I am a traveling physician, what the world calls an itinerant doctor, having wandered the world for sixty-seven years! I have experienced the joys and sorrows of medicine, the warmth and coldness of human nature. Some may have looked down on me, but I earned their respect through my medical skills. I have traveled across the five lakes and four seas, my footprints covering the entire country, and I have even crossed borders to treat patients. From high-ranking officials to ordinary people, none have ever refused my prescriptions and medicines. I often achieve results with inexpensive medicines, earning money from wealthy families to help the poor who cannot afford to pay for consultations; their families are content with just providing me with food and lodging! I use my strength to balance their power.
Long ago, I met a fellow Daoist, Xiao Boran, who gifted me the ancient text *Qi Fang Yan Chao* (奇方验抄), entrusting me to examine various ailments throughout the world. I will only select those that have proven effective and record them for posterity. This is in accordance with the principles of *Chuan Ya* (串雅).
If a prescription is effective in treating eight or nine out of ten cases, then it is recorded. Prescriptions with more than three hundred cases are classified as superior prescriptions; those with fewer than one hundred cases are classified as intermediate prescriptions; and those with only ten or so cases are classified as inferior prescriptions. Prescriptions that do not show any effect are discarded.
Divided into internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, insect bites, and miscellaneous diseases...
...
Medicine, as an art, and medicine, as a substance, often achieve their effects through intention, sometimes exceeding the medical and pharmacological principles understood by ordinary people, which is beyond the comprehension of Western doctors! Hence, we marvel at the profoundness and breadth of traditional Chinese medicine! The longer one practices it, the more deeply one feels its significance.
...
Song Hao read it aloud, moved by the righteousness, his eyes welling up with tears. Tang Yu, standing beside him, was also moved to tears.
A thorough reading reveals that the prescriptions, medicines, and treatments are all included, making it a complete collection of folk medical records.
"The true path of medicine lies among the people—this is no exaggeration! Traveling the world as a healer, he has learned about all kinds of diseases, compiled prescriptions based on his own experience, and widely benefited the people. Mr. Ding is the real physician!" Song Hao exclaimed.
"There are indeed highly skilled and knowledgeable doctors among itinerant physicians. Although people nowadays often ignore itinerant doctors, it is because those quacks have tarnished their reputation," Tang Yu said.
"How many people throughout history can be like Mr. Ding!" Song Hao exclaimed to himself.
Song Hao then packed the bundle and said, "Our main task now is to safely escort this set of 'Miraculous Prescriptions' back to Tianyi Hall."
Tang Yu said, "What, are you afraid someone will rob you on the street?"
Song Hao said, "No, that's not it. But it's always better to be safe than sorry. We went through so much trouble to get this book back, so we hope nothing goes wrong. We don't have a car now, so let's take the train back."
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Song Hao quickly hid his bundle under the bed.
Tang Yu opened the door and was taken aback; it was none other than Lama Naga Longlin from Kumbum Monastery.
"Little master, is there something you need?" Tang Yu asked, assuming it was someone sent by Lama Usang.
"May I meet Mr. Song Hao?" Lama Naga Longlin asked somewhat shyly.
"Then come in," Tang Yu said, inviting him in.
"Thank you!" Naga Longlin bowed gratefully.
Seeing that it was a lama working for Usang Lama, Song Hao smiled and asked, "What can I do for you?"
“I came to you myself to ask you some questions about acupuncture techniques,” Naga Longlin said respectfully.
"Oh! You also know acupuncture? Sit down and let's talk." Song Hao gestured for him to sit down.
Lama Nagalonglin did not sit down, but stood there respectfully and said, "I was very envious to see Mr. Song's amazing acupuncture skills at Kumbum Monastery. There is no fixed acupuncture method in Tibetan medicine, but three years ago I was taught a 'Dulong Needle' method by a senior lama at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, which seems to be similar to the acupuncture techniques in Han medicine."
"The Lone Dragon Needle!?" Song Hao asked in surprise, "What kind of acupuncture technique is this?"
