Neijing medicine is a social medicine – by Ethan Murchie

Neijing medicine is a social medicine. In reading the text, we are repeatedly reminded that the causes of people’s disease and suffering are to be found rooted in the organization of society, that only through collective harmony and justice can we individually thrive and be healthy.

Huangdi said: I have heard of the elder teachers, that that which they had stored in their hearts was not made evident in their methods, I would like to hear more about this so that we can record it, follow their example and put it into practice.

Looking from above we can follow and govern the people of the country, from below we can follow and govern ourselves, in this way there will be no illness among the people, upper and lower a harmonious family, the lustrous beauty of the potency 德 dé spreading like a river to the sea, children and grandchildren suffering no sorrow, transmitting across generations, never reaching an end, may we speak more of this?

Qibo said: What a wonderfully far reaching line of investigation! Indeed, governing 治 zhì the people of a country is the same as governing oneself, focusing 治 on others is the same as focusing on ones own, putting in order 治 the small is the same as putting in order the big, organizing 治 the country is the same as organizing the family, to be able to organize and govern 治 chaos and rebellion before they arise to treat 治 illness and disease before they manifest, this is entirely a matter of thinking carefully of what flows smoothly 順 shùn in one’s own life.

Lingshu 29 Transmission of the masters

This flowing smoothly, this shùn 順, it is not only the yin yang of the pulses and channels, it is not only a question of discussing the flow and counter flow of qi, every people in all the countries want the same thing, that they may 順其志 shùn qí zhì smoothly, without obstacle and obstruction following the memories of their ancestors and the dictates of the hearts, live to see the flowering of their aspirations.

Ethan