Secret Essentials of Needling to Expel Evil

AnonymousJul 2024

2.2

Word count: 671 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early intellectual forms are distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers—all are profound and vast. This "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts" series preserves the original appearance of the books, with the aim of conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. Reading the literary essence left by ancient sages cultivates character and subtly introduces the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

The author of Zhen Xie Mi Yao (Secret Essentials of Needles and Pathogens) is unknown; it now reappears in the "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts" series. The title's "needles" and "pathogens" indicate content related to ancient medical concepts, placing it among the classical Chinese medical texts and folk experience recorded in this series. Its value lies in preserving the original text without modern rewriting, so readers can see directly how the ancients described symptoms, treatments and taboos, offering reference for understanding traditional medical discourse and folk knowledge. It should be read as a document and historical source, with attention to its ways of thinking and expression rather than copied for self-treatment. Since the author is unknown and the background of the text requires cautious treatment, its contents should not be regarded as conclusions verified by modern medicine. It suits readers interested in Chinese medical literature and folk medicine for reference reading, best alongside reliable professional works.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in classical Chinese medical texts and folk medical literature
Researchers collecting materials on traditional culture or the history of medicine
Readers who enjoy original texts and can read classical Chinese

Not a good fit for

Ordinary patients hoping to diagnose and treat themselves from the book
Readers who rely entirely on modern medicine and reject traditional texts
Beginners lacking classical Chinese who need line-by-line explanation

Reading tips

Read the preface and table of contents first to understand the book's structure and scope before the main text.
Treat the contents as documentary records; flag specific treatments as doubtful rather than rushing to practice them.
Read alongside reliable works on Chinese medical history to understand the origins of key concepts.
Take notes on entries involving treatment, and consult professionals before making judgments.

版权信息
针邪密要

FAQ

Can this book be used to treat myself?

Not recommended. This is an ancient text presented as it originally appeared; the author is unknown, the content has not been verified by modern medicine, and individual circumstances vary greatly. Read it to understand traditional medical concepts; if you feel unwell, seek medical attention promptly and let a professional physician diagnose and treat you.

Does the unknown author affect its reading value?

It has an effect, but this need not negate its documentary value. An unknown author means the date and background require cautious judgment; readers should treat it as material awaiting study, focusing on the concepts and writing the text presents rather than accepting its contents as authoritative conclusions.

Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?

It will be difficult. The book preserves the original text without vernacular translation, and both terminology and syntax require some classical Chinese reading ability. It is advisable to start with annotated popular works on Chinese medicine or use reference books alongside before attempting this book.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.