Foreword

Traditional Chinese medicine, also known as TCM, is a practical science. Academic schools of TCM are an important part of this science. The essences of TCM are being continued, promoted and developed based on academic schools by families, through oral transmission from master to student. There are also some secret clinical experiences that are only kept and passed down through family lineage. The continuation of an academic school demands distinguished academic thoughts, significant clinical effects, high ethical reputation and people's trust.

Zhejiang Chen Mushan's Gynecology is a famous academic school of TCM with a long history. Over hundreds of years of practice, the school has accumulated an abundance of clinical experience handed down for 25 generations. Moreover, the school keeps seeking for new development and breakthroughs: it has endowed the Chinese medicine school with profound connotation, and also provided a strong confidence and motivation for the younger successive generations to reach new achievements in their respective fields. Driven by a sense of historical mission and responsibility, this book was written with the help of our team to share the precious experience, the unique Chinese culture and the ancient wisdom with our respectful readers.

Living in late Tang Dynasty, Dr. Chen Shiliang (陈仕良) was the earliest ancestor of aristocratic Chen family of Chinese medicine. He was famous for his wonderful medical skills and exceptional experience. Chen's family continued their clinical practice throughout the years;a few generations later, Dr. Chen Yi (陈沂) became one of the predominant successors of Dr. Chen Shiliang, and the founder of Chen Mushan's Gynecology.

In 1127, Dr. Chen Yi once made a great achievement on the treatment of Lady Wu, imperial concubine of the emperor Gaozhong of the Song Dynasty. As a reward, the emperor granted Dr. Chen Yi an imperial wooden fan and appointed him as the director in charge of all the imperial physicians. At the same time, Dr. Chen Yi was promoted the royal medical officer, in charge of educational medical affairs of the Imperial Academy (翰林院). Due to the imperial wooden fan (“mu shan” in Chinese) awarded by the emperor, Chen's Gynecology began to be known as“Chen Mushan's Gynecology” from that day on. The skills were passed on from generation to generation. The fan was engraved later on as a reminder of the Song Dynasty emperor's kindness and recognition of Chen's Gynecology.

According to the records in local chronicles and ancient books, Chen Mushan's Gynecology was gradually divided into several branches, such as Qiantang, Shimen, Haining and Tongxiang. Due to its long inheritance, wide distribution and great influence, it has a good reputation in the history of Chinese gynecology and the history of local medicine.

The 23rd generation successor, Dr. Chen Shaowu (陈韶舞), specialized in internal medicine and gynecology. He enjoyed a great reputation for his valuable exceptional experience, and was also a faithful and trustable doctor for local people. Dr. Chen Shaowu believed that a solid background of internal medicine was the foundation for gynecology. He treated many difficult and complicated diseases and attracted countless patients including celebrities as far as from Shanghai and Hangzhou. Dr. Chen Shaowu taught his son Dr. Chen Dakun (陈大堃)and then Dr. Chen Dakun taught his son Dr. Chen Xuexi (陈学熹) and Dr. Chen Xueqi (陈学奇). Ultimately both of them adhere to the family tradition. After graduating from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Dr. Chen Xueqi also learned from Dr. Li Xueming (李学铭), a national-leveled senior physician of TCM, and Dr. Chen Huilin (陈惠林), the successor of Chen Mushan's Gynecology of Shanghai School. Doctors of Chen's family do not just limit their skills to one school, but learn skills and experience widely from other schools.

In 2012, Zhejiang Chen Mushan's Gynecology was honorably listed as one of the first group of 64 national schools inheritance work studios in China.

In order to carry forward the academic thoughts of Chen Mushan's Gynecology and promote today's TCM culture, we have carefully edited our modern inheritors’ valuable medical records and medical experience for this book based on our own clinical practice and understanding. We also include some secret ancient formulas that took our ancestors countless efforts.

The book summarizes the school's academic thoughts, classifies by disease name and explains their understanding of diseases and the characteristics of prescription and philosophy of herbal medicine selection from the aspects of etiology, pathogenesis, syndrome differentiation, treatment principles, methods, formulas and medicinals. It also comments on each typical case about the beneficial therapeutic effects.

The book has highlighted the unique clinical experience of the school. Especially in Chapter 2, the book for the first time pointed out the ideas of “regulating menstruation must focus on regulating qi and blood, yin and yang, and balance between zang-fu organs”, “harmonizing moderately is better than eliminating extremely”, “consolidating congenital root and acquired root simultaneously in treating female diseases”. All the ideas are practical and effective and have achieved excellent effects in clinical practice.

Chapter 2 also focuses on the idea of “clearing heat and cooling blood to calm the fetus for the prevention of miscarriage”. It is widely used in treating recurrent miscarriage, threatened miscarriage and clinical research. This part of the book also shares Dr. Chen Xueqi's clinical experience and application of such problems as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovary failure, chronic pelvic inflammation, and menopausal syndrome. All the effective results have consolidated the wisdom and efforts of previous inheritors and predecessors of each generation. We would be very delighted and grateful if this book is to be welcomed by Chinese medicine practitioners and amateurs.

In the edition of this book, we would like to express our great appreciation to Dr. Chen Dazhong (陈大中) for providing Dr. Chen Shaowu's clinical cases, and to Mrs. Chen Xiaoqin (陈晓琴) and Ms. Cao Xuejin (曹雪金) for their translation.

The aim of the school inheritance is to carry forward and promote our ancestor's precious experience. We wish this bright star would be ever splendid and brilliant. We hope that all the efforts of our team will become a force to promote China's precious medical heritage and bring it into fullest and best play in reality. It is our great pleasure to share the essence of the school with all TCM peers. We wish that it would benefit people all over the world.

Dr. Chen Xueqi　Dr. Ge Beifen

Inheritance Studio of Zhejiang Chen Mushan's Gynecology School

March 20, 2020