Section on Meridians and Collaterals
Tags
Summary
Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive, and literary. Early forms of thought have distinctive features: religious theology, classical Chinese medicine 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—all are profound and extensive. This "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series preserves the original appearance of the books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.
Editor's review
The attributed author of this book is Chen Menglei. It also belongs to the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series, and its content points to the strand of traditional Chinese culture related to classical Chinese medicine texts and forms of thought. Judging from the available information, it focuses on preserving the original appearance of the book and transmitting traditional thought and culture rather than providing a clinical guide to meridians in the modern medical sense. Its highlight is that it lets readers directly face the mode of expression and structure of knowledge in ancient texts and appreciate how traditional medicine intertwines with philosophy, religious theology, and the thought of the Hundred Schools. When reading, it should be understood within the context of traditional culture source texts, with attention to how ancients described the body, meridians, and ideas of health preservation, rather than hastily matching them one by one with modern medical terminology. For enthusiasts of Chinese studies and Chinese medicine culture, this book can serve as an entry point for understanding the appearance of traditional texts related to meridians; for readers who need standardized clinical procedures or modern medical evidence, such expectations are inappropriate. It is advisable to proceed by reading slowly and consulting reference works; when encountering terminology, readers can look it up together with background materials on classical Chinese medicine texts, thereby preserving the feel of reading the original appearance while avoiding misunderstandings caused by literal interpretation.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in classical Chinese medicine texts and meridian culture who are willing to read original texts
- People studying Chinese studies or traditional culture who need to supplement source materials related to Chinese medicine
- General readers who enjoy reading ancient books slowly and are willing to consult reference works for terminology
- Practitioners engaged in popularizing traditional culture who want to understand the appearance of meridian texts
Not a good fit for
- Medical workers hoping to obtain a clinical操作 manual on meridians in modern medicine
- Readers who need rigorous experimental evidence and standardized diagnosis and treatment plans
- Beginner readers who prefer full vernacular translations, detailed annotations, and systematic introductions
Reading tips
- First understand the series to which this book belongs and the original appearance of the book, then decide whether to read it through or select readings by topic.
- Keep a reference book of basic Chinese medicine terminology at hand while reading, and look up meridian names as they appear.
- Understand the text within the context of traditional culture, and do not rush to map it directly onto modern medical concepts.
- Read a short passage each time and make annotations, recording questions for later resolution through cross-reference.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 古今图书集成医部全录卷一百六经络门
- 黄帝素问
- 诊要经终论
- 古今图书集成医部全录卷一百七经络门
- 黄帝灵枢经
- 经别篇
- 古今图书集成医部全录卷一百八经络门
- 黄帝灵枢经
- 扁鹊难经
- 古今图书集成医部全录卷一百九经络门
- 辨六经受病
- 经脉终始
- 十四经发挥 【元 滑寿】
- 医学纲目 【明 楼英】
- 诊家正眼 【明 李中梓】
- 奇经八脉考 【明 李时珍】
- 古今图书集成医部全录卷一百十经络门
- 医学准绳六要 【明 张三锡】
FAQ
Can this book be used as a clinical操作 manual for Chinese medicine?
It should not be used that way. The available information shows that this book belongs to the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture and retaining the original appearance of the book; it is not a clinical操作 guide in the modern sense. Readers who need standardized diagnosis and treatment plans should refer to modern medical textbooks and clinical standards; this book is more suitable as reading material on culture and source texts.
Can someone without a foundation in Chinese medicine read this book?
Yes, but it requires patience and the use of reference works. The book involves traditional content such as meridians and classical Chinese medicine texts, with considerable terminology, and beginners need not insist on understanding everything at once. It is advisable first to learn the basic background and to look up unfamiliar meridian names or concepts as they arise, focusing on understanding the appearance of the text and building up gradually.
What does the title "Meridian Gate" mean?
From the available information, it can only be determined that this book is related to classical Chinese medicine texts and traditional thought and culture and that it preserves the original appearance of the book. The specific arrangement or textual source indicated by "Meridian Gate" is not explained in the materials, and readers should not infer on their own that it refers to a particular school or clinical system; the book's actual table of contents and main text should be taken as authoritative.
How can I read the traditional terminology in the book more easily?
It is advisable to keep a reliable reference book of basic Chinese medicine terminology at hand and consult it while reading. At the same time, understand the terminology within the context of ancient texts, paying attention to how ancients described the body and meridians rather than rushing to match them one by one with modern medical terms. Read a short passage each time and make annotations, record questions, and then resolve them gradually with relevant materials.
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
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.
