Today I arrived at Diancang Mountain in Yunnan, west of Dali Ancient City. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, making it a place I never want to leave. On the third day of my visit, I met a herbalist named Shi Tingchuan. We then discussed medicine and herbs. His words were profound and mysterious, far exceeding the teachings of the *Neijing* (Inner Canon of Medicine), which I had never heard before! I was astonished that he possessed such profound knowledge. I respectfully inquired about it.
The man laughed and said, "I don't understand medical principles, but I make a living by collecting and selling herbs." He said that everything he said was taken from books in his family collection, and he felt that his theories were convincing, so he often discussed them with doctors to gain their respect.
He asked in surprise what book it was. Shi Tingchuan did not answer, only saying that there were too many books to remember them all.
When asked where the books in his home came from, Shi Tingchuan replied: "Ten years ago, I bought an old house from a neighbor. During the renovation, I discovered a hidden cabinet in the south wall containing hundreds of ancient medical books. The medical principles contained within are profound and incomprehensible. They are simply sitting idle at home."
Amazed by this extraordinary encounter, I believe it must be a lost ancient medical book, extremely precious, and I wish to have a look at it.
Shi Tingchuan said: "I have heard that you are skilled in acupuncture. Could you treat my mother's illness? If it is effective, I will reward you with ten books, from which you may choose."
Upon hearing this, I gladly accepted, feeling fortunate to have this opportunity.
They led him to his home, which was located in a village north of Cangshan Mountain. His home was indeed an ancient residence, with a history of several hundred years.
First, I examined his collection of books, which numbered no less than three or four hundred volumes, mostly ancient medical texts, but also some on divination and numerology. Shi Tingchuan first had me read a text, left behind by an ancient collector surnamed Li, which read:
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, our ancestors unearthed over a hundred baskets of bamboo slips, all ancient medical books. They were suspected to be medical texts left behind during the burning of books by Qin Shi Huang, books meant to save lives and benefit the world—a divine act to bless future generations. We then copied them with our clansmen for preservation. It took a year and six months to complete, and the bamboo slips were then hidden underground again. These books all originated from the Lingtai and Lanshi, the ancient library of the Yellow Emperor, collectively known as the *Linglan Secret Canon*. It contains eighty-six ancient classics, totaling three thousand four hundred and fifty-nine volumes, secrets never before seen in the world. Among them is the *Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic* in thirty-two volumes, fourteen of which are of eighteen volumes already published. There is also the *Yellow Emperor's Outer Classic* in thirty-seven volumes, never before seen in the world. Astounding! The *Inner Classic* alone has been passed down for over a thousand years without fading, becoming the source of medicine and the foundation of physicians. If one thoroughly studies these eighty-six works, wouldn't one fully understand the secrets of heaven and man and become a divine physician! Perhaps the secrets of heaven could not be fully revealed, so it was sufficient to circulate only one copy of the *Neijing* (Inner Canon). Later, despite the chaos of war, the family members kept it secret and passed it down privately, and not a single volume was lost. However, in the early Song Dynasty, the family migrated, and the whereabouts of all the books became unknown.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the books were recovered from a stone chamber. Some of the damaged parts were repaired and restored to their original condition. Although the clan members obtained this medical secret, they were mostly preoccupied with officialdom and paid little attention to medicine, so none of them gained medical fame from these ancient books! This is a regrettable matter. They are now stored in the old house, awaiting a destined person in the future.
It's not that the descendants of the clan are unworthy, but rather that the era of renowned physicians is unfortunate! The way of medicine is not something that ordinary people can learn! To become a physician, one must first understand the principles of heaven and earth and all things, only then can one become a wise doctor! Otherwise, one can only become a doctor who muddles through the world, not a doctor who saves the world. If one does not have this heart, and has not set this goal, it is better not to learn it at all. Otherwise, one will deeply mislead others and oneself!
