HongWei Lling Peng Liu
Abstract: Dr. Shi Yi-Ren (1896-1966) was a renowned Chinese medical doctor and educator. He actively advocated for the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). During Dr. Shi Yi Ren’s tenure, he published many TCM textbooks and magazines that are still widely used today. When critics questioned the legitimacy of Chinese medical practices, Dr. Shi vehemently defended his position on Chinese Medicine. He participated in the founding of Central Medical Hospital in Nanjing. Dr. Shi spent over 50 years practicing TCM in many cities including Zhenjiang, Shanghai, Taiyuan, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing, Kunming, Beijing and Yinchuan etc. Dr. Shi dedicated his life educating future TCM talents through his multidisciplinary approach. He leaves behind a great legacy as one of the earliest educators of Chinese Medicine.
Keywords: Dr. Shi Yi-Ren； TCM Educator； Establishing School and Publication； Writing Textbooks； Educational Rights and Interests
Shi Yiren (1896-1966), whose courtesy name was Yiren, was also nicknamed Yishanren and Zhebei Sou. Originally from Wuxi, Jiangsu, he was born in Yizheng, Jiangsu in the 22nd year of Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty. In the early years of the Republic of China, his family moved to Zhenjiang, Jiangsu. He was a famous modern Chinese medicine scientist, educator, theorist, clinician, reformer, and member of the China Democratic League. He was also an advocate for the scientific advancement of Chinese medicine in modern Chinese medical history.
In his youth, Shi Yiren had a Confucian education and achieved self-study success. In 1912, he became a disciple of the renowned local physician Wang Yungong. In 1916, he started his own medical practice. In 1928, he founded the Jiangzuo Traditional Chinese Medicine Training Institute in Shanghai and was appointed professor of ancient and modern epidemic diseases at Shanghai School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and China Medical College. In 1929, he went to Taiyuan to serve as the executive director of Shanxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Improvement Research Association and presided over daily work. He also taught at Sichuan Zhi Medical College, also served as the chief editor of “Shanxi Medicine” magazine. Beginning in 1931, he served as the first executive director of the Central Traditional Chinese Medicine Center, a full-time member of the Academic Organizing Committee, a member of the Teaching Materials Compilation and Review Committee, director of the Promotion Office, chief secretary, and acting director. In 1939, he served as professor and provost at Shanghai Chinese Medical College, Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other schools. In 1940, he founded the Revival School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Revival Chinese Medicine Society, and hosted the magazine “Revival Traditional Chinese Medicine”. In 1948, he founded the Capital Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Chinese Medicine Specialty Department of the Central Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Nanjing. After 1949, he taught at the Nanjing Traditional Chinese Medicine Training School and the Senior Teacher Class of Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine School (the predecessor of Nanjing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine). In 1955, he was appointed as the director of the first Department of Internal Medicine at the Research Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Xiyuan Hospital) by the Ministry of Health and served as the main lecturer for the “Western Medicine into Chinese Medicine” class. In 1961, he served as director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of Ningxia Autonomous Region Hospital, vice chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Medical and Health Association, and vice president of the Ningxia Branch of the Chinese Medical Association.［1］［2］During the period of the Republic of China, due to social unrest, national crises, and gradual westernization, the field of Chinese medicine faced many difficulties. Moreover, with the “Abolition of Chinese Medicine” policy, Chinese medicine education was excluded from the national education system, elevating the issue of the survival of Chinese medicine to a cultural and political level. In response, Mr. Shi Yiren actively explored and fought to preserve and develop the field of Chinese medicine. The three pursuits of establishing Chinese medicine schools, setting up academic societies, and disseminating Chinese medicine academic journals have always been regarded as the “three great treasures” for the revitalization and development of Chinese medicine in modern Chinese medicine circles. This is also one of Mr. Shi Yiren’s outstanding contributions to the spread of Chinese medicine education throughout his life.
Founding a school
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has traditionally relied on apprenticeship and familial transmission as the primary modes of education, but the establishment of schools represents a modern approach to TCM education. Despite the increasing number of TCM schools established in the early 20th century, there were still many challenges in terms of specific methods and practices. Mr. Shi Yiren had been engaged in TCM education for decades, from the founding of the Jiangzuo Traditional Chinese Medicine Training Center in Shanghai in 1928 to the “Western Medicine into Chinese Medicine Class” in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period, he actively participated in various activities related to TCM preservation, education, and clinical practice. With a strong desire to inherit and organize TCM knowledge, Mr Shi Yiren made numerous attempts and innovations.
