Introduction week 1

Question 0

during which time period was the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic written

Answer 0

Han Dynasty

Question 1

what two works make up the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic

Answer 1

Basic Questions & Divine Pivot

Question 2

Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases was written by whom?

During what time period?

Answer 2

Zhang Zhong-Jing

Han Dynasty

Question 3

Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases was eventually divided into which two works?
What are their focus’?

Answer 3

Discussion of Cold Damage, which deals with externally-contracted diseases, and Essentials from the Golden Cabinet, which is primarily concerned with internally-generated disorders

Question 4

who was the first person we know of to identify the condition of the patient with a particular formula used to treat that condition?
(ie: the name of the formula itself is another way of expressing the diagnosis)

Answer 4

Zhang Zhong-Jing

Question 5

who is the leading medical figure of the Tang Dynasty

Answer 5

Sun Si-Miao

Question 6

what two books were written by Sun Si Miao

Answer 6

Important Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold pieces

& Supplement to Important Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces

Question 7

who devised the system of the 8 principles (essentials) to help make disease processes more understandable and methods of tx more practical?

Answer 7

Kou Zong-Shi

Question 8

who are the 4 great figures who influenced a pivotal development in chinese medcine

Answer 8

Liu Wan Su [cooling current]
Zhang Cong-Zheng (student of Liu Wan Su) [purging current]
Li Dong Yuan [earth-tonifying current]
Zhu Zhen-Heng [yin-enriching current]

Question 9

what may be considered as the most important development in TCM during the Qing dynasty

Answer 9

the emergence of the warm pathogen disease current. until the ming dynasty, the treatment of externally-contracted disorders was dominated by cold-damage discourse.

Question 10

what are the 4 distinctions we use to determine the difference from the root and the branch

Answer 10

1. the strength of the patient’s normal qi is the root and that of the pathogenic influence is the branch
2. the etiology of a disease is the root and its presentation is the branch
3. during the course of a disease the underlying, primary disorder is the root and any secondary complications are the branch
4. with respect to the location of a disease, the internal aspect is the root and the external aspect is the branch
5. with respect

Question 11

what are the three basic rules governing treatment of the root and the branch

Answer 11

1. for acute disorders, treat the branch
2. for chronic disorders, treat the root
3. it is permissible to perform simultaneous treatment of the root and branch in certain circumstances
   ie: the constitution of the patient is weak and the pathogenic influence is strong

Question 12

tonification vs attacking

Answer 12

if the nature of the disorder requires that the normal qi be supported, we use tonification
if the pathogenic influence needs to be eliminated, we attack (reduce)

Question 13

definition of “normal treatment”

Answer 13

antagonistic to the disease process:
heat is treated with cold, cold is treated with heat, stagnation is treated by promoting movement, leakage is treated by stabilizing and binding.

Question 14

definition of “contrary treatment”

Answer 14

when a treatment appears to depart from the general rule of direct treatment
2 types:
1. using a formula whose nature appears to be similar to that of the disease
ie: a warming strategy may be appropriate for a patient who shows signs of ‘false’ fire and ‘true’ cold
2. using an apparent departure from the norm of antagonistic treatment
ie: one generally disperses obstruction, but when the obstruction is due to deficiency, it is teated by tonification

Question 15

who was the 18th century physician who devised the 8 parameters of diagnosis? what are the 8 parameters?

Answer 15

Cheng Guo-Peng

sweating
vomiting
draining downward
harmonizing
warming
clearing
reducing 
tonifying

Question 16

what were the original 10 categories of formulas, and what they were used to eliminate

Answer 16

1. bind –> abandoned disorders
2. clear –> excess
3. disseminate –> clogging
4. drain –> obstruction
5. dry –> dampness
6. lubricate –> sticky retentions in the body
7. moisten –> dryness
8. tonify –> weakness
9. unblock –> stagnation
10. weigh down –> anxiety

Question 17

which representative figure organized formulas into eight categories based on a variation of the 10 types of formulas, which he called “eight battle arrays?”

Answer 17

Zhang Jie-Bin

Question 18

which person divided the formulas into 22 categories during the Qing dynasty?

Answer 18

Wang Ang

Question 19

why is a knowledge of herbal combinations important?

Answer 19

a knowledge of herbal combinations implies an awareness of when a particular combination would be inappropriate, that is, would lead to mutual counteraction, mutual suppression, mutual antagonism, or mutual incompatibility.

Question 20

what is the orderly arrangement of ingredients in a formula called

Answer 20

a hierarchy

ex: knowing which ingredient acts as the chief, deputy, etc.

Question 21

list the 4 ranks of ingredients in order of largest dosage to smallest dosage used

Answer 21

The dosage of the chief herb is generally the greatest, the deputy next, and the assistant and envoy to follow (this refers to its dosage relative to its own normal dosage). The dosage of the deputy cannot be allowed to exceed that of the chief.

Question 22

what are the four ranks of ingredients in the hierarchy of a formula; describe them

Answer 22

CHIEF - also known as the monarch, ruler, king, emperor, principal; the ingredient that is directed against, and has the greatest effect upon, the principal pattern or disease; this ingredient is absolutely indispensable to the formula
DEPUTY - also known as the minister, adjutant, associate; aids the chief ingredient in treating the principal pattern or disease; serves as the main ingredient directed against a coexisting pattern r disease
ASSISTANT - also known as adjutant; reinforces the effect of the chief or deputy ingredients or directly treats a less important aspect of the pattern or disease (helpful assistant); moderates or eliminates the toxicity of the chief or deputy ingredients or moderates their harsh properties (corrective assistant); has an effect that is opposite that of the chief ingredient and is used in very serious and complex disorders (opposing assistant)
ENVOY - also known as messenger, guide, conductant; focuses the actions of the formula on certain channel or area of the body; harmonizes and integrates the actions of the other ingredients

Question 23

T/F, all formulas contain the full hierarchy of ingredients

Answer 23

False.
many formulas consist of only a chief and one or two deputy ingredients.
if the chief and deputies are not toxic, there is no need for corrective assistants.
sometimes the chief ingredient itself focuses on the level and location of the disorder, obviating the need for an envoy.

Question 24

why and how would we modify the composition of a formula

Answer 24

We can tailor the formula to fit the specifications of the patient.
Adjustments must be made for changes in the pattern, the strength of the patient, the season, climate, and other environmental factors. This may involve altering the selection of herbs or their relative dosage, the method of preparation, or the means of administration.

Question 25

what are the three types of possible ingredient modifications

Answer 25

1. the chief ingredient in the formula and the formula’s primary action do not change, but minor ingredients are added or subtracted to fun tune the formula for a specific condition. (the name of the formula does not change)
2. the chief ingredient remains the same, but all or most of the other ingredients are changed so that the action of the formula is also changed.
3. An alteration in the ingredients changes the formula so fundamentally that its character, hierarchy, and actions are completed altered.