bdsm-fiction Chapter 72: Using Illness to Gain Enlightenment – Opening Remarks
Chapter 72: Using Illness to Gain Enlightenment – Opening Remarks
Chapter 72 opens with the proposition of "understanding the Tao through illness".
I. Curing stubborn diseases and restoring a healthy complexion
Chen Shanhe methodically completed the final step of the treatment, slowly withdrew the needles and stopped all treatment actions.
Lying on her bed, Xu Jingming's elderly mother, whose mind had been restless and agitated all day, gradually calmed down.
The chaotic and fluctuating energy within the body gradually returned to peace, and the liver qi stagnation that had been stagnant deep within the internal organs for many years was completely released, allowing the disordered qi and blood to circulate smoothly again.
The stubborn insomnia that has lingered in the body for many years is being gradually resolved and peeled away, slowly eliminating it from its root cause.
The old man slowly opened his cloudy, drowsy eyes. The weariness, gloom, and anxiety of the past few days had faded from his eyes, and his expression was relaxed and peaceful, without any trace of anxiety.
The haggard and listless look that had lingered on his face for years was swept away, and his complexion was completely refreshed, with his energy and spirit visibly becoming fuller and more vibrant.
The anxiety and restlessness from days of sleepless nights and tossing and turning have completely dissipated. My muscles and meridians feel relaxed and comfortable, my mind is calm and peaceful, and I feel a long-lost sense of ease and tranquility.
Xu Jingming stayed by his mother's bedside without leaving her side, witnessing firsthand the dramatic changes in her expression and complexion. He was so moved that his eyes reddened slightly, and his hands trembled involuntarily.
He quickly leaned closer to the bed, his voice filled with excitement and joy, and asked softly and gently.
"Mother, how are you feeling now? Is the tightness and irritability in your chest gone? Has your chaotic mind completely calmed down?"
The old woman nodded slowly and gently, a faint smile appearing on her lips. Her voice was calm and steady, and her originally weak and rapid breathing became steady and long.
"My chest feels lighter and less constricted, and my mind is no longer agitated or chaotic. Now I can finally sleep peacefully tonight."
"My whole body feels light and refreshed, and my internal organs feel comfortable and relaxed. I haven't felt this peaceful and comfortable in many years."
Zhou Deshan stood quietly to the side, taking in everything that was happening before his eyes. His expression remained turbulent for a long time, unable to calm down.
Two long-standing, intractable diseases were accurately diagnosed and cured by Chen Shanhe. His superb medical skills completely overturned his lifelong understanding of medicine.
At this moment, Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming could no longer suppress the shock and amazement surging in their hearts. Their eyes were fixed on Chen Shanhe, filled with an extremely urgent thirst for knowledge, and they wanted to explore the profound truth of this hidden medical theory.
Poems as proof:
The medicine regulates Qi and calms the mind.
Depression is relieved, sleep is improved, and complexion is refreshed.
All long-standing ailments have disappeared.
A miraculous cure reveals one's true nature.
Second, recollections of the past give rise to thoughts.
Inside the bedroom, the atmosphere was quiet and solemn. Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming stood still, their eyes fixed on Chen Shanhe.
The two looked solemn, their disdain completely gone, replaced by deep respect, and an irrepressible curiosity and longing.
Chen Shanhe quietly looked at the two elderly traditional Chinese medicine doctors who had practiced medicine for half their lives, and couldn't help but recall the scene when they first met.
When the two first met him, they were arrogant and condescending, relying on their status as renowned doctors in the provincial capital and their lifelong experience in medicine. Their eyes were full of disdain and contempt.
He looked down on himself for coming from a small rural town, his words filled with sarcasm and disdain, not believing that a country boy could have such superb medical skills.
Now, with two real medical treatments before them, witnessing firsthand how they had completely eradicated their illness and miraculously cured it, the two no longer had their former arrogance.
He could only look at himself longingly, eagerly wanting to explore the core principles of dialectical thinking and the true path of medicine.
Chen Shanhe's mind was racing, and he secretly harbored other thoughts.
He was no longer willing to hide his abilities, so he took the opportunity of today's real-life case of the Zhou and Xu families' relatives being treated to publicly express his views and spread his teachings.
He fully and clearly explained to the public the medical philosophy and the origin of diagnosis that he had learned throughout his life.
This will also help these two old Chinese medicine doctors who adhere to ancient methods to fully realize the true essence of practicing medicine.
Su Wanjing stood to the side, quietly watching Chen Shanhe. She understood the thoughts in his eyes and remained silent, simply waiting by his side.
Poems as proof:
At first glance, he looked down on the young man.
Now I bow my head and look to the true God.
He secretly resolved to spread the teachings.
Using illness as a springboard for medical diagnosis reveals the true nature of medicine.
