Tang Ji stepped forward to take Liu Hai's pulse, while Tang Liang explained the patient's condition. A day ago, for some unknown reason, a strange sound suddenly emanated from his heels, like thunder, and traveled up to his brain. This could occur several times within an hour, causing him great distress and making it difficult to eat or sleep.
After carefully examining Liu Hai's pulse, Tang Ji nodded and said, "The five pulses are normal, but the kidney pulse is hollow, and it is only felt when raised and not felt when pressed. This indicates kidney failure. The kidneys govern bones and produce marrow. When they are weak, they cannot function properly and lose their nourishment, thus causing the bones to become hollow. However, the unusual sound is quite unbelievable. This is a rare and strange disease!"
"Doctor, is there any hope?" Liu Hai asked in a panic.
Tang Ji laughed and said, "If you don't understand the cause and can't be treated properly, your life will come to an end. Now that you know the cause of the illness, there's no problem. I'll prescribe a medicine; take it for half a month, and I can guarantee you'll be fine."
"Thank you, doctor!" Liu Hai said with delight.
Tang Ji then found paper and pen to write out a prescription. Song Hao stepped forward and took a look. He saw that it was Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) plus Eucommia ulmoides, wolfberry, deer placenta extract, and a large amount of pork and beef bone marrow.
"The Six-Flavor Pill, combined with ingredients of flesh and blood, greatly replenishes the vital energy, and is very effective for the condition!" Song Hao felt admiration for Tang Ji. The Tang family, which was listed among the nine schools and eighteen families of medicine, truly lived up to its reputation.
Suddenly, Liu Hai's legs trembled, and he exclaimed, "It's happening again! Doctor, get rid of this damned sound quickly, otherwise how can I survive the next two weeks!"
But then the strange noise started again, like a balloon exploding, rising continuously, shooting up his legs and down his spine to his brain, wave after wave. Liu Hai covered his head with his hands, gritting his teeth and trying to hold on, the big man being tormented to the point of exhaustion.
“After the bone marrow is replenished, the sound may disappear. As for the current symptoms, I don’t know where to begin!” Tang Ji said helplessly.
Everyone in the room was startled by the strange noise, but none of them knew what to do.
At this moment, Song Hao had an idea and stepped forward, saying, "Give me a needle, let me try!"
Song Hao did not use the needles hidden in his sleeve in order to guard against any unforeseen circumstances in the future.
"You..." Tang Liang hesitated, clearly still wary of Song Hao's controlling needlework technique.
“Give it to him!” Tang Ji said.
Tang Yu stepped forward and handed over a box of needles.
Song Hao reached out and took two needles. Upon seeing this, the Tang family members immediately became fully alert.
Chapter Twenty-Three of the Record of Extraordinary Writings: Old Stories of the Medical School
Ancient Chinese sages highly summarized the attributes of all things in nature using the concepts of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, thus establishing an ancient philosophical system that included traditional Chinese medicine and became the theoretical source of various aspects of ancient Chinese culture. The naming of "Yin and Yang and the Five Elements" is a crystallization of the wisdom of ancient Chinese sages, a brilliant interpretation of humankind's understanding of nature, and a unique Eastern mode of thinking. It should approach the essence of things and reveal a theoretical understanding of the mysteries of nature.
However, some people today, armed with so-called modern scientific knowledge, often criticize Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, considering them feudal superstition and historical dross, thus cloaking them in mysticism. Those with some cultural background may be more accepting, but still view them as primitive, rudimentary, and therefore backward. They fail to realize that it is precisely this seemingly outdated theory that has guided thousands of years of traditional Chinese medicine clinical practice and permeated numerous cultural fields, radiating an indelible brilliance. However, we have only just begun to uncover its surface; its true essence and connotation await further exploration.
Everything has its contradictory duality, which we name using Yin and Yang; its characteristic of movement and change, we classify using the Five Elements. It's just naming; must we replace this already well-defined and concise language with Western terminology? You're already called Xiaoqiang, and he's called Dagang; do we really have to call him Robert or Thomas to feel comfortable?
