Section on Sudden Malevolent Attacks

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.5

Word count: 17K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture has a long history, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early intellectual forms are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and gazetteers—all are vast and profound in content.

This series, "Essence of Classic Chinese Learning: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Zhong'e Men is included in the "Essence of Classic Chinese Learning: Original Texts" series and continues its editorial approach of preserving the original appearance of the books while focusing on transmitting traditional thought and culture. As the title indicates, "Zhong'e Men" concerns traditional medical and folk understandings of sudden fainting and afflictions caused by pathogenic influences, placing it within a documentary intersection of religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, and local customs and gazetteers. The value of this book lies not in offering modern medical guidance, but in presenting how people in earlier times understood the body, illness, and supernatural forces, providing primary texts for the study of traditional medical concepts, folk beliefs, and ritual and divination culture. It should be read within the framework of classical Chinese learning and folkloric documents, with attention to its terminology, narrative logic, and historical limitations, rather than by directly applying its methods. It is suitable as supplementary reading for enthusiasts of traditional culture and as reference material for readers in related fields.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Culture enthusiasts interested in classical Chinese medical texts and folk medical concepts
Readers studying traditional religious theology, ritual arts, and local customs and gazetteers
Collectors of classical Chinese texts who prefer editions that preserve the original appearance

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern medical advice or first-aid knowledge
Casual readers looking only for light stories and unwilling to engage with classical Chinese and terminology
Readers prone to directly applying ancient ritual methods in practice

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and the editor's notes to clarify the meaning and context of "zhong'e" in traditional literature.
Keep a brief glossary of Chinese medical and folkloric terms at hand and note unfamiliar concepts as you go.
Read alongside medical texts and local gazetteers in the same series to compare differences in wording across documents.
After reading, write brief notes distinguishing ancient records of ideas from knowledge that can be verified today.

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷三百二十八中恶门
千金方【唐孙思邈】
医学纲目【明楼英】
古今医统【明徐春甫】
证治准绳【明王肯堂】
石室秘箓【清陈士释】
方
单方
针灸
医案
卒中暴死门
黄帝素问
金匮要略【汉张机】
医学纲目【明楼英】
古今医统【明徐春甫】
证治准绳【明王肯堂】
石室秘箓【清陈士铎】
方
单方
针灸
医案

FAQ

Can this book be used as a manual for Chinese medical diagnosis and treatment?

No. This book is an edition of traditional cultural source texts and presents ideas and formulations found in ancient documents; it is not a diagnostic or treatment guide verified by modern medicine. Readers should treat it as material for understanding traditional medical culture and folk beliefs, and should still seek medical care when unwell.

Can I read it without a foundation in classical Chinese?

Yes, but patience is required. The book preserves the original appearance of the source text, and its terminology and style bear the marks of their era. It is advisable to first use reference works and annotations to grasp the general meaning, then proceed gradually; there is no need to understand everything at once.

What exactly does "zhong'e" refer to?

In traditional literature, "zhong'e" mostly refers to acute conditions such as sudden fainting and blockage of qi, often associated with ideas of pathogenic invasion and environmental changes. Definitions in different medical books and folk records are not entirely consistent, so readers should distinguish them in light of the specific chapter.

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About the author

Chen Menglei Author · China · 1651–1741

Chen Menglei (1651–1741), courtesy names Zizhen and Shengzhai, later styled the Old Man of Songhe, was a Qing dynasty scholar from Houguan, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign and was appointed to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler. After 1698, by imperial order, he tutored the third prince, Yinzhii, and took the opportunity to compile a vast classified encyclopedia, the Hui Bian, using the collection of the Xieyi Hall; the Kangxi Emperor later bestowed on it the title Gujin Tushu Jicheng. The library holds more than 410 of his works, mostly sections of the officialdom chapters of that encyclopedia, covering institutions such as the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Observatory, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, prefectural governors, the Transmission Office, and the Imperial Medical Academy. These works address ancient bureaucratic systems, ritual norms, and administrative practice. His compilations are distinguished by systematic classification and extensive citation, preserving a wealth of source materials for later generations; they are commonly categorized under culture and Eastern philosophy. As public information on his life is limited, this note confines itself to his known scholarly contributions.