The exam is about to start Candidates take your seat
The exam is about to start
To ensure fairness Your paper is marked with a number only
The examiner will not know who the candidate is
Hence you are graded solely on your merit
I am now posting the question on the board
You time runs out as the joss stick
The exam now commences
Time's up, put down your brush
Your Honor
Is the exam result out?
Your honor, the papers are all graded
Well done, the first will fill the vacant officer post
The runner-up on the waiting list
And he will fill the next vacant post
But we have not decided on the positions yet
Why? Because two have identical marks
What are their number? 7 and 10
Li Shi Chun and Pong Hin
Greetings, Your Honours
Pong Hin, you know why you are called here?
Yes
This is an oral interview You just tell us what you think
Yes, Your Honor
If there are no questions, let us start
Yes
Suppose you have to treat a patient with jaundice
His symptoms are grayish yellow face And yellowish skin, and heavy pulse
He still has appetite
How will you treat him?
I first will understand his constitution through auscultation-olfaction
If it is heat jaundice I will use Virgate Wormwood Herb
And make it into a soup
It can be consumed raw
It there is constipation field mustard can be made into electuary
What if it is damp jaundice?
I will use hare's ear root drink
Made with hare's ear root, licorice and lalang grass rhizome
It should be drunk for a day
Or fresh parslane herb drink can be used
You are very thorough with its treatment
Actually jaundice is a warning that there is something wrong with some organ
It should be treated early to get to the root
Hence jaundice cannot be taken lightly And allow the illness to aggravate
Good, anything else to add?
The jaundice case you just said
It can be treated with field mustard Or hare's ear root drink
But does the patient have a blue mouth
I mean blue veins on his tongue
If so, it will become fatal
What is your treatment?
I will use moxibustion on his Hemai, Baihui Yuchuan, Changmen and Juigu acupoints
Then snakegourd root pounded into a paste and made into a drink
The patient has to drink it until his urine turns yellowish
Li Shi Chun It is you
They asked you on jaundice?
Yes, and you too?
Yes, how did you answer them?
Me? The question itself was flawed
So I asked them back
You were the interviewee and you asked them back?
Give way Don't get in the way
How stately, who is he?
He is the second in power in the country
The newly appointed Grand Counselor Yim Sung
No wonder such arrogance
Dad said that he reads His Majesty's mind So he is in favour
They both exhibited a comprehensive knowledge on jaundice
One gave detailed treatments
The other paid attention to minute symptoms
In my opinion, Li Shi Chun is better
But he is just a commoner doctor
He knows nothing about officialdom
If he is made the officer he may not be able to adapt
He and Pong Hin are equally good
But Pong's father is the deputy commander-in-chief of the Brocade Guards
Even Grand Counselor Yim doesn't take him lightly
Shouldn't we be more careful in our choice?
Familiarity with the officialdom is important
But we should judge them on their medical knowledge
Li is well-grounded in medical knowledge
You shouldn't judge him on his birth
But...
It is just picking an officer what's so difficult?
Your Excellency
Be at ease, I don't mean to influence your decision
I happened to overhear your words while inspecting the Imperial Academy of Medicine
Your Excellency, please sit Please
Your Excellency come at the right time
We mean to ask you for decision
To use a man, we have to consider factors that are seemingly unrelated
Mr Hui, you understand?
I do, though Li is a commoner
He is well grounded in medicine And he has the referral of Prince Chor
So he has the referral of His Majesty's uncle
Actually Mr Hui you are responsible for affairs in the Academy
Of course you should decide on it
Your Excellency, thank you for your trust
Mr Hui Yes
I know you are busy with your duties
But the Academy's main concern is His Majesty's well being
You should always have this in mind
Your Excellency, we have some oversights?
The Pharmacy is busy working on elixirs for His Majesty
We all know that it shouldn't be leaked out
Only four of us know about it
I have given the task to two vice chancellors
They answer directly to me
Mr Hui, you have no problem with it?
