An Interpretation of the Treatise on Cold Damage

柳建荣Universal Publishing House · United KingdomMar 2024

Rating 3.5
Word count
251K words
Chapters
14
ISBN
9789815192919

Tags

Medicine TCM ClassicClinical ReferenceTraditional MedicineMedical TheoryClassical Text StudySemantic AnalysisClassical Formula MedicineYin-Yang TheoryAcademic StudyTextual Interpretation

Summary

The Treatise on Cold Damage was written by the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing in the Eastern Han dynasty. In that era, physicians read the Inner Canon thoroughly and were familiar with yin and yang; the way of yin and yang was understood at a hint. But the appearance of the Treatise on Cold Damage and the Essentials of the Golden Cabinet brought utilitarianism and pragmatism to the fore. In addition, over 1,800 years the meanings of Chinese characters have evolved, and many have changed greatly or even qualitatively, while modern medical thinking has also had an influence. As a result, today's Chinese medicine practitioners neglect the way of yin and yang, memorize by rote, pursue practicality, focus on the choice of medicinals, and even understand and perceive Chinese medicine as a mystical subject, denying its scientific nature. In view of this, I submit my own study and understanding in the book An Interpretation of the Treatise on Cold Damage, focusing on exchanging views with readers on the understanding of disease patterns and medical principles in the original text of the Treatise on Cold Damage. The formulas and medicinals have been much discussed by others, so I do not elaborate on or argue about them excessively.

Editor's review

An Interpretation of the Treatise on Cold Damage is Liu Jianrong's modern reading of the Chinese medical classic Shanghan Lun. This is not a simple translation of an ancient text but a systematic exposition and organization of this foundational work of Chinese medicine, combining the author's years of clinical practice and teaching experience. With solid theoretical grounding, Liu Jianrong turns the obscure ancient prose, abstract pathological mechanisms, and complex formula-pattern relationships of the Shanghan Lun into clear, well-structured modern language and logical frameworks. The book not only analyzes the original text passage by passage but also focuses on revealing the dialectical thinking and clinical essence behind the passages, helping readers build a bridge from theory to practice. For modern learners, the book's greatest value lies in removing the barrier of historical language and pointing directly to the core of pattern differentiation and treatment in Chinese medicine. Its modern interpretation of the six-channel pattern system is especially original and logically rigorous, with high academic reference value and clinical guidance. It is more like an experienced mentor leading readers step by step into the depths of the Shanghan Lun and helping them understand its enduring vitality.

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Reading tips

  1. Read the original text of the Treatise on Cold Damage or a plain-language translation first to gain a basic impression of the overall framework, then read this book to better understand the author's interpretive angle and depth
  2. As you read, compare with clinical cases or your own reflections, and try to turn the book's theoretical analysis into a concrete process of pattern differentiation
  3. For key chapters and core pattern-differentiation points, take notes or reread them to digest and absorb the essence of the logical reasoning

About the publisher

Universal Publishing House United Kingdom

Universal Publishing House is a comprehensive publishing institution headquartered in the United Kingdom. It focuses on publishing Chinese-language books, primarily for overseas Chinese authors, and its range covers literary genres such as wuxia novels, mystery and suspense, and social fiction, as well as law, art, and essays. Its catalogue currently contains about 220 titles, with representative works including Ximen Ding's complete Yidao Yunyan and the Shanmao Wangsen series, along with Burden of Proof in Medical Damage Liability Disputes in the Civil Code Era and Aesthetics, Calligraphy, and Miscellaneous Notes. Other representative authors include Tuo Mingsheng, Cao Lihua, Qian Baohuai, Zi Fei, Chen Yading, Ou Zhaoping, and Cang Er. Public information is limited; based on the books in the catalogue, its publishing direction leans toward genre fiction, humanities and social sciences, legal practice, and popular art books, and it offers authors one-stop publishing services including editing, typesetting, and distribution.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 作者简介
  3. 内容简介
  4. 《伤寒论》辨太阳病脉证并治第五解读之我见
  5. 《伤寒论》辨太阳病脉证并治第六解读之我见
  6. 《伤寒论》辨太阳病脉证并治第七解读之我见
  7. 《伤寒论》辨阳明病脉证并治第八解读之我见
  8. 《伤寒论》辨少阳病脉证并治第九解读之我见
  9. 《伤寒论》辨太阴病脉证并治第十解读之我见
  10. 《伤寒论》辨少阴病脉证并治第十一解读之我见
  11. 《伤寒论》辨厥阴病脉证并治第十二解读之我见
  12. 《伤寒论》辨霍乱病脉证并治第十三解读之我见
  13. 《伤寒论》辨阴阳易差后劳复病脉证并治第十四解读之我见
  14. 后记：我的中医学习之路

FAQ

How is this book different from other interpretations of the Treatise on Cold Damage on the market? The book is characterized by the systematic nature of its interpretation and the rigor of its logic. Liu Jianrong not only explains words and passages but focuses on building and clarifying the internal connections and pattern-differentiation system among the passages, emphasizing an understanding of the Treatise on Cold Damage from a holistic and dynamic angle. His interpretation is more clinically oriented and modern in academic tone.
Can I understand this book without a foundation in Chinese medicine? It will be somewhat difficult. The book assumes readers already understand basic Chinese medicine concepts such as yin and yang, the five phases, the zang-fu organs, and qi, blood, and body fluids. Without that foundation, first study introductory Chinese medicine knowledge; otherwise the in-depth analysis may be hard to follow. It is better suited as advanced reading after acquiring some foundation.
Does this book directly help clinical practice? Yes, significantly. The book's interpretation is closely tied to clinical pattern differentiation and formula-pattern application, aiming to bridge theory and practice. By understanding the author's analytical approach, readers can more clearly grasp the indications and variations of formula-pattern use in the Treatise on Cold Damage, thereby improving the accuracy and flexibility of clinical pattern differentiation.

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About the author

柳建荣 Author

Liu Jianrong: publicly available information is limited, and all that is currently known is that one medical work by this author, An Interpretation of the Treatise on Cold Damage, is extant. Judging from the title and its common classification, the book belongs to the genre of close readings of Chinese medical classics, offering an interpretation of the Treatise on Cold Damage for readers who wish to understand this foundational text in depth. Writing of this kind generally has to build a bridge between the original text and its annotations, respecting the classical meaning while making it intelligible to modern readers, and it therefore places certain demands on the author's ability to organize the text and grasp its medical content. The title suggests an approach centered on item-by-item explanation and the elucidation of underlying principles rather than a general introduction. Because only this one work is held in the collection, nothing can be verified about Liu Jianrong's life, native place, or medical training, and any judgment about writing style or scholarly influence must remain limited to this single book. Readers who wish to know the author and the author's scholarship should still rely mainly on the text itself.