Medical Stepping Stones

何梦瑶Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.0

Word count: 322K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Yi Bian is a representative medical work by the Qing physician He Mengyao. The book has seven juan in all; apart from some basic theoretical content at the beginning of juan one, the first four juan mainly expound the etiology and pathogenesis, pattern diagnosis and treatment methods of internal miscellaneous diseases; juan five discusses the four diagnostic methods; the last two juan cover formulas and materia medica.

Editor's review

Yi Bian is a representative work by the Qing physician He Mengyao, its seven juan clearly structured: the first four open with basic theory and focus on the etiology and pathogenesis, pattern diagnosis and treatment of internal miscellaneous diseases; juan five is devoted to the four diagnostic methods; the last two juan contain formulas and materia medica. This arrangement—from principle to method, and from method to formulas and drugs—helps readers build an overall framework of clinical TCM thinking. This 2024 Qunyan Press edition is convenient for contemporary readers to consult and read. The book's value lies not in the exotic but in showing how a Qing physician applied theory to the diagnosis and treatment of miscellaneous diseases; it is well suited as a supplementary reader for TCM internal medicine and diagnostics. When reading, begin with the theoretical part of juan one, then use juan five's four diagnostic methods against the pattern differentiation in the first four juan, and finally verify with the formulas and drugs in the last two juan, forming a closed loop. Clinicians may use it as a reference for organizing their diagnostic thinking; enthusiasts of TCM should read it after acquiring some foundation in order to appreciate its orderliness.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with basic TCM theory who wish to systematically review approaches to diagnosing and treating internal miscellaneous diseases
Students at TCM colleges using it as supplementary reading for internal medicine and diagnostics
Grassroots TCM clinicians consulting Qing physicians' approaches to pattern differentiation and medication
TCM enthusiasts interested in Qing medical works who are willing to study in sequence

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no TCM background who seek a quick introduction
Practical-minded readers who only want single formulas and proven remedies without understanding pattern differentiation
Readers expecting modern evidence-based medical evidence and clinical guidelines

Reading tips

First read through the basic theory of juan one to build the book's conceptual framework, then move on to the miscellaneous diseases in the first four juan.
When reading the four diagnostic methods in juan five, turn back to the corresponding pattern descriptions in the first four juan to deepen understanding.
In the formulas and drugs of the last two juan, read alongside the preceding diseases and patterns, looking up formulas by disease rather than memorizing them in isolation.
After finishing each category of miscellaneous disease, restate its etiology, pathogenesis and treatment in your own words to test your grasp.

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
序
卷之一·杂症
卷之二·杂症
卷之三·杂症
卷之四·杂症
卷之五·四诊\望色
卷之六·诸方（上）\诸方门目（上）
卷之七·诸方（下）\诸方门目（下）

FAQ

Can I read Yi Bian directly without a TCM foundation?

Not really advisable. Although the first four juan contain basic theory, the book as a whole is aimed at readers who already have basic TCM concepts; the diagnosis and treatment of miscellaneous diseases and the four diagnostic methods require some foundation to understand. Readers with no foundation should first read an introductory book on basic TCM theory, then return to this book.

In what order should the seven juan of Yi Bian be read?

Read in sequence according to the original structure: first the theoretical part of juan one, then the internal miscellaneous diseases in the first four juan, next the four diagnostic methods in juan five, and finally the formulas and drugs in the last two juan. From principle to method to formulas and drugs, this yields a relatively complete understanding and facilitates cross-reference.

Can the formulas and drugs section be used alone as a formula handbook?

It can be consulted, but not in isolation. The formulas and drugs in the last two juan are closely tied to the pattern diagnosis and treatment in the preceding text; looking up formulas alone easily detaches them from indications and pathogenesis. Consult by disease and pattern, using the pattern differentiation in the first four juan to understand the basis for the formulas.

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About the author

何梦瑶 Author

He Mengyao, whose nationality, dates of birth and death, and other basic biographical details remain unknown, has only limited publicly available information. Judging from the three works held in the collection, he was an author devoted to organizing and popularizing classical Chinese medicine. His representative work, Jinyan on the Treatise on Cold Damage, offers an exposition of Zhang Zhongjing's Treatise on Cold Damage and belongs to the tradition of annotation and study within cold-damage scholarship. A separate work, the fully collated and annotated edition of Jinyan on the Treatise on Cold Damage with related studies, builds on the former by providing full textual collation, annotation, and accompanying research, reflecting solid philological care. His Medical Stepping Stone is a comprehensive medical work covering the theoretical foundations of Chinese medicine and clinical diagnosis and treatment, and is an important window into his medical thought. Overall, He Mengyao's writing emphasizes the collation and annotation of classical texts and the systematic organization of medical knowledge; his style is practical and pragmatic, suited to readers studying classical Chinese medicine and to clinical reference.