bubble_chart Description

Written by Luo Tian-yi, the work comprises twenty-four volumes with an additional supplementary volume. The exact year of composition is unknown, but it was published in 1281. The original Yuan dynasty edition was lost due to war, and the earliest surviving version is found in the series Jisheng Bacui compiled by Du Sijing during the Yuan dynasty, though the content is incomplete. In 1417, Yang Rong and Han Gongda revised and published the book, but few copies have survived. The main extant versions include the 1846 edition revised by Li Xiling in the Xiyin Xuan Series, and the 1959 lead-printed edition by the Commercial Press.

The book consists of 25 chapters, primarily including

• "Yao Wu Yong Jian": This section uses case studies to analyze specific topics, aiming to warn future scholars and practitioners against making diagnostic and treatment errors.
• "Ming Fang Lei Ji": This section selects 766 effective prescriptions from ancient and modern times, linking prescriptions to syndromes, and thoroughly discusses the diagnosis and treatment of various clinical diseases, forming the main part of the book.
• "Yao Lei Fa Xiang": Briefly describes the pharmacological theories of Zhang Yuan-su and Li Gao, such as the nature, flavor, and efficacy of drugs.
• "Yi Yan Ji Shu": Records the author's extensive clinical experience, rich in content.
• The final section, "Supplement," includes proven prescriptions from various physicians following Zhang Zhong-jing, focusing on conditions like external infections and summerheat stroke, added by others after the Yuan dynasty.

Theoretically, the book is based on Suwen and Nan Jing, seeking the causes of diseases, and fully incorporates Li Gao's "Spleen and Stomach Theory" as well as the insights of Zhang Yuan-su, Zhang Bi, Qian Yi, and other physicians. It systematically elaborates on the theory of syndrome differentiation and treatment of zang-fu organ diseases, showcasing the distinctive characteristics of the "Yishui School."

In clinical medication, it extensively introduces the drug theories of Jiegu and Dongyuan, emphasizing flexible medication ideas such as matching drugs to syndromes, ensuring names correspond to realities, and adjusting prescriptions according to syndromes.