陶華Táo Huá:introduction about his biography and legends,main books and academic thoughts.

TCM Knowledge:Prominent Ancient Herbalists ✵陶華(Táo Huá):a herbalist in the Ming Dynasty, specializes in the study of Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases). Usually the patient takes only one dose of his prescription then get recovered, he is the author of 《傷寒六書》(Shang Han Liu Shu, or the Six Books of Shang Han), a book of about the study of Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases).

陶華(Táo Huá).

  
Brief Introduction
漢語名(Chinese Name): 陶華(Táo Huá)Alias: 尚文(Shàng Wén)
Popular name: 陶節庵(Táo Jiēān)English Name: Tao Hua, or Hua Tao(Given/Family)
Hometown: Yu HangDates: about 1369~1463 AD.
Main works: 《傷寒六書》(Shang Han Liu Shu, or the Six Books of Shang Han), 《癰疽神秘驗方》(Yong Ju Shen Mi Yan Fang),《傷寒點點金書》(Shang Han Dian Dian Jin Shu),《傷寒全生集》(Shang Han Quan Sheng Ji).
Representative works: 《傷寒六書》(Shang Han Liu Shu, or the Six Books of Shang Han).

Biography and legends:


 陶華Táo Huá 陶華(Táo Huá), alias 尚文(Shàng Wén), self-titled 節庵(Táo Jiēān), a herbalist in the Ming Dynasty, according to records his years of birth and passing away is 1369~1463 AD, native to Yu Hang of Ming, specializes in the study of Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases). Usually the patient takes only one dose of his prescription then get recovered, so he was called "Tao Yitie", he is the author of 《傷寒六書》(Shang Han Liu Shu, or the Six Books of Shang Han).

Main books and academic thoughts:


 The book 《傷寒六書》(Shang Han Liu Shu, or the Six Books of Shang Han), is a book about the study of Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), another name is 《陶氏傷寒全書》(Tao Shi Shang Han Quan Shu, or the Complete Works of Tao's), total six volumes, it was compiled and finished by herbalist 陶華(Táo Huá) in the Zheng Tong 10th year of Ming dynasty (year 1445 AD), a collection of the six study works about Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) from herbalist Tao Hua, each kind is collected and listed as one volume, so in general it is named "the Six Books of Shang Han", the six volumes or six works are introduced briefly:  

 ①.《傷寒瑣言》(Shang Han Suo Yan, or the Trivial articles of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases): It is Tao's essay record of studying and researching on Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases); it is named "trivial articles" and it is not a systematic work.

 ②.《傷寒家秘的本》(Shang Han Jia Mi Di Ben, or the Secret copy of the family inherited theory of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases): focuses on several syndromes of Cold-induced Diseases and the syndromes and treatments of wind-warm syndrome, damp-warm syndrome, wind-dampness syndrome, etc., and includes general treatise on Shang Han, pulse syndrome fingering methods, etc.

 ③.《傷寒殺車捶法》(Shang Han Sha Che Chui Fa): On the method of relieving diseases, preparation of herbs, and antidote method, it records the author's unique academic insights and lists 37 secret effective prescriptions.

 ④.《傷寒一提金》(Shanghan Yi Ti Jin, or One Handle of Gold from the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases): an enlightenment reading material for the outline of Shang Han Lun(the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases).

 ⑤.《傷寒截江網》(Shanghan Jie Jiang Wang, or the River Net of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases): it introduces exogenous febrile disease-related syndromes differentiation and identification, distinguishing etiology and medication principles, and discusses the treatment difference of male and female on exogenous febrile disease. It embodies the traditional theories of adapting to time, place and individual conditions.

 ⑥.《傷寒明理續論》(Shanghan Ming Li Xu Lun, or the Successive Theory of Shang Han Explanations): Tao made supplementary amendments based on personal experience and reference to the style and content of the book Shang Han Ming Li Lun(the Concise Exposition of Cold-induced Disease) by Cheng Wuji, compiled and finished with supplement contents.

 Tao's works were greatly influenced by Zhu Gong's Nan Yang Huo Ren Shu(the book of Nanyang for life-saving), and the content of his six works was quite repetitive, the syndrome differentiation principles of some syndromes are not clear enough, the selected prescriptions and medicines are also chaotic, so there were many comments from later generations. There are a variety of Ming and Qing block-printed editions.

 《傷寒全生集》(Shang Han Quan Sheng Ji, or the Complete Collection of Treatise on Febrile Diseases), written by Tao Hua, containing 169 articles with more than 100,000 words to discuss the pathogenesis of exogenous febrile diseases including warm disease and febrile disease, syndrome differentiation and treatment. Its characteristics are detailed analysis, flexible, not only able to interpret the main points of Zhongjing, not restricted by the six channels of Shang Han, but especially invented in the diagnosis and treatment of warm diseases and febrile diseases, and it is useful for exogenous febrile diseases. The book has been regarded as a professional book by herbalist Ye Gui's ancestors for many generations. Ye Tianshi continued to study it at the age of 68 and added some comments. Therefore, the book has a considerable influence on the academic origins of the Ye's family. After referring to the contents of this book and Ye's works 《温热沦》(Wen Re Lun, or Treatise on Epidemic Febrile Diseases), it is not difficult to find that the former's essential entries were used for reference and application in many articles of Wen Re Lun(Treatise on Epidemic Febrile Diseases).

References:
  • 1.陶華Táo Huá:introduction about his biography and legends,main books and academic thoughts.

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