The *Linglan Secret Canon*, comprising eighty-six parts, was not written by the Yellow Emperor alone, but rather a product of the natural insights gained by ancient sages. Its language is archaic and its principles profound. It unveils the great secrets of heaven and earth, explores the origin of all things, delves into the fundamental principles of Yin and Yang, and elucidates the ancient medical theories. It encapsulates the essence of medicine! Understanding this medical principle allows one to cure all diseases without relying on acupuncture or medicine. The human body possesses its own great medicine, and heaven and earth also possess their own great medicine. Medicine has internal and external aspects, and its nature is divided into major and minor. Herbs and trees are external medicines, used by those of lesser skill. Acupuncture and moxibustion can stimulate the power of the body's internal medicine, used by those of average skill. Those of superior skill treat illness before it manifests, using internal medicine instead of external medicine, curing without medicine.
The "Secret Canon of Linglan" consists of eighty-six volumes, intended for future generations to comprehend through divine inspiration. Those who happen to obtain it must not lightly reveal it to the world, lest it be scattered among the common people, lost to obscurity, and the medical teachings of sages lost. It should only be given to physicians!
Written by Li Kejing of the Ming Dynasty in the mid-autumn of the twenty-third year of the Wanli reign.
Having read this, I was astonished that the eighty-six volumes of the *Linglan Secret Canon* were a celestial book. Among them was the *Tai Su Pulse* in seventeen volumes, which analyzed the subtleties of the Five Elements and explored the principles of creation. It could determine a person's wealth, status, success, poverty, longevity, and premature death, stopping at the most fundamental truth—the foundation of diagnostic methods. Humans are born with the Qi of Heaven and Earth; therefore, the Qi of the Five Elements is hidden in the Five Internal Organs and communicates with the Six Bowels. Between breaths, Yin and Yang open and close, revealing the profound mysteries of creation. The heart pulse is of utmost importance; the heart is the master, the key to the movement and stability of the whole body. The severity of illness and a person's social status depend solely on the clarity or turbidity of the pulse. A clear pulse indicates a clear spirit; a turbid pulse indicates turbid Qi. The pulse is divided into six parts, with myriad variations. Within these, Yin and Yang gather and disperse, generating and restraining endlessly. Its meaning is profound within the principles of the *I Ching*; only those with innate wisdom can grasp its essence and understand its meaning. Ancient methods were passed down, yet kept secret. People only know the name *Tai Su Pulse*, but none have truly grasped its essence.
There is also the *Mingtang Acupuncture Classic* in thirty-four volumes, the essential text of acupuncture classics and a great secret of acupuncture practitioners! A brief glance reveals that it describes the seventy-two meridians of the human body, divided into Heavenly, Earthly, and Human meridians. The twelve known meridians are Earthly meridians, and the eight extraordinary meridians are Human meridians. There are also thirty-six Heavenly meridians, unknown to most, occasionally mentioned by practitioners of spiritual cultivation. The secrets of life are immeasurable!
I also found the *Medical Classic* in sixty-four volumes, which elucidates the principles of the human body's internal and external aspects, encompassing the entirety of medical knowledge! The *Benjing* (Classic of the Original State) in twelve volumes outlines the origin of heaven and earth and the essence of medicine; the *Tongjing* (Classic of Universal Understanding) in twenty-one volumes explains the universal principles of heaven, earth, and humanity—something unheard of in the world. There is also the *Yuji* (Jade Mechanism) in nine volumes, the *Shangjing* (Upper Classic) in twelve volumes, the *Xiajing* (Lower Classic) in twelve volumes, and the *Yinyang Zhuan* (Transmission of Yin and Yang) in twenty-seven volumes. There are also the *Taigu Tianyuan Ce* (Book of the Primordial Heavenly Origin), the *Qiheng Shi Liushi Shou* (Sixty Poems on the Strange and Constant Powers), and many other classics, too numerous to recall. A brief reading reveals their subtle expressions and profound meanings, which are not included in the extant *Neijing* (Inner Classic)!
