Historical Features of Medical Theory in Classic of Difficulties

The Eastern Han Dynasty, also known as the Later Han Dynasty, which spanned from ad 25 to 220, holds significant importance in the development of science, technology, and culture in Chinese history. However, there are only a few surviving medical works from this period that have been passed down to the present day. Among them, the Classic of Difficulties (Nan Jing, 《难经》) can be regarded as a typical representative. Unfortunately, the existing literature on this book in the field of medical history is inadequate and limited. It is often dismissed as a work lacking innovation or containing a mixture of disadvantages and advantage, without recognizing the profound influence it had on the evolution of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory during the Eastern Han Dynasty’s cultural development. Consequently, not only is the significance of studying this book ignored, but also the changes in TCM theory from the Western Han Dynasty (202 bc-ad 8) to the Wei and Jin Dynasties (ad 220-420) and their close interrelation with the social and cultural context remain unclear. The following discussion aims to delve deeper into this aspect.