Bian Que's Extraordinary Prescriptions

Name: Bian Que's Extraordinary Prescriptions
ISBN: 9787571930332

Hu YuanbinHeilongjiang Science & Technology Press · ChinaOct 2026

3.0

Word count: 87 words
Chapters: 5
ISBN: 9787571930332

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Summary

Bian Que was a renowned physician of the Warring States period, honored as the "Ancestor of Medicine." His exceptional medical skill cured many ailments for the common people, and he made a distinctive contribution to the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Building on the clinical experience of his predecessors, Bian Que created and codified the diagnostic methods of observation (looking at complexion), auscultation and olfaction (listening to sounds), inquiry (asking about the illness), and palpation (feeling the pulse). Bian Que was the earliest physician in Chinese history to apply pulse diagnosis to determine illness and proposed a corresponding theory of pulse diagnosis. Drawing mainly on Bian Que's Inner Canon and Outer Canon, this book selects his methods for treating diseases in internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, and the five sense organs, and also covers therapeutic methods such as stone needling, acupuncture and moxibustion, massage, decoctions, and hot compresses. Faithful to the original text, it presents both the original passages and their translations, making it highly instructive for clinical practice.

Editor's review

Centered on the diagnostic and therapeutic experience of the Warring States physician Bian Que and drawing on the textual traditions of the Inner Canon and Outer Canon, this book presents treatments for diseases by department—internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, and the senses—and covers a range of external and internal methods including stone needling, acupuncture and moxibustion, massage, decoctions, and hot compresses. The layout pairs original text with translation, preserving the appearance of the ancient works while lowering the reading barrier, so readers can appreciate Bian Que's integrated approach of observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking, especially the early form of pulse diagnosis theory. For readers who want to understand the origins of Chinese diagnostic science and clinical reasoning, this book offers a path from classical texts into practical understanding; for practitioners, its organization by department and therapy facilitates reference and comparison. Note that this is a work of ancient-text compilation and knowledge popularization; readers should treat it as a reference for understanding traditional medical thinking, not as a substitute for modern diagnosis and treatment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the origins of Chinese diagnostics and Bian Que's scholarly lineage
Chinese medicine students and primary-care practitioners using it for classical reading and clinical reference
Enthusiasts who prefer facing translations to ease the difficulty of classical Chinese
Readers interested in the historical application of acupuncture, massage, decoctions, and other traditional therapies

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern evidence-based treatment plans for self-diagnosis and medication
Complete beginners with no Chinese medicine background and no exposure to classical Chinese or medical terminology
Learners expecting a systematic textbook with exercises and assessments

Reading tips

Read the sections on the four diagnostic methods and pulse diagnosis first to build an overall framework of Bian Que's diagnostic approach, then move on to treatments by department.
Read the original and translation side by side; mark terms first and look them up after finishing a section to avoid constant interruption.
Take simple notes by department, recording the correspondence between therapies and indications for later reference and review.
Distinguish ancient experience from modern clinical standards while reading; consult a qualified physician for specific treatments.

About the publisher

Heilongjiang Science & Technology Press China · Founded in 1979

Heilongjiang Science & Technology Press focuses on agriculture and forestry science, architectural design, medical and health care, quality of life, and science fiction and popular science, while also introducing classic works and foreign literature. Its catalog includes short story collections by Chekhov, O. Henry, and Maupassant, as well as Maugham's The Razor's Edge; dietary and health texts such as Suixiju Yinshi Pu; popular science titles such as Looking for Insects in South America; annotated editions of Czerny's elementary piano studies; and inspirational titles such as Thinking Determines the Way Out. Its author resources include foreign writers such as Chekhov, Maugham, O. Henry, and Maupassant, along with compilers and editors such as Tian Weihua, Wang Shixiong, Hu Yuanbin, and Zhu Zhuoqing. Public information is limited, and the above is based solely on the catalog to summarize its publishing characteristics.

版权信息
前言
玉龙经针炙法
玉龙经穴治证
治病良方神方

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no Chinese medicine background?

It can be read, but requires some patience. The book presents original text with translation; the translation helps with the gist, but there are many terms related to pulse images, meridians, and decoctions. Beginners are advised to start with the translation, learn the concepts alongside introductory Chinese medicine readings, and then return to the original for smoother reading.

Can the treatments in the book be used directly?

Not recommended. This is a work of ancient-text compilation and knowledge popularization, presenting the diagnostic and therapeutic experience of Bian Que and early Chinese medicine from a different historical context. Readers should treat it as a reference for understanding traditional medical thinking; for specific conditions, medications, and acupuncture procedures, always consult a qualified physician.

How are the original text and translation arranged?

The selected pieces retain the original text with accompanying translations for easy comparison. Readers can first read the translation to grasp the main idea, then return to the original to appreciate its wording and terminology—neither blocked by classical Chinese nor losing the original appearance of the classical text.

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About the author

Hu Yuanbin Author · China · 1963

Hu Yuanbin was born in November 1963 in Fang County, Hubei Province. He graduated from Hubei Education College and is a member of the Hubei Provincial Writers Association. He has long been engaged in book editing and popular writing, having compiled and written hundreds of books on biography, historical stories, and traditional Chinese culture. His works number 203 in the library, including representative titles such as Journey to the West, Water Margin, Wandering, Suixiju Diet Manual, and The Splendid Scenes of the Imperial Palace. His common categories cover inspirational growth, health, culture, medicine, historical reading, and film and television. His works show a focus on accessible writing for general readers, turning literary classics, historical knowledge, and dietary and medical common sense into easy-to-read volumes. Public information is limited, and details of his specific career are difficult to elaborate, but through his considerable output he has achieved broad coverage in the field of popular reading.