novel for you Chapter 919 Lesson 1
Chapter 919 Lesson 1
After the opening ceremony, Chen Yang’s first elective course, “The Essence of Classic Clinical Thinking in Traditional Chinese Medicine,” officially began.
There were still twenty minutes before class started, and the classroom that could accommodate two hundred people was already full, with even the aisles and the back door filled with people.
In addition to the students taking this elective course, there were also many students from other majors and even young teachers who came here because of its reputation. Mo Haobo also quickly grabbed a seat in the middle of the first row.
Several school leaders including Kang Xingchao and Wen Rongxian also found a place to sit in on the lecture.
"I attended Senior Chen Yang's class last year. Senior Chen Yang's lectures were very interesting..."
Before class started, many students were whispering to each other, talking about Chen Yang.
The school bell rings.
Chen Yang walked up to the podium and was stunned when he saw the huge crowd below.
It is very rare at Kyoto University of Chinese Medicine to have so many students taking elective courses.
"Xiao Chen is very famous now, and many young people regard him as an idol." Kang Xingchao said with a smile.
"I hope Chen Yang can bring a group of outstanding students and excellent doctors to our school." Mu Xuehai said.
"Mr. Wen and others also place their hopes on Xiao Chen, hoping that Xiao Chen can change the current situation of Chinese medicine." Kang Xingchao nodded.
Chen Yang did not open the lesson plan immediately. Instead, he picked up a thin silver needle and gently twisted it between his fingertips. The classroom instantly became quiet and the sound of the needle dropping could be heard.
"Classmates..."
Chen Yang's voice sounded clear and calm, and his eyes swept across the audience: "Today, we are not in a hurry to give a lecture. I would like to ask everyone a question first: In your heart, what does this small silver needle carry?"
Chen Yang raised the silver needle in his hand, and the sunlight reflected a bright light on the tip of the needle.
"Is it the cold metal? Is it the mysterious acupuncture point? Is it a way to cure diseases? Or is it..."
Chen Yang paused and glanced at the students in the classroom.
"It is the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient sages in observing the universe and understanding the human body; it is a bridge to connect the inside and outside and to reconcile yin and yang; it is the courage and responsibility of the benevolent heart of the doctor to save the world and fight against the disease!"
Without waiting for anyone to answer, Chen Yang said, "Learning Chinese medicine is not just about prescriptions, medicines, acupuncture and moxibustion, but also about learning a way of thinking, a spirit, and an attitude of awe for life and appreciation for nature!"
"In this course, I hope to take you into not only the ancient classics, but also the everlasting soul of traditional Chinese medicine contained between the lines and between the needles!"
After the words were spoken, silence fell in the classroom.
Immediately, thunderous applause broke out and lasted for a long time! This applause was a tribute to the new starting point, a respect for the preacher, and a yearning for the thousand-year wisdom and spirit of saving the world carried by the silver needle!
"Xiao Chen's lectures are always unique." Kang Xingchao said with a smile.
Kang Xingchao still remembers Chen Yang’s class last year.
Chen Yang stood on the podium, looking at those pairs of eyes that were burning with light, a gentle yet determined smile appeared on his face.
Chen Yang, who has been through the student days, knows very well that only this group of enthusiastic students are the most sincere and purest group of people. Therefore, Chen Yang chose to offer such a course to cultivate students' traditional Chinese medicine thinking.
The thunderous applause gradually subsided, and more than two hundred pairs of eyes in the classroom, like the brightest stars in the night sky, closely followed the young figure on the podium.
The slender silver needle in Chen Yang's hand flashed a restrained and firm cold light under the slanting autumn sunlight. It was no longer just metal, but a medium that connected the past and the present, and the communication between teachers and students.
"We often say that if you want to do your work well, you must first sharpen your tools." Chen Yang's voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated every corner of the classroom. It brought a peculiar soothing power, calming down the atmosphere that was originally a little restless due to the crowds and excitement.
"But for Chinese medicine, this 'instrument' is not just the needle, the medicine, the prescription... More importantly, it is the 'Tao' that drives this 'instrument' - that is, thinking."
Chen Yang put down the silver needle and glanced at Mo Haobo, who was standing in the front row with a focused look on his face, and then at the faces in the back that were either curious, expectant, or slightly scrutinizing.
"The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine begins with the chapter titled "On the Innocence of Ancient Times." It does not discuss how to cure diseases, but instead talks about the lifestyle and spiritual realm of ancient people. Why?"
Chen Yang raised the question, but did not give an answer immediately. Instead, he left it blank, allowing his thoughts to ferment in silence.
