The Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) is divided into two sections: the Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot) and the Su Wen (Simple Questions). It is one of the earliest and most significant classical texts in China, summarizing the experiences of the Chinese people in their long-standing battle against diseases. The creation of this text was […]
Category Archives: Ancient Books on TCM
lassical Medical Texts from Ancient China that Form the Foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)。
The Yellow Emperor remarked: “Having heard your discourse on the Nine Needles, I find this knowledge vast and profound. Yet certain aspects elude my understanding. Pray, how were the principles of the Nine Needles conceived, and why are they so named?” Qibo responded: “The Nine Needles derive from the grand numerology of Heaven and Earth, […]
Yellow Emperor inquired: “How might one diagnose illnesses through forearm dermal examination alone—omitting visual inspection and pulse analysis—to deduce internal pathologies from external manifestations?” Qibo elucidated:“Assess the forearm’s skin for: Diagnostic Correlations: Ocular Diagnostics: Dental & Cutaneous Markers: Seasonal Pathogen Dynamics:“Yin-Yang transformation governs climatic pathogenesis: This reflects the homoioses between macrocosmic cycles and microcosmic pathophysiology.”
Section 1: Principles of Needle Therapy Yellow Emperor addressed Qibo: “Having synthesized your teachings on the Nine Needles into a systematic doctrine, I now seek your critique. Let posterity inherit this wisdom through worthy disciples alone.” Qibo bowed solemnly: “I attend reverently to Your Majesty’s insights.” Yellow Emperor expounded:“Effective acupuncture demands mastery of: Key protocols: […]
Part I: Pathogenic Qi and Insomnia Yellow Emperor inquired: “When pathogenic forces invade the body, causing insomnia with persistent wakefulness, what energetic imbalance underlies this?” Bo Gao elucidated:“Postprandial digestion yields three derivatives: When turbid qi stagnates in zang-fu organs, Wei Qi becomes confined to superficial yang domains, inducing yang hyperactivity. This overstimulates the yang qiao […]
Yellow Emperor inquired: “When pathogenic qi invades the body, causing insomnia with eyes wide open, what physiological mechanism underlies this?” Bo Gao elucidated: “Postprandial digestion yields three derivatives: When turbid qi stagnates in zang-fu organs, Wei Qi becomes confined to superficial yang domains, inducing yang hyperactivity. This overstimulates the yang qiao meridian, creating yin deficiency […]
Yellow Emperor inquired: “Recurrent febrile lymphadenopathy manifesting in the cervical and axillary regions—what etiology underlies this condition?” Qibo responded: “This pertains to scrofula (鼠瘘), arising from the lodgment of pathogenic cold-heat toxins within meridian systems, resisting metabolic clearance.” Yellow Emperor: “By what means may it be eradicated?” Qibo elucidated: “Scrofula originates viscerally, though its manifestations […]
Yellow Emperor inquired: “Having mastered the Nine Needles from you, I observe diverse Qi-blood reactions among the people during acupuncture. Some exhibit heightened spiritual vitality with Qi surging before needle insertion; others synchronize Qi arrival with the needle; some manifest Qi only post-withdrawal; certain cases require repeated needling to evoke Qi; while a few experience […]
Yellow Emperor inquired: “Most illnesses arise from climatic evils—wind, rain, cold, heat, dampness—and emotional excesses like unchecked joy or rage. How do these pathogens target specific bodily regions?” Qibo replied: “Three pathogenic pathways exist: Pathogenic Progression: Yellow Emperor pressed: “Detail the etiology of abdominal masses.” Qibo elucidated: Organ-Specific Vulnerabilities: Therapeutic Principles:“Diagnose via pain topography. Apply […]
Yellow Emperor inquired: “I have heard of the distinction between Yin and Yang constitutions among humans. How are they categorized?” Bo Gao replied: “All transformations between heaven and earth, within the cosmos, adhere to the Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Humans are no exception. Thus, there exist twenty-five constitutional types derived from permutations […]