A Treatise on Wind Stroke

熊芴Tibet People's Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.6

Word count: 20K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

Treatise on Stroke. A work of internal medicine theory. The author is Xiong Hu; the period is the Qing Jiaqing era, 1644–1911 CE.

Editor's review

Treatise on Stroke is a work of internal medicine theory written by Xiong Hu during the Jiaqing era of the Qing dynasty, now published in a collated edition by Tibet People's Publishing House. The book discusses the condition of stroke (zhongfeng) and is a specialized work of traditional Chinese internal medicine theory; it is a useful reference for understanding Qing-era physicians' views on the causes and mechanisms of stroke. The traditional pattern-differentiation approach it embodies can be compared with modern medical understanding of cerebrovascular disease, helping readers grasp the historical development of traditional Chinese internal medicine theory. This edition offers an accessible collated text for readers interested in traditional Chinese medical literature, internal medicine theory, and Qing-era medical thought. It is suitable as supplementary reading for students of traditional Chinese medicine seeking to broaden their textual horizons, and for general readers interested in traditional medical theory who wish to understand how earlier physicians approached stroke. Readers should consult it alongside basic traditional Chinese medicine theory and remain mindful of differences between historical and modern disease names and the meanings of patterns, avoiding simple equations with modern disease concepts.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of traditional Chinese internal medicine who need Qing-era literature on stroke theory
Researchers of traditional Chinese medical literature interested in the collation of Qing medical texts and the evolution of theory
Practicing traditional Chinese medicine physicians who wish to compare traditional pattern-differentiation approaches
Enthusiasts of traditional culture interested in Qing-era medical works

Not a good fit for

Readers without a foundation in traditional Chinese medicine, for whom the terminology and theory present a high barrier
Clinicians seeking modern guidelines for diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular disease
General readers hoping to quickly obtain practical folk remedies and proven prescriptions

Reading tips

Read an overview of basic traditional Chinese medicine theory and modern accounts of stroke first, then turn to the original text for easier comparison and understanding.
Mark passages concerning causes and mechanisms while reading to trace the author's pattern-differentiation logic.
Read alongside other Qing-era works on stroke and note differences in physicians' views.
After each section, summarize the key points in your own words to test your understanding.

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.

版权信息
自序
序
论脏象
论经络次序
论经络浅深
论奇经八脉
论总
论宗气
论营气
论卫气
论脉诀
论病因
论中风
论八风
论轻重
论寒热
论证候
论风脉
论治法
论药饵
附案

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers without a foundation in traditional Chinese medicine?

Not really. It is a Qing-era work of internal medicine theory involving considerable traditional Chinese medicine terminology and pattern-differentiation concepts, which makes it difficult for those without a foundation. Readers should first acquire basic knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine theory or read it alongside introductory works.

Is the concept of stroke in this book the same as in modern medicine?

Not entirely. "Stroke" (zhongfeng) in traditional Chinese medicine is a historical disease name, and the patterns it covers do not correspond one-to-one with cerebrovascular disease in Western medicine. Readers should note the differences between historical and modern disease names and avoid simply applying modern disease concepts.

What preparation is needed to read this book?

It is advisable to first learn basic concepts such as causes and mechanisms of disease and the zang-fu organs and meridians, and to have a traditional Chinese medicine dictionary on hand for terminology. Reading it alongside other Qing-era works on stroke will make it easier to grasp the author's distinctive approach.

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About the author

熊芴 Author

Xiong Wu is an author about whom very little public information is available; the only confirmed details are his name and one surviving work, Treatise on Stroke (Zhongfeng Lun). The book is classified under medicine and belongs to the literature of traditional Chinese clinical practice, discussing the condition of stroke and likely covering its causes and mechanisms, pattern differentiation, and treatment principles and formulas, in keeping with the traditional genre of monographs that take a disease as their subject and prescribe according to pattern. Because his dates, birthplace, life history, and English name cannot be verified, this introduction cannot present his medical training or career, nor should it overstate his academic standing. That the Treatise has survived and been catalogued suggests it retains some reference value within the specialized literature on stroke in Chinese medicine, and it may be consulted by those studying internal medicine conditions and clinical reasoning in traditional Chinese medicine. Readers seeking a deeper understanding are advised to study the original text alongside other sources on medical history.