Section on Paralysis and Flaccidity

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.7

Word count: 23K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

The thought of traditional Chinese culture has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive, and subjects such as religious theology, traditional Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers are all profound and extensive. This series, "Original Texts of the Essence of Classical Chinese Culture," preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate character and imperceptibly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Tan Lu was compiled by Zhang Fengyi and belongs to the traditional Chinese medical texts category of the "Original Texts of the Essence of Classical Chinese Culture" series. This edition preserves the appearance of the original book and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. The book centers on paralysis and related disorders, reflecting ancient physicians' approaches to classifying, differentiating and treating such conditions, and is primary material for understanding the character of traditional Chinese clinical literature. Its strength lies in presenting the original text, allowing readers to experience the terminology and argumentation of ancient medical writing and providing reference for the collation of Chinese medical literature and the study of medical history. It should be read within the framework of traditional medical knowledge, with attention to differences between ancient and modern disease names and medical concepts. It suits enthusiasts of Chinese medical literature, readers of medical history and professional learners who need primary texts; it is not suitable as a basis for self-diagnosis or modern rehabilitation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Medical history readers studying Chinese medical literature and ancient clinical classification
Chinese medicine students and textual scholars who need primary source materials
Enthusiasts of Chinese learning and Chinese medicine culture interested in traditional discussions of disease and syndrome

Not a good fit for

Ordinary patients hoping to use it for self-diagnosis or self-medication
Paralysis patients and their families seeking modern rehabilitation training plans
Readers lacking the patience for classical Chinese who want only quick-reference conclusions

Reading tips

First understand the general meaning of "paralysis and disability" in ancient medical texts before entering the original, avoiding direct equivalence with modern disease names.
While reading, mark passages on disease description, treatment methods and formulas, distinguishing the original discussion from later interpretation.
Use a Chinese medicine dictionary or scholarly annotated edition to look up terminology, lowering the barriers of classical Chinese and medical terms.
Take notes in the spirit of textual study, and do not treat the book's content directly as a personal treatment plan.

版权信息
瘫痿门
黄帝素问
脉解篇
灵枢经
金匮要略【汉张机】
伤寒论【汉张机】
儒门事亲【元张从政】
东垣十书【元李杲】
丹溪心法【元朱震亨】
医学纲目【明楼英】
明医杂着【明王纶】
医宗必读【明李中梓】
证治准绳【明王肯堂】
景岳全书【明张介宾】
石室秘箓【清陈士铎】
瘫痿门
方
单方
针灸
导引
医案

FAQ

What is Tan Lu about?

The book centers on paralysis-type disorders and belongs to traditional Chinese clinical literature, presenting ancient physicians' approaches to classifying and treating related conditions. It preserves the original text and is suitable for reading from the perspectives of Chinese medical literature and medical history.

Can ordinary patients treat illness according to the methods in the book?

Not recommended. The terminology, diagnosis and medication systems of ancient medical texts differ greatly from modern medicine. The content should be studied as documentary material; personal diagnosis and treatment must be judged by qualified doctors, and formulas should not be used on one's own.

What preparation is needed to read this book?

It is advisable to have patience for basic classical Chinese and to prepare a dictionary of Chinese medical terms or a reliable annotated edition. First understand the background and structure of the book, then read the disease discussions section by section; when encountering formulas, focus on understanding the text rather than readily putting it into practice.

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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.