Summary: Hua Tuo was known as the Healing God by the chinese. He was a man that lived during the chaotic Three Kingdoms period. His importance in the Three Kingdoms lay neither in the three warring kingdoms' military, but in more of a social life. In a time where most men made their contributions in the military directly or in civil affairs, Hua Tuo made his contributions in neither. Instead he was a physician that lived during the times. His name would later go down in history as one of the greatest physicians ever lived.
I am presenting what I do know of this man and his contributions to society as a whole below. It will be presented in two sections: the first one is his official biography from Chen Shou's San Guo Zhi book; the second is a collection from various sources. The first can be realied upon as true history that was documented. The second part, I do not claim it to be fully true, as there were legends in there. I merely included it to shed some light on his life and how he was. The legends makes for interesting reading. Also because there were gaps in Chen Shou's biography, they were added in to fill the gaps and possibly give a more comprehensive view at the life of Hua Tuo. Again I do not claim them to be all true to history. The reader must decide which to believe. Also I apologize for this being long.
The first part is taken from Chen Shou's SGZ book translated for your reading.
The references for the second part are as follows:
1)Zheng Bocheng, The miracle-working doctor, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1985; 5 (4): 311-312.
2)Hong-yen Hsu and William G. Peacher, Chen's History of Chinese Medical Science, 1977 Oriental Healing Arts Institute, Long Beach, CA.
3)State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Advanced Textbook on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology, volume 1, 1995 New World Press, Beijing, China.
4)Unschuld PU, Medicine in China: A History of Ideas, 1985 University of California Press, Berkeley, Ca.
5)Sivin N, Chinese Alchemy: Preliminary Studies, 1968 Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA
6)Yang Shouzhong (translator), Master Hua's Classic of the Central Viscera, 1993 Blue Poppy Press, Boulder, Co.
7)Wang Jaixiu, The first monograph on surgery, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1986; 6(2): 136.
8)O'Connor J and Bensky D (translators), Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text, 1981, Eastland Press, Seattle, WA.
9)Yu Huichan and Han Furu, Golden Needle Wang Leting, 1996 Blue Poppy Press, Boulder, CO.
10)Shen Xueyong, Xu Xingsheng, and Zhuang Wei, 23 cases of summer fever treated by needling huatuojiaji points, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1995; 15(3): 192-194.
11)He Shuhuai, Huatuo jiaji ponts for migraine: 70 cases, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1983; 3(3): 231-232.
12)Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon
Healing God: Hua Tuo (SGZ translation and others)
Healing God: Hua Tuo (SGZ translation and others)
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:12 pm
Last edited by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- jiuwan
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by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:13 pm
HUA TUO'S SGZ BIO
Copyright © 2003 jiuwan (Giao Chau)
Translated from Chen Shou's San Guo Zhi with Pei Song Zhi's added annotations.
==============================================
Part 1A:
==============================================
Hua Tuo (Yuan Hua) {1}
華佗 (元化)
110-207A.D. {2}
Hua Tuo style Yuan Hua was a man from Qiao in the kingdom of Pei. Fu(敷) {3} was another name. Pei Song Zhi's notes: The ancient word 'fu' (敷) and the modern word 'zhuan' (專) are simliar. Writers often can't differeniate the difference. Searching for Hua Tuo style Yuan Hua's name, Fu was another name of his. He was a well educated man and was familar with the classics. The Pei Xiang (administrator of Pei) Chen Gui recommended him for a prestigous post; the Tai Wei (Defender in chief) Huang Wan offered him a position in his ranks as well, but Hua Tuo accepted neither position. He was skilled in the technique for nourishing one's nature. The people in his era all thought he was around a hundred years old, yet he still looked quite young and rugged. He was highly skilled in prescribing medicines and curing illness. In preparing remedies, he required very little ingredients. He didn't need to weigh the various herbs to mix for the remedy. In his mind he knew the exact proportions to add and mix. It was ready to drink as soon as the broth was finished boiling. After the patient was instructed on how to take the medicine, Hua Tuo would leave. Afterwards the patients' condition would vastly improve. In cauterizations, he would burn in one or two places; and in each place there are no more than seven or eight seperate cauterizations. The disease would then be eliminated. In acupuncture, it would also be in one or two places. He would instruct the patient: "I'm going to guide the needle to a certain spot. Let me know when I reach the spot." The needle would then be removed as soon as the patient told him he had reached the spot. The sickness would then go away. If the illness was internal, where the effects of acupunture and medicines were useless, Hua Tuo would then perform surgery. The patient would then drink a solution of ma fei{4}. Immediately after drinking, the patient would then become intoxicated as if they were dead and completely unaware. Hua Tuo would then make the necessary incision to remove the infected tissues. If the disease was inside the intestines, he would sever them and wash it out. The abdomen area would then be sewed up and an ointment would be applied on it. The pain would cease after four or five days. The patient would gradually regain his health. In about a month's time, the patient would be back to normal.
Footnotes:
{1} Translator's notes: Hua Tuo was many hundred years ahead of his time in terms of medical knowledge and practice. The exact source for his knowledge remains to be investigated. It may be possible that he made his own discoveries and advancement on his own without any teacher to instruct him.
{2} Translator's notes: The traditional dates given to his life span. His exact date of death wasn't specified (in San Guo Zhi). However we do know that Cao Chong (See footnote 8 for further details) died in the 13th year of Jian An (208AD). Hua Tuo's death was before Cao Chong as stated in his bio, so Hua Tuo couldn't have lived past the year 208AD. Also Cao Chong's death wasn't specified when (the month) in 208 that he died. A possible scenario would be that Cao Chong died early in the year of 208, while Hua Tuo died in the late stages of the year 207. Nevertheless, most historians would agree, that traditionally Hua Tuo died in the year 207AD.
{3} Translator's notes: Most likely a baby name used by his parents. Pei Song Zhi says, it may have been another name of his altogether.
{4} Translator's notes: In modern terms this would be morphine. Although morphine was not chemically isolated and identified until about 1805 by the German scientist, Frieddrich W. A. Serturner, it is however a naturally occurring substance. The ma fei, used by Hua Tuo, has anesthetic properties - causing an entire or partial loss of the feeling of pain to the patient; thus allowing Hua Tuo to perform surgery without the patient feeling the pain. This suggest how far-advanced Hua Tuo's skills were compared to his contemporaries.
Copyright © 2003 jiuwan (Giao Chau)
Translated from Chen Shou's San Guo Zhi with Pei Song Zhi's added annotations.
==============================================
Part 1A:
==============================================
Hua Tuo (Yuan Hua) {1}
華佗 (元化)
110-207A.D. {2}
Hua Tuo style Yuan Hua was a man from Qiao in the kingdom of Pei. Fu(敷) {3} was another name. Pei Song Zhi's notes: The ancient word 'fu' (敷) and the modern word 'zhuan' (專) are simliar. Writers often can't differeniate the difference. Searching for Hua Tuo style Yuan Hua's name, Fu was another name of his. He was a well educated man and was familar with the classics. The Pei Xiang (administrator of Pei) Chen Gui recommended him for a prestigous post; the Tai Wei (Defender in chief) Huang Wan offered him a position in his ranks as well, but Hua Tuo accepted neither position. He was skilled in the technique for nourishing one's nature. The people in his era all thought he was around a hundred years old, yet he still looked quite young and rugged. He was highly skilled in prescribing medicines and curing illness. In preparing remedies, he required very little ingredients. He didn't need to weigh the various herbs to mix for the remedy. In his mind he knew the exact proportions to add and mix. It was ready to drink as soon as the broth was finished boiling. After the patient was instructed on how to take the medicine, Hua Tuo would leave. Afterwards the patients' condition would vastly improve. In cauterizations, he would burn in one or two places; and in each place there are no more than seven or eight seperate cauterizations. The disease would then be eliminated. In acupuncture, it would also be in one or two places. He would instruct the patient: "I'm going to guide the needle to a certain spot. Let me know when I reach the spot." The needle would then be removed as soon as the patient told him he had reached the spot. The sickness would then go away. If the illness was internal, where the effects of acupunture and medicines were useless, Hua Tuo would then perform surgery. The patient would then drink a solution of ma fei{4}. Immediately after drinking, the patient would then become intoxicated as if they were dead and completely unaware. Hua Tuo would then make the necessary incision to remove the infected tissues. If the disease was inside the intestines, he would sever them and wash it out. The abdomen area would then be sewed up and an ointment would be applied on it. The pain would cease after four or five days. The patient would gradually regain his health. In about a month's time, the patient would be back to normal.
Footnotes:
{1} Translator's notes: Hua Tuo was many hundred years ahead of his time in terms of medical knowledge and practice. The exact source for his knowledge remains to be investigated. It may be possible that he made his own discoveries and advancement on his own without any teacher to instruct him.
{2} Translator's notes: The traditional dates given to his life span. His exact date of death wasn't specified (in San Guo Zhi). However we do know that Cao Chong (See footnote 8 for further details) died in the 13th year of Jian An (208AD). Hua Tuo's death was before Cao Chong as stated in his bio, so Hua Tuo couldn't have lived past the year 208AD. Also Cao Chong's death wasn't specified when (the month) in 208 that he died. A possible scenario would be that Cao Chong died early in the year of 208, while Hua Tuo died in the late stages of the year 207. Nevertheless, most historians would agree, that traditionally Hua Tuo died in the year 207AD.
{3} Translator's notes: Most likely a baby name used by his parents. Pei Song Zhi says, it may have been another name of his altogether.
{4} Translator's notes: In modern terms this would be morphine. Although morphine was not chemically isolated and identified until about 1805 by the German scientist, Frieddrich W. A. Serturner, it is however a naturally occurring substance. The ma fei, used by Hua Tuo, has anesthetic properties - causing an entire or partial loss of the feeling of pain to the patient; thus allowing Hua Tuo to perform surgery without the patient feeling the pain. This suggest how far-advanced Hua Tuo's skills were compared to his contemporaries.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:13 pm
==============================================
Part 2A:
==============================================
The wife of 'xiang' Gan Ling (Administrator Gan Ling) was six months into pregnancy, her abdomen caused her pain and discomfort. Hua Tuo examined her pulse{5} and thus replied: "The fetus has already died." He had someone assisted him in manipulating her abdomen to discover the position of the fetus. If the the fetus was on the left, then it would be a boy; if it were on the right, then it would be a girl. The person replied: "It's on the left." Some medicine broth was made to bring about the abortion of the dead fetus. Indeed it was a male. The lady recovered afterwards.
