Pang Anshi: introduction about his biography and legend,main books and academic thoughts.
✵Pang Anshi: a physician renowned for several of his medical works. The most widely read of these was a detailed and comprehensive treatise on various kinds of fever, titled Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (The General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease).
龐安時 (Páng ānshí).
Brief Introduction
Chinese Name:
龐安時 (Páng ānshí)
Alias:
安常 (ān cháng)
Popular name:
蘄水道人 (Qí Shuǐ Dào Rén, or Qi River Taoist)
English Name:
Pang Anshi, or Anshi Pang (Given/Sur Name)
Hometown:
QiShui,Qizhou of Song.
Dates:
about 1042-1100 A.D.
Main works:
《傷寒總病論》(Shang Han Zong Bing Lun, General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease) in 6 volumes,《難經辨》(Nan Jing Bian, or Discussion on the Classic of Questioning),《難經解義》(Nan Jing Jie Yi, or Interpretation of the Classic of Questioning),《主對集》(Zhu Dui Ji),《本草补遗》(Ben Cao Bu Yi),etc.
Representative works:
Shang Han Zong Bing Lun(the General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease)
Biography and legends:
Pang Anshi: Famous physician who lived during the Song Dynasty and was the author of several renowned works. The most widely read of these was a detailed and comprehensive treatise on various cold-induced diseases and warm diseases titled Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (The General Disease Theory of Cold-Induced Disease).
Pang Anshi (1042-1099 or 1100 A.D.), also known as An Chang or Qishui Daoren (Qi River Taoist), was a native of QiShui in Qizhou (ancient toponym of the Song dynasty, present-day Xishui county, Hubei Province). We was titled "Bei Song Yi Wang" (Master Herbalist of the NorthSong Dynasty). Born into a family of physicians, Pang Anshi was wise and fond of learning from a young age. His father, an ancestral physician, taught him "Pulse Formulas." Young Pang Anshi said, "Reading this book is not enough." He found other pulse theories in Huang Di and Bian Que's books to study. Soon, he learned the theories of medical books and came up with some new viewpoints. Whenever he discussed something with others, he always won. His father was very surprised because Pang Anshi was not yet twenty years old. He caught a disease at twenty years old, which caused him to become deaf. Despite this, he continued studying ancient herbal classics such as Ling Shu (The Spiritual Pivot), Tai Su (The Grand Simplicity of the Inner Canon), and Jia Yi Jing (Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, or The ABC Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion), as well as other classics related to medicine. Due to extensive reading, Pang knew many works related to medicine during that time period. Pang Anshi mastered treatment methods and excelled in treating urgent conditions. He not only sought benefit when treating people, but also invited patients who came to seek treatment to stay in his house. He took care of them himself until they recovered, and then said farewell to each other. In his later years, Pang Anshi combined theories from different schools and his own clinical experience. He compiled and edited the six-volume medicine book Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease), and provided further supplements and interpretations based on the thoughts of Zhang Zhongjing. The book emphasizes the interpretation of febrile disease and distinguishes them from cold-induced diseases. Later generations regarded this new thought as a significant contribution to the development of exogenous disease theory.
Pang Anshi had a hobby of reading medicine books as a child and had a photographic memory. He carefully studied the ancient classics Nei Jing (The Inner Canon), Nan Jing (The Difficult Classic), and Shang Han Lun (The Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), as well as other medical works. He was well-versed in different classics and schools of thought. He thought thoroughly and had many correct and penetrating views on medical theory and practice. He was extremely devoted to cold-induced diseases. His in-depth study and clinical practice made it easy to apply medicine, acupuncture, or massage in treatment. Obvious effects were achieved. However, he was a free thinker who did not adhere to previous theories. He sought new theories and creations with audacity and in-depth mediation. For example, Pang Anshi set up a patient workshop where patients could stay. This was an innovation in the TCM system during the middle of the Northern Song dynasty. He also tried to reduce patients' burdens by producing herbs for them. Holding to his belief that "being a physician is not for profit", Pang often treated patients, and nine out of ten recovered. His distinguished medical ethics are difficult for later physicians to reach.
