Huang Yuanyu—–Transfer of a disease

Mocked in His Hometown

Upon returning home, Huang Yuanyu faced mockery from villagers who once respected him. His hot temper, neuroticism, and sensitivity made it difficult for him to endure their ridicule. He locked himself away for half a year before deciding to travel again, seeking to escape his situation and gain more knowledge.

He Foresaw and Moved a Disease

This time, Huang Yuanyu chose to go south to Yangzhou because his cousin, Mr. Sun, was the prefect of Yangzhou. Concerned about his cousin’s health, Huang Yuanyu decided to visit him.

Mr. Sun had passed the imperial examination and was appointed by the imperial court as the prefect of Yangzhou. Before his departure, his relatives and friends held a banquet in his honor.

As was customary in Chinese tradition, Huang Yuanyu, a renowned physician, gave Mr. Sun a free pulse examination, equivalent to a modern physical checkup. Although Mr. Sun had always been in good health, Huang Yuanyu was shocked by his pulse reading.

He said, “In two years, you will have a large lumpy sore on your back that cannot be cured with any medicine.”

His cousin was shocked and begged, “What can I do? Please save me.”

Huang Yuanyu replied, “This lumpy sore is not untreatable. I will give you a prescription for ten doses to move the sore to your leg, where we can treat it.”

Trusting his cousin, Mr. Sun followed the prescription after arriving in Yangzhou. Two years later, a lumpy sore appeared on his leg. Despite seeking help from local doctors, no one could determine the sore’s origin. Finally, a doctor recognized it as a sore that had spread from elsewhere but admitted he couldn’t treat it. He advised Mr. Sun to seek help from the person who had predicted it.

He Devoted His Time to Writing Medical Books

Mr. Sun immediately sent for Huang Yuanyu, unaware that he was already on his way. Unfortunately, Mr. Sun passed away before Huang Yuanyu arrived. Six days after his cousin’s death, Huang Yuanyu reached Yangzhou (ancient name Jiangdu). Despite his failure to save his cousin, he was welcomed by local dignitaries.

Mr. Sun, as the prefect of Yangzhou, had many high-status relatives and friends who had heard of Huang Yuanyu’s reputation and his service in the Imperial Hospital. They persuaded him to stay in Yangzhou to treat any future difficult and complicated diseases.

After resigning from the Imperial Hospital, Huang Yuanyu couldn’t live in peace in his hometown and had nowhere to go, so he agreed to stay. They found him an administrative position in the Huaiyin Canal Administration, but he didn’t know much about it and simply took the salary without working.

Living in a quiet house provided by a friend, he immersed himself in sorting out medical books. In three months, he completed “Su Ling Wei Yun” and “Si Sheng Xuan Shu.” Along with his previous work, “Shang Han Xuan Jie,” Huang Yuanyu had written three medical books by then.

After a year of turbulent life, Huang Yuanyu began to concentrate on writing books. His good luck came with Emperor Qianlong’s trip to the south of the Yangtze River.

Looking ahead

For more stories about Huang Yuanyu and his contributions to traditional herbal medicine, and how it helps in rejuvenating our health, stay tuned for the next episode.

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