Psychologie de la Médecine Chinoise

This kind of treatment method, you have certainly never heard of it, using a dog to scare...

Dr Zhu Weimin (June 23 2023)

When speaking about the treatment of diseases related to emotions and feelings, the physician of the Qing Dynasty, Ye Tianshi (1666-1745), said that the patient himself possesses a precious medicine to regulate his emotions. "Everything depends on the patient's ability to easily change emotions and the ingenuity of the physician." He had already treated a woman suffering from hysteria, whose lower limbs were paralyzed and had not responded to previous medications. After a detailed interrogation and examination, Ye Tianshi discovered that the patient's condition was caused by stagnation of liver Qi and spleen dysfunction, and that she had a great fear of dogs. Therefore, Ye Tianshi asked the family to carry the patient to the top of Huqiu Mountain and suddenly released a fierce dog. The sick woman, in a state of fear, managed to straighten up and flee by lifting her legs, thus overcoming her lower limb paralysis caused by emotional and Qi obstruction. The disease was immediately cured.

Dr. Wen Zhi (approximately 400-300 BC)

During the Warring States period, King Min of Qi suffered from depression and sought the help of the renowned physician from the State of Song, Wen Zhi, to treat him.

After a thorough examination, Wen Zhi said to the crown prince, "The illness of the King of Qi can only be cured through provocative methods. If I anger the King of Qi, he will certainly kill me." The crown prince, pleading, said, "As long as you can cure my father's illness, my mother and I guarantee your safety." Wen Zhi declined the offer but eventually accepted.

He immediately scheduled a medical consultation with the King of Qi. However, during the first consultation, Wen Zhi did not show up. They then arranged a second appointment, but once again Wen Zhi failed to appear. The third appointment was also missed. The King of Qi, seeing Wen Zhi not showing up despite three consecutive missed appointments, was extremely furious and verbally insulted him.

A few days later, Wen Zhi suddenly arrived without any greetings or even removing his shoes. He climbed onto the bed of the King of Qi to question him about his illness and provoked him with coarse and wild words. The King of Qi, unable to restrain himself any longer, stood up and insulted Wen Zhi. In his anger and invectives, he released his frustration, and his depression disappeared.

Wen Zhi, following the principle of traditional Chinese medicine that "anger surpasses reflection," used provocative methods to treat the patient, thus curing the King of Qi's depression. This left a typical example of emotional therapy in the history of medical cases in China.

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