Bian Que, a well-known Chinese physician during the Warring States period. He excelled in pulse taking and acupuncture therapy and was also regarded as the inventor of anaesthesia. According to Sima Qian, the author of Records of Grand Historians, Bian Que’s original name was Qin Yueren, since his excellent medical skills, people started to call him Bian Que that was a totem of ancient worship and was used to refer to renowned physicians.

Based on his experiences, Bian Que invented four basic methods of diagnosing diseases: observing, smelling, asking and pulse checking. There are numerous stories and legends telling Bian Que’s outstanding skills and techniques. Since his great contributions to the diagnostics, many ancient and modern Chinese doctors regard Bian Que as the master of diagnostic methods of TCM.