《西国记法》by Matteo Ricci (1552-1616 CE)

[rezaf]

I never use these songs because they don't have all the information I need and as I'm not Chinese they just don't rhyme right in my mind. I usually read the analysis first and then the herbs come to my mind naturally. I have noticed when I am not in stress(for example the night before the exam) if I just write them down a few times (and think about what they do) I will be able to memorize them very fast. For me the direct approach is the easiest way to memorize stuff otherwise I have to spend more effort in translating these things to what they stand for. I memorize everything directly without thinking too much about it and making it to complicated. I think even an average memory is much stronger than what we think of it. The only things that block it are things like stress and impatience.

P.S. As we are not just limited to 西醫 I think there is more to memory than just the brain. I'm not sure how it works but I have noticed when I memorize things for too long there will be too much unmoving qi in my head which slows me down and when I circulate that qi through ren and du my speed increases again. I'm also trying to examine how opening up certain meridians particularly 心－》小腸－》膀胱－》 腎 affect the memory.

[hbuchtel]

I have noticed when I am not in stress(for example the night before the exam) if I just write them down a few times (and think about what they do) I will be able to memorize them very fast. For me the direct approach is the easiest way to memorize stuff otherwise I have to spend more effort in translating these things to what they stand for.

You are really lucky you have such a good memory! Some of my Chinese classmates are also able to do this - they just read the material several times before an exam and are able to get a good score . . .

Not me unfortunately ;) I find combining 'formula songs' with the 'memory palace' method incredibly useful. I've never been able to successfully memorize information for exams before, but this one is working like a charm! (I aced the first part of my medical license exam last month ).

Ricci has a good analogy in the second chapter: "譬负重物，用力必艰，若载物于车，引之而行，不因车之益繁而加重，只觉力省而运捷[...]" "For example, if you have to carry a heavy load, you must use a lot of effort. If you put the load on a cart, and pull the cart, you will not feel that the cart has added to your load, but rather will feel that you have saved effort and can move quickly. (my translation) To continue the analogy, the 'formula songs' are like little memorable carts that I can load lots of information on.

[hbuchtel]

I'd appreciate some help here from other people with copies of 《西国记法》:

I've been entering the original text into my computer, in simplified characters rather than traditional, and there are a few characters that I'm not sure if I've identified correctly. Here is the first chapter: (the characters in question are a larger size)

I've copied the whole thing in case people here are interested in reading it. As far as I know there are no copyright issues with copying the original text, but if there are please tell me.

EDIT: I found a simplified character of the original online here.

原本篇 第一

人受造物主所赋之神魂，视万物最为灵悟，故遇万类悉能记识，而区别以藏之，若库藏之贮财货然。及欲用时，则万类各随机而出，条理井井，绝无混杂。然人知能记忆，而不知所以藏贮、所以区别者从何而致，且翕受果在何处，其敷施之妙，卒莫能语诸人。此则造物主显露密秘，运斡精蕴，人乌得而测之乎？吾西士间尝论其概。兹再次第于左，以求同理。

记含有所，在脑囊，盖颅頧后，枕骨下，为记含之室。故人追忆所记之事，骤不可得，其手不觉骚脑后，若索物令之出者，虽儿童亦如是。或人脑后有患，则多遗忘。试观人枕骨最坚硬，最丰厚，似乎造物主置重石以护记含之室，令之严密，犹库藏之有扃鐍，取封闭巩固之意也。

人之记含，有难、有易，有多、有寡，有久、有暂，何故？盖凡记识，必自目耳口鼻四体而入。当其入也，物必有物之象，事必有事之象，均似以印印脑。其脑刚柔得宜，丰润完足，则受印深而明，藏象多而久。其脑反是者，其记亦反是。如幼稚，其脑大柔，譬如水，印之无迹，故难记。如成童，其脑稍刚，譬若泥，印之虽有迹，不能常存，故易记而亦易忘。至壮年，其脑充实，不刚不柔，譬若褚帛，印之易，而迹完具，故易记而难忘。及衰老，其脑干硬大刚，譬若金石，印之难入，入亦不深，故难记，即强记亦易忘。或少壮难于记识者，若鐫金石，入虽难而久不灭，故记之难，忘之亦不易。衰老易忘，犹图书在壁，其色久而暗脱，不能完固。且人赋质不齐，故记识亦有难易。大都两间气，钟聚流行，处处不同，有清、有浊，有轻、有重。赋其清而轻者，其人多聪明睿哲，故善记。赋其浊而重者，其人多昏蒙卤钝，故善忘。赋其清而重者，其人多敏达，而端严凝固，亦善记。赋其浊而轻者，其人多谲诈，而浮躁薄劣，亦善记。此又气之使然。人能审其所赋之偏，加修摄涵养，则可造于中正，而不为方隅所拘，竟累吾心之灵明也。学者勉旃。

凡人晨旦记识最易者，其脑清者。若应接烦摄，或心神劳瘁，皆能致脑干。或邪寒酷炎，冷热过宜，或醉饱过度，又食物中有坚韧油腻难消者，或果食未熟，蔬菜、腌肉及诸乳、诸豆、豆腐、核桃、河池鱼，凡浮胀之物，俱能混浊调脑之气，滞赛通脑之脉，故难记易忘。观此坏脑之故，则所以调摄之法，不可不得其宜矣。

昔人善记者，有若古昔般多国王，所属之国，二十有二。其诸国语音文字各殊，国王悉能通达，不用翻译。有若巴辣西国王，将兵数十万，皆一一记其姓名。有若利未亚一国王，遣使至罗玛，舍定，罗玛诸臣千余人造馆劳问，翼旦使者入朝，见诸臣，即一一详其姓名答谢之。厄斯其诸生平多识广记，不胜其烦，偶閜西末泥得创记法，乃云：“何庸若所为哉？第以善忘法教我，则惠我多矣。”于戏！若厄斯其诸者，果得为通论欤？世不能尽如善记，则记法亦不得不尚焉尔。曩有博学强记之士，人以石击破其头，伤脑，后遂尽忘其所学，一字不复能记。又人有坠楼者，遂忘其亲知，不复能识。又人因病，遂忘一切世故，虽己名亦不能记识之矣。

养记之法，大略时皆而日用之，席免生疏。但须先其难者，后其易者。盖先之以难，遇易者则愈易易尔。譬学健步，初握两铁箠而行，及徒手而趋，不觉其为劳矣。养记之法甚多，书不悉载，亦有用药物者，医家知而能之。今惟有象记法，颇简易便捷，而其用亦可谓广大矣。