Fang Heqian’s main experience
Fang Heqian was born in Yantai, Shandong in 1923. His father, Fang Boping, was one of the top ten famous doctors in Beijing. Fang Heqian has been exposed to a large number of traditional Chinese medicine classics since he was a child. I studied "Three Character Classic", "The Analects of Confucius", "Spring and Autumn", "Zuo Zhuan", "Gu Wen Guan Zhi" and other books for two years in a private school, and received good calligraphy training. Then I attended primary school for five years and junior high school for three years. After graduating from junior high school, he was admitted to the Japanese Department of the Central Japanese Language Institute to study Japanese for four or five years. Under the influence of a family of traditional Chinese medicine, Fang Heqian participated in three traditional Chinese medicine workshops held by his father at home since junior high school, and studied medical treatises such as the "Three Character Classic of Medicine", "Nei Jing", and "Treatise on Febrile Diseases". Through repeated reading and learning, Fang Heqian has laid a solid foundation of traditional Chinese medicine since he was a boy. At the same time, I practiced medicine with my father in his father's clinic, preparing for his father's clinic, changing dressings for patients who came to see him, copying prescriptions and assisting in diagnosis, and learning while doing it.
When he was 16 years old, an old man in his 60s suffered from a chronic ulcer of his neck. After careful pulse examination, Fang Bobing used the "Bamboo Horse Riding Moxibustion Method" in "Emergency Moxibustion Recipes" ", that is, the patient rides on a bamboo pole wrapped in a quilt, with two people on both sides holding the patient and burning the sores with lit moxa. This rare therapy made Fang Heqian, a young man who followed the doctor, feel incredible. However, what surprised him was that after 10 months of moxibustion, the patient's sores scabbed and healed.
The miraculous power of traditional Chinese medicine in treating diseases further strengthened Fang Heqian’s ambition to practice medicine as he inherited his family’s education. In addition to memorizing a large number of medical classics by heart, his father's "Secrets of Physicians" and three medical notebooks are also valuable learning materials for him. After staying with his father for 6 hours every day, he continued to study for 3 hours. To this day, Fang Heqian still memorizes 397 chapters and 113 prescriptions in Treatise on Febrile Diseases.
In 1942, 19-year-old Fang Heqian took the Traditional Chinese Medicine Examination of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau. During the interview and defense, the examiner asked in the oral examination: "Why can Chinese medicine cure diseases?" This question sounded quite difficult, and the students' answers were varied, which stumped many people. Fang Heqian thought for a while and answered calmly: "Heaven eats people with five qi, and earth eats people with five flavors." "The five flavors enter the stomach and each likes it, so sour enters the liver first, bitter enters the heart first, sweet enters the spleen first, and pungent enters the lungs first." "The salty food enters the kidneys first, and over time it increases Qi, and it becomes physical and permanent." He recited the relevant verses from the "Nei Jing", and the teacher gave him full marks for his concise and insightful answer. After the exam, Fang Heqian obtained the qualification to practice medicine, and "Fang Heqian Clinic" was listed, and he began his independent medical practice. In order to inspire Western medicine students' interest in traditional Chinese medicine, he paid special attention to the artistry and interest of his lectures, and quoted poems and songs related to traditional Chinese medicine into his teaching, which frequently attracted the admiration of students.
In 1954, Fang Heqian ended his individual medical practice and was transferred to the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau. Two years later, he was transferred to the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and concurrently served as the leader of the typhoid fever teaching and research group of the Beijing Training School of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the education position, Fang Heqian set higher requirements for himself.