Your Excellency is the Grand Counselor cum Minister of Rites
You oversee the academy
Of course you can decide on assignments
As for the vice chancellors overseeing elixir making
I have never asked them about it
Good, I am satisfied with your performance as academy chancellor so far
Thank you, Your Excellency
I have to borrow the two vice chancellors on some issue
You two come with me Yes
I say we don't even have to read the result announcement
You are certain to get the post
Right, how could that commoner doctor be on par with academy graduates?
Be sure to give us a treat
After he result announcement I will treat you to opera
Excuse me please Excuse me
How come?
You are so early?
I can finally get into the academy
With the down payment I am the new owner of this shop
Yes, but you have to pay the remainder in a few days
I know, thank you Thank you
Tung Ching, I am accepted into the academy
What? Really? Yes
Congratulations! You dream has come true
I can revise the Materia Medica in future
That's good
We are beside ourselves
I am just so happy, it can't be helped
Come in first
Come in and have a look
It is so big here
I have good news for you too
I have bought this place for my medicinal eatery
Really?
Here used to be a restaurant
I see that I can save on decoration so I gave the down payment immediately
Then congratulations
You are the owner of such a big medicinal eatery
It is double happiness for us How should we celebrate?
I have bought a piece of layered cake It is delicious
Yes?
Oops, all crushed It is now just one-layer cake
It is all right, you came to celebrate with me immediately
However it looks, I will find it yummy
Actually I have to thank you
If you had not encouraged me
I would have given up and never seen this day
That proves I have the perception I was right about you
Don't eat it It is delicious
So if you are the right stuff
However tempered with You will still be appreciated
Father-in-law, mother-in-law Shi Chun has made it
What is it?
Shi Chun is accepted into the academy
Really? What?
Shi Chun failed thrice in the civil exam
But he passed in the first academy attempt And is now an officer
Is an officer an important position? On par with a magistrate?
An officer is a minor official only But it is a good start
Dad, we finally have an official in our family
It brings honor to our ancestors
Who knew Shi Chun could become an official through medicine
Milord says he will be formally appointed soon
He will fetch us to the capital afterwards
Daughter-in-law, the capital is a big city
It takes appearance highly
We have to make some pretty clothes
We can't embarrass Shi Chun
Yes, mother-in-law
He also says he is working on a medicinal eatery with Miss Tung Ching
But they are short in capital
He asks us if we are interested to chip in
What?
That's a good idea
I am good at cooking
And with something to occupy my time I will not be bored in the capital
I have been practicing medicine for so many years
I know how to incorporate medicine with cuisine
I can help with the medicine ingredients
I can ask uncle to help us with the capital
Then the eatery can be bigger in scale
And I can help Tung Ching out
Sister Yat? Sister Yat
She said Shi Chun has passed the academy exam
So I come to congratulate you
Thank you Thank you
How come you've brought baby along at this hour?
Something happened?
He has a running nose
I am worried he may fall ill in the middle of the night
So I take him along for you to have a look
Come here You sit down first
Let me see
He has stuffy nose and watery mucus
The tongue fur is thin and pulse short and weak
He has a cold
I will make him a shallot decoction
After sweating he will be fine, don't worry
Thank you, Dr Li Welcome
We are making sweet soup You have some before you go
It is not convenient? Your parents-in-law waiting for you?
I don't think they want to see me
Sister Yat, what is it? You had a fight?
I went away with baby I don't know where I can go
You have been wandering with baby?
No wonder he has a cold
For baby's sake You have to stay the night here
Indeed, it is so late now And baby is not feeling well
You stay the night here
Thank you indeed, thank you
Why aren't you in bed? What are you doing?
I gave my brother this rocking chair
But it is a bit loose, so I fix it up
I see
You take baby out so early for morning exercise?
Very funny
Baby gives you a hard time You don't have to take it out on others
Who says I can't manage him?
He can't sleep in a strange environment
But you are his mother, how strange is it?
He is with you and he still can't sleep
You are telling me how to take care of my baby?
You have raised kids before?