A few seconds later, Chen Yang answered his own question: "Because it tells us that to understand disease, we must first understand life itself! Understand how life coexists harmoniously with the heaven and earth, the four seasons, and all things, and understand how imbalance occurs when this harmony is broken. This is the starting point of Chinese medicine thinking - the holistic view, the correspondence between heaven and man."
Chen Yang turned around and wrote two powerful characters on the whiteboard behind him: "象" and "数".
"'Xiang' refers to phenomena, external manifestations. The patient has fever, aversion to cold, sweating, and a floating pulse... these are all 'Xiang'."
Chen Yang explained: "But Chinese medicine is not satisfied with looking at the 'image', but also uses the 'image' to guess the inner 'number' - the state of the circulation of qi and blood in the internal organs and meridians, and the pattern of yin and yang, cold and heat, emptiness and fullness. This is to understand the inside from the outside."
Chen Yang picked up an ordinary glass water cup on the podium and raised it up: "It's like this cup. We see that its appearance is intact, which is the image, but if we tap it gently and the sound is dull, it is another image. We know that there may be cracks inside, and we will speculate on its internal state, which is the 'number'. Diagnosis of disease is also the same. Observation, listening, questioning and palpation are to collect the 'image', and then use the 'key' of classical theory to interpret the internal 'number'."
This simple and vivid metaphor instantly made many students' eyes light up with a "so that's it" light.
The boring theory seemed to come alive in Chen Yang's mouth.
"So, how do we use the 'key' of classical theory?"
Chen Yang changed the subject: "Memorize the articles by rote? Apply the prescription mechanically? That will only make you a 'prescription doctor' or a 'article doctor'. What we need to learn is the thinking method - how to grasp the core pathogenesis in the complex 'phenomenon'; how to flexibly adjust the strategy according to the dynamic changes of the pathogenesis. This is the essence of 'differentiation and treatment', and it is also the 'essence'!"
After a pause, Chen Yang's gaze fell back on Mo Haobo: "Student Mo Haobo."
Mo Haobo shuddered and straightened his back subconsciously: "Here!"
"I remember you treated a patient with an early stage cold a while ago."
Chen Yang asked: "What were the patient's main symptoms at the time? What did you think?"
Mo Haobo didn't expect to be called, especially in a class with so many people. If he had known, he wouldn't have sat so close to the front.
"Well... the patient has severe aversion to cold, mild fever, no sweating, headache, nasal congestion and clear runny nose, thin white tongue coating, and a floating and tight pulse. I... I thought it was wind-cold binding the exterior and the lung defense was not functioning properly, so I prepared to use Jingfang Baidu Powder with modifications."
It was the first time that Mo Haobo was asked a question in front of so many people, and he even stuttered a little when he spoke.
"Well, the idea is basically correct."
Chen Yang nodded in affirmation, and Mo Haobo also breathed a sigh of relief, with a look of joy on his face.
But Chen Yang immediately asked: "But what if the patient has obvious dry mouth, sore throat, or even a little red tongue tip in addition to the above symptoms? Can Jingfang Baidu Powder still be used directly?"
"This..." Mo Haobo was stuck, frowning. The other students in the classroom also fell into thought. Dry mouth, sore throat, and red tongue tip are obviously signs of heat!
“That’s the key!”
Chen Yang said slowly: "The symptoms are wind-cold binding the surface, but the inside may have begun to turn into heat, or the patient has a mixed constitution of cold and heat! At this time, if we still stick to the hat of 'wind-cold' and only use pungent and warm herbs to relieve the symptoms, it is tantamount to adding fuel to the fire! Our thinking must be dynamic, and we must see the big picture from the small details. According to the changes in each subtle 'phenomenon', we can adjust our judgment of the internal 'number', so as to change the treatment method and prescription. Perhaps, we need to add pungent and cool herbs such as honeysuckle, forsythia, and isatis root to relieve the symptoms while clearing the heat inside."
As he spoke, Chen Yang picked up the chalk and wrote the three words "dynamic view" next to the four words "differential diagnosis and treatment" on the whiteboard.
"Classics are not ropes that bind us, but beacons that illuminate the fog. They provide direction, methods, and laws that countless sages have verified with their lives and wisdom. But patients are alive, and diseases are changing! We must learn to use them flexibly and creatively within the framework of classics according to the changes in the 'image'! This is the real 'clinical thinking'!"
These words were like a revelation, which inspired the entire classroom of students, including some young teachers who were listening in. It turns out that the vitality of traditional Chinese medicine lies here!
"Teacher Chen!"
A boy sitting in the back row, wearing glasses and looking a bit bookish, couldn't help but raise his hand, and said excitedly, "Then...how do we cultivate this dynamic thinking ability that can grasp the core pathogenesis? It seems so difficult!"
"Good question!"