In 1928, Shi Yiren, then 32 years old, he went to Shanghai alone to establish the “Jiangzuo Traditional Chinese Medicine Training Institute”. In fact, as early as 1926, he proposed the establishment of the Jiangzuo Traditional Chinese Medicine Training Center: “Reorganize old learning and introduce new knowledge. Study traditional Chinese medicine and exchange knowledge. Confirm authenticity and popularize education.”［3］He was also appointed as a lecturer at Shanghai School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and China Medical College, specializing in the teaching of ancient and modern epidemic diseases and febrile diseases. In addition to teaching and treating patients, he wrote medical papers, which were published in medical journals such as “San San Medical Report” in Hangzhou, “Medical and Health News” in Shaoxing, “Health Bulletin” in Yuyao, and “Medical and Health News” in Nanjing. From then on, Shi Yiren embarked on a career of inheriting and teaching TCM, as well as discovering new TCM theories.［1］［2］
In 1929, when Shi Yiren was chair of the Research Association for the Improvement of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanxi, he concurrently served as a professor at Shanxi Chuanzhi Medical College, giving lectures on “Prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine” and “Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine”.［4］After returning to Shanghai in 1939, Mr. Shi Yiren served as professor and dean at China Medical College, New China Medical College, Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other schools.
In January 1940, Shi Yiren, along with Shi Jinmo, Zhang Zanchen, Yu Shenchu, and others, founded the Revival School of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai. He believed that the revival of traditional Chinese medicine must be based on the revival of TCM education and proposed the following teaching principles: 1. Discover the essence of ancient medical knowledge. 2. Integrate Western medical knowledge and utilize medical instruments. 3. Promote the use of domestic medicinal materials. 4. Collect folk effective prescriptions and secret formulas. 5. Incorporate knowledge and experience from various schools of thought, ancient and modern, domestic and foreign. 6. Promote medical ethics. 7. Advocate for public health.［5］This philosophical approach was also reflected in the teaching methods he advocated. In his essay “Methods for Students to Study Medical Books”, he emphasized the differences between Western and Chinese medicine: “Western medicine emphasizes the lesion, focusing on the primary disease, while Chinese medicine emphasizes the overall condition, focusing on the combination of symptoms. Western medicine focuses on the lesion, while Chinese medicine focuses on the condition. Both should be studied together.”［6］Shi Yiren was able to articulate the distinctions between Western and Chinese medicine in his teaching, enabling students to grasp the different focal points of their studies. The curriculum was divided equally between Western and Chinese medicine, with lectures delivered by renowned physicians such as Shi Yiren, Zhang Zanchen, Jiang Chunhua, Yu Shenchu, Cheng Menxue, Chen Cunren, and You Xuezhou. Furthermore, this school was the first to implement a curriculum officially recognized by the Ministry of Education, which held significant importance in the history of TCM education and was one of the important achievements in the development of the TCM discipline. In the same year, Shi Yiren also founded the Shi Yiren National Medical Research Office, offering correspondence education and featuring lectures on traditional Chinese medicine. The program had a duration of 2 years and accepted distant disciples.［7］
On the eve of liberation in 1949, Shi Yiren founded the Chinese Medicine Specialty Department in the Central Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine to train students to focus on theory and closely integrate clinical practice. After liberation, the school was taken over by the Nanjing Municipal Health Bureau, and later incorporated into the advanced teacher training class of the Jiangsu Provincial School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (the predecessor of Nanjing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine). Mr. Shi Yiren is known as one of the “Eight Elders of Southern Traditional Chinese Medicine.” This school is the earliest Chinese medicine school with the nature of higher education in traditional Chinese medicine and registered by the government.［8］He was entrusted by the school to train several senior Chinese medicine teacher classes. The students are now famous Chinese medicine experts in China. According to the latest statistical report: Among the first 30 masters of traditional Chinese medicine, 20 masters such as Wang Yuchuan, Wang Mianzhi, Cheng Xinnong, Yan Zhenghua, and Zhou Zhongying all graduated from the advanced teacher training class.
