In a conversation, Ouyang Xiu told him two examples of treating diseases.
First of all, some people were frightened and sick in the wind. Finally, the doctor prescribed a prescription: take the rudder shaft soaked in the sweat of the old boatman for many years, scrape off the powder and mix it with cinnabar and Poria. Probably because the old boatman is experienced and not afraid of the wind.
Second, the principle is exactly the same. It is recorded in Notes on Materia Medica that to stop sweating, the old bamboo fan can be ground into powder and taken with Mahuanggen Festival. Probably because of the cool function of fans.
These two examples are consistent with the traditional doctor's understanding of the sentence "the doctor means the same thing", but Su Dongpo thinks it is not credible.
Therefore, he joked to Ouyang Xiu: According to this truth, burning pen and ink to ashes can cure the stupidity and laziness of scholars, drinking Boyi's foot-washing water can cure corruption, eating Bigan's leftovers can cure men, licking Fan Kuai's shield can cure cowardice, and smelling stone earrings can cure ugliness.
He doesn't believe in these obvious things, but he believes in another thing. In Dongpo Zhi Lin, he said: Men are born face down, while women are born face up. If a man and a woman drown and float in the water, their faces are the same.
This theory probably comes from the traditional philosophy that men belong to the sky, so they face down; And the woman belongs to Yin Kun, is the land, so face up, so that men and women can be harmonious. The Ming Dynasty's "Night Boat" said that in folklore, if you want to have a boy, you only need to put an axe under the bed of a pregnant woman with the blade facing down, which is probably the same principle. In traditional culture, it is often thought that there will be this kind of induction between heaven and earth.
Su Dongpo also has his own alchemy. He believes that it is not credible to rely on the function of external things to treat diseases, but it is feasible to rely on the essence of the human body to maintain health.
He recorded many methods of alchemy, among which Yang Dan is very representative. The specific refining method is:
From winter to the future, stick to sniffing every day, suck nasal fluid into your mouth, and then rinse your mouth repeatedly until it becomes sweet. Then prepare 30 porcelain containers, fill them with urine and cover them.
Open the container after 30 days, and there will be a layer of fine sand on it. These fine sand will be repeatedly filtered with water until there is no odor, sealed and stored, ground in summer solstice, and rubbed into pill jujube meat. Within three or five days, swallow these pills with wine on an empty stomach.
The key of Yang Liandan is to achieve complete abstinence in the process of urinating 30 porcelain.
Today, I'm afraid few people can safely swallow such pills. But we don't need to criticize Su Dongpo, because in his time, this method actually embodied traditional philosophy and science, as well as a sense of sacred ceremony. For example, the time chosen must be winter, because it is the most cloudy time of the year. After this day, the yang will naturally recover slowly. For another example, it uses the essence of the human body itself, which is also in line with the cognition that essence cannot be wasted. For another example, we must be absolutely abstinent in the process, and health care must always be linked to abstinence.
Su Dongpo traveled all his life, but wherever he went, he was willing to share his health care with friends and his medical experience with local people. Probably, there are some feelings of pride and self-satisfaction, probably, there are some real lovers' nature in it.