[Han Dong-ha’s Herbal Anecdotes] The Doctor Who Couldn’t Stop Making House Calls Even After Death

[Financial News]Boncho Yeodam is a collection of writings by Korean medicine practitioner Han Dong-ha, presented in an entertaining narrative format based on various clinical cases and interesting, useful records found in Korean medical texts.


In the late Ming Dynasty, a renowned physician named Bi Xinchen lived in Xincheng, Shandong.
Pil Sin-sin did not intend to become a physician from the beginning. In his youth, he enjoyed reading and set his mind on scholarship, but his family was too poor. He could not even afford to provide a small gift for his teacher. Eventually, he gave up his studies and entered the path of medicine.
He studied medicine under Liu Nanchuan, a renowned physician of the time. As his innate talent was combined with tireless effort, his skills became widely known before long. Eventually, he even received the official title of Limok at the Imperial Medical Office, the royal medical institution.
He was particularly well-versed in Shanghan (external pathogenic diseases) and Dujin (smallpox and rash-causing diseases). By checking a patient's pulse and assessing their condition, he could almost always accurately predict whether they would live or die. Furthermore, he prescribed medicine after thoroughly considering the patient's region of residence, the strength or weakness of their constitution, and even seasonal climate changes. Consequently, there were many cases where he cured illnesses with just one or two doses. A magistrate in Qingcheng had been unable to eat for several days due to severe abdominal swelling, but he was cured of his illness with a single spoonful of medicine given to him by Pil Sin-sin.
However, Pil Sin-sin was respected by the people not solely because of his exceptional medical skills. At dawn, carts and horses carrying patients lined up in front of his house. There were high-ranking officials as well as poor commoners living hand-to-mouth. Yet, Pil Sin-sin treated everyone in the order they arrived. He did not prioritize those of high rank, nor did he delay treatment for the poor. Sometimes, he would hang medicine at the door for those in need to take, and he did not even charge for it.
Those who highly valued his medical skills and character treated Pilsinshin with great hospitality. Even Taebok Wang Hyeong, who was known for his strict nature, personally prepared food to serve him when he visited.
One day, when Pilsinshin returned from a distant house call, the entire household was a sea of ​​tears. His elderly father had suddenly fallen critically ill. The family gathered around his bedside, weeping. Seeing him as if he could breathe his last at any moment, everyone was preparing for the end.
Pil Sin-sin hurriedly sat beside his father and took his pulse. However, to his surprise, he spoke calmly. "Do not worry. Father will survive." The family members looked at each other. It was simply unbelievable that he was telling them not to worry when it seemed as though he were about to pass away at any moment.
Pilsinshin immediately prepared and served the medicine. Then, something astonishing happened to the father after he took a dose. He suddenly vomited up several measures of blood. The family screamed in shock. They thought that far from curing the illness, it was actually hastening his death. However, the father, having lost so much blood, actually regained his senses and was cured as if by magic.
Then, what did Pilsinshin notice in his father's pulse that made him say he could save him with such confidence?
In the classic text of Korean medicine, the *Shanghanlun*, there is a passage stating that even if heat accumulates in the lower abdomen and a person acts as if they are going mad, they will recover if blood comes out naturally. This describes a condition called *Chukhyeol* (blood accumulation syndrome), where heat and blood become entangled and clumped together, and medicines that expel blood stasis are sometimes used for such conditions.
The representative medicinal herb is rhubarb. Rhubarb has a bitter taste and a cold nature, and its strong effect in expelling stagnant blood and heat has earned it the nickname "General." The phrase "pushing out the old to bring in the new" also describes the efficacy of rhubarb.
Of course, there is no record of what medicine Pil Sin-sin actually used. However, given his expertise in treating typhoid fever, if he diagnosed his father's illness as blood stagnation, it is highly likely that he used a prescription containing rhubarb. To the family, the spilled blood may have appeared as a sign of death, but to Pil Sin-sin, it was a sign that the illness was being cured.
Pil Sin-sin lost his life in 1642 during a national crisis when the Qing army captured the fortress of his hometown. He was forty-eight years old.
Even after Pilsinshin passed away, strange things happened whenever his son, wife, or daughter fell ill. It is said that whenever his children suffered from dysentery, malaria, boils, or smallpox, Pilsinshin would appear in their dreams and hand them medicine. "If you take this medicine, you will recover in a few days."
