Ten Convenient and Effective Formulas

郭坦 / Zhang Zhibin / Zheng JinshengShanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers · ChinaNov 2025

Rating 4.4
Word count
309K words
Chapters
127
ISBN
9787547871942

Tags

Medicine TCM InheritanceClinical PracticeClassic Medical TextTraditional MedicineMedical LiteratureSong Medical FormulasFormularyAcademic MonographDocument ArrangementEdition Research

Summary

The Ten Convenient Remedies (Shi Bian Liang Fang, 40 juan) is a renowned medical formulary of the Southern Song dynasty, completed in the first year of the Qingyuan era (1195). Its author, Guo Tan, courtesy name Lüdao, was a native of Fenyang (present-day Shanxi). Two distinct lines of transmission survive today. One is a group of fragmentary manuscripts held in Japan under the title Beiquan Gujin Shi Bian Liang Fang (Complete Prepared Ten Convenient Remedies of Past and Present, hereafter "Beiquan edition"); the other is a fragmentary Song printed edition held in the National Library of China under the title Xinbian Jinshi Shi Bian Liang Fang (Newly Compiled Recent Ten Convenient Remedies, hereafter "Xinbian edition").

The Ten Convenient Remedies comprises 40 juan and covers a wide range of material, integrating pharmacy and medicine.

Juan 1 to 7 treat drugs. The efficacy of 64 commonly used Chinese medicinals occupies three juan; beyond these 64, another three juan present the "Essential Compendium of the Materia Medica of Drugs Found Everywhere." Juan 7 is devoted to methods of drug identification and processing, and the processing methods for the 64 principal drugs discussed in the book are also gathered here.

Juan 8 to 33 take disease as the governing framework and order the formulas accordingly. These diseases are chiefly all wind disorders, cold-damage and similar illnesses, all qi disorders, spleen and stomach disorders, disorders of deficiency and debility, phlegm-fluid disorders, accumulated heat disorders, eye disorders, large and small intestine disorders, women's disorders, children's disorders, and sores, swellings, fractures and injuries. These 26 juan form the main body of the work. Before each disease, the etiology is sometimes described; under each disease, formulas for its treatment are grouped by category. Because the author intended the book to be more convenient for the sick, he took considerable care in listing the formulas.

Editor's review

Shi Bian Liang Fang is a forty-juan medical formulary completed in the first year of the Qingyuan era of the Southern Song, by Guo Tan. This is a modern edited edition based on two textual systems: the Japanese-held manuscript Bei Quan Gu Jin Shi Bian Liang Fang and the surviving Song printed fragment Xin Bian Jin Shi Shi Bian Liang Fang held in the National Library of China. The structure is clear: juan 1 to 7 discuss drugs, including the actions of commonly used Chinese medicinals as well as dedicated juan on “essential excerpts from the materia medica of drugs available everywhere” and on drug identification and processing; juan 8 to 33 take illness as the framework to organize formulas, covering categories such as wind disorders, cold damage, qi disorders, spleen and stomach, supplementing deficiency, phlegm and rheum, accumulated heat, the eyes, large and small intestine, women, children, and sores, swellings, and fractures, with formulas for treatment grouped under each illness and occasional discussion of etiology. The compilation was intended to make things convenient for the sick, and the selected formulas aim at practicality; it therefore has considerable reference value for understanding Song formulary conventions, folk medication habits, and knowledge of drug processing. The edition's notes on textual sources and collations are especially useful to those studying textual transmission. It is suitable for researchers in Chinese medical literature and medical history and for enthusiasts of formula studies, but should not be used as a self-medication handbook for ordinary households.

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Reading tips

  1. Begin with the textual note and preface of the modern edition to understand the differences between the two lines of transmission before turning to the main text.
  2. Juan 7, on drug identification and processing, can be read closely on its own, alongside a textbook of Chinese materia medica for comparison.
  3. From juan 8 onward, read selectively by disease category rather than straight through; choose sections that match your own research interests.
  4. Note down formula compositions and processing requirements as you read, to facilitate comparative research with later formularies.

