Classica Sinica Medica

雜合以治 简体 杂合以治

zá hé yǐ zhì

Mixing the methods in treating

Also rendered: mixing the methods in treating (Literal) · combining the methods (Neutral, loses 雜) · comprehensive treatment (Modern clinical idiom)

Core vocabulary

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
zá hé yǐ zhì
Simplified
杂合以治
Literal
雜 variegated, many colours brought together; 合 to combine; 以 thereby; 治 to treat. To bring several methods together and treat with them at once.
Shuowen
《說文解字》：雜，五彩相合也；合，合口也（引申為會合）。

In brief

The sentence the chapter was written for. Having set out five therapies from five regions, the text does not ask which one is right; it says the sage mixes them and each gets what suits it. Wang Bing: he uses them according to the region and each obtains what fits, and only the method of a sage can do this. The next clause gives the reason — he has got hold of the circumstances of the illness and knows the general shape of treatment. Five methods set side by side are not a choice between them.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
Not one method but several at once 雜合以治
王冰：「隨方而用，各得其宜，唯聖人法，乃能然矣。」
故聖人雜合以治，各得其所宜 — Suwen 12
2
Each method keeps its own place 各得其所宜
雜者並存而不相亂，說文「雜，五彩相合也」
故聖人雜合以治，各得其所宜 — Suwen 12
3
Why it works 得病之情
王冰：「達性懷故然。」張志聰：「知病之因於天時，或因於地氣，或因人之嗜欲。」
得病之情，知治之大體也 — Suwen 12
4
The chapter's conclusion 知治之大體
五法並列非欲人擇一，乃欲人兼備
故治所以異而病皆愈者，得病之情，知治之大體也 — Suwen 12

Occurrences in the classics

Passages where the term does real work, with the original, pinyin and English on the same line.

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1 passages
素問·異法方宜論 Suwen 12 · 異法方宜論 Read in context →
故聖人雜合以治，各得其所宜，故治所以異而病皆愈者，得病之情，知治之大體也。 故圣人杂合以治，各得其所宜，故治所以异而病皆愈者，得病之情，知治之大体也。
gù shèng rén zá hé yǐ zhì, gè dé qí suǒ yí, gù zhì suǒ yǐ yì ér bìng jiē yù zhě, dé bìng zhī qíng, zhī zhì zhī dà tǐ yě.
Therefore the sage mixes the methods together in his treating, and each gets what suits it. That treatments differ and yet the illnesses are all cured is because he has got hold of the circumstances of the disease and knows the general shape of treatment.
本篇結穴。王冰：「隨方而用，各得其宜，唯聖人法，乃能然矣。」又於「得病之情」下注：「達性懷故然。」張志聰：「知病之因於天時，或因於地氣，或因人之嗜欲，得病之因情也。」五法並列，非欲人擇一，乃欲人兼備。

Compounds built on this term

雜
zá
variegated, mixed
說文：五彩相合也
合
hé
to combine
說文：合口也
聖人
shèng rén
the sage
雜合以治者，王冰：「唯聖人法，乃能然矣。」
大體
dà tǐ
the general shape
王冰：「達性懷故然。」

How it has been translated

Every rendering below is a decision about which reader is being addressed. There is no neutral option.

Common Englishcombined therapyThe natural modern phrase, and the one a clinic would use.
This sitemixing the methods in treating雜 in the 說文 is five colours brought together — several things present at once, each still itself. Combined says the parts were merged; mixed says they were brought into one room and each got used where it fitted, which is what 各得其所宜 says.

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-09

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Reading path

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