In the turbulent times of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, a gripping historical story has been told and praised countless times: why did Cao Cao, a generation of heroes, decide to kill Hua Tuo, who was highly skilled in medicine? This question has stirred up waves in the long river of history, and the truth revealed in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty is even more thought-provoking.
In the long history of China, Hua Tuo's name is like a beacon of medical skills, illuminating the hope of countless medical seekers. Hua Tuo, a native of Peiguo, was a famous doctor in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He spent almost his entire life traveling, studying and practicing medicine. His story began with a well-off family in Bozhou, Anhui Province.
At that time, medicine was not only a skill, but also a transmission of compassion and wisdom. Hua Tuo's interest in medicine was greatly appreciated by the elders in his family who not only provided him with the best educational resources, but also spared no effort to encourage and support him to study medicine further.
Growing up, Hua Tuo was not satisfied with the knowledge in books, he was eager to explore the mysteries of medicine more deeply. So, he embarked on a study tour, traveling all over the world, accumulating experience from every practice. The patients he met during his journey, whether rich or poor, Hua Tuo did not distinguish between high and low, and carried out the same treatment**.
This kind of healer's compassion and professionalism have earned him a great reputation everywhere. Especially in terms of prescribing the right medicine, Hua Tuo has shown extraordinary talent. In the context of relatively backward medical conditions at that time, it was difficult to obtain timely and effective treatment for many symptoms**.
However, Hua Tuo's judgment of symptoms is extremely keen, whether it is internal medication or external conditioning, he can accurately treat it. His medical skills not only affect the patient's body, but also their mind.
This kind of superb medical skills has made Hua Tuo enjoy a high reputation among the people. Not only ordinary people, but even high-ranking officials and nobles sought his healing. Under Hua Tuo's medical skills, many seemingly inexplicable diseases were **, which further deepened people's admiration for him.
However, Hua Tuo did not become complacent because of this, but devoted himself more humbly to medical research and practice. He believes that medicine is not only a skill, but also a manifestation of benevolence. Throughout his medical career, he continued to explore, practice and innovate, leaving a valuable medical legacy for future generations and becoming an eternal legend in the history of Chinese medicine.
In the Book of the Later Han Dynasty: The Biography of Hua Tuo, there is a detailed record about him, showing not only his achievements in medicine, but also his passion and dedication to medicine. Hua Tuo's medical skills are multifaceted, the most famous of which is his achievements in surgery. His invention of "hemp boiling" was an epoch-making invention at that time.
According to the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: The Biography of Hua Tuo", Hua Tuo used Ma Boiling Powder to perform complex surgical operations. The invention of this anesthetic was more than 1,600 years earlier than the use of the West, and had an immeasurable impact on the development of medicine in later generations. In addition to surgery, Hua Tuo has also made remarkable achievements in internal medicine. His understanding and use of Chinese medicine has reached a level of precision.
In the preparation of drugs, Hua Tuo pays great attention to the amount and proportion of drugs, and he can often rely on experience to accurately grasp the dosage of drugs without the help of weighing tools. His patients often get significantly better or heal after he leaves.
Hua Tuo's attainments in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion are also very profound. His understanding and practice of acupuncture and moxibustion demonstrates the principle of traditional Chinese medicine that "the void is supplemented, and the reality is laxative". Hua Tuo will flexibly use different acupuncture methods according to the different constitutions and symptoms of patients. His acupuncture techniques are fast and accurate, and patients often feel less pain under the needle.
However, Hua Tuo's success did not make him complacent. On the contrary, his quest for medicine seemed never-ending. His eclectic approach often combines a variety of methods that bring hope and hope to patients. At that time, Hua Tuo's medical skills were regarded as miraculous, and he ** many diseases that were considered incurable, so he enjoyed a high reputation among the people.
During his lifetime, Hua Tuo not only made brilliant achievements in medical skills, but also devoted himself to the dissemination of medical knowledge. He traveled all over the world, taught medical skills, cured diseases and saved people, and demonstrated the benevolence of a doctor countless times. Hua Tuo's medical skills and morality have left a valuable legacy for future generations.
Unfortunately, despite Hua Tuo's medical excellence, his life was not all smooth sailing. In the record of the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, the image of Hua Tuo is complex and rich. His life is full of legends, but it is also full of hardships and challenges. It is these experiences that have shaped the image of Hua Tuo, a respected doctor in history.
So why did such a miracle doctor offend Cao Cao and incur the disaster of death? Cao Cao was considered a shrewd, cunning, suspicious figure with great political wisdom. From the perspective of modern psychology, Cao Cao may have suffered from mild mental illness.
This speculation stems from certain behavioral traits, such as chronic mental stress and frequent headaches. These questions may be closely related to his constant political struggles and military campaigns. Cao Cao's political base was located in the Central Plains, where the population was large and the aristocracy was huge, which made him face great political and military challenges.
His political opponents, such as Liu Bei and Sun Quan, rose to prominence in a relatively simple geographical and political context. In contrast, Cao Cao had to deal with enemies from all sides, and he had to navigate the complex aristocratic forces, which was a great test for him, both mentally and physically.
As a result of long-term political and military pressure, Cao Cao suffered from severe headaches. According to historical records, Cao Cao suffered from a severe "head wind", which is known today as migraine. This illness accompanied him for the rest of his life and became a shadow that he could not get rid of. In the narrative of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Cao Cao's migraines became more severe after Guan Yu's death.
He was often haunted by nightmares, dreaming of Guan Yu's figure, which kept him awake at night and his headache became more and more intense. Half-asleep and half-awake, he seemed to see a man with a sword and accused him of slashing the god of the pear tree. When Cao Cao woke up, he felt a splitting headache and was in agony. Since then, he has been looking for medical treatment, but his condition has never been relieved.