In order to better research sources and quote scriptures in teaching, he analyzed the contents of "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" and "Synopsis of the Golden Chamber" word by word, and went deep into the library to learn about hundreds of books on "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" Annotations, such as books written by Ke Yunbo, You Zaijing and others have been borrowed. There are 397 chapters in Treatise on Febrile Diseases, each of which has its own lecture notes. When teaching internal medicine medical records, he read through a large number of medical records such as "Medical Records of Wang Xugao", "Medical Records of Xue Lizhai", "Medical Records of Famous Doctors", etc., and compared them with "Nei Jing", "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" and "Synopsis of the Golden Chamber" when teaching. The theory is organically combined with clinical practice, explaining the profound things in a simple way, and making the students enlightened.
From 1968 to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital as the director of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fang Heqian also assumed the teaching duties of Capital Medical University. In order to inspire Western medicine students to be interested in traditional Chinese medicine, he paid special attention to the artistry and interest of his lectures. Students commented that his class is "rich in cultural heritage". In class, he cited a wide range of sources, including poems and songs related to traditional Chinese medicine, and quoted them in his teaching, which frequently attracted the admiration of students.
In academics, he is unreserved and selfless in his dedication to students, and in his daily life, he is humble and considerate to his students.
The technical secondary school students, college students, advanced students, and Western Chinese doctors he trained are all over the country and abroad, and many of them have become pillars and backbones of the cause of traditional Chinese medicine. From 1991 to 2008, Fang Heqian served as the instructor for the first, second, third, and fourth batches of national veteran Chinese medicine experts’ inheritance of academic experience; in November 2007, the Beijing Municipal Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine approved the construction of the “Fang Heqian Famous Veteran Chinese Medicine Studio” "In order to inspire future students, Fang Heqian took the initiative to give a systematic explanation of "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" to students and young doctors in the "Lecture Hall of Famous Doctors", regardless of his 85-year-old age. Fang Heqian said that one can never tire of learning classic works of traditional Chinese medicine, and warned students to read books lively, read books lively, read books lively, and put them into practice so that they can live and learn until they are old.
His disciples told reporters that in life, Fang Heqian was a very interesting person: he loved Peking opera, chess, and mahjong, and he also wrote beautiful calligraphy. He is a gourmet, and when he encounters delicious food in a restaurant, he must learn to use it for himself. Fang Heqian said that medicine and food come from the same source, and cooking and prescriptions have the same purpose. Good dishes pay attention to the main ingredients and auxiliary ingredients. What to put, how much to put, and how to match them can make the dishes full of color, fragrance and flavor. During the holidays, he is the "chef in charge" of his family, and he is good at cooking Shandong cuisine. His specialty dishes such as "Bao Liu Fish Fillet" and "Braised Elbow" are thumbs up from the disciples who have tasted them.
Fang Heqian is open-minded and willing to accept new things. I studied Japanese for 4 years when I was young. Now I like to read Japanese in my spare time. My disciples jokingly call the teacher’s pronunciation “Osaka-like”. In his 80s, he is still learning English and can send text messages on his mobile phone "very smoothly". The old man still rides a disabled motorcycle to and from get off work, drives his wife to the market to buy groceries, and even once yearned to have a motor vehicle driving license. Fang Heqian was proficient in typhoid fever, but he did not claim to be a Jing Fang sect. He advocated the combination of Jing Fang and Shi Fang. In the 1960s, he edited "Records of the Treatment of Epidemic Japanese Encephalitis in Beijing". At that time, TCM doctors in various hospitals in Beijing had a copy of it, which had a wide impact.
Fang Heqian insisted on carrying forward Zhongjing’s scholarship, syndrome differentiation and treatment, and holistic concepts. He believes that the development of traditional Chinese medicine academics in the 21st century cannot stick to old rules. Only on the basis of a deep understanding of Zhongjing's academics can we integrate them and apply them flexibly. It is said to follow his methods without muddling with his methods. Fang Heqian was proficient in typhoid fever, but he did not claim to be a Jingfang sect. He advocated the combination of classic prescriptions and seasonal prescriptions, and when used properly, they are as effective as drums; and the classic prescriptions are limited and cannot meet the needs of the development of the disease spectrum, so they must be supplemented by seasonal prescriptions. He applied his knowledge of ancient prescriptions and made innovations. For example, "Synopsis of the Golden Chamber" used Suanzaoren Decoction to treat "suffering from fatigue, fatigue, and inability to sleep." Fang Heqian also used Zhuru and Baiwei from the "Zhupi Dawan" prescription. Adding it has a good effect on insomnia caused by yin deficiency and internal dryness.
