Characteristics of the Differentiation and Treatment of Lung-Related Syndromes and Diseases According to Zhang Jianzhai

This study introduces the characteristics of the differentiation and treatment of lung-related syndromes and diseases according to Zhang Jianzhai, a famous doctor in the Republic of China. Besides, we select three diseases including cough, asthma, and lung consumption as representatives and discuss them separately. Regarding cough, Zhang Jianzhai's common treatment methods include diffusing and rectifying the lung with acrid medicine, purifying the lung and directing counterflow downward, fortifying the spleen, and dissolving phlegm, as well as boosting qi to eliminate pathogens. As for asthma, doctors should first differentiate whether the syndromes are newly contracted or formerly contracted, deficient or excess, and then treat the diseases with main methods of diffusing and purifying the lung along with receiving and containing qi. For lung consumption, doctors should identify the differences and similarities between the disease body and the deficient root based on regulating and nourishing treatment, emphasize transmission and change relationships between viscera, and take into account the loss of qi, blood, yin, and yang. In conclusion, Zhang Jianzhai's treatment of lung-related diseases is based on a variety of therapeutic methods including boosting qi to eliminate pathogens, regulating and nourishing, purifying and rectifying the lung, applying acrid medicine to diffuse the lung, as well as nourishing yin and suppressing the excessive yang. In addition, his treatments are characterized by applying light medicines without hurting the healthy qi.