Chapter 20 Bone Setting
Wang Deming held the handlebar with one hand and lifted the bicycle out of the yard with the other.

Holding the handlebars with both hands, he pushed the bicycle in two jog steps to start it. Using the inertia of the bicycle, he stepped on the pedal with his left foot, lifted his body into the air, and raised his right leg to step onto the bicycle from behind the seat. As his buttocks just touched the seat, he put his right foot on the pedal and pressed hard, and with his right hand he rang the bell, and the bicycle was on the road in an instant.

The whole action of getting on the car was so vigorous and graceful, attracting the attention of many pedestrians on the road.

(This is called a live bike. Bicycles before the 90s were very heavy due to their materials and weight. Unlike today's bicycles, you can just get on the bike and pedal it away.)
Wang Deming did not go directly to the "Ha Yumin Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic" in Bamiancao (now Wangfujing Street, between Dengshikou Hutong and Jinyu Hutong) - the location of the Chinese Medicine Association at that time, but first went to "Yueshengzhai" on the west side of Qianmen Street, right next to the Wupailou, and bought two kilograms of braised beef.

He hung the braised beef on the handlebars, got on the Phoenix-head bike, and rode at lightning speed all the way to the "Ha Yumin Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic". The rate of people turning their heads to look at him along the way was off the charts, not only because of the cool Phoenix-head bike, but also because of the 2 kilograms of braised beef on the handlebars.

Especially the aroma of the soy sauce beef was spreading all the way. I don’t know how many people looked at Wang Deming’s back, swallowing their saliva and cursing in their hearts!
"Ha Yumin Clinic" is very eye-catching, with a seven-bay facade and a mahogany plaque with the three characters "Ha Yumin" inscribed on it. It was written by Wang Huichun, one of the four famous doctors in Beijing, and is hung high under the eaves.

On the pillars on both sides is a couplet: While his illness is being cured, your own is being cured, and the breeze is gentle and pleasant; all patients are treated as family members, and the air is full of spring.

It was written by Shi Jinmo, one of the four famous doctors in Beijing.

The two doors in the middle below the plaque were open, and there was a long table on the side of the door with paper and pen on it. An apprentice in a long gown was sitting behind it, probably registering patients.

Wang Deming parked his bicycle within the apprentice's sight at the door, locked it with an iron chain, took off the marinated mutton, walked up to him and asked the apprentice very politely: "Excuse me, has Doctor Xia Xiwu arrived yet?"

The apprentice looked Wang Deming up and down. He didn't look like a doctor. He was very young, and he was holding a bowl of braised beef in soy sauce. It was obvious that he wanted to use his connections to apply to join the Chinese Medicine Association.

There are so many people coming here recently. Many of them have read a few medical books and want to join the Chinese Medicine Association. In fact, they want to get some experience so that they can get a medical license; or maybe they came here to study because they heard about the training courses being offered here?

Alas, it has seriously affected the clinic's visits.
The apprentice complained in his heart, and loosened his hand that had been holding the brush. He lowered his head and said, "Doctor Xia has arrived and is communicating with the master about the follow-up development of the Orthopedic Committee."

"Just walk in through the door and turn right."

"Good work."

Wang Deming bowed, stepped over the high threshold and entered the clinic.

The first floor of "Ha Yumin Clinic" is very large, covering an area of ​​more than 100 square meters. You can vaguely see the imprint of the medicine cabinet on the ground and the following medicines pasted on the wall at intervals: ointments, powders, patches, oils, and wine. It seems that the first floor was previously used to prepare and pick up medicines for patients.

Nowadays, many rooms are separated by "Bisha cabinets (a partition composed of several partitions, the lower part is a plain or carved wooden board (skirt board), the upper part is a window lattice, with silk in the middle, and the silk can be painted or drawn)".

Written on the silk were: Secretariat, Organization Group, Social Service Group, Welfare Group; Academic Group, Traditional Chinese Medicine Group; Prevention Committee; Acupuncture Committee; Orthopedic Committee.

Walking to the innermost part, I heard several people talking in the room. One of them had an older voice: "My bone-setting skill is different from those who practice martial arts and those who do barbering. It was passed down from the official palace's Shangsiyuan Chuoban."

"Brother Yumin, if you let me give a brief introduction to the students in the research class, that's fine, but I won't pass on this skill."

At this time, another middle-aged man's voice sounded: "Brother Xiwu, you are right. I didn't ask you to teach me everything I know, but I hope you can take care of some basic bone-setting techniques and massage techniques, Mr. Xia."

"Oh, that's no problem."

"Besides, you only have your son-in-law as your apprentice now. Would you like to pick a few more good ones from the research class?"

