Section on Diarrhea

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.7

Word count: 70K words
Chapters: 39

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history, distinguished by their originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and gazetteers—all are vast and profound in content. This "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series preserves the appearance of the original books, with the aim of conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their character and quietly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

As a classical Chinese medical text devoted specifically to a single category of disease, Xie Xie Men embodies the traditional medical approach of organizing diseases and patterns under category headings. The book addresses the causes, pattern differentiation, and treatment methods of diarrhea, preserving ancient physicians' systematic understanding of this common condition and offering reference value for understanding traditional Chinese medicine's clinical thinking and terminological system. This edition prioritizes authenticity and preserves the appearance of the original text, making it suitable as one of the introductory materials for studying classical Chinese medical literature. Readers can observe how traditional medicine classified symptoms and organized formulas and theory, thereby appreciating the transmission of Chinese medical knowledge. It is best read alongside basic theories of Chinese medicine, with reference works consulted for obscure terms. For readers interested in traditional culture and the history of medicine, this book provides a concrete and detailed point of entry, revealing both the fine detail of disease discussion and the original appearance of a classical text.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of Chinese medicine needing to understand traditional disease classification and documentary conventions
Clinical practitioners of Chinese medicine wishing to consult ancient approaches to differentiating and treating diarrhea
Enthusiasts of traditional culture interested in the original appearance of classical medical texts
Researchers in medical history needing to examine how disease categories were compiled

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern medical diagnostic and treatment guidelines—this book does not provide contemporary clinical standards
Those without a foundation in classical Chinese, for whom the original text presents a high threshold of comprehension
General readers hoping to quickly obtain accessible health-preservation methods

Reading tips

Read the table of contents first to understand the position and organizational logic of the diarrhea chapter within the whole book.
Keep a dictionary of Chinese medical terms on hand and look up obscure terms as you read.
Read alongside a textbook of basic theories of Chinese medicine to understand the approach to pattern differentiation.
Take reading notes, excerpting key points by cause, treatment method, and formula.

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百五十二
黄帝素问
灵枢经
扁鹊难经
金匮要略【汉张机】
中藏经【汉华佗】
脉经【晋王叔和】
脉诀【晋王叔和】
活人书【宋朱肱】
河间六书【金刘完素】
明理论【金成无己】
活法机要【元张洁古】
儒门事亲【元张从政】
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百五十三
东垣十书【元李杲】
丹溪心法【元朱震亨】
早治会粹【元朱震亨】
局方发挥【元朱震亨】
卫山宝鉴【元罗天益】
证治要诀【明戴思恭】
医学纲目【明楼英】
明医杂着【明王纶】
医学入门【明李梴】
医宗必读【明李中梓】
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百五十四
医学准绳六要【明张三锡】
医贯【明赵献可】
医门法律【清喻昌】
景岳全书【明张介宾】
石室秘箓【清陈士铎】
方
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百五十五
方
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百五十六
单方
针灸
导引
医案

FAQ

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

Not very suitable. This book is the original text of a classical Chinese medical work, with archaic terminology and a specialized format that is difficult for those without a foundation to understand. If you are interested in traditional culture, it is advisable to read introductory works on Chinese medicine first, then attempt this book with the aid of dictionaries and supplementary materials.

Does this book contain modern clinical diagnostic and treatment content?

It does not. This book preserves the appearance of the original text and presents ancient physicians' understanding of diarrhea and their approaches to pattern differentiation and treatment. It is a primary documentary source and does not involve modern medical diagnostic standards or medication guidance; readers should note the distinction.

How should I understand the ancient disease names and terminology in the book?

You can use a dictionary of Chinese medical terms or a textbook of basic theories of Chinese medicine for reference. When encountering a disease name with a special meaning, first look up its definition and source, then judge its specific referent from the context, avoiding simply applying modern concepts to it.

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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.