Collected Essences of Famous Physicians Past and Present

罗美Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

4.0

Word count: 196K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Heaven and earth give birth to people, yet longevity has differed from ancient times to the present—why? Once simplicity gives way to sophistication, lifespans diverge. Those who speak of the art of benevolence compile medical books to save the prematurely dead, and all first cite the Suwen and Nanjing, then the Han and Tang, and further the teachings of worthies of successive ages, gathering them into volumes as a bridge for later students—is their merit not great! Yet the appropriate methods differ by locality, the old and the strong are not the same, mountain dwellers and city dwellers are treated differently, the well-fed and the coarse-fed take separate paths; as the qi of the times shifts and eras rise and fall, people living within the interaction of qi have differing endowments and depths of illness that flow with the workings of qi—this is not easy to understand.

Editor's review

Gujin Mingyi Huicui is a medical compilation chiefly gathering the discourses of famous physicians through the ages. Its value lies in collecting medical views from the Suwen and Nanjing down through the Han and Tang and the schools of successive eras into one collection, offering later students a bridge for entry and reference. The book particularly stresses that appropriate methods vary with region, constitution, age, and living conditions: mountain dwellers and city dwellers, the well-fed and the coarse-fed, are treated differently, and shifts in the qi of the times also affect endowment and the depth of illness. This approach is illuminating for understanding the flexibility and holistic outlook of traditional Chinese medicine. This edition is republished by Qunyan Press in 2024, making traditional medical discourse accessible to modern readers. It is suitable as a supplementary reader for students of TCM theory or for readers interested in the doctrines of physicians through the ages. Readers should keep its compilatory nature in mind, not memorizing every entry, but attending to how different physicians accept or reject and differ on the same question, and studying selected parts according to their needs.

Who it's for

A good fit for

TCM students seeking to broaden their view of physicians' doctrines through the ages
Grassroots TCM practitioners hoping to enrich their diagnostic thinking by consulting various schools
TCM enthusiasts with some classical Chinese who want to understand traditional medical discourse
Collectors interested in modern editions of traditional Chinese medical classics

Not a good fit for

Readers with no classical Chinese ability who need to start from scratch
Clinicians seeking modern diagnostic and treatment plans for specific diseases or quick-reference formulas
General readers who prefer popular medical science and light reading

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and prefaces first to understand the book's arrangement and selection, then decide which sections to study closely.
Read by topic, comparing discussions of the same illness or the same physician together to appreciate similarities and differences.
Keep a TCM dictionary or basic editions of the Suwen and Nanjing at hand to check terminology.
Summarize each passage in your own words to avoid skimming without comprehension.

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
卷一\论集
卷二\脉要集
卷三\病能集一（杂证九门）
卷四\病能集二（杂证十一门）
卷五\病能集三（杂证十三门）
卷六\病能集四（杂证十门）
卷七\病能集五（杂证十门）
卷八\病能集六（妇人治例四篇）

FAQ

Is this book suitable for someone with no TCM background?

Not really. The book chiefly compiles medical discourses through the ages, involving the Suwen, Nanjing, and the doctrines of schools from the Han and Tang onward, with much terminology and classical Chinese. Readers without TCM grounding or with difficulty reading classical Chinese may remain at the literal level and struggle to grasp its diagnostic thinking; it is better to acquire basic knowledge first.

What exactly does the book mean by methods differing by locality?

According to the book's introduction, differences by locality include regional differences, the distinction between the old and the strong, differences between mountain and city environments, differences between rich and coarse diets, and changes in endowment and depth of illness brought by shifts in the qi of the times and the rise and fall of eras. The core point is that readers should not cling to a single formula or method but consider medical discourse flexibly in light of specific conditions.

As a compilation, what should readers pay attention to?

Keep its compilatory nature in mind: it gathers many schools, and their views are not necessarily consistent. Do not try to memorize every entry; attend to how different physicians accept or reject and differ on the same question, study selected parts according to your learning needs, and consult basic medical texts for terminology to avoid taking passages out of context.

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About the author

罗美 Author

Luo Mei is an author who left works in the field of traditional Chinese medical literature but about whom little is recorded; publicly available information is limited, and details such as place of origin, dates of birth and death, and medical career cannot be reliably established. Judging from the two works held in the collection, Gujin Mingyi Huicui and Gujin Mingyi Fanglun, Luo Mei's writing clearly centers on the scholarly experience and formula application of famous physicians across the ages, and belongs to the compilation and commentary type of medical literature organization. Works of this kind generally emphasize the selection and arrangement of earlier medical discussions, making it convenient for readers to consult physicians' views and commonly used formulas by category, and reflecting the compiler's familiarity with medical classics and a practical orientation. The words huicui and fanglun in the two titles also suggest that the content leans toward gathering materials and discussing formula meanings rather than personal case records or clinical notes. Although biographical details are lacking, these two works still provide useful texts for studying the transmission of traditional medical knowledge and the compilation of formula books.