Wèi Lìtóng:introduction about his biography and legends,main books and academic thoughts.
✵魏荔彤 (Wèi Lìtóng):a herbalist of the Qing dynasty, in his early years, he studied Confucianism and developed quite a lot. In his middle age, he devoted himself to medicine study and became a learned scholar. He is the author of the book 《傷寒論本義》(Shang Han Lun Ben Yi, or the Original Meanings of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) and 《金匱要略本義》(Jin Kui Yao Lue Ben Yi, or the Original Meanings of the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber).
魏荔彤 (Wèi Lìtóng).
Brief Introduction
漢語名 (Chinese Name):
魏荔彤 (Wèi Lìtóng)
Alias:
賡虞 (Gēng Yú), 淡庵 (Dan An)
Popular name:
魏荔彤 (Wèi Lìtóng)
English Name:
Wei Litong, or Litong Wei (Given/Family).
Hometown:
Baixiang of Zhili
Dates:
about 1670~?AD.
Main works:
《傷寒論本義》(Shang Han Lun Ben Yi),《金匱要略本義》(Jin Kui Yao Lue Ben Yi),《大易通解》(Da Yi Tong Jie),《懷舫集》(Huai Fang Ji).
Representative works:
《傷寒論本義》(Shang Han Lun Ben Yi),《金匱要略本義》(Jin Kui Yao Lue Ben Yi).
Biography and legends:
魏荔彤 (Wèi Lìtóng), was born in Baixiang, Zhili (today's Baixiang county), his alias is 賡虞 (Gēng Yú), or 淡庵 (Dàn ān), his birth year is 1670 AD, his passing away year is unknown. A scholar knew well in Li Xue, Yi-ology, and medicine. In his early years, he studied Confucianism and developed quite a lot. At the age of twelve, Wei Litong studied as a candidate for the imperial examination and achieved, then he was assigned as a member of the cabinet. He was assigned and served several official careers, such as the Tongzhi of Fengyang Prefecture, the Prefect of Zhangzhou Prefecture, Changzhen Dao of Jiangsu, and Jiangsu Provincial Commissioner. In his middle age, he was suffering from dysfunction and flaccid paralysis. He devoted himself to medicine study and became a learned scholar.
Main books and academic thoughts:
There are several medical books by him, such as Shang Han Lun Ben Yi (the Original Meanings of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), Jin Kui Yao Lue Ben Yi (the Original Meanings of the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber), that have been published. According to records, he has other medical works too, Su Wen Tong Jie (the Thoroughly Explain of the Plain Questions), Ling Shu Jing Tong Jie (the Thoroughly Explain of the Spiritual Pivot or Divine Axis), while these 2 books did not survive till today. Except for medical works, he has other books:Da Yi Tong Jie, Huai Fang Ji.
Shang Han Lun Ben Yi (the Original Meanings of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), a book about Shang Han Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), eighteen volumes. One volume at the beginning and one at the end. The book was compiled by Wei Litong, and it was finished in the year 1724 AD. Wei's commentary on Shang Han Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases), in addition to the previous general discussions, also has general discussions on the six channels, recurrence caused by overexertion after recovery, Huo Luan, etc., which can enlighten people. At the beginning of the volume, 方有執(Fāng Yǒuzhí)'s 《陰陽表裏圖》(Exterior and Interior Picture of Yin and Yang) was attached, 閔芝慶(Min Zhiqing)'s works 《傳經論》(Chuan Jing Lun, or the Theory of Channel Transmission) and the author's comments on the theory of Fang and Min. In terms of order arrangement, the contents of combined disease, overlapping, phlegm disease, and not relief following meridian penetration are placed between the diseases of the three-Yang channels and the diseases of the three-Yin channels. The interpretation is quite detailed, and the connotation of Zhongjing's 397 methods and the original intention of the 113 prescriptions are brilliantly clarified, there are many views attached to it. There is also a postscript written by Wei himself in this book. The book analyzed the eight outlines of the six-channel diseases and provided examples of treatment methods for reference. There are various kinds of print editions from the Qing dynasty that have survived till this day.
Jin Kui Yao Lue Ben Yi (the Original Meanings of the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber), a study book on Jin Kui Yao Lue (the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber), twenty-two volumes. The interpretation was from Wei Litong, it was compiled and finished in the year 1720 AD. Wei's commentary and annotations on the book Jin Kui Yao Lue (the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber), absorbing the essence of predecessors, combined clinical practice experiences, and learning experience to carry out his scrutiny, and there are many of his elaborations. In particular, the analysis of the pathogenesis and treatment of the disease and syndrome discussed is more detailed. But in the interpretations, there are occasional wrong conclusions by false analogy. The block copy of the Qing dynasty survived till today.
References:
1.Wèi Lìtóng:introduction about his biography and legends,main books and academic thoughts.