Ma Simin practiced medicine during the Northern and Southern dynasties (A.D. 420-589). Born in what is now Qinyang, Henan Province, China, he was a highly skilled physician renowned for his deep knowledge of medical texts and formulas. He collected and studied countless medical prescriptions and could recite classical works, including the Mingtang Acupuncture and Moxibustion Diagrams and the Compendium of Materia Medica, from memory. Yet his understanding of medicine extended far beyond simply following written records. The acupuncture points he selected often differed from those recorded in the Mingtang Diagram, reflecting his own observations and insights gained through experience. Most remarkably, historical accounts describe how doctor Ma Simin could recognize subtle signs in a patient’s condition, allowing him to foresee serious outcomes long before any illness occurred.
One day, Da Bao, the son of Minister Xing Shao, became seriously ill with typhoid fever. After examining his pulse, Ma Simin quietly left the room. He later told another minister, Yang Yin: “Da Bao will recover quickly from this illness without treatment, but his pulse reveals another condition. He will not live beyond a year. It is already too late to save him.” Soon afterward, Da Bao recovered from typhoid fever, and Ma Simin’s words seemed forgotten.
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