Prosperous Shade (Sex in the History of Chinese Medicine 960-1665)

Author: Fei Xiali (USA), translated by Zhen Cheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: This book is a renowned medical anthropology classic in the fields of medical history, anthropology, and Sinology. The author, over a span of 20 years, with an extremely rigorous academic attitude, meticulously examined a vast array of traditional Chinese medical classics, case studies, secret prescriptions, and manual-style literature to complete this work, which even general Chinese scholars find difficult to achieve. Although the author focuses on the 700-year history from the Song to the Ming dynasties, the unique perspective—starting with the "body of the Yellow Emperor"—allows for an exploration of the yin-yang and gender aspects of the body. It reveals that Song Dynasty medical gynecology emphasized the principle of "women governing blood" and prioritized the treatment of menstrual disorders through individualized prescriptions. Pregnancy and childbirth became the core of obstetric activities within families. By the Ming Dynasty, the focus shifted to nourishing yin, with treatment shifting from external to internal approaches, emphasizing the replenishment of qi and blood deficiency caused by childbirth. This book does not merely examine the content and history of traditional Chinese gynecology from the perspective of technical history but delves into the social and cultural dimensions, exploring the cultural roles of ancient Chinese women as a special gender group within traditional Chinese medicine. Thus, it is not a traditional medical history work but rather a new style that integrates medical history, disease history, and body history by placing medical history-related topics within the context of society, family, and gender.