Third, directly addressing the problems of quack doctors and their adherence to outdated practices.
Chen Shanhe suppressed his inner thoughts, his expression calm and composed. He slowly moved to the center of the hall and looked at the two people in front of him with a peaceful gaze.
He broke his silence and immediately spoke frankly, formally launching his argument and pointing out the most deep-rooted problems in the medical field today.
His tone was calm and clear, each word distinct and powerful, hitting the nail on the head.
"Most of the doctors practicing medicine today stick to ancient prescriptions, are bound by old methods, and are stubborn and inflexible."
"They only know how to memorize ancient medical texts and prescriptions, and they practice medicine in a rigid and inflexible way, without understanding how to differentiate between patients and treat them according to their individual conditions."
Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming both shuddered, their expressions faltering. They lowered their heads and listened quietly, a hint of shame showing on their faces.
Chen Shanhe's gaze was calm as he continued speaking slowly.
"Too many doctors only treat superficial symptoms and can only relieve the pain on the surface of the skin."
However, they cannot see through the laws governing the body's Qi circulation, cannot determine the depth at which pathogenic factors lurk and grow, and cannot grasp the fundamental changes in Yin and Yang, deficiency and excess.
"Treating the symptoms but not the root cause, treating the symptoms but not the root cause, may seem like daily treatment and medication, but in reality, it can only temporarily relieve the pain and ultimately cannot cure the chronic disease, which will recur year after year and be difficult to eradicate the root cause."
His words were spoken slowly and deliberately, impartial and truthful, directly hitting the common bad habits that doctors cling to today.
The two elderly traditional Chinese medicine doctors listened quietly without saying a word, their faces turning red and white in turns, their hearts beginning to tremble and a sense of reflection quietly arising within them.
Poems as proof:
Incompetent doctors rigidly adhere to outdated prescriptions.
Those who don't know how to adapt will find it difficult to eradicate the root cause.
It only treats the superficial deficiency and excess.
Not understanding the workings of Qi can harm one's health.
IV. Analyzing Medical Principles to Awaken the Original Mind
Chen Shanhe remained calm and composed, speaking slowly and deliberately, following up on his previous remarks, as he delved deeper and deeper into the true path of medical practice and the philosophy of medicine.
He clearly explained in public the fundamental laws governing the rise, fall, floating, sinking, and circulation of Qi throughout the human body, and meticulously explained the underlying logic of how pathogenic factors enter from the surface to the interior, and spread and aggravate from shallow to deep.
From the invasion of external pathogenic factors such as wind, cold, heat, and dampness into the meridians and internal organs, to the internal damage and blockage of the mind caused by emotions such as joy, anger, worry, and thought, and then to the alternating changes of the balance of Qi and blood, and the deficiency and excess of Yin and Yang, all the fundamental principles of medicine are broken down and explained clearly and in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
He directly used two real-life cases—Zhou Deshan's wife's chronic cold-induced paralysis and Xu Jingming's mother's intractable insomnia—as examples to directly compare the two old Chinese medicine doctors' outdated, rigid, and traditional medical approaches.
They bluntly pointed out the deep-rooted inherent flaws in their medical practice throughout their lives, where their diagnosis deviated from the original principles, where their use of medicine was biased towards cold and heat, and where their approach to treating diseases was narrow and rigid.
Every word and phrase directly addresses the core of the illness and the root of medical practice, without any concealment or hiding, without any empty words or falsehoods. Every word is sincere, and every sentence accurately hits the most crucial point.
Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming stood quietly in place, increasingly shocked as they listened, their minds trembling and surging, unable to calm down for a long time.
The two doctors spent most of their lives memorizing ancient prescriptions and writing medicines by rote, practicing medicine in a rigid and conventional manner, never breaking out of their established mindset to explore the true origin of medicine.
Over the years, no one has ever dared to be so frank and open, pointing out their mistakes and oversights in their medical practice. And no one has ever been able to explain the profound medical principles so clearly, thoroughly, and incisively.
The two listened intently throughout, their usual haughty and self-important air as veteran doctors completely gone.
With a turbulent inner world, I finally set aside my pride and dignity, and began to truly calm down and deeply reflect on my medical career, realizing the rigid prejudices I had held onto for so many years.
The two men now fully understood that the medical skills they had painstakingly studied and explored throughout their lives were merely the tip of the iceberg. They had wasted half their lives without ever truly touching upon the true principles of dialectics, the philosophy of Yin and Yang, and the art of military strategy and medicine.
Poems as proof:
Analyzing the Qi mechanism reveals the cause of the disease.
Speaking frankly about the flaws awakens the restless mind.
Half a lifetime of medical practice shrouded in mystery.
Only after hearing this did I realize how difficult the right path is.