典藏书目

The "Biography of Bian Que" in the *Records of the Grand Historian* (*Shiji*) records that when Bian Que passed through Handan, hearing that the State of Zhao valued women's health, he became a physician specializing in gynecological diseases (Dai Xia Yi), which might be considered the origin of later obstetrics and gynecology. Mr. Zhao Xianke's work, *Handan Yigao* (Manuscripts from Handan), embodies this very aspiration. Women's diseases are more difficult to treat than men's because women possess a yin-soft constitution, and their qi and blood are most prone to stagnation. Moreover, symptoms appear in myriad and unpredictable ways; often, a single misprescribed dose can lead to severe illness. The so-called authoritative texts on gynecology in the world, such as *Jiyin Gangmu* (General Outline of Nourishing Yin), inevitably suffer from biases in overemphasizing or underemphasizing certain aspects when discussing diseases and prescribing formulas. *Handan Yigao* is widely cited by other books; its theories on pregnancy and childbirth are innovative and indeed elucidate insights not previously explored by predecessors. Unfortunately, no printed edition circulated. In the Xin Chou year, I obtained a manuscript copy. Frequently borrowing its general principles during clinical practice, I often achieved remarkable effects. I kept it in my family school, and those who borrowed it for copying came in a continuous stream. Fearing that repeated copying might introduce textual errors (such as confused characters like 'hai' and 'shi', or 'lu' and 'yu'), I hastened to have it engraved and printed to share with fellow enthusiasts, hoping that Mr.'s painstaking effort would endlessly enlighten future generations. Mr.'s other work, *Yi Guan* (Medical Canon), has long been in circulation. However, because it did not break free from narrow-minded views, Xu Dacun (courtesy name Huixi) criticized it. In contrast, this book is concise yet comprehensive, detailed and clear, refreshing the reader's mind and senses. Compared to *Yi Guan*, the difference is as vast as heaven and earth! It is likely that *Yi Guan* was written when Mr.'s scholarly cultivation was not yet profound, or perhaps ghostwritten based on drafts by superficial scholars; this cannot be ruled out. How can one be dogmatic and belittle the ancients? Mr. surnamed Zhao, named Xianke, with the courtesy name Yangkui.

Authors usually declare that unauthorized reprinting will be prosecuted. I find this puzzling. If there are connoisseurs in the literary and medical circles who share my appreciation, or if they find the engraving imperfect, I earnestly hope they will publish it in successive installments. Then, Mr.'s words may remain immortal for eternity.

Prefaced by Wu Sheng, styled Wuchusheng, in the first month of spring in the Bing Chen year of the first year of Jiaqing.

Women's menstruation is called "Yue Shui" (Monthly Water) or "Chao Shui" (Tidal Water). "Yue" (Moon) indicates it occurs once a month; "Chao" (Tide) implies reliability and regularity like the tides. Blood flowing upward accumulates to become milk; flowing downward becomes menstrual blood. Yin must follow Yang, hence blood appears red. Blood requires Qi as its companion: if Qi is cold, blood is cold; if Qi is hot, blood is hot; if Qi descends, blood descends; if Qi stagnates, blood stagnates; if Qi moves, blood moves. Under normal conditions, with balanced Qi, menstruation occurs every thirty days, corresponding to the waxing and waning of the moon, following a regular pattern, thus named "Menstrual Period." The key lies in regulating Qi to promote Blood circulation. When Blood is abundant and Qi gathers, it is termed "Harmonious" (Cong); harmony leads to conception without harm. If care and regulation are improper, myriad complications arise, causing significant disease. Conditions include dry amenorrhea (obstruction), dripping metrorrhagia, early onset, delayed onset, cessation after initial flow, irregular erratic flow, purple-black clots with dysmenorrhea, pure white discharge resembling fish brain, yellow-green discharge resembling ox marrow, amenorrhea in obese individuals due to excessive phlegm filling the Sea of Blood, amenorrhea in thin individuals due to lack of essence gathering in the uterus, blood consumption due to prolonged tidal fever, blood depletion due to chronic night sweats, inability to generate blood due to weak Spleen, amenorrhea due to emotional Qi stagnation, blood loss due to diarrhea and dysentery, perpetual bleeding in old age, lifelong absence of menstruation, delirium resembling hallucinations during menstruation, generalized pain and edema preceding menstruation, red-white turbid discharge, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, seven types of hernias and eight types of masses, fluctuating presence or absence, and countless other symptoms too numerous to list. Pain before menstruation indicates Blood stagnation; passage of clots indicates Cold Qi; pain after menstruation indicates deficiency of both Qi and Blood; pale color also indicates deficiency; erratic flow indicates Chaotic Qi; purple color indicates Hot Qi; black color indicates extreme Heat; early occurrence indicates rapid flow due to Heat; late occurrence indicates sluggish flow due to Qi stagnation. Twice-monthly menstruation indicates Heat in Blood leading to excess volume; bimonthly menstruation indicates Cold in Blood leading to scanty volume. Blood flows when heated and coagulates when cooled; this principle is clear. Heat patterns require cold herbs, and cold patterns require hot herbs; treatment cannot rely on a single approach. This is evident.