The Gates of Defecation and Urination

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.4

Word count: 51K words
Chapters: 41

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive and literary. Early forms of thought are particularly distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and topography are all vast and profound. This series, "Essence of Classic Chinese Studies: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books, with the emphasis on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by the ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and quietly absorb the classics of Chinese studies.

Editor's review

The title Dashibian Men ("The Gate of Urine and Feces") is traditionally attributed to Chen Menglei. Judging from the title, it belongs to the category of specialized writings in classical medical literature devoted to disorders of urination and defecation, and it is included in the series "Essence of Classic Chinese Studies: Original Texts," which preserves the appearance of the original books and emphasizes the preservation and transmission of traditional thought and culture. The value of such texts lies in how they present the classification of common disorders, the reasoning behind pattern differentiation, and the terminology customary in classical Chinese medicine; they are an entry point for understanding the ancient medical knowledge system and can also provide material for research on Chinese medical literature and medical history. Readers should not measure them against modern clinical guidelines, but understand them within the intellectual context of traditional medicine: how disorders are classified, how symptoms are described, and how formulas and discussions are organized. Suitable as an auxiliary reader for the study of Chinese medical culture and the reading of source texts, best accompanied by background knowledge of medical history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers in Chinese medical literature and medical history who need to consult ancient monographs on disorders
Students at Chinese medicine colleges, for reading classical medical texts and terminology training
Serious readers interested in traditional health cultivation and Chinese medical culture
Readers who collect original classics of Chinese studies and prefer editions that preserve the original appearance

Not a good fit for

General readers who want to diagnose and treat themselves by checking symptoms against the book
Beginners without Classical Chinese or Chinese medicine foundations who need modern annotation
Readers expecting popular science or light reading

Reading tips

First learn the book's background and structure, then read it section by section in the order of its categories of disorders.
Keep a dictionary of Chinese medical terms on hand to check ancient disease names and symptoms as you go.
Read it alongside the corresponding sections of medical texts from the same period to compare differences in classification and discussion.
Take notes, organizing them under headings for disorders, symptoms, and formulas and discussions, so you can look things up later.

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百六十四大小便门
阴阳应象大论
玉机真脏论
标本病传论
奇病论
厥论
灵兰秘典论
五脏别论
气厥论
五常政大论
宣明五气论
六元正纪大论
调经论
至真要大论
刺热篇
灵枢经
脉诀【晋王叔和】
千金方【唐孙思邈】
河间六书【金刘完素】
结燥论
秘结论
不禁频数
大便燥结
小便证治
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百六十五大小便门
大便不通
小便不通并不禁论
癃闭论证
论治
遗溺不禁论证
论治
大便燥结
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百六十六大小便门
方
木通连翘
双白丸治证同前。
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百六十七大小便门
针灸
导引
医案

FAQ

Can this book be used to diagnose myself by matching symptoms?

Not recommended. The classification of disorders and the description of symptoms in ancient medical texts differ greatly from today's clinical context; the content is traditional medical literature, not a diagnostic guide for general readers. If you have health problems, consult a medical professional; read this book as literature for understanding the Chinese medical knowledge system, not as a basis for self-diagnosis.

Is the content mainly formulas or theoretical discussion?

Judging from the title and the conventions of ancient medical texts, a "men" (gate/category) of this kind is usually a specialized section classified by disorder, typically combining symptom descriptions with discussions of treatment and formulas; the specific detail depends on the original book. Because this series emphasizes preserving the original appearance, readers should learn its structure directly from the main text rather than assuming in advance that it leans one way or the other.

Can I understand it without a foundation in Chinese medicine?

It will be somewhat difficult. The book involves ancient disease names, symptom terminology, and medical reasoning, and without a foundation it is easy to misunderstand the literal meaning. It is advisable to first acquire some basic concepts of Chinese medicine and general knowledge of medical history, then read with reference works at hand; if you are only curious about traditional culture, you can start with introductory books and need not force your way through the original.

What is the reading value of this book?

Its value lies mainly at the documentary and cultural level: it presents how ancient medicine classified and discussed a category of common disorders, and can serve as reference for research on medical history and Chinese medical literature; it also helps readers understand the logic by which traditional medicine organized knowledge. It is better treated as a window into ancient medical ideas than as a practical manual.

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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.