Nan Jing

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Nan Jing: The Classic of Difficult Issues, originally titled The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Eighty-One Difficult Issues, is one of the four great classics of traditional Chinese medicine. It is traditionally attributed to the famous Warring States period physician Bian Que (Qin Yueren). Structured as a series of questions and answers, the book provides accessible yet profound explanations and elaborations on eighty-one deep or incomplete medical theoretical issues found in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon. It not only inherits the core ideas of the Inner Canon but also introduces numerous innovations, making it an indispensable cornerstone in the formation and development of the theoretical system of Chinese medicine.

In terms of content structure, the Classic of Difficult Issues is divided into eighty-one sections, each addressing one “difficult issue.” The first twenty-two issues focus exclusively on pulse theory; issues twenty-three through twenty-nine elucidate the theory of channels and collaterals; issues thirty through forty-seven analyze visceral physiology and pathology; issues forty-eight through sixty-one explore the causes and symptoms of various diseases; issues sixty-two through sixty-eight explain knowledge of acupuncture points; and issues sixty-nine through eighty-one are dedicated to needling techniques and the principles of supplementation and drainage. Though the book is not lengthy, every word carries weight, and its systematic organization is outstanding.

The Classic of Difficult Issues made epochal contributions to the pulse theory of Chinese medicine. It was the first to clearly propose the method of “taking only the cunkou,” simplifying the cumbersome practice of palpating pulses all over the body as described in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon to the single point of the cunkou pulse (the radial artery at the wrist). It also provided the theoretical basis that “the cunkou is the great assembly of the pulses.” This innovation not only greatly streamlined clinical diagnostic procedures but also established the core paradigm for pulse-taking in later generations of Chinese medicine, a method still widely used today.

Furthermore, the book offers original insights into the theories of the viscera and the vital gate. It provides detailed descriptions of the measurements and weights of human anatomy, introduces the theory of “the left kidney and the right vital gate,” and regards the vital gate as the source of life’s fire and the foundation of the prenatal essence. In the field of acupuncture and moxibustion, the Classic of Difficult Issues proposes important needling theories such as “following and opposing supplementation and drainage” and “mother-child supplementation and drainage,” further enriching the therapeutic methods and theoretical framework of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Medical scholars throughout history have held the Classic of Difficult Issues in high esteem. From Wu Pu of the Three Kingdoms period to numerous commentators in later dynasties, many have written detailed annotations for it. Complementing the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, it is regarded as an essential text for entering the hall and exploring the mysteries of Chinese medicine. Its many innovations in pulse theory, channel theory, and visceral theory continue to guide clinical practice in Chinese medicine today, demonstrating its timeless academic value.

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