Classified Compilation of Extraordinary Prescriptions

吴世昌Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

2.9

Word count: 69K words
Chapters: 30

Summary

Qifang Leibian (Classified Compendium of Curious Prescriptions), in two juan, was copied and compiled by Mr. Wu Shichang (Banqian) of Jiangxia in the Qing dynasty and collated by E Qishan of Changbai. The work is divided into twenty-seven sections, chiefly recording prescriptions for the diagnosis and treatment of common ailments of the head and face, beard and hair, ears and eyes, mouth and nose, teeth, throat, heart and stomach, dysphagia, phlegm and cough, spleen and stomach, blood disorders, abdominal distension, dysentery and diarrhea, malaria, wind paralysis, hernia, summerheat stroke, cold damage, hemorrhoids and fistulas, injuries, acute treatment of sores and toxins, health maintenance, tonification, women's disorders, miscellaneous subjects, and other miscellaneous treatments, with experienced secret prescriptions appended at the end; in total it contains roughly more than 800 kinds among ten thousand therapeutic formulas.

Editor's review

Qifang Leibian is a Qing-dynasty compiled prescription book, compiled by Wu Shichang and collated by E Qishan. It is divided into twenty-seven sections covering the head and face, beard and hair, ears and eyes, mouth and nose, teeth, throat, heart and stomach, dysphagia, phlegm and cough, spleen and stomach, blood disorders, abdominal distension, dysentery and diarrhea, malaria, wind paralysis, hernia, summerheat stroke, cold damage, hemorrhoids and fistulas, injuries, acute treatment of sores and toxins, health maintenance, tonification, women's disorders, and miscellaneous treatments, with experienced secret prescriptions appended at the end; in total it contains roughly more than 800 kinds among ten thousand therapeutic formulas. Its value lies not in theoretical construction but in its practical arrangement by illness category for easy reference, preserving a large number of diagnostic and treatment formulas for everyday ailments in Qing popular medicine; it can serve as material for understanding the format of traditional prescription books and popular medical experience. This organized edition makes it convenient for general readers to consult by category and also suitable as a supplementary reader for research on Chinese medical literature and the history of folk medicine. It should be read as historical material and reference, not as a guide for self-prescribing medication.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in the format of Qing prescription books and popular medical experience
Students, teachers, and researchers in Chinese medical literature, medical history, or folklore studies
Collectors and readers who like to consult traditional formula materials by illness category

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern clinical treatment plans or evidence-based medical guidance
People without medical training who intend to prepare and take medicines from the book themselves
Readers who prefer systematic theoretical exposition over compilations of formula entries

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and the twenty-seven categories to understand the book's organizing logic, then choose categories of personal interest and browse entry by entry.
Read the formulas as historical documentary records, and do not use specific drugs or dosages as a basis for self-treatment.
Read alongside reference works on Chinese medical philology or medical history, paying attention to common formats and terminology in Qing prescription books.
Read one category at a time, jotting down questions and terms as they arise, and check them together afterward, avoiding the urge to rush through too much at once.

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
卷上头面门
卷上须发门
卷上耳目门
卷上口鼻门
卷上牙齿门
卷上咽喉门
卷上心胃门
卷上噎膈门
卷上痰嗽门
卷上脾胃门
卷上血症门
卷上鼓胀水肿门
卷上痢泻门
卷上疟疾门
卷上风瘫门
卷上疝气门
卷下伤暑门
卷下痔漏门
卷下损伤门
卷下疮毒门
卷下急治门
卷下保养门
卷下补益门
卷下妇人门
卷下小儿门
卷下杂治门
卷下附录经验秘方
奇疾方

FAQ

Is this book suitable for people without a foundation in Chinese medicine?

It can be browsed, but expectations should be adjusted. The book lists formulas by illness category and lacks systematic theoretical explanation, so readers without a foundation in Chinese medicine may see only drug names and indications and find it hard to understand the logic of combination. It is advisable first to learn the basic format of prescription books, then focus the reading on understanding traditional medical experience and the character of the literature, and not to use it as a basis for self-medication.

Can the formulas in the book be used directly?

Not recommended. This is a Qing-dynasty compiled prescription book; the formulas record conditions under the medical circumstances of that time and lack modern dosage standards, processing instructions, and safety assessment. General readers should treat it as documentary material rather than a diagnostic and treatment manual, and consult qualified medical professionals when feeling unwell.

In what order are the twenty-seven categories arranged?

According to the material, the book is divided into twenty-seven categories, roughly proceeding from upper-body sensory organs such as the head and face, beard and hair, ears and eyes, mouth and nose, teeth, and throat, to internal medical conditions such as heart and stomach, spleen and stomach, blood disorders, abdominal distension, dysentery and diarrhea, malaria, wind paralysis, and hernia, as well as summerheat stroke, cold damage, hemorrhoids and fistulas, injuries, and acute treatment of sores and toxins, and finally to health maintenance, tonification, women's disorders, and miscellaneous treatments, with experienced secret prescriptions appended at the end; it is a practical arrangement grouped by disease location and disease type.

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

吴世昌 Author

Very little is publicly known about Wu Shichang's life; available information indicates only that two works appear under this name, one in folk literature and one in medicine. The first, Night Reading Reflections on Classical Chinese Poetry and Prose, appears from its title to be a collection of reading notes or personal essays on classical Chinese literature, informal and reflective in tone and suited to leisurely nighttime reading. The second, A Classified Collection of Curious Remedies, is a compilation in the tradition of medical formularies, gathering or organizing folk prescriptions. The two works differ widely in subject—one literary appreciation, the other practical medicine—suggesting broad interests that may span folk culture and practical knowledge. Because verifiable biographical material is lacking, details such as birthplace, occupation and academic background cannot be confirmed; this note can therefore only describe the works themselves, and further information about the author's life remains to be discovered.