TCM Bone-setting Therapy
01 · Historical Records
The Xintai Meng's bone-setting therapy was founded in the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty by Meng Yanwen, the sixty-fifth-generation inheritor of the Meng family, and has a history of more than 200 years to this day; through the painstaking exploration and practice of several generations of the Meng family, what had originally been a therapy simply for setting broken shins and arms was developed into a comprehensive orthopedic medicine.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The therapy is centered on Gaomeng Village, Xizhangzhuang Town, Xintai, radiating out to the surrounding areas, and has influence both nationally and overseas. The Xintai Meng's bone-setting therapy mainly treats fractures, dislocations, and other locomotor diseases; its therapy is distinctive, using self-made willow-wood splints, cloth-band and fish-glue limb appliances, and wooden limb appliances, and self-made medicaments, with rigorous selection of authentic medicinal materials, emphasizing the combination and mutual complementarity of movement and stillness, with good results. Meng's bone setting follows three principles, namely holistic pattern differentiation, equal attention to sinews and bones, and combined internal and external treatment. The principle of holistic pattern differentiation holds that the human body is an organic whole: in the treatment of bone and sinew injuries, a pull of one hair moves the whole body, so one must distinguish what is primary from what is secondary and what is urgent from what is slow, and then diagnose and treat from the standpoint of pattern differentiation. The principle of equal attention to sinews and bones holds that sinews and bones within the human body are interdependent and serve each other, so in treating injuries one must attend to both; even for a pure sinew or bone injury, from the very start of treatment attention must be paid to bringing into play the supportive role of bone and the moving role of sinews, so as to accelerate wound healing and achieve twice the result with half the effort. The principle of combined internal and external treatment holds that the root must be treated along with the branch, achieving coordinated internal and external medication. Meng's bone setting has three kinds of manipulation, namely diagnostic, reduction, and sinew-loosening manipulations. Using his hand, the physician makes a correct judgment of the condition through touching, palpating, and probing. The therapy is born in the heart and enacted by the hand, and, combined with the principles of mechanics, is dexterous and changeable, bringing about complete reduction of fractures. The fixation methods of bone setting include small willow-wood splint fixation, elastic fixation, adhesive-tape fixation, integral fixation, traction fixation, appliance fixation, pad fixation, and cloth-band and fish-glue fixation. In addition, in accordance with the natures, flavors, and channel tropism of the medicaments and many years of clinical experience, Meng's bone setting has continually improved its formulas; its prescriptions are based on TCM theory and guided by the holistic concept and pattern-based treatment, embodying the application of the major methods of "breaking, harmonizing, and tonifying" and the rational combination of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier medicinals.
Reduction and repeated correction
Touching, palpating and probing form the diagnostic base, deciding how much callus and soft-tissue tension the injury carries.
Willow splint fixation
Willow splints, pressure pads, adhesive, traction and fish-bladder straps are combined according to the site of fracture.
Break, harmonise and tonify
Formulas move from breaking stasis to harmonising and then tonifying, each stage with its own hierarchy of ingredients.
Sinew-loosening manipulation
After reduction the sinew channels are freed so that movement returns alongside the healing bone.
Sixty-fifth generation
Without operation, using self-made willow and fish-bladder apparatus, the method is trusted for being fast, cheap and effective.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Xintai Meng's bone-setting therapy is centered on Gaomeng Village, Xizhangzhuang Town, Xintai, radiating out to the surrounding areas, and has influence both nationally and overseas; the therapy was founded in the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty by Meng Yanwen, the sixty-fifth-generation inheritor of the Meng family, and has a history of more than 200 years, and through the painstaking exploration and practice of several generations of the Meng family, what had originally been a therapy simply for setting broken shins and arms was developed into a comprehensive orthopedic medicine. The material basis of this school lies largely in its locality: the willow-wood splints are taken from the forests of the Yimeng mountain area, and the fish glue from local aquatic products; the forms of the appliances are closely related to the local timber and fishery resources.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Meng's bone setting does not use surgical methods, reduces patients' pain and trauma, works quickly, and costs little; it is a bone-injury treatment trusted by ordinary people and has practical application value. The therapy has a long history and a clearly traceable lineage, and in addition it has a large number of wonderful folk legends and fine stories of physicians and patients, giving it historical and cultural value; its influence extends throughout the country and to neighboring countries.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Guo Weihuai 01-0212
- Sun Shuchun 01-0213
- Shi Qi 01-0214
- Liu Gang 03-1446
- Luo Jindian 03-1447
- Shi Yangshan 03-1448
- Guo Yanjin 03-1449
- Wu Chengmou 04-1945
- Zhang Yuzhu 04-1946
- Luo Sulan 05-2951
- Su Jicheng 05-2952
- Shi Yinyu 05-2953
- Zhang Yanyou 05-2954
- Guo Yanxing 05-2955
- Liao Huaizhang 05-2956
- Li Feiyue
- Zhan Hongsheng
- Lin Zishun
- Zhu Liguo
- Li Tao
- Zhang Yunzhi
- Guo Jiayi
- Zhu Huaiyu
- Xu Zesan
- Zhu Long
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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