On December 19, 1955, the day when the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Ministry of Health was officially established, the first nationwide class for Western medical professionals to learn traditional Chinese medicine (commonly known as the “Western Medicine into Chinese Medicine” class) was also inaugurated by the Ministry of Health. Shi Yiren was one of the main lecturers, teaching the “Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon”. The first class of the “Western Medicine into Chinese Medicine” class sparked a nationwide trend of Western medicine professionals learning traditional Chinese medicine, marking the beginning of the integration of Western medicine into Chinese medicine. Starting from 1956, various forms of “Western Medicine into Chinese Medicine” classes were successively held in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Nanchang, Shenyang, Yinchuan, and other places. By 1959, this movement had developed into a massive nationwide mass campaign, lasting for nearly a decade.［9］
In the early 1960s, despite his old age, frail health, and various illnesses, Shi Yiren responded to the national call and went to Ningxia to support frontier construction. He established a “Western Medicine into Chinese Medicine” class in Yinchuan, pioneering both TCM education and the integration of Chinese and Western medicine in Ningxia.［2］
Writing a book and establishing a theory
Mr. Shi Yiren enjoyed writing and was good at editing. Throughout his life, he immersed himself in extensive reading, devoted himself to research and writing, and developed his own systematic approach. He was one of the most prolific scholars of traditional Chinese medicine of the contemporary era.
His representative books include: “Shi’s Inner Canon Studies”, “Lecture Notes on Physiology”, “Lecture Notes on Jingui ”, “Shi’s Diagnosis”, “Simple Tips for Clinical Symptoms” , “Lecture Notes on Pharmacology”, “Lecture Notes on Chinese Prescriptions”, “Chinese Seasonal Diseases” “Encyclopedia of Febrile Diseases”, “Chinese Acute Infectious Diseases”, “Cholera”, “Chinese Gynecology”, “Shishi’s Measles”, “Chinese Internal Medicine”, “Chinese Epidemiology”, “Chinese Materia Medica”, “Shishi’s Pathology” , “Traditional Chinese Medicine for Typhoid and Febrile Diseases”,“Essentials of Treating Febrile Diseases from External Pathogens”, “Shi’s Prescription Studies”, “Practical Handbook of Internal Medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine”, “Practical Experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescriptions”, “Chinese Infectious Disease Prevention Law” , “Essentials of Selected Prescriptions”, “Essences of Selected Medical Cases”, “Review and Collection of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescriptions”, “Shi Yiren Medical Records”, “Diagnosis of Internal Medicine Diseases in China”, “Medicine Medication Regulations”, “Shi Yiren Medical Essays”［3］, etc. In total, he composed more than 30 works. These works cover basic theory as well as typhoid fever, febrile diseases, prescriptions, internal medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, infectious diseases and other specialty disciplines. Many works were printed numerous times and sold throughout the country. Booksellers in Hong Kong and Taiwan have also reprinted his work in large quantities and disseminated them to Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
“Chinese Seasonal Diseases” was published in 1930. In this book, he broke through the existing stereotypes of exogenous febrile diseases of previous generations of doctors, integrated the non-infectious disease syndromes of typhoid fever and febrile diseases, and put forward a new proposition of “seasonal disease”. He believes that “typhoid fever and febrile disease are diseases of the same nature, differing only in whether they are purely caused by wind-cold or accompanied by hidden heat. There is no need for contention between the two. This is one of them. The disease progression in the early and middle stages does not go beyond the scope of the three yang meridians. In the final stage, there are symptoms of the three yin meridians. Typhoid fever and febrile diseases are nothing better than this, and this is the second one. Febrile disease is a cold disease with latent heat. If symptoms of the lung system are found, it is a febrile disease of the lung system. If a disease of the stomach system is found, then it is a febrile disease of the stomach system. As mentioned above, symptoms of the lung system are often found in the early stage. If treatment is either not performed or performed poorly, stomach system symptoms will be discovered later. This is a battle between the lung and the stomach. In terms of pathogenesis, it is only a matter of sequence. This is the third one. Ancient doctors often considered febrile diseases as new infections with their own underlying evils, or they suspect that febrile diseases involve both dormant evils and new infections due to the influence of the four seasons and six qi. The same thing, there is no need to limit it to typhoid and febrile diseases, these are the four.” After the book was written, the medical community had a strong response, and it was reprinted nine times, bringing a breath of fresh air into the modern medical theory of seasonal diseases.