About the publisher

Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers China · Founded in 1956

Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers is a publisher known for professional books in the natural sciences, engineering technology, medicine and health, and agricultural technology. Its catalogue of 759 titles covers popular science, examinations, medicine, agriculture and forestry, and social culture. Representative books include several editions of The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Richard Feynman, Robert Leighton and Matthew Sands; the first and second volumes of Morris Kline's Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times; and the fourth edition of Molecular Pharmacognosy by Huang Luqi. Other representative authors include Feynman, Wei Xian and Zhang Zhibin. The publisher has developed distinctive strengths in classic translated works in physics and mathematics as well as in medical and agricultural professional titles, while also publishing popular science, textbooks and teaching materials, and journals. Its author resources draw on internationally renowned scientists and domestic specialists.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 内容提要
  3. 丛书前言
  4. 前言
  5. 校释说明
  6. 自序
  7. 《十便方》序
  8. 今具所编古今方论总目
  9. 《十便良方》总类
  10. 《十便良方》须知
  11. 今具六十四药总目
  12. 《十便良方》目录
  13. 卷第一 六十四药本草节要二十三种
  14. 卷第二 六十四药本草节要二十二种
  15. 卷第三 六十四药本草节要一十九种
  16. 卷第四 所在皆有之药本草节要二十四种
  17. 卷第五 所在皆有之药本草节要三十种
  18. 卷第六 所在皆有之药本草节要二十二种
  19. 卷第七
  20. 辨验药材美恶之诀
  21. 六十四药炮炙制度
  22. 所在皆有之药炮炙制度
  23. 卷第八 治一切风疾诸方上
  24. 中风总治眩运 失音 口噤 口㖞 风痉 偏痹 战掉 瘫痪紫癜 白癜 抽掣
  25. 头面风
  26. 头痛
  27. 卷第九 治一切风疾诸方下头眩癫痫 大风 常服方
  28. 头眩
  29. 癫痫
  30. 大风疾
  31. 常服方
  32. 卷第十 治伤寒等疾诸方 伤风吹霎附
  33. 伤寒总治上咳逆 痞气 虚脱 厥冷 发散 鼻衄 劳复 结胸 阴毒 阳毒 恶寒 下痢 烦躁 吐血 一日证 二日证 三日证 四
  34. 卷第十一 治伤寒等疾诸方
  35. 伤寒总治下中暑 风湿 辟温疫
  36. 中暑毒
  37. 风湿
  38. 辟瘴疫
  39. 卷第十二 治一切气疾诸方上心腹痛小肠气
  40. 心腹痛
  41. 小肠气
