Brief History of Chinese Herbs and Medicine

by LEONARD CHAN¹

Modern Western medicine, though still occasionally hampered by tradition and custom, is largely a product of experimental research. Contrasted with this is the Chinese system of medicine which is the product of untold generations of experience and which, despite the invasion of Western ideas and customs into other phases of Chinese life, is extensively practiced today just as it was thousands of years ago.

Since several ancient Chinese drugs have been adopted by American and European doctors, and since many Americans, especially in California and other Pacific Coast states, have been helped by Chinese "herb doctors," it seems of interest to briefly investigate the origin of their art. The science and art of medicine in China go back to such remote antiquity that only legends exist to tell of the first medicinal use of herbs and other products. The study is complicated further because fact and legend are sometimes almost inextricably interwoven. According to some of the more authentic sources, Shen Nung,- who lived about 2700 B.C., discovered that different kinds of vegetables and plants reacted differently in his body, and he is credited with having tested the medicinal action of some 360 varieties of plants on his own system. He found that some of these could be used to cure, or at least to allay the discomfort of certain bodily disorders. He discovered that by mixing different plants in one preparation, it was possible to accentuate or modify certain qualities of the plants. Altogether, he compounded and recorded 113 different prescriptions, some of which are used today. Legend has it that his system was transparent and that by observing the path that herbs took when he ate them, he was able to tell the specific part of the body to which the particular herb was directed. Thus he could list a specific use for each plant. Because of the transparent system, an abnormal condition following the use of a poisonous drug was readily detected, and before the poisons could affect him he counteracted their action by drinking a concentrated extract of licorice as an antidote. This is still used among the Chinese as an antidote for many poisons.³

One of the most important laws set down by Shen Nung was the method of compounding prescriptions. He based the method on four characters, "emperor," "premier," "assistant," and "guide," respectively. He believed that when compounding a prescription, the proper kind of herb must be selected to act in the proper capacity according to these four characters: thus, there must be the "emperor" or the main herb which has full control of the disease concerned, the "premier" which advises the main herb as to the way it is to act, the "assistant" which will help the main herb so that it will be able to act better, and the "guide" which will prepare the way for the main herb. The philosophy of Shen Nung still lives, and this method of compounding drugs is universally employed by Chinese herb specialists.

Another important doctrine of the Chinese herbalist is the "pulse law." This too is of ancient origin. After becoming premier in the court of the emperor, Huang Ti, about 2205 B.C., Chi Pai became perturbed over the sickness and suffering of his subjects. In an effort to find means to relieve the suffering and to prevent the spread of disease he held daily conferences with the emperor to discuss methods of accomplishing these ends. The results of these conferences were recorded in nine volumes, known as Ling Shu. It is in these that first mention of the "pulse law" is found. According to the "pulse law," all sickness may be diagnosed by feeling the pulse. In feeling the pulse, the physician uses three fingers, each of which pertains to a different organ. When feeling the patient's right hand, the speed of the pulse when felt by the second finger pertains to the lung; the third finger to the stomach and the fourth finger to the spleen. When taking the pulse from the patient's left hand, the second finger pertains to the heart, the third finger to the liver, and the fourth finger to the kidney. It is believed that the pulse felt with light pressure of the fingers pertains to the system in general, that felt with moderate pressure pertains to the internal organs, and that felt with heavy pressure pertains to the lower part of the body. The pulse itself is based on four definitions. If it has a floating effect- i.e. feels like the touch of a piece of wood floating on water, it means that the patient is feverish; if the pulse has the effect of sinking, as if a piece of iron were to sink, it means that there is slow circulation and there is weakness throughout the whole body; if it is slow yet regular, there is merely slow circulation of the blood, and if the pulse is rapid, but regular, the blood is circulating too fast. After the diagnosis, suitable herbs are prescribed to counteract these different conditions.

To Be continued

Footnote.

1 The author accepts full responsibility for the authenticity of the statements in this paper, but appreciatively acknowledges the criticisms of Dr. Robertson Pratt in the preparation of the manuscript.

2 The Chinese characters are translated in Mandarin, the official Chinese dialect.

3 Of course, the author does not recommend this as a generally applicable antidote for poisons. It is merely mentioned as a traditional use among Chinese