Jottings on Reading Medicine

周学海Tibet People's Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

4.2

Word count: 122K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

A note-form work in six volumes, compiled by Zhou Xuehai of the Qing dynasty in 1891. The book gathers the author's notes from reading and clinical practice. The Zhou Medical Series later circulated in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and southern Anhui, where it exerted considerable influence and contributed to advancing the theory and practice of Chinese medicine.

Editor's review

Reading Medical Notes is a six-volume note-form work compiled by Zhou Xuehai of the Qing dynasty in 1891, gathering his notes from reading and clinical practice. Its defining feature is the word "notes": it is not a tightly systematized textbook but a record of the author's thoughts as he studied medical texts and practiced clinically, giving a sense of on-the-spot engagement—cutting in as he reads, commenting as matters arise. Writing within the medical scholarly atmosphere of the Qing dynasty, Zhou Xuehai ranged over medical theory and clinical insight; the work later circulated through the Zhou Medical Series in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and southern Anhui, and had a certain influence. For today's Chinese medicine readers, its value lies in offering a model of "reading plus clinical practice" mutually corroborating each other—showing how a Qing physician turned what he read and thought into written notes. There is no need to read it in sequence from beginning to end; readers may pick entries by interest and consider them against their own clinical or reading questions. It suits readers who already have some grounding in Chinese medicine and enjoy the note-form style, rather than those seeking a systematic textbook or quick formulas.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Chinese medicine readers with some grounding who enjoy note-form medical discussion
Clinicians who, between cases, wish to draw on a Qing physician's way of reading and thinking
Researchers interested in the Zhou Medical Series and Qing physicians' note literature

Not a good fit for

Beginners with no foundation who need a systematic, step-by-step textbook
Readers seeking ready-made formulas for immediate lookup and use

Reading tips

Choose entries related to your own clinical or reading questions from the table of contents first; there is no need to read in strict order.
After each entry, jot down your own questions or differing views, forming a dialogic notebook with the author.
Compare with other content in the Zhou Medical Series to grasp the overall thread of Zhou Xuehai's medical thinking.

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.

版权信息
序
卷一\证治总论
卷二上\形气类
卷二下
卷二下\脉法类
卷三\证治类
卷四\证治类
卷五\方药类
卷六\评释类

FAQ

Is this book a systematic textbook or scattered notes?

It is a note-form work. Zhou Xuehai compiled it from reading and clinical notes; the entries do not aim for textbook-like systematic continuity. It is better suited to selective reading by interest and casual reflection than to chapter-by-chapter study as a systematic course.

Is it suitable for beginners to use this book as an introduction to Chinese medicine?

Not very. It is note-form medical discussion that assumes some grounding in Chinese medicine; beginners may find it hard to follow. It is better to start with systematic foundations or annotated introductions to the classics, then return to notes like these.

Do readers need to know a lot about the Qing physician background?

No excessive preparation is needed. Knowing that the book was compiled by Zhou Xuehai in the Qing dynasty and is a note on reading and clinical practice is enough. The focus is on how the author raises questions and develops his thinking; check specific medical points against available references as they arise—there is no need to read medical history first.

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About the author

周学海 Author

Zhou Xuehai's dates of birth and death, native place and nationality are not clearly recorded in publicly available sources; the surviving information is very limited, and his identity is known to later generations mainly through the medical books he wrote. Five of his works are included in the collection: Reading Notes on Medicine (Du Yi Sui Bi), A Concise Study of Pulse Theory (Mai Yi Jian Mo, in two entries), A Concise Study of Diagnosis by Physique and Complexion (Xing Se Wai Zhen Jian Mo), and Supplementary Examples on Cold Damage (Shang Han Bu Li), all belonging to the field of medicine. Judging by their titles and subjects, his writings cover pulse studies, inspection of physique and complexion, and the differentiation of patterns in cold-damage disorders. They combine theoretical analysis with clinical experience and record his reflections on medical theory in essay form. The two concise studies focus on methods of diagnosis and examination, while Supplementary Examples on Cold Damage offers further explanation of the diagnosis and treatment of cold-damage disorders. Overall, his works address Chinese medical diagnosis and the study of the classics in a concise and practical style and may serve as reference for students and practitioners.