The 'xiang li' (district magistrate), Yin Shi, was troubled by sufferings in his four limbs (his arms and legs). His mouth was parched, other people's voices bothered him, and urination wasn't simple for him either. Hua Tuo spoke: "Try eating something hot. If you break into sweat, then you can recover; if you don't sweat, then after three days, you'll surely die." Immediately after consuming the hot food, Yin Shi didn't sweat at all. Hua Tuo then remarked: "The vital breath within has already been severed, it is finished." Indeed it was as Hua Tuo said. Yin Shi died.
Er Xun and Li Yan, two 'fu li' personnel both came. Both experienced the exact same symptoms - headaches and a fever. Hua Tuo prescribed the two men with different medicines. He was questioned why, to which he replied, "Er Xun is suffering externally while Li Yan is suffering from within, it is fitting their treatment is different." So each men was prescribed with the appropriate medicines. The next day both was cured.
Yan Xin of Yan Du and some other people were waiting for Hua Tuo. Upon returning Hua Tuo asked Yan Xin, "How is this gentleman's health?" To which Yan Xin replied thus: " It is as normal." Hua Tuo then explained: "You sir, have a sever illness in your face that I can see right now. You better not drink so much wine anymore." They sat for awhile. Afterwards everyone returned to their respected homes. After going several 'li's', Yan Xin felt dizzy and disoriented in his head, thus he fell out of his cart. Someone had to help him back up and returned him home. He then died.
The 'du you{6}', Dun Zi Xian, was sick. After reading his pulse, Hua Tuo told him, "You're still weak and depleted, you won't be able to recover just yet. Relax and don't over-exert yourself, do it not - and you shall die. At the moment of death, your tongue will hang out several inches." His wife heard that he was getting over his sickness and travelled from over a hundred 'li's' to see him. They engaged in intercourse that night. Within three days Dun Zi Xian suffered from a relapse. Exactly as Hua Tuo had said.
Hua Tuo went in to see the sick 'du you', Xu Yi. Xu Yi told Hua Tuo, "I was treated by acupunture last night. After insertion of acupuncture I suffered a little from coughing, but I could not relax afterwards." "The needles shouldn't have been inserted in the stomachic duct because they have mistakenly pricked the liver by accident. Your appetite will decrease, and in five days you are beyond saving," was the response from Hua Tuo. The illness transpired just as Hua Tuo said it would.
Chen Shu Shan of Dong Yang had a boy of two years old who had taken ill. At first the boy would cry. Afterwards he became weakened. Chen Shu Shan asked Hua Tuo as to what caused this. To which was the reply, "During pregnancy, the mother's vital 'yang' breath was being directed towards the fetus' nourishment. Her breast milk was cold and devoid. This passed on to the child (the condition acquired from the mother), it would be hard to cure right away." Hua Tuo then prescribed some 'si wu nu wan' pills for the child. After about ten days, the child's sickness was eradicated.
A woman of Peng Cheng was using the toilet at night where she was bitten and poisoned by a scorpion. It was so unbearable that all she could do was groan. Hua Tuo soaked her hand in a bucket of warm solution, in which she was finally able to get some sleep. But several attendants had to keep changing the solution to preserve that a constant warmth maintained. She recovered afterwards.
The magistrate of an army, Mei Ping, who had taken ill, got a discharge and returned home to Guang Ling. Still over two hundred 'li's' away [from home] he stopped off at a relative's home. In a moment, Hua Tuo also arrived to visit [that relative]. The home owner [the relative of Mei Ping] asked Hua Tuo to check out Mei Ping. Afterwards Hua Tuo replied: "If this gentleman had seen me earlier, then there would no need to come here. This sickness of yours has finalized, so hurry home and see your family. For in five days you'll be dead." Mei Ping hurried home posthaste. Hua Tuo was indeed correct again.
Hua Tuo was walking down the road when he saw a man with a blocked pharynx. That man had a weakness for eating, but when he ate something it wouldn't go down [his throat]. His family members were taking him to see a doctor on a cart. Upon hearing the man's moans and groans, Hua Tuo stopped to examine the sick man. "Down the road, there is a man who sells biscuits on the side of the road. He has some vinegar and garlic, which if you drink it, your sickness will vanish on it's own." It was as Hua Tuo said, the man coughed up a snake-like parasite and felt relieved. The parasite was then hung onto the side of the cart. The patient then proceeded to go thank Hua Tuo. But Hua Tuo had not returned home yet. His children were playing in front of the gate of the house. Upon seeing the man in the cart arrive, they said to each other, "He must've met our father, you can tell by looking at the side of his cart." The patient went in to sit inside. There he saw on the wall about ten snake-like parasites just like his.
Footnotes:
{5} Translator's notes: Although in this passage Hua Tuo took Gan Ling's wife's pulse he did not touch her on the abdomen to discover the position of the fetus. Instead he had someone else do it for him. Most likely one of the handmaids nearby. Back then, it wasn't proper etiquette for the physician to touch the woman in that area. The conventional rules of conduct in 'polite' society forbade this. Instead the physician would merely point to the spot on a model or drawing. It wasn't until many centuries later that this was dropped and allowed physicians to touch their patients where ever necessary.
{6} Translator's notes: "Du You was a prefecture-based appointment during Han dynasty. If I'm not wrong, the Du You supervised the mailing system in the prefecture, served as a deputy to inspect the various counties within the prefecture, and he might do some odd jobs like catching some thieves as well as collecting rents." Thanks to Dr.Evil for pointing it out.
Part 2A:
==============================================
The wife of 'xiang' Gan Ling (Administrator Gan Ling) was six months into pregnancy, her abdomen caused her pain and discomfort. Hua Tuo examined her pulse{5} and thus replied: "The fetus has already died." He had someone assisted him in manipulating her abdomen to discover the position of the fetus. If the the fetus was on the left, then it would be a boy; if it were on the right, then it would be a girl. The person replied: "It's on the left." Some medicine broth was made to bring about the abortion of the dead fetus. Indeed it was a male. The lady recovered afterwards.
The 'xiang li' (district magistrate), Yin Shi, was troubled by sufferings in his four limbs (his arms and legs). His mouth was parched, other people's voices bothered him, and urination wasn't simple for him either. Hua Tuo spoke: "Try eating something hot. If you break into sweat, then you can recover; if you don't sweat, then after three days, you'll surely die." Immediately after consuming the hot food, Yin Shi didn't sweat at all. Hua Tuo then remarked: "The vital breath within has already been severed, it is finished." Indeed it was as Hua Tuo said. Yin Shi died.
Er Xun and Li Yan, two 'fu li' personnel both came. Both experienced the exact same symptoms - headaches and a fever. Hua Tuo prescribed the two men with different medicines. He was questioned why, to which he replied, "Er Xun is suffering externally while Li Yan is suffering from within, it is fitting their treatment is different." So each men was prescribed with the appropriate medicines. The next day both was cured.
Yan Xin of Yan Du and some other people were waiting for Hua Tuo. Upon returning Hua Tuo asked Yan Xin, "How is this gentleman's health?" To which Yan Xin replied thus: " It is as normal." Hua Tuo then explained: "You sir, have a sever illness in your face that I can see right now. You better not drink so much wine anymore." They sat for awhile. Afterwards everyone returned to their respected homes. After going several 'li's', Yan Xin felt dizzy and disoriented in his head, thus he fell out of his cart. Someone had to help him back up and returned him home. He then died.
The 'du you{6}', Dun Zi Xian, was sick. After reading his pulse, Hua Tuo told him, "You're still weak and depleted, you won't be able to recover just yet. Relax and don't over-exert yourself, do it not - and you shall die. At the moment of death, your tongue will hang out several inches." His wife heard that he was getting over his sickness and travelled from over a hundred 'li's' to see him. They engaged in intercourse that night. Within three days Dun Zi Xian suffered from a relapse. Exactly as Hua Tuo had said.
Hua Tuo went in to see the sick 'du you', Xu Yi. Xu Yi told Hua Tuo, "I was treated by acupunture last night. After insertion of acupuncture I suffered a little from coughing, but I could not relax afterwards." "The needles shouldn't have been inserted in the stomachic duct because they have mistakenly pricked the liver by accident. Your appetite will decrease, and in five days you are beyond saving," was the response from Hua Tuo. The illness transpired just as Hua Tuo said it would.
Chen Shu Shan of Dong Yang had a boy of two years old who had taken ill. At first the boy would cry. Afterwards he became weakened. Chen Shu Shan asked Hua Tuo as to what caused this. To which was the reply, "During pregnancy, the mother's vital 'yang' breath was being directed towards the fetus' nourishment. Her breast milk was cold and devoid. This passed on to the child (the condition acquired from the mother), it would be hard to cure right away." Hua Tuo then prescribed some 'si wu nu wan' pills for the child. After about ten days, the child's sickness was eradicated.
A woman of Peng Cheng was using the toilet at night where she was bitten and poisoned by a scorpion. It was so unbearable that all she could do was groan. Hua Tuo soaked her hand in a bucket of warm solution, in which she was finally able to get some sleep. But several attendants had to keep changing the solution to preserve that a constant warmth maintained. She recovered afterwards.
The magistrate of an army, Mei Ping, who had taken ill, got a discharge and returned home to Guang Ling. Still over two hundred 'li's' away [from home] he stopped off at a relative's home. In a moment, Hua Tuo also arrived to visit [that relative]. The home owner [the relative of Mei Ping] asked Hua Tuo to check out Mei Ping. Afterwards Hua Tuo replied: "If this gentleman had seen me earlier, then there would no need to come here. This sickness of yours has finalized, so hurry home and see your family. For in five days you'll be dead." Mei Ping hurried home posthaste. Hua Tuo was indeed correct again.
Hua Tuo was walking down the road when he saw a man with a blocked pharynx. That man had a weakness for eating, but when he ate something it wouldn't go down [his throat]. His family members were taking him to see a doctor on a cart. Upon hearing the man's moans and groans, Hua Tuo stopped to examine the sick man. "Down the road, there is a man who sells biscuits on the side of the road. He has some vinegar and garlic, which if you drink it, your sickness will vanish on it's own." It was as Hua Tuo said, the man coughed up a snake-like parasite and felt relieved. The parasite was then hung onto the side of the cart. The patient then proceeded to go thank Hua Tuo. But Hua Tuo had not returned home yet. His children were playing in front of the gate of the house. Upon seeing the man in the cart arrive, they said to each other, "He must've met our father, you can tell by looking at the side of his cart." The patient went in to sit inside. There he saw on the wall about ten snake-like parasites just like his.
