COMPILERS' PREFACE

COMPILERS

Preface for the Shang-han Lun

{Compilers:}

Princes Right Helper  Gao Bao-heng

Secretary Rice Field Not-regular Officer  Sun Qia

Secretary Head of Section   Lin Yi, et al

Shinjiro's Notes are marked in red numbers and listed at the end.

The Shang-han Lun is the book which recorded the thoughts of a great saint and no one has imitated its kind. Therefore, Huang Fu-bi1 wrote in his preface of the Zhen-jiu Jia-yi Jing2, Yi Yin3 edited the Sheng-nong Ben-cao Jing4 with his gifted talent as a saint, and created decoctions. Zhang Zhong-jing of the Han Dynasty widely discussed decoctions and wrote more than ten volumes of books, which proved these books vast effectiveness. In recent years, the Chief Doctor of the West Jin Dynasty court, Wan Shu-he5, edited Zhong-jings posthumous manuscripts in great detail. Everyone should use this edition.”

This means, we could say that Zhong-jings method originates in Yi Yins methods, and Yi Yins method originates in Sheng-nongs classic. They all wrote about the thoughts of the great saints.

Zhang Zhong-jing was not recorded in the Han Dynasty Book6. In the Ming-yi Lu7, it is written;"Born in Nan-yang. His name was Ji. Zhong-jing was his pseudonym. Passed the Xiao Lian examination8 and worked as a bureaucrat. Became a governor of Zhang-sha9. First he learned medicine from Zhang Bo-zu of his birthplace. His contemporaries said that he surpassed his master, being delicate in the usage of his knowledge. When he discussed, his words were in detail and meaningful. His methods were simple and clear, and the person of shallow learning could never reach his level."

More than eight hundred years have passed since Zhong-jing lived, and only Wan Shu-he could master the Shang-han Lun well. Ge Hong10, Tao Jing11, Hu Qia12, Xu Zhi-cai13, Sun Si-miao14 and others, all knowledgeable people, existed in these years. Each of them was an excellent academician and they did not pay attention to Zhong-jings works. In the Kai-bao era15, District Chief Gao Ji-chong once presented his edition of the Shang-han Lun to the Emperor, but the context was mixed in confusion, and no one has corrected it yet. Even though successive generations kept it in the library, no one had a chance of comparing it for correction. Hence, no one on earth knows the Shang-han Luns treatment process. Our nation ordered the Confucian vassals to proofread medical classics, and Subject Qia16 was, accordingly, ordered to choose a book to correct. I thought the illness, which needs the most emergent attention in a hundred illnesses, is the Shang-han (Harmful Cold). Thus, for the time being, we proofread the Shang-han Lun, ten volumes with twenty-two chapters, including 397 patterns and diagnoses. We omitted any overlapping and decided that it contains one hundred twelve formulas. Please spread this version now.

Respectfully presented by

Princes Right Helper Gao Bao-heng17 Secretary Rice Field Not-regular Officer Sun Qia

Secretary Head of Section Lin Yi, et al18

Shinjiro's Notes:

1: Huang Fu-bi: or Pu-mi: 214-282: the Wei-Jing Dynasty: Compiled the Zhen-jiu Jia-yi Jing.

2: Zhen-jiu Jia-yi Jing: A and B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.

3: Yi Yin: A legendary cook and prime minister of King Tang in the Shang Dynasty (-1111 BC).

4: Sheng-nong Ben-cao Jing: Sheng-nongs Materia Medica. Shen-nong (God-farmer) is a legendary figure, who invented agriculture and medicine. In Japan he is called Shinno and is worshipped as a medical god.

5: Wan Shu-he: The third century: The president of the Imperial Academy of Medicine in the Jing Dynasty (265-316 AD): Compiled the Mai Jing (Pulse Classic), and the Shang-han Lun.

6: Han Dynasty Book: Han Shu: The official records of the Han Dynasty (82 AD?).

7: Ming-yi Lu: Ming-yi Bie-lu: The Separate Records by the Famous Physicians: The end of the Han Dynasty: Lost: Some think Tao Hong-jing compiled it.

8: Xiao Lian examination: A special appointment system of the bureaucrats in the Han Dynasty.

9: Zhang-sha: The capital of the Hu-nan province: Sometimes it means Zhong-jing.

10: Ge Hong: 281-341: A Taoist physician: Wrote the Bao-pu-zi, and Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang (Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies).

 11: Tao Jing: Tao Hong-jing: 456-536: Kept a part of the Sheng-nong Ben-cao Jing and the Ming-yi Lu in his Ben-cao Jing Ji-zhu (Variorum of Materia Medica).

12: Hu Qia: Physician of the North Qi Dynasty (550-577): Edited the Bai Bing Fang (Hundred Disease Prescriptions).

13: Xu Zhi-cai: 492-572: Physician of the North Qi Dynasty: Compiled the Yao Dui (Pharmacy and Compatibility).

14: Sun Si-miao: 581-682: Physician in the Tang Dynasty: Wrote Qian-jin Yao-fang (Thousand Gold Important Prescriptions).

15: The Kai-bao era: 968-976:

16: Subject Qia: Secretary Rice Field Not-regular Officer Sun Qia: A low class member of the Bureau of Medical Books:

17: Gao Bao-heng: A court academician in the Imperial College from 1068-1086 in the North Song Dynasty: A high class member of the Bureau of Medical Books: Compiled the Huang-di Nei-jing (Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic), the Mai Jing, the Nan-jing (Difficult Classic), the Shang-han Lun,the Jin-gui Yao-lue (Golden Cabinet Important Synopsis), and others.

18: Lin Yi, et al: Physician of the North Song Dynasty. Emperor Ren Zhong appointed him as a member of the Bureau of Medical Books. See the State Superintendents of Children (Bureau of Education) to find other members names.

 

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