In the process, Cao Cao heard about Hua Tuo's name. Hua Tuo was known for his superb medical skills, and Cao Cao ordered someone to invite him. After Hua Tuo arrived, Cao Cao said to him: "I heard that Mr. has extraordinary medical skills, I wonder if he can relieve me of my headaches." After Hua Tuo examined Cao Cao's condition, he proposed a plan, but Cao Cao had doubts about it.
Hua Tuo's method was quite advanced at that time, and he suggested that Cao Cao take Ma Boiling Powder and perform craniotomy to have a headache. However, Cao Cao was shocked when he heard this, and he couldn't believe this bold ** method. Cao Cao asked, "Craniotomy?" Is this too risky, sir? ”
Hua Tuo explained to Cao Cao: "The root of Your Majesty's illness lies in the head. Traditional medications and acupuncture have difficulty reaching the lesions. Only through craniotomy can the problem be solved directly. This suggestion was undoubtedly a huge adventure for Cao Cao. Despite his belief in Hua Tuo's medical skills, Cao Cao was hesitant.
He asked Hua Tuo: "Is this method really feasible?" Is the risk too great? Hua Tuo replied: "The risk does exist, but compared to His Majesty's current situation, the possibility of success is greater. However, Cao Cao's heart fluctuated. He was terrified.
During a discussion with the strategists around him, Cao Cao expressed his concerns: "Although Hua Tuo's words are reasonable, if he has other intentions, wouldn't he be caught in the net?" The strategists were unable to give a definite answer, which deepened Cao Cao's doubts. At first, Hua Tuo, with his superb medical skills, successfully alleviated Cao Cao's "head wind" symptoms through acupuncture at the acupuncture points of Yan Yu.
However, as Cao Cao's government and military affairs became more and more onerous, his condition deteriorated again. Time passed, and Cao Cao's condition did not improve. His headaches came and went, and frequent nightmares made him even more painful. Although Hua Tuo repeatedly suggested craniotomy, Cao Cao was never able to overcome the fears and doubts in his heart and rejected this method.
However, Cao Cao's suspicions attacked, and he believed that Hua Tuo's move was intended to harm him. At the same time, Hua Tuo also felt pressure and restraint in Cao Cao's camp. He was originally free to practice medicine, but was confined to the camp at Cao Cao's invitation. He repeatedly asked to leave, but Cao Cao refused on various grounds.
Cao Cao's suspicion and desire to control made Hua Tuo feel uncomfortable, and although his medical skills were high, it was difficult to exert them in this environment. Over time, Cao Cao's headaches did not subside, but were exacerbated by long-term stress and doubts. He began to summon Hua Tuo frequently, hoping to find other ** methods.
But Hua Tuo insisted that craniotomy was the best option, and he once again explained the necessity of surgery to Cao Cao: "Your Majesty, the condition cannot be delayed, if it is not dealt with in time, it will only make the condition worse." After Cao Cao heard this, his heart became even more entangled.
In Cao Cao's view, Hua Tuo's existence became a threat. Cao Cao was worried that Hua Tuo would use the opportunity of the operation to harm him, and finally ordered Hua Tuo to be detained. This decision made Hua Tuo's medical skills unable to be used, and also made Cao Cao lose the opportunity to suffer from ** illness.
The end of the Huatuo legend.
Some historians pointed out that Hua Tuo was imprisoned for another reason, that is, he asked Cao Cao to be an official. Lin Zhenqing proposed in his article that Hua Tuo seemed to want to take advantage of the opportunity of Cao Cao to use medical skills as a lever to seek an official title.
Cao Cao later commented: "Hua Tuo can cure this disease, he treats me for the disease, and wants to raise his own value." This suggests that Cao Cao understood Hua Tuo's underlying motives, but he did not immediately respond to Hua Tuo's veiled request.
Subsequently, Hua Tuo wanted to go home for a few days under the pretext that there was something at home. After arriving home, he refused to return on the grounds that his wife was ill, as if to try to put more pressure on Cao Cao. This tactic instead angered Cao Cao, who convicted Hua Tuo for "deception" and "disobedience", which ultimately led to Hua Tuo's tragic end.
After being imprisoned by Cao Cao, Hua Tuo's situation became extremely difficult. In prison, he not only lost the freedom to practice medicine, but also lost the opportunity to pass on his medical skills and wisdom. Despite this, Hua Tuo did not give up his medical skills. According to the Biography of Hua Tuo in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Hua Tuo continued to study and summarize his medical knowledge while in prison.
Hua Tuo once wrote a medical work called "The Book of Green Capsules", which is a collection of his life's medical achievements and experiences. Before he was about to be executed, Hua Tuo realized that his life was coming to an end, and he hoped to leave this valuable medical work to posterity. Hua Tuo asked the jailer to pass on the work, but the jailer refused his request for fear of offending Cao Cao.
Disappointed, Hua Tuo chose an extreme way to express his dissatisfaction and despair. He burned the book to the ground, and the book containing the essence of his medical skills was reduced to ashes. Hua Tuo's behavior is not only a helpless farewell to his lifelong pursuit, but also a silent ** for the inability to understand and accept his medical skills in that era.
With Hua Tuo's death, many of his medical achievements and secret recipes were also lost. Still, Hua Tuo's influence did not end there. His medical skills and spirit have been passed down among the people and have become a legend. In addition, Hua Tuo's contributions to surgery, herbal medicine** and acupuncture also laid the foundation for the development of medicine in later generations.
The Book of the Later Han Dynasty: The Biography of Hua Tuo