Footnotes:
{5} Translator's notes: Although in this passage Hua Tuo took Gan Ling's wife's pulse he did not touch her on the abdomen to discover the position of the fetus. Instead he had someone else do it for him. Most likely one of the handmaids nearby. Back then, it wasn't proper etiquette for the physician to touch the woman in that area. The conventional rules of conduct in 'polite' society forbade this. Instead the physician would merely point to the spot on a model or drawing. It wasn't until many centuries later that this was dropped and allowed physicians to touch their patients where ever necessary.
{6} Translator's notes: "Du You was a prefecture-based appointment during Han dynasty. If I'm not wrong, the Du You supervised the mailing system in the prefecture, served as a deputy to inspect the various counties within the prefecture, and he might do some odd jobs like catching some thieves as well as collecting rents." Thanks to Dr.Evil for pointing it out.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:14 pm
==============================================
Part 3A:
==============================================
There was a sick administrative governor that Hua Tuo visited. He knew if he could get the patient really angry then the man would be cured. Many payments and gifts were accepted but Hua Tuo did nothing to help the patient. Hua Tuo then abandoned the man, leaving behind a letter cursing the man! Upon reading the letter, the patient flew into a great rage. He ordered the pursuit to catch and execute Hua Tuo. The son of the governor understood what Hua Tuo intended and told the pursuing men to halt. The governor was able to recover because in his anger he vomitted out some black blood.
In another instance there was this gentleman that wasn't feeling well. Hua Tuo told him: "You, sir, have a illness which is deep rooted. Therefore I have to to operate on your abdomen to remove it. But you won't live any more then ten years. Your sickness will not kill you either, if you can endure the pain for ten years then your lifespan will be reached. So it's not worth the operation." The patient couldn't bear the pain any longer, so he insisted to have the illness removed. After Hua Tuo operated on the patient, the pain was quickly alleviated, but after the ten years the patient died.
The governor of Guang Ling, Chen Deng had gotten sick where he felt discomfort in his chest, his face flushed red and he had no appetite. Examing his pulse, Hua Tuo said, "Your honour, inside your stomach lies many parasites. If not rid of, then you'll develop an ulcer. This was caused by eating raw or uncooked meats." Immediately a medicinal broth was prepared. It was taken in two parts, half first then the remaining half. Chen Deng then vomitted three pints or so of parasites with red heads and still wriggling. Half of their bodies were like minced fish meat. All pain suffered by the patient disappeared afterwords. Hua Tuo then warned him: "You will suffer a relapse of this illness in three years. If you have a good doctor nearby you, then you can be saved." Indeed after the three years, Chen Deng did suffer from a relapse. At the time Hua Tuo wasn't in the area; nor was there any good doctors in the area so Chen Deng died.
The High Ancestor [Cao Cao] had heard of Hua Tuo and summoned him to court. Henceforth Hua Tuo was often in attendance. [Cao Cao] suffered from constant headaches. Each time it occurred his heart would in chaos, his vision dazed. Hua Tuo would treat Cao Cao with acupuncture to stop the pain.
According to Hua Tuo Bei Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo): There was once a man with two lame legs didn't allow him to walk properly. When Hua Tuo saw this he said to the man: "If it's pricked enough with an acupuncture needle and proper medicine taken, then there shouldn't be any veins showing." The man was then instructed to undress. Needles was inserted in his back in ten different locations, either one inch deep or five inch deep depending on the location. Being possessed is different for each person{7}. the appropriate locations were then determined. The more treatments that were applied, the more easier it was for him to walk. Afterwards another needle was inserted into the spinal cord region (just behind the head, in the lower cranial area). Proper movements in the upper and lower body was restored. Thus the man was able to walk normally again.
General Li's wife was quite sick and moaning. After reading her pulse, Hua Tuo told the general that, "She was injured during pregnancy but the fetus hasn't died yet." General Li retorted: "I heard during pregnancy when she suffered injury the fetus was miscarried." Hua Tuo then answered firmly, "The reading of her pulse indicates the fetus has not miscarried." The general believed that Hua Tuo was wrong, so he left. The lady improved slightly, but after about one hundred days she suffered a relapse. Hua Tuo was called upon once more. Hua Tuo again said, "The indications of her pulse does indeed say that there is still a fetus inside her. Initially she had twins, the first one came out first [the one that was miscarried], but she losted a lot of blood. The second one couldn't been born because she losted too much blood. The mother herself didn't notice this, others were unaware as well. Therefore the unborn fetus stayed inside the mother's wombs unborn and died. Her pulse didn't return to normal. And the dead fetus was causing the mother much distress in the spine. I will make a solution broth for her and then apply acupuncture to force the dead fetus out." After the lady had taken the broth and received the acupuncture, she experienced pain as if she was in labor. Hua Tuo then warned: "This dead fetus has decayed enough that it won't come out on its own. Someone will have to probe for it." Indeed when the fetus came out, they discovered it was a dead baby boy. The arms and legs were completely formed, it was blackish in color and about a foot in length.
Footnotes:
{7} Translator's notes: A popular belief in China in the ancient days: was that when a person that had taken ill in where they lose control or movement in certain body parts; that it was due to one being possessed by a spirit. Although modern science disproves this theory, nevertheless, the ancients 'cured' this ailment by acupuncture therapy. This is what Hua Tuo did exactly. Because of the belief of possession of spirits was different for each person, the remedy would thus be different as well. Therefore, although acupuncture is applied, a difference of depth would be applied to as to how each needle should be placed. This leads to many possible combinations of the ten needles that Hua Tuo applied on the man. So before applying the needles, Hua Tuo had to consider carefully how deep he would prick each needle in and in which location.
Part 3A:
==============================================
There was a sick administrative governor that Hua Tuo visited. He knew if he could get the patient really angry then the man would be cured. Many payments and gifts were accepted but Hua Tuo did nothing to help the patient. Hua Tuo then abandoned the man, leaving behind a letter cursing the man! Upon reading the letter, the patient flew into a great rage. He ordered the pursuit to catch and execute Hua Tuo. The son of the governor understood what Hua Tuo intended and told the pursuing men to halt. The governor was able to recover because in his anger he vomitted out some black blood.
In another instance there was this gentleman that wasn't feeling well. Hua Tuo told him: "You, sir, have a illness which is deep rooted. Therefore I have to to operate on your abdomen to remove it. But you won't live any more then ten years. Your sickness will not kill you either, if you can endure the pain for ten years then your lifespan will be reached. So it's not worth the operation." The patient couldn't bear the pain any longer, so he insisted to have the illness removed. After Hua Tuo operated on the patient, the pain was quickly alleviated, but after the ten years the patient died.
The governor of Guang Ling, Chen Deng had gotten sick where he felt discomfort in his chest, his face flushed red and he had no appetite. Examing his pulse, Hua Tuo said, "Your honour, inside your stomach lies many parasites. If not rid of, then you'll develop an ulcer. This was caused by eating raw or uncooked meats." Immediately a medicinal broth was prepared. It was taken in two parts, half first then the remaining half. Chen Deng then vomitted three pints or so of parasites with red heads and still wriggling. Half of their bodies were like minced fish meat. All pain suffered by the patient disappeared afterwords. Hua Tuo then warned him: "You will suffer a relapse of this illness in three years. If you have a good doctor nearby you, then you can be saved." Indeed after the three years, Chen Deng did suffer from a relapse. At the time Hua Tuo wasn't in the area; nor was there any good doctors in the area so Chen Deng died.
The High Ancestor [Cao Cao] had heard of Hua Tuo and summoned him to court. Henceforth Hua Tuo was often in attendance. [Cao Cao] suffered from constant headaches. Each time it occurred his heart would in chaos, his vision dazed. Hua Tuo would treat Cao Cao with acupuncture to stop the pain.
According to Hua Tuo Bei Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo): There was once a man with two lame legs didn't allow him to walk properly. When Hua Tuo saw this he said to the man: "If it's pricked enough with an acupuncture needle and proper medicine taken, then there shouldn't be any veins showing." The man was then instructed to undress. Needles was inserted in his back in ten different locations, either one inch deep or five inch deep depending on the location. Being possessed is different for each person{7}. the appropriate locations were then determined. The more treatments that were applied, the more easier it was for him to walk. Afterwards another needle was inserted into the spinal cord region (just behind the head, in the lower cranial area). Proper movements in the upper and lower body was restored. Thus the man was able to walk normally again.
General Li's wife was quite sick and moaning. After reading her pulse, Hua Tuo told the general that, "She was injured during pregnancy but the fetus hasn't died yet." General Li retorted: "I heard during pregnancy when she suffered injury the fetus was miscarried." Hua Tuo then answered firmly, "The reading of her pulse indicates the fetus has not miscarried." The general believed that Hua Tuo was wrong, so he left. The lady improved slightly, but after about one hundred days she suffered a relapse. Hua Tuo was called upon once more. Hua Tuo again said, "The indications of her pulse does indeed say that there is still a fetus inside her. Initially she had twins, the first one came out first [the one that was miscarried], but she losted a lot of blood. The second one couldn't been born because she losted too much blood. The mother herself didn't notice this, others were unaware as well. Therefore the unborn fetus stayed inside the mother's wombs unborn and died. Her pulse didn't return to normal. And the dead fetus was causing the mother much distress in the spine. I will make a solution broth for her and then apply acupuncture to force the dead fetus out." After the lady had taken the broth and received the acupuncture, she experienced pain as if she was in labor. Hua Tuo then warned: "This dead fetus has decayed enough that it won't come out on its own. Someone will have to probe for it." Indeed when the fetus came out, they discovered it was a dead baby boy. The arms and legs were completely formed, it was blackish in color and about a foot in length.
