Bone Marrow Section

Chen MengleiJun 2024

3.4

Word count: 13K words
Chapters: 28

Summary

The sage regulates yin and yang, so that the sinews and vessels are harmonious, the bone marrow is firm, and qi and blood both follow their course; thus inner and outer are in accord, pathogenic influences cannot harm, the ears and eyes are keen, and the vital qi stands as before.

Editor's review

This book is selected from the "Bone Marrow Section" of the classified compendium compiled by Chen Menglei, and unfolds around the cluster of health-preserving ideas: harmony of yin and yang, concord of sinews and vessels, firmness of bone marrow, and smooth flow of qi and blood. The text is brief yet clearly structured, treating harmony within and without the body as the foundation for resisting external pathogens and maintaining keen ears and eyes and normal qi movement, embodying the holistic way traditional medicine regards the body. Its strength lies in not discussing bone in isolation but placing bone marrow within a network of relations among yin and yang, sinews and vessels, and qi and blood, so readers can understand how the ancients spoke of health within dynamic balance. The expression is condensed, with the typical style of a classified compendium entry—high in information density and sparing in elaboration—suited to repeated savoring. As for reading contexts, it can serve both as introductory material for understanding traditional health-preserving discourse and for cross-reference with chapters on basic theories of Chinese medicine. A caution: such texts center on conceptual frameworks and should not be taken as a basis for diagnosing or treating specific conditions; readers should keep a clear sense of boundaries and understand it in the place of cultural and intellectual history of traditional medicine.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in traditional Chinese health-preserving concepts
Readers of literature and history who want to see what medical entries in classified compendia look like
Writers and students who need to cite ancient materials on views of the body

Not a good fit for

Patients seeking diagnosis or treatment plans for specific diseases
Readers hoping to systematically learn modern orthopedic knowledge

Reading tips

First read the original text through, marking key terms such as yin and yang, sinews and vessels, bone marrow, qi and blood
Cross-reference with chapters on qi, blood, and yin-yang in basic theories of Chinese medicine
Copy the entry onto cards and organize by concept for later reference
While reading, distinguish traditional concepts from modern medical conclusions and avoid conflating them

版权信息
黄帝素问
五脏生成篇
宣明五气篇
邪气脏腑病形篇
寿夭刚柔篇
本神篇
经脉篇
骨度篇
决气篇
五变篇
本脏篇
论痛篇
阴阳二十五人篇
九宫八风篇
九针篇
金匮要略汉张机
中藏经汉华佗
脉诀晋王叔和
千金方唐孙思邈
东垣十书元李杲
丹溪心法元朱震亨
证治要诀明戴思恭
医学纲目明楼英
方
单方
针灸
医案

FAQ

Is "Bone Marrow Section" a specialized work on bone diseases?

No. According to the materials, its content focuses on the overall relationship of harmony of yin and yang, concord of sinews and vessels, firmness of bone marrow, and smooth flow of qi and blood; it is an expression of traditional health-preserving and bodily concepts, not a specialized treatise on diagnosing and treating bone diseases, and readers should not use it as a clinical manual.

What is the core viewpoint of this passage?

The core lies in emphasizing harmony within and without: the sage regulates yin and yang so that sinews and vessels are harmonious, bone marrow is firm, and qi and blood both follow their course, so that pathogens cannot harm, ears and eyes are keen, and vital qi stands as before. It understands health as the result of coordinated operation of multiple bodily elements, not the strength of a single part.

How should general readers read it so as not to misuse it?

They can treat it as a text for understanding ancient views of the body and health-preserving discourse, focusing on the relations among concepts and the mode of thinking. For specific health problems, they should still consult professional medical personnel and not take the book's statements directly as a basis for self-regulation or medication.

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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.