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Luo Zhi-ti, (?～1327), courtesy name Zijing, known as Taiwu Master, was a native of Qiantang, Zhejiang. He was a disciple of Liu Wansu, the founder of the Hejian School of the Jin Dynasty, and also studied the theories of Li Dongyuan and Zhang Zihe, achieving profound expertise in medicine.

The Ancient and Modern Medical Compendium: Luo Zhitii, courtesy name Jingfu, known as Taiwu Master, was skilled in medical arts, inheriting the teachings of Jin Liu Wansu and also familiar with the works of Zhang Congzheng and Li Gao. He had unique insights but preferred solitude and disliked social interactions. Only Danxi was his favored disciple, to whom he imparted all his knowledge.

The Hangzhou Prefecture Records: Luo Zhi-ti, courtesy name Zijing, alias Taiwu, from Qiantang, served as a physician to Emperor Muzong and was highly favored. DanxiZhu Yanxiu aspired to study medicine, traveled extensively, but found no suitable mentor until he returned to Wuling and met Zhitii. He waited at his door for three years before being accepted. Zhitii appreciated his sincerity and taught him all his techniques. Yanxiu thus became renowned in the southeast for his medical skills. Zhitii was also skilled in literature and calligraphy, and he provided medicine and financial support to the poor and sick, curing many.

Gezhi Yulun. Zhang Zihe's Treatise on the Method of Attack records: "Master Luo treated a sick monk who was thin, yellow, and weary. Luo diagnosed that the monk, originally from Sichuan, had left home while his mother was still alive and had wandered to Zhejiang for seven years. One day, he was overwhelmed with longing for his mother but had no means to return, leading to his illness. The monk was 25 years old. Luo had him stay nearby and fed him beef and pork stomach cooked until tender for over half a month. He also comforted and encouraged him, saying, 'I will give you ten ingots for travel expenses. I do not seek repayment, only to save your life.' Observing his condition improving, he prescribed Peach Kernel Chengqi Decoction three times a day, which expelled blood clots and phlegm. The next day, he only gave him cooked vegetables and porridge for recovery. After another half month, the monk recovered fully and was given ten ingots to return home."

In this case, Luo Zhi-ti diagnosed the young monk's illness as excessive worry and longing for his mother through inspection of complexion, listening to his voice, inquiring about his condition, and pulse diagnosis. The monk's condition worsened due to the inability to return home, leading to internal stagnation and heat. Luo first nourished him with rich foods to strengthen his constitution before administering strong purgatives. He also provided psychological therapy, comforting the monk daily and offering financial support for his journey home. Under Luo's careful treatment, the monk's health improved, and he was eventually able to return home. This case highlights Luo Zhi-ti's exceptional virtue and skill, particularly in two aspects:

1. Valuing virtue above all.

Luo Zhi-tiThe first consideration was not how to make money from the patients, nor to refuse treatment if there was no money. This case would generally be dismissed outside the clinic for three reasons: no money, difficult to cure, and even incurring losses (nursing the patient). But Luo did not think this way. Instead, he thought, "I do not seek reward, but only wish to save your life." He took the patient into his home, often cooking beef and pork tripe into porridge for the patient to eat, and reasoned with him. He comforted the monk, changing his disposition, and informed him that after curing his illness, he would provide travel expenses for him to return home to visit his mother. All of this was put into practice. This truly embodies Sun the real person's "great compassion and empathy, vowing to universally relieve the suffering of all beings," as manifested in the renowned physician Luo Zhi-ti. To save another's life, he spared no expense, which is not easily done by ordinary people (Burong ST19). What a stark contrast this forms with those physicians who "chase after glory and power, aspire to the favor of the powerful, and are tirelessly and eagerly devoted solely to fame and profit."

Two. Superior Skill

LuoObserving the complexion, listening to the sounds, examining the illness to know its origin, illuminating the subtle and penetrating the obscure, like the cook Ding dissecting an ox, handling the blade with ease. Knowing that the patient's illness stemmed from intense longing for his mother, with no hope of returning, his emotions grew stronger daily, transforming into fire and generating stasis. This manifested as emaciation on the outside and dryness within. Without attacking and removing the stasis and phlegm, the illness would be hard to resolve. However, the patient was emaciated and extremely fatigued. To attack blindly would only drive away the pathogenic qi while further injuring the healthy qi, pushing him further from vitality. It was necessary to nourish him with rich and sweet foods for a period, waiting until he became more robust and his constitution strengthened. Only then could the stasis and phlegm be attacked and purged, supplemented with verbal counseling and psychological treatment, "for mental illness, mental medicine is needed." Once the monk's longing for his family and worries were resolved, his mood naturally improved, and the illness lessened. Then, the discussion turned to attacking the stasis with medication, followed by dietary therapy to aid recovery, and providing funds for the patient to return home to visit his mother, thus completely curing the illness. Luo's skill, "more refined than catching cicadas, more discerning than carving thorns," and his treatment, "adapting to changes with precision, intervening at the right moment," left later generations in awe.

(Wang Yelong)

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