Footnotes:
{7} Translator's notes: A popular belief in China in the ancient days: was that when a person that had taken ill in where they lose control or movement in certain body parts; that it was due to one being possessed by a spirit. Although modern science disproves this theory, nevertheless, the ancients 'cured' this ailment by acupuncture therapy. This is what Hua Tuo did exactly. Because of the belief of possession of spirits was different for each person, the remedy would thus be different as well. Therefore, although acupuncture is applied, a difference of depth would be applied to as to how each needle should be placed. This leads to many possible combinations of the ten needles that Hua Tuo applied on the man. So before applying the needles, Hua Tuo had to consider carefully how deep he would prick each needle in and in which location.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:15 pm
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Part 4A:
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Hua Tuo was indeed highly skilled in his medicinal practice, but he was originally a scholar. Although he was skilled at healing people, he often regretted he was looked upon as a doctor by profession. Later on, when [Cao Cao] had taken personal control [of the affairs of the state], his illness became more severe and intensified. So he had Hua Tuo attend to him exclusively. "This condition is hard to heal in the short term, it requires a long term treatment to heal," replied Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo was away from home for a long time and desired to return home. Telling Cao Cao, "I have received a letter from home, I wish to return temporarily." Upon returning home, Hua Tuo delayed his return based on his wife's sickness. Several extensions were added to his leave yet he did not return. [Cao Cao] wrote letters calling for his return. He even dispatched an imperial decree to the local authorities to send Hua Tuo back. Hua Tuo found it distasteful waiting on others for a living{8}, he was proud of his abilities. So he delayed his departure back to Cao Cao. [Cao Cao] in his anger dispatched men to investigate. If indeed his wife was ill, he would bestowed upon them fourty bushels of 'xiao dou' and be lenient on his return date. If it was false excuse in delaying return, then Hua Tuo was to be apprehended and brought back. Hua Tuo was then thrown in prison, confessing his fault. Xun Yu (one of Cao Cao's advisors) petitioned on Hua Tuo's behalf saying to Cao Cao: "His skills are truly effective, many lives depend on him. Spare him on this account." [Cao Cao] answered back, "Don't worry, you think there are no other rats like him All under Heaven?" Hua Tuo was then sentenced to death. Upon his execution, he presented a scroll to the jailer. "This can save lives," said Hua Tuo. The jailer fearful of the law didn't accept the scroll. Nor did Hua Tuo force it upon him. Instead he inquired for a fire to burn the scroll. After Hua Tuo's death, [Cao Cao's] headaches were not healed. [Cao Cao] sighed, "Hua Tuo could have healed me. That rascal didn't so that he could enhance his own importance on me. Even if I didn't kill him, he wouldn't have healed me and rid me of this source of pain." Afterwards, Cao Cao's beloved son, Cang Shu{9} died of illness. [Cao Cao] in anguished cried out: "I regret putting Hua Tuo to death. In doing so I have condemned{10} my son to death!"
Footnote:
{8} Translator's notes: This passage is referring to Hua Tuo's dislike of waiting upon others. Meaning he found it distasteful and insulting on waiting upon Cao Cao solely. This would make him a personal 'slave' to Cao Cao. Because Hua Tuo would only service Cao Cao exclusively. Thus depriving him of his skill to save the sick and needed. Although Hua Tuo disliked being looked upon as a physician by profession (he was a scholar instead); he disliked it even more that he could only attended to Cao Cao exclusively. He was proud of his skills as a physician, therefore he should be able to use them to save whoever needed it.
{9} Adapted from Cao Chong's SGZ bio (San Guo Zhi:Scroll 20:Book of Wei 20) and Sons of Cao Cao & Cao Pi (San Guo Zhi:Scroll 20: Book of Wei 20) : Cao Chong styled Cang Shu, was one of Cao Cao most loved child out of his 25 sons and 7 daughters. At the young age of 5-6, he possed great intelligence and was quick-witted. He could think and had the wisdom of an adult.
One time, while paying tribute to Cao Cao, Sun Quan presented an elephant. Cao Cao wanted to know what the elephant weighed. On such short notice they couldn't weigh the elephant properly nor find something to measure it's weight correctly. Out came the young Cao Chong, who presented an idea. The idea was to use stones and a boat. The depth that the ship sank with the elephant was marked down. Then stones were added to the boat to reproduce the same effect. When the boat sank to the same depth, the stones aboard the boat were then individually measured for their combined weight. Everyone was astonished by the brilliance displayed by this young lad.
Cao Chong was kind and tried to help others in need. This one time, Cao Cao's stable manager discovered that the saddle to Cao Cao's favourite horse had been chewed upon by rats, feared for his life. It was considered a bad omen if one's possesion was biten by rats. Cao Chong then ripped apart some of his favourite clothes. He then pretended to be very distressed and cried in front of his father. His father inquired why his favourite son was so sad. Cao Chong then told him how it was bad omen that his clothes were ruined and ripped apart by rats. Cao Cao calmed his son down and told him that it was just superstition and there was nothing to worry about it. Thus releived Cao Chong then had the stable manager bring in the ruined horse saddle and told Cao Cao what happened to it. Seeing what was going on, Cao Cao laughed and told the stable manager not to worry about it, and pardoned the stable manager for his fault. Thus the stable manager's life was saved by Cao Chong's quick- wittedness and kindness.
After Hua Tuo's death, Cao Chong died of illness in the 13th year of Jiang An (208AD) at the young age of 13. When Cao Pi tried to console his father for the loss, Cao Cao said, "My loss is your gain." Cao Pi then knew that if Cao Chong hadn't died, Cao Chong would have been named heir to succeed Cao Cao. After his death, Cao Chong was posthumously married to the daughter of one of Cao Cao's friend (she also died young just recently). Cao Chong was also given some titles after his death.
{10} Translator's notes: In this particular passage, I have purposely altered the word that Cao Cao would have otherwise said. If a more direct translation is used on this speech by Cao Cao it would read as thus: "I regret putting Hua Tuo to death. In doing so, I have caused my son's forced death!" Now that passage would be weak and wouldn't really sound fluid with the rest of the translation. A 'forced death' in english doesn't make much sense, nor is it proper english. In chinese, however it makes perfect sense. So for english translation purposes, I have chosen the word 'condemned' instead. Thus, "In doing so I have condemned my son to death!" sounds more proper. Not only is it more proper english; it fits in with the rest of the sentence. Also the word 'condemn' adds more to speech, showing Cao Cao's anguish in his son's death. In chinese whenever there's dialog; most often the word: 'yue' (曰) is used. Example - Cao Cao 'yue': "His speech or words." Rarely is any emotions added on. So when it is added, it means there's a great deal of emotion or something that enhances the speech. This was the case when Cao Cao lamented his son's death. Because in Hua Tuo's SGZ bio these exact words were used, 'tai zu [referring to Cao Cao] tan yue' (太祖嘆曰). The word 'tan' means 'sigh, anguish, sorrow etc... '
Part 4A:
==============================================
Hua Tuo was indeed highly skilled in his medicinal practice, but he was originally a scholar. Although he was skilled at healing people, he often regretted he was looked upon as a doctor by profession. Later on, when [Cao Cao] had taken personal control [of the affairs of the state], his illness became more severe and intensified. So he had Hua Tuo attend to him exclusively. "This condition is hard to heal in the short term, it requires a long term treatment to heal," replied Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo was away from home for a long time and desired to return home. Telling Cao Cao, "I have received a letter from home, I wish to return temporarily." Upon returning home, Hua Tuo delayed his return based on his wife's sickness. Several extensions were added to his leave yet he did not return. [Cao Cao] wrote letters calling for his return. He even dispatched an imperial decree to the local authorities to send Hua Tuo back. Hua Tuo found it distasteful waiting on others for a living{8}, he was proud of his abilities. So he delayed his departure back to Cao Cao. [Cao Cao] in his anger dispatched men to investigate. If indeed his wife was ill, he would bestowed upon them fourty bushels of 'xiao dou' and be lenient on his return date. If it was false excuse in delaying return, then Hua Tuo was to be apprehended and brought back. Hua Tuo was then thrown in prison, confessing his fault. Xun Yu (one of Cao Cao's advisors) petitioned on Hua Tuo's behalf saying to Cao Cao: "His skills are truly effective, many lives depend on him. Spare him on this account." [Cao Cao] answered back, "Don't worry, you think there are no other rats like him All under Heaven?" Hua Tuo was then sentenced to death. Upon his execution, he presented a scroll to the jailer. "This can save lives," said Hua Tuo. The jailer fearful of the law didn't accept the scroll. Nor did Hua Tuo force it upon him. Instead he inquired for a fire to burn the scroll. After Hua Tuo's death, [Cao Cao's] headaches were not healed. [Cao Cao] sighed, "Hua Tuo could have healed me. That rascal didn't so that he could enhance his own importance on me. Even if I didn't kill him, he wouldn't have healed me and rid me of this source of pain." Afterwards, Cao Cao's beloved son, Cang Shu{9} died of illness. [Cao Cao] in anguished cried out: "I regret putting Hua Tuo to death. In doing so I have condemned{10} my son to death!"
Footnote:
{8} Translator's notes: This passage is referring to Hua Tuo's dislike of waiting upon others. Meaning he found it distasteful and insulting on waiting upon Cao Cao solely. This would make him a personal 'slave' to Cao Cao. Because Hua Tuo would only service Cao Cao exclusively. Thus depriving him of his skill to save the sick and needed. Although Hua Tuo disliked being looked upon as a physician by profession (he was a scholar instead); he disliked it even more that he could only attended to Cao Cao exclusively. He was proud of his skills as a physician, therefore he should be able to use them to save whoever needed it.
{9} Adapted from Cao Chong's SGZ bio (San Guo Zhi:Scroll 20:Book of Wei 20) and Sons of Cao Cao & Cao Pi (San Guo Zhi:Scroll 20: Book of Wei 20) : Cao Chong styled Cang Shu, was one of Cao Cao most loved child out of his 25 sons and 7 daughters. At the young age of 5-6, he possed great intelligence and was quick-witted. He could think and had the wisdom of an adult.
One time, while paying tribute to Cao Cao, Sun Quan presented an elephant. Cao Cao wanted to know what the elephant weighed. On such short notice they couldn't weigh the elephant properly nor find something to measure it's weight correctly. Out came the young Cao Chong, who presented an idea. The idea was to use stones and a boat. The depth that the ship sank with the elephant was marked down. Then stones were added to the boat to reproduce the same effect. When the boat sank to the same depth, the stones aboard the boat were then individually measured for their combined weight. Everyone was astonished by the brilliance displayed by this young lad.
Cao Chong was kind and tried to help others in need. This one time, Cao Cao's stable manager discovered that the saddle to Cao Cao's favourite horse had been chewed upon by rats, feared for his life. It was considered a bad omen if one's possesion was biten by rats. Cao Chong then ripped apart some of his favourite clothes. He then pretended to be very distressed and cried in front of his father. His father inquired why his favourite son was so sad. Cao Chong then told him how it was bad omen that his clothes were ruined and ripped apart by rats. Cao Cao calmed his son down and told him that it was just superstition and there was nothing to worry about it. Thus releived Cao Chong then had the stable manager bring in the ruined horse saddle and told Cao Cao what happened to it. Seeing what was going on, Cao Cao laughed and told the stable manager not to worry about it, and pardoned the stable manager for his fault. Thus the stable manager's life was saved by Cao Chong's quick- wittedness and kindness.
After Hua Tuo's death, Cao Chong died of illness in the 13th year of Jiang An (208AD) at the young age of 13. When Cao Pi tried to console his father for the loss, Cao Cao said, "My loss is your gain." Cao Pi then knew that if Cao Chong hadn't died, Cao Chong would have been named heir to succeed Cao Cao. After his death, Cao Chong was posthumously married to the daughter of one of Cao Cao's friend (she also died young just recently). Cao Chong was also given some titles after his death.
