Table of the Ten Prescriptions

包诚 / 耿世珍Tibet People's Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.4

Word count: 10K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

The Ten Categories Table is compact in size and low in price. If its 200 million characters were printed as a book at 700 characters per page, it would take over 285,700 pages; at 500,000 characters per volume, it would require 400 volumes.

Buying and storing such a massive work would take up a great deal of space and cost tens of thousands of yuan, which is beyond the means of ordinary readers. Once made into electronic discs, however, these problems are easily solved: the 200 million characters fit on just 16 discs, and the price is far lower than that of paper books, so it can enter ordinary households.

Editor's review

Shiji Biao (Table of the Ten Categories), compiled with contributions from Bao Cheng and Geng Shizhen, summarizes formulas under the ten categories in table form and is an introductory reference work on TCM formulas. The ten categories originate with Xu Zhicai of the Northern Qi, who summarized drug actions as dispersing, unblocking, tonifying, draining, light, heavy, astringent, lubricating, drying, and moistening; later physicians used these to classify formulas. The tabular layout arranges a vast number of formulas into a clear framework by preparation type and action, allowing readers to compare formulas of the same kind horizontally and trace the therapeutic thinking behind a given action vertically. The book is small and inexpensive, suitable for carrying and repeated consultation, and especially helpful for beginners in formulas in building a sense of classification. It should be noted that the tabular form inevitably omits formula explanations, dosages, and clinical modifications; readers should treat it as an index and outline rather than a complete formula book. When reading, first master the meaning of the ten categories, then fill in representative formulas table by table, checking against textbooks to avoid mistaking classification labels for diagnostic conclusions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginners in TCM formulas needing a tabular framework of the ten categories
TCM college students using it for quick retrieval of similar formulas during review
Primary-level medical and pharmacy staff using it as a small reference to carry
TCM enthusiasts wanting to understand the basic approach of the traditional ten categories

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking complete formula explanations, case records, and clinical modifications
Readers needing modern pharmacology and clinical research data
People without a TCM foundation who simply want to find formulas in the table for self-medication

Reading tips

First understand the meanings of the ten categories—dispersing, unblocking, tonifying, draining, and so on—then go through the tables item by item.
While reading the tables, annotate representative formulas and common drugs alongside, expanding the brief tables into your own notes.
Use alongside a formula science textbook, and when a formula's classification is unclear, check the textbook to confirm.
Regularly cover the table contents to test yourself, naming a representative formula for a category and its main actions.

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
十剂表序
十剂解
十剂表上
手太阴肺经
太阴肺经
阳明大肠经
足阳明胃经
足太阴脾经
足太阴脾经
手少阴心经
手少阴心经
手太阳小肠经
足太阳膀胱经
足少阴肾经
命门
手厥阴心包经
手少阳三焦经
足少阳胆经
足厥阴肝经
十剂表下
药味别名

FAQ

Are the ten categories a strict standard for classifying formulas?

Not an absolute standard. The ten categories arose from summarizing drug actions, and later generations used them to classify formulas, but many formulas have several actions at once and their classification often overlaps. Readers should treat them as an outline for understanding actions rather than an either-or judgment; mixed cases require pattern identification and textbook guidance.

Doesn't the tabular layout make the content too brief?

The tables do omit formula explanations, dosages, and decoction and administration methods; their strength is horizontal comparison and quick retrieval. Use the book as an index, and after finding a formula, consult a formula science textbook or authoritative formula book for details; only together can framework and depth be achieved.

Is this book suitable for preparing for TCM exams?

It can serve as a review aid. Exams often test formula composition, actions, and indications, and the ten-category framework helps with categorized memorization and quick review. But exams require finer detail, so textbooks and syllabi remain the standard; do not rely on the brief tables alone.

The book involves Bao Cheng and Geng Shizhen; what should readers note?

Different compilers may adjust the format and wording, so readers should consult the preface or editorial notes to understand the basis and organizing principles of the tables. If a formula's classification differs from standard textbooks, follow the textbooks and authoritative formula books and note the difference for reference.

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About the author

包诚 Author

Bao Cheng, whose dates, birthplace, and native place are unknown, is known only from limited public records. At present, only two medical works by him are known to survive: Shiji Biao (Table of the Ten Categories) and Shanghan Shenzheng Biao (Table for Examining Patterns in Cold Damage). Judging from their titles and their classification under medicine, his writing centers on traditional medical formulas and on the differentiation of patterns in cold-damage disorders. Shiji Biao organizes formula categories in tabular form for easy reference and comparison, while Shanghan Shenzheng Biao summarizes the examination and analysis of cold-damage patterns in lists. Both works adopt the table format, indicating a preference for arranging complex medical theory and diagnostic treatment content into concise, easily consulted forms. Such tabulation helps beginners grasp the essentials and practitioners look things up quickly. Because surviving sources are insufficient, his medical training, teachers, and professional activities cannot be verified; his writing can be understood only through these two works.

耿世珍 Author

Geng Shizhen is an author about whom very little biographical information survives; the available public record is limited, and his native place, dates of birth and death, education, and medical career cannot be reliably established. Only one work by him is held in the collection, Shiji Biao (Table of the Ten Categories), classified under medicine. Judging from its title, the book likely relates to the traditional Chinese medical theory of the "ten categories" of formulas and may be arranged in tabular form, allowing readers to look up medicines by category and compare their functions. Such a format is fairly common in traditional medical literature, emphasizing clarity and practical use and reflecting the author's attention to the classification and clinical application of formulas. Given the scarcity of records, Geng Shizhen's overall body of work and medical thought cannot yet be fully outlined; from Shiji Biao alone, one can only infer a serious interest in organizing materia medica and formulas, while his life and scholarly influence await further sources.