It is very important to realize that the “six syndrome identification” explains the location of the disease in a layer and depth format and has absolutely no relation to the location of the acupuncture channels. Since the “eight principle” identification is part of the basic Chinese medical system we will explain the “six syndrome identification” in more details. Finally we will be able to make modifications to the ingredients and dosages according to the symptoms. This will lead us directly to the “formula pattern” and guide us to the appropriate formula. Secondly, we must identify which channel or channels have been affected according to the “six-channel pattern identification”. We must identify if it is an excessive or a deficiency pattern or if it is a half excess and half deficiency pattern. We must identify if it is an internal or an external disease or a half internal and half external disease. We must determine if it is a hot or a cold disease, or a mixture of hot and cold disease.

They have both greatly contributed to the survival of classical thinking.īeing a classical Chinese practitioner and treating diseases according to the classical thinking, we must first identify the type of disease through the “eight principles”. Together they have written over 20 books using different methodology to understand the application of the classics. Hu Xi Shu (胡希恕) and Professor Feng Shi Lun (冯世纶), like many other classical masters, have spent their life researching and developing the understanding of the Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue. In China, there is a clear difference between the Chinese medical practitioners that use the TCM zang fu approach in their practice and the ones that use “pure” classical thinking. By using the symptoms to differentiate the syndrome and formula pattern we are ot limited to the name or western medical diagnosis to treat our patients. These three main methods to treat diseases in clinic embody the classical approach of the Shang Han Za Bing Lun and can be used to diagnose and treat any disease no matter the disease name. Another strong differentiation we have in the Shang Han Za Bing Lun is the “formula pattern identification” (方证 - fang zheng). The Shang Han Za Bing Lun is based on the “eight-principle syndrome differentiation” called “ba gang” (八纲) and “six-syndrome identification” (六经辩证- liu jing bian zheng). Needless to say the classical thinking also differs greatly from the systemized TCM zang fu approach. Feng Shi Lun (冯世纶) even says that these medical classics belong to two different systems of looking at health and diseases. For the purpose of this article we will shortly state that the Shang Han Za Bing Lun approach varies greatly from the Huang Di Nei jing (Yellow Emperor Inner Canon – 黄帝内径) and its five-element approach. To begin to understand the philosophy and clinical approach of the classical thinking, we must open our mind to a different way of viewing health and diseases. Meanwhile, these experts also know very well that it takes decades to perfect the skills of classical thinking and clinical application. Every dedicated classical Chinese physician always reminds themselves and their colleagues to go back to the original scriptures and find the answers in the original writings. However, with the help of some tenacious classical Chinese medical experts, we have the chance to keep the classical thinking alive and active. Since modern “TCM” was systemized in the 1950s under the Regime of the People’s Republic of China,we have steered further and further away from the classical origins and meanings of Chinese medicine. The only two major issues we have had since then is maintaining these classics intact (and original) and understanding them correctly while using them effectively in clinic.

This medical legacy from Zhang Zhong jing is clearly a gem for Chinese medicine clinicians. These classics clearly state the appropriate clinical application of a group of symptoms with corresponding formulas as well as suggest modifications according to the change of the disease. Later, during the Eastern Han Dynasty between 40 to 200 A.D., Zhang Zhong jing recorded all of these clinical experience handed down from generations in the Shang Han Za Bing Lun (Treatise of Cold Complicated Diseases- 伤寒杂病论) which was later edited and separated in the Shang Han Lun (Treatise of Cold Damage- 伤寒论) and the Jin Gui Yao Lue (Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet - 金匮要略 ). Eventually with repeated clinical success they then recorded these patterns as “formula patterns”. In ancient times, Chinese medical experts identified concurrent symptoms as patterns and associated them with formulas to treat them. Classical Chinese Medical philosophy views health and disease through “the eight-principle and six-syndrome differentiation” methods.

Zhang jing fang