What I want to talk about is the difference in philosophy between Chinese and Western dicine. I'll share two little stories about the miraculous physician Hua Tuo to express the essence of Chinese dicine.
Once, Hua Tuo ca to a small county town where two minor officials were suffering from headaches and fevers. They went together to see him for treatnt. After observing, listening, questioning, and feeling their pulse, Hua Tuo prescribed a purgative for one and a diaphoretic for the other.
The two were very puzzled. Why was the dication different for the sa symptoms? Hua Tuo explained that the first had a spleen and stomach problem, while the other suffered from wind-cold, hence the different treatnts. Half convinced, they decided to trust the miraculous physician and followed the prescriptions. Once they returned ho and took a few doses, they both recovered.
A child of a wealthy family in Dongyang County had severe diarrhea. After seeing all the famous local doctors without success, the family hurriedly invited Hua Tuo when they heard he was in town. Seeing the child was just over a year old, Hua Tuo asked if the child was still breastfed. Upon receiving a positive answer, he did not treat the child but instead prescribed ten doses of dicine for the mother.
As expected, after the mother took the dicine and breastfed the child again, the diarrhea stopped.
This reflects the fundantal differences in philosophy between Chinese and Western dicine. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and it's hard to say which is better or worse. Chinese dicine has its advantages and disadvantages, as does Western dicine.
Although Lu Xuan studied Chinese dicine, he doesn't belittle Western dicine to elevate Chinese dicine.
It's unnecessary.
Chinese dicine is indeed miraculous, but for Western dicine to beco the mainstream today, besides having financial backing, its ability to treat and save lives is crucial. Otherwise, no one would be foolish enough to see Western doctors knowing they couldn't heal.
Just like Chinese dicine, it wouldn't have survived and thrived for thousands of years without its unique strengths.
Admitting Western dicine's prowess is one thing, but Lu Xuan himself isn't particularly fond of so Western dical theories.
The reason is simple.
He practices Chinese dicine.
Moreover, Western dicine focuses solely on the tangible aspects of tests and examinations, disregarding and ignorant of the energy critical to life functions—Yang Qi.
Thus, despite spending heavily on tests, Western dicine offers little insight. For instance, they may find fewer red blood cells and more white blood cells.
But why is that? Why are there fewer red blood cells or more white blood cells? Western dicine can't explain.
Rooted in the principle of "Yang generates, Yin grows," a deficiency in body fluids results in reduced essence, sperm vitality dwindles, too few red blood cells, and too many white blood cells—all due to Yang deficiency and Yin excess. Clinical observations confirm this without deviation.
The greatness of Chinese dicine lies in its skill at observing the rise and fall of Yang Qi in the body. Excess Yang needs to be nourished and purged, while deficient Yang requires supporting Yang and restraining Yin. "Yang transforms Qi, Yin gives form." This also relates to the now-dreaded term cancer, which, in the philosophy of Chinese dicine, results from moisture issues and consuming too many cooling substances, damaging Yang Qi.
Western dicine finds it hard to explain tumors and cancers so clearly.
This is why Lu Xuan is so fascinated by Chinese dicine.
As they listened, Wu Liguo and his colleagues looked at each other in astonishnt.
Having studied orthodox Western dicine, they've never been exposed to Chinese dicine. When Lu Xuan ntioned Western dicine treating symptoms as they appear, so felt slightly uncomfortable, yet they couldn't find fault with his later statents.
Chinese and Western dicine have fundantally different philosophies, each with its pros and cons, making it challenging to judge which is superior.
Especially the two stories Lu Xuan shared, to put it bluntly, if they had encountered similar cases, they might have simply prescribed antipyretics to the two individuals.
And for the child, using Western dicine's approach, they certainly wouldn't have treated the mother.
The common understanding is to dicate the patient.
But this is not the case in Chinese dicine.
The sa symptoms like headaches and fevers are seen as different diseases in Chinese dicine.
A sick child might not need dicine; instead, it's the mother who is dicated.
In this regard, Chinese dicine truly is remarkable.
Although they pondered, they wouldn't thus conclude that Western dicine is inferior to Chinese. After all, if it were, it wouldn't have beco the mainstream. Even Chinese dicine assessnts follow Western standards.
Wu Liguo glanced at the interns: "Rember what Dr. Lu said; it'll benefit your future learning. However, don't forget to delve deeply into Western dical theories too.
A balance of Chinese and Western dicine is necessary; mastering only one won't suffice."
"We'll rember, Director Wu."
The interns nodded repeatedly.
Wu Liguo nodded and turned to Lu Xuan: "Dr. Lu, would you like to look around our Ninth Hospital or head back? If you're returning, I can arrange a ride, sparing you the need to call a taxi."
Returning?
Lu Xuan was sowhat reluctant.
Since he's already here, he wouldn't pass up the chance to perform more acupuncture. He'd feel a waste otherwise.
Money was not the issue; the main thing was the rare opportunity to practice acupuncture that the Health Center couldn't frequently provide.
But in the inpatient departnt of the City Ninth Hospital, there's plenty of it.
Not ntioning other departnts, just the neurology ward alone has nurous patients hospitalized due to strokes, which Lu Xuan sees as invaluable for honing his acupuncture skills.
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