Research On The Dialectical Theory Of Drying And Dampness By Shi Shou-tang

Shi Shou-tang,a famous doctor in Qing dynasty,was born into a traditional Chinese medical family.Under his father's strict teachings,he studied both the Confucian and the traditional Chinese medical classics when he was very young.With great efforts,he grew up to be renowned as being able to wield both the pen and the sword.Shi advocated the traditional classics such as Huangdi's Classic on Medicine(Huang Di Nei Jing),Classic on Medical Problems(Nan Jing).Based on years of experience on the medical practices,Shi Shou-tang put forward his new theory: the dialectical theory of drying and dampness,which greatly enriched the dialectical theory of traditional Chinese medical science.Shi devoted his life to two works: Resource of Medication,The combination of epidemics.In this paper,I would discuss the dialectical theory of drying and dampness by Shi Shou-tang from the following aspects:1 Shi Shou-tang's biographyShi Shou-tang was born into a family with three generations history of traditional Chinese medicine.With his father's influence,Shi began to learn the Chinese medicine in a very early age.He even learned medicine from Master Wu Jutong who was the most 100 greatest doctors in Chinese medical history.Shi Shou-tang worked in the governmental offices in Huainan and Suzhou.Shi was good at learning and thinking.He wrote books according to his practical experience.Of the books,Resource of Medication and The combination of epidemics are the most famous ones.He was remembered by his noble medical ethics and skills especially in epidemics,internal medicine,gynecology,pediatrics,etc.2 Research on the dialectical theory of drying and dampnessShi improved the status of the theory of drying and dampness up to the same level with the cold and hot theory.With Pathology,treatment,prescription and medicine,this novel theory not only further enriched the theory of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment system,but also had important clinical significance.Shi's dialectical theory of drying and dampness was connected to Yin Yang,Wu Xing,Ba Gua and Heaven corresponding theory.Shi believed that human body was quite same to nature which can run smoothly with the harmony of drying and dampness.He rooted all the causes of diseases to the disorders of drying and dampness in human body.Shi hold the idea that Xieqi find its way out the body by dredging lung air.Shi thought drying was “hard,moving,shrinking”,while the characteristics of dampness were “heavy,turbidity unclear,soft”.Shi completed the classification of 203 kinds of medicine in detail.The medicine could be divided into 2 kinds: wild and dry.Of which,there were 5 levels: Xin,Wen,Han,Ping,Liang.3 Inherited the dialectical theory of drying and dampness by Shi Shou-tangIn modern times,Shi's theory mainly inherited by the Yin family in Liuan city,Anhui province.They are one of the most representatives of inheritance of Shanyang Branch.They inherited Shi Fu-sheng,the grandson of Shi Shou-tang.Now,the Yin family is represented by Yin Hu and Yin Jun.Ren Yingqiu,the modern famous TCM doctor,praised Shi's Resource of Medication to be insightful,penetrating and nuanced.Professor Lu Zhengzhi quite agrees with Shi's ideas by adding his own views that dampness not only exists in south of China but also in the north.4 The clinical application of the dialectical theory of drying and dampness by Shi Shou-tangIn clinical application,the dialectical theory of drying and dampness by Shi Shou-tang has important guiding significances which not only can be seen in the treatment of the exogenous and internal injuries of miscellaneous diseases but also in gynecology,pediatrics,and health care.The followers of Shi put the liquid of Magnolia into the treatment of the digestive system,respiratory system and the endocrine system diseases,as well as diabetes II,hot and humid god faint,chronic gastritis,etc.