I haven't, but I used to be one
I understand why he cries
Since you are so capable
You handle him for him Just words mean nothing
Baby don't cry, mother is here
You give him to me What for?
Trust me
See? You really can do it
Not only those that have given birth Can handle babies
You got it now? Baby's mother
I got it, you need friends when you are out of home
Thank you indeed Where are you going?
You are so good at it You take care of him for me
With Shi Chun not around I feel boring sometimes
Since my husband's death I have got used to being alone now
With the family's support however hard it is, it can be handled
Luckily my parents-in-law love me
Or it would have been worse
You are lucky indeed
Not all parents-in-law are so considerate
Why you had a fight with your
parents-in-law?
That it was so serious you had to take baby away with you?
I just said that I wanted to go to the capital to help Tung Ching
They lashed out at me before I could finish
They said that it was out-of-bound for me to show myself in public
And I did it to find myself a new man
That I couldn't wait to marry again
And similar harsh accusations
How could they say such things?
It was good intention on my part
Our field can barely feed us four
I meant to go to the capital to make some money
Then they could have an easier life
I meant to fetch them to the capital after I have settled down, but...
Don't feel so bad about it
Now don't think of anything
The most important thing now is to have a good sleep
If you were wronged this way How would you feel?
Of course I would be very angry and hurt
Our dignity and integrity are important
I will prove my innocence by my actions
You look fragile, but you are tough
So you have to be strong too
If you think it is right, stick to it
After the initial difficulties Things will look up
The work of the academy is made up of two main parts
Imperials doctors or above are on duty in the Imperial Pharmacy
They are responsible for inner court service
That is taking care of His Majesty
and the royal concubines
Here is the outer court service
Responsible for the medical needs of the nobles and ministers
If nobles and ministers need treatment
They make their request to the Royal Pharmacy
Eunuch will be sent over here to fetch doctors
But on principle, every visit has to be approved by His Majesty
Got it? Yes
You sit over waiting for calls
Yes
I wonder if we will be asked out for calls
Two officers, please go with these
two goong goong for a call
Please
Why didn't they ask us?
The first one is a massage doctor
Probably some nobles need acupressure treatment
The one after him is an offering doctor
Probably some feels troubled and wants offering as blessing
It is so specialized?
We who have undergone formal training Have our own specialties
What specialties?
There are 13 special subjects in the academy
Namely general medicine, pediatrics Gyneacology, orthopedics, acupuncture
Ophthalmology, dentistry, laryngology and others
Then how many years are needed to complete a doctor's course?
It takes 3 years to complete a comprehensive course
If you pass the exam you are a doctor
Doctors can take up special subjects on their own
Those who got good grades can further their studies while on pay
Like me
Then what is your special subject?
Physical injuries and orthopedics
Physical injuries and orthopedics?
Your Honor
Officer Li, Councilor Yim of Ministry of Rites asks for a house call
This is Siu Yuen Zhi goong goong of Pharmacy
You go with him to the Ministry of Rites for a permission
Yes
You wait here, I go inform Mr Yim
I will look after here All right
How come here is so heavily guarded?
If I don't tell you, you may get into trouble and don't know about it
That serious?
Yim used to be equal in status with Ha Yin
To fight for the position of Grand Counselor
He used the Huanghe Great Bend incident to frame Ha
What happened?
And a invaded our border, Ha and border commander-in-chief Tsang Sin
Petitioned His Majesty to retake the Great Bend
His Majesty agreed at first
But Yim dissuaded His Majesty
Saying that it would lead to barbarian invasion
And said that Tsang has bribed Ha to seek promotion
In the end, Ha was stripped of his post Tsang was beheaded
Other military commanders supporting retaking Great Bend were all demoted
And he became Grand Counselor?
