【Source】Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Bian Que
【Meaning】"Yǐ" means "by" or "from"; "guǎn" refers to a bamboo tube or pipe; "kuī" means to look through a small hole or crack. Literally, it means viewing the sky through a bamboo tube, seeing only a tiny portion of it. It is a metaphor for having narrow horizons and a one-sided perspective.
【Historical Anecdote】
During the Warring States period, Bian Que was a renowned physician from the state of Qi, originally named Qin Yueren. Because he saved many people who were on the brink of death, people at the time began calling him "Bian Que"—the legendary divine physician from the era of the Yellow Emperor—instead of using his real name. Legend has it that Bian Que once received immortal medicine and secret prescriptions, enabling him to diagnose patients through walls and clearly see the internal organs and exact locations of diseases within their bodies.
One year, Bian Que was traveling with his disciples to provide medical care when they passed by the royal palace of the state of Guo. From outside the wall, he heard loud weeping inside the palace and, not knowing what had happened, asked the gatekeeper. He learned that the crown prince had just died. Bian Que asked further, "When did he pass away? What illness did he have?" The gatekeeper replied, "He died at the second crow of the rooster this morning. The prince suffered from irregular circulation of blood and qi, with yin and yang conflicting and unable to disperse, causing sudden collapse and death."
Using his medical expertise, Bian Que already understood the nature of the prince's condition. He said to the gatekeeper, "Please inform the king: I am Qin Yueren, a physician from the state of Qi, and I can revive the crown prince." The gatekeeper looked at Bian Que skeptically and said, "Are you joking? Can the dead truly be brought back to life? I’ve heard of an ancient doctor named Yu who could heal without herbal decoctions, medicinal wines, or other remedies. He merely examined the patient by opening their clothes, then diagnosed the illness and performed surgery to open the skin and unblock the meridians. If your skills are truly that advanced, then perhaps the prince can be revived. Otherwise, claiming you can bring the dead back to life is nothing but deception."
Bian Que pleaded repeatedly, but the gatekeeper refused. Sighing, Bian Que said, "What you describe is like viewing the sky through a bamboo tube or examining patterns through a crack—it offers only a limited, narrow view. My method of treatment doesn't rely on pulse-taking, facial diagnosis, or listening to sounds. Simply by observing the patient’s physical appearance and mental state, I can pinpoint the location and cause of the illness."
Impressed by Bian Que’s confidence and conviction, the gatekeeper finally agreed to report to the king. Upon hearing that the crown prince could be saved, the king was overjoyed and immediately invited Bian Que into the palace. Bian Que carefully examined the prince, took his pulse, and then performed acupuncture. As the fine needles entered the prince’s body, he slowly opened his eyes and his lips began to move slightly. Everyone present looked on in astonishment. After the acupuncture session, Bian Que prepared several prescriptions for the prince and instructed the attendants on how to prepare and administer the medicine. Finally, he told the king, "The crown prince will fully recover within a month." Indeed, before a month had passed, the prince had completely regained his health.
From then on, Bian Que’s reputation grew even greater.