In his works, Pang Anshi wrote, "I have read all the medical books, and Bian Que's teachings are the most profound. He incorporated the treatment method into the book Nan Jing (The Difficult Classic), but didn't include all the details. He probably hoped that future generations of physicians would gradually understand it while treating patients." Pang said frankly, "My medical skill comes from Bian Que's Nan Jing (The Difficult Classic). In the course of treatment, judging whether a patient's disease can be treated is very consistent with what the book says." Pang believed the two most important pulse phases to observe were "Ren Ying" and "Cunkou". Ren Ying, located near Adam's apple, refers to the carotid pulse, and Cunkou, just outside the wrist, refers to the radial pulse. These two pulses are yin and yang, like two cords. When the Yin and Yang of the human body are balanced, the pulse sizes of Ren Ying and Cunkou are the same. With this method of judgment and treatment, "the disease cannot escape." Pang wrote a 10,000-character book known as Nan Jing Bian (Discussions on the Difficult Classics), hoping to pass on his Nan Jing (the Difficult Classic)-based skills to later generations. He also found that some herbs appeared relatively late and that the ancients did not know about them. People at that time could not distinguish the medicinal properties of these plants. After practical application, however, the herbs were found to be effective. To keep them usable for later generations, he wrote a book titled Ben Cao Bu Yi (Addendum to the Materia Medica).
When Pang Anshi fell ill at the age of 58, his disciple asked him to treat himself. He replied with a smile, "I have received a very good diagnosis. Besides, breathing is a sign of the pulse, and my stomach Qi is collapsing. I am going to die." A few days later, Pang passed away peacefully while sitting with his guests.
Main books and academic thoughts:
Pang Anshi is a master of cold-induced diseases and has studied epidemic febrile disease in depth. He is well-versed in internal medicine, pediatrics, and gynecology, and has extensive clinical experience. He provides thorough explanations of cold-induced disease and epidemic febrile disease.
Interpretation of the Theory of Cold-Induced Disease: For the treatment of cold-induced disease, Pang Anshi held the theory that pathogenic factors and pathogenesis were the main causes. He also considered other factors, such as physique, geography, and climate, to make a diagnosis. He inherited the previous theory that the main cause of cold-induced disease was severe pathogenic cold. However, it varies depending on the cases, time, geographical location, and physique. The variations are represented by different syndromes: ①.cold-induced disease, ②.wind-affection syndrome, ③.wind-warm syndrome, ④.febrile or warm disease, ⑤.diseases caused by dampness, ⑥.summer-heat disease, these are different syndromes. Based on discussions from Shang Han Li, he further elaborated on cold-induced disease, which he mainly recorded in volumes 1-3 of his work, (Shang Han Zong Bing Lun). He emphasized that the common pathogenic reason for all exogenous febrile diseases is toxic pathogens. Conversely, he also emphasized the importance of determining physical reasons and held the viewpoint that pathogenic factors are based on internal reasons. He also recognized that exogenous diseases are closely related to the climates of four seasons, geography, and dwelling place. For example, when severe pathogenic cold attacks in different seasons, it develops into different diseases: ①.cold-induced disease (cold affection), ②.febrile disease, ③.summer-heat pyrexia disease, ④.diseases caused by dampness. These diseases are accompanied by different syndromes that occur due to climate change. Furthermore, patients living in mountainous areas more frequently experience wind affection syndrome (Zhong Feng) and syncope due to pathogenic cold. Conversely, patients living in the plains more frequently experience summer-heat disease and dampness-disease, proving that disease occurrence is related to one's living habitat. Pang Anshi treats cold-induced diseases according to the principles of Zhang Zhongjing. He also changes his method flexibly, often treating patients based on their individual conditions and the condition of the place. He has gained extensive experience in treatment and has developed a variety of therapy methods for cold-induced diseases.
