Section on the Rib-Side

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.7

Word count: 33K words
Chapters: 36

Summary

Traditional Chinese culture has a long intellectual history, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers are all profound and extensive. This "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series preserves the original appearance of the books, with emphasis on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate their temperament and subtly absorb the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Xiemen is attributed to Chen Menglei and included in the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series, which preserves the original appearance of the book and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture. Judging from the title and the author's background, it belongs to the category of ancient medical or health-cultivation literature; its content is specialized and bears clear marks of traditional medicine and views of the body. Its value lies in providing an authentic ancient text that gives readers direct access to traditional medical discourse and classification, making it suitable as documentary reference rather than popular reading. It should be understood within the context of classical Chinese medical texts and ancient health-cultivation culture, with attention to the considerable differences between its terminology and format and those of modern medicine; it should not be judged simply as right or wrong by modern medical standards. Read it with an awareness of textual scholarship: first understand the format, then investigate the content, consulting foundational Chinese medicine readings as needed to grasp its inner logic.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in classical Chinese medical texts and ancient health-cultivation literature
Professionals engaged in collating Chinese medical literature or researching cultural history
Traditional culture enthusiasts willing to read primary texts closely and accept archaic terminology
Faculty and students at Chinese medicine institutions who need supplementary primary source materials

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking popular Chinese medicine wellness guides and expecting immediate practical application
Beginners without a classical Chinese foundation who are unwilling to look up terminology
Those who treat ancient medical texts as a basis for modern medical diagnosis and treatment

Reading tips

First understand the book's format and background, then proceed to close reading of the main text.
Mark medical terminology as you encounter it, then look it up together against foundational Chinese medicine readings.
Approach the content as documentary reading rather than directly applying modern medical standards.
Excerpt by topic and read alongside related research works for comparative understanding.

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷一百七十二
黄帝素问
灵枢经
扁鹊难经
金匮要略【汉张机】
中藏经【汉华佗】
千金方【唐孙思邈】
活人书【宋朱肱】
疮疡全书【金窦汉卿】
明理论【金成无己】
儒门事亲【元张从政】
东垣十书【元李杲】
丹溪心法【元朱震亨】
古今图书集成医部全录卷一百七十三
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】
古今医鉴【明龚信】
奇效良方【明方贤】
医学准绳六要【明张三锡】
伤寒六书【明陶华】
证治准绳【明王肯堂】
外科正宗【明陈实功】
医方考【明吴昆】
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一百七十四
方
单方
针灸
导引
医案

FAQ

What kind of book is Xiemen?

Xiemen is attributed to Chen Menglei and included in the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series, preserving the original appearance of the book; it belongs to the category of ancient medical or health-cultivation literature. It is specialized rather than a popular wellness guide and requires some foundation in Chinese medical literature and classical Chinese reading ability.

Can ordinary readers understand this book directly?

It is somewhat difficult. The book preserves the original format and archaic terminology, which differ considerably from modern medical expression. Ordinary readers who wish to try should first read the publisher's note, use foundational Chinese medicine readings and reference works for support, and start with passages rather than trying to understand the whole book at once.

Can the content be used as a basis for modern diagnosis and treatment?

Not recommended. This book is an ancient text reflecting traditional medical discourse and views of the body, which differ from modern medical diagnostic and treatment standards. It should be understood as documentary and cultural material and should not be directly applied to modern disease diagnosis or treatment.

What prior knowledge is needed to read this book?

Basic classical Chinese reading ability and foundational concepts of Chinese medicine are preferable, along with familiarity with common formats and terminology of ancient medical texts. Without these foundations, read introductory Chinese medicine works or related research first, then return to the original, which will make reading much smoother.

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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.