.
In ancient times, King Wei Wenhou once asked the famed physician Bian Que, amongst him and his two physician brothers, which one of them possessed the greatest medical skill. Bian Que responded that his eldest brother was the most skilled, followed by the second brother, and then himself. Curious, Wei Wenhou asked for an explanation.
Bian Que explained: “My eldest brother excels in preventing illnesses before they manifest, ensuring people remain unaware of the dangers they have escaped. Consequently, his reputation does not spread widely. My second brother intervenes early at the onset of illness, often treating minor ailments. As for me, I specialize in curing severe illnesses using dramatic treatments like acupuncture or potent remedies. This has garnered me great renown worldwide.”
King Wei Wenhou nodded in understanding and remarked, “Impressive!”
This tale, extracted from the historical text Heguanzi, beautifully illustrates the principle that prevention of illness is the mark of the finest physician. As stated in the ancient Suwen: The Great Treatise on the Four Qi and the Regulating Spirit：“The wise do not treat the disease that has already manifested, but rather the one that has not yet occurred. They do not correct the chaos that has already formed but prevent it from arising. Treating an illness after its onset is like digging a well when one is thirsty or forging weapons when already at war. Is it not too late?”
This wisdom remains relevant today, emphasizing the importance of prevention and early intervention in modern healthcare. Seeking medical attention only after a disease has progressed to an advanced stage is too late. Therefore, I frequently conduct seminars introducing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) methods of disease prevention. I teach patients ways to reduce reliance on medical visits by encouraging them to learn how to maintain a balanced diet, apply self-massage, and practice regular exercise like Tai Chi.
上工治未病
魏文侯問扁鵲，你們兄弟三人誰的醫術最好?扁鵲說，大哥的醫術最好，二哥次之，自己的醫術最差。魏文王說： 請解釋一下。扁鵲答道： 因為大哥總是在人們還沒有發病的時候就已經將即將發病的病因去掉了，所以人們並不知道自己已經被大哥去除了生病的可能，所以大哥的名聲不能傳出去，二哥總是在疾病剛發作比較輕微的時候，將疾病扼殺在萌芽中。所以人們總是認為二哥治療的只是一些小毛病；而自己總是治療那些已經非常嚴重的疾病，使用如針刺或毒藥等很厲害的手段。所以人們總是認為我的醫術最好，所以我才會名揚天下。魏文侯點頭稱“善!”
選自《鶓冠子》
上工就是最好的醫生，他是治療尚未顯現的疾病,應該是預防疾病，將疾病扼殺在早早期階段。 《素問四氣調神大論》曾說：「 是故聖人不治已病治未病，不治已亂治未亂， 此之謂也。夫病已成而後藥之，亂已成而後治之，旇猶渴而穿井，鬥而鑄錐，不亦晚乎！ 」 應用到現代，就是我們應該注重預防和及早治療。如病情嚴重了才看病，就像是口渴了才去鑿井，戰爭來了才去製造兵器，太遲了！因此，我時常舉辦講座，介紹預防疾病的中醫方法。我告訴病人們，如果您能掌握自我按摩，合理的藥膳飲食以及太極等運動，也許您們不再需要來診所了。
By Ginger Zhang
Contact： [email protected]