In the vast universe, our proud modern civilization is insignificant. A few hundred years from now, some things may be nothing at all. The so-called scientific validity that people often discuss is merely its rationality at a certain historical stage; it is temporary. Only those things that have withstood the test of thousands of years possess true scientific validity, and these are humanity's most precious treasures.
In modern and contemporary times, there have always been foolish people clamoring to abolish Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Their intentions may be good, or they may have ulterior motives, but the result is always failure. This is because they overlook one crucial point: the roots of traditional culture can never be eradicated.
This is just something I felt compelled to say.
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Song Hao held the needles, and just as the strange sound rang out again from Liu Hai's heels but before it reached his knees, he simultaneously pulled out the needles with both hands, piercing the Yin Valley acupoints on the inner sides of Liu Hai's knees. As the needle tips broke through the skin and entered the flesh, his fingers trembled slightly. He had used a bit of Thunderclap Needling Technique, intending to use the vibration from the needles to suppress the sound.
Song Hao had never seen the strange ailment of hollow bones making sounds before, but he wanted to dispel the sound with a slight application of the Thunderclap Needle Technique. As the saying goes, once you understand one thing, you understand everything; the Thunderclap Needle Technique can not only subdue people, but also cure diseases. Along with Song Tiansheng's acupuncture bronze figure, the book "Secret Words of the Bronze Figure Acupuncture Classic" left behind by the famous acupuncturist Dou Mo also contains the "Method of Diagnosis".
Sure enough, the strange sound stopped at the knee and vanished without a trace. Kidney deficiency prevents the body from producing marrow, causing the bones to lack nourishment from marrow and blood, resulting in the strange sound; it wasn't due to a vacuum within the bones. The Yin Gu acupoint, belonging to the Kidney Meridian, is particularly effective in treating bone diseases.
Song Hao simultaneously extended the needles with both hands, his movements graceful and his technique light and agile, hitting the acupoints accurately, which immediately stopped the strange sound, leaving everyone in the room astonished.
"Young man, you're amazing! My legs feel so good!" Liu Hai exclaimed in delight.
"Hehe! I only stopped the noise temporarily; it's just a temporary fix. To cure the root cause, I'll have to take the prescription the old man gave me," Song Hao said with a smile.
"Haha! Song Hao, I didn't know you were such a skilled doctor! Come on, let's go to my room and talk." Tang Ji was surprised and happy, so he pulled Song Hao away.
Liu Hai was then returned by Tang Liang, who expressed his deepest gratitude.
Only the Tang father and daughter and a few disciples remained in the house.
Watching Song Hao's departing figure, Tang Qingshan excitedly said, "This man's acupuncture skills are extraordinary. Perhaps he received assistance from that Song Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Man. With this verification, our Tang family must obtain this treasure!"
Tang Yu stood there silently, a strange light flashing in her eyes.
Inside Tang Ji's room, the old man happily pressed Song Hao into a chair and excitedly said, "Wow, Song Hao! You actually possess some extraordinary skills. Did you learn them from the Dou family of the Golden Needle Sect?"
Song Hao said, "Uncle, I have no connection with the Golden Needle Sect. My medical skills were passed down to me by my grandfather."
"Oh!" Tang Ji said with considerable surprise, "So it's a family medical tradition. May I ask which sage among your ancestors?"
Song Hao said, "My great-grandfather's name was Song Jingchun. He used to practice medicine in the capital."
"What!" Tang Ji exclaimed in surprise, "You are a descendant of Song Jingchun! I have long admired his name! Speaking of which, my father and your ancestors were also acquainted. Your great-grandfather was known as the medical hero among doctors, he was very skilled! It is said that he was the one who killed the usurper Yuan Shikai. He used his medical skills to save the world and eliminate evil. There are few people in history who have such courage to do that."
Upon hearing Tang Ji's praise of his great-grandfather, Song Hao felt a surge of pride.
"And another thing!" Tang Ji said with great interest, "Your great-grandfather, Song Jingchun, was a legendary figure. There are many legendary stories that you, as his descendant, may not know. Let me tell you about them."
“Great!” Song Hao said happily.
