“Capillary artemisia is a precious herb that you need to pick in March; it turns to weed in April,and firewood if you pick in May and June.”He Chengdao, vice president of the Hubei Taoist Association and head of the Puyang Temple, slowly recited such herb-picking folklore when we met.

In ancient times all the Taoists practiced medicine.A saying “Nine Taoists out of ten are doctors” indicates that the doctor’s practice was inseparable from the Taoist practices. The essence of Li Shizhen’s TCM culture embodies a kind of wisdom that involves the harmony between man and nature. As the abovementioned herb-picking folklore goes, the herb function closely corresponds with nature, resting itself on good timing, a favourable geographical position, and individual coordination.

The Puyang Temple is located at Fuhu Mountain,Caohe Township, Qichun County. It was first built in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), which can be traced back to Sun Simiao (also Sun Ssu-miao; died 682), the famous ancient pharmacist in China. The temple was flooded and ruined in 1913 and later reconstructed by the local people.

At the age of 13, He Chengdao made his pilgrimage to Wudang Mountain to practice Taoism, and followed the famous Taoist Xie Zongxin at the age of 14. In 1996,he returned to his hometown to rebuild the Puyang Temple in the hope of treating the local people and benefiting the whole world. Because of his 23 years’hard work and effort, this Taoist temple, with an area of 632 mu (about 42 hectares), was finally reconstructed.

As a Taoist doctor, He Chengdao’s fame spreads far and wide. He spends a great deal of time checking on patients’ pulses. He treats all patients with equal attentiveness and humbleness, regardless of their identity and social position, which has earned him a good reputation.

He told us: “Healing is connected with Taoism,and Taoism is connected with being virtuous. The most fundamental part is benevolence—a love out of Taoism’s virtues. Therefore, practitioners must master good medical techniques and follow moral principles.Only by valuing, practicing, safeguarding, conducting,and accumulating morality can we become the true successors of Li Shizhen.”

In recent years, people have come to visit him from the US, Germany, South Korea and many other countries for health issues. They have a strong admiration for TCM, and He Chengdao takes treating them as a way of self-cultivation, rather than to enhance his reputation. He has often been invited to give lectures overseas and now has a dozen apprentices from different parts of China.

He Chengdao, senior Taoist priest of the Puyang Temple普阳观 何诚道道长

仁心为本有传人

“三月茵陈四月蒿，五月砍来当柴烧。春天挖根夏采草，浆果初熟花含苞。”一见面，湖北省道教协会副会长、蕲春普阳观的何诚道道长，缓缓念出这么一首民间流传的采药歌。

他解释说，古之初为道者，莫不兼修医术，因而有十道九医之说，医家和道家是分不开的。李时珍中医药文化的精髓，就是究天人之际、取法自然的一种智慧。就像采药歌词所说，药性与自然相通，要讲求天时地利人和。

普阳观位于蕲春县漕河镇伏虎山，始建于宋代，但其根源可以上溯到药王孙思邈，民国二年（1913年）水毁几尽，后由百姓自愿捐献财物复建而成。

何诚道道长13岁上武当山学道，14岁师从道教名师谢宗信。1996年，他抱着济世救人的夙愿，回到家乡重修普阳观，历时二十三载，终于建成这座占地面积632亩的道观。

何道长是海誉四方的道医，他看病以脉诊为主，大部分时间都在细心把脉。他不论看病的对象身份如何，一样态度谦和，一样认真投入，赢得上佳的口碑。

何道长对我们说，“医者仁心，医与道相通，道与德相通。其中最根本的是仁德，慈悲道性的仁爱。习医者既要掌握好医技，也要遵循道德的法则，重德、修德、守德、行德、积德，做李时珍的真正传人。”

何道长自己就曾因为奔跑过去抢救从二楼失足坠落的人，被砸坏脊椎，身受重伤，但他无怨无悔。

近年来，美、德、韩等国的一些海外人士慕名前来，请何道长看病。“这些人对中华传统医药学非常仰慕，我把给他们治病看作修行，不为传扬自己的名声。”何道长说。

“师父经常受邀去海外讲学。”弟子刘琦补充说。刘琦2017年毕业于江西一家医学院校，和他一样拜师学习医术的，有十多个人，刘琦希望自己能把师傅的医道传承下去。

Li Shizhen Medical and Cultural Tourism Region 李时珍医道旅游文化区