Section on the Nose

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.8

Word count: 28K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

China's traditional 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 texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and gazetteers—all are profound and extensive. This "Classic Chinese Studies: Essential Cultural Texts, Original Editions" series preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by the ancient sages, readers cultivate character and subtly absorb the classics of Chinese studies.

Editor's review

Titled Bimen (The Gateway of the Nose), this book belongs to the "Classic Chinese Studies: Essential Cultural Texts, Original Editions" series, continuing its editorial approach of preserving the original books' appearance and focusing on transmitting traditional thought and culture. Judging from the title and the series' positioning, the content should relate to ancient Chinese conceptions of the body and to medical or divinatory-cum-technical literature, presenting traditional cultural source texts in an organized form. Its value lies not in popularized knowledge surveys but in giving readers direct contact with the original formulations of ancient texts and a feel for the distinctive language and classificatory schemes of early thought. It should be treated as a documentary source: first understand the background of the work and its textual conventions, then read closely section by section, checking terminology against annotations and reference works. It suits readers with some initial familiarity with classical Chinese medical texts, ancient techniques, or canonical works of Chinese studies who are willing to read slowly and savor the details; those expecting narrative, modern interpretation, or systematic popular science may find their expectations unmet. Overall, this is a source-text reader that requires patience and background knowledge, suitable as supplementary material for the study of traditional culture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in classical Chinese medical texts and ancient conceptions of the body
Readers systematically studying canonical works of Chinese studies who need original texts
Lovers of traditional culture who enjoy slow reading of documentary sources and are willing to verify terminology

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers hoping for modern vernacular interpretation and systematic popular science
General readers who prefer narrative and entertaining reading
People impatient with verifying obscure ancient terminology and textual conventions

Reading tips

First read the series preface and this volume's note on textual conventions to clarify the nature of the text before entering the main body.
Prepare reference works or annotated editions, checking terminology as you go and keeping brief notes.
Read only a small section at a time, then restate the key points in your own words to test your understanding.

版权信息
鼻衄详载血门，此不复入
热论
刺法论
渊鼽诸证治法
鼻门
治鼻赤方
单方
医案

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in Chinese studies at all?

Not really. This is an organized presentation of traditional cultural source texts that preserves the original books' appearance; the language is archaic and terminology abundant, so reading is difficult without a foundation. It is advisable to read some general introductions to Chinese medicine or Chinese studies first, then approach the source text, which will be easier to enter.

What supplementary tools should I prepare for reading this book?

It is advisable to prepare a dictionary of ancient Chinese, relevant annotated editions or scholarly works, and to understand the basic textual conventions. Do not insist on fully understanding unfamiliar terminology at first; mark it and check it systematically after finishing a section—this is more efficient.

How does this book differ from modern popular books on Chinese medicine?

Modern popular books emphasize organizing knowledge and accessible explanation, whereas this book focuses on preserving and transmitting the original face of traditional thought and culture. It offers a reading experience close to the source text, requiring readers to participate in understanding and judgment rather than simply receiving conclusions.

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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.