History of Chinese Medicine

Author: Chen Bangxian
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Chinese medicine is an independent medical system outside the Western medical system. The attention of the Chinese academic community to the history of Chinese medicine began in the early 20th century. However, early published works were limited to the scope of Western medical history and were translated from foreign languages. The pioneers of Chinese medicine history research in China are primarily Chen Bangxian (1889–1976). Medical history is a highly comprehensive science. The history of Chinese medicine is a branch of the great river of Chinese civilization, standing independently in the forest of disciplines across ancient and modern times, with an enduring vitality, unbroken tradition, and continuous renewal. Scholars have summarized it from generation to generation, such as Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian·Biographies of Bian Que and Cang Gong in the Han Dynasty, Gan Bozong's Biographies of Famous Physicians in the Tang Dynasty, Zhou Shouchong's Selection of Famous Physicians Through the Ages in the Song Dynasty, Li Lian's History of Medicine in the Ming Dynasty, Wang Honghan's History of Medicine from Antiquity to Modern Times in the Qing Dynasty, and Xu Lingtai's On the Origin and Development of Medicine in the Qing Dynasty. However, the general medical history that covers all fields of medicine and health and is characterized by systematic exposition of the chronological history of Chinese medicine is undoubtedly Chen Bangxian's History of Chinese Medicine. This book was completed in 1919 and published by Shanghai Medical Bookstore in 1920. It sequentially narrates the medicine of the remote antiquity, the Zhou, Qin, Han, Jin-Sui, Tang, Song, Jin-Yuan, Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, systematically introducing the medical policies, famous physicians, famous medical works, and new theories and achievements that emerged, as well as making many original contributions to the discussion of the history of diseases. The second edition was significantly revised and supplemented, published by Shanghai Commercial Press in 1937 and included in the Series of the History of Chinese Culture edited by Wang Yunwu and others. The content is divided into five parts: Ancient Medicine, Medieval Medicine, Modern Medicine, Modern Medicine, and the History of Diseases, narrating the origin and evolution of Chinese medicine, the development of medical techniques, and the introduction of foreign medicine. In 1958, Taiwan Commercial Press reprinted the second edition. In 1957, Beijing Commercial Press published the third revised edition, analyzing the origin, driving forces, periods, and use of historical materials of medicine from a historical materialist perspective, attempting to explain the rise and fall and evolution of medicine from the perspectives of socio-economic conditions, political systems, and cultural and ideological backgrounds. This book has had a significant impact both domestically and internationally. Dr. Yamamoto Seiji of Japan translated it into Japanese and published it in Tokyo, Japan, in 1941. Chinese medicine is an independent medical system outside the Western medical system. The attention of the Chinese academic community to the history of Chinese medicine began in the early 20th century. However, early published works were limited to the scope of Western medical history and were translated from foreign languages. The pioneers of Chinese medicine history research in China are primarily Chen Bangxian (1889–1976). Medical history is a highly comprehensive science. The history of Chinese medicine is a branch of the great river of Chinese civilization, standing independently in the forest of disciplines across ancient and modern times, with an enduring vitality, unbroken tradition, and continuous renewal. Scholars have summarized it from generation to generation, such as Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian·Biographies of Bian Que and Cang Gong in the Han Dynasty, Gan Bozong's Biographies of Famous Physicians in the Tang Dynasty, Zhou Shouchong's Selection of Famous Physicians Through the Ages in the Song Dynasty, Li Lian's History of Medicine in the Ming Dynasty, Wang Honghan's History of Medicine from Antiquity to Modern Times in the Qing Dynasty, and Xu Lingtai's On the Origin and Development of Medicine in the Qing Dynasty. However, the general medical history that covers all fields of medicine and health and is characterized by systematic exposition of the chronological history of Chinese medicine is undoubtedly Chen Bangxian's History of Chinese Medicine. This book was completed in 1919 and published by Shanghai Medical Bookstore in 1920. It sequentially narrates the medicine of the remote antiquity, the Zhou, Qin, Han, Jin-Sui, Tang, Song, Jin-Yuan, Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, systematically introducing the medical policies, famous physicians, famous medical works, and new theories and achievements that emerged, as well as making many original contributions to the discussion of the history of diseases. The second edition was significantly revised and supplemented, published by Shanghai Commercial Press in 1937 and included in the Series of the History of Chinese Culture edited by Wang Yunwu and others. The content is divided into five parts: Ancient Medicine, Medieval Medicine, Modern Medicine, Modern Medicine, and the History of Diseases, narrating the origin and evolution of Chinese medicine, the development of medical techniques, and the introduction of foreign medicine. In 1958, Taiwan Commercial Press reprinted the second edition. In 1957, Beijing Commercial Press published the third revised edition, analyzing the origin, driving forces, periods, and use of historical materials of medicine from a historical materialist perspective, attempting to explain the rise and fall and evolution of medicine from the perspectives of socio-economic conditions, political systems, and cultural and ideological backgrounds. This book has had a significant impact both domestically and internationally. Dr. Yamamoto Seiji of Japan translated it into Japanese and published it in Tokyo, Japan, in 1941.