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Home , Li Shizhen, Song Ci, Wang Weiyi (physician)

Traditional Chinese Medicine History of Chinese Medicine

NOTES

ORIGINATION PERIOD

Prehistoric Period 夏 Xia Dyanasty 2100 - 1600 BCE Neolithic period, known mainly by legends and myths, and prehistoric period of China

Personages • Pan Gu 盘古 The God of the Ancient Disc is a creation deity that split Heaven (Yang) from Earth (Yin). • Fu Xi 伏羲 is a creation god, who understood mathematics, music, astrology, divination and mysticism. He learned 阴阳 Yin Yang, 八卦 Bagua (Eight Trigrams), 五行 Five Elements and ascribed authorship of The Yi 易经 (I-Ching, The Book of Changes). He is also said to have “invented nine kinds of needles” and counts as the first of the Three Sovereigns. • Nong 神农 The Divine Farmer is the second of the Three Sovereigns. He is the father of agriculture, animal husbandry, tea drinking, and herbalism; he is ascribed authorship of 本草 Ben Cao (Pen Tsʼao, Pharmacopaeia Classic) and said to have “tasted 100 herbs a day and came across 70 poisonous herbs a day.” • Huang Di 皇帝 The Yellow Emperor, is the legendary inventor of writing, calligraphy, paper, silk, the wheel, the compass, astronomy, time-keeping and calendar, laws, government, and principles of medicine; he is ascribed authorship of 内经 Nei Jing (The Classic of Internal Medicine).

商 Shang / 殷 Yin Dynasty 1600 - 1046 BCE The first historical civilization with bronze age technology, established government, organized military, and religious rituals.

Features • Oracle Bones 甲骨片 or called “Dragon Bones” were the broad bones or shells of animals, inscribed with ancient writing for divination. Later civilizations, not knowing their archeological significance, would pulverize them as ingest them as medicine.

周 Zhou Dynasty Spring and Autumn Period Warring States Period 1122 - 256 BCE The foundation of Chinese culture. It was a feudal period followed by a, tumultuous political era, with many wars, and birth of numerous ideologies and philosophies (“Hundred Schools”), until it declined into numerous warring states.

Personages • 孔子 Kong Zi or 孔夫子 Kong Fu Zi (Confucius) taught virtue, learning, ritual, and social order; his sayings are compiled by his disciplines as 论语 Lun Yu (The Analects of Confucius). • 老子 Lao Zi, founder of , promoted return to nature to follow The Way (道 Dao); he is ascribed authorship of the Taoist Classic 道德经 Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching). Prepared by Francisco V. Navarro V, M.D. CHN50 SY 2009-2010 2nd Semester Traditional Chinese Medicine History of Chinese Medicine

FOUNDATION PERIOD Early Imperial Period 秦 Qin Dynasty 221 - 206 BCE Unification of the nation, start of Imperial China, standardization of writing, measurements, and centralized bureaucracy, rise of Legalism.

Personages • Qin Shi Huang 秦始皇 united China with military force, purged all rival political rivals and and ideological oppositions by military campaigns, the massacre of scholars, and burning of books, except for books on agriculture, astrology/astronomy, and medicine. Qin Shi Huang also built the Terracotta Army, and began the Great Wall of China.

汉 Han Dynasty 206 BCE - 220 AD The first golden age of Chinese culture, dominance of Confucianism, flourishing of arts and literature, agricultural abundance, political and military influence to Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia,and Central Asia, and beginning the Silk Road.

Features • This period sees the first historical publications of classical texts of Chinese medicine, including: 皇帝内经 (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine), featuring dialogue between the Yellow Emperor and Chief Physician 歧伯 Bo; Shen Nong Bencao 神 农本草 (The Divine Farmer’s Materica Medica); and Shang Han Lun 伤寒论 (The Compilation of Cold Diseases), the fundamental text on herbal prescriptions.

Three Kingdoms Period 220 AD - 280 AD The decline of the Han leads to warlords ruling three warring states; a famous period and favorite source of many epic tales of heroism and valor.

Personages • 华佗 the most famous Chinese physician and surgeon, performs abdominal, cranial, and orthopedic surgery, under “Far-Reaching Numbing Powder Mixture.” He also develops the 五禽戏 Five Animal Frolic, the first exercises to promote health, fitness, and longevity. His death marked the end of the practice of surgery in Chinese medicine.

DEVELOPMENT PERIOD

晉 Jin Dynasty 265 - 420 AD Personages • Huang Fumi 皇甫谧 completes “The Systematic Classic of and Moxibustion“ (针灸甲乙经 Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing), the earliest and most complete collection of acupuncture literature and clinical data. • 葛洪, a famous alchemist, studied “Pill-Making for Longevity” becoming the first pharmaceutical chemist in history. • Shuhe 王叔和 compiles 脉经 Mai Jing (The Pulse Classic), a definitive study of pulse diagnosis, and recovers the Shang Han Lun.