The book “Traditional Chinese Medicine for Typhoid and Febrile Diseases” eliminates the distinction between typhoid fever and febrile diseases by integrating typhoid fever into the category of febrile diseases. He said in his preface: “In reality, doctors take treating diseases as their duty. In spring, there is spring temperature and wind temperature; in summer, there is heat and humidity; in autumn, there is latent heat and dryness; in winter, there is winter temperature and typhoid fever. In the four seasons, The treatments and prescriptions for common cold symptoms are different, so it is necessary to collect and organize them. In 1929, I drafted the style of seasonal medicine, studied the opinions of various schools, compromised the experiences of various schools, and described various symptoms. 〖JP2〗The principles of occurrence, symptoms, treatment methods, prescriptions, etc. It may be said that cold symptoms are minor ailments, and there is no need to cite extensive evidence. I don’t know that in the past, doctors had disputes over typhoid fever and febrile diseases, with different opinions and endless arguments. 〖JP3〗Scholars of later generations will be at a loss as to what to do. If they do not distinguish in detail, the disputes will never be resolved.” This discussion by Shi Yiren has shed light on the disputes between the “Jingfang Sect” and the “Shifang Sect” over the years. He made a fair comment on the controversy and was praised by Mr. Zhang Shanlei, a famous modern doctor. At that time, Guo Shoutian, the academic director of the Nanjing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a famous theorist of traditional Chinese medicine, also highly praised the book and believed that it was an improvement and development of Wu Youke’s “On Plague” in the Ming Dynasty.［1］
From 1929 to 1937, with the strong support of the Shanxi Provincial Government, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Improvement Research Society collected traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and verified their effectiveness nationwide. As the main person in charge of reviewing and editing, Shi Yiren had successively edited and published 6 volumes of “Review and Collection of Prescriptions”, which contains more than 6,000 prescriptions, including many secret folk recipes and effective prescriptions by famous people. It is rich in content, not to mention convenient, safe and applicable. This book is a compilation of national prescriptions during the Republic of China, and is the first official compilation of prescriptions in modern China.［10］
“Chinese Materia Medica” was published in 1953. It is a one-volume book with two parts: upper and lower. The upper part is a general introduction, divided into nine chapters. It discusses the origin and evolution of traditional Chinese medicine, the origin of the name of traditional Chinese medicine, the nature, smell, usage and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine and other basic knowledge. The lower part is divided into monographs, each with eleven chapters, containing more than 500 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines (including more than 100 kinds of supplementary medicines), describing the origin, medicinal parts, nature, flavor, shape, composition, pharmacology, efficacy, and medical applications of each medicine, as well as dosage, prescription coordination, contraindications, etc. There is a also stroke index of drug names at the end of the book. This book is rich in content, well-organized, suitable for both simplified and complex forms, and relevant to clinical practice. It is an important reference book for the study of traditional Chinese medicine.［11］“
Chinese Pediatric Medicine” was published in 1954. This book is a monograph on pediatric diseases of traditional Chinese medicine. It is comprehensively written based on the physiological and pathological characteristics of children and common diseases at each stage. The whole book is also divided into two parts: upper and lower. The upper section, titled “General Overview,” comprises six chapters covering the origins of pediatrics, physiological characteristics of children, pediatric nutrition, neonatal care, characteristics of pediatric diseases, and diagnostic essentials. The lower section, titled “Specific Discussions,” consists of five chapters covering neonatal diseases, special conditions, major infectious diseases, internal diseases, and surgical diseases. Each chapter focuses on common diseases. Mr. Shi Yiren also incorporated his previously published “Shi’s Smallpox Studies” into this book. In the book, the four major pediatric diseases of fright, wasting, paralysis, and smallpox are detailed with their respective causes, symptoms, diagnosis, complications, differential diagnoses, prognosis, treatment methods, and prescriptions. After each disease, the main prescription was attached, and where additions and subtractions were necessary, additional methods of addition and subtraction were also attached. Regarding the use of prescriptions and medicines, Shi Yiren specifically mentioned that “everyone’s body constitution, temperament, local customs, habits, and concurrent symptoms and complications of diseases are different. It is impossible to stick to one prescription to cope with the endless changes. It must be caused by the disease.” Adjust to the conditions and add or subtract at any time to achieve a perfect match.