For heaven's sake don't be so loud
He knows he is here by dirty means
So he resorts to all these measures
He fears revenge
Anyway, when you see him, mind your words
Your Excellency, Li Shi Chun, Pong Hin at your service
So you are Li Shi Chun and Pong Hin
I hear that you two were outstanding in the officer exam
With you treating my son, I am relieved
Take them to him Please
You are all useless, just get lost all rubbish
Your Honor Your Honor
Honor what? Just say whatever you have to say
Otherwise, get lost
Your Honor, please don't be mad
They are court doctors sent to see you
That's good, it is killing me
Come and treat it, hurry
Take care
You are higher in rank, you should see him
You do it
You were so cocky in the exam Now you chicken out when it is for real?
You finished with you task passing?
Come over here
Your Honor, your suffer from anal hemorrhoids
It is not difficult to treat
Every doctor says so You really know how to treat it?
Hemorrhoid is caused by sluggish qi and blood stasis, and liver qi stagnation
The cure is to remove heat and dampness
Skip it, let me tell you
I want it cured once and for all
If you want it cured once and for all
The only option is using the knife
You dare to try it?
If you dare to do it, I dare to let you try
Let me tell you, if you fail to cure it
You have to repay me ten times
Your Honor, I am going to do it
Your Honor, it is taken out
When the wound is healed, I promise you It will not relapse again
But you have to take care of your body
Get rid of the heat and dampness with external and internal medication
But it is still painful
Let me use some salve to sooth the pain
Then hurry Yes
What are you doing?
I am preparing him salve with lime Luffa leaves and leek root
It can sooth the pain and stop bleeding
It is for external use only What about medication?
Of course pagoda tree flower powder
It cleanses the intestines, stops bleeding And relieve wind
Sounds well thought up You are not that panic-stricken after all
You put it on him now
It will be troublesome if he loses too much blood
Please sign on the record book here for future reference
Water coming
Done, all cleaned up now
Finally all done
Chairs and tables, everything ready
But something is missing
A medical chest
One will be delivered here later
With it filled with medicine You are ready to go
Thank you indeed
You see me here as a clinic or a herbal shop?
But you have given me so much help
I don't know how to thank you
There you go again
I said I would help you and I wouldn't quit halfway
But whether this medicinal eatery will make it depends on you alone
Don't you worry, with your brain and my cooking skill
We join force and it will work
We join force
Sister Yat? What happened?
That later, take her in first
Your parents-in-law said such things because they misunderstood it only
Don't you put it in mind
Right, write them a letter after you have finished the noodles
I have to show them I don't come here for company or easy life
I have not brought much money for the road
I left it for their daily expense
Sol hurried here as fast as I could
I have not eaten much on the road And so fainted on the street
You don't mean to go back soon?
I have thought about it
If I could not make it in the capital I would not go back
Don't worry, I wrote you and asked you to come, I will not be bad to you
You will have money to send home
every month
In time, your parents-in-law will understand your true intention
That's good then, with Sister Yat helping you
The shop can open in time
We haven't thought up a main attraction yet
How can we go into business?
Let us go into the kitchen to try out
Good, we lit up the stove
No, they say it is not lucky to lit up the stove when the shop is not yet open
Then how can we make dishes?
Why not use my kitchen? No such taboos there
Right, you go work on the new dishes
Leave here for me All right
This is your dwelling place in the capital?
Yes, actually the academy provides us with quarters
But I prefer the quietness here Sol moved here
You have moved here for so long and you still have not unpacked?
It has not been properly cleaned up
You have been so busy?
I couldn't help it, I am new here and it is busy in the academy
I have had not time to clean up
What? You have a cold?
No, but the house has been left unoccupied for too long
It has a moldy smell
I am used to it so I am not aware of it
Let us try out our dishes in the kitchen
All right
Almost an hour and we haven't thought up a dish yet
I have an idea What is it?
To make our name and make it sound auspicious
I have decided to use fish as the key ingredient
How to prepare it?
Fish is fresh itself, we steam it with wolfberry fruit
It is tonifying for the liver and the eyes
Why not add in common yam rhizome
It is good for qi and expectoration
Eucommia bark is tonifying for liver and kidney
Why not add in taxillus twig?
