The Winter Solstice and the Young TCM Physician
The Zi Shi (the period from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the traditional Chinese 12-hour system) on the Winter Solstice marks the moment when the first trace of yang qi (a concept in traditional Chinese philosophy and medicine referring to the active, warm, and positive energy in the universe and human body) begins to rise. It is from this very moment that the yang qi of the entire year starts to surge upward.
Su Ziyang was born precisely at Zi Shi on the Winter Solstice, so his father named him Su Ziyang. His father was an enthusiast of traditional culture.
In the blink of an eye, more than twenty years passed. Following his father's arrangement, Su Ziyang enrolled in a University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and studied TCM. Having been immersed in a strong traditional cultural atmosphere since childhood, Su Ziyang also developed a passion for TCM and regarded it as a lifelong pursuit.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree, Su Ziyang, facing the severe employment situation, went on to pursue a master's degree. Eventually, he graduated after overcoming numerous challenges along the way.
During his three years as a postgraduate student, Su Ziyang spent most of his time in hospitals for internships. However, he did not favor the work environment in hospitals. Determined to open his own TCM clinic someday, he gave up the opportunity to work at a large-scale hospital after graduation and resolutely found a job at a small clinic instead.
This clinic was different from others—it was affiliated with a Taoist temple and functioned as a Taoist TCM Clinic. The physicians there were mainly Taoist priests who had obtained the Qualification Certificate of TCM Practitioners, along with a few lay Buddhists who had religious beliefs and taken refuge in Buddhism.
Su Ziyang got this job through the introduction of a Taoist priest friend. This friend valued Su Ziyang's medical skills and academic background, and after hearing about his career aspirations, recommended him to this Taoist TCM Clinic.
The person in charge of the clinic was an elderly Taoist priest. Later, Su Ziyang learned that the old priest was already 100 years old. Looking at the old man, who was agile in movement, had sharp ears, and clear eyesight, Su Ziyang secretly admired the effectiveness of Taoist health preservation practices.
The elderly priest had a kind temperament and warmly welcomed Su Ziyang's arrival. He specially gathered all the staff to introduce Su Ziyang to everyone.
Su Ziyang was undoubtedly the most distinctive person in this clinic, for two main reasons:
First, he had the highest academic qualification. Although everyone here held formal TCM practitioner qualifications, none of them had a master's degree.
Second, Su Ziyang had no religious beliefs. While he had a deep appreciation for traditional culture, he did not adhere to any specific religious faith.
After completing all the necessary formalities, Su Ziyang officially started working at the Taoist TCM Clinic.
The clinic was housed in a three-story building, not particularly large, with 8 consulting rooms on each floor. Su Ziyang's consulting room was on the second floor, numbered 203.
The room was not very spacious. On the desk, there was a computer used for writing prescriptions, along with a pulse pillow (a small pillow used by TCM practitioners to feel the patient's pulse) and a medical record book. Behind the desk stood a medical cabinet, which contained several boxes of acupuncture needles, some alcohol cotton balls, and—when Su Ziyang opened it—he also found a package of moxa wool.
Upon opening the package, a faint, aromatic scent of mugwort wafted out. When he pinched a small amount between his fingers, it felt soft and fluffy like cotton. This texture indicated that the moxa wool must have been processed at a ratio of at least 1:20.
Moxa wool is produced by repeatedly pounding and processing harvested mugwort leaves, removing impurities and coarse fibers to retain the fine, soft core. The so-called "1:20 ratio" means that 20 catties of raw mugwort leaves are processed to produce 1 catty of moxa wool. Generally, the higher the ratio, the finer and softer the moxa wool. However, the highest quality moxa wool typically uses a ratio of around 30 catties of raw mugwort to 1 catty of finished product. A higher ratio than this would destroy the structural integrity of the mugwort leaves and cause them to lose their medicinal properties.
As Su Ziyang was lost in his thoughts about the moxa wool, a knock suddenly came at the door. He turned around and saw a young girl with her hair tied in a "丸子头" (a round, bun-like hairstyle, often called a "topknot" or "bun" in English) and wearing a hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) standing at the door.
"Come in, please. Hello, are you here for a consultation?" Su Ziyang invited the girl into the room and asked.
To his surprise, the girl covered her mouth and giggled instead of answering directly. "No," she replied in a soft, melodious voice that was very pleasant to hear.
"Then may I ask what you're here for?" Su Ziyang looked at the cute, smiling girl with a hint of confusion.