Chinese physicians of all past generations paid great attention to treatment
of sicknesses before they are contracted. Here I would like to tell you a story
about a famous Chinese physician. This story, which is carried in Historical
Records by Sima Qian of the Han Dynasty, is widely adopted by primary-school
textbooks in China. Bian Que was an eminent medical expert 2,500 years ago. Bian
Que also named Tai Yueren from Renqiu in Hebei province (today)-the most ancient
of the physicians from the historical period. He was reputed to be an excellent
diagnostician, excelling in pulse taking and acupuncture therapy. He is ascribed
the authorship of Bian Que Neijing (Internal Classic of Bian Que). Han Dynasty
physicians claimed to have studied his works, which have since been lost.
It is said that he had high attainments in acupuncture and moxibustion,
diagnosis by pulse-feeling, surgery, etc. Once, he passed through the capital of
State Qi on his way to some destination. The monarch of State Qi personally
received him in his palace. When they were talking, Bian Que noticed that the
monarch's complexion was not good at all. He told the monarch of it and said,
"Your Excellency has got some disease. It is at present in superficial parts of
the body. If it is treated in good time you will soon be well. " On hearing this
the monarch shook his head and said, "I am in perfect health. How could it be
that I'm ill? ". After Bian Que had left, the monarch said to people at his
side, "Physicians are apt to crave for fame and profit; they tend to speak of
someone who is very well as being ill, for the purpose of glorifying themselves
by treating people as patients who actually are good in health, so as to claim
credit and ask for a reward." Five days later, Bian Que called on the monarch
again and said to him, "Your illness has spread to the blood vessels. It will
become more serious if not treated in time." The monarch was greatly displeased
and said to Bian Que, "I have no disease at all!" Five more days after that,
Bian Que visited the monarch once more and told him, in all seriousness, that
the illness has spread to the intestines and the stomach and it would be
incurable by any medicine if procrastination should continue. The monarch still
ignored his advice.
Several days later, when Bian Que encountered the monarch unexpectedly on his
way somewhere, he turned his back and hurried away. The monarch felt quite
surprised. He sent people to inquire Bian Que about his behaviour. Bain Que
said, "When the illness was in the early or middle stage, it could be cured yet
by some means. Now, the disease is in the bone marrow. It can’t be cured by any
means. So, I had to avoid meeting the monarch." The monarch died of illness
before long.
If you are a Western reader, you would have some doubt in your mind after
reading this story. China had no scientific instrument at all of any kind 2,500
years ago. How was Bian Que able to know that the monarch was ill? It is not
something to be accomplished in one day or one night if you want to digest the
quintessence of traditional Chinese medicine of thousands of years. Here I would
like to give you just a succinct explanation first. The method of diagnosis of
traditional Chinese medicine is by the "Outside-to-inside method". This means
that the internal essence is inferred from external phenomena.