Amazingly, the family recovered from their illness on the day he told them. While alive, Pilsinshin cared for patients regardless of wealth or social status, and even after death, he worried about his family's illness and prepared medicine for them.
Pilsinshin did not stop making house calls even after death.
According to the *Xincheng County Gazetteer*: Bi Jinchen, courtesy name Zhiwu, was a fifth-generation descendant of the posthumously granted Vice Censor-in-Chief, and a grandson of Cheng Yuan, the Prefect of Zhengzhou. He studied under the renowned Liu Nanchuan, and over time, his fame spread far and wide. He was appointed a clerk in the Imperial Medical Academy. In treating illnesses, he differentiated between north and south, assessed strength and weakness, and observed the yin and yang climate of the four seasons. One or two doses were invariably effective. His most skilled practice was in treating smallpox, where he could immediately determine life or death upon examination; 100 times no action, 100% no death. Clearance, limited vehicle control gate, immediate control, non-priority of wealth, non-existence of wealth. Time-dependent medicine people, non-dependent family members. The king of the capital, the weight of the city, the weight of the body, the food of the body, the great value of the food. Qingcheng magistrate was sick with bloating and had not eaten for several days. Jinchen arrived and cured him with one dose. King of the King's University, Horse Department, University of Maengseong, Moto-disease Counter, Non-Jinchen did not take on any other post. One day he went far away, father's disease. Family life, human body and body language: "No fear." Just one dose, blood circulation, number of blood vessels, disease control. His technique is so miraculous. In the year of Renwu of Chongzhen, the city fell and he died, at the age of 48. Jinchen died, spiritual life and reality. Children's friends, women's cancer, family cancer, family cancer, family dream medicine, daily life disease, all as predicted, how strange! The story of Lee Hyeong-gyeong. According to the *Sinseonghyeonji*, the following is stated: Pil Sin-sin, whose courtesy name was Chi-o, was the fifth-generation descendant of Yi, who was posthumously appointed as Budo-eosa, and the great-grandson of Seong, who served as the governor of Gwakju. He was gentle and generous, possessing the demeanor of a gentleman of old. Although he enjoyed reading from a young age, his family was poor and he could not afford fine cloth, so he gave up and studied the art of treating fever. He studied under the renowned physician Liu Nanqian, and after a long time, his fame spread far and wide. He was appointed as the Imperial Medical Officer (Taeyiwonim) and granted an official robe. When examining illnesses, he discerned the geographical environment, assessed the strength and weakness of the patient's constitution, and calculated the yin and yang climate according to the seasons; thus, there was no patient who did not recover completely after administering just one or two doses. His most exquisite fields were Shanghan and smallpox; when he diagnosed a patient and immediately determined life or death, he was never wrong in one out of a hundred cases, and countless people were saved completely. When he rose at dawn, carriages and horses filled his gates, but he always patients in order, neither seeing them first because of their wealth nor neglecting them because of their poverty. Every season He prepared medicine and distributed it to the people without demanding payment. Wang Hyeong, the Grand Minister of Ikdo, was extremely strict in nature, but upon Pil Sin-sin's arrival, he personally prepared food to serve him and treated him with the respect due to an honored guest. A certain magistrate of Cheongseong had treated contracted a boil and abstained from food for several days, but Pil Sin-sin went and cured him with a single spoonful of medicine. Wang Geon, the Grand Marshal from the town, was extremely virtuous; whenever he fell ill, he would invite him from thousands of miles away and would not entrust his care to anyone other than Pil Sin-sin. One day, while traveling far away, his father fell ill and was critically ill. The family members gathered around and wept, but Pil Sin-sin quickly examined his pulse and said, "There is no need to worry." taking just one dose, a few sips of blood flowed out, and the illness was completely cured. His medical skills were generally miraculous in this way. When the city fell during the Im-o year of the Chongzhen era, he sacrificed his life for the nation in times of crisis at the age of forty-eight. Although Pil Sin-sin died, it seemed as though his soul remained. His son Won-jae, wife, and daughter suffered from dysentery, He contracted malaria and suffered from smallpox or boils; however, whenever the Divine Spirit appeared in his dreams to administer medicine and tell him when he would recover, it always came true like an echo—how miraculous! Biography written by Jibu Yi Hong-ju.
/ Han Dong-ha, Director of Han Dong-ha Korean Medicine Clinic
 


[email protected] Jeong Myeong-jin, Medical Specialist Reporter