Fu Qingzhu’s Guide to Men’s Health in Plain Language

Fu Shan, courtesy name Qingzhu, was a remarkable figure of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Renowned for his resistance to the Qing and his mastery of poetry, calligraphy, and painting, he was also a physician who devoted himself to helping others. Fu Qingzhu’s Gynecology and Men’s Health represents the essence of his medical knowledge.

The book focuses on common ailments such as kidney deficiency, nocturnal emissions, and hernias. It distills clinical experience into plain explanations, analyzing causes while offering simple, effective prescriptions, and embodying his practical principle of “preferring the plain to the clever.” Fu Qingzhu wove Confucian and Daoist thought into his medical theories, maintaining that “treating illness begins with treating the heart.” He emphasized the fundamental influence of emotions and habits on health and opposed the indiscriminate use of harsh medicines. Every line reflects his reverence for life.

Presented here in modern language, this translation removes the barriers of classical Chinese while preserving the medical essence. It offers this wisdom from three centuries ago as a reference for contemporary physicians and readers seeking to maintain their health, revealing in plain terms the truth that “healing the body also means healing the heart.”