Upon seeing this, Song Hao jumped up in surprise and exclaimed excitedly, "The *Neijing* contains a chapter on the *Linglan Secret Canon*, so it seems to have been taken from these eighty-six ancient texts! Furthermore, some of the ancient texts' names have appeared in the *Neijing*, such as the *Yin Yang Zhuan*, *Shang Jing*, *Xia Jing*, *Tai Gu Tian Yuan Ce*, and *Da Shu*. This set of *Linglan Secret Canons* truly escaped the burning of books by Qin Shi Huang! Although the author entrusted it to the Lingtai and Lanshi collections of the Yellow Emperor, it must be the crystallization of ancient sages' understanding of the mysteries of heaven and earth and their mastery of medicine! If there are still eighty-six sets of *Lingtai Secret Canons* containing the original text of the *Neijing* in the world, they must have fully explained the principles of medicine and directly revealed its true meaning. These texts are priceless treasures!"
Luo Feiying nodded and said, "After I found this diary, I was also a little incredulous that my father had such an encounter when he was young, so I brought it to you to see if there was any possibility of finding these scriptures."
Song Hao exclaimed excitedly, "If Tianyi Hall could obtain these eighty-six volumes of the 'Linglan Secret Canon,' it would be enough to revitalize the art of medicine! The wisdom of our ancestors is truly beyond time and space!"
"By the way, Yingying, since Mr. Luo had such a miraculous encounter, he must have obtained some of the scriptures, right? Why has there been no reaction all these years? Any one of these ancient medical books would cause a sensation in the Chinese medicine community if it were published." Song Hao then asked, puzzled.
Luo Feiying hesitated for a moment and said, "You...you should continue reading the diary. You'll understand after you finish reading it."
"Oh!" Song Hao was quite puzzled upon hearing this, and read the text again:
Later, Shi Tingchuan invited me to treat his mother's illness. His mother was paralyzed, and after three days of acupuncture, she miraculously recovered. Mother and son were overjoyed and extremely grateful. However, I secretly used reverse acupuncture, intending to one day acquire all eighty-six volumes of the *Linglan Secret Canon*, thus gaining control over all medical practices in the world!
Seeing this, Song Hao frowned and looked up at Luo Feiying, who was sitting there with her head down, saying nothing.
Song Hao then read the diary:
A few days later, his mother's old ailment subsided, but a new illness arose. I then confronted Shi Tingchuan, demanding the *Linglan Secret Canon* in exchange for acupuncture treatment to undo the illness for his mother. Shi Tingchuan, upon hearing this, flew into a rage, denouncing me as a villain. Later, in a fit of anger, he laughed, saying: "Seeing your exceptional medical skills, I thought you were a destined person. I intended to give you the entire book to repay your kindness in healing my mother, and also to make this ancient medical text useful to the world. Who knew you were a wicked healer, using evil magic to threaten and extort me? Although I obtained this ancient text by chance, I cannot fully understand its profound medical principles. However, I learned a technique from it that can subdue people. The other day, I noticed something strange in your eyes, fearing a trick, so I secretly used it on you when you were off guard. Now, I'm making you do it; within an hour, you will die suddenly in the wild, becoming food for wolves. As the ancients said: 'One should not have the heart to harm others, but one must have the heart to guard against others.' This is a profound truth!"
Upon hearing this, I was filled with remorse and fear, and felt an immense pain in my bones and flesh, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at my heart. I knew I had been bound by his spell. I had heard that in the borderlands, there was a long tradition of using Gu poison to control people. Perhaps he had learned an ancient forbidden technique from the *Linglan Secret Canon*. I hurriedly prostrated myself and begged for mercy, offering to remove the needles from his mother's body. Shi Tingchuan granted my request.
When his mother recovered, Shi Tingchuan's anger subsided somewhat. He made me swear a solemn oath never to reveal the "Secret Canon of Linglan" to anyone, lest it bring further trouble upon him, and that I would never set foot in Yunnan again before he would lift the ban on me. I agreed and was then driven away.
Shi Tingchuan possessed forbidden techniques, which could not be violated. The *Linglan Secret Manual* was no longer attainable, so the thought was abandoned. Afterwards, he dared not set foot in Yunnan again. This was one of the greatest regrets of his life!
After reading Luo Beiming's diary, Song Hao slammed his fist on the table repeatedly, exclaiming, "What a pity!"
