Comparative Study On Sphygmology Monographs Before Song Dynasty

Mai Jing (The pulse classic), Wang Shuhe Mai Jue and Cui Shi Mai Jue are the existing sphygmology writings before Song Dynasty. And Mai Jing is the earliest monograph on sphygmology in China. It inherited the sphygmology theory before Han and Wei Dynasty, and also contained a lot of long ago lost writings of the ancient works on sphygmology. So it is the crystallization and combination of the theory and practiae of monography on pulse of Ancient Chinese. Wang Shu He Mai Jue,generating a lot of derivative writings, also called Mai Jue for short, with popular form of rhymed formula, which was easy to teach and study. Cui Shi Mai Jue was also known as Cui Zhen Ren Mai Jue or Zi Xu Mai Jue. This monograph summarized the next association dialectically: between the three regions of pulses (cun, guan and chi) and the triple warmer (upper, middle and lower warmer), and entrails, physical evidence. And this book had a greater effection on sphygmology, which was a bigger step forward than Wang Shu He Mai Jue.In view of the important role of Mai Jue, Wang Shu He Mai Jue and Cui Shi Mai Jue on sphygmology and the preservation of ancient medical, the study of the content is extremely necessary and meaningful. The reasons for posterity to understand the real meaning in these three monographs were duplication, overlapping, contradiction, and even a lot of errors with content, and languages, language, age and history also caused some restrictions.Therefore, in order to give an impersonal appraisement on the three monographs (Mai Jing, Wang Shu He Mai Jue, and Cui Shi Mai Jue), and at the same time guide learners inherit and carry forward the essence of the books, we mainly comparative study on four aspects as follows: main content, achievement and feature, respective problems, and efection on posterity.We adopted scientific researches such as literature retrieval, analysis and comparison, and epagoge etc. to study on the similarities and differences in Mai Jing, Wang Shu He Mai Jue, and Cui Shi Mai Jue comprehensively and systematically. 1 The main contentMai Jing was consummate in method and content of only get cunkou. Mai Jing also defined the names, shape, and principal syndrome of pulses, including where and how to get cun, guan and chi, which were associated with entrails. In Wang Shu He Mai Jue, author described twenty four kinds of pulses detailedly. With popular form of rhymed formula, Cui Shi Mai Jue introduced how to find and feel the pulses, and described principal pulse tracings respectively. Although four kinds of pulse (floating, deep, slow and fast pulse) were mainly described, a lot of other abnormal pulses were also analyzed. 2 Achievement and featureIts contribution to the Chinese Medicine academic is multifaceted, one of the greatest contribution is established 24 kinds of pulse and the standard image of the finger-feeling, the first precedent of the distinguish of pulse. Almost half of the book was consistent with Nei Jing, Nan Jing and Shang Han Za Bing Lun. It played a role of link between past and future. The feature of Wang Shu He Mai Jue was to explain theorem of pulses with popular formula and link with clinical practice more closely, for Cui Shi Mai Jue , however, the concise content, practice and easy to learn were its high points.3 The existing problems respectivelyMai Jing is the first sphygmology monograph, but because of no enough practice and time to confirm,mistakes and deficiency appearancing in making private copies, there is existence of disadvantage more or less. Wang Shu He Mai Jue also has many errors because of the lower level in academic, less accuracy in language, and some biase in conception. Cui Shi Mai Jue was wrote base on the medical literature from history, but because of the long time and countless writings, there are some things out of date and even idealism in this book inevitably. If we want to improve the theory of sphygmology, it is the right way to select the essence and abandoned its dross seriously.4 Efection on posterityMai Jing has far-reaching effects not only on China's medicine, but also on Europe, Asia, Africa, etc., which cause a wider impact on the world medical science. Wang Shu He Mai Jue was easy to learn and spread widely, which also generated a lot of derivative works. But there were some mistakes in this book, which misleaded lots of learners deeply and caused a significant adverse impact in the medical profession. With popular form of rhymed formula, Cui Shi Mai Jue was easy to teach and learn, which had a significant impact on future generations. Li Yanwen who born in Ming Dynasty had added some supplement to this book and renamed it as Si Yan Ju Yao, Li Shizhen even collected it into Pin Hu Mai Xue.In a word, the similarities and differences in Mai Jing (The pulse classic), Wang Shu He Mai Jue and Cui Shi Mai Jue which have been existing before Song Dynasty mainly on the six aspects above we have discussed. To dedply study these three works of the content is very helpful to inherit and developt traditional Chinese medicine and very useful to guide learners. Medical research is an important mission for people's health. Undoubtedly the comparative study on the sphygmology monographs of Mai Jing, Wang Shu He Mai Jue and Cui Shi Mai Jue has some practical significance.