Establishment of Societies and Publications
In the face of long-term hardships, Shi Yiren realized that the development of traditional Chinese medicine cannot proceed without its own platforms for dissemination. Therefore, he actively founded journals, magazines, and societies, even in the extremely difficult circumstances of the time, as he stated, “Only those who fear stagnation establish societies, delve into scholarly research, and seek progress.”［12］
In June 1928, Shi Yiren, along with Yang Zhiyi, Zhu Zhensheng, Shen Zhonggui, Zhang Shoufu, and others, founded the “Happiness Weekly” in Shanghai. Its purpose was to “introduce sanitary methods and guide the path to health.” They invited ten renowned physicians from Shanghai to contribute articles on a rotating basis, making it one of China’s earliest popular science publications on medicine.［13］In 1929, Shi Yiren, along with Ding Jiwang, Zhao Gongshang, Zhu Zhensheng, and others, founded the “Health Bulletin.”［14］Additionally, Shi Yiren served as a contributing writer for magazines such as “Medical Times,” “Chinese Medicine World,” “San San Medical Bulletin,” “Shenzhou National Medical Journal,” “Xinglin Medical Monthly,” “Suzhou National Medical Journal,” “Pillar of National Medicine,” and “Chinese Medicine Monthly.” He also served as a director of the “Chinese Acupuncture Research Society” founded by President Chen Dan’an, and as the chief editor of the “National Medicine Truth-Seeking Monthly.”
During his tenure as Executive Director of the Shanxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Improvement Research Association in 1929, Shi Yiren served as the chief editor of the Shanxi Medical Journal for more than 10 years. This journal, with a long publication history during the Republic of China period, had a significant impact. Its content was described as “comprehensively resourced, rigorous in selection, and focused on practicality rather than empty talk.” It mainly covered academic discussions, the scientification of traditional Chinese medicine, basic research, studies on contemporary diseases, medical affairs summaries, solicitation and selection of manuscripts, and questions and answers on medicine and health. Supported by the Shanxi government, it was hailed as “the only constructive medical journal in northern China” and “the most practical medical journal in northern China’s traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy community.” It attracted numerous renowned traditional Chinese medicine experts from across the country, who contributed high-quality academic works. Apart from serializing studies like “Research on Plague” and “Pathology” in the Medical Journal, Shi Yiren also authored more than 70 articles covering various fields such as internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, miscellaneous diseases, pathology, and pharmacology. His contributions had a significantly positive impact on the development of traditional Chinese medicine and the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, possessing high academic, reference, and historical values.［15］
In January 1940, Shi Yiren also founded the Renaissance Traditional Chinese Medicine Society in Shanghai and served as its president, hosting the “Renaissance Traditional Chinese Medicine” magazine. Using “Renaissance Traditional Chinese Medicine” as a platform, Shi Yiren promoted his ideas for improving traditional Chinese medicine academia and education. Through the practical implementation of Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Specialized School and Renaissance Traditional Chinese Medicine Specialized School, he experimented with standardizing traditional Chinese medicine education, standardizing textbook compilation, professionalizing faculty appointments, and regularizing clinical teaching.［16］During this period, he repeatedly emphasized the necessity of reforming traditional Chinese medicine, opposing the notion of “discarding medicine to save drugs” and advocating against deviating from the essence of traditional Chinese medicine. He focused on traditional Chinese medicine education and proposed the “Five Transformations” of revitalizing traditional Chinese medicine, including the systematization and scientification of theories, concentration and experimenting of experiences, pharmacology and physiology, mechanization and actualization of diagnosis and treatment, and socialization and politicization of prevention. His ideas for revitalizing traditional Chinese medicine reform could provide insights for formulating contemporary medical policies in China and are worth considering in the deepening reform of traditional Chinese medicine.［17］
From this perspective, the academic organizations and publications he established facilitated the development of traditional Chinese medicine and set an example for the reform of traditional Chinese medicine education.
