Treatise on the Three Wasting Disorders

Liu WansuTibet People's Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.3

Word count: 8.5K words
Chapters: 5

Summary

The Book of Changes says: from the Great Void above to the Yellow Springs below, heaven and earth have six positions. The Inner Canon says: the human body, from head to foot, also has six positions. Now I further say: within the human chest and abdomen, from the lungs to the kidneys, there are again six positions. Humans and heaven and earth, the transformative work of the five phases, share the same furnace; know that and you know this. Thus the qi established in heaven is metal and fire; the qi established on earth is earth and water; the qi established in humans is wind and fire. Therefore metal and fire combine to produce heat and clarity, earth and water combine to produce dampness and cold, and wind and fire combine to produce warmth and flame.

Editor's review

Treatise on the Three Wasting-Thirsts is a specialized essay by Liu Wansu, a physician of the Jin-Yuan period, on the pathogenesis of wasting-thirst disease. Using the six positions of heaven and earth from the Book of Changes and the Inner Canon as its framework, it divides the human chest and abdomen from the lungs to the kidneys into six positions and explains the generation of heat and clarity, dampness and cold, and warmth and flame through the combination of metal and fire, earth and water, and wind and fire, then extends this to analyze the pathogenesis of the three wasting-thirsts. Its value lies in placing humans, nature and the transformative work of the five phases in the same furnace, displaying Liu Wansu's scholarly orientation toward fire and heat as causes of disease; it is an important text for studying Jin-Yuan medicine and theories of wasting-thirst. It is short but dense in argument, suitable for readers interested in traditional Chinese theories of pathogenesis; read it by first grasping the correspondences between the six positions and the five phases, then understanding the argument on the three wasting-thirsts, and note its speculative theoretical character rather than treating it as a clinical manual to apply directly.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers of basic theory and pathogenesis in Chinese medicine, interested in Liu Wansu's thought on fire and heat
Students of Chinese medical literature who need to study original Jin-Yuan physicians' writings on wasting-thirst
Teachers and students at Chinese medicine colleges, as supplementary reading for courses on various schools of Chinese medicine
Advanced enthusiasts of Chinese medicine interested in traditional theories of wasting-thirst

Not a good fit for

Beginners unable to read classical Chinese and lacking basic theory of Chinese medicine
Patients seeking modern diagnosis and treatment plans or medication guides for diabetes
Readers who want only a quick grasp of common knowledge about wasting-thirst and do not wish to examine theoretical reasoning

Reading tips

First sort out the correspondences between the six positions of heaven and earth and the six positions of the human body, then read the argument on the three wasting-thirsts
Read alongside relevant passages from the Inner Canon and other works by Liu Wansu to understand the context of his fire-and-heat theory
Take notes on the pathogenesis reasoning while reading, distinguishing theoretical analogy from specific diagnosis and treatment to avoid confusion
Though short, it is dense in argument; read slowly in sections and, after each, summarize the main point in your own words

About the publisher

Tibet People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1971

Tibet People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for collating Tibetan and Chinese ancient texts and publishing traditional culture. Judging from the books in its catalogue, its publishing focuses on medicine, Eastern philosophy, classics, and ancient poetry. It offers traditional Chinese medical and health-preserving works such as the Compendium of Materia Medica, Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold, and Principles of Correct Diet, as well as canonical and philosophical texts including the Book of Changes, Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, Annotated Edition of the Erya, and Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals, along with historical and geographical works such as The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores. Its authors include figures such as Li Shizhen, Sun Simiao, King Wen of Zhou, Zuo Qiuming, Guo Pu, Dong Zhongshu, Hu Sihui, and Ma Huan. The house emphasizes the collation and republication of ancient texts, balancing scholarship and accessibility, and has developed its own strengths in transmitting Tibetan and Chinese cultural classics. Public information is limited, so other publishing details are omitted here.

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FAQ

What is Treatise on the Three Wasting-Thirsts mainly about?

The essay takes the six-positions theory from the Book of Changes and the Inner Canon as its basis, divides the human chest and abdomen from the lungs to the kidneys into six positions, uses the combination of metal and fire, earth and water, and wind and fire to explain the generation of cold, heat, warmth and clarity, and on this basis discusses the pathogenesis of the three wasting-thirsts. The whole text emphasizes theoretical reasoning and reflects Liu Wansu's scholarly focus on fire and heat as causes of disease.

Can someone without a foundation in Chinese medicine understand this book?

The threshold is relatively high. The original is in classical Chinese and makes extensive use of analogical reasoning based on the six positions, the five phases and the correspondence between humans and nature; without basic theory of Chinese medicine it easily reads as abstract philosophy. It is advisable first to acquire basic knowledge of yin-yang, the five phases and the internal organs, or to read it alongside annotated editions or textbooks.

How should the six-positions theory in the book be understood?

The author divides heaven and earth from the Great Void to the Yellow Springs into six positions, and also divides the human body from head to foot and the chest and abdomen from the lungs to the kidneys each into six positions, emphasizing that humans and the transformative work of heaven, earth and the five phases share the same furnace. While reading, first draw a table of the correspondences between the six positions and metal-fire, earth-water and wind-fire, then understand how it serves the discussion of the three wasting-thirsts.

Can this book be used to guide the daily treatment of wasting-thirst?

It should not be. The book is a theoretical essay focused on reasoning about pathogenesis rather than specific formulas, and disease names and treatment conditions differ greatly between past and present. It is better read as a text for understanding traditional theories of wasting-thirst; actual diagnosis and treatment should follow modern medical standards and be carried out under the guidance of a professional physician.

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About the author

Liu Wansu Author · Chinese · 1110–1200

Liu Wansu (c. 1110–1200), courtesy name Shouzhen, styled himself Tongxuan Chushi. A native of Hejian (present-day Hejian, Hebei) in the Jin dynasty, he is known as Liu Hejian. He stands first among the Four Great Masters of the Jin-Yuan period and founded the Hejian school. Advocating that "the six climatic factors can all transform into fire," he often used cold and cool medicinals in practice, so his school is also called the Cold-Cool school. His works, including Suwen Xuanji Yuanbing Shi and Huangdi Suwen Xuanming Lun Fang, elaborate the pathogenesis theories of the Inner Canon and helped inspire the later development of warm-disease studies. Ten of his works survive, among them Suwen Bingji Qiyi Baoming Ji, Sanxiao Lun, Shanghan Zhige and Hejian Yiji, covering pathogenesis, formulas, cold damage and wasting-thirst patterns. His clear scholarly line occupies an important bridging place in Jin-Yuan medicine.