Methods of External Diagnosis

Name: Methods of External Diagnosis
ISBN: 9787513248402

Chen Menglei / Jiang TingxiChina Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine · ChinaNov 2018

3.4

Word count: 84K words
Chapters: 53
ISBN: 9787513248402

Report an error Find this book

Summary

Waizhen Fa (Methods of External Diagnosis), also known as Lidai Mingyi Waizhen Chabing Fa (Methods of External Diagnosis and Disease Investigation by Famous Physicians of Successive Dynasties), was compiled by the Qing scholar Chen Menglei and others and included in the Gujin Tushu Jicheng (Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from the Earliest to Current Times); it was later recompiled by Jiang Tingxi and others. Volumes 1 to 3 introduce inspection (wang) and also discuss pulse diagnosis; Volume 4 covers listening and smelling (wen); Volume 5 covers inquiry (wen). The four diagnostic methods are documented comprehensively and in detail, making the work of great value for the study of traditional Chinese diagnostic methods.

Editor's review

This book is a compilation of TCM diagnostic writings, compiled by Chen Menglei and others in the Qing dynasty and re-edited by Jiang Tingxi and others, originally titled Methods of External Diagnosis by Physicians Through the Ages and now edited and published by a professional press. It is divided into volumes according to the four diagnostic methods of inspection, listening, inquiry and palpation: Volumes 1 to 3 cover inspection and also discuss pulse diagnosis, Volume 4 is listening, and Volume 5 is inquiry. The material gathered is comprehensive and described in detail, presenting the ancient physicians' systematic understanding of diagnosing illness through external examination. Its value lies not in offering quick treatment plans but in serving as a source on the origins of diagnostic methods and as documentary evidence for study: readers can compare the original text to see how the four methods were classified, and can also learn about the compilation of medical literature in the Gujin Tushu Jicheng. It is suitable for researchers of TCM literature, clinicians tracing the basis of diagnostic methods, and TCM college teachers and students for thematic reading. When reading, one should investigate with questions in mind and pay attention to differences between ancient and modern disease names and contexts.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers of TCM literature and medical history who need to trace the origins and classification of four-diagnosis materials
TCM college teachers and students doing extended reading of original texts alongside diagnostics courses
Clinical TCM practitioners who wish to trace the traditional documentary basis of inspection, listening and inquiry
TCM enthusiasts with some grounding in classical Chinese who are willing to read the original text closely

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners without TCM or classical Chinese foundations, for whom the reading threshold is relatively high
Medical workers seeking modern clinical guidelines or quick-reference handbooks
General readers hoping to learn about TCM through light storytelling

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and the inspection section in Volume 1 to build an overall framework of the four-diagnosis volumes before proceeding volume by volume.
Keep a TCM diagnostics textbook at hand for comparison, and note differences between ancient and modern terminology as you go.
Read only a small section at a time, excerpt key points from the original text, and try to restate the essentials of the diagnostic methods in your own words.
If using the book for research, first define a topic, then search for relevant entries by inspection, listening and inquiry volumes.

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
校注说明
卷一望
黄帝素问
灵枢经
卷二望
灵枢经
扁鹊难经
金匮要略
伤寒论
卷三望
中藏经
脉诀
千金方
河间六书
东垣十书
丹溪心法
格致余论
外科精义
医学入门
医学准绳六要
古今医统
证治准绳
医门法律
景岳全书
身经通考
石室秘录
卷四闻
黄帝素问
扁鹊难经
金匮要略
中藏经
东垣十书
医学准绳六要
医学入门
医门法律
身经通考
卷五问
黄帝素问
甲乙经
扁鹊难经
伤寒论
东垣十书
丹溪心法
格致余论
医学入门
医宗必读
医学准绳六要
古今医统
医门法律
景岳全书
身经通考
校注后记

FAQ

Is this book suitable for TCM beginners to read directly?

Not really. This is a Qing-dynasty compilation of diagnostic writings; the original text is detailed but contains classical Chinese and ancient medical terminology, so without basic TCM theory and classical Chinese reading ability it is easy to get bogged down. Beginners should first study modern TCM diagnostics textbooks, then use it as a source reader for tracing origins.

How are the four diagnostic methods arranged across the volumes?

According to the source material, Volumes 1 to 3 cover inspection and also discuss pulse diagnosis; Volume 4 is listening; and Volume 5 is inquiry. The four-diagnosis material collected is comprehensive and detailed, so readers can locate the section they need by this structure rather than reading straight through.

How should one handle differences between ancient and modern terminology while reading?

It is advisable to keep a modern TCM diagnostics textbook or reference work at hand for comparison. When encountering ancient disease names or pulse descriptions, verify them first and then interpret them, rather than applying ancient formulations directly to modern clinical practice. In notes, record the source and volume number for later checking.

Where does the book's research value mainly lie?

It preserves systematic material on external diagnosis by famous physicians through the ages and arranges it by the four diagnostic methods. It is of reference value for studying the origins, classification and documentary shape of TCM diagnostic methods. Researchers can use it as documentary evidence, compare it with similar works on diagnostic methods, and examine the inheritance and changes in ancient discussions of the four diagnoses.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Chen Menglei Author · China · 1651–1741

Chen Menglei (1651–1741), courtesy names Zizhen and Shengzhai, later styled the Old Man of Songhe, was a Qing dynasty scholar from Houguan, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign and was appointed to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler. After 1698, by imperial order, he tutored the third prince, Yinzhii, and took the opportunity to compile a vast classified encyclopedia, the Hui Bian, using the collection of the Xieyi Hall; the Kangxi Emperor later bestowed on it the title Gujin Tushu Jicheng. The library holds more than 410 of his works, mostly sections of the officialdom chapters of that encyclopedia, covering institutions such as the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Observatory, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, prefectural governors, the Transmission Office, and the Imperial Medical Academy. These works address ancient bureaucratic systems, ritual norms, and administrative practice. His compilations are distinguished by systematic classification and extensive citation, preserving a wealth of source materials for later generations; they are commonly categorized under culture and Eastern philosophy. As public information on his life is limited, this note confines itself to his known scholarly contributions.

Jiang Tingxi Author · Chinese · 1669–1732

Jiang Tingxi (1669–1732), courtesy names Youjun and Yangsun, art names Nansha and Xigu, was a native of Changshu, Jiangsu. A jinshi of the forty-second year of the Kangxi reign, he served successively as Vice Minister of Rites and Minister of Revenue, and in the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign was appointed Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall; he received the posthumous title Wensu. He presided over the recompilation of the Gujin Tushu Jicheng, making notable contributions to the organization of documentary sources, and was skilled in bird-and-flower painting, founding the “Jiang school” of that genre. The collection here includes one work by him, Waizhen fa (Methods of External Diagnosis), classified under medicine, indicating that his writings touch on medical theory and diagnostic methods. Public information on the book’s background and specific contents is limited, so a detailed account is difficult; by subject it appears to be a work on diagnostic methods, reflecting traditional physicians’ emphasis on observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking. Its style and medical influence await further study in conjunction with the original text.