Image Text - Compendium of Materia Medica (Upper and Lower) ((Image Text))

Author: Li Shizhen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-12-01
Features: This book selects over 200 commonly used medicinal herbs from Compendium of Materia Medica, dividing them into six parts: Water, Fire, Earth, Metal, Stone, and Grass, Cereals, Fruits, Woods, Insects, Scalefish, Reptiles, and Birds. Under each specific herb, there are six categories: Name Explanation, Collection and Preparation, Nature and Taste, Main Indications, Discoveries, and Prescriptions, all selected from the original text of Compendium of Materia Medica. The book largely preserves the original outline and is intended to be accessible and practical for the general public. It references multiple versions of Compendium of Materia Medica with the goal of being economical and user-friendly.
The full Compendium of Materia Medica consists of 52 volumes, divided into 16 sections and 60 categories. It originally included 1,518 herbs from various Materia Medica texts, with an additional 374 newly added. For each herb, "Name Explanation" determines its name; "Collected Explanations" describe origin, morphology, cultivation, and harvesting methods; "Discerning Doubts" and "Correcting Errors" verify the authenticity of herbs and correct historical inaccuracies; "Preparation" explains processing methods; "Nature and Taste," "Main Indications," and "Discoveries" analyze the properties and functions of herbs; "Prescriptions" collects over 11,000 ancient medical formulas and folk remedies. It also includes over 1,100 illustrations of herb forms.
Completed in the sixth year of the Wanli reign (1578) and published in the sixteenth year (1590), the book has been widely reprinted and has multiple foreign language translations circulating abroad. Its practical content and extensive knowledge have not only greatly influenced the dietary and therapeutic practices of ancient Chinese people but also play a significant role in modern medicine, dietary science, health preservation, and the development of modern health products.
This book, referencing multiple versions of Compendium of Materia Medica, aims to be accessible and practical for the general public, with the goal of presenting as complete and comprehensive a picture of the original work as possible. It provides a colloquial and refined translation of the original text, appropriately omitting some rare and peculiar items and medically unverified prescriptions to help readers better grasp everyday dietary and therapeutic knowledge.