Chinese medicine: from rural hospitals to top three hospitals in Kyoto

Chapter 1258 Folk Master

Zhuang Qiwen asked, "Grandpa, you must have some unique methods for the formulation and processing of this medicine powder, right? Especially for highly toxic herbs like Aconitum carmichaelii, Aconitum kusnezoffii, and Strychnos nux-vomica, how do you control their toxicity and maximize their efficacy?"

Grandpa Lei glanced at Zhuang Qiwen, seemingly feeling that the question had hit the nail on the head.

He pondered for a moment and said, "The key is the processing. My recipe was passed down from my ancestors and has been adjusted by myself over the decades."

"For Aconitum carmichaelii and Aconitum kusnezoffii, I use multiple processes such as soaking them in children's urine, boiling them in licorice water, and stir-frying them in sand to remove their toxicity while retaining their warming and invigorating properties. For Strychnos nux-vomica, I repeatedly fry it in sesame oil until it floats to the surface and turns golden brown in the center to remove all its toxicity while retaining its effects of clearing the meridians and relieving pain. As for other herbs, I use various methods such as stir-frying, roasting, and fermenting as needed. The proportions are also a closely guarded secret, and I cannot disclose them all."

After a pause, the old man continued, "But the principle is sound. Using these strong medicines is like fighting poison with poison. To deal with those deep-rooted, persistent cold and damp toxins, only such potent remedies can remove them."

"But other medicines must be used to counteract and guide it. For example, musk and cinnamon are used to spread their pungent aroma and guide the other medicines directly to the affected area; frankincense and myrrh are used to invigorate blood and relieve pain, and alleviate the irritation; and some blood-nourishing and dryness-moistening medicines should also be added to prevent dryness and heat from damaging yin. In short, it must be made to be 'strong' in a direction and 'toxic' within limits."

This discussion about the use and compatibility of highly toxic drugs caused Zhuang Qiwen, Yu Shiyun, and others to ponder deeply.

This does not contradict the principle of "using toxic drugs with caution" that they learned, but rather elevates this "cautious use" to a more precise and artistic level—based on a full understanding of the risks, through ingenious processing and compatibility, turning "poison" into "medicine" for the most critical and intractable diseases.

Xia Hongliang was more interested in the medicinal wicks of "Thunder Fire Moxibustion" and inquired about the mechanisms of action of special herbs such as Clematis chinensis, Clematis armandii, Clematis armandii, and Zaocys dhumnades in moxibustion.

Grandpa Lei was quite patient and explained, "Clematis chinensis and Clematis armandii, as their names suggest, can dispel wind and dampness and unblock meridians, and their medicinal properties are good at spreading; Chasing wind has a strong ability to dispel cold and relieve pain; Black-tailed snake dispels wind and unblocks meridians, and is especially good at searching out wind evil between muscles and bones."

"By using the heat of moxibustion, the medicinal properties of these medicines are forcibly 'injected' deep into the muscles and bones, which is much more effective than simply taking them internally or applying them externally. Adding a little sulfur and saltpeter is to make the burning more prolonged, the heat more intense, and the penetration stronger. However, the amount of sulfur and saltpeter used is extremely small, only to aid combustion and not to play a major therapeutic role."

This is another example of combining topical medication with physical stimulation to the extreme.

Before we knew it, the sun was already setting in the west.

Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Yang got up to say goodbye and thanked Mr. Lei again for his generous demonstration and explanation.

Grandpa Lei waved his hand: "We had a very pleasant chat today. You young people are quite good. You're not putting on airs and you really want to learn."

"This set of equipment of mine is fine for use in the mountains, but it's not suitable for the world. If you think it's useful, you can take it and study it, but you must be careful and never use it indiscriminately."

As he spoke, the old man took out a small cloth bag from the house and handed it to Chen Yang: "Inside here is a small portion each of the 'medicinal needle' powder and the 'thunder and fire moxibustion' wick that I prepared, along with simple instructions on how to use them."

