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[Shinjiro’s Explanatory Notes]
1) I
broke the text into sections and numbered them following the Japanese
standard text, the Nippon Kanpo
Kyokai
Edition.
2) The words in [] are Shinjiro’s notes, not in the original text.
3) The words in () are added by Shinjiro to facilitate comprehension in
English.
4) The words in {} are notes in small characters in the original texts.
San Guo Zhi Yang-yi
Chapter 75
Guan Yun-zhang healed by scraping poison from his bone
Shinjiro's Notes
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Stories about Hua-tou appear in the Three States Epoch Stories
(San Guo Zhi Yang-yi). This popular novel was supposedly written by Luo Guan-zhong around 1350, based on the
Three States History (San Guo Zhi) written by Chen Shou in 285.
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The three states are Wei, Wu and Shu in the period from 220 to 264 A.D.
It was the Stone Age. Arrow heads were made with stone.
Chapter 75: Guan Yun-zhang healed by scraping poison from his bone
As soon as Cao-ren, General of Wei, saw Guan Yu, General of Shu, fell wounded from his horse, he attacked the Shu army, commanding his Wei soldiers to charge forward. Guan Ping, son of Guan Yu, successfully pushed Cao-ren’s army back, then picked up Guan Yu and left the war front. Guan Ping pulled the arrow from his father’s elbow, but the bleeding wound not stop. Poison from the arrowhead soaked into the bone, and the right elbow became blue and swollen. Guan Yu could not move his elbow. Guan Ping frantically told his commanders, “It is impossible to fight with the enemy with my father being unable to use his elbow. I think we should go back to Jing-zhou and let him be treated.” Wan-fu of Si-ma (name of the rank) said “I was thinking the same thing.” Thus, Guan Ping went into his father’s tent with his commanders and saw his father not showing any pain. “What do you want?” asked his father. The generals answered, “We worry about your wounded elbow. If you get upset by the enemy, your wound will get worse. We have discussed the matter and have decided to leave the front and go back to Jing-zhou, and let your wound heal.” Guan Yu got upset. “The fall of Fan Castle is before our eyes. After the fall of Fang Castle, clear the enemy behind us and attack Xu-du (the Capital of Wei) to kill Cao-cao, the King of Wei. Then, peace will prevail in the Han country. This is my dream. I will not make any mistake in this patriotic task with such an elbow injury. Did you come here to demoralize our soldiers?” Guan Ping and the generals were at a loss for words to return to him and got out of his tent. The commanders considered their dilemma and decided to send the orderlies to find the best doctor. One day, a small boat came from Jiang-tong to the war front. A person disembarked and walked into the camp of Guan Yu. The head of the guards introduced this person to Guan Ping. The man wore a square cap on his head and a loose coat, holding a blue bag in his hand. He claimed to be Hua-tou, commonly known as Yuan-hua, from the Qiao County of the state of Pei. The stranger said “I heard that the world famous general, Guan Yu, was shot by a poisoned arrow, and decided to treat him.” Guan Ping asked, “Was it you who treated Zhou Tai of East Wu last year when he was wounded?” “Yes, indeed”, was Hua-tou’s reply.
Guan Ping was very happy and introduced Hua-tou to his commanders, and then with all the commanders, he took Hua-tou to his father’s tent. Guan Yu could not bear the pain of his elbow, but did not want to affect his soldiers’ morale, so he was playing a game of go with Ma Liang to forget his pain. When he heard a doctor was there, Guan Yu let the doctor come in. After the usual greetings, Guan Yu let the doctor sit and offered him some tea. Hua-tou wanted to see the wound. Guan Yu rearranged his clothing to expose the wound to Hua-tou.
Hua-tou said, “This is a wound made by a stone arrowhead. In addition, it was painted with the poison aconite, which has permeated into the bone. If we don’t treat immediately, this elbow will never move again.”
Guan Yu asked, “What do you use to treat?”
Hua-tou answered,
"I have one way to treat, but I’m afraid you might flinch from my treatment.”
Guan Yu laughed, “I’m not even afraid of death.
What else should I flinch from?”
Hua-tou asked, “Then, would you order your men to raise a pole at the innermost part of your tent, hang a ring from the pole, and then tie your elbow to the ring. Also cover your face with a bed sheet. I will cut and open your muscle and scrape the poison off of the bone. Then I will apply medicine and sew the flesh together. After that you will be fine. Are you sure you will not flinch?”
Guan Yu laughed again, “Is that all? Then, we don’t need any pole.” He made the order that wine should be served.
After drinking five to six cups of wine, he started the game of go again with Ma Liang, while offering his elbow to Hua-tou so he could open it. Hua-tou took a small knife in his hand and asked one of the soldiers to hold a large bowl under Guan Yu’s elbow.
Hua-tou said to Guan Yu, “Now, I will start. Compose your mind!”
Guan Yu answered, “Sure. Cut it. Do whatever you want! I am not like an ordinary man!”
Hua-tou opened the elbow until the bone was exposed, and found the bone blue as he expected it would be. Creaking noises from the knife and the bone made the faces of the surrounding soldiers turn deadly pale. They covered their eyes with their hands. Even so, Guan Yu was cool, drinking wine, picking up a piece of meat, and laughing, while playing the game of go. He never showed agony in his face.
The large bowl was filled with blood at once. Hua-tou completely scraped off the poison and applied medicine, then sewed the wound closed.
Guan Yu laughed loudly and stood up, then told to his soldiers, “My elbow is as it was before. I can bend and straighten it. I have no pain. This doctor is the best doctor.”
Hau-tou was impressed by Guan Yu, “I have never seen such a patient like you since I started my practice. General must be a heavenly God.”
Later a poet made a song;
To treat illness, it is necessary to divide into internal medicine and surgery
In the world, it is rare to find superb technicians
The man who reached the dignity of God is rare, only General Guan did
The doctor who handled the hands of the saint was Hua-tou, they say
Guan Yu laughed happily when he finished the treatment of his elbow. He ordered a banquet prepared and invited Hua-tou. He thanked Hua-tou from the bottom of his heart.
Hua-tou told him, “The arrow wound may be healed, but you have to be careful. Your anger could be very harmful for your wound. After one hundred days, your wound will be healed totally.”
Guan Yu wanted to pay one hundred liang gold for the treatment, but Hua-tou refused to accept money, saying, “I came here to treat you because I know General is a righteous person of the world. I did not expect to be paid.”
Hua-tou gave Guan Yu one more ointment and left.
[END OF CHAPTER 75]
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