Interpretation of the Theory of Epidemic Febrile Disease: Pang Anshi clearly understood that cold-induced disease and warm disease are two types of exogenous febrile diseases with different natures that should be treated differently. His discussion of warm disease is mainly recorded in volumes 4-6 of his work, Shang Han Zong Bing Lun. His theory greatly influenced the later development of the doctrine of seasonal febrile disease. For epidemic febrile disease or warm diseases, Pang Anshi classified them as latent Qi (latent pathogens, or warm disease caused by latent pathogens) and epidemic disease. The former (latent Qi) is caused by a cold pathogen affection in winter and varies and develops according to the seasons. This includes: ① febrile or warm disease in spring, ② heat disease in summer, ③ wind affection syndrome (Zhong Feng), ④ diseases caused by dampness, ⑤ wind-warm syndrome, etc. Pang Anshi believed that epidemic febrile disease and cold-induced disease should be treated separately. This influenced the development of the seasonal febrile disease doctrine in later generations. Pang Anshi understood that warm disease belongs to cold-induced disease in a broader sense. In general, he believed that the pathogenic cause of warm disease was cold toxin (Han Du) fighting Yang Qi. He also pointed out that new pathogenic causes include Tian Xing and abnormal Qi of the four seasons. Newly acquired diseases are mainly ⑴.warm toxin and ⑵.winter warm. Diseases that occur after an incubation period are mainly ⑴.wind warm, ⑵.summer-heat disease, ⑶.dampness disease, ⑷.warm disease, ⑸.febrile disease. Pang Anshi observed in his extensive practice that among the epidemic febrile diseases, the epidemic heat syndrome may be the most serious and dangerous type, according to Zang Fu and meridian channels from ancient works Shang Han Zan Bing Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced and Miscellaneous Diseases), discussions from ancient works Qian Jin Fang (the Supplement to the Invaluable Prescriptions), he differentiated the five epidemic heat syndromes using the theories of the four seasons, the five elements, the meridians and collaterals, and the Zang-Fu viscera. He identified five different types of the epidemic heat syndromes or warm diseases: ⑴.blue veins warm disease, ⑵.red pulse warm disease, ⑶.yellow flesh warm disease, ⑷.white Qi fox warm disease, ⑸.black bone warm disease. These five warm diseases or epidemic heat syndromes are briefly introduced below:
⑴ Blue Veins Warm Disease: It attacks during the three months of the spring. It origines from Shao Yin and Shao Yang. The Fu and Zang viscera of the liver are affected by Yin and Yang toxin Qi. Observed symptoms include contracture and spasm of the back, followed by cold and then fever. It can be classified into two types. One type of syndrome is the deficiency of the Fu-viscera, which is affected by Yin pathogens. timely observed symptoms include stiffness of the waist and foot shrinkage, bending of the lower back, giddiness, and blurred vision. Another type of syndrome is the excess of the Zang-viscera, which is affected by Yang toxin pathogens. Observed symptoms include yellowing of the eyes, stiffness of the waist, and an inability to turn around.
⑵ Red Pulse Warm Disease: It attacks during the three months of the summer. It origines from Shao Yin and Tai Yang. The Fu and Zang viscera of the heart are affected by Yin and Yang toxin Qi. Observed symptoms include fever of the body, swelling and pains under the skin. If the Zang-viscera are affected by Yang toxin pathogens, other observed symptoms include dry mouth and tongue pain, and pharyngeal obstruction. If the Fu-viscera are deficient and affected by Yin toxin pathogens, other observed symptoms include trembling and fear.
⑶ Yellow Flesh Warm Disease: It attacks in the 18 days at the end of a season. It originates from Tai Yin Yang Ming, the Fu and Zang viscera of the spleen are affected by Yin and Yang toxin Qi. Observed symptoms include heaviness of the head, stiffness of the neck, and stiffness of the skin and flesh. When the case that excess of the Zang-viscera is hurt by Yang toxin pathogens, heat pathogens spread to the skin and muscles. They accumulate below the neck, form a nucleus, and spread to the hairline and cheekbones. This causes a vague fever that cannot be stopped.
⑷ White Qi Fox Warm Disease: It attacks in the three months of autumn. It origines from Tai Yang and Tai Yin. The Fu and Zang viscera of the lungs are affected by Yin toxin Qi and Yang toxin Qi. Symptoms vary depending on Yin pathogen or Yang toxins. If there is a deficiency in the Zang and Fu-viscera and they are hurt by Yin toxin pathogens, symptoms include sudden cold, sudden heat, sudden cough, and vomiting. If there is an excess in the Zang viscera and get hurt by Yang toxin pathogens, symptoms include fever of the body and eruptions, panting, thirst and want to drink.
⑸ Black Bone Warm Disease: It attacks during three winter months. It origines from Tai Yang and Shao Yin. The Fu and Zang viscera are affected by Yin and Yang toxin Qi. Symptoms vary with Yin pathogen or Yang toxins. If there is a deficiency in the Fu viscera and they are affected by Yin toxin Qi, the main symptoms observed are heat in the interior and cold in the exterior. The patient wants to be close to fire and drink water. There may also be pain in the waist region and it will bending. If there is an excess in the Zang viscera and gets hurt from Yang toxin Qi, the main symptoms observed are stabbing pain in the chest and hypochondriac region, and swelling of the abdomen.
