The True Transmission of Medicine

高世Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJul 2024

Rating 3.6

Word count: 36K words
Chapters: 47

Summary

A comprehensive medical work written by Gao Shishi of the Qing dynasty. Compiled in 1699 by his disciples from his lecture notes. The book comprises 43 discourses covering etiology, pathology, diagnostic and therapeutic principles, the use of medicinals, and the general approach to identifying drugs. Its content spans foundational theory—including the transformations of the five movements and six qi, the differentiation of zang-fu organs and meridians, the correspondence of the body's regions to the three yin and three yang, and the varying qi, flavor, color, and odor of drugs and their suitability or contraindication for each of the eleven zang—as well as clinical pattern differentiation and the use of medicinals.

Editor's review

Yixue Zhenzhuan was dictated by Gao Shishi and compiled by his disciples from lecture notes. Its forty-three discourses address the five movements and six qi, zang-fu organs and meridians, the correspondence of the three yin and three yang, and the suitability or contraindication of drugs—by qi, flavor, color, and odor—for each of the eleven zang, along with clinical pattern differentiation and the general use of medicinals. Its strength lies in presenting etiology, pathology, diagnostic and therapeutic principles, and drug identification within a single framework, helping readers connect theory, method, formulas, and drugs rather than memorizing passages in isolation. The text retains the mark of compiled lectures; the discussion is relatively direct, making traditional medical theory somewhat more accessible to beginners, though readers still need basic concepts of the zang-fu organs and meridians. Each discourse is best read as a topical lecture: first clarify the question it addresses, then take notes linking it to clinical differentiation and drug use.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginners studying basic theories of Chinese medicine who need to connect zang-fu organs and meridians with drug use
Readers interested in traditional medical theory such as the five movements and six qi and the correspondences of the three yin and three yang
Clinical practitioners of Chinese medicine seeking to organize their approach to drug identification and the suitability or contraindication of drugs for the zang
Teachers of Chinese medicine who may use it as supplementary material for topical lectures

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking complete, standalone clinical case records or treatment-by-disease guidance
General readers with no grasp of traditional Chinese medical concepts who only want modern medical knowledge
Users expecting the systematic, formula-by-formula arrangement of a textbook on formulas

Reading tips

Read through the forty-three discourses in order, first marking those concerning zang-fu organs, meridians, and drug identification.
After each discourse, organize three columns in a table: subject discussed, core viewpoint, clinical relevance.
When reading the sections on drugs' qi, flavor, color, and odor and their suitability or contraindication for the eleven zang, consult standard materia medica references for comparison.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
序
高士宗先生手授医学真传
医道失传
医门经论
五运六气
六淫外感
七情内伤
脏腑经络
三焦
命门
气血
水火
阴阳
部位
原病
治病
方药
婴儿
痘
附案
伤寒
发热
恶寒
头痛
辨舌
咳嗽
疟
暑
痢
喘
呃
嚏
胀肿
蛊
隔
吐血
衄血
便血
心腹痛
中风
胎产
用药大略
辨药大略
诊脉大法
先生自述
跋

FAQ

How does this book differ from an ordinary formula book?

According to the source material, the book comprises forty-three discourses focused on the five movements and six qi, zang-fu organs and meridians, the correspondences of the three yin and three yang, the qi, flavor, color, and odor of drugs and their suitability or contraindication for the eleven zang, and the principles of etiology, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment together with the general use of medicinals. It is oriented toward teaching foundational medical theory and approaches to drug identification, not a formula manual organized by disease; readers should attend to the logical connections among the discourses.

Will a book compiled from lecture notes feel fragmented?

The book was compiled by Gao Shishi's disciples from his lecture notes and comprises forty-three discourses on foundational theory and clinical differentiation and drug use, with an overall character of topical lectures. Reading each discourse as an independent topic—first grasping its core question, then organizing its connections to the zang-fu organs, meridians, and drug suitability—can reduce any sense of fragmentation.

What should I do if I don't understand the sections on the five movements and six qi?

You may first skip the details, focusing on the relationships among zang-fu organs, meridians, and the three yin and three yang that the discourse aims to explain, then fill in background from relevant concepts in basic theories of Chinese medicine. Do not insist on full understanding on the first pass; rereading with questions on the second pass, using notes to sort out the correspondences among concepts, will be more effective.

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About the author

高世 Author

Gao Shi is an author about whom very little public information is currently available. His life, place of origin, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded, and even his English name cannot be confirmed. According to the existing catalog information, only one work is attributed to Gao Shi, titled Zhenzhuan of Medicine (Yixue Zhenzhuan), which is commonly classified under medicine. Judging from the title, the book appears to be a traditional medical work, likely dealing with medical theory, clinical experience, or the transmission of medical knowledge, and carrying a summarizing and instructional character. Because the content and background of the book still require further verification, no conjecture is made here about its specific academic positions, school affiliation, or textual structure. For researchers, Gao Shi and his Yixue Zhenzhuan may serve as a point of entry for examining the circulation of ancient medical literature; general readers are advised to first learn about the editions and overall content of the book before assessing its reference value. Owing to the scarcity of materials, this entry can offer only the above clues, and more information awaits the discovery and supplementation of new sources.