History and Development of TCM Case Report in a Real-World Setting

Table 3

Summary of main characteristics of TCM academic schools in Jin and Yuan dynasties.

Academic schools	Representative books	Author	Time	Main theory	Similarities	Differences
He-Jian school (fire-heat school)	Plain Questions on Concept of Original Disease Type	Liu Wan-su	1110 AD–1200 AD	According to the “five evolution phases and six climatic factors” principle, he advocated the theory that six climatic factors can transform fire.	The theory was referred to the classical Chinese medical work of Huangdi’s internal classic.	1. He used the “nineteen articles of pathogenesis” of plain questions as the theoretical basis, systematically classified diseases according to the five evolution phases and six climatic factors (five Yun and six Qi).; 2. He also proposed the principles of cooling the exterior of the body and dipping heat to nourish yin as the treatment of heat-related diseases, which laid the foundation for the formation of the later warming diseases school.
Eliminating pathogenic factor school	Confucians’ Duties to parents	Zhang Cong-zheng	1156 AD–1228 AD	He emphasized the academic idea of “disease is born from pathogenic factors.”	He was a follower of Liu Wansu, who also influenced the warming diseases school.	He developed the method of eliminating pathogenic factors by sweating, vomiting, and coming down methods.
Tonifying spleen school	Treatise of Spleen and Stomach	Li Dongyuan	1180 AD–1251 AD	He believed that the internal injury to the spleen and stomach or inadequate spleen and stomach can lead to all kinds of diseases.	His theory was based on the theory of Huangdi’s internal classic	He thought that the four seasons are all based on nourishing stomach qi, so his treatment emphasized on regulating the spleen and stomach and raising the middle qi, and he made new formulas such as Buzhong Yiqi decoction.
Nourishing yin school	Danxi’s Mastery of Medicine	ZhuDan-xi	1281 AD–1358 AD	He created the theory that “Yang is always in excess and Yin is always in deficiency,” advocating the nourishment of Yin.	He was the third-generation disciple (direct student) of Liu Wansu and had studied the doctrines of the above three schools.	1. He advocated the doctrine of “nourishing yin” with Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity as the core, and created the famous formula, Yue Ju Pill (Yue Ju Wan).; 2. Danxi’s Mastery of Medicine was compiled by his disciples and focuses on miscellaneous internal diseases and the Danxi doctrine, discussing in detail the disease name, cause, syndrome, identification, symptoms, and treatment prescriptions.; 3. The nourishing Yin school had an important influence on the formation and development of the later Xin’an school of medicine.