Pang Anshi focused on the heat poison and introduced a new approach for later herbalists to treat pestilence. Additionally, he also compiled the book Pi Wen Yi Lun and listed recipes to treat epidemic diseases, as well as preventive measures. This embodies his viewpoints on the importance of preventing epidemic disease. Pang Anshi explicated warm disease, or epidemic febrile disease, and provided insight for later experts and theories on febrile disease.
Books and Works: Pang Anshi highly recommended the ancient classic Nan Jing (The Difficult Classic). He wrote and compiled works that were known in ancient times, including Nan Jing Bian (Discussion on the Classic of Questioning), Nan Jing Jie Yi (Interpretation of the Classic of Questioning), Zhu Dui Ji, Ben Cao Bu Yi, and Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (The General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease) in six volumes. Over the years, most of the books have been lost, but one of his books has survived; it is: Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (the General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease) in six volumes.
The book Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (The General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease, or The General Discourse on Cold-Induced Diseases) has six volumes and was completed in the third year of the Yuanfu era (1100 A.D., Yuanfu is the reign title of Zhe Zong Emperor of the Song dynasty, 1098–1100 A.D.). The main content is briefly introduced below: the first volume discusses the preface and diseases of the six meridians. The second volume discusses the practicability of various methods, such as diaphoresis, emesis, purgative, and moxibustion, etc. The volumes 3-5 discuss syndrome differentiation and treatment of cold-induced diseases, and prescriptions. The sixth volume records miscellaneous prescriptions for cold-induced diseases and pregnancy, as well as general acupuncture methods for cold-induced disease and summer-heat disease. It also discusses the symptoms and differentiation of cold-induced disease and warm disease, and cautions once relieved. It collects various schools of the thesis and combines practical experiences. It is an early professional book about Shang Han Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) and had its influences. Although it was compiled to explain the book Shang Han Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), it provides detailed interpretations of the syndrome differentiation and treatment of warm diseases. It proposed the new viewpoint that the treatment of warm diseases should not mechanically apply the methods of cold-induced diseases (diaphoresis, purgative, etc.). It also established many new, effective prescriptions for treating warm diseases and had a significant influence on the formation and development of the doctrine of warm diseases (the doctrine of seasonal febrile disease) in later years.
References:
1.Pang Anshi: introduction about his biography and legend,main books and academic thoughts.
✵Pang Anshi: a physician renowned for several of his medical works. The most widely read of these was a detailed and comprehensive treatise on various kinds of fever, titled Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (The General Disease Theory on Cold-Induced Disease).
Pang Anshi: Famous physician who lived during the Song Dynasty and was the author of several renowned works. The most widely read of these was a detailed and comprehensive treatise on various cold-induced diseases and warm diseases titled Shang Han Zong Bing Lun (The General Disease Theory of Cold-Induced Disease).
Pang Anshi had a hobby of reading medicine books as a child and had a photographic memory. He carefully studied the ancient classics Nei Jing (The Inner Canon), Nan Jing (The Difficult Classic), and Shang Han Lun (The Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), as well as other medical works. He was well-versed in different classics and schools of thought. He thought thoroughly and had many correct and penetrating views on medical theory and practice. He was extremely devoted to cold-induced diseases. His in-depth study and clinical practice made it easy to apply medicine, acupuncture, or massage in treatment. Obvious effects were achieved. However, he was a free thinker who did not adhere to previous theories. He sought new theories and creations with audacity and in-depth mediation. For example, Pang Anshi set up a patient workshop where patients could stay. This was an innovation in the TCM system during the middle of the Northern Song dynasty. He also tried to reduce patients' burdens by producing herbs for them. Holding to his belief that "being a physician is not for profit", Pang often treated patients, and nine out of ten recovered. His distinguished medical ethics are difficult for later physicians to reach.
