Secret Instructions for Assisting the Body:

[Guest guest]

The Database would like to announce the first ever

translation of the Fu Xing Jue Zang Fu Yong Yao Fa Yao: Secret

Instructions for Assisting the Body: Essential Methods for the

Application of Drugs to the Viscera & Bowels by Disciples of Tao Hong

Jing, translated by Herman Oving.

 

This Dunhuang manuscript was mentioned in Vivienne Lo and Christopher

Cullen's book: Medieval , in an article by Wang Shumin

titled " Tangye jingfa (Canonical Methods for Brews and Decoctions). "

This article discusses how the formulas in the Fu Xing Jue are

actually formulas from the Tangye jingfa, which was a pre-cursor to

the Shang Han Lun.

 

Wang Shumin says about this text: " The surviving text [sic], [in the

Fu Xing Jue Zang Fu Yong Yao Fa Yao] of the lost book Tangye has three

main features: firstly, it records 34 medical formulae for techniques

aimed at replenishing and draining the Five Viscera based on a theory

aimed at healing symptoms of depletion and repletion of the Five

Viscera; secondly, it records the relationship between the Five Phases

in drugs and substances, the evolution and influence of the Five

Flavors and the Five Viscera, revealing their mutual regulation and

functions, and setting out the principles of composition in the Tangye

formulary. Finally, it records 16 medical formulae for treating

epidemic illness tianxing (literally, heavenly movement), which might

be the earliest record of a prescription for treating this illness. "

 

The Fu Xing Jue Zang Fu Yong Yao Fa Yao is a very interesting read,

and gives both the experienced and inexperienced herbalist some

interesting things to ponder.

 

You can read the Secret Instructions for Assisting the Body: Essential

Methods for the Application of Drugs to the Viscera & Bowels at

Chinese Medicine. We are also currently working on a translation of Yang

Ji Zhou's commentary of the Biao You Fu.

 

Sincerely,

 

L.Ac.

The Database

Chinese Medicine

www.cm-dbcart.com