It is enhancing blood circulation And good for pregnant woman
Why not add in something blood tonifying? Red dates
Time's up, off with the lid
Hey, only medicines here, where is the fish
Under the medicines
Try it
Very strong in medicine taste but no fish taste at all
If it only tastes like medicine It is not medicinal dish
It is all right, the point is we are trying
It is getting late let us leave it for tomorrow
It is raining hard outside
Why don't you stay the night here?
There is no other option
Morning
Morning, you have tidied up the house for me?
I couldn't sleep last night so I got up for some activities
I have taken the luggage to the guest room And cleaned up the place
I have lit some sandalwood to get rid of the moldy smell
You look like you didn't have a good sleep
Yes, I didn't sleep that well
Then have some breakfast It will freshen you up
You cleaned my house and you made me breakfast?
Eat it while it is still hot
Let me fold up the laundry
Why eat so fast? No one is fighting with you
Sol can go back to the academy as soon as possible
After folding up the laundry I am leaving too
Let me see you back
It is not necessary, I know the way
Be careful Have a nice day
Today, we are going to talk about The Tianchi, Tianchuan acupoints
They belong to the pericardium channel of hand jue yin
They treat illnesses of the chest, heart and mental disorders
We all know that heart is where the blood converge
That is activates our vitality and spirits
In the Yellow Emperor's Medicine Classic The Vital Axis part
It is said that heart is the master of the internal organs
The house of the spirit
Your Honor, I have heard that all our yang qi converge in the head
Our spirits meet in the brain
Brain is the house of the spirits
You think the brain is more important than the heart?
Not exactly, but... heart controls the blood
Brian controls the spirit
You know it or not? Medical practitioners of all ages all believe
Heart takes care of all our internal organs
And regulates our blood and other fluids
But our limbs, organs, tissues and bones are interlinked by channels
And channels originate from the brain
Brain is the core of all channels And it controls our thinking
Ridiculous, the saying from times ancient is that we think with our heart
And you want to overthrow it by what you say?
Right, we say use your heart
So we think with our heart
What about mind disorder?
It doesn't concern the heart
Mind disorders... we aren't there yet
What about the soul out of the apertures? You must have heard of it
Yes
The apertures are all in our head So our soul dwells in our head
Otherwise, how can the soul get out through the apertures?
Soul getting out of the apertures is superstition, it has no medical ground
I say you are just being sensational
I am being sensational?
All right, stop arguing
Officer Li, you come over here
Li Shi Chun, I admire your innovative thinking on medicine
But the theory of heart controls the body has been passed on for thousands of years
Our predecessors all agreed on it
If we now say that the brain houses the spirit, it is too unorthodox
When I say the brain is the soul
But I have textual references on this saying
We can go to classics for support if you like
We are off duty now, please don't pester me
Give way, give way
Who goes out in such a grand state?
What is the dog doing here?
A smart dog won't get in the way, get lost
Dad
You wicked dog
Why are you just standing there? Come and get it
You are the doctor? Why just stand there?
Come and treat my dad
Dad, you all right
Dress his wound first Yes
You are that useless scholar in Wuchang?
What are you doing here?
Li Shi Chun is an Academy officer
Last time you suffered from hemorrhoids
He was there too
You are capable indeed
You could come to the capital and become a academy doctor
Time for us to settle the score
You just shut up, take care of me first
Yes, dad
Take dad home Yes
Your Honor, the prescription for rabies is ready
Please have a look
Red cicada, green cicada, scorpion
Seahorse, xu sue zi, frankincense, agarwood Platycodon root
I pray it works
Your honor, you don't have to worry
You said Grand Counselor suffered from external wounds only
But we know nothing about the dog
What if it is a rabid dog? Then we will be in trouble
We all saw that Mr Yim kicked the dog first
Or the dog would have bitten him
Still, we can't take a dogbite lightly
What is it?
