Questions and Answers on Materia Medica

唐宗海Tibet People's Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

4.0

Word count: 40K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Last winter I traveled to Guangdong and met Mr. Zhang Bolong. He was naturally keen and quick-witted, thoroughly versed in letters and history, attentive to the ways of the world, and yet he did not pursue the civil examinations—a truly broad-minded man. His father, Moyuan, had once been recommended by Zhang Xiangshuai as a model official; taxed by the cares of administration, he often fell ill. Bolong, knowing that a son must understand medicine in order to care for his parents, presented him with medical books seven years ago, in the spring. When his father happened to contract a seasonal illness with dangerous symptoms and the assembled physicians were at a loss, Bolong spared no effort in treating him, and he recovered at once, earning the name of a master physician, which made him famous overnight. From then on he paid even more attention to medical principles. On meeting me by chance, he kept me for discussions, saying that the various Chinese and Western medical books I had written were already detailed on the sources of illness and methods of treatment.

Editor's review

Ben Cao Wen Da discusses materia medica and medical principles in a question-and-answer format; its author, Tang Zonghai, was a modern physician known for reconciling Chinese and Western medicine. The origin recorded in the materials is rather interesting: Zhang Bolong was naturally keen and quick-witted, thoroughly versed in letters and history. When his father, Moyuan, contracted a seasonal illness with dangerous symptoms and the assembled physicians were at a loss, Bolong spared no effort in treating him and brought him to safety; from then on he paid close attention to medical principles. After meeting Tang Zonghai, he kept him for discussions, and this gave rise to this work of questions and answers. The book unfolds as a series of questions and answers, opening up layer by layer the difficult points of drug properties, sources of illness, and methods of treatment. Its language is relatively plain and its reasoning strong; it is suitable for sorting out concepts and testing one's understanding after one already has some grounding in Chinese medicine. Readers may treat it as a book to be read "with questions in mind"—first setting down one's own answer and then comparing it with the original text, which works even better; it can also serve as a reference aid to consult at any time while studying materia medica.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with a grounding in basic Chinese medical theory who want to sort out difficult points in materia medica through a question-and-answer format
Students of Chinese medicine, as a supplementary reader for after-class review and conceptual clarification
Readers interested in Tang Zonghai's thought on reconciling Chinese and Western medicine and in the academic history of modern Chinese medicine
Clinical practitioners of Chinese medicine, for examining their own understanding of the relationship between drug properties and sources of illness

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no grounding in Chinese medicine who need a systematic introductory textbook
Practical readers who only want to look up dosages and indications of individual drugs and seek a quick-reference tool
Readers who prefer modern pharmacological research data and are unaccustomed to traditional medical theory

Reading tips

First read through the questions in the table of contents, pick out the few that puzzle you most and read them first, comparing the original text with your questions in mind.
For each question, close the book and answer it yourself first, then compare with the book's answer, noting points of divergence for later review.
Sort and organize the questions and answers concerning sources of illness and methods of treatment, and cross-check them against the formulas and drug knowledge you have learned.
It can serve as a desk reference: when a specific question about drug properties arises, look it up by the question index; there is no need to read it all at once.

About the publisher

Tibet People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1971

Tibet People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for collating Tibetan and Chinese ancient texts and publishing traditional culture. Judging from the books in its catalogue, its publishing focuses on medicine, Eastern philosophy, classics, and ancient poetry. It offers traditional Chinese medical and health-preserving works such as the Compendium of Materia Medica, Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold, and Principles of Correct Diet, as well as canonical and philosophical texts including the Book of Changes, Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, Annotated Edition of the Erya, and Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals, along with historical and geographical works such as The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores. Its authors include figures such as Li Shizhen, Sun Simiao, King Wen of Zhou, Zuo Qiuming, Guo Pu, Dong Zhongshu, Hu Sihui, and Ma Huan. The house emphasizes the collation and republication of ancient texts, balancing scholarship and accessibility, and has developed its own strengths in transmitting Tibetan and Chinese cultural classics. Public information is limited, so other publishing details are omitted here.

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FAQ

What is the origin of Ben Cao Wen Da?

According to the materials, while traveling in Guangdong, Tang Zonghai met Zhang Bolong. Bolong's father, Moyuan, had once contracted a seasonal illness with dangerous symptoms, and the assembled physicians were at a loss; Bolong spared no effort in treating him and brought him to safety, from then on paying close attention to medical principles. After meeting Tang Zonghai, he kept him for discussions, and this gave rise to this work, which discusses sources of illness and methods of treatment in a question-and-answer format.

What are the advantages of the question-and-answer format for studying materia medica?

The question-and-answer format lays out the difficult points directly, making it easy for readers to first set down their own answers and then compare them with the original text, thereby exposing gaps in understanding. Compared with straightforward exposition, it is closer to the thinking process when problems arise in clinical practice; it is suitable for testing and sorting out existing knowledge, not for building a system from scratch.

Can this book replace a systematic textbook of Chinese materia medica?

No. This book discusses difficult points in materia medica and medical principles in a question-and-answer format, focusing on analysis and inspiration; it is not a systematic textbook organized by efficacy. Beginners should still first study Chinese materia medica and basic Chinese medical theory, and then use this book as a supplementary reader.

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About the author

唐宗海 Author

Tang Zonghai was a renowned physician of the late Qing dynasty, best known for his research on blood disorders, and his scholarly influence has endured to this day. The library holds five of his works, including Xuezheng Lun (On Blood Disorders), Bencao Wenda (Questions and Answers on Materia Medica), Yixue Jianneng (Practical Medical Knowledge), and Quandu Shize (Ten Rules for Reading). Among them, Xuezheng Lun is especially influential: devoted to the causes, mechanisms, and treatments of various bleeding conditions, it is carefully organized and combines theory, method, formulas, and medicinals, making it an important monograph in the study of blood disorders in Chinese medicine. Bencao Wenda discusses the nature, flavor, and functions of drugs in a question-and-answer format, making it accessible to beginners, while Yixue Jianneng is an introductory primer written in plain language and focused on practical use. Quandu Shize offers guidance on how to read and study. Tang Zonghai's writings are grounded in clinical practice and the pursuit of verified results, with clear prose that inherits traditional medical theory while emphasizing practical application; they remain a valuable reference for later clinical practice and education in Chinese medicine. Because public information is limited, details of his life, including exact birth and death years, native place, and teachers, are not recorded here.