New study of Imperial Medical Record of Qing Dynasty
-- The first time in history to access to the secret record of Imperial Medical Practice in China.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has over 2000 years recorded practice in China. Each dynasty published vast documents to reserve clinical experiences. In the last Qing Dynasty Encyclopedia Library, there are over 1500 volumes of Medical books ever published in the history. And yet we rarely know how TCM had been practiced for the Imperial Medical Practice which represented the superior level of TCM. All records had been sealed inside the Forbidden City over hundreds years.
In 1980's after the long night of Cultural Revolution ended, academic study turns the focus on saving and disclosing the TCM. The National Museum of Forbidden City opened its gate to scholars and doctors, who were eager to discover the secret we long for.
There were 11 departments set up in the Qing Imperial Medical Hospital, with over hundreds doctors and staff working there for the imperial family. Every diagnosis and treatment had been recorded into the Imperial Diary, so that we could research how details the TCM worked there. Over ten years study by a group of TCM professors, the first book published to disclose the wellness secret of Emperor Guangxu and Queen Cixi in 19 century.
Emperor Guangxu suffered chronicle lung and liver disease with mental disorders. Imperial doctors had to take special care about his health for a long term. His symptoms include some common concerns in modern people e.g. lower back problem, stress, anxiety, joints stiffness, insomnia, headache, IBS, etc. Almost every specialist at that time had been involved to help his problems. Those efforts did helped him to stay at his position for 34 years and could also inspire us for the approach of wellness.
Queen Cixi was an actual power behind the last era of Qing Dynasty. She governed China about 50 years since 1861 till 1908. She concerned very much about her health and cosmetic rejuvenation.
Photography was introduced to Forbidden City then, thus she was the first imperial queen who left us her photos. Those photos we present here show her face at 70 years old. She was good at Chinese calligraphy art and here we have the Chinese character of "longevity" written by her.
Those photos actually could let us know how her health approach worked. As a lady handled too much power and conflicts in her life, she did need many herbal formulas to assist her work and life. She used to have facial paralysis, PMS, skin disorder and joints pains. She ordered quite a lot formulas for her cosmetic concern and that's the part get very popular in China as people wish her rejuvenation secrets could also help for them. Cixi herself seemed pretty confident about her image, as she invited the family members of Western diplomats living in Beijing to join her photos.
Since 2001, Dr. Wenrong Chen began his study on the published documents of Imperial Medical Records and applied to his TCM practice both in China and Europe. Clinical trials are very encouraging, those old formulas could fit modern health concerns with remarkable effects.
Formulas practiced in Imperial Medicine were selected with great care considering a perfect balance of both effect and safety. Each formula would be supervised by specialists and tested by staff before presented to the imperial family. During 8 years application worldwide, there has been no report of complains of any side effect.
Most ingredients in those formulas are yogi herbs included in the first Chinese Medical Herbal Pharmacopoeia ie. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, those herbs were approved with no toxin and work well to enhance wellness (read more details in our previous press release).
According to long term clinical experiences, we integrate the secret formulas into our Dr.Herbs line of 6 formulas to share the valuable knowledge of Imperial TCM practice. We keep the tea form to enhance more herbal power as the way originally applied in Forbidden City. Lot of efforts have been invested to promote ancient formulas fit modern people. It is the precise way to formulate specific herbs we learn from the imperial practice, rather than just copy those formulas. Professional herbalists understand the medicine should always follow the pace of the contemporary condition. Scientifically processed herbal granules make it easy to prepare the tea. In the past time, it took a long time to pick, clean and brew the herbal tea. We sure could enjoy a better upgrade today.
Summary:
1. Imperial Medicine of TCM was the superior level of Chinese Medicine;
2.Published documents and records disclosed the health care secret in ancient China;
3.Recent clinic practice using recorded imperial formulas to help modern people has been very successful;
4.We bring the proven clinical experience and imperial healthcare into Dr.Herbs.