Home » Sunday » Now and Then
扁鹊 Bian Que (circa 407-310 BC) - The first physician in China
By Zhang Ciyun |
April 10, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Bian Que was originally the name of a fabled doctor during the period of the Yellow Emperor, who reigned from 2697-2597 BC. But later, people gave the name to Qin Yueren, widely regarded as the first medical doctor and physician in ancient China.
Qin lived during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). He first came into contact with medicine when he was a teenager working in an inn.
One day, a guest suddenly fell sick. It happened that a folk doctor was staying in the inn at the same time. Young Qin went to ask the doctor for help. After examining the sick guest, the doctor prescribed a herbal concoction which proved to be a quick, effective cure for the patient.
Qin was so amazed by the wonderful skill of the folk doctor that he decided to become his apprentice.
In the following years, Qin traveled with the folk doctor. During the day, he carried out chores while watching closely how his master treated patients. At night, he jotted down what he had observed as well as his own understanding and thinking.
Thanks to his learning power and hard work, Qin himself soon became a very famous doctor and physician and people began to call him Bian Que, the highest honor for a doctor in ancient times.
Apart from the traditional medical skills he had learned from other doctors and experiences, Bian Que also invented his own methods. For instance, he founded the "Four Diagnostic Methods," namely, looking (or observing a patient's complexion and tongue), listening (to a patient's voice and breathing patterns), inquiring (about a patient's physical conditions and symptoms) and taking (a patient's pulse). Even today, the four methods remain a foundation for diagnoses in traditional Chinese medicine.
Using his exceptional medical skills, he once brought a "dead" man back to life.
According to the legend, one day he traveled to the State of Guo and saw many people mourning in the streets. Bian Que asked one of them what had happened. He was told that a prince of the state, the designated heir to the duke, had just died of no apparent illness.
Bian Que decided to have a look. After introducing himself to the duke of the state, he was led to the body of the prince. Following careful examination, Bian Que told the duke that the prince was only in a "feigned death."
After giving the patient acupuncture and force-feeding him a prescribed herbal tea, the prince came back to life a moment later and after two more days of treatment, he had fully recovered.
Bian Que is ascribed authorship of "Internal Canon of Medicine," "External Canon of Medicine" and "Bian Que's Prescriptions Approved by First Yellow Emperor." Today, many Chinese medical practices are still based on his principles of healing.
In 310 BC, Bian Que was assassinated by Li Mi, a royal medical officer in the State of Qin out of professional jealousy.
Today, Bian Que remains a household name in China and temples. Even some popular Chinese idioms, such as 起死回生(qi si hui sheng) or "Bringing the dying back to life" and 讳疾忌医(hui ji ji yi) or "Concealing one's ailment and shying away from doctors," are attributed to this legendary doctor.
Qin lived during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). He first came into contact with medicine when he was a teenager working in an inn.
One day, a guest suddenly fell sick. It happened that a folk doctor was staying in the inn at the same time. Young Qin went to ask the doctor for help. After examining the sick guest, the doctor prescribed a herbal concoction which proved to be a quick, effective cure for the patient.
Qin was so amazed by the wonderful skill of the folk doctor that he decided to become his apprentice.
In the following years, Qin traveled with the folk doctor. During the day, he carried out chores while watching closely how his master treated patients. At night, he jotted down what he had observed as well as his own understanding and thinking.
Thanks to his learning power and hard work, Qin himself soon became a very famous doctor and physician and people began to call him Bian Que, the highest honor for a doctor in ancient times.
Apart from the traditional medical skills he had learned from other doctors and experiences, Bian Que also invented his own methods. For instance, he founded the "Four Diagnostic Methods," namely, looking (or observing a patient's complexion and tongue), listening (to a patient's voice and breathing patterns), inquiring (about a patient's physical conditions and symptoms) and taking (a patient's pulse). Even today, the four methods remain a foundation for diagnoses in traditional Chinese medicine.
Using his exceptional medical skills, he once brought a "dead" man back to life.
According to the legend, one day he traveled to the State of Guo and saw many people mourning in the streets. Bian Que asked one of them what had happened. He was told that a prince of the state, the designated heir to the duke, had just died of no apparent illness.
Bian Que decided to have a look. After introducing himself to the duke of the state, he was led to the body of the prince. Following careful examination, Bian Que told the duke that the prince was only in a "feigned death."
After giving the patient acupuncture and force-feeding him a prescribed herbal tea, the prince came back to life a moment later and after two more days of treatment, he had fully recovered.
Bian Que is ascribed authorship of "Internal Canon of Medicine," "External Canon of Medicine" and "Bian Que's Prescriptions Approved by First Yellow Emperor." Today, many Chinese medical practices are still based on his principles of healing.
In 310 BC, Bian Que was assassinated by Li Mi, a royal medical officer in the State of Qin out of professional jealousy.
Today, Bian Que remains a household name in China and temples. Even some popular Chinese idioms, such as 起死回生(qi si hui sheng) or "Bringing the dying back to life" and 讳疾忌医(hui ji ji yi) or "Concealing one's ailment and shying away from doctors," are attributed to this legendary doctor.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
