Li Shizhen
Li Shizhen | |
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Born | July 3, 1518 Qizhou Town, Qichun County, Hubei |
Died | 1593 (aged 74–75) |
Other names | Dongbi (東璧) |
Occupation(s) | Acupuncturist, herbalist, naturalist, pharmacologist, physician, writer |
Parent |
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Li Shizhen | |
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Hanyu Pinyin | Lǐ Shízhēn |
Wade–Giles | Li Shih-chen |
Li Shizhen (July 3, 1518 – 1593),
The Compendium is a pharmacology text with 1,892 entries, with details about more than 1,800
Life
In addition to Compendium of Materia Medica, Li Shizhen wrote eleven other books,
Li Shizhen's grandfather was a doctor who traveled the countryside and was considered relatively low on the social scale of the time. His father was a traditional physician and scholar who had written several influential books. He encouraged his son to seek a government position. Li took the national
In his government position, Li was able to read rare medical books. He began correcting some of the mistakes and conflicting information in these medical publications. He soon began the book Compendium of Materia Medica to compile correct information with a
Altogether, the writing of Compendium of Materia Medica took 27 years, which included three revisions. Writing the book allegedly took a toll on his health.[3] It was rumored that he stayed indoors for ten consecutive years during the writing of the Compendium of Materia Medica.[6] After he had completed it, a friend “reported that Li was emaciated.”[3]
Li died before the book was officially published, and the Ming emperor at the time paid it little regard.[3][7]
Compendium of Materia Medica
Li's bibliography included nearly 900 books. Because of its size, it was not easy to use,[3] which had classified herbs only according to strength. He broke them down to animal, mineral, and plant and divided those categories by their source. Dr. S. Y. Tan[6] says: “his plants were classified according to the habitat, such as aquatic or rock origins, or by special characteristics, e.g. all sweet-smelling plants were grouped together.”[6]
With every entry, he included:
- “Information concerning a previously false classification;
- Information on secondary names, including the sources of the names;
- Collected explanations, commentaries and quotes in chronological order, including origin of the material, appearance, time of collection, medicinally useful parts, similarities with other medicinal materials;
- Information concerning the preparation of the material;
- Explanation of doubtful points;
- Correction of mistakes;
- Taste and nature;
- Enumeration of main indications;
- Explanation of the effects; and
- Enumeration of prescriptions in which the material is used, including form and dosage of the prescriptions.”[3]
Compendium of Materia Medica contained nearly 1,900 substances, which included 374 that had not appeared in other works. Not only did it list and describe the substances, but it also included prescriptions for use – about 11,000 - 8,000 of which were not well known.[3] The Compendium of Materia Medica also had 1160 illustrated drawings to aid the text.[4]
In addition to writing Compendium of Materia Medica, Li wrote about gallstones, using ice to bring down a fever, and using steam and fumigants to prevent the spread of infection. Li also emphasized preventative medicine.[6] He said that “To cure disease is like waiting until one is thirsty before digging a well...” and listed over 500 treatments to maintain good health and strengthen the body, 50 of which he invented himself.[4]
While only six copies of the original edition remain – one in the US Library of Congress, two in China, and three in Japan (a seventh copy in Berlin was destroyed during World War II)[6] – several new editions and numerous translations have been made throughout the centuries. In 1959, it was replaced.[3]
Gallery
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Compendium of Materia Medica is a pharmaceutical text written by Li Shizhen during the Ming dynasty of China.
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A bust of Li Shizhen in a herbal garden ofQizhou
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A statue of Li Shizhen found at Peking University Health Science Center
See also
- Chinese herbology
- Traditional Chinese medicine
- Traditional Chinese medicines derived from the human body
References
Citations
- ^ Compendium of Materia Medica. Title is 《医药双圣李时珍》 (English translation is "Medical and Pharmacological Sage Lishizhen"). Part of the series 《走遍中国》(English name is "Around China"). English subtitles are available.
- ^ Original text from Li Shizhen, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dharmananda, Subhuti. "Li Shizhen: Scholar Worthy of Emulation." Institute for Traditional Medicine. Institute for Traditional Medicine. 25 Apr. 2006 <http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lishizhen.htm>.
- ^ a b c "The Herbal Tradition." PlanetHerbs.Com. 2005. 24 Apr. 2006 <https://planetherbs.com/research-center/history-articles/the-herbal-tradition>.
- ^ Nappi 2009, p. 12.
- ^ a b c d e Tan, S Y. "Medicine in Stamps -- Li Shih-Chen (1518-1593) -- Herbalist of Renown." Singapore Medical Association. 2003. University of Hawaii. 24 Apr. 2006 <http://www.sma.org.sg/smj/4407/4407ms1.pdf>.
- ^ Li, Wanmao and Chen, Guoying (1990) Lishizhenite - A new zinc sulphate mineral. Acta Mineralogica Sinica: 10(4): 299-305
Sources
- Nappi, Carla (2009), "Compendium of Materia Medica", in Cheng, Linsun; Brown, Kerry (eds.), Berkshire Encyclopedia of China, vol. One, Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire, pp. 465–466, ISBN 978-0977015948
- Nappi, Carla (2009). The Monkey and the Inkpot: Natural History and Its Transformations in Early Modern China. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674035294.
- Wang, Zichun, "Li Shizhen". Encyclopedia of China (Biology Edition), 1st ed.
- "Classics of Traditional Chinese Medicine." National Library of Medicine. 12 Jan. 2005. National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health. 24 Apr. 2006 <https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/chinese/chinesehome.html>.
- "Tufts EBCAM." Tufts University. 09 Feb. 2006. Tufts University Medical School, New England School of Acupuncture. 24 Apr. 2006 <https://web.archive.org/web/20060415090909/http://www.tufts.edu/med/ebcam/eastAsianMed/transmissionThought2.html>.
External links
- Media related to Li Shizhen at Wikimedia Commons