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The most important ancient book of Chinese medicine as well as a major book of Daoist theory and lifestyle is the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine (Huangdi Neijing), said to have been compiled by the mythical Yellow Emperor. It consists of two parts, the Suwen "questions of fundamental nature" and the Lingshu "spiritual pivot" ( a book also called Zhenjing "Classic of Acupuncture" because the latter is its main content). The book is structured as a dialog between the Yellow Emperor and His advisors. Huangdi and His advisors should be considered fictional梩hey are needed for the question and answer format predominant in the Neijing. This format links together otherwise disjointed texts and is possibly useful for the (anonymous) authors to avoid attribution and blame.

 

The Neijing departs from the old shamanistic beliefs that disease was caused by other worldly influences. Instead the natural effects of diet, lifestyle, emotions, environment, age and heredity are the reason diseases develop. The universe is composed of various forces and principles, such as Yin and Yang, Qi and the Five Elements (or phases). These forces can be understood via rational means and man can stay in balance or return to balance and health by understanding the laws of these natural forces. Man as is a microcosm that mirrors the larger macrocosm. The principles of yin and yang, the five elements, the environmental factors of wind, damp, hot and cold and so on that are part of the macrocosm equally apply to the microcosm that is man.

Compiled roughly two thousand years ago, this great work forms the theoretical basis of TCM. As TCM's history developed over the millennia, nearly all significant medical works benefited from the enlightenment of this unparalleled book. Covering not only medicine but also philosophy, sociology, anthropology, military strategy, mathematics, astronomy, meteorology, ecology, Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine demonstrates that even in ancient times, people accomplished scientific achievements that are applicable, relevant, and innovative even in modern times. The world-famous medical masters and saints in the history of TCM such as Zhang Zhongjing, Hua Tuo, Sun Simiao and Li Shizhen, who lived hundreds to thousands years ago, are greatly enlightened by the academic thoughts of Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine. All of them researched into this great book deeply and mastered the essence of this book and thus became the most famous practitioners of TCM in Chinese history.
The title of Plain Conversation first appeared in the Preface to Shang Han Lun, a medical book written by Zhang Zhongjing in the East Han Dynasty. The content of Plain Conversation can be divided into three parts. The first part includes seventy two chapters which are the basic contents of Plain Conversation when it was first compiled, excluding the seven chapters dealing with Yunqi (Motion of Qi) theory and two appendices. The second part includes the seven chapters dealing with Yunqi (Motion of Qi) theory, namely Tianyuanji Dalun (Discussion on the Law of Motions and Changes in Nature), Wuyunxing Dalun (Major Discussion on the Changes of Five-Motions), Liuweizhi Dalun (Major Discussion on the Abstruseness of the Six Kings of Qi), Qijiaobian Dalun (Major Discussion on the Changes of Qi-Convergence), Wuchangzheng Dalun (Major Discussion on the Administration of Five-Motions), Liuyuan Zhengji Dalun (Major Discussion on the Progress of the Six Climatic Changes) and Zhizhenyao Dalun (Major Discussion on the Most Important and Abstruse Theory). The third part is the so-called appendices which refer to the seventy-two and seventy-three chapters that were lost in history even before Wang Bing's time.

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