"This"

Taking advantage of the conversation in the room, Wang Deming knocked on the wooden board. "Dong Dong," "Come in!"

There were three people in the room, an old man and a middle-aged man sitting opposite each other across a square table; a young man a few years older than them stood behind the old man.

Instantly, Wang Deming recognized that the older one was Doctor Xia Xiwu, and he quickly took two steps forward, raised the "Yueshengzhai" marinated mutton to his chest, put his legs together and bowed slightly, "Doctor Xia, I am Wang Deming, I have long heard of your great name!"

"I would like to ask you to help me make an introduction!"

The room was quiet for a few seconds. Xia Xiwu stroked his beard and looked Wang Deming up and down. The young man was tall and slender, with starry eyebrows and bright eyes, and he looked very heroic. He felt favorable towards him at the first sight.

"Relax, you are not a stranger. I heard from Fourth Master Rong that your father-in-law's surname is also Chang? Then we are destined to meet. I am also from the Zhenglan Banner, so we are relatives if we really think about it. I heard that you have studied medical books on your own before? Which ones have you read?" Xia Xiwu picked up the teacup and took a sip nonchalantly.

Wang Deming was calm and answered in a clear voice, "I have read many medical books, including Huangdi Neijing, Shennong Bencaojing, Shanghan Lun, Yizong Jinjian, Pinhu Mai Jue, and recently I am reading Rongchuan's Xuezheng Lun."

"Oh?" Xia Xiwu's hand, which was stroking his beard, paused inadvertently. Even Dr. Ha Yumin next to him couldn't help but look at Wang Deming in surprise.

"How much did you get?"

"It is well-known in the surrounding villages, and there is a constant flow of people coming to see the doctor."

Glancing at Ha Yumin, Xia Xiwu suddenly had an idea in his mind. He coughed lightly and said, "Dinghuan, take the tuition from your junior brother!" He immediately established the master-disciple relationship.

Ha Yumin has been persuading him to pass on the art of palace bone setting to more people. He already had one apprentice and son-in-law before, and if he accepts another apprentice now, he will have nothing to say in the future, right?

The young man standing behind Xia Xiwu stepped forward, took the braised mutton from Wang Deming's hand, and stood back behind Xia Xiwu.

Wang Deming was a little puzzled. Did Old Man Chang ask him to become Dr. Xia's disciple? Why didn't he tell him before? But he just blinked his eyes and didn't show it on his face. It was fine to become a disciple. He would have a backer in the Chinese Medicine Association.

"Hey! Mr. Xia, just now I heard this young man - Wang Deming said that he wanted to be introduced by you, not to become your disciple, right?" Ha Yumin's eyes moved between Wang Deming and Xia Xiwu for a few circles, and suddenly questioned: "This is Ha Yumin's clinic."

Then he sat up straight and introduced himself: "Wang Deming, I'm Ha Yumin, vice president of the Chinese Medicine Association. People call me one of the four major Chinese medicine surgeons in Beijing."

"I just happen to be in need of a personal disciple!"

"Wang Deming, what do you think?"

"Ah?" Wang Deming blinked and felt a little dizzy. What was going on today?
"I wish."

"Am I not one of the four major surgeons of traditional Chinese medicine?" Xia Xiwu interrupted Wang Deming directly, "Besides, I just established the relationship between master and apprentice."

"Besides, Brother Yumin, you are busy running a traditional Chinese medicine training school now, so how can you have time to teach apprentices?"

"This..." Ha Yumin frowned and asked Wang Deming, "Have you studied Western preventive medicine?" Wang Deming felt a little strange and answered honestly, "Doctor Ha, if you mean preventive medicine, it includes bacteriology, microbiology, epidemiology, nutrition and hygiene, etc. I have studied it before."

"In addition to promoting medical prevention and immunization in the countryside, I also gave villagers BCG vaccines, including smallpox, diphtheria, whooping cough, etc."

Ha Yumin looked at Wang Deming and was extremely satisfied!
But what Xia Xiwu said was indeed true. He was busy with the work of the Chinese Medicine Association and was also the principal of the newly opened Chinese Medicine Continuing Education School. He really didn't have much time to teach him.

But, I can’t miss such a good opportunity!
Ha Yumin laughed out loud twice and praised: "Great!"

"Very good, I can actively learn Western medicine knowledge, not limited to our traditional Chinese medicine."

"Our Chinese Medicine Association has just opened a new 'Chinese Medicine Continuing Education School' in Xiaoshun Hutong, opposite Tongren Hospital. Classes will officially start on October 10 after National Day."

