History of Chinese Medicine
OM301: HISTORY OF EASTERN MEDICINE Week 3: Qin & Han Dynasty to Three Kingdom Period (part 1) Yueqikun Wang, L.Ac, Dipl.OM ywang17@vuim.edu
QIN DYNASTY 221-206 BC
QÍN SHǏ HUÁNG 秦始皇(259-210 BC)
Unification of China & First Emperor of China
Favored the philosophy and practice of Legalism
Known for the Great Wall & Terracotta Warriors
Interest in external alchemy/wài dān 外丹
CINNABAR/ZHŪ SHĀ 朱砂
External alchemy/wài da ̄n外丹
The fascination lead to many fundamental techniques in basic chemistry such as distillation, filtration, and sublimation, and the changes during chemical reactions
HAN DYNASTY 206 BC - 221 CE FOUNDING OF “CLASSICAL” MEDICINE
HAN DYNASTY 206 BC - 221 CE
Period of peace & stability, allowing civilization to reach a high point and propel the advancement of medical thought
Improved & rationalized medicine by eliminating magic, spirit possession with yin yang & wu ̌ xíng/ five phase theory
Embodied aspects of the 100 Schools of Thoughts
The shì ⼠/ scholars systematized medicine to map the relationship between all things observable in the heavens on earth and in mankind
SHĀN HǍI JĪNG ⼭海經/MOUNTAINS & SEAS CLASSIC
Mythical geography text that discusses mythic plants & animals
Not a medical text
Lists 38 diseases and symptoms
68 herbs mentioned.. ròu guì ⾁ 桂/cinnamon, da ̄ng guī 當歸/ angelica, shè xia ̄ng 麝⾹/musk
MEDICAL CLASSICS OF THE HAN DYNASTY
Huáng Dì Nèiji ̄ng ⿈帝內經/ Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic
Nàn Ji ̄ng 難經/Classic of Difficult Issues
Shén Nóng Běncǎo Ji ̄ng 神農本草經/Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica
Shāng Hán Zá Bìng Lùn 傷寒雜病論/On Cold Damage & Miscellaneous Diseases
Huáng Dì Nèi Jīng ⿈帝內經/ Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic
• Brought with it a new approach to the concepts of health & disease
• New understandings of the human body and its functions
• Seeing the person or organism as an integrated whole
• Theoretical science based on natural laws
• With new sciences and technology and therapeutic techniques
• The promise of health, if one adheres to the laws of nature
Nàn Jīng 難經/Difficult Issues
• Discussions of difficult passages in the Nèi Jīng
• Important source of 5 Element theory
• Pulse diagnosis (first 23 chapters) & Origin of the cùn kǒu ⼨又 pulse( Radial pulse)
• Systematic Analysis of the qí ji ̄ng bā mài 奇經⼋脈 Meridians (8 Extraordinary Vessels)
• 命⾨ /Gate of Fire mìng mén
• Not an herbal text
Mǎ Wáng Duī ⾺王堆 Manuscript & Tomb
• Sealed during 168 BC in a aristocratic women’s tomb written & on silk bamboo and discovered in 1973 with an early copy of the Yi Jing and two copies of the Dao De Jing
• Wu Shi Er Bing Fang mentions 400 medicinals & 283 formulas. And the the treatment for certain conditions
• Dao Yin Tu: Illustrates 44 health exercises
• Discusses nourishing life techniques ya ̌ng shēng 養⽣
• Figurine found with 11 mài 脈/vessels
• Discussed only Moxibustion techniques and Bian stone needling but not mention of acupuncture.