Your Honor, Officer Chiu of Justice Was bitten by a dog several days ago
He has followed the academy's prescription and thought it was all right
But he began to show signs of mental confusion this morning
And he even bit people
So we tied him up and took him here
What happened to him?
He was all right when I treated him
Take him inside first, let me give a hand
It must be rabies, have you seen the dog?
Yes, a yellow dog with black mouth
That one?
Officer Chan, when you treated him What did you prescribe him?
He was bitten by a dog I gave him the usual rabies prescription
Was it this one? Yes, the same
Your Honor, I think Grand Counselor has got rabies too
But it has not shown up yet
The prescription may not work
We have to come up with another as soon as possible
But for rabies, this is the best prescription
If we don't use it, what else to use?
Rabies has a long dormant period
When it shows up, it is fatal
There is no panacea
We are all different in constitution And have different reaction to medicine
Your Honor, I am not saying this prescription is fail safe
But it doesn't mean it is useless
All right, no more fights
The most important thing now
Is to take it to the Imperial Pharmacy to get the medicine
And have them delivered to Yim
Leave others for later
Yes, Your Honor Hurry
Your Excellency Your Excellency
Your Excellency called us at this hour
Is it some change in your injury?
An officer of Justice died today What was the cause?
He was bitten by a rabid dog... He died of rabies
Was he bitten by the same dog that bit me?
Yes
Let me ask you, the medication he took was the same as dad's?
Yes
You know it doesn't work and you still prescribed for me?
You want me to die of rabies?
Your Excellency, please don't get it wrong
The prescription is the best for rabies
But different constitution may have different reaction
The officer was weak in constitution
And the treatment was delayed
That's why the medicine failed to save him
We cannot then say the prescription doesn't work
Your Excellency, it is the best available
You still try to get away by sophistry?
The officer died because you have failed in your duty
You tried to hide it from us and endangered Grand Counselor's life
Dad, they deserve execution
Your Excellency, please don't be angry
We didn't mean to hide the truth
But the officer's death might worry Your Excellency
That's why we didn't tell you
Your Excellency, please understand
Your mistake deserves heavy penalty
But I too know that if you are under too great a pressure
You will be too scared to work out an effective prescription
It is better to give you a chance to redeem yourselves
And let you work on a prescription for rabies
Thank you, Your Excellency
We will do what we can to treat it
You all listen, if you fail to save my dad
Everyone in the academy will be implicated
I remember a folk remedy in my native place
The old folks use scorpion and the meat of the mad dog as medicine
Use the meat of the mad dog as medicine? What is the rationale behind it?
It is a folk remedy that has been passed from one generation to another
I am not sure of the rationale
But Got Hung's Emergency Prescriptions
It lists using the brain of the mad dog as medicine
What? Use the brain of the dog for treatment? Will it work?
Though Got Hung of Jin Dynasty knew medicine
But his specialties were alchemy and health cultivation
His prescriptions may not be reliable
But it is similar to the folk remedy I just mentioned
So it is dog meat or dog brain?
You remember the officer who had rabies?
He acted crazily and even barked
Yes, yes
I once said that brain houses the spirit
The dog becomes mad because the pathogens have gone to its brain
When a man is bitten by it The pathogens have gone to the man
And he acts like the rabid dog
It is an innovative idea, what do you think
I have reservations Indeed
But do you have a better way?
Actually the saying of brain housing the spirit still await confirmation
But in medicine there is the method of fighting poison with poison
So treating rabies with rabid dog's brain has a point
Since we have no other ways
I agree to give it a try
Gentlemen, he is over there
Cheung Sz, Cheung Sz
Who are you?
We are court doctors We have something to ask you
Grand Counselor Yim is dead? I will be executed?
I am innocent, it was the dog that bit him Why I have to pay for it?
It was a wandering dog
I had pity on him and fed him only
But my good deed had no good return
Don't worry, Grand Counselor Yim is still alive
What?
We just want to ask you You know where to find the dog?
Is it this one?
Let us use the two-prong attack
Be careful
Where is the dog? Gone
Shi Chun, Shi Chun