood that Fuxi already possessed the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements in his mind. Upon seeing this object, which aligned with his heart, he drew the Eight Trigrams: Qian (Heaven) in the South, Kun (Earth) in the North, Li (Fire) in the East, Kan (Water) in the West, Zhen (Thunder) in the Northeast, Dui (Lake) in the Southeast, Xun (Wind) in the Southwest, and Gen (Mountain) in the Northwest. Heaven and Earth establish positions, Mountains and Marshes communicate, Thunder and Wind collide, and Water and Fire do not harm each other. Qian and Kun are arranged vertically, while the six children are arranged horizontally, opposing each other to establish the foundation. Then, adding another set of Eight Trigrams above the existing ones, interlacing them up and down, eight times eight results in sixty-four hexagrams. At that time, there were only images without text, yet the myriad changes did not exceed this scope, known as Fuxi's Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams. Later, when King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned, he expanded upon the *Yi* (Changes), transforming the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams into the Post-Heaven arrangement: placing Qian in the Northwest, retreating Kun to the Southwest, letting the Eldest Son take charge while the Eldest Daughter replaces the Mother, positioning Kan and Li correctly, pairing Dui and Gen, arranging Zhen and Dui horizontally while the other six trigrams are vertical, alternating in circulation to function. Expanding the eighty-one combinations of the Eight Trigrams resulted in three hundred and eighty-four lines. King Wen composed the Hexagram Statements, and the Duke of Zhou composed the Line Statements, giving rise to the textual content of the *Yi*. Confucius, born at the end of the Zhou Dynasty, later authored the *Ten Wings*, mutually illuminating the Pre-Heaven and Post-Heaven systems, thereby completing the Way of the *Yi*. This is the general outline of the He Tu. Let us now discuss the origins of the Luo Shu. The Luo Shu refers to the time when Yu the Great controlled the floods, and a divine turtle emerged from the Luo River carrying a writing. Was there another writing carried by the turtle? No, it was simply the natural patterns on the turtle's shell, overlapping and crisscrossing like broken tortoise shells. The text reads: Nine wears the head, One supports the feet, Three is on the left, Seven on the right, Two and Four are the shoulders, Six and Eight are the feet. Summing the points in the top, bottom, left, right, and center yields forty-five. It must be understood that King Yu already possessed the principles of multiplication, division, waxing, and waning in his mind. Upon seeing this object, which resonated with his heart, he formulated the Nine Categories (Jiu Chou, 九畴). The principle moves clockwise from here to the West, then South, East, Center, proceeding inversely, utilizing overcoming (Ke, 克). When Ji Zi arrived, he further elaborated on these ideas to create the *Hong Fan*, presenting it to King Wu to establish ethical order. In later generations, as the distance from the sages grew and the Qin dynasty's book burning occurred, although the principles remained, the numerical transmission was lost. Fortunately, Song Dynasty scholars, specifically Master Jiufeng, relying on family learning from Guangxi Shan and the lineage of Kaoting (Zhu Xi), re-derived the diagram. Interlacing left and right, nine times nine resulted in eighty-one categories, each with names and texts, similar to the sixty-four hexagrams of the *Yi*, elucidating the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. This work is called *Huang Ji Nei Pian* (Inner Chapters of the Supreme Ultimate), filling gaps left by predecessors and enlightening students, thereby restoring the clarity of the Nine Categories. This is the general outline of these texts. Although the He Tu and Luo Shu appeared at different times and have different numbers, regarding One and Six as Water, Two and Seven as Fire, Three and Eight as Wood, Four and Nine as Metal, and Five and Ten as Earth, their underlying principle is identical. However, the He Tu combines top and bottom to form trigrams, resulting in even numbers; the Luo Shu combines left and right to form categories, resulting in odd numbers. One, Three, Five, Seven, Nine are odd, Yang, and Heaven; Two, Four, Six, Eight, Ten are even, Yin, and Earth. The He Tu rotates leftward for generation, while the Luo Shu rotates rightward for overcoming. If there is generation without overcoming, the generated cannot be regulated; if there is overcoming without generation, the overcome will eventually cease. Nine is the number of the Luo Shu, yet in Fuxi's Eight Trigrams, whether vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or upright, the number nine is used, indicating that the He Tu already contains the logic of the Luo Shu. Ten is the number of the He Tu, yet in King Yu's Nine Categories, whether vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or upright, the sum is fifteen, indicating that the Luo Shu contains the logic of the He Tu. Hence, ancient scholars said: The He Tu and Luo Shu serve as the warp and weft of each other. Humans are born within the Five Elements, governed solely by the principles of generation and overcoming. Observe Wang Shuhe's pulse song for the left and right hands: forty-five beats per breath discusses the mutual restriction of the Five Elements; when restriction reaches its extreme, generation ceases, reflecting the Luo Shu's five-nine number. In his song on life and death in miscellaneous diseases, fifty uninterrupted beats indicate health, taking advantage of endless generation, implying longevity, following the He Tu's Da Yan number of fifty. However, after a thousand years, only Jiegu (Zhang Yuansu) could glimpse its mysteries. In Jiegu's *Tong Lun Mai Shu* (General Discussion on Pulse Numbers), he states: "The pulse represents the numbers of the Five Elements, each having generative and functional uses. Regarding overcoming numbers: Wood is cut by Metal, Fire is extinguished by Water, Metal is deficient by Fire, Earth is weakened by Wood, Water is blocked by Earth. The Five Zang Organs correspond to the Five Elements, possessing principles of mutual generation and overcoming. Obtaining generation leads to recovery; obtaining overcoming leads to death." Without understanding the interchanges and transmissions among the Five Zang Organs, as well as deficiency/excess and favorable/unfavorable conditions, one cannot enter this realm of understanding. Alas! Jiegu was the teacher of Dongyuan, and Dongyuan was the teacher of Haicang. Their scholarly lineage was profound, and they devoted themselves to studying pulse classics in this manner. Others, such as Liu Shouzhen (Liu Wansu), Zhang Hezi, Li Xifan, Yunqi Tongzhen, and others, all cited the pulse classic, recorded in numerous texts. Who is Dai Qizong, sitting in a well looking at the sky, ignorant of the meaning of the He Tu and Luo Shu, who dared to change the six-pulse-region songs of the left and right hands entirely to fifty beats? How shameless and blind! Regrettably, there are still followers who dislike tradition and prefer novelty, joining the clamor, claiming the pulse classic is unworthy of emulation, and establishing false theories to mislead future generations. Ask yourselves: Is your preconceived notion truly superior to the renowned sages like Jiegu and Dongyuan? If not, this is like spitting at the sky, which only dirties oneself and has nothing to do with the pulse classic. I have studied this book for over ten years, barely scratching the surface. Thus, I do not hesitate to add unnecessary details, providing detailed annotations under each section, hoping not to辜负 the author's painstaking efforts, and ensuring that future students are not misled by heretical sayings.