Reconstruction of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory
Shi Yiren recognized that traditional Chinese medicine was gradually lacking in theoretical innovation, relying solely on practical techniques. Moreover, with the influence of Western ideas increasing and the tide of scientific reform surging, the need for change became urgent and compelling. Those with insight understood that survival depended on improvement. Therefore, Shi Yiren repeatedly emphasized the importance of “focusing on the organization of academic knowledge,” especially in restructuring the theoretical framework of traditional Chinese medicine. Guided by this idea, Shi Yiren independently compiled a series of systematic lectures on traditional Chinese medicine during his time as an educator. These included works such as “Shi’s Internal Classics Studies,”“Lectures on the Golden Chamber,” “Lectures on Physiology,” “Shi’s Pathology,” “Shi’s Diagnostic Studies,” “Lectures on Pharmacology,” “Lectures on Chinese Prescription Formulas,” “Studies on Acute Infectious Diseases in China,” “Studies on Internal Medicine in China,” “Studies on Gynecology in China,” and “Studies on Pediatrics in China.” This initiative represented a significant innovation in the history of traditional Chinese medicine development.
The book “Shi’s Neijing Xue” represents Shi Yiren’s in-depth interpretation and research on the “Inner Canon.” It primarily consists of his lectures given at the Chinese Medicine Specialized School, compiled and edited over a period of more than twenty years. Shi Yiren meticulously analyzed the original text of the “Inner Canon”, elucidating its meaning and providing explanations. He also incorporates relevant annotations from Western medical theories to some extent, elucidating the scientific significance and principles implied in the text. This approach combines traditional methods of textual interpretation with insights from Western medicine, revealing a diverse approach to the study of the “Inner Canon” and making significant advancements in understanding its theoretical content. 〖JP〗
The book contains many of the author’s insights and occupies a place in the history of modern academic research on the “Inner Canon.”［18］
“Lecture Notes on Chinese Prescriptions” was compiled and published in 1929 at Shanxi Chuanzhi Medical College. Shi Yiren pointed out that “prescription scholars are the students who combine a variety of different medicinal flavors to formulate prescriptions in order to eliminate diseases and restore the health of the body.” According to the “National Joint Catalog of Traditional Chinese Medicine Books”, this book is China’s second prescription textbook. In the book, prescriptions are classified into eight methods: inducing sweating, inducing vomiting, promoting bowel movements, resolving stagnation, cooling, warming, eliminating dampness, and nourishing. Under each category, there are further subdivisions based on treatment methods.
The general idea of the compilation is stated as follows: “The sequence of this book is based on methods, focusing on the eight methods with detailed descriptions of variations. For example, under inducing sweating, there are differentiations such as mildly cooling, mildly warming, regulating qi, harmonizing the middle, nourishing blood, nourishing yin, assisting yang, and warming the lower. Under inducing vomiting, there are differentiations such as aromatic and salty, mild and strong, heat-clearing, stagnation-breaking, phlegm-resolving, and dampness-expelling, each listed in detail. The book contains a total of 111 prescriptions. The preface of the book includes discussions on “Research on Ancient Prescriptions,” “Comparison of Treatments in Treatise on Cold Damage and Golden Chamber and Tang-Song Prescriptions,”“Brief Overview of the Evolution of Post-Generational Prescriptions,” “Transmission of Post-Generational Prescription Books,” “Essence of Seven Prescriptions and Ten Treatments,” and “Research on the Quantities of Ancient Prescriptions,” with a focus on comparing Chinese and Western prescriptions. He also emphasized: “TCM prescriptions are different from Western medical prescriptions. Traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions focus on adding or subtracting medicinal flavors to suit the condition, while Western medicine prescriptions focus on the inherent functions of simple medicines.”