{10} Translator's notes: In this particular passage, I have purposely altered the word that Cao Cao would have otherwise said. If a more direct translation is used on this speech by Cao Cao it would read as thus: "I regret putting Hua Tuo to death. In doing so, I have caused my son's forced death!" Now that passage would be weak and wouldn't really sound fluid with the rest of the translation. A 'forced death' in english doesn't make much sense, nor is it proper english. In chinese, however it makes perfect sense. So for english translation purposes, I have chosen the word 'condemned' instead. Thus, "In doing so I have condemned my son to death!" sounds more proper. Not only is it more proper english; it fits in with the rest of the sentence. Also the word 'condemn' adds more to speech, showing Cao Cao's anguish in his son's death. In chinese whenever there's dialog; most often the word: 'yue' (曰) is used. Example - Cao Cao 'yue': "His speech or words." Rarely is any emotions added on. So when it is added, it means there's a great deal of emotion or something that enhances the speech. This was the case when Cao Cao lamented his son's death. Because in Hua Tuo's SGZ bio these exact words were used, 'tai zu [referring to Cao Cao] tan yue' (太祖嘆曰). The word 'tan' means 'sigh, anguish, sorrow etc... '
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:15 pm
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Part 5A:
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Initially, an army personnel Li Cheng was suffering from a cough. It caused him sleepless days and nights. From time to time he would cough up blood and pus. He questioned Hua Tuo about this. Hua Tuo told him: "Sir, you're suffering from your intestines swelling. What you are coughing up is not from your lungs. I will give you two tenths of a certain powder. Upon swallowing it should eradicate the coughing. You'll feel relieved and see some small improvements in a month. If you can take care of yourself well, in a year you'll be healthy again. A minor relapse will occur again in eighteen years. Take this powder again and you'll feel better. If you can not obtain this medicine, then you'll die." Another two tenths of powder was given to him. After receiving the medicine, about five or six years went by, a relative of Li Cheng's had the same illness as him before. His relative said: "You're strong and healthy now. I'm dying here. How can you bear to save the medicine when you're situation is not as critical?" Pei Song Zhi's notes: The Ancient language says to conceal it away. "First lend it to me, and when I get better, I'll get some more from Hua Tuo." Thus Li Cheng gave away his medicine to his relative and set out for Qiao. But upon arriving to see Hua Tuo, he could not request the needed medicine because Hua Tuo was imprisoned. Since there was no medicine for Li Cheng, he suffered a relapse after eighteen years and died.
According to Hua Tuo Bei Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo): People in the region of Qing Long Zhong (Green Dragon Central) have seen sightings of the 'shan yang tai shou'{11} (shan yang governor) of Guang Ling, Liu Jing Zong. Liu Jing Zong says that in the days of peace{12}, he would often see Hua Tuo. After viewing the patient's pulse in the arms, [Hua Tuo's] examination was that of the gods.
The governor of He Nei, had a daughter about twenty years old. In her left knee she had a tumor. Although it itched, it didn't cause her any pain. The tumor would arise about every ten days. This has went on for about seven to eight years. Liu Xun of Lang Ye, on behalf of the governor, brought in Hua Tuo to examine her. Upon examination, Hua Tuo finally said: "It's easy to remedy. All that is needed is the head of a yellow colored 'dao kang' dog{13} and two fine horses." A rope was tied around the dog's head on one end, and fastened to the horses on the other. The horses were then lead out with the dog trailing behind. Calculating that if the horse went about thirty li's, the dog wouldn't be able to keep up. A person was then needed to help the exhausted dog along for another fifty li's. Then it would be ready to be used as a remedy for the governor's daughter. The daughter was then to be laid down not knowing anything. A big butcher knife was brought out to cut the dog up. A cut was to be made near the stomaich region, just in front of the hind legs. The newly cut location of the dog was then faced towards the tumor's opening [on the girl's knee] about two to three inches away. Stopping [in front of the tumor] for a moment was necessary. In a while, from the center of the tumor, out came a snake like creature. It looked like it had a firm lateral head. When it wiggled enough inside the tumor it would stop. At this moment it was pulled out. It was about three foot in length. Clearly like that of a snake, but it's eyes were irregular and it had scaly ears. An ointment was rubbed onto the center of the tumor. After seven days the governor's daughter recovered.
In another case, there was a person who was suffering from headaches. He could hardly raise his head, his vision was blurred. This accumulated over the year. Hua Tuo asked him to remove his clothes for examination. Then asked him to tilt his head towards the ground one to two inches. A damp cloth was then wiped on the body, circling the whole circumference. A pulse was then taken in several places, producing the five shades. Hua Tuo then instructed several of his pupils to obtain a beryllium knife to cut at some veins. The five shades were then depleted after seeing the red blood. An ointment was applied to the open wound. The man proceeded to sweat afterwards. Some powdered 'ting li quan xie' was given to him to drink. He recovered immediately.
There was this instance where a married woman was sick for a year. Her sickness had symptoms of a fever and the chills. In the winter, middle of the eleventh month (november), Hua Tuo had her sit in a stone manger. The manger was then filled with cold water, in which she sat in for about a hundred days. It was filled with about seven to eight 'guan's [of the cold water], anymore and it would cause death{14}. [After the hundred days of soaking in cold water she then soaked in hot water]. Her illness was being expelled using steam [from the hot waters], this rised about two to three inches. After enough soaking, Hua Tuo placed a warm fire near her couch, with a thick blanket on her. Some powder was applied to her when she started to prespire (sweat). When her prespiration had stopped, she recovered shortly.
There was this person who was experiencing pain in the stomach. In about ten days or so the hair on the patient's eyebrows would fall off. Hua Tuo told the patient, "The spleen is partially decaying and it may affect the stomach in the rear." Instructing the patient to lie down, Hua Tuo adminstered some medicine{15}. Cutting open the stomach, upon closer observation Hua Tuo had found out that the spleen was indeed decaying. Hua Tuo then proceeded to cut away the infected flesh. After the surgery was done, an ointment was applied to the wound. The patient recovered fully after a hundred days of taking further medication given by Hua Tuo after the surgery.
Footnotes:
{11} Translator's notes: This position was the same of the governor. The 'Shan Yang' part may have been just a superficial title added onto the governor's position. I have yet come across any other positions that carry this same title in other San Guo Zhi books. Because Chen Deng who had died while being the Governor of Guang Ling. That may suggest Liu Jing Zong was his replacement sent in by Cao Cao. In regards of Chen Deng himself, refer to his San Guo Zhi bio. Because this annotation was later added in by Pei Song Zhi, and also Pei didn't really specify when this occurred. Liu Jing Zong may have been the governor before Chen Deng was appointed to the governorship of Guang Ling. Both cases are possible. If that latter scenario is the case, then it may explain that the title of 'Shan Yang Tai Shou' could have very well been a Han title versus a Three Kingdoms title. Also keep in mind that titles are created by the respective rulers. From time to time, the same name of position may mean different responsibilities and rank depending on the period and ruler.
{12} Translator's notes: This particular passage suggests that Liu Jing Zong and Hua Tuo knew each other from before. This would lead one to assume that Liu Jing Zong was as old as Hua Tuo. Since they knew each other from the days of past - during more peaceful times - this suggests it was a period before the Three Kingdoms period of constant warfare ravaging the country. Hua Tuo was born in 110AD so this may have taken place sometime around 130 - 180 AD roughly. If this is the case, then it would support the fact the Liu Jing Zong was indeed the governor of Guang Ling before Chen Deng was appointed. If not then it would just be a simple case of a little peace during the governorship of Liu Jing Zong during the Three Kingdoms period. Then again 'peace' can be defined differently according to different perspectives. Peace can be just as little as a few days to any where as months, or even years.
{13} Translator's notes: This 'dao kang' dog was a special breed of dog in China. Dogs in China are often fed with a regular diet of rice, and then other stuff added into the mix. The 'dao kang' dog was one specially bred to eat mostly rice, certain specially made rice in fact. Where as other dogs that were fed rice and meat, the 'dao kang' dog ate no meat at all in its diet. This was done on purpose in breeding the special 'dao kang' dog. To make up for it's lack of proteins found in meats, this dog was most likely fed with soya beans to make up it's lack of proteins. The reason these dogs were bred without meats in their diet was used for medicinal purposes. As this passage shows, the 'dao kang' was used in treating patients.
{14} Translator's notes: Pei Song Zhi didn't specify exactly what the death would be about - whether it's the patient's death or merely the 'bacteria/germs' that was causing her illness. Intrepreting it, it would most likely be the patient's death, since another treatment would be later applied to her (the soaking of hot, steamy waters).
{15} Translator's notes: Although Pei Song Zhi didn't specify what kind of medicine that Hua Tuo gave the patient in this case. It is safe to assume it was 'ma fei' solution. As a general practice Hua Tuo would administer 'ma fei' solution to his patients before performing surgery.
Part 5A:
==============================================
Initially, an army personnel Li Cheng was suffering from a cough. It caused him sleepless days and nights. From time to time he would cough up blood and pus. He questioned Hua Tuo about this. Hua Tuo told him: "Sir, you're suffering from your intestines swelling. What you are coughing up is not from your lungs. I will give you two tenths of a certain powder. Upon swallowing it should eradicate the coughing. You'll feel relieved and see some small improvements in a month. If you can take care of yourself well, in a year you'll be healthy again. A minor relapse will occur again in eighteen years. Take this powder again and you'll feel better. If you can not obtain this medicine, then you'll die." Another two tenths of powder was given to him. After receiving the medicine, about five or six years went by, a relative of Li Cheng's had the same illness as him before. His relative said: "You're strong and healthy now. I'm dying here. How can you bear to save the medicine when you're situation is not as critical?" Pei Song Zhi's notes: The Ancient language says to conceal it away. "First lend it to me, and when I get better, I'll get some more from Hua Tuo." Thus Li Cheng gave away his medicine to his relative and set out for Qiao. But upon arriving to see Hua Tuo, he could not request the needed medicine because Hua Tuo was imprisoned. Since there was no medicine for Li Cheng, he suffered a relapse after eighteen years and died.
According to Hua Tuo Bei Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo): People in the region of Qing Long Zhong (Green Dragon Central) have seen sightings of the 'shan yang tai shou'{11} (shan yang governor) of Guang Ling, Liu Jing Zong. Liu Jing Zong says that in the days of peace{12}, he would often see Hua Tuo. After viewing the patient's pulse in the arms, [Hua Tuo's] examination was that of the gods.