Chen Yang smiled and motioned for the other party to sit down, and continued: "This requires a deep foundation of classical knowledge, a lot of clinical practice to hone it, and a calm mind to understand it. Today, I will teach you a method to get started - start from the 'needle sensation' to understand the 'Qi movement'."
Chen Yang picked up the silver needle again.
"A needle is a bridge that connects the qi of the doctor and the patient. When the needle is inserted, the feeling under the finger and the patient's reaction all contain rich information."
Chen Yang walked to the edge of the podium, his eyes sparkling: "Which student is willing to come up and experience the feeling of needling the Hegu acupoint? Don't worry, I will use the thinnest needle and the technique will be very gentle."
"Me! The teacher chooses me!" Mo Haobo was the first to jump up and raise his hand, his face full of eagerness to try.
"Okay, classmate Mo Haobo, please come up."
Under the curious and slightly envious gazes of the crowd, Mo Haobo quickly walked up to the podium. Chen Yang motioned him to stretch out his right hand, find the location of the Hegu acupoint, and disinfect it.
The classroom was so quiet that one could hear the sound of breathing. Everyone held their breath and watched Chen Yang concentrate and calm his breath, his hand holding the needle as steady as a rock.
"Relax." Chen Yang's voice was gentle and penetrating. He moved his wrist slightly, and the needle tip pierced into the Hegu acupoint on the back of Mo Haobo's hand as fast as lightning. The movement was so gentle that it was almost painless.
"Hiss..." Mo Haobo couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"What did you feel?" Chen Yang asked.
"Sore! Swelling! It's like... it's like a stream of air is moving up a little bit along my arm!" Mo Haobo described it in amazement. This feeling is completely different from when he gave himself an acupuncture or was given an acupuncture by an intern!
“This is ‘get qi’.”
Chen Yang's fingers did not leave the needle handle, but twisted it very lightly: "Under the doctor's fingers, you can feel the needle sinking tight, like a fish swallowing a hook and bait. This is the arrival of Qi. If the patient feels sore, numb, swollen, heavy, or conductive, it is also a manifestation of Qi arrival. Different sensations reflect the state of Qi in different meridians and different parts of the body."
As he spoke, he adjusted the direction of the needle tip and the strength of the twisting very delicately: "Now?"
"The swelling feeling is getting stronger! It seems... as if it's gathered under the needle..." Mo Haobo closed his eyes and tried to feel it.
"Well, this is where the energy gathers." Chen Yang nodded, and made a slight lifting and inserting motion, "What now?"
"Ah! It's dissipated! The bloated feeling seems to have dissipated, and is moving comfortably towards the direction of my fingers..." Mo Haobo opened his eyes in surprise.
"look....."
Chen Yang faced all the students and pointed at Mo Haobo's hand: "Through this small silver needle, we are observing and guiding the Qi in his body. If the Qi is stagnant, it will swell, and if the Qi is flowing, it will disperse."
"This is the real-time correspondence between the 'image', or the needle sensation, and the 'number', the state of the internal Qi. In clinical practice, through the feedback of the needle sensation, we can dynamically judge the progress of the disease and the smoothness and reversal of the Qi, and thus adjust the acupuncture technique, whether to tonify or drain, or to guide or induce."
Chen Yang gently removed the needle with clean and neat movements. Mo Haobo moved his wrist, his face full of disbelief and excitement, as if he had opened the door to a new world.
“Therefore, we need to cultivate clinical thinking…”
Chen Yang concluded: "You might as well start with this small needle feeling. Every time you insert the needle, observe and think, experience the changes under your fingers, and interpret the patient's reaction. Over time, this sensitivity to the 'qi movement' and the ability to dynamically grasp the state of the disease will be integrated into your blood and become a part of your Chinese medicine thinking!"
"Amazing!"
“It turns out that needle sensation is so important!”
"I want to try it too!"
"Teacher Chen explained it so thoroughly!"
The classroom was instantly boiling with excitement! The students were talking to each other, their excitement was evident in their words.
Chen Yang's first class did not have a pile of boring articles or condescending preaching. Instead, he used vivid metaphors, sharp questions, and shocking on-site demonstrations to unfold the seemingly profound subject of "Classic Clinical Thinking of Traditional Chinese Medicine" layer by layer like peeling an onion, getting to the core and igniting the fire of knowledge in everyone's hearts.
"I hope everyone can practice and get a feel for it after they go down. Friends who are familiar with each other can start with some safer acupuncture points and try each other..."
The class ended before I knew it.
Kang Xingchao, Wen Rongxian and others walked out of the classroom quietly.
"Xiao Chen is really talented."
As he walked, Kang Xingchao sighed that the teaching level was also first-class.