In addition, Shi Yiren also used Western medicine theory to analyze the medicines in Fang Jie The function and mechanism of action of the prescription. This idea of incorporating Western medicine knowledge into prescriptions was also followed by some later textbooks. The main features of this textbook is not only the deepening of the understanding of prescription medicine, but also the exploration of integrating Chinese and Western theories.［19］
“Shi’s Diagnostic Medicine” was originally written in 1919, then reorganized and published in 1949 while he was in charge of the Chinese Medical Specialization Program. This book is not only a work on TCM diagnosis, but also a modern TCM diagnosis textbook. As he said, the purpose of compiling this book is “the diagnostic theory of traditional Chinese medicine, since the Inner Canon, has been based on the generation and restraint of yin and yang and the five elements. This article adopts scientific methods and re-edited it, striving to be consistent with reality and eliminating any emptiness and sparse criticism.” The book is divided into nine sections: introduction to diagnostics, diagnostic procedures, diagnostic outline, inspection, tongue inspection, smell inspection, interrogation, palpation and pulse diagnosis. Each article is divided into several chapters. The first three sections discuss the significance, theoretical evolution, and basic characteristics of Chinese diagnostic medicine, proposing diagnostic outlines such as exterior and interior, cold and heat, deficiency and excess, and the priority of primary and secondary symptoms. It also elaborates on the methods, procedures and key points of TCM diagnosis. The remaining six sections elaborate on the content, methods, and significance of the four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine. The six diagnostic methods listed in the book are all explained in special chapters, and pulse diagnosis is particularly detailed. At the end of the book, there is a pulse formula compiled by Mr. Shi Yiren, which is helpful for memorization.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Shi Yiren also served as a member of the textbook editing committee of the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and participated in the review of “Translation of Essential Confucius of the Internal Classics”, “Translation of the Analects of Febrile Diseases”, “Translation of the Golden Chamber”, “Translation of Materia Medica” and “Compendium of Materia Medica” “Outline of Traditional Chinese Medicine Internal Medicine”, “Outline of Traditional Chinese Medicine Surgery”, “Acupuncture”, “History of Chinese Medicine” and other nine kinds of traditional Chinese medicine textbooks. It preliminarily sets the compilation style and framework model of TCM textbooks, provides a textbook blueprint for TCM schools across the country, and has guiding significance for higher TCM education across the country.［20］
Advocating for Educational Rights
During the period of the Republic of China, the Ministry of Education did not accept traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into the national education system, which greatly angered the practitioners in the TCM field, leading to widespread protests. In response to this, Mr. Shi, in addition to establishing schools, organizations, and publications, repeatedly joined forces with fellow practitioners in the TCM community to petition the Republic of China government, tirelessly striving to advocate for the educational rights of TCM. For instance, in his letter titled “Striving for the Inclusion of TCM in the School System,” he loudly protested against the exclusion of TCM from the system by the Ministry of Education, stating, “If TCM is indeed deemed dispensable by the majority, then the people of the nation should advocate for its abolition without waiting for the clamor of Western medicine. If TCM truly deserves its place, then it is only appropriate for it to be included in the school system. The prejudice of Western medicine, driven by jealousy and competition, is like a mosquito trying to bring down a giant, causing damage to both gold and bones. ”［21］This fully reflects his deep sentiments over the plight of TCM at that time.
In early 1930, Shi Yiren proposed the establishment of the Central National Medical Museum in Nanjing, following the example of the previous establishment of the Central National Art Museum in Nanjing. On May 7 of the same year, this proposal was approved by the government of the Republic of China. The inaugural ceremony was held on March 17, 1931, in Nanjing, and on May 3 of the same year, the Central National Medical Museum officially opened its doors. The first session of the Central National Medical Museum Congress was convened, during which Jiao Yitang was elected as the director, and seventeen renowned physicians including Zhang Jianzhai, Xie Liheng, Shi Yiren, Shi Jinmo, and Zhang Tongliang were appointed as the first executive directors. Subsequently, Shi Yiren held various positions at the Central National Medical Museum, including director, head of the department of prescriptions, member of the academic committee, and member of the textbook editing committee.［22］In 1933, the “Outline of Academic Standards for Traditional Chinese Medicine compiled by the Central Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine” was published, “promoting the scientification of traditional Chinese medicine.” In 1936, the Executive Yuan promulgated the Regulations on Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 1936, Mr. Shi Yiren, director of the Central Traditional Chinese Medicine Center, donated books to build the Nanyang Medical Shrine.［23］
In April 1937, the Central Political Committee of the Kuomintang held its 39th meeting and resolved that the Ministry of Education, in conjunction with the Chinese Medicine Committee of the Department of Health, should draft the “Regulations for the Teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine” based on the “Temporary Curriculum for Medical Specialized Schools.” At that time, the full-scale resistance against Japanese invasion began, and the government relocated to the west. Shi Yiren, along with Ren 〖JP+1〗Xuefeng, Xie Huidong, and others, went to Sichuan to handle the procedures for establishing traditional Chinese medicine schools.