"I'm giving this to you as a keepsake. You're top experts in the provincial capital, with broad knowledge, so you might be able to figure it out more clearly and more safely."

Chen Yang accepted the gift solemnly, feeling its weight.

This is not just some medicinal powder and wicks, but a weighty trust and a spark of folk medicine on the verge of being lost.

"Don't worry, sir, I will study it carefully and make good use of it. I will never fail your trust."

As we left Grandpa Lei's mountain retreat and embarked on our journey home, the setting sun had already painted the mountains a golden-red hue.

The team members were excited and discussed their experiences all the way back.

"This is amazing! I never knew external treatments could achieve this level of effectiveness!" Zeng Yunhui exclaimed.

"The approach to that acupuncture is practically tailor-made for intractable pain!"

Xia Hongliang's eyes lit up: "It's just that the risks are too great, and the requirements for operators and drug preparation are too high."

Yu Shiyun said, "Grandpa Lei's knowledge of the preparation and use of toxic drugs, as well as his theory of 'treating the internal by treating the external and supplementing by unblocking,' has given me a completely new understanding of the treatment of arthralgia."

Zeng Yunhui pondered, "More importantly, he showed us another form of survival and wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine among the people. How to integrate these effective treatments into the modern TCM system through scientific research and standardization, so as to serve more people, is something we need to think about."

Chen Yang walked ahead, listening to the team members' discussion, his heart also filled with turmoil.

This in-depth exploration of the mountains and fields yielded far more results than expected. It not only opened a window into the treasures of folk medicine, but also sparked profound reflections on the inheritance, innovation, and standardization of traditional Chinese medicine.

By the time we returned to River Bend Town, dusk had already fallen.

Director Sun and others have basically completed the follow-up work for the free clinic.

That evening, at the town's guesthouse, Chen Yang convened a debriefing meeting with all the team members.

Everyone spoke freely, discussing what they had gained from the two days of free clinics, the difficulties they had encountered, and the shock and reflections they had had after visiting Mr. Lei in the afternoon.

Chen Yang concluded by saying, "This trip to Qinglin County was a valuable experience for all of us. We witnessed the true state of grassroots healthcare, felt the people's most basic needs for health, and also saw the vibrant wisdom and tenacious vitality of traditional Chinese medicine."

"Grandpa Lei's skills made us realize that the roots of traditional Chinese medicine are not only in classic texts and hospitals, but also deeply rooted in the fertile soil of the people. There are the most direct patient feedbacks and the most urgent treatment needs, which have also given rise to many seemingly crude but direct 'folk remedies' that address the root causes of disease."

"Our task is neither to simply transplant these folk experiences into modern hospitals, nor to easily dismiss them as 'unscientific'."

"Instead, we must adopt a rigorous scientific attitude to study, verify, and refine these materials, identify their effective components and mechanisms of action, eliminate the dross and retain the essence, and standardize and ensure their safety, so that this wisdom originating from the people can benefit the people more safely and widely."

"At the same time, we must also recognize that folk medicine is of varying quality and is a mixed bag. Doctors like Grandpa Lei, who have real skills and principles, are valuable, but there are also many cases of drug abuse, exaggerated efficacy claims, and even fraud and harm to people."

"As professional medical practitioners, we must not only be good at discovering and learning the essence of folk medicine, but also have the ability and responsibility to distinguish and resist the dross."

"In the rest of our trip, we will encounter many more different forms of TCM practice. I hope everyone will take what they have learned and reflected on this trip to Qinglin County with them and continue to learn and explore with an open, prudent, and pragmatic attitude."

Chen Yang's words brought this in-depth grassroots medical consultation and visit to a profound conclusion, and also pointed out a clearer direction for the team's upcoming trip to Jiangdong.

As night deepened, a cool mountain breeze from Qinglin County blew through the windowpanes. The team members, however, were not sleepy; some were organizing their notes, some were discussing in hushed tones, and some were gazing absently at the starry sky outside the window.

That night, many seeds of ideas were quietly planted in their hearts.