Comparative Study on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Yin Deficiency Between Wenbu School and Danxi School in the Ming Dynasty

SONG Jia

Abstract：Wenbu School in the Ming dynasty aimed to correct the biases of the Danxi School.It inherited the Danxi School's work and continued to delve deeply into the nature,diagnosis,and treatment of"Yin deficiency",and in essence,it did not oppose nourishing Yin.This paper provides a detailed comparison of the understanding and management of"Yin deficiency"between the two schools,covering the disease mechanisms,conceptual connotations,and treatment principles and methods.On one aspect is the differentiation and treatment of Yin-blood deficiency.Beyond the Danxi School's approach of nourishing blood and reducing fire using Siwu Tang plus Huangbai(Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex),the Wenbu School considered that spleen deficiency leading to blood deficiency was also common,advocating the use of formulas such as Sijunzi Tang,Bazhen Tang,Guipi Tang,and Buzhong Yiqi Tang to fortify the spleen and nourish blood.On the other aspect is the differentiation and treatment of Yin essence deficiency.The Wenbu School focused on exploring the"Yin essence"stored in the kidney,developed the Life Gate theory,proposed that the essence stored by the kidney harbors both water and fire within it,and that Yin deficiency has two forms.It established the fundamental medicinal approach of using Liuwei Wan and Bawei Wan to supplement deficiencies of water and fire in the kidney and life gate.Comparing the Yin-nourishing treatment methods of both schools reveals that the Wenbu School was,in fact,an inheritor and further developer of the Danxi School.