Modern Academic Thinking Fang Cao Yingfu

Cao Yingpu is a famous neoteric expert on classic prescriptions who devotes his whole life to research of and . He insists the importance of clinical practice and advances the concept of experiment on classic prescriptions, that is, validating effects of prescriptions through clinical application. He believes and to be basis of TCM syndrome differentiation and classic prescriptions to be source of all latter prescriptions. He advocates that TCM practice should master the soul of theory but never to pursue the miscellaneous issues. This research starts with a systematic introduction about his life, his works, source of his learning and his study attitude. We also discuss his academic thinking studies on and , his research on syndrome differentiation system and prescription application features of these two books, his personal understanding of prescriptions and herbs in and his contribution to medicine development and comments. He conducts systemic analysis, synthesis, rearrangement and study. Cao Yingpu becomes a famous doctor good at classic prescriptions mainly through his own efforts. Such experts as Zhang Yin' an, Huang Kunzai and Chen Xiuyuan influence him greatly on academic thoughts and theories. We can discern the source and interrelations of his learning from books by Zhang Zhicong and Huang Kunzai.In his practice, Cao Yingpu follows the spirit of Zhang Zhongjing who advocates precise and intensive study of syndrome differentiation with attitude of modesty and precision. He emphasizes application on both Chinese and western medicine instead of mere prate. From his address on the characteristic of six-meridian syndrome differentiation system, we can see that he believes this system is not only for acute pyretic diseases, but also for many other kinds of diseases. On the other hand, Cao also believes that syndrome differentiation for certain prescriptions can not violate the principles of six-meridian syndrome differentiation system.In the study of , Cao discovered that the book has a special style. This book paid much attention to clinical practice and comprehensive application of TCM and western medicine. It annotated and collated the text of by comparing the different chapters. All these make this book unique among other ones.In the address on creation of Qi (Qi Hua) in six meridians, we can see Cao emphasizes the guidance by the six-meridian theory. Also it indicates he believes this system is not only for acute pyretic diseases, but also for many other kinds of diseases. Even though Cao takes Zhang Zhicong and Huang Yuanyu as his tutors, he does not limit himself to the old theory as "Yun Qi" invented by Huang. When explaining Zhang' s application principle of herbs and the view of Huang which emphasize usage of herbs reinforcing Yang, Cao always exerts efforts to bring more contents into his address in order to do the explanations better. Especially when correcting some text and old prescription usage, he always takes clinical practice as the basis.