Li Ke, Former Director of the Zhong Hospital in Lingshi County, Shanxi
1930-2013, a renowned TCM practitioner. He served as the director of the Zhong Hospital in Lingshi County, Shanxi, was a member of the Shanxi Branch of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, an invited editorial board member of “Chinese Medicine Research”, a medical consultant for the Hong Kong “Chinese Medicine News”, and an invited researcher for the World Chinese Exchange Association. He authored “Experience Collection of Emergency and Critical Illnesses by Old TCM Practitioner Li Ke” and compiled and annotated the famous medical work by Peng Ziyi from the late Qing and early Republic periods, “Ancient TCM of Circular Motion” over more than forty years. In his later years, he frequently traveled to Guangdong to teach apprentices, establishing inheritance bases and classic wards at Southern Hospital and Guangdong Provincial Hospital, creating a nationwide sensation.
Inheritance
The Harmony of Yin and Yang Under the Dominance of Yang Qi
When discussing the relationship between Yin and Yang, we generally believe that Yin and Yang must be balanced. This concept is not entirely correct.
Why? Since the “Neijing” and “Yijing”, it has been particularly emphasized that Yang Qi is the foundation of life. Yin encompasses all the organs of the human body, the food you consume, and various nutrients, which belong to Yin. Yang Qi holds a commanding position, leading the Yin; thus, Yin is under the governance of Yang, and it is absolutely not a matter of equal footing or balance. This harmony of Yin and Yang refers to the harmony under the dominance of Yang Qi.
The “Neijing” states: “When Yin is balanced and Yang is dense, the spirit is firm.” Another saying is: “In all matters of Yin and Yang, the density of Yang is crucial.” The importance of Yin and Yang lies in the fact that when your Yang Qi is in a solid state, it can achieve the balance of Yin and Yang. Additionally, the “Neijing” presents many important viewpoints, such as: “Yang Qi is like the sky and the sun; if it loses its place, it leads to a shortened lifespan and lack of vitality.” Shortened lifespan refers to premature death. The “Neijing” places great importance on the Yang Qi of the human body; Yang is like the sun in the sky. Without the sun, there is no life.
For example, we can observe the rise and fall of Yin and Yang at different life stages. In childhood, Yang Qi is naturally vigorous, promoting growth and development. In adulthood, the so-called balance of Yin and Yang is in a healthy state. However, in old age, one may experience symptoms like runny nose, drooling, tearing, or frequent urination, which are all due to the weakening of Yang Qi and the loss of its commanding role. During the dangerous period of old age, especially with conditions like coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, or acute heart failure, the only solution is to rescue Yang; restoring Yang Qi can bring the person back to life. This is akin to adjusting a faucet; if the valve becomes loose, it needs to be tightened. The method is to replenish Yang Qi and protect it. At this time, we must also pay special attention to the fact that even if the illness is severe, as long as there is a trace of Yang Qi remaining, it can be saved. This is one aspect of the issue.
Thus, there is a saying in medicine: “In life and death situations, rescuing Yang is urgent.” This is due to the relationship between kidney Qi and middle Qi; the spleen and stomach belong to the earth in the five elements. The ancients used a vivid metaphor: it is like a pot. Inside the pot, there are various living things and water; how the water and food can be sustained depends on the fire beneath the pot, which is equivalent to the pot’s meaning. Therefore, the fire beneath the pot is crucial. Although middle Qi is important, without the maintenance of the fire beneath the pot, it is difficult to survive. Thus, at critical moments, we must take care of the fire beneath the pot. In this way, the theories of the ancient merchants and Mr. Zheng Qinan from the Qing Dynasty, along with Mr. Peng Ziyi’s ancient TCM theories, although each has its emphasis, if we can integrate them, it would be a very complete system.
Let me give you another example. In TCM, there is a saying: “Qi is the commander of blood.” What is the relationship between Qi and blood? They are absolutely not equal; the balance of Qi and blood is crucial for blood to flow smoothly in the vessels, delivering Yin and Yang to various organs. There must be Qi to push and lead it. If there is no leadership from Qi, if Qi is weak, bleeding can occur, such as gum bleeding. How to treat this condition? It is necessary to tonify Qi; for example, the Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang (Dang Gui and Astragalus Decoction) contains only two herbs: Huang Qi (Astragalus) and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis). Dang Gui is half the amount of Huang Qi, which is a very clear method. Why is Huang Qi used heavily for tonifying blood? Because Huang Qi is twice the amount of Dang Gui, that is the reasoning. Of course, this is a relatively clear example. If there is a significant hemorrhage, the person may die immediately. The ancients had a method to deal with this: “Blood that has been lost cannot be quickly replenished; the Qi that has not been lost must be urgently solidified.” In this case, it is necessary to quickly restore the commanding role of Yang Qi, and the bleeding can be stopped quickly, saving the patient. Thus, the relationship between Yin and Yang is akin to the relationship between Qi and blood, which can be understood in this way.
Now, let me give a few examples of cases. I once treated a patient in the south, a journalist from the Shanxi Public Security Bureau. He came to Guangzhou to help the provincial committee organize the heroic deeds of the older generation during the Anti-Japanese War. He worked in Guangzhou for three months. After returning, he fell seriously ill for three months. What was the situation of his illness? It was due to air conditioning. In the office, everyone was accustomed to this environment, but he could not tolerate it. He insisted on finishing his writing and returned home to fall seriously ill. His illness was so severe that he could only walk three to five steps before needing to catch his breath. Additionally, he had a very poor appetite, eating little and having diarrhea. He was not only afraid of the wind and cold but also, during the hot summer, wore cotton clothes, a cotton hat, and a mask. He told me that he could not tolerate even the slightest breeze from opening a door. Even the wind from turning a page of a book was unbearable. This illustrates the severity of how air conditioning can harm Yang Qi. Eventually, he said that the cold and dampness had layered upon the deepest parts of the three Yin meridians in his body, making it difficult to expel. I treated him for a month and a half, and he recovered.
Another case involved a female university student who, during her menstrual period, took a cold shower and consumed a large bag of ice. The weather was particularly hot, and she had the air conditioning set very low at night. As a result, she started experiencing amenorrhea the next day, and her menstrual cycle stopped. She also had severe abdominal pain, and taking many painkillers did not alleviate the issue. Just as I was in Guangzhou, she sought my help for this condition. I told her to use the method of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, and she quickly recovered. The point of sharing these experiences is to exchange views with my friends in Guangdong. Of course, you have been accustomed to these practices for a long time, and it is impossible to stop immediately. However, adjusting the temperature a bit higher would be sufficient, so it is not too hot but also not cold enough to cause shivering. This way, your body will not suffer harm.
This article is sourced from the Shenzhen Cultural Lecture Hall, a transcript of Li Ke discussing TCM health preservation. Please indicate the source when reprinting.
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