Yibian
 Shen Yaozi 
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titleJingui Yaolue Fanglun
orSynopsis of Golden Chamber
aliasJingui Yaolue, Synopsis of the Golden Chamber
dynastyHan, written in 219 AD
authorZhang Ji wrote
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bubble_chart Description

Jingui Yaolue Fanglun, abbreviated as Jingui Yaolue, is a clinical monograph primarily focused on internal medicine Zabing. It was written by Zhang Zhong-jing of the Eastern Han Dynasty in the early 3rd century. Zhongjing originally wrote the cold-damage disease Zabing treatise, which was later compiled by Wang Shu-he of the Western Jin Dynasty. One of its ancient manuscripts was titled Jingui Yuhan Yaolue Fang. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Bureau for the Revision of Medical Texts, led by Sun Qi and Lin Dang, reorganized and edited the text based on the damaged bamboo slips discovered by Wang Zhu in the imperial library. They renamed it Jingui Yaolue Fanglun after selecting the content primarily focused on Zabing. The book also includes some medical theories from physicians after the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Jingui Yaolue consists of 3 volumes and 25 chapters. Chapters 2 to 22 introduce various medical conditions, primarily internal medicine Zabing, with concise discussions. It provides readers with fundamental principles of pattern identification, treatment, and the combination of medicinals, making it one of the foundational works of clinical medicine in Chinese medicine. The book emphasizes internal medical conditions such as convulsions, dampness, heatstroke, lily disease, throat-anus-genital syndrome, yin and yang toxin, malaria, apoplexy multiple arthralgia, blood impediment, deficiency fatigue, lung abscess, cough abnormal rising of qi, running-piglet qi, chest impediment, heart pain, shortness of breath, abdominal distension and fullness, cold abdominal colic, retained food, wind-cold abdominal mass, phlegm-fluid retention, consumptive thirst, dysuria, strangury, water qi, jaundice, palpitation due to fright, hematemesis, hematochezia, chest fullness, vomiting hiccup, diarrhea, and over 40 other conditions. It also discusses surgical and traumatology conditions such as abscesses, intestinal abscess, yellow-water sore (impetigo), and knife wounds. Additionally, it includes a dedicated chapter on Gynaecology conditions. The book organizes diseases by chapters, discussing different syndromes and stages of treatment for each condition, as well as the clinical practices of "treating the same disease differently" and "treating different diseases similarly," aiding later physicians in analysis and mastery of flexible treatment methods. Furthermore, the book includes discussions on zang-fu organ meridian and collateral abnormal pulses, health preservation, dietary hygiene, dietary taboos, and the prevention and treatment of food poisoning.

Jingui Yaolue summarizes the rich diagnostic and therapeutic experiences before the Eastern Han Dynasty. At that time, the causes of various diseases were clearly categorized into three major types, with the invasion of external pathogens due to physical weakness and their transmission through meridians and collaterals to zang-fu organs (referred to as "internal causes") being considered the primary cause of disease. The book emphasizes comprehensive analysis through the four diagnostic methods, focusing on pattern identification based on zang-fu organ meridians and collaterals, combined with theories of nutrient-defense qi and blood, yin-yang, and the five elements. In terms of treatment, it emphasizes prevention and early treatment, encapsulated in the phrase "the superior physician treats disease before it arises." It stresses the importance of considering the whole body and adjusting the functions of zang-fu organs during treatment.

Jingui Yaolue contains a total of 262 formulas. The characteristics of these formulas are similar to those in the cold-damage disease treatise, with most of the included formulas demonstrating high efficacy. Examples include Major Bupleurum Decoction, Heart-Draining Decoction, Major Center-Fortifying Decoction, Astragalus Center-Fortifying Decoction, Stephania and Astragalus Decoction, Stephania and Poria Decoction, Turtle Carapace Decocted Pill, Angelica, Fresh Ginger and Mutton Decoction, Pinellia and Magnolia Bark Decoction, Magnolia Bark Seven Ingredients Decoction, Virgate Wormwood Decoction, Powder of Capillaris and Five Ingredients with Poria, Ganmai Chinese Date, Sour Jujube Decoction, Kidney Qi Pill, Ophiopogon Decoction, Pepperweed and Jujube Lung-Draining Decoction, Oven Yellow Earth Decoction, Immature Orange Fruit and Atractylodes Decoction, Gualou Longstamen Onion Bulb White Wine Decoction, Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill, Meridian-Warming Decoction, Donkey-hide Gelatin and Artemisia Decoction, Rhubarb and Peony Decoction, Coix, Aconite and Patrinia Powder, Pulsatilla Decoction, Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Bighead Atractylodes and Licorice Decoction, and Ten Jujubes Decoction, all of which are widely used in clinical practice. Due to their refined ingredients, precise combination of medicinals, and clear indications, these formulas are revered as the "ancestors of all formulas" or "classical formulas," serving as an important foundation for the development of later Chinese medical formulas.

Jingui YaolueIn addition to internal treatments such as decoctions, pills, powders, and acupuncture and moxibustion therapies, it also describes external treatments like warm ironing, sitting medications, cauterization, bathing therapies, medicinal rubbing, nasal medications, ear blowing, ear irrigation, and foot soaking, making indelible contributions to clinical therapeutics and health care. The book records several emergency treatments for sudden death, particularly for hanging suicide, vividly describing how to use artificial respiration combined with medicinal therapy, dietary therapy, massage, and external treatments like ear blowing for rescue, with operational procedures that are scientifically sound.

Jingui Yaolue has been published and circulated in various editions since its initial printing in the Northern Song Dynasty. Among the common editions is the one printed by Zhao Kaimei during the Ming Dynasty. There have been numerous works annotating and studying Jingui Yaolue throughout history, but they are far fewer compared to those on cold-damage disease theory.

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