People suffering from plague
First, it is still controversial when the scientific Daoism contained in Taoism came into being, but we all know that the Yellow Scarf Uprising at the end of the Han Dynasty and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms are the well-known ending poems of "Zhang Qian and Zhang Qian dominate Nanzheng". The Yellow Scarf Army created Taiping Dao with its opening angle, taking the Taoist book Taiping Ching Ling Shu as a classic; Zhang Daoling, the ancestor of Zhang Lu, founded Pentecostalism, and also used painting symbols, exorcism and saving people as means. The similarity between them is that they both used the plague at the end of the Han Dynasty to save their lives, gain followers, strengthen their strength and finally become independent by relying on their own religion (considered as a branch of Taoism). In the process of expanding their influence, they embodied the method of Taoism, which they relied on, to cure diseases and save lives during the ancient plague period.
Modern medicine has proved that the ancient plague was carried by pathogens and spread among the same species or different species, which could not be contained and became a plague. In ancient times, even a modern plague (called infectious disease in modern times) must have three parts at the same time: pathogen, transmission route and susceptible population in order to become a plague. It was from these three aspects that ancient Taoism controlled the plague.
People and doctors under the plague
Second, starting from the source is the most effective way to control pathogens. Without the source of infection, the epidemic can naturally be contained. What about the infected groups? Huangdi Neijing puts forward the method of "avoiding its poisonous gas", that is, avoiding infected people and actively isolating themselves. This includes isolating patients or healthy people from patients.
Wang Yin's Ji Shu in the Western Jin Dynasty "Zhang Ling avoided malaria in the hilly society and got the Curse of Ghosts, thus understanding the method of making ghosts." From this sentence, we draw two conclusions. First, there was a plague in Shu at the end of the Han Dynasty, and (Zhang Daoling) ran to a sparsely populated place to escape, which showed that he was far away from infected people; Secondly, Zhang Ling got this fairy book to alleviate the plague that was thought to be caused by ghosts. Wen believes that this reflects that he (a group of people he thought represented) avoided the infected people, stopped the spread of the disease, and the epidemic situation improved.
Animation image of opening angle
Ge Hong, a scholar in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, put forward a method to deal with leprosy, that is, "many people have been ill for many years and died without healing ... and sent it to a cave". Although it looks inhuman, it is good not to spread it in that era of backward medical care. Ge Hong found that isolation of leprosy patients can prevent the disease from expanding, so he put forward the treatment measures of isolating leprosy patients to deep mountains.
Tao Fa Hui Yuan, compiled in Yuan and Ming Dynasties, records that Taoism was popular among the people in Song and Yuan Dynasties to prevent epidemics. "Whenever there is a disaster in the neighborhood, I am afraid that I don't know how to avoid infecting people. The seal of the book was ordered to stop ... pouring the border ... and the plague symbol was burned in the water tank of the kitchen and sink. " There are faeries in it, but the part of science is to isolate patients. Isolate the patient's home, mark the boundaries, prevent strangers from entering the home by mistake, and expand the infected area, while the patient consciously stays at home and does not wander around to spread the disease.
Ge hong
Third, there are pathogens in the transmission route, and the infected people can still be controlled. But once there is a route of transmission, the epidemic will certainly expand. For example, modern transportation is developed, and a large number of Wuhan people left before the city was closed, so the epidemic situation in Wuhan was instantly nationalized, and even cases were found in other parts of the world. Ancient Taoism has been aware of the spread of epidemics, so it has also taken measures.
