Han Yu took Danshi, Yuan Zhen ate Qiushi, Su Shi prepared and ate his own medicine, and Zhu Xi took the wrong medicine.
Han Yu (768 – December 25, 824). According to historical records, Han Yu died of “wind disease”, which is now called “stroke”. The reason is that he took the sulfur in Danshi for a long time. Arsenic dioxide, a poisonous substance in sulfur, is harmful if taken for a long time. Similar to it, there is Yuan Zhen.
Han YuYuan Zhen (779-831). The Qiu Shi used by Yuan Zhen is mainly composed of human urine, Qiu dew water, gypsum, etc. Excessive consumption will lead to misfortune. These two great literati also wanted to learn from the emperor’s immortality, so they ate some Danshi and Qiushi, but not only did they not have longevity, but they both died young, one lived to 56 years old, and the other lived to 52 years old. What a pity. Of course, Han Yu and Yuan Zhen are not the only literati who want to prolong life but go astray. We can see it from the poems of Yuan Zhen’s friend Bai Juyi. Bai Juyi said in the poem “Sigui”: “If you retreat and take sulphur, you will never recover from a disease. If you refine the autumn stones slightly, you will be stunned when you are not old. Du Zi has obtained the elixir, and he will cut off the smell of taint all day long. Cui Jun praises the power of the medicine, Going through the winter without clothes or cotton. Either illness or sudden death, but it is only middle-aged. Only if you don’t take food, your life will be delayed.” The poem mentions not only Han Yu and Yuan Zhen, but also Du Mu, Cui Yunting and others. .
Yuan ZhenIf Han Yu and Yuan Zhen are self-reliant, then Su Dongpo, Zhu Xi and Lu Wenyu are They lost their lives because of the doctor’s mistake.
Su Shi (January 8, 1037-August 24, 1101), historical records, although Su Shi was a literati, he loved medicine, mastered many prescriptions, often prescribed medicines to others, and even fell ill himself. Never ask a doctor, but prescribe it yourself. After Su Shi returned to Changzhou from Danzhou in his later years, he suffered from rapid diarrhea in the hot summer, and his condition continued to worsen. But he still did not ask Langzhong, but he prescribed the medicine according to the chart, and mistakenly chose ginseng and other warming tonics. Although it was the right medicine, in addition to “Ophiopogon” which is a cooling medicine, ginseng, Poria, and Astragalus are warming medicines. , “The medicine is not right for the disease, so as to hurt the life”. Lu Yitian, a scholar in the Qing Dynasty, talked about Su Shi’s death in his “Lenglu Medical Talk”. He also said that Su Shi felt the evil of summer heat and dampness externally, and drinking cold hurts the spleen and stomach internally. The danger of “closing the door to help evil”. At this time, taking ginseng and other tonic medicines not only delayed the pathogenesis, but also added fuel to the fire, so it is strange that Su Shi did not die.
Su ShiJi Xiaolan said in “Yuewei Thatched Cottage Notes” that there are The editor of the Imperial Academy named Lu Wenyu suffered from cold disease and died after taking ginseng.
Zhu Xi suffered from a serious foot disease (beriberi) during his lectures and debates from south to north. In 1200, Zhu Xi suffered from a serious foot disease, his legs were swollen, and he could not eat. He found Zhang Xiuzhi, a famous doctor. Dr. Zhang first used astragalus and poppy shells to invigorate Zhu Xi to relieve swelling, and then used Wenbai Pills (the main ingredients of Pinellia, ginger, Atractylodes, etc.) to purify his stomach. As a result, Zhu Xi died of diarrhoea. According to Lu Yitian’s analysis, Dr. Zhang only focused on treating the complications of beriberi—fullness of the chest and diaphragm, swelling and pain in the lower limbs, but he ignored the fact that Zhu Xi was too old and could not stand the toss.
Zhu XiAnyone with a little knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine knows that if the spleen and stomach People with damp heat often take ginseng, astragalus, deer antler and other tonics, which will aggravate the damp heat in the spleen and stomach. Just as Ji Xiaolan asked rhetorically: “If the kidney and liver are deficient and the yin is deficient, and supplementing with ginseng, is there any benefit?” virtual. Even if it is a tonic, it is the same, and you cannot blindly add to it. In particular, we middle-aged and elderly people should not take tonics for the sake of “health”. Even if we take medicine for illness, we must also prescribe the right medicine. Otherwise, it will not only backfire, but also aggravate the disease. Even if it is an emergency, when taking self-protection, it should also be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.
References: “Lenglu Medical Dialogue”, “Yuewei Caotang Notes”