Collected Essentials of Ancient Formulas

Name: Collected Essentials of Ancient Formulas
ISBN: 9787513235167

爱虚老人China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine · ChinaJul 2018

3.8

Word count: 65K words
Chapters: 16
ISBN: 9787513235167

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Summary

Compiled by Aixu Laoren in the Qing Dynasty and published in the ninth year of the Jiaqing reign (1804), *Gufang Huijing* (A Collection of Essence from Ancient Formulas) is a five-volume practical formulary that gathers more than 400 established and single-verified formulas from ancient medical texts, arranged under five categories: internal disorders, external medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, and rare conditions. Each section opens with a short preface explaining the guiding principles for composing formulas in that domain, followed by individual formulas with annotations on indications, composition, processing, and methods of use, so that readers can select formulas according to the condition. The work also discusses women's pregnancy and childbirth, pediatric bianzheng (transformative fever), and the differentiation of sores and ulcers. This edition is based on the Jingjiang Zunrentang woodblock print of the ninth year of Jiaqing.

Editor's review

*Gufang Huijing* is a practical formulary compiled by Aixu Laoren in the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. In five volumes it gathers more than 400 established and single-verified formulas, arranged under five categories: internal disorders, external medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, and rare conditions. Its value lies in opening each section with a short preface that sets out the guiding principles for composing formulas in that domain, before listing specific formulas with detailed annotations on indications, composition, processing, and usage, forming a complete chain from principle to formula and making it easy for readers to find formulas by symptom and understand principles through formulas. The book also contains dedicated discussions of women's pregnancy and childbirth, pediatric bianzheng, and the differentiation of sores and ulcers, reflecting the compiler's care to combine general treatment with specialist concerns. This edition is based on the Jingjiang Zunrentang woodblock print of the ninth year of Jiaqing, preserving the original engraved form and offering reference value for understanding Qing-era formulary compilation and clinical prescribing thought. Readers should treat it as a documentary and clinical reference rather than a manual for self-diagnosis and self-treatment. It is suitable for Chinese medicine professionals to study under the guidance of teachers or physicians, and for historians of medical literature to examine the state of Qing dynasty formulary studies.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Teachers and students at Chinese medicine colleges and universities, for studying the compilation style and formula composition of Qing formularies
Clinical practitioners of Chinese medicine, as a reference for formula selection and processing methods in practice
Historians of medical literature, for examining Jiaqing-era formulary compilation and the textual history of woodblock editions
Enthusiasts of Chinese medicine, for learning about traditional formula classification and principles of formula composition under professional guidance

Not a good fit for

General readers without a medical background, who should not fill prescriptions from the book for their own use
Clinicians seeking modern evidence-based medical guidelines
Casual readers looking only for popular health-preservation books

Reading tips

Read the preface to each section first to grasp the guiding principles of formula composition before turning to specific formulas, so as not to see formulas without seeing principles.
When unfamiliar with the drugs and processing in a formula, read alongside textbooks of Chinese materia medica or professional dictionaries.
When focusing on the gynecology, pediatrics, and sore-differentiation sections, cross-reference contemporary formularies to understand similarities and differences.
Record questions from the perspective of textual editing while reading; any clinical application must be discussed with a professional physician.

About the publisher

China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine China · Founded in 1989

China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on publishing books in traditional Chinese medicine, covering Chinese medical classics, clinical medicine, acupuncture and tuina, materia medica and formulae, and medical history and literature; its catalogue includes 3,277 titles. Representative books include Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue, Shang Han Lun, Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, Yi Zong Jin Jian, and Guo Aichun's Annotated Huangdi Neijing Suwen (Second Edition). These works involve writings by historical physicians such as Qian Yi, Zhang Zhongjing, Wang Shuhe, and Zhang Xichun, as well as documentary studies compiled by contemporary authors including Zhao Xin, Zhen Xueyan, Zhang Yongtai, and Wang Xiangang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the press emphasizes collation and annotation of original Chinese medical classics and the systematic presentation of famous physicians' works, balancing the transmission of ancient editions with reference for clinical application. Public information is limited, and no other publishing fields are covered here.

版权信息
项目专家组
国家中医药管理局中医药古籍保护与利用能力建设项目组织工作委员会
前言
许序
王序
马序
校注说明
弁言
凡例
卷一内症门
卷二外科门
卷三妇科门
卷四儿科门
卷五奇急门
总书目

FAQ

Are all the formulas in this book the author's own creations?

No. According to the source materials, this book is a collection by Aixu Laoren of more than 400 established and single-verified formulas gathered from ancient medical texts. It is a compilation rather than a collection of personally created formulas, and can therefore be used to observe how formulas from before the Qing Dynasty circulated and were organized at that time.

Can the formulas in the book be used directly by filling prescriptions as written?

Not recommended. This book is a modern edition of a Qing formulary; the indications, dosages, and processing of its formulas are historical documentary content, and modern use requires syndrome-based modification by a professional Chinese medicine physician. General readers should treat it as documentary reading and must not prepare medicines for themselves.

What edition is this modern compilation based on?

According to the source materials, this edition is based on the Jingjiang Zunrentang woodblock print of the ninth year of Jiaqing (1804). This base text preserves the basic appearance of the original engraving, helping readers understand the state of the book's early printed editions and providing a basis for textual comparison.

Which of the five sections is more valuable for specialist study?

The gynecology and pediatrics sections deserve attention. The book discusses women's pregnancy and childbirth and pediatric bianzheng, and the external medicine section also covers the differentiation of sores and ulcers. These contents can be read alongside the general formulas in the internal disorders section to help understand the compiler's approach to organizing formulas by category.

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About the author

爱虚老人 Author

Ai Xu Laoren (the Elder Who Loves Emptiness) has an unknown life history, and available public information is limited. His real name, native place, dates of birth and death, and personal background cannot be verified; all that is known is that he compiled one surviving work, Gu Fang Hui Jing (A Collection of Essential Ancient Prescriptions). Classified under medicine, the book appears from its title to be a compilation of ancient prescriptions, gathering formulas from earlier generations and arranging them by category for clinical reference. Compendia of this kind focus on preserving and organizing existing formulas, allowing readers to locate remedies by category and choose medicines according to symptoms, and they often reflect the compiler's effort in selecting and arranging earlier experience. Because the author's deeds are obscure, his scholarly lineage and personal medical skill cannot be discussed in detail, yet the circulation of Gu Fang Hui Jing as a formulary suggests that it retains some reference value in the organization of prescriptions and may offer clues for those studying the transmission of ancient formulas and medical texts.