The first is disinfection. Taoism is proficient in alchemy metaphysics and traditional Chinese medicine, and has a certain grasp of medical technology, so Taoism puts forward disinfection method. Although it is not a professional disinfectant, it also uses Chinese medicine with scientific basis. Such as realgar, which has antiviral and bactericidal properties, are made into antiviral agents and fumigated with their smoke. "Elbow First Aid Prescription" includes "Taiyi Liu Jinfang" ... burning in the atrium, and patients who are warm will burn it "and" tiger's head to kill ghosts "prescription ... burning a pill in the hospital at midnight on the first and fifteenth day of every month", which is to disinfect the residence and sprinkle anti-virus smoke.
taoist medicine
In addition to the residence, you should also properly arrange your own anti-virus residence. Ge Hong's Biography of Immortals records the ornaments of a Taoist priest, whose ornaments are "all kinds of medicines are active in the mouth, and there is a great epidemic in the world." If the medicine is available and painted on the door, the family will not get sick, and it will be fine if they get sick. " It can be seen that it is very effective to make drugs into auxiliary materials to kill germs and protect themselves by volatilizing their properties.
The third is to apply drugs to several important parts of the human body that Taoism thinks, such as the human body and the ear door. "Elbow Urgent Prescription" and "Prescription for Epidemic Febrile Diseases" ... It is good to apply powder on your body "; "Prepare a thousand gold prescriptions for emergency", "purging warm (explosive) qi, realgar and dispersing prescriptions ... to spread five hearts, forehead, nose, people and ears". These are considered to be epidemic prevention and plague prevention.
Fourth, pay attention to the surrounding environment. The disease is from the mouth, and the ancestors have long taught it. Especially in the epidemic period, special attention should be paid to environmental hygiene to prevent diseases in the process of breathing and eating. "Be prepared for a thousand dollars." "When I was young, I drank three dynasties medicinal liquor in Tu Su, and I put it back in the well ... There are wells inside and outside the house, and everyone knows the medicine, and it's warm." In terms of diet, Taoism has many taboos. For example, Ge Hongren believes that "cholera patients should drink more."
Food (on) ","prepare 1000 yuan "therefore advocates that" all six animals are infected with poison and cannot spit lightly "
Realgar wine is considered to be epidemic-proof.
The fifth is personal hygiene. In addition to daily bathing, when the epidemic is prevalent, ordinary bathing is not enough, and traditional Chinese medicine needs to be used for bathing. "Get ready for 1000 dollars." "Whenever there is an epidemic, just introduce the peach branches to the east and take a bath in soup." This is a medicated bath to prevent epidemics.
Four. Infected people This mainly involves the preventive measures for susceptible people before and when the epidemic occurs.
Strengthening physique and self-immunity is the key to disease prevention. There are countless ways to keep fit in Taoist classics. "Taiping Jing" says "Eat intangible things, save less for good ..... make people sick, get rid of it". Ge Hong's Bao Puzi said: "People who keep in good health should not only take medicine, but also keep moving qi ... In addition, he will use the skills in the room to save food ... so that he will not get sick." The combination of acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine with the Taoist theory of five elements is great wisdom for the ancients and a treasure of the world medical community. Acupuncture can also enhance the body's resistance. In Lingshu, "acupuncture can be used in advance" means that acupuncture can dredge meridians, enhance physical fitness and prevent epidemics.
Acupuncture silver needle
Of course, you have to take medicine if you are sick, and you have to take preventive medicine if you are not sick. This is also the key. "Su Wen" contains "Xiao Jin Fontaine" ... (Take it) without any epidemic "; "Elbow Emergency Prescription" "Another prescription (here, the drug strategy) can be taken first for the benefit of the family, so it is easy to avoid catching the plague." Taking this medicine can prevent people from catching the plague.
Wen said that Taoism introduced traditional Chinese medicine, which made it possible to treat epidemics. Although Taoism can also draw symbols to drive away evil spirits and drink water, it cannot be generalized and said that they are feudal superstitions. Sometimes, this kind of painting symbol exorcises evil spirits, which is a means to appease people's hearts in the face of plague and fear of the poor. When the plague rages, the emperor will come to the stage to worship the heavens, and ask Buddhists to recite scriptures and pray for blessings, and commit crimes by himself! Many methods of Taoism in ancient plague prevention and epidemic prevention are scientific and worth learning today, and we have to admire the wisdom of the ancients.