The governor of He Nei, had a daughter about twenty years old. In her left knee she had a tumor. Although it itched, it didn't cause her any pain. The tumor would arise about every ten days. This has went on for about seven to eight years. Liu Xun of Lang Ye, on behalf of the governor, brought in Hua Tuo to examine her. Upon examination, Hua Tuo finally said: "It's easy to remedy. All that is needed is the head of a yellow colored 'dao kang' dog{13} and two fine horses." A rope was tied around the dog's head on one end, and fastened to the horses on the other. The horses were then lead out with the dog trailing behind. Calculating that if the horse went about thirty li's, the dog wouldn't be able to keep up. A person was then needed to help the exhausted dog along for another fifty li's. Then it would be ready to be used as a remedy for the governor's daughter. The daughter was then to be laid down not knowing anything. A big butcher knife was brought out to cut the dog up. A cut was to be made near the stomaich region, just in front of the hind legs. The newly cut location of the dog was then faced towards the tumor's opening [on the girl's knee] about two to three inches away. Stopping [in front of the tumor] for a moment was necessary. In a while, from the center of the tumor, out came a snake like creature. It looked like it had a firm lateral head. When it wiggled enough inside the tumor it would stop. At this moment it was pulled out. It was about three foot in length. Clearly like that of a snake, but it's eyes were irregular and it had scaly ears. An ointment was rubbed onto the center of the tumor. After seven days the governor's daughter recovered.
In another case, there was a person who was suffering from headaches. He could hardly raise his head, his vision was blurred. This accumulated over the year. Hua Tuo asked him to remove his clothes for examination. Then asked him to tilt his head towards the ground one to two inches. A damp cloth was then wiped on the body, circling the whole circumference. A pulse was then taken in several places, producing the five shades. Hua Tuo then instructed several of his pupils to obtain a beryllium knife to cut at some veins. The five shades were then depleted after seeing the red blood. An ointment was applied to the open wound. The man proceeded to sweat afterwards. Some powdered 'ting li quan xie' was given to him to drink. He recovered immediately.
There was this instance where a married woman was sick for a year. Her sickness had symptoms of a fever and the chills. In the winter, middle of the eleventh month (november), Hua Tuo had her sit in a stone manger. The manger was then filled with cold water, in which she sat in for about a hundred days. It was filled with about seven to eight 'guan's [of the cold water], anymore and it would cause death{14}. [After the hundred days of soaking in cold water she then soaked in hot water]. Her illness was being expelled using steam [from the hot waters], this rised about two to three inches. After enough soaking, Hua Tuo placed a warm fire near her couch, with a thick blanket on her. Some powder was applied to her when she started to prespire (sweat). When her prespiration had stopped, she recovered shortly.
There was this person who was experiencing pain in the stomach. In about ten days or so the hair on the patient's eyebrows would fall off. Hua Tuo told the patient, "The spleen is partially decaying and it may affect the stomach in the rear." Instructing the patient to lie down, Hua Tuo adminstered some medicine{15}. Cutting open the stomach, upon closer observation Hua Tuo had found out that the spleen was indeed decaying. Hua Tuo then proceeded to cut away the infected flesh. After the surgery was done, an ointment was applied to the wound. The patient recovered fully after a hundred days of taking further medication given by Hua Tuo after the surgery.
Footnotes:
{11} Translator's notes: This position was the same of the governor. The 'Shan Yang' part may have been just a superficial title added onto the governor's position. I have yet come across any other positions that carry this same title in other San Guo Zhi books. Because Chen Deng who had died while being the Governor of Guang Ling. That may suggest Liu Jing Zong was his replacement sent in by Cao Cao. In regards of Chen Deng himself, refer to his San Guo Zhi bio. Because this annotation was later added in by Pei Song Zhi, and also Pei didn't really specify when this occurred. Liu Jing Zong may have been the governor before Chen Deng was appointed to the governorship of Guang Ling. Both cases are possible. If that latter scenario is the case, then it may explain that the title of 'Shan Yang Tai Shou' could have very well been a Han title versus a Three Kingdoms title. Also keep in mind that titles are created by the respective rulers. From time to time, the same name of position may mean different responsibilities and rank depending on the period and ruler.
{12} Translator's notes: This particular passage suggests that Liu Jing Zong and Hua Tuo knew each other from before. This would lead one to assume that Liu Jing Zong was as old as Hua Tuo. Since they knew each other from the days of past - during more peaceful times - this suggests it was a period before the Three Kingdoms period of constant warfare ravaging the country. Hua Tuo was born in 110AD so this may have taken place sometime around 130 - 180 AD roughly. If this is the case, then it would support the fact the Liu Jing Zong was indeed the governor of Guang Ling before Chen Deng was appointed. If not then it would just be a simple case of a little peace during the governorship of Liu Jing Zong during the Three Kingdoms period. Then again 'peace' can be defined differently according to different perspectives. Peace can be just as little as a few days to any where as months, or even years.
{13} Translator's notes: This 'dao kang' dog was a special breed of dog in China. Dogs in China are often fed with a regular diet of rice, and then other stuff added into the mix. The 'dao kang' dog was one specially bred to eat mostly rice, certain specially made rice in fact. Where as other dogs that were fed rice and meat, the 'dao kang' dog ate no meat at all in its diet. This was done on purpose in breeding the special 'dao kang' dog. To make up for it's lack of proteins found in meats, this dog was most likely fed with soya beans to make up it's lack of proteins. The reason these dogs were bred without meats in their diet was used for medicinal purposes. As this passage shows, the 'dao kang' was used in treating patients.
{14} Translator's notes: Pei Song Zhi didn't specify exactly what the death would be about - whether it's the patient's death or merely the 'bacteria/germs' that was causing her illness. Intrepreting it, it would most likely be the patient's death, since another treatment would be later applied to her (the soaking of hot, steamy waters).
{15} Translator's notes: Although Pei Song Zhi didn't specify what kind of medicine that Hua Tuo gave the patient in this case. It is safe to assume it was 'ma fei' solution. As a general practice Hua Tuo would administer 'ma fei' solution to his patients before performing surgery.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:16 pm
==============================================
Part 6A (Final):
==============================================
Wu Pu of Guang Ling and Fan Ah of Peng Cheng were two students who learned from Hua Tuo. Wu Pu following Hua Tuo's guidance was able to bring relief to others in his treatments. Hua Tuo had instructed Wu Pu: " The human body needs constant movement, but it shouldn't be stressed to the limit. Movement allows the vital air to disperse freely, the blood to flow freely in the arteries thus preventing the illness to manifest in the first place. It's like the hinge on a door of a house that doesn't decay due to the constant opening/closing. It was as the ancients have done in the past. They've stretched their necks like that of a horned owl; they stretched their waists; moving around their joints, all in efforts to delay aging. I have this technique called 'movements of the five animals{16}.' The first is called 'the tiger'; the second is called 'the deer'; third is 'the bear'; fourth is 'the ape'; and the fifth is 'the bird'; useful in preventing illnesses, beneficial to the limbs because they are a form of stretching{17}. If your body experiences some discomfort, simply perform one of the animal exercises. Upon sweating, sprinkle some powder on yourself and your body will feel relaxed. Giving you a healthy appetite." Wu Pu followed this instructions and lived to be more than ninety years of age. His ears and eyes were still sharp as ever, his teeth all held firm and strong. Fan Ah was skilled at acupuncture. Ordinary doctors advised that on the chest and back regions - one should not carelessly insert needles. If they did, then it would not be more than fourth tenth of an inch. Fan Ah would insert the needle in the back one to two inches; in the chest region he would stick the needle in five to six inches deep immediately relieving the patient of his ailments. Fan Ah once asked Hua Tuo for a medicine that would benefit one's health. Hua Tuo told him how to make a powder from varnish leaves and 'qian nian'. When the varnished leaves were fragmented; the 'qing nian' split into fourteen parts it would be ready. When taken for a long period of time: it would rid one of the 'three worms'{18}; benifit the five viscera, lighten the body [making it nimble and agile]; and prevent your hair turning white. Fan Ah followed this advice and lived over a hundred years. In the cities of Pei, Peng Cheng, and Chao Ge it is said that varnish leaves and 'qing nian' grows plentiful and abundant.
According to Hua Tuo Bei Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo): Other names for 'qing nian' was 'di jie' and also 'huang zhi.' It helped manage the five viscera and was beneficial for one's essence. It was originally found inside the mountains{19}. A Taoist person told of the whereabouts of it to Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo was delighted at this, and had also told this to Fan Ah who in turn kept it a secret. The fellow villagers of Fan Ah saw that it was his birthday. They thought that it was peculiar that he was still strong and healthy. They had made him many clothes [for his birthday]{20}.
Footnotes:
{16} Translator's notes: This refers to as what we know today as 'yoga.'
{17} Translator's notes: Hua Tuo is preaching about the benefits of exercise and the health benefits we can reap from it. Modern science has shown us that regular excerising allows the body to be in better overall shape and fitness. Metabolism is increase, thus the "absorption of nutrients in food". A healthy body will help prevent most sickness from occuring. And also for fighting off diseases while being sick, thus helping the recovery.
{18} Translator's notes: Different types of parasites that can eat away the five viscera.
{19} Translator's notes: This passage that Pei Song Zhi added in contradicts what Chen Shou stated in Hua Tuo's San Guo Zhi biography. Chen Shou had stated that 'qian nian' grows plentiful and can be found near the following cities of Pei, Peng Cheng, and Chao Ge. In Pei Song Zhi's added annotations, he quoted from Hua Tuo Bie Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo) that 'qian nian' was found inside the mountains.
{20} Translator's notes: I have omitted the rest of this passage. Because of the length of the added passage Pei Song Zhi added into Hua Tuo's San Guo Zhi bio. The passage went a little off topic with conversations and other topics. It wasn't really relevant to Hua Tuo himself. And there was no major impact on Hua Tuo's biography. It dealt more with Hua Tuo's pupil - Fan Ah, then Hua Tuo himself.
