Read free on Ficlyn

Dr. Xu: A Chinese Medicine Novel

Chapter 17 A Strange Illness · Nov 09, 2026

↩︎ Three formula names. Siwu Tang, “Four Substances Decoction,” is the familiar blood-nourishing formula. Sijunzi Tang, “Four Gentlemen Decoction,” traditionally replenishes qi and supports the Spleen. Combining them gives Bazhen Tang; the usual Shiquan Dabu Tang adds huangqi (astragalus) and cinnamon bark. Sijunzi Tang already contains ginseng. The Chinese novel says to add ginseng and cinnamon bark; the translation preserves that wording. These are traditional formula descriptions, not confirmation of this patient’s prescription. Little Octopus’s TV joke reflects her association of tonics with sleazy men, rather than establishing who the formula is for. Sources: HKBU — Sijunzi Tang (in Chinese); HKBU — Bazhen Tang and the related Shiquan Dabu Tang formula (in Chinese).↩︎ The Song formulary. The Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang was an officially compiled Song-dynasty collection of formulas and a standard for preparing medicines at dispensaries. A formulary of compound medicines differs in scope from a materia medica describing medicinal substances. Evan calls it “China’s first pharmacopoeia”; that broad claim is retained from his dialogue. The earlier, Tang-dynasty Xinxiu Bencao of 659 is also described as China’s first government-issued pharmacopoeia, so “first” needs that distinction. Sources: The Palace Museum — Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang (in Chinese); China University of Geosciences, Beijing — Ancient Chinese earth science, Xinxiu Bencao section (in Chinese).↩︎ Producing and containing blood. Capitalized Spleen refers to a traditional functional system, not just the anatomical organ. “Qi in the middle” means the qi of the Spleen and Stomach. Evan links two traditional roles: transforming nourishment to provide qi and blood, and keeping blood within its proper course. In his explanation, too little production accounts for the scanty flow, while too little restraint accounts for the early timing. This continues the qi-containment argument in Chapter 16. It is a traditional diagnostic explanation, not the result of a blood test. Sources: HKBU — Sijunzi Tang, traditional rationale (in Chinese); WHO — Chinese medicine terminology, entries 117, 243, 253, and 442.↩︎ Fire, yang, and five doses. “Supplementing fire” and “freeing yang” describe traditional warming functions. They do not mean producing a literal flame or raising the patient’s measured body temperature. Rougui is medicinal cinnamon bark. A ji, translated here as a dose, is a prescribed portion of herbal medicine intended for preparation. The novel supplies five such portions but no weights or preparation schedule; the English does not infer five days or five individual drinks. Sources: WHO — Chinese medicine terminology, entry 2453, warming yang; HKBU — Cassia Bark; Taiwan Ministry of Education — Ji, noun sense 3 (in Chinese).↩︎ The test reports. A total white blood count and a differential count provide different information: the latter gives the amounts or percentages of particular white cell types, such as neutrophils and lymphocytes. The Chinese text gives “8.1” without a unit, which is preserved here. In a gynecological report, adnexa refers to the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and supporting structures. “Cordlike” preserves the report’s description without supplying a diagnosis or identifying a particular organ as diseased. Sources: MedlinePlus — Blood Differential; US National Cancer Institute, SEER — Abstracting Keys, anatomical definition of adnexa.

Recommended Novels