Prepared by Francisco V. Navarro V, M.D. CHN50 SY 2009-2010 2nd Semester Traditional Chinese Medicine History of Chinese Medicine

Southern and Northern Dynasties 420 - 589 AD 隋 Sui Dynasty 581 - 618 AD Periods of fragmentation and unification, rise of Buddhism and conflicts with existing religions (Taoism and Confucianism), rise and fall of kingdoms and dynasties.

Personages • Bodhidarma, an Indian monk, introduces Buddhism to China and founds the 少 林 Shaolin Monastery; he develops the first 拳 quan (fist or boxing exercises) for the fitness of the monks, which becomes the basis for 少林功夫 Shaolin gongfu

唐 Tang Dynasty 618 - 907 AD The second golden age of Chinese culture, dominance of Buddhism, extensive trade with foreign countries, advances in technology, machinery, and scientific discoveries, rise to power and status of women, and the establishment of the first school of medicine.

Personages • 孙思邈 was a prodigious Taoist and Buddhist, and physician. His specialization was dietary therapy and ; he wrote two major books on herbal prescriptions, and is called Yao Wang 药王 “King of Medicine.” He also wrote the first code of medical ethics.

五代 Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 907 - 960 AD

INNOVATION PERIOD

Late Imperial Period 辽 Liao Dynasty 907 - 1125 AD 宋 Dynasty 960 - 1279 AD Time of economic and population growth, the rise of sophisticated culture and cosmopolitan Chinese society. Neo-Confucianism tempered traditional Confucianism with Taoism and Buddhism. Government service was based on meritocracy, scholars who passed rigorous civil service exams, urbanization and postal system. Science and technology also greatly advanced, including sanitation, inoculation (against smallpox).

Personages • 王维一 compiles The Illustrated Manual of Points for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, and designs two life-size bronze figures that showed exact locations of acupuncture points. (The holes are sealed with wax, the hollow statue filled with water, then the body encased in leather. Apprentices could then try to locate and puncture the points with needles. If done correctly, the points would gush with water, signifying the flow of qi.) • 宋慈, a physician and coroner, compiles 洗冤集录 Instruction to Coroners, the first treatise on forensic medicine.

Prepared by Francisco V. Navarro V, M.D. CHN50 SY 2009-2010 2nd Semester Traditional Chinese Medicine History of Chinese Medicine 元 Yuan Dynasty 1271 - 1368 AD Mongol Empire rules China, founded by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. Mongol rule introduced cultural diversity from the Middle East and Europe, although the Han Chinese were socially discriminated. Tibetan Buddhism rose and Christianity was tolerated in China; while Chinese technologies spread through Europe.

MATURATION PERIOD

明 1386 - 1655 AD Orderly government and social stability allowed for great construction projects, such as the Grand Canal, The Great Wall, and the Forbidden City. Maritime trade brought with Asia, with Asia, Arabia, and Europe brought in wealth and culture, until the shift to an inward foreign policy.

Personages • Shizhen 李时珍, celebrated physician, acupuncturist, and herbalist, authors 本草纲目 Bencao Gangmu (The Compendium of ), the most complete and accurate collection of medicinal substances, herbal prescriptions, and illustrations of specimens, later translated to several languages and distributed throughout Europe. • 张三丰, a Taoist convert, founds the 武当 Wudang Sect on Mount Wudang, and develops 太极拳 taiji quan exercises to cultivate qi, health and longevity.

清 Qing Dynasty 1655 - 1911 AD The Manchurian-ruled dynasty was marked by cultural stagnation, numerous rebellions and defeats in wars, and political and economic pressures from foreign powers; eventually leading to the end of Imperial China.

STANDARDIZATION PERIOD

Republic of China 1912 - 1949 AD Peopleʼs Republic of China 1949 - present Revolting against the the weak and backward Qing Dynasty, the republic government sought reforms for the nation, but faced the difficulties of World War I, foreign invasions, civil wars, and the cultural revolution. The Communist Party of China established the Peopleʼs Republic of China as it is known today.

Personages • Barefoot Doctors were set up as part of The Great Leap forward, to address medical needs of the rural population; these doctors have basic training on acupuncture and other primary therapies, and would utilize local herbs found on the countryside. The program combines ancient traditions as well as modern practicalities, while remaining consistent with Communist policies.

Prepared by Francisco V. Navarro V, M.D. CHN50 SY 2009-2010 2nd Semester