He made good use of the "harmony method", emphasized the therapeutic concept of righteousness as the basis, and strengthening the body to drive away evil spirits. He put forward the insightful view that "harmony is to strengthen the body, and solution is to disperse the evil spirits." He also created original "nourishing soup" and " "Hegan Decoction" has relieved the pain of many critically ill patients in clinical practice.
Fang Heqian advocates the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, with complementary advantages. Both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine need to apply the past to the present and strive for excellence. The two can complement each other, but they are by no means complementary to each other. As a modern Chinese medicine practitioner, you can make use of modern medical diagnosis and examination methods, and cooperate with the four diagnosis methods and ginseng, which is conducive to Chinese medicine diagnosis; but you cannot rely solely on examination and abandon syndrome differentiation and treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine each have their own views on the understanding, classification, and diagnosis of diseases. Regardless of objective reality and mechanically "matching the seats" is a blasphemy against Chinese and Western medicine. It will not only fail to cure the disease, but will also delay the condition.
In the summer of 1956, a sudden epidemic of Japanese encephalitis ravaged Beijing. As a member of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, Fang Heqian devoted himself to the rescue and treatment of Japanese encephalitis. The Beijing Municipal Health Bureau adopted Shijiazhuang's 1955 experience in using "Baihu Decoction" to treat Japanese encephalitis, but the effect was minimal. Finally, Mr. Pu Fuzhou and Mr. Yue Zhongmei from the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine were invited to guide the consultation. Pu Lao believed that 1955 was the time of dry fire and internal heat caused by Yangming, so "Baihu Decoction" was effective. However, in 1956, there was a lot of rain and heavy moisture, so aromatic treatment was used to dissolve turbidity and penetrate the surface to disperse evil spirits. Pu Fuzhou used the Huoxiang Zhengqi Powder formula to achieve a curative effect of more than 90% and saved many people's lives.
The diagnosis and treatment of Japanese encephalitis taught Fang Heqian a life-long lesson.
He further realized that in academic research, only by seeking truth from facts and not divorced from syndrome differentiation and treatment can we achieve ideal results. In terms of grasping the syndrome differentiation of the six evils of wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and fire, we must use them flexibly and not be stubborn. In order to summarize the experience in the treatment of Japanese encephalitis, in 1957, Fang Heqian edited the manual "Records of the Treatment of Epidemic Japanese Encephalitis in Beijing". The book collected more than 200 medical records, and 200 volumes were printed by the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau and distributed to various medical units. . At that time, all TCM doctors in Beijing hospitals had a copy of the book, which had a wide impact. Later, he edited books such as "Yanshan Night Talk".
When SARS broke out in March 2003, Fang Heqian believed that traditional Chinese medicine should be given full play, and in April he petitioned the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Party Committee of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital for instructions. Taking into account his 80-year-old age, his superiors did not approve his request to go to the front line of SARS. Even though he stayed in the hospital, during the peak period of SARS, Fang Heqian still insisted on visiting outpatient clinics and checking wards. He drafted preventive prescriptions and distributed them to the hospital medical staff, saying "there is nothing to be afraid of", which deeply educated and inspired the medical staff around him. As a national-level veteran Chinese medicine expert, Fang Heqian actively offered advice to the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in formulating prescriptions. He believed that the different stages of SARS were characterized by cold and dampness, and that syndrome differentiation and treatment were still needed. He made great contributions to the victory over SARS. Fang Heqian prescribes medicines in small doses and specializes in medicine. Each dose usually costs a few yuan. When prescribing decoctions, he pays great attention to the taste and tries not to use medicines that are too bitter or unpleasant. Patients praised "Fang Lao's medicine has less odor, tastes not unpleasant, and solves the problem."