Volume Two: Traditional Chinese Medicine Under Heaven - Tianyi Hall, Chapter Fifty: Dulong Needle
Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin; the Sun is Yang, the Moon is Yin. A year consists of 360 days, with both long and short months, and humans follow this pattern. — *Neijing* (Inner Canon of Medicine)
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Naga Longlin took out a seven-inch-long needle from his bosom and said, "With this Dulong needle, I can directly puncture the affected area. For deficiency syndromes, I can puncture the subcutaneous tissue, and for excess syndromes, I can puncture the root of the disease. This is unlike traditional Chinese medicine which selects specific acupoints."
"Oh!" Song Hao took it and examined it. He saw that it was a seven-inch long needle made of metal, with a slightly thicker shaft and extremely flexible. It was different from the long needle among the nine needles recorded in the "Needle Classic".
Tang Yu asked in surprise, "Such a long needle, and such a thick needle, how did you perform the procedure? It must be for bloodletting."
Naga Longlin said, "The key to the Dulong needle technique is the needling method, not bloodletting. My master said that as long as the technique is fast, no matter how thick or long the needle is, it will not cause blood to flow, and the person will not feel any pain."
Song Hao said, "Although the Dulong needle does not follow the rules of acupoints and directly inserts it into the lesion, it should still be considered as taking 'Ashi points'. With such a long needle, how fast can it prevent bleeding and make the person feel no pain?"
Naga Longlin said, "Be as swift as lightning! Only then will you not startle anyone."
As he spoke, Nagalonglin took the long needle, revealing his left arm. With a sudden movement of his right hand, the seven-inch-long needle pierced through his left arm in an instant. All of this happened in a fraction of a second.
Song Hao and Tang Yu were shocked to see this, never expecting that Ga Longlin would test the needles on them.
As soon as Naga Longlin moved his right hand, the Long Needle was out, and there was not a single needle mark on his arm, let alone any bloodstains.
"Such fast technique!" Song Hao exclaimed.
"With such acupuncture power, what diseases can it cure?" Song Hao asked.
“Master said it can cure half of the diseases in the four directions and three realms!” Naga Longlin replied.
Upon hearing this, Song Hao laughed and said, "If that's the case, then we can say that we can cure anything!"
Naga Longlin said, "I once saw my master treat a patient with a neck tumor, as large as a hanging melon. He pierced the root with a needle and left it in for three hours before removing it. Several days later, the tumor gradually shrank and withered, and a month later it fell off on its own."
"The Dulong needle actually cured the goiter!" Tang Yu was shocked to hear this.
Surprised, Song Hao nodded and said, "Piercing the lesion with a needle cuts off the flow of qi and blood. Without nourishment, the tumor withers and falls off. It's incredible that a single needle can cure such a serious illness! The practitioner must have extremely high skill in needlework! I admire you! Tibetan medicine actually has such a miraculous technique!"
Naga Longlin said with remorse, "It's just that I haven't reached my master's level of cultivation yet, so I don't dare to use my skills to heal people. Although I practice Dulong needle, others don't know it. Seeing that Mr. Song's acupuncture skills are superb, I must know that they are similar to Dulong needle. I would like to ask Mr. Song to teach me acupuncture techniques from Han medicine, which may be helpful to my Dulong needle practice."
Song Hao nodded and said, "The Dulong needle has its unique features. If you also know about acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine, it can greatly improve your needle strength. This is a very good idea. Master Wusang wants to apply to the temple to send people to Tianyi Hall to learn acupuncture. When I say goodbye to him tomorrow, I can recommend you. How about we meet at Tianyi Hall then?"
"Thank you!" Naga Longlin said with delight.
After seeing Naga Longlin off, Song Hao shook his head and sighed, "I have mastered the techniques of several schools of acupuncture, and I thought I could be the best in the world. But now it seems I was just a frog in a well. I didn't even know there was such a unique acupuncture technique! Since it is an acupuncture technique, my ignorance of it is a deficiency. There are mountains beyond mountains, and heavens beyond heavens; there is no end to learning!"
Tang Yu said, "You should not be arrogant. There have always been many strange and wonderful techniques in acupuncture. No one is a god, so how can we know them all? With your current acupuncture skills, there should be no one in the world who can surpass you."