  42. 卷第十三 治一切气疾诸方下积聚 胀满喘促 浮肿水气
  43. 积聚膈噎附
  44. 胀满喘促
  45. 浮肿水气
  46. 卷第十四 治脾胃等疾诸方上呕吐
  47. 脾胃总治咳癔 进食 冷秘 反胃 食伤 泄泻 虚肿 呕吐 吐泻 脾湿 胃热 腹痛 积冷 膨胀
  48. 呕吐
  49. 卷第十五 治脾胃等疾诸方中泄泻 痼冷 霍乱
  50. 泄泻
  51. 痼冷
  52. 霍乱
  53. 卷第十六 治脾胃等疾诸方下疟 痢 消食
  54. 疟方
  55. 痢
  56. 消食
  57. 卷第十七 补虚损等疾诸方上心、肝、肺附
  58. 补益总治肝肾 壮阳 升降 虚热 补精 涩精 止悸 肾冷 虚羸 脚弱 足冷 驻颜 明目
  59. 心惊悸 恍惚 补心 益智
  60. 肝筋痹 转筋 肝虚 血少 风注 项筋痛 筋骨附
  61. 肺吐血 喘急 热疮 咳嗽 失音 气逆 声嘶 虚热 肺损
  62. 卷第二十一 治积热等疾诸方咽喉、口齿
  63. 积热总治
  64. 咽喉
  65. 口齿口疮 齿痛 龋齿 风毒 齿败 龂露 舌强 舌肿 揩齿 舌疮 吻疮 唇皴 齿肿 牙动 齿宣 口臭 龂肿
  66. 卷第二十二 治眼目等疾诸方
  67. 眼目暴赤 障翳 久赤 卒痛 物入眼 昏暗 青盲 雀目 眼涩 眼花 止泪 疳眼 内外障 麸豆眼
  68. 耳鼻鼻齆 耳聋 聤耳 虫入耳 瘜肉 鼻塞 蚀鼻 耳疼 耳鸣 鼻衄 酒齄 常涕
  69. 卷第二十三 治大肠小肠等疾诸方痔血 脱肛 大肠秘涩 淋沥 小便不通 尿血附
  70. 痔血
  71. 脱肛
  72. 秘涩
  73. 淋沥小便不通附
  74. 卷第二十四 治妇人等疾诸方上经候附
  75. 妇人总治暖子脏 血冷 腹痛 带下 血闭 梦交 阴病 血虚 生血 脏燥 多血 崩漏 虚劳 潮热 求子腰脚 诸虚
  76. 经候崩漏附
  77. 卷第二十五 治妇人等疾诸方中
  78. 妊娠恶阻 安胎 难产 催生 禁忌 伤寒 尿血 下痢 出衣 腹痛 胎死 浮肿 伤胎 中风霍乱 胎动 腰痛 痰嗽 呕吐 子痫
  79. 卷第二十六 治妇人等疾诸方下
  80. 产后保护 泄泻 腹痛 盗汗 发热 大便秘 汗不止 中风产难 出胞 血晕 少气 寒热 风痓 腹胀 不语 蓐劳 谵言 虚羸
  81. 下乳乳疮附 乳痈 乳肿 乳结 乳少 乳痛
  82. 卷第二十七 治小儿等疾诸方一
  83. 小儿总治夜啼 头汗 鹅口 口噤 重腭 脐病 囟陷 霍乱 鬾病 重舌 生齿 不行 脾热 遗尿 阴病 疳䘌 咳嗽 解颅 止渴
  84. 卷第二十八 治小儿等疾诸方二惊风诸疳
  85. 惊风客忤 惊啼 被惊 喜惊 惊痫 猫鼠 牙噤 慢惊 急惊 夜啼 中风天瘹 搐搦 口牵 食痫 风痫
  86. 诸疳
  87. 卷第二十九 治小儿等疾诸方三
  88. 小儿呕吐泻痢附
  89. 泻痢
  90. 卷第三十 治小儿等疾诸方四
  91. 疮疡疿子丹毒 脐疮 恶疮 头面疮 唇疮 月蚀 瘰疬 疳疮 疥疮 诸瘘 热疮 秃疮 瘾疹 干湿癣 漆疮 疣目 口疮
  92. 斑疹
  93. 卷第三十一 治一切疮肿诸方上
  94. 痈疽疥疮 癣疮 疿疮 秃疮附
  95. 癣疮 疿疮 秃疮
  96. 卷第三十二 治一切疮肿诸方中
  97. 恶疮漏疮 瘰疬 丹疮 代指 肾风疮 阴疮 打扑
  98. 肾风疮 阴疮
  99. 打扑
  100. 卷第三十三 治一切疮肿诸方下
  101. 金疮汤火伤 破伤风
  102. 汤火伤
  103. 破伤风
  104. 卷第三十四 杂方一
  105. 脉诀《指迷方》
  106. 卷第三十五 杂方二
  107. 养生禁戒
  108. 卷第三十六 杂方三
  109. 丹药
  110. 卷第三十七 杂方四神仙服食 酒治
  111. 神仙服食
  112. 酒治
  113. 卷第三十八 杂方五食治 食戒
  114. 食治
  115. 食戒
  116. 卷第三十九 杂方六须发 手面 解毒 中恶 禁咒
  117. 须发手面附
  118. 解毒
  119. 中恶
  120. 禁咒符术
  121. 卷第四十 杂方七误吞物 骨哽 虫畜伤 腋气 嵌甲 肉刺 缢死 溺死 魇死 名汤
  122. 误吞物骨哽附
  123. 虫畜伤
  124. 腋气嵌甲、肉刺附
  125. 横死缢死、溺死、魇死、冻死附
  126. 有益诸证名汤
  127. 方名索引