Fang Heqian’s medical skills are well-known in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. Many general hospitals in Beijing often ask Fang Heqian for consultation when treatment for critically ill patients fails. His unique medical skills have brought many patients with difficult diseases back to life and turned the corner into safety. He is good at treating various difficult and complicated diseases, and has treated countless patients during his more than 60 years of medical practice.
A few years ago, an 81-year-old man suffered from diabetes for a long time and developed severe complications of diabetic foot. He came to Chaoyang Hospital. The old man's left toe suffered from subacute necrosis. The toe had been black and purple for more than a month and it was very difficult to move. Western medicine believes that only amputation is possible. The elderly and their families are in a dilemma. After being introduced by someone, the old man found Fang Heqian for medical treatment. After careful questioning, Fang Heqian confirmed that the disease was caused by insufficient vitality and deficiency of both qi and yin. Then I used my own "nourishing soup" to nourish my vitality, strengthen the body and eliminate evil. Two weeks later, after the patient took 12 servings of Fang Heqian's "nourishing soup", the edema in his limbs improved. After 6 weeks, the patient's tissue gangrene recovered. When he came back to the hospital for treatment, he saw that the old man had a rosy complexion, could move freely, and could walk slowly.
Fang Heqian’s medical skills not only have a high reputation in China, but also some Chinese friends from abroad often come here to see him.
In 2004, he received a doctor from a Chinese-American Mr. Jiang. Mr. Jiang had persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloody stools, and was diagnosed with "Crohn's disease" in the United States. Mr. Jiang went to Western medicine in the United States, but his treatment showed no improvement in the past two years. American doctors said there was no cure and suggested Mr. Jiang undergo surgery. After returning to China, Mr. Jiang sought help from traditional Chinese medicine doctors in many hospitals and took various prescriptions for more than a year, but he still has not recovered. Fang Heqian saw that his body was emaciated, and after consultation he learned that the patient had abdominal pain, bloating, and loose stools for many years. The patient's barium meal angiography showed segmental ileum stenosis and pseudodiverticulum formation. Fang Heqian diagnosed his syndrome as spleen deficiency and qi blockage due to dampness. Subsequently, symptomatic medication was administered, including Shenling Atractylodes Powder to strengthen the spleen and reduce dampness, and Xianglian Pills to regulate qi and relieve pain. When Mr. Jiang came to see the doctor again a week later, his condition improved significantly. For two years, Mr. Jiang insisted on flying back and forth between the two countries. Each time before returning to China, he took 60 to 70 Chinese medicines prescribed by Fang Heqian with him. He eventually recovered from the disease, which amazed American doctors.
Fang Heqian often taught his disciples that "patients are our food and clothing parents" and "medicine is a benevolent skill." Patients must be treated equally and with a high degree of responsibility regardless of their position, wealth or poverty. When Fang Heqian was 84 years old, he still went out to clinics 5 to 6 days a week and received about 30 patients each time. His spirit was admired by young people.
He prescribes small amounts of medicine and specializes in medicine. He never uses expensive medicines such as rhinoceros horns, antelope horns, and musk. He strives to solve problems simply, conveniently, and cheaply. Each medicine usually only costs a few yuan. , a dozen yuan at most; Fang Heqian pays special attention to protecting the spleen and stomach when using medicine, and often adds raw rice sprouts, Jiao Shenqu, etc. to "protect stomach qi and preserve body fluids"; when prescribing decoctions, he pays great attention to the taste and tries not to use medicines that are too bitter or unpleasant. . The patient praised that "Lao Fang's medicine has less odor, is not unpleasant to drink, and solves the problem" and "sitting here can cure half of the disease."