"Alas! Your father wanted to use a counter-attack to control others, but he was countered instead, causing the eighty-six volumes of the 'Spirit Orchid Secret Manual' to lose the opportunity to be published. It is truly a regret for all time!" Song Hao shook his head and sighed with great regret.
"My father traveled all over the world, but he never dared to set foot in Yunnan. So that's why," Luo Feiying said with a sigh, shaking her head.
"Yingying, thank you for having the courage to let me see Mr. Luo's diary. This matter is extremely important. If Shi Tingchuan truly exists, and if the 86 ancient medical books of the *Linglan Secret Canon* are as precious as the *Huangdi Neijing*, or even more valuable than the *Neijing*, it will be a major discovery in the history of traditional Chinese medicine, and may even bring about a revolutionary change. This is not only crucial for Tianyi Hall, but also for the revival of medicine throughout the world," Song Hao said excitedly.
"Are you going to search for this 'Spirit Orchid Secret Manual' based on the clues provided in my father's diary?" Luo Feiying asked.
“That’s right!” Song Hao nodded. “Although we can’t be sure of the truth of this matter yet, we should give it a try. The fact that we know about this matter should be considered a mission bestowed upon us by heaven.”
Song Hao then summoned Tang Yu and showed her Luo Beiming's diary. Tang Yu was shocked after reading it and couldn't believe the authenticity of what was written in the diary.
“We should take a trip to Yunnan! Let’s all go together this time. The eighty-six volumes of the Linglan Secret Canon should still be in Shi Tingchuan’s hands; otherwise, if even one copy were to circulate, it would have already caused a sensation in the medical community. This is the will of Heaven, a medical treasure bestowed upon our era by the heavens!” Song Hao said excitedly.
Tang Yu said happily, "This trip is even more significant than finding that 'Miraculous Prescriptions'! Let's fly directly to Kunming this time. Tianyitang has an office there, so let them assist us in the search. I'll call Director Zhao at the Kunming office later and ask him to prepare everything for us. Let's finish up our work first and set off in three days."
"Oh, right!" Song Hao suddenly remembered and said, "Didn't Ren Zhiqian, who has Hua Tuo's anesthetic powder, move from Qinghai to Yunnan many years ago? If possible, let's look for him on this trip."
Tang Yu laughed and said, "You're still thinking about this matter. It seems you won't give up until you get the ancient and miraculous anesthetic, Mafeisan."
Song Hao said, "Even if there is only the slightest possibility, we must do our best. This is the responsibility of us doctors, and also the responsibility of Tianyi Hall."
“Song Hao, you and Sister Tang Yu should go to Yunnan. I’m currently in charge of the beauty and fitness department at Tianyitang. It’s just started, and I can’t leave.” Luo Feiying said.
“Very well!” Song Hao replied, “If the trip to Yunnan is successful and we find the eighty-six ancient medical books of the Linglan Secret Canon, you will be the one to make the greatest contribution! Your name will be recorded in the history of traditional Chinese medicine.”
"Alas!" Luo Feiying sighed softly and said, "If we can find the 'Spirit Orchid Secret Manual' and find it as important as you say, it can be considered that my father has redeemed himself for the sins he committed in the past."
Song Hao nodded and said, "That's right. If this trip is successful, the diary that Mr. Luo left for us will be of great importance. Hopefully, the merits and demerits will outweigh the demerits."
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Trip to Yunnan
The nine needles represent the grand numbers of Heaven and Earth, beginning with one and ending with nine. Therefore it is said: one follows the laws of Heaven, two follows the laws of Earth, three follows the laws of Man, four follows the laws of time, five follows the laws of sound, six follows the laws of law, seven follows the laws of stars, eight follows the laws of wind, and nine follows the laws of the wilderness. — *The Inner Canon of Medicine*, *The Spiritual Pivot*, *Discourse on the Nine Needles*
The next day, Song Hao was in his office working on documents, preparing for his trip to Yunnan. There was a knock at the door. Kong Fei and Fu Zhongqi then entered, smiling broadly.