I. Classic Treatises of Traditional Chinese Medicine

I. Classic Treatises of Traditional Chinese Medicine

In “The Golden Cabinet Essentials,” it is stated: “When chest oppression occurs, characterized by shortness of breath, coughing up phlegm, pain in the chest and back, and dyspnea, with a deep and slow pulse at the Cun point, and a small, tight, and rapid pulse at the Guan point, then a decoction of bitter melon wine with white peony root is prescribed.” This passage serves as the overarching framework for TCM’s treatment of coronary heart disease. Chest oppression refers to the obstruction and stagnation of qi and blood in the chest; when qi and blood are blocked, symptoms such as chest and back pain, shortness of breath, coughing up phlegm, and dyspnea arise—this is what is meant by “when obstruction leads to pain.” The reason why qi and blood in the chest become blocked can be understood through analysis of the pulse at the Cun point: a deep and slow pulse indicates a yin pattern, where turbid yin energy occupies the yang position. Where does this turbid yin energy come from? Consider the “small, tight, and rapid pulse at the Guan point”—the Guan point represents the upper part of the chest, where the yang energy resides, and its deep and slow nature signifies that the pathogenic factors in the spleen and stomach (the middle jiao) are more pronounced. These pathogenic factors are the root cause of illness, with yin dominating the yang position. Modern medicine views coronary heart disease as resulting from atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries; the fundamental cause of atherosclerosis lies in the deposition of lipids, with the sources of these lipids being food and drink—intestines, stomach, and the middle jiao—and these are the products of the yin turbidity in the middle jiao rising to the upper parts of the body. From this perspective, while TCM’s understanding of coronary heart disease is based on logical reasoning, its significance largely aligns with modern medical knowledge.