Classics
傷寒論
Treatise on Cold Damage
Zhang Zhongjing, c. 200 CE
The single most influential clinical text in Chinese medical history. Composed during a devastating epidemic that killed two-thirds of Zhang’s clan, the Shanghan Lun establishes the six-channel pattern-differentiation system and 113 (or 397, depending on edition) classical formulas that remain in active clinical use today.
Authorship
Zhang Zhongjing (張仲景), the “Medical Sage”
Structure
Six-channel differentiation
Disease is classified through six progressive channels: taiyang, yangming, shaoyang, taiyin, shaoyin, jueyin. Each channel has characteristic patterns, signs, and corresponding formulas. The system handles both acute febrile illness and many chronic conditions.
Selected passage
太陽中風，陽浮而陰弱，陽浮者熱自發，陰弱者汗自出，嗇嗇惡寒，淅淅惡風，翕翕發熱，鼻鳴乾嘔者，桂枝湯主之。
In taiyang wind-stroke, yang [pulse] floats and yin [pulse] is weak. The floating yang produces fever; the weak yin produces spontaneous sweating. There is shivering aversion to cold, breeze-like aversion to wind, mild fever, nasal congestion and dry retching — Cinnamon Twig Decoction (Gui Zhi Tang) governs this.
Modern research
Several Shanghan formulas have substantial modern evidence: Gui Zhi Tang for fever in autoimmune contexts, Xiao Chai Hu Tang for chronic hepatitis, Ge Gen Tang for upper respiratory and post-COVID syndrome (with multiple Chinese RCTs). Japanese Kampo medicine has independently validated many of these in JIS-controlled trials.
Place in curriculum
Year 3 core text. Every student memorises and case-uses the canonical 113 formulas.