A Comprehensive Guide to Medicine

Name: A Comprehensive Guide to Medicine
ISBN: 9787117249096

赵献可 / 郭君双People's Medical Publishing House · ChinaJan 2025

4.4

Word count: 87K words
Chapters: 50
ISBN: 9787117249096

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Summary

This book was written by Zhao Xianke (Yang Kui) of the Ming dynasty. It consists of six volumes: Xuan Yuan Fu Lun (Shallow Discussions on the Mysterious Origin), Zhu Ke Bian Yi (Distinguishing Doubts Between Host and Guest), Jiang Xue Dan Shu (Red Snow Elixir Book), Xian Tian Yao Lun (On Prenatal Essentials, Parts I and II), and Hou Tian Yao Lun (On Postnatal Essentials). The author places great emphasis on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of the 'kidney and mingmen (life gate),' holding that the mingmen and the kidney stand in the relationship of water and fire. He states: 'The fire of the mingmen sovereign is fire within water; the two depend on each other and are never separated.' He further believes that if one fully grasps this theory in health preservation and medical treatment, one can not only strengthen the constitution but also gain a clear, penetrating understanding of relevant medical questions. Hence the title Yi Guan (A Comprehensive Guide to Medicine). The present edition is set in type from the Tian Gai Lou and San Duo Zhai block-printed editions, collated against each other, with some necessary adjustments made to the arrangement.

Editor's review

Yi Guan (A Comprehensive Guide to Medicine) is the representative work of Zhao Xianke, a renowned physician of the Ming dynasty. Completed in the late Ming, it is an important foundational work of the traditional Chinese medicine mingmen (life gate) theory. Grounded philosophically in the taiji theory of the Yijing (Book of Changes) and taking the mingmen as the root of human life, the book systematically expounds the physiological and pathological theoretical system of 'mingmen—two kidneys—water and fire,' pioneeringly placing the mingmen at the core of human life activity. Zhao proposes in the book that 'the fire of the mingmen is the root of primordial qi, and the water of the mingmen is the dwelling of primordial qi'; his thought on the mutual use of 'the prenatal formless fire' and 'the postnatal formed water' profoundly influenced the later development of the warming-and-tonifying school. Reading this book, one can not only understand the intellectual origins of the TCM theory that 'the kidney is the root of prenatal constitution,' but also glimpse how Ming physicians integrated Yijing principles with medical theory to construct a distinctive theoretical model. The book's exquisite elucidation of formulas such as Liuwei Dihuang Wan and Bawei Shenqi Wan remains an important reference for clinical pattern differentiation and treatment to this day. The book suits readers with some grounding in reading TCM classics, who should study it in comparison with such works as the Neijing and Nanjing. This edition from People's Medical Publishing House is meticulously collated with appropriate annotations, making it a rare and precious reader for studying TCM theory.

Who it's for

A good fit for

TCM scholars interested in researching the mingmen theory and the warming-and-tonifying school
Clinicians already grounded in classics such as the Neijing and Shanghan Lun who wish to deepen their understanding of TCM theory
Researchers of traditional culture concerned with the relationship between TCM philosophy and Yijing studies
Enthusiasts of medical history who wish to systematically understand the development of Ming dynasty medical thought

Not a good fit for

Ordinary readers seeking only simple health-preserving formulas and lacking a foundation in TCM theory
People with a purely Western medical background who expect an interpretation through modern medical pathophysiology

Reading tips

It is advisable first to read through the Neijing's discussions of the kidney and mingmen to establish a basic conceptual framework
While reading, consult the mingmen-related chapters of the Jingyue Quanshu for comparison to understand scholarly transmission and evolution
Focus on the theoretical exposition in Volumes 1 and 2; for the clinical formula sections, appreciate their application in light of later medical case records

About the publisher

People's Medical Publishing House China · Founded in 1953

Founded in 1953, the People's Medical Publishing House is an important institution in China's medical publishing field, with publishing directions covering medical textbooks, academic monographs, medical journals, and popular science books. Its collection contains 2,503 titles, mainly classified under medicine. Representative works include the Complete Book of Chinese Nutrition Science (2nd Edition, 2 volumes), Guide to Clinical Practice with Medical Records, the Golden Mirror of Medicine (Volume 1), Chinese Medical Imaging: Head and Neck Volume (3rd Edition), and the Essentials of the Golden Cabinet from the Collected Clinical Chinese Medicine Must-Read Series (Collector's Edition), spanning both modern medicine and classical Chinese medical texts. Representative authors include Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou, Ye Tianshi, Su Li, Wu Qian, Zheng Jinsheng, Wang Zhenchang, and Xian Junfang, covering fields such as nutrition, Chinese medicine, and medical imaging. With a publishing approach that balances textbooks and academic monographs, the press has established the "Renwei" brand.

