Thorough Medicine Past and Present

怀远Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.7

Word count: 76K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Gujin Yiche (Comprehensive Medical Insights, Ancient and Modern) is a classical Chinese medicine work by Huai Yuan of the Qing dynasty, completed in 1808 in four volumes; Qing-era woodblock editions and manuscripts are extant.

Editor's review

Gujin Yiche is a four-volume medical work written in 1808 by the Qing physician Huai Yuan, combining traditional Chinese medicine clinical practice with theory. This edition, prepared and published by Qunyan Press, offers modern readers a text close to the Qing woodblock version. Its value lies in its mid-Qing composition: it inherits the theoretical threads of earlier Chinese medical classics while bearing traces of the author's own clinical thinking, making it useful for observing how physicians of that period understood pathogenesis, formulas and medicinals, and the sequence of diagnosis and treatment. For students of Chinese medical literature, it is not an isolated rare edition but material that can be read alongside contemporary case records and formula books. It should not be treated as an introductory textbook; it is better suited to extended reading after one has a foundation, to appreciate the argumentative style and terminology of traditional medical works. The content centers on traditional medical theory and formula-based treatment, and the language is concise and archaic, requiring some ability to read classical Chinese medical texts. Overall, this is a documentary-style medical book suited to slow reading, cross-referencing, and note-taking, not a quick-reference manual.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with some foundation in Chinese medicine who wish to broaden their reading of Qing medical works
Personnel engaged in collating Chinese medical literature or studying editions
Readers interested in Qing medical history and clinical thought
Readers accustomed to reading classical Chinese medical texts who are willing to take comparative notes

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no foundation in Chinese medicine seeking a quick introduction
Readers looking for modern vernacular explanations or a quick-reference formula manual
Exam candidates expecting systematic textbook-style explanations and exercises

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and prefaces first to understand the overall structure of the four volumes, then decide the order of close reading
Keep a dictionary of Chinese medical terms at hand and annotate archaic names and disease terms as you encounter them
Read alongside contemporary case records or formula books, comparing discussions of the same disease patterns
Write a one-page summary after each volume, recording core ideas and points of doubt

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\伤寒
卷之二\杂症
卷之三\杂症
卷之四\女科

FAQ

Can I read this book directly without a foundation in Chinese medicine?

Not really recommended. This is a Qing medical work with dense terminology and archaic language; without a foundation, it is easy to stay at the surface of the words. If you are genuinely interested, first read introductory Chinese medicine textbooks and a few Qing case records, then return to this book; understanding will be much smoother.

Is this book suitable as a formula manual for reference?

No. It is closer to the prose style of a traditional medical work, with discussion and formulas interwoven; it is not a quick-reference tool arranged by disease pattern. To look up formulas, use a dedicated formula dictionary or modern formula book; this book is better for comparative reading.

Do I need to do textual collation while reading?

Ordinary readers need not undertake special collation, but should note obvious variant characters and archaic disease names. For textual research, consult the bibliographic information of Qing woodblock editions and manuscripts and compare with other collated editions, so as not to draw conclusions from a single edition.

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About the author

怀远 Author

Huaiyuan, whose biographical details are unavailable—including nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name—has only limited publicly accessible information. He is currently known for a single work, Gu Jin Yi Che (A Thorough Study of Medicine Ancient and Modern), commonly classified under medicine. In this book the author builds on the transmission of traditional medical learning and its clinical usefulness, organizing and connecting medical theory and therapeutic methods from ancient and modern sources. The word che in the title suggests a determination to probe medical principles thoroughly and achieve a comprehensive understanding. The writing is clear and practical in organization, making it convenient for readers to consult by category and to use as a clinical reference. Owing to the limited sources, Huaiyuan's personal experience, scholarly lineage, and the circumstances of the book's composition cannot be examined in detail. Nevertheless, the selection and arrangement of materials in Gu Jin Yi Che show that he valued the systematization of earlier experience and paid attention to the connection between medical theory and actual diagnosis and treatment, devoting considerable effort to integrating ancient and modern medical knowledge. The book can thus serve as a reader for understanding the organization of traditional medical literature and clinical approaches, and its influence and value lie mainly in the preservation and dissemination of medical knowledge.