陳堯道Chén Yáodào:introduction about his biography and legends,main books and academic thoughts.

TCM Knowledge:Prominent Ancient Herbalists ✵陳堯道(Chén Yáodào):a herbalist of the Qing dynasty, lived during the middle to late years of the 17th century, his prescription is wonderful, the people from far and near are crowded in his house, applying medicines to help those poor people, he is the author of 《傷寒辯證》(Shang Han Bian Zheng, or the Syndrome Differentiation of the cold-induced diseases).

陳堯道(Chén Yáodào).

  
Brief Introduction
漢語名(Chinese Name): 陳堯道(Chén Yáodào)Alias: 素中(Sù Zhōng).
Popular name: 陳堯道(Chén Yáodào)English Name: Chen Yaodao, Yaodao Chen(Given/Family).
Hometown: Sanyuan Yongqingli.Dates: Unknown,about 1609~1683.
Main works: 《傷寒辯證》(Shang Han Bian Zheng),《痘疹辨證》(Dou Zhen Bian Zheng),《醫學心得》(Yi Xue Xin De).
Representative works: 《傷寒辯證》(Shang Han Bian Zheng).

Biography and legends:


 陳堯道Chén Yáodào 陳堯道(Chén Yáodào), alias 素中(Sù Zhōng), a herbalist of the Qing dynasty, lived during the middle to late years of the 17th century. His life is unknown in detail. The life records of Chen Yaodao are mainly found in the Chen Suzhong Xian Sheng Zhuan (the Biography of teacher Chen Suzhong) by 李因篤(Li Yindu), various local chronicles, and the prefaces of his medical works. The Chen Suzhong Xian Sheng Zhuan (the Biography of teacher Chen Suzhong) recorded: Chen Yaodao once passed the imperial examination and achieved a scholar(Xiu Cai), but later because he felt it is hopeless to achieve Ju Ren(a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level in the Ming and Qing dynasties), so he gave up the imperial examination and official position and read many books, especially in medicine, in the year Gui Wei, Jia Shen(the year 1643, and the year 1644) between the end of the Ming dynasty and the beginning of the Qing dynasty, he set up a clinic named 廣濟(Guangji, or Widely Relief) to practice medicine and save people. "At the time of Guijia(shortening for Gui Wei and Jia Shen), the Central Plains was in turmoil, and the teacher established Guangji clinic in the city, and he was determined to save the living people. There is no distinction between noble and poor, no replacement for cold and summer or winds, and there is a taint of Dongyuan and Danxi. The medical skills of the teacher, in the beginning, he was engaged in the three books of herbalist 李士材(Li Shicai) at Yunjian, and his mind changes quickly, he reserved the good and discard the bad side. And his medical works, all of them opened with his key and entered his hall. Thus, he compiled the book Shang Han Bian Zheng, Dou Zhen Bian Zheng, the two books survived." The Sanyuan County Chronicles of the Kangxi 43rd year also recorded: "Chen Yaodao, alias 素中(Sù Zhōng). He is the father of Yushi Jiaji, ever was a candidate student of imperial examination when he was young. With a great concentration on the study of Qibo and Huangdi(study of TCM), his prescription is wonderful, the people from far and near are crowded in his house, applying medicines to help those poor people. His nature and character are upright and foursquare, pure and careful, and many sufferings of native folks in the village, are finally solved for his virtue. He has books Huo Ren Shu Bian Zheng, Dou Zhen Bian Zheng."

Main books and academic thoughts:


 Chen Yaodao's medical works, in addition to Shang Han Bian Zheng, Dou Zhen Bian Zheng, according to 石朗(Shi Lang)'s preface, there are also a book named Yi Xue Xin De (the Medical Experiences). Among them, the book Yi Xue Xin De (the Medical Experiences) might be not published in his life, and it did not survive till today.

 Shang Han Bian Zheng (the Syndrome Differentiation of the cold-induced diseases), it is a work about the cold-induced diseases, four volumes, compiled by herbalist Chen Yaodao, the book was published in the year 1678 AD. The author gathers the theories on Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) from different schools since the Song dynasty, analyzes and demonstrates the diagnosis and treatment of cold-induced diseases or some miscellaneous diseases related to it based on yin and yang, exterior and interior, deficiency and excess. In addition, there is a prescription part, melting classic prescriptions and time prescriptions in a furnace, clarifying its main treatments or indications, administration methods, addition and subtraction methods. It is an auxiliary reading for studying Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases). There are many kinds of engraved editions and lithograph editions during the Qing dynasty that survived till today. Chen Yaodao explained his reason and process of writing the book in the preface. He stated: "for the department of Shang Han(the cold-induced diseases), in the early stage I studied medicine, read from the book Nan Yang Huo Ren Shu, it was true to seek essence in a sea and boundless. So later I studied hard with Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) and Ming Li Lun(Shang Han Ming Li Lun, or the Concise Exposition of Cold-induced Disease) with great enthusiasm, seems achieved in understanding the theories, while when facing the diseases, is ultimately wandering views. And for the various works of Shang Han, knowing this book well might be a hindrance to the other. Later, got the book from Wang's Shuo Hui, Liu's Zhi Ge, Tao's Six Books, Wu's Yun Yao, they are very close to the heart. And after a long experience, started to know there are thousands of schools and entries, while the principles are consistent, and the treatment of each school has its own merits. Thus understood the treatment of cold-induced diseases and warm diseases, the syndrome differentiation and treatment is like the sky and the land." "So, the different treatments of cold-induced diseases and warm disease, febrile diseases, and the suspected indistinguishable syndromes and those have not been distinguished by the ancients, are marked one by one, so when facing the diseases in practice, will know them clearly with exterior and interior, deficiency and excess, Yin and Yang, cold and heat."

 Dou Ke Bian Zheng(the Syndrome differentiation of variolosum), it was first compiled in the Shunzhi Bingxu year(the year 1646 AD), and the book was finalized in Kangxi Guihai year (the year 1683 AD). The book Zhen Ke Bian Zhen (the Syndrome differentiation of exanthema) was written in Kangxi Wuwu year (the year 1678 AD). The two works were edited into one and were known as Dou Zhen Bian Zheng (the Syndrome differentiation of variolosum and exanthema). It was revised by his son 陳嘉績(Chen Jiaji), the revised book was published in the year 1683 AD.

References:
  • 1.陳堯道Chén Yáodào:introduction about his biography and legends,main books and academic thoughts.

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