| | Daoxiangwang asked Pang Nuan, "A ruler of a state, is there something he should do for his country?" Pang Nuan said, "Your Majesty has not heard of Yu Fu's practice as a physician, have you?" Those who recognize the illness will certainly treat it; the spirits will avoid them. This was how Yao appointed his people in ancient times. He did not appoint relatives but necessarily those with ability; this is how he treated illness. He did not entrust his loved ones, but necessarily the experienced physicians. Xiangwang said, "Well said." Pang Nuan said, "Your Majesty is forgetting this, isn't he?" "In the past, Yi Yin treated the illness of the Shang dynasty, Tai Gong treated that of the Zhou, Bai Li treated that of Qin, Shen Biao treated that of Ying, Yuan Ji treated that of Jin, Fan Li treated that of Yue, and Guan Zhong treated that of Qi; thus five states became hegemonic. Their excellence was one and the same." Yet their methods differed in approach. Xiangwang said, "I would like to hear about these approaches." Nuan said, "Your Majesty has not heard about Wei Wenhou's question to Bian Que, have you?" He asked, "Among your three younger brothers, who is the most skilled as a physician?" Bian Que said, "My eldest brother is the best, my second brother next, and Bian Que is the least skilled of them all." Wenhou asked, "May I hear about it?" Bian Que said, "My eldest brother observes the spirit of illness; he removes it before any symptoms appear. Hence, his fame does not extend beyond our family. My second brother treats illness when it is still at the hair's tip stage, so his reputation does not go beyond the neighborhood. As for me, Bian Que, I puncture meridians and vessels, prescribe strong medicine, cut into flesh, and thus my name becomes known among the feudal lords." Wenhou said, "Well said. If Guan Zi had practiced medicine according to Bian Que's method, Duke Huan would have been nearly able to achieve his hegemony."
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