Random factoids (just for fun)

[Guest guest]

Interesting food for thought

 

A few random little historical tidbits that we might not be aware

of...just for fun.

 

Liver yin vacuity, a commonly recognized clinical phenomenon,

apparently was not explicitly mentioned in Chinese medical literature

until the Qing Dynasty, China¡¯s final dynastic period. The name and

pathomechanism of liver yin vacuity was first stated by You2

Zai4-Jing1 in the ¡°Systematic Treatise on Rib-side Pain; Liver Vacuity

Rib-side Pain¡± in his text Jin Gui Yi ( " The Wings of the Golden

Coffer " ).

 

By contrast, liver qi vacuity, now a rarely utilized diagnosis in

modern TCM (albeit one with well-established historical roots) was

first recorded explicitly in the Nei Jing. The Nei Jing was written

in the Han Dynasty, more or less 1500 years before the Qing Dynasty.

Interestingly, see this formula for supplementing liver qi from the

Qing Dynasty: Wang2 Xu4-Gao1 proposed in the ¡°Records of Nightly Chats

at the Western Brook Studio; Thirteen Methods for Treating the Liver¡±

a basic therapeutic method for ¡°supplementing liver qi¡±: ¡°One method:

Supplement liver qi with tian ma (gastrodia), bai zhu (white

atractylodes), ju hua (chrysanthemum), sheng jiang (fresh ginger), xi

xin (asarum), du zhong (eucommia), and yang gan (goat¡¯s liver).¡±

 

In the past on CHA, we have discussed the virtually identical meaning

of the terms ¡°boost¡± (yi) and ¡°supplement¡± (bu). In an interesting

twist, notice the different use of these two terms in the Jin Gui Yao

Lue in the context of supplementing the liver. The medicinal flavors

matched to ¡°supplementing¡± and ¡°boosting¡± differ significantly. The

chapter on ¡°Pulse, Symptoms, and Treatments of the Early and Late

Stages of Diseases in the Bowels and Viscera and Channels and Network

Vessels¡± in the Jin Gui Yao Lue ( " Essential Prescriptions of the

Golden Coffer " ) states: ¡°If the liver is diseased, supplement it with

sour medicinals, assist it with parching and bitter medicinals, and

boost it with sweet-flavored medicinals to harmonize it.

 

Here¡¯s an interesting tidbit on the nature of blood vacuity

engendering wind (says it¡¯s not really wind).

 

The chapter on ¡°Formulas and Medicinals of the Six Channels¡± in the

Tong Su Shang Han Lun (¡°Popular On Cold Damage¡±) points out: ¡°When

blood vacuity engenders wind, it does not mean that there truly is

wind present. In reality, this condition is caused by blood failing to

nourish the sinews, so that they become hypertonic and are unable to

expand or contract with facility. This causes tugging of the

extremities that resembles wind stirring. Therefore, it is called

internal vacuity hidden wind, or generically liver wind.¡±

 

We often discuss sorrow in the context of the lung. However, looking

back to the Nei Jing, we find it is not so clear-cut. The Ling Shu

( " The Magic Pivot " ) states: ¡°Regarding the liver, sorrow and grief

stir the center and damage the ethereal soul. Damage to the ethereal

soul results in mania and unconsciousness.¡±

 

One last fun diversion from modern clinical medicine...

 

How¡¯s this for a formula? Don¡¯t try this at home! (Sun Si-Miao¡¯s

vagina-shrinking formula from the Qian Jin Yao Fang):

Hare¡¯s droppings 0.5 liang

gan qi (lacquer) 0.5 liang

rat skulls 2 pieces

hen¡¯s liver (dried in the shade for 100 days) 2 pieces

Make a powder with the four ingredients above and mix with honey into

pills the size of rice beans. Have intercourse on the seventh day

from the beginning of the month and, at that time, place one pill on

the top of the penis and insert it little by little. After three

days, you will notice [an effect]; after ten days, [the vagina] will

have shrunk; and after fifty days, it will be like that of a

fifteen-year-old virgin.

 

Special thanks to Sabine Wilms. Much of the above text is cut out of

the upcoming Liver Pathomechanisms text and the Qian Jin Yao Fang,

both forthcoming from Paradigm Publications.

 

Eric

[Guest guest]

>

>

> On Behalf Of Eric Brand

> By contrast, liver qi vacuity, now a rarely utilized diagnosis in

> modern TCM (albeit one with well-established historical roots) was

> first recorded explicitly in the Nei Jing. The Nei Jing was written

> in the Han Dynasty, more or less 1500 years before the Qing Dynasty.

> Interestingly, see this formula for supplementing liver qi from the

> Qing Dynasty: Wang2 Xu4-Gao1 proposed in the ¡°Records of Nightly Chats

> at the Western Brook Studio; Thirteen Methods for Treating the Liver¡±

> a basic therapeutic method for ¡°supplementing liver qi¡±: ¡°One method:

> Supplement liver qi with tian ma (gastrodia), bai zhu (white

> atractylodes), ju hua (chrysanthemum), sheng jiang (fresh ginger), xi

> xin (asarum), du zhong (eucommia), and yang gan (goat¡¯s liver).¡±

 

Eric,

 

What were the s/s of this pattern / what was the CC?

 

-

[Guest guest]

>

>

> On Behalf Of Eric Brand

>

> In the past on CHA, we have discussed the virtually identical meaning

> of the terms ¡°boost¡± (yi) and ¡°supplement¡± (bu). In an interesting

> twist, notice the different use of these two terms in the Jin Gui Yao

> Lue in the context of supplementing the liver. The medicinal flavors

> matched to ¡°supplementing¡± and ¡°boosting¡± differ significantly. The

> chapter on ¡°Pulse, Symptoms, and Treatments of the Early and Late

> Stages of Diseases in the Bowels and Viscera and Channels and Network

> Vessels¡± in the Jin Gui Yao Lue ( " Essential Prescriptions of the

> Golden Coffer " ) states: ¡°If the liver is diseased, supplement it with

> sour medicinals, assist it with parching and bitter medicinals, and

> boost it with sweet-flavored medicinals to harmonize it.

 

I think this demonstrates how words are used differently in different

contexts and different time periods. For example, NOW, ¡°boost¡± (yi) and

¡°supplement¡± (bu) are said to be synonymous. BUT, authors throughout the

ages have used these words slightly differently. I assume that Bob Flaws's

previous stance on ¡°boost¡± (yi) was influenced with his affinity for Li

Gao. Subhuti also has an article on this topic. If one is talking about Bu

zhong yi qi tang - Maybe it makes sense to use a raising analogy / word.

But if one is talking about ¡°boost¡± (yi) chen pi - then maybe one should

use a word like supplement. This flexibility in language may actually add

more clarity then picking 1 word for two different ideas.

 

Overall, IMO this demonstrates how modern TCM has reduced 2 terms that

people in the past have used differently into virtually meaning the same

thing, resulting in a loss of detail. Comments?

 

-

[Guest guest]

>

> Special thanks to Sabine Wilms. Much of the above text is cut out of

> the upcoming Liver Pathomechanisms text and the Qian Jin Yao Fang,

> both forthcoming from Paradigm Publications.

>

> Eric

>

 

Eric,

 

Thanks for sharing, very interesting, look forward to the book.

 

-Jason