bubble_chart Description Fei Bo-xiong (1800-1879), courtesy name Jin-qing, was a native of Menghe Town, Wujin County, Jiangsu Province. Fei Bo-xiong grew up in a family of generations of physicians, with a profound family tradition of learning, transitioning from Confucianism to medicine. Shortly after starting his medical practice, he gained fame in the Jiangnan region for his expertise in treating deficiency fatigue. During the Daoguang era (1821-1851), he was twice summoned to the imperial court to treat illnesses. He successfully treated the Empress Dowager's lung abscess and the Daoguang Emperor's loss of voice, earning him plaques and couplets praising him as a "national healer." By the Xianfeng era (1851-1861), Fei's medical reputation had soared, attracting patients from far and wide. His clinic was often bustling, and the small town of Menghe became a thriving hub for the medical industry. Fei was a learned scholar and a skilled physician, regarded as a prominent figure in the medical community, blending the qualities of a scholar and a doctor.
Over decades of medical practice, Fei accumulated rich clinical experience and developed many insights, which led him to write medical texts. He believed that medical knowledge had become overly complex and needed simplification to correct biases and guide future learners toward a more refined path. He devoted his life to this pursuit, drawing from practical clinical experience and integrating the best of ancient and modern medical knowledge without sectarian bias, striving to establish a balanced and unbiased medical theory. After years of writing, he completed the manuscript of *Yi Chun* (24 volumes) and had it published. Unfortunately, the manuscript and printing blocks were destroyed in a fire during the Xianfeng era. At this time, Fei was taking refuge in Yanling (in Wuxu Village, Taixing County, northern Jiangsu) to escape the Taiping Rebellion. Suffering from a foot ailment that made walking difficult, he spent his days in his room, using this idle time to write. He recalled the contents of his previous work and compiled *Yi Chun Sheng Yi* (4 volumes), completed in 1863, which became widely popular after publication. Later, he wrote *Yifanglun* (4 volumes) in 1865.
Fei's medical philosophy was characterized by "refinement" and "gentleness." His academic thought drew from various historical schools of medicine, synthesizing their strengths to correct biases. The *Draft History of Qing* includes his biography, stating, "Among the physicians of Jiangnan in the late Qing, Bo-xiong was the most renowned." His descendants carried on the family tradition, earning fame as physicians. The Fei family of Menghe became a renowned medical lineage and academic school, leaving a lasting legacy in the medical field.