Part 6A (Final):
==============================================
Wu Pu of Guang Ling and Fan Ah of Peng Cheng were two students who learned from Hua Tuo. Wu Pu following Hua Tuo's guidance was able to bring relief to others in his treatments. Hua Tuo had instructed Wu Pu: " The human body needs constant movement, but it shouldn't be stressed to the limit. Movement allows the vital air to disperse freely, the blood to flow freely in the arteries thus preventing the illness to manifest in the first place. It's like the hinge on a door of a house that doesn't decay due to the constant opening/closing. It was as the ancients have done in the past. They've stretched their necks like that of a horned owl; they stretched their waists; moving around their joints, all in efforts to delay aging. I have this technique called 'movements of the five animals{16}.' The first is called 'the tiger'; the second is called 'the deer'; third is 'the bear'; fourth is 'the ape'; and the fifth is 'the bird'; useful in preventing illnesses, beneficial to the limbs because they are a form of stretching{17}. If your body experiences some discomfort, simply perform one of the animal exercises. Upon sweating, sprinkle some powder on yourself and your body will feel relaxed. Giving you a healthy appetite." Wu Pu followed this instructions and lived to be more than ninety years of age. His ears and eyes were still sharp as ever, his teeth all held firm and strong. Fan Ah was skilled at acupuncture. Ordinary doctors advised that on the chest and back regions - one should not carelessly insert needles. If they did, then it would not be more than fourth tenth of an inch. Fan Ah would insert the needle in the back one to two inches; in the chest region he would stick the needle in five to six inches deep immediately relieving the patient of his ailments. Fan Ah once asked Hua Tuo for a medicine that would benefit one's health. Hua Tuo told him how to make a powder from varnish leaves and 'qian nian'. When the varnished leaves were fragmented; the 'qing nian' split into fourteen parts it would be ready. When taken for a long period of time: it would rid one of the 'three worms'{18}; benifit the five viscera, lighten the body [making it nimble and agile]; and prevent your hair turning white. Fan Ah followed this advice and lived over a hundred years. In the cities of Pei, Peng Cheng, and Chao Ge it is said that varnish leaves and 'qing nian' grows plentiful and abundant.
According to Hua Tuo Bei Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo): Other names for 'qing nian' was 'di jie' and also 'huang zhi.' It helped manage the five viscera and was beneficial for one's essence. It was originally found inside the mountains{19}. A Taoist person told of the whereabouts of it to Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo was delighted at this, and had also told this to Fan Ah who in turn kept it a secret. The fellow villagers of Fan Ah saw that it was his birthday. They thought that it was peculiar that he was still strong and healthy. They had made him many clothes [for his birthday]{20}.
Footnotes:
{16} Translator's notes: This refers to as what we know today as 'yoga.'
{17} Translator's notes: Hua Tuo is preaching about the benefits of exercise and the health benefits we can reap from it. Modern science has shown us that regular excerising allows the body to be in better overall shape and fitness. Metabolism is increase, thus the "absorption of nutrients in food". A healthy body will help prevent most sickness from occuring. And also for fighting off diseases while being sick, thus helping the recovery.
{18} Translator's notes: Different types of parasites that can eat away the five viscera.
{19} Translator's notes: This passage that Pei Song Zhi added in contradicts what Chen Shou stated in Hua Tuo's San Guo Zhi biography. Chen Shou had stated that 'qian nian' grows plentiful and can be found near the following cities of Pei, Peng Cheng, and Chao Ge. In Pei Song Zhi's added annotations, he quoted from Hua Tuo Bie Zhuan (Tales of Hua Tuo) that 'qian nian' was found inside the mountains.
{20} Translator's notes: I have omitted the rest of this passage. Because of the length of the added passage Pei Song Zhi added into Hua Tuo's San Guo Zhi bio. The passage went a little off topic with conversations and other topics. It wasn't really relevant to Hua Tuo himself. And there was no major impact on Hua Tuo's biography. It dealt more with Hua Tuo's pupil - Fan Ah, then Hua Tuo himself.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:17 pm
==============================================
Part 1B:
==============================================
Now for the second part...
First off before I start rambling on about Hua Tuo, I would like to point out there were other famous doctors living during the same time as Hua Tuo. Their names were Dong Feng and Zhang Zhong Jing. Also there were Hua Tuo's disciples that carrried on his works after his death. But his disciples never got the same fame that Hua Tuo had. Two of his disciples were mentioned in his SGZ bio - Wu Pu and Fan Ah, while Li Dang Zhi wasn't mentioned.
During the rule of Three Kingdoms, there lived a renowned Chinese Physician, Dong Feng. He was a great physician showing compassion and love for his fellowmen. He cured many people of their illnesses, but refused any monetary rewards. When his grateful patients insisted on showing their gratitude, he advised them to plant apricot trees in his house compound. Those cured of a serious illness planted five apricot trees each, while those with minor ailments planted one each. Years later, Dr Dong's residence was surrounded by one hundred thousand of apricot trees which formed a huge forest.
At harvest time, Dr Dong would exchange the ripe fruits of these apricot trees for grain. Apart from the grain he kept for his personal consumption, the rest were given away to the poor peasants. This plantation soon earned a name for itself, the Forest of apricot trees. Known as Xinglin in Chinese, it came to be used to represent a skilful doctor who emitted warmth and hope, much like the upright and noble spirit of the highly skilled Dr Dong. It also depicted the earthly spirit of the peasants who reciprocated Dr Dong's kindness with great respect, appreciation and praise.
Zhang Zhongjing also known as Zhang Ji (150-219 A.D.) was considered to be a 'sage of medicine.' He penned a book called Shanghan Zabzabinglun (Discourse on Fevers and Miscellaneous Illnesses), which dealt with the treatment of many febrile conditions. The book contains six parts, which correspond to the six pairs of meridians. It is significant because it discusses diagnosis and treatment methods based on an assessment of the symptoms of different pathological conditions. Later in the Song dynasty (960-01279A.D.), his book was rewritten and divided into two books called Shanghanlun (Treatise on Febrile Diseases) and Jinkui yaolue (Summary from the Golden Chest).
Zhang Zhongjin seems to have also been helpful in creating massages and such.
Part 1B:
==============================================
Now for the second part...
First off before I start rambling on about Hua Tuo, I would like to point out there were other famous doctors living during the same time as Hua Tuo. Their names were Dong Feng and Zhang Zhong Jing. Also there were Hua Tuo's disciples that carrried on his works after his death. But his disciples never got the same fame that Hua Tuo had. Two of his disciples were mentioned in his SGZ bio - Wu Pu and Fan Ah, while Li Dang Zhi wasn't mentioned.
During the rule of Three Kingdoms, there lived a renowned Chinese Physician, Dong Feng. He was a great physician showing compassion and love for his fellowmen. He cured many people of their illnesses, but refused any monetary rewards. When his grateful patients insisted on showing their gratitude, he advised them to plant apricot trees in his house compound. Those cured of a serious illness planted five apricot trees each, while those with minor ailments planted one each. Years later, Dr Dong's residence was surrounded by one hundred thousand of apricot trees which formed a huge forest.
At harvest time, Dr Dong would exchange the ripe fruits of these apricot trees for grain. Apart from the grain he kept for his personal consumption, the rest were given away to the poor peasants. This plantation soon earned a name for itself, the Forest of apricot trees. Known as Xinglin in Chinese, it came to be used to represent a skilful doctor who emitted warmth and hope, much like the upright and noble spirit of the highly skilled Dr Dong. It also depicted the earthly spirit of the peasants who reciprocated Dr Dong's kindness with great respect, appreciation and praise.
Zhang Zhongjing also known as Zhang Ji (150-219 A.D.) was considered to be a 'sage of medicine.' He penned a book called Shanghan Zabzabinglun (Discourse on Fevers and Miscellaneous Illnesses), which dealt with the treatment of many febrile conditions. The book contains six parts, which correspond to the six pairs of meridians. It is significant because it discusses diagnosis and treatment methods based on an assessment of the symptoms of different pathological conditions. Later in the Song dynasty (960-01279A.D.), his book was rewritten and divided into two books called Shanghanlun (Treatise on Febrile Diseases) and Jinkui yaolue (Summary from the Golden Chest).
Zhang Zhongjin seems to have also been helpful in creating massages and such.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:17 pm
==============================================
Part 2B:
==============================================
Now for Hua Tuo....
Hua Tuo is a famous physician of the Han Dynasty who is so widely respected that his name and image adorn numerous products (e.g., as a brand name for acupuncture needles and for medicated plasters) and a set of frequently used acupuncture points (called Hua Tuo Jiaji, see Appendix). He is known for the early 'qi gong' exercise set known as the "movements of the five animals", in which one imitates the actions of tigers, deer, bears, apes, and birds; these practices were later incorporated into various health promoting martial arts practices, such as taijiquan. His name is always mentioned in relation to surgery, as he was considered the first surgeon of China, and one of the last famous surgeons of ancient China. He has been compared, in this regard, to Jivaka of India, who lived at the time of Buddha (about 500 B.C.) and was renowned for surgery, but had no significant successors until the modern era when surgery was reintroduced by Western doctors.
Legends of Hua Tuo's work are mentioned in historical novels, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Taiping's Comprehensive Anthology of Stories. It was a tradition in the past that when a patient had recovered due to the efforts of a competent physician, the family would present a congratulatory board to the doctor inscribed with the words: A Second Hua Tuo.
Hua Tuo was born around 110 A.D., in Qiao of Peiguo (today called Haoxian or Bo) county, in what is now Anhui Province, one of the four major herb distribution centers of modern China. He lived for about 100 years, having died around 207 A.D. He was an older contemporary of China's famous herbalist Zhang Zhongjing, who died around 220 A.D. In the Chronicles of the Later Han Dynasty, it is said that: "Knowing well the way to keep one in good health, Hua Tuo still appeared in the prime of his life when he was almost 100, and so was regarded as immortal." It is said that Cao Cao, ruler of the state of Wei, had Hua Tuo put to death for reasons that are unclear. Cao Cao summoned him to serve as his personal physician, and either became enraged with Hua Tuo's hesitancy to return again later to provide more treatments or suspected an assassination attempt when Hua Tuo suggested brain surgery as a treatment for his severe headaches. According to the Records of the Wei Dynasty (Wei Zhi), Cao Cao had Hua Tuo killed in 207 A.D. at age 97. Cao Cao's second son, Cao Pi (187-226 A.D.), became Emperor of the Wei Dynasty, taking over China upon the forced abdication of Emperor Xian; China then collapsed into chaos, and Cao Pi was left only a few years rule of Wei, the northern kingdom of the "three kingdoms" that resulted from the breakdown.
According to the limited existing reports of his life, it is said that Hua Tuo studied and mastered various classics, especially those related to medical and health measures, but also astronomy, geography, literature, history, and agriculture, when he was young. He was stimulated to pursue a career in medicine after seeing so many people die of epidemics, famines, and injuries from wars (Zhang Zhongjing also mentioned the epidemics as leading him to undertake medicine as a career). His father had died when Hua Tuo was seven. His family lived in poverty and his mother wanted him to pursue a career. So, he walked hundreds of kilometers to Xuzhou to access all the medical classics retained there and learned from a famous physician named Cai. He studied tirelessly while practicing medicine, and became expert in several fields, including acupuncture, gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery. For the latter, he invented various herbal anesthetics. One, known as numbing powder (Mafai San), was taken with alcohol before surgery. His ancient prescriptions are lost, but the ingredients are thought to include cannabis and datura, which had been recorded later, during the Song Dynasty, as an anesthetic.
