An Examination of Medical Formulas
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Summary
The book includes not only classical formulas from Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue but also effective formulas from famous physicians such as Liu Hejian, Li Dongyuan, Zhu Danxi, and Zhang Congzheng, as well as proven folk formulas. Wu comprehensively applied the method of formula discussion to analyze formulas, pioneering the tradition of formula discussion, promoting the formation of a theoretical system for formulas, and exerting a profound influence on the later development of formula science in Chinese medicine. Therefore, this book has important reference value for accurately understanding and flexibly applying formulas and improving clinical outcomes. It is one of the essential classical works of Chinese medicine for those engaged in Chinese medicine teaching, scientific research, and especially clinical diagnosis and treatment. This edition is compiled and published using the Ming Wanli fourteenth-year Youyizhai edition as the base text.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Clinical practitioners of Chinese medicine seeking to improve their understanding and flexible use of formulas
- Students of Chinese medicine formula science and medical history and literature studying the tradition of formula theory
- Teachers and researchers of Chinese medicine studying Ming dynasty formula theory and academic lineages
- Chinese medicine enthusiasts with some grounding in the classics who wish to study ancient Chinese medical texts in depth
Not a good fit for
- Absolute beginners, for whom the many formula terms and discussions of pathogenesis set a high threshold
- Readers seeking only modern dosages and proprietary medicine usage, as this is an edition of an ancient text rather than a modern medication handbook
- Those who have difficulty reading classical Chinese and are unwilling to use annotation tools
Reading tips
- Begin with the general table of contents and the etiology and pathogenesis discussions in each category to grasp the organizing logic of grouping formulas by disease pattern, then proceed to the specific formula discussions.
- Take notes on entries with longer rationale analyses, focusing on how Wu Kun explains the correspondence between composition and indications.
- Read classical formulas alongside formulas of eminent physicians, noting the selection, rejection, and adaptation of different formulas for the same disease pattern, to appreciate the method of "examination."
- When encountering an unfamiliar ancient formula, first check its composition and indications, then reread the formula discussion, avoiding memorizing formula names without examining their rationale.
About the publisher
China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on publishing books in traditional Chinese medicine, covering Chinese medical classics, clinical medicine, acupuncture and tuina, materia medica and formulae, and medical history and literature; its catalogue includes 3,277 titles. Representative books include Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue, Shang Han Lun, Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, Yi Zong Jin Jian, and Guo Aichun's Annotated Huangdi Neijing Suwen (Second Edition). These works involve writings by historical physicians such as Qian Yi, Zhang Zhongjing, Wang Shuhe, and Zhang Xichun, as well as documentary studies compiled by contemporary authors including Zhao Xin, Zhen Xueyan, Zhang Yongtai, and Wang Xiangang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the press emphasizes collation and annotation of original Chinese medical classics and the systematic presentation of famous physicians' works, balancing the transmission of ancient editions with reference for clinical application. Public information is limited, and no other publishing fields are covered here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 出版者的话
- 整理说明
- 自序
- 医方考引
- 医方考序
- 医方考序
- 卷之一
- 中风门第一
- 伤寒门第二
- 感冒门第三
- 暑门第四
- 湿门第五
- 瘟疫门第六
- 大头瘟门第七
- 卷之二
- 火门第八
- 癍疹门第九
- 疟门第十
- 痢门第十一
- 泄泻门第十二
- 秘结门第十三
- 霍乱门第十四
- 痰门第十五
- 哮喘门第十六
- 咳嗽门第十七
- 卷之三
- 虚损劳瘵门第十八
- 五尸传疰门第十九
- 气门第二十
- 血证门第二十一
- 脱肛门第二十二
- 呕吐门第二十三
- 呃逆门第二十四
- 翻胃门第二十五
- 噎膈门第二十六
- 情志门第二十七
- 卷之四
- 脾胃门第二十八
- 伤食门第二十九
- 吞酸门第三十
- 痞门第三十一
- 嘈杂门第三十二
- 郁门第三十三
- 五疸门第三十四
- 消渴门第三十五
- 水肿门第三十六
- 鼓胀门第三十七
- 小便不通门第三十八
- 小便不禁门第三十九
- 淋涩门第四十
- 精浊门第四十一
- 自汗门第四十二
- 盗汗门第四十三
- 积聚癥瘕门第四十四
- 卷之五
- 痿痹门第四十五
- 厥证门第四十六
- 痓门第四十七
- 痫门第四十八
- 癫狂门第四十九
- 惊悸怔忡门第五十
- 健忘门第五十一
- 痛风门第五十二
- 疠风门第五十三
- 喉闭门第五十四
- 头痛门第五十五
- 腹痛门第五十六
- 胁痛门第五十七
- 腰痛门第五十八
- 七疝门第五十九
- 脚气门第六十
- 眼疾门第六十一
- 耳疾门第六十二
- 鼻疾门第六十三
- 口齿舌疾门第六十四
- 卷之六
- 虫门第六十五
- 痔漏门第六十六
- 疥疮门第六十七
- 暴死门第六十八
- 痘门第六十九
- 妇人门第七十
- 广嗣门第七十一
- 延年门第七十二
- 方剂索引
FAQ
How is Yifang Kao different from a general textbook on formulas?
Are all the formulas in this book classical formulas?
What source text is used for this edition?
Is this book suitable for someone just beginning to study Chinese medical formulas?
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About the author
Wu Kun was a physician in premodern China. Very little is known about his life: his nationality, dates of birth and death, and courtesy name are not clearly recorded, and publicly available sources are limited. What can be established from his surviving works is that he devoted himself to the study and writing of medicine, with a particular strength in formulary literature. Three of his works are held in this collection, all under the title Yifang Kao (Studies of Medical Formulas), which indicates that this book is his representative achievement and the main basis for understanding his scholarship. Yifang Kao focuses on examining and evaluating medical formulas, discussing their composition, the meaning of the prescriptions, and their clinical application, reflecting an approach that values the classics and stresses practical use. Works of this kind are significant in traditional medical literature as a bridge between earlier and later scholarship, making formulas easier for later students to study and offering useful material for research on Chinese medical formulas.