On April 25, 1938, a meeting was convened at the China Pharmaceutical Factory, where it was decided that Ren Xuefeng, Hu Shucheng, Zhang Ren’an, and Shi Yiren would be responsible for drafting the “Regulations for the Teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine.” After much discussion over several days, the document was completed and sent to the Ministry of Education by the Central National Medical Museum and the Department of Health. In May 1939, the Ministry of Education officially announced the “Temporary Curriculum for Traditional Chinese Medicine Specialized Schools.”［24］This curriculum was the first officially recognized and publicly implemented curriculum in China’s history, marking an important milestone in the development of traditional Chinese medicine education and indicating that traditional Chinese medicine schools had been formally incorporated into the national education system. On October 12, 1938, Shi Yiren, along with Chen Yu, Rao Fenghuang, Zhang Jianzhai, and Chen Yanzhai, submitted an application to the Social Department of the Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang for the registration of the “Chinese Medical Education Society.” On November 20, 1938, the Social Department held a founding meeting for the Chinese Medical Education Society and elected Chen Yu, Shi Yiren, and Zhang Jianzhai as executive directors.［25］ This society was the first modern research group dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine education. Shi Yiren expressed his aspiration to organize and reform Chinese medicine, aiming for its self-reliance. He believed that the most important goal for Chinese medicine at that time was to reform its theories and improve its techniques. He warned that if the Chinese medicine community did not take action, reforms would be carried out by Western medicine, posing a significant risk during this critical transitional period.［26］
In 1940, Shi Yiren expressed his views on the “legal rights of medical education,” advocating for those engaged in traditional Chinese medicine education to urgently seek registration to obtain legal protection. He believed that this would establish a legal status for traditional Chinese medicine practice.［27］
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, in 1954, Shi Yiren, who was already in his seventies, remained committed to his lifelong goal of revitalizing traditional Chinese medicine. He, along with fellow practitioners, submitted a joint proposal to the Ministry of Health, stating that “to embrace the socialist cultural construction of our motherland, it is necessary to strengthen the work of traditional Chinese medicine.” The Ministry of Health responded positively to their proposal. In 1955, the Beijing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine was established under the Ministry of Health. Unprecedented administrative measures were taken, where over 30 leading traditional Chinese medicine experts were recruited from across the country to Beijing. Shi Yiren was among them and was appointed as the first director of the Department of Internal Medicine at the affiliated hospital of the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Xiyuan Hospital of the Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences).［28］
Throughout his life, Mr. Shi Yiren founded and co-organized traditional Chinese medicine schools, workshops, correspondence classes, research classes, and teaching classes in Zhenjiang, Shanghai, Taiyuan, Nanjing, Wuhan, Kunming, Chongqing, Beijing, Yinchuan, and other places; he also founded journals and magazines, wrote books and lectures, cultivated Chinese medicine talents through multiple channels, worked hard to revitalize the cause of Chinese medicine, and worked hard to defend Chinese medicine education. He was a Chinese medicine scientist with outstanding contributions, shining through the annals of history. He was a key figure in the education of modern Chinese medicine schools. He has made outstanding contributions to the cause of TCM education and occupies an important position in the history of TCM education.
A brief note by Yi Ren of Shanxi Medical University: “In ancient times, Dong Feng from the Three Kingdoms era treated patients selflessly, fostering a thriving medical community. Today, we have Mr. Shi Yiren from Zhenjiang, whose profound scholarship attracts numerous students like flourishing peach trees. Though the candle has burned out, its light still lingers, showing that although the past has passed away, the spirit remains. This can be regarded as the highest praise for Mr. Shi Yiren.”
Author information:
Liu HongWei American Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture New York 10016, USA
Peng Liu,Shunyi Hospital, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Email: [email protected], Tel: 13651388591
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