Part 2B:
==============================================
Now for Hua Tuo....
Hua Tuo is a famous physician of the Han Dynasty who is so widely respected that his name and image adorn numerous products (e.g., as a brand name for acupuncture needles and for medicated plasters) and a set of frequently used acupuncture points (called Hua Tuo Jiaji, see Appendix). He is known for the early 'qi gong' exercise set known as the "movements of the five animals", in which one imitates the actions of tigers, deer, bears, apes, and birds; these practices were later incorporated into various health promoting martial arts practices, such as taijiquan. His name is always mentioned in relation to surgery, as he was considered the first surgeon of China, and one of the last famous surgeons of ancient China. He has been compared, in this regard, to Jivaka of India, who lived at the time of Buddha (about 500 B.C.) and was renowned for surgery, but had no significant successors until the modern era when surgery was reintroduced by Western doctors.
Legends of Hua Tuo's work are mentioned in historical novels, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Taiping's Comprehensive Anthology of Stories. It was a tradition in the past that when a patient had recovered due to the efforts of a competent physician, the family would present a congratulatory board to the doctor inscribed with the words: A Second Hua Tuo.
Hua Tuo was born around 110 A.D., in Qiao of Peiguo (today called Haoxian or Bo) county, in what is now Anhui Province, one of the four major herb distribution centers of modern China. He lived for about 100 years, having died around 207 A.D. He was an older contemporary of China's famous herbalist Zhang Zhongjing, who died around 220 A.D. In the Chronicles of the Later Han Dynasty, it is said that: "Knowing well the way to keep one in good health, Hua Tuo still appeared in the prime of his life when he was almost 100, and so was regarded as immortal." It is said that Cao Cao, ruler of the state of Wei, had Hua Tuo put to death for reasons that are unclear. Cao Cao summoned him to serve as his personal physician, and either became enraged with Hua Tuo's hesitancy to return again later to provide more treatments or suspected an assassination attempt when Hua Tuo suggested brain surgery as a treatment for his severe headaches. According to the Records of the Wei Dynasty (Wei Zhi), Cao Cao had Hua Tuo killed in 207 A.D. at age 97. Cao Cao's second son, Cao Pi (187-226 A.D.), became Emperor of the Wei Dynasty, taking over China upon the forced abdication of Emperor Xian; China then collapsed into chaos, and Cao Pi was left only a few years rule of Wei, the northern kingdom of the "three kingdoms" that resulted from the breakdown.
According to the limited existing reports of his life, it is said that Hua Tuo studied and mastered various classics, especially those related to medical and health measures, but also astronomy, geography, literature, history, and agriculture, when he was young. He was stimulated to pursue a career in medicine after seeing so many people die of epidemics, famines, and injuries from wars (Zhang Zhongjing also mentioned the epidemics as leading him to undertake medicine as a career). His father had died when Hua Tuo was seven. His family lived in poverty and his mother wanted him to pursue a career. So, he walked hundreds of kilometers to Xuzhou to access all the medical classics retained there and learned from a famous physician named Cai. He studied tirelessly while practicing medicine, and became expert in several fields, including acupuncture, gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery. For the latter, he invented various herbal anesthetics. One, known as numbing powder (Mafai San), was taken with alcohol before surgery. His ancient prescriptions are lost, but the ingredients are thought to include cannabis and datura, which had been recorded later, during the Song Dynasty, as an anesthetic.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
by jiuwan on Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:18 pm
==============================================
Part 3B:
==============================================
Two specific cases of abdominal operations were relayed in Hua Tuo's official biography:
A patient who went to Hua Tuo was told: 'Your disease has been chronic, and you should receive an abdominal operation, but even that could lengthen your life by not more than ten years.' The patient, being in great pain, consented to the surgery and was cured immediately, but he died exactly ten years later.
A patient who suffered from abdominal pain for more than 10 days and had depilation of his beard and eyebrows asked Hua Tuo for treatment. The doctor diagnosed him as having a deterioration in the abdomen, asked him to drink the anesthesia, then explored his abdomen and removed the deteriorated part, sutured and plastered the abdomen, and administered some herbs. The patient recovered after 100 days.
The latter story is believed to be a treatment of acute appendicitis. In the Wei Zhi (), it was reported that for intestinal diseases Hua Tuo "would cut them out, wash them, sew up the abdomen, and rub on an ointment; the illness would remit if four to five days." There is also the story of general Guan Yu, whose arm was pierced by a poisoned arrow during a battle; General Guan calmly sat playing a board game as he allowed Hua Tuo to clean his flesh down to the bone to remove necrosis, with no anesthetic. This event is a popular historical subject in Chinese art. (Note.. This part is fictional from Luo Guan Zhong's San Guo Yuan Yi. It was a famous legend, nothing more. Hua Tuo died in the year of 207. Guan Yu's surgery didn't take place until about 219AD when he was defeated by Lu Meng of Wu while attacking Cao Ren at Xiang Yang. Guan Yu's bone marrow surgery was done by some other doctor. Maybe the famous Dong Feng, Zhang Zhong Jing or even perhaps one of Hua Tuo's disciples - Fan Ah, Wu Pu or Li Dang Zhi.)
Hua Tuo has been called the "miracle working doctor" (also translated as divine physician; shenyi) because of his emphasis on using a small number of acupuncture points or small number of herbs in a prescription to attain good results. Some sayings have been attributed to him; for example, in advocating that people exercise to stay healthy, he said: "The body needs exercise, but it should not be excessive. Motion consumes energy produced by food and promotes blood circulation so that the body will be free of diseases just as a door hinge is never worm eaten." Being an accomplished Taoist (Anhui was the birthplace also of the legendary Taoist founders Laozi and Zhuangzi) and following its principles, he did not seek fame or fortune, though much praise was heaped upon him. He served as a physician in what are now Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces adjacent to his home Province of Anhui, and turned down offers for government service.
It is said that Hua Tuo wrote several books, but none of them has been handed down, so his teachings remain largely unknown. One story is that while in prison awaiting his death, Hua Tuo handed over his works, collectively referred to as the Book of the Black Bag, to the prison ward and asked him to help save people's lives with his medical books, but the warden dared not accept it, and Hua Tuo burned it. Another story is that the warden took the volume home, but that his wife, afraid of the trouble it might bring them, burned it. Either way, the lasting story is that his written teachings went up in smoke. It is thought that some of Hua Tuo's teachings have been preserved within other books that came out in subsequent centuries, such as the Pulse Classic, Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold, and Medical Secrets of an Official. An existent book was ascribed to him, but it has been determined to be from a much later writer; it was translated to English under the title Master Hua's Classic of the Central Viscera (Zhong Zang Jing), with the unsubstantiated claim that only one of Hua's scrolls was burned and this came through unscathed. Similarly, a book called Prescriptions of Surgery was attributed to Hua Tuo, but is believed to have been compiled at least a century or two after his death.
Part 3B:
==============================================
Two specific cases of abdominal operations were relayed in Hua Tuo's official biography:
A patient who went to Hua Tuo was told: 'Your disease has been chronic, and you should receive an abdominal operation, but even that could lengthen your life by not more than ten years.' The patient, being in great pain, consented to the surgery and was cured immediately, but he died exactly ten years later.
A patient who suffered from abdominal pain for more than 10 days and had depilation of his beard and eyebrows asked Hua Tuo for treatment. The doctor diagnosed him as having a deterioration in the abdomen, asked him to drink the anesthesia, then explored his abdomen and removed the deteriorated part, sutured and plastered the abdomen, and administered some herbs. The patient recovered after 100 days.
The latter story is believed to be a treatment of acute appendicitis. In the Wei Zhi (), it was reported that for intestinal diseases Hua Tuo "would cut them out, wash them, sew up the abdomen, and rub on an ointment; the illness would remit if four to five days." There is also the story of general Guan Yu, whose arm was pierced by a poisoned arrow during a battle; General Guan calmly sat playing a board game as he allowed Hua Tuo to clean his flesh down to the bone to remove necrosis, with no anesthetic. This event is a popular historical subject in Chinese art. (Note.. This part is fictional from Luo Guan Zhong's San Guo Yuan Yi. It was a famous legend, nothing more. Hua Tuo died in the year of 207. Guan Yu's surgery didn't take place until about 219AD when he was defeated by Lu Meng of Wu while attacking Cao Ren at Xiang Yang. Guan Yu's bone marrow surgery was done by some other doctor. Maybe the famous Dong Feng, Zhang Zhong Jing or even perhaps one of Hua Tuo's disciples - Fan Ah, Wu Pu or Li Dang Zhi.)
Hua Tuo has been called the "miracle working doctor" (also translated as divine physician; shenyi) because of his emphasis on using a small number of acupuncture points or small number of herbs in a prescription to attain good results. Some sayings have been attributed to him; for example, in advocating that people exercise to stay healthy, he said: "The body needs exercise, but it should not be excessive. Motion consumes energy produced by food and promotes blood circulation so that the body will be free of diseases just as a door hinge is never worm eaten." Being an accomplished Taoist (Anhui was the birthplace also of the legendary Taoist founders Laozi and Zhuangzi) and following its principles, he did not seek fame or fortune, though much praise was heaped upon him. He served as a physician in what are now Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces adjacent to his home Province of Anhui, and turned down offers for government service.
It is said that Hua Tuo wrote several books, but none of them has been handed down, so his teachings remain largely unknown. One story is that while in prison awaiting his death, Hua Tuo handed over his works, collectively referred to as the Book of the Black Bag, to the prison ward and asked him to help save people's lives with his medical books, but the warden dared not accept it, and Hua Tuo burned it. Another story is that the warden took the volume home, but that his wife, afraid of the trouble it might bring them, burned it. Either way, the lasting story is that his written teachings went up in smoke. It is thought that some of Hua Tuo's teachings have been preserved within other books that came out in subsequent centuries, such as the Pulse Classic, Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold, and Medical Secrets of an Official. An existent book was ascribed to him, but it has been determined to be from a much later writer; it was translated to English under the title Master Hua's Classic of the Central Viscera (Zhong Zang Jing), with the unsubstantiated claim that only one of Hua's scrolls was burned and this came through unscathed. Similarly, a book called Prescriptions of Surgery was attributed to Hua Tuo, but is believed to have been compiled at least a century or two after his death.
- jiuwan
- Marquis of Shun Ping
- Posts: 542
- Joined: January 6, 2003
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