Interpretation of the Theory of Cold-Induced Disease: For the treatment of cold-induced disease, Pang Anshi held the theory that pathogenic factors and pathogenesis were the main causes. He also considered other factors, such as physique, geography, and climate, to make a diagnosis. He inherited the previous theory that the main cause of cold-induced disease was severe pathogenic cold. However, it varies depending on the cases, time, geographical location, and physique. The variations are represented by different syndromes: ①.cold-induced disease, ②.wind-affection syndrome, ③.wind-warm syndrome, ④.febrile or warm disease, ⑤.diseases caused by dampness, ⑥.summer-heat disease, these are different syndromes. Based on discussions from Shang Han Li, he further elaborated on cold-induced disease, which he mainly recorded in volumes 1-3 of his work, (Shang Han Zong Bing Lun). He emphasized that the common pathogenic reason for all exogenous febrile diseases is toxic pathogens. Conversely, he also emphasized the importance of determining physical reasons and held the viewpoint that pathogenic factors are based on internal reasons. He also recognized that exogenous diseases are closely related to the climates of four seasons, geography, and dwelling place. For example, when severe pathogenic cold attacks in different seasons, it develops into different diseases: ①.cold-induced disease (cold affection), ②.febrile disease, ③.summer-heat pyrexia disease, ④.diseases caused by dampness. These diseases are accompanied by different syndromes that occur due to climate change. Furthermore, patients living in mountainous areas more frequently experience wind affection syndrome (Zhong Feng) and syncope due to pathogenic cold. Conversely, patients living in the plains more frequently experience summer-heat disease and dampness-disease, proving that disease occurrence is related to one's living habitat. Pang Anshi treats cold-induced diseases according to the principles of Zhang Zhongjing. He also changes his method flexibly, often treating patients based on their individual conditions and the condition of the place. He has gained extensive experience in treatment and has developed a variety of therapy methods for cold-induced diseases.
Interpretation of the Theory of Epidemic Febrile Disease: Pang Anshi clearly understood that cold-induced disease and warm disease are two types of exogenous febrile diseases with different natures that should be treated differently. His discussion of warm disease is mainly recorded in volumes 4-6 of his work, Shang Han Zong Bing Lun. His theory greatly influenced the later development of the doctrine of seasonal febrile disease. For epidemic febrile disease or warm diseases, Pang Anshi classified them as latent Qi (latent pathogens, or warm disease caused by latent pathogens) and epidemic disease. The former (latent Qi) is caused by a cold pathogen affection in winter and varies and develops according to the seasons. This includes: ① febrile or warm disease in spring, ② heat disease in summer, ③ wind affection syndrome (Zhong Feng), ④ diseases caused by dampness, ⑤ wind-warm syndrome, etc. Pang Anshi believed that epidemic febrile disease and cold-induced disease should be treated separately. This influenced the development of the seasonal febrile disease doctrine in later generations. Pang Anshi understood that warm disease belongs to cold-induced disease in a broader sense. In general, he believed that the pathogenic cause of warm disease was cold toxin (Han Du) fighting Yang Qi. He also pointed out that new pathogenic causes include Tian Xing and abnormal Qi of the four seasons. Newly acquired diseases are mainly ⑴.warm toxin and ⑵.winter warm. Diseases that occur after an incubation period are mainly ⑴.wind warm, ⑵.summer-heat disease, ⑶.dampness disease, ⑷.warm disease, ⑸.febrile disease. Pang Anshi observed in his extensive practice that among the epidemic febrile diseases, the epidemic heat syndrome may be the most serious and dangerous type, according to Zang Fu and meridian channels from ancient works Shang Han Zan Bing Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced and Miscellaneous Diseases), discussions from ancient works Qian Jin Fang (the Supplement to the Invaluable Prescriptions), he differentiated the five epidemic heat syndromes using the theories of the four seasons, the five elements, the meridians and collaterals, and the Zang-Fu viscera. He identified five different types of the epidemic heat syndromes or warm diseases: ⑴.blue veins warm disease, ⑵.red pulse warm disease, ⑶.yellow flesh warm disease, ⑷.white Qi fox warm disease, ⑸.black bone warm disease. These five warm diseases or epidemic heat syndromes are briefly introduced below:
Pang Anshi focused on the heat poison and introduced a new approach for later herbalists to treat pestilence. Additionally, he also compiled the book Pi Wen Yi Lun and listed recipes to treat epidemic diseases, as well as preventive measures. This embodies his viewpoints on the importance of preventing epidemic disease. Pang Anshi explicated warm disease, or epidemic febrile disease, and provided insight for later experts and theories on febrile disease.