"Wang Deming, please be careful not to be late or absent."

Wang Deming saw that Xia Xiwu was not ready to speak, so he nodded and agreed: "Oh, OK!"

Ha Yumin then bowed to Xia Xiwu and said, "Brother Xiwu, congratulations on having such a good disciple!"

"Haha, congratulations, we are all the four great doctors of traditional Chinese medicine and surgery, there is no difference between us!"

"I also want to congratulate you on having such a good student!"

"Come here, Deming, let me introduce you." Xia Xiwu pointed at the young man behind him, "This is your senior brother, Wu Dinghuan, who is also my son-in-law. He just officially became my disciple last year."

Wang Deming immediately clasped his hands and said, "Senior Brother, this is my fellow disciple Wang Deming."

Wu Dinghuan bowed in return: "Junior brother, Senior Brother Wu Dinghuan."

At this time, Ha Yumin sighed slightly and complained to Xia Xiwu: "My comrades in the association trust me and nominated me as the vice chairman of the Beijing Chinese Medicine Association, and also appointed me as the president of the "Chinese Medicine Continuing Education School."

"I really can't help but worry about it and have sleepless nights."

"Oh, I know, we all know!"

Xia Xiwu sighed, "During the Republic of China, those intellectuals and skinheads kept clamoring to 'abolish traditional Chinese medicine.'"

"This is a proven medical skill that has been passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years!"

"As a result, in modern times, only Western medicine is scientific, and our traditional Chinese medicine is corrupt and unscientific."

"Thanks to New China!"

"Thanks to Chairman Mao!"

Ha Yumin nodded in agreement.

Wang Deming consciously stood behind Xia Xiwu, and together with his senior brother Wu Dinghuan, they listened to Xia Xiwu and Ha Yumin chatting.

Soon, outside the room, voices of greetings were heard one after another: "Chairman Zhao Shuping!"

"Brother Xiwu, Brother Daoji, Brother Longxiang, Brother Demao."

"Chairman Zhao, what is the topic of our association's discussion today?"

"How is the Taiyang Bladder Meridian?"

"Oh, that's right. The Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian governs the body's exterior. If an external pathogen invades this meridian, it will cause aversion to cold, fever, nasal congestion, and nosebleeds."

"The bladder transforms qi, guides the kidney yang and transforms qi, causing dribbling urine, incontinence, and short, red urine."

Hearing the discussion in the hall, Xia Xiwu, Ha Yumin and others also walked out of the room, listened to the discussion, and occasionally joined in: "Sour ginseng is good for short red."

"It is cold in nature, clears away heat and dries dampness, is diuretic and responsive to the heart."

"Dongkui seeds can also be used to relieve urination."

"Ephedra, diaphoresis, relieving exterior symptoms, clearing lungs and relieving cough, promoting diuresis and reducing swelling"

"The thin Qi is cinnamon twig, which can induce sweating and relieve muscle pain, warm and dredge the meridians, help yang and transform Qi, and balance and descend Qi."

Wang Deming benefited a lot from just listening to the doctors' discussions. The discussion on the foot-sun bladder meridian solved many of his doubts. "For patients with sun disease, headache, fever, body pain, back pain, joint pain, no sweat and wheezing, Mahuang Decoction is the main treatment," said in Treatise on Febrile Diseases - Differentiation of Sun Disease Pulse and Symptoms and Treatment.

"In case of Taiyang disease, the pulse is floating and tight, there is no sweat, fever, body pain, and the symptoms are still there. In this case, sweating should be induced, and Mahuang Decoction is the main treatment."

The Ma Huang Decoction in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" contains only four herbs: ephedra, cinnamon twig, apricot kernel, and licorice.

After the discussion, Xia Xiwu personally took Wang Deming to the secretariat, registered Wang Deming with the Chinese Medicine Association, and began to teach him directly: "When we perform orthopedic surgery, we must be 'kind-hearted and prudent.'"

"Be kind and have good medical ethics. Take it as your responsibility to cure diseases and save lives, and don't be greedy for fame and fortune."

"The technique is ruthless. When applying the bone-setting method, your will and actions must be decisive, steady, accurate, fast, and slow. You must not hesitate and cause greater pain to the patient."

"Okay, Deming, go home and prepare yourself in the next few days. After National Day, you will go to the "Chinese Medicine Continuing Education School" in Xiaoshun Hutong every morning to study, and come to Baoyu Hutong in the afternoon to see patients with me. You must know that what you learn from books is shallow, and you must practice it yourself to truly understand it."

"Okay, Master."

Wang Deming agreed, but in his heart he was thinking, how can I go to school again?
(End of this chapter)