FAQ

What does the title Ten Convenient Remedies mean? According to the source material, the author compiled the book to make its contents more convenient for the sick; "ten convenient" in the title carries the sense of convenience. The whole work takes disease as its framework and groups formulas accordingly, with an emphasis on practical selection, reflecting the Southern Song formulary's orientation toward clinical practice and the patient. For the specific rationale behind the title, see the explanation in the preface of the modern edition.
Which editions was this book compiled from? According to the source material, two lines of transmission of the Ten Convenient Remedies survive: a group of fragmentary manuscripts held in Japan under the title Beiquan Gujin Shi Bian Liang Fang, and a fragmentary Song printed edition held in the National Library of China under the title Xinbian Jinshi Shi Bian Liang Fang. The present edition presumably collates both lines; for the specific base text and consulted editions, see the preface of the modern edition.
Can general readers use this book to look up formulas and treat illness? Not advisable. This is a Southern Song formulary; the dosages, processing methods and indications of its formulas all require professional interpretation, and differences exist between ancient and modern weights and measures and in the state of medicinal materials. General readers without Chinese medical training risk harm by taking the formulas directly. The book is better suited as material for textual and academic research than as a household self-medication manual.

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About the author

郭坦 Author

Guo Tan: publicly available information is limited, and his identity and biographical background remain to be verified. Judging from the works currently on record, Guo Tan's writing spans two markedly different fields: traditional medicine and modern programming technology. One work attributed to him, Shibian Liangfang (Ten Convenient Fine Formulas), belongs to medicine and, judging by its title, appears to be a formula book, possibly collecting medical prescriptions convenient for everyday use, reflecting the compiling interests of traditional medical literature. The other, Python Artificial Intelligence Development from Beginner to Mastery, belongs to programming and design and addresses technical introductory and advanced material for AI development. These two subjects are far apart, and an author covering both traditional Chinese formula books and Python AI development is relatively rare among writers. Owing to the lack of reliable information on the author's life, professional background, and motivations for writing, it is currently difficult to determine any inner connection between the two works, and speculation about his academic lineage or writing process would be inappropriate. Readers and researchers may consult the specific contents of the two works to further understand Guo Tan's writing orientation and actual contributions.

Zhang Zhibin Author · Chinese · 1953

Zhang Zhibin, female, was born in April 1953 in Quzhou, Zhejiang. She is a researcher, distinguished chief researcher and doctoral supervisor at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. After graduating from Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1983, she obtained master's and doctoral degrees in medicine and has long been engaged in research on the history and literature of traditional Chinese medicine, with particular expertise in the history of disease and the collation of ancient medical texts. Her thirteen works in the collection include collated editions of formularies such as Wei Family's Treasured Prescriptions, Medical Guide to Six Books of Shortcuts, Collected Effective Prescriptions of the Wind Section and Ten Convenient Effective Prescriptions, as well as Wenyi Lun and Wenre Lun, the punctuated edition of Medical Origins, and Classified Universal Effective Prescriptions and Its Sequel. She also wrote An Intellectual History of Chinese Medicine. She has edited Collected Studies on the Compendium of Materia Medica, Gems of Chinese Medical Manuscripts in the National Library and The Complete Works on Warm Diseases, and is the author of A Chronology of Epidemic Diseases in Ancient China and A History of Gynecological and Obstetric Diseases in Ancient Chinese Medicine, with solid achievements in the collation of Chinese medical literature and the study of disease history.

Zheng Jinsheng Author · China · 1946

Zheng Jinsheng (born May 1946), a native of Nanchang, Jiangxi, is a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Institute of Chinese Medical History and Literature, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, where he also served as director. He has long been engaged in the history of Chinese pharmacy and the study of materia medica literature, leading projects such as the Pharmacology Section of the Zhonghua Dadian (Comprehensive Compendium of Chinese Classics) and the Complete Collection of Chinese Materia Medica, and serving as editor-in-chief of the Collection of Rare Ancient Chinese Medical Books Overseas. His works include An Unofficial History of Pharmacy and Essential Documents on Materia Medica Through the Ages. For general readers, he has participated in editing classical medical texts such as the first and middle volumes of the Golden Mirror of Medicine, and has compiled and annotated works including Essentials of Materia Medica, Chuan Ya Internal and External Compilations, and The Wei Family's Collected Prescriptions. His editorial work emphasizes textual provenance and documentary evidence, providing reliable editions for clinical practice and teaching. His works span medicine and health, with 17 titles in the collection.