Tang Ji then said, "That was in the early years of the Republic of China. The only son of a military governor in Shandong fell seriously ill and invited Qi Liang, the famous head of the Tianyi Sect, to treat him. The Tianyi Sect was the strongest among the nine sects and eighteen medical schools in the martial arts world, and it had an extremely high reputation among the people. Thirty-six of its disciples were renowned throughout the world. Back when Empress Dowager Cixi was in power, she suffered from a headache. The imperial physicians in the palace tried everything to cure her, but to no avail. So she invited Qi Liang from the Tianyi Sect from the common people. As a result, Qi Liang cured Cixi's stubborn illness with just two doses of medicine. Empress Dowager Cixi was overjoyed and bestowed upon Qi Liang a yellow horse divination stick, granting him unimpeded access to the palace. The Tianyi Sect became famous for a time, hence the saying that it was also called the Imperial Physician Sect."
Tang Ji paused for a moment, then continued, "But when Qi Liang was treating the warlord's son, the son's illness flared up, and he fell into a coma. After diagnosing him, Qi Liang said it was an incurable disease, and the patient wouldn't survive more than three days, so it was better not to treat him. The warlord was furious when he heard this, saying that Qi Liang was not doing his best and that if he couldn't save his son, he would kill him. So he imprisoned Qi Liang. Times have changed, and that warlord no longer cared about the imperial physicians."
Tang Ji shook his head and sighed, then continued, "It just so happened that your great-grandfather, Song Jingchun, was passing by when he was invited here by the governor's mansion. Your great-grandfather was quite skilled; he used his family's secret technique, the Nine Needles of Resurrection, to actually revive that young master. However, he didn't say much and then refused the governor's generous reward before leaving. At the time, your great-grandfather didn't know about Qi Liang of the Heavenly Physician Sect. After leaving the governor's mansion, he privately told people that the governor's young master had an incurable disease, and the Nine Needles of Resurrection would only prolong his life for ten days. Therefore, he quickly left after temporarily succeeding to avoid future trouble."
"Song Jingchun is truly a master of medicine! Even when he can't save others in a dangerous situation, he can still save himself!"
Tang Ji sighed for a moment, then continued, "The warlord's son remained unharmed three days later, which fueled the warlord's resentment towards Qi Liang, who intended to execute him. However, a week later, the warlord's son suffered a relapse of his old illness and died. Coupled with the turbulent times, the warlord had no time to attend to the matter. It was only through the efforts of the Tianyi Sect that Qi Liang was finally released from prison. After his release, upon hearing of your great-grandfather Song Jingchun's easy escape, Qi Liang was deeply moved, saying that while the Tianyi Sect's medical skills were unparalleled, they lacked the miraculous technique of the Nine Needles for Resurrection—a technique for emergency relief and 'self-rescue'—which was a legacy..." It's a pity. Later, Qi Liang asked a friend in the medical field to find your great-grandfather, Song Jingchun, intending to exchange his Nine Needles of Rejuvenation for the Ten Extraordinary Formulas and Secret Techniques of the Heavenly Medicine Sect, to make up for the Heavenly Medicine Sect's deficiency. The Heavenly Medicine Sect's extraordinary formulas and secret techniques are famous throughout the world, and those who possess them can become renowned in their region, something that all physicians in the world dream of. An exchange should have been a win-win situation, and would have greatly benefited your Song family's medical skills. However, for some reason, your great-grandfather flatly refused. It is rumored that your great-grandfather had a grudge against the Heavenly Medicine Sect, and there may be another story in the medical world behind this, but we don't know.
Tang Ji took a sip of water and continued, "Qi Liang desperately sought the Nine Needles of Rejuvenation technique but failed, and died in despair. He was also stubborn, telling his descendants and disciples before his death that if the Heavenly Medicine Sect did not obtain this technique, he would not rest in peace. The Qi family descendants must learn the Nine Needles of Rejuvenation technique from the Song family by any means necessary. If one generation cannot succeed, then two generations; if two generations cannot succeed, then three generations. No matter the cost, the Heavenly Medicine Sect must possess this technique. Qi Liang's intentions were truly painstaking, so that if the disciples of the Heavenly Medicine Sect encountered powerful figures or situations like the Shandong Military Governor in the future, they could use this technique temporarily to escape safely and avoid being killed."