Definition:

Bian Zheng is a Chinese word meaning “differentiation of syndrome.” Along with Bian Bing (differentiation of disease), Bian Zheng is one aspect of Zhen Duan -- the differential diagnosis used by practitioners of Chinese Medicine, to formulate a diagnosis.

Bian Zheng is the description of how a disease manifests in a specific individual at a particular point in time. The distinction between Bian Zheng (differentiation of syndrome) and Bian Bing (differentiation of disease) characterizes the unique power of Chinese Medicine.

It points to the fact that two people may be manifesting the “same” disease mechanism -- but that the underlying pattern of dysharmony which is the etiology (cause) of the manifest disease can be quite different, from one person to the other.

Bian Zheng can also be used -- particularly in the context of a more Five-Element approach to the practice of Chinese Medicine -- to differentiate a patient’s constitution, or in the context of preventative treatment. As is said in the classical Chinese Medical texts: “The superior doctor treats disease before it manifests.”
The nine categories of Bian Zheng used within Traditional Chinese Medicine are:
(1) syndrome differentiation according to the eight principles (ba gang bian zheng)
(2)syndrome differentiation according to cause (bing yin bian zheng)
(3) syndrome differentiation according to disease evils (bing xie bian zheng)
(4) syndrome differentiation according to the six channels (liu jing bian zheng)
(5) syndrome differentiation according to the defense, qi, construction, blood (wei qi ying xue bian zheng)
(6) syndrome differentiation according to the triple burner (san jiao bian zheng)
(7) syndrome differentiation according to the channels and collaterals (jing luo bian zheng)
(8) syndrome differentiation according to the qi, blood and body fluids (qi xue jinye bian zheng)
(9) syndrome differentiation according to the viscera and bowels (zang fu bian zheng)

Which one or more of these nine Bian Zheng a practitioner utilizes will depend upon the specifics of the case. Each of the nine diagnostic frameworks is like a lens through which the pattern can be seen and understood from a slightly different point of view -- with the aim of determining the specific root cause, location and nature of the disease -- which then allows for the formulation of an intelligent treatment plan, whose application with then facilitate the resolution of the dysharmony, and a return to health.