版权信息
出版者的话
序
导读
整理说明
医巫闾子医贯序
卷之一玄元肤论
内经十二官论
阴阳论
五行论
卷之二主客辨疑
中风论
伤寒论
温病论
郁病论
卷之三绛雪丹书
血证论
卷之四先天要论上
八味丸方
张仲景八味丸用泽泻论
水火论
六味丸说
八味丸说
滋阴降火论
相火龙雷论
阴虚发热论
痰论
咳嗽论
吐血论
喘论
喉咽痛论
眼目论
卷之五先天要论下
齿论
口疮论
耳论
耳疮论
消渴论
气虚中满论
噎膈论
泻利并大便不通论
小便不通并不禁论
梦遗并滑精论
卷之六后天要论
补中益气汤论
伤饮食论
中暑伤暑论
湿论
疟论
痢疾论

FAQ

What is the core academic viewpoint of Yi Guan?

The book takes the 'mingmen' as the sovereign of human life, proposing that the mingmen contains the prenatal formless fire (sovereign fire) and the postnatal formed water (true yin), which complement and sustain each other and are the root of yin and yang in the body and the foundation of the five zang and six fu organs. This theoretical system is called the 'mingmen theory' and is an important theoretical foundation of the TCM warming-and-tonifying school.

How does Zhao Xianke's mingmen theory relate to Zhang Jingyue's academic thought?

Zhao Xianke's mingmen theory emphasizes the dominance of the mingmen fire and leans toward warming and tonifying; Zhang Jingyue developed on this basis the theory of 'yang is not in excess, yin is often insufficient' and of dual yin-yang tonification. Both belong to the warming-and-tonifying school but differ in emphasis, representing important currents of Ming dynasty medical thought.

Does the theory of Yi Guan still have guiding value in modern clinical practice?

Its mingmen water-fire theory still has important guiding significance for modern TCM treatment of kidney-related diseases, reproductive system diseases, aging-related diseases, and some chronic deficiency-consumption conditions; its elucidation of Liuwei and Bawei pills is moreover the theoretical basis for commonly used clinical formulas, though it must be applied flexibly in conjunction with modern pattern-differentiation systems.

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About the author

赵献可 Author

Zhao Xianke was a physician of the Ming dynasty. Publicly available information about his life, including his native place and dates of birth and death, is limited, and he is known mainly through his medical writings. Six of his works are held in this collection, including different editions of Yiguan (A Comprehensive Guide to Medicine), Yi Wuluzi Yiguan, and Handan Yigao. Judging from these titles and their classification, his writing focuses on medical theory and clinical experience, addressing practical diagnosis and treatment and belonging to the tradition of Chinese medical literature. Yiguan circulated widely and was studied and discussed by later physicians, exerting some influence on the transmission of topics such as the mingmen (life gate) theory in Chinese medicine; Handan Yigao is likewise an important source for studying his scholarly approach. Because few verifiable details of his personal life survive, this introduction concentrates on the subject matter and circulation of his works rather than speculating about biographical particulars.

郭君双 Author

Guo Junshuang is an author known for collating and annotating classical Chinese medical texts. Publicly available information about her is limited, and details such as her birthplace, dates of birth and death, and professional experience are not clearly recorded. Judging from the seven works held in the collection, her work focuses on the collation and dissemination of traditional Chinese medical literature, covering fields such as pediatrics, pulse studies, ophthalmology, medical theory, and oral and laryngeal medicine. Representative works include Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue, Mai Jing, Shen Shi Yao Han, Yi Guan, and Kou Chi Lei Yao · Hou Ke Mi Jue, most of which are collated editions of Chinese medical classics or important clinical writings. Such work generally requires a solid grounding in textual and bibliographical scholarship as well as a good understanding of Chinese medical theory. Her collated editions provide readable and accessible texts for students and researchers of Chinese medicine and help these classics circulate and be used in the contemporary era. The available materials are insufficient to describe her academic lineage or positions, and readers may consult specific editions to learn about the features of her collation work.