Prosperous Shade: Sex in the History of Chinese Medicine (9601665)

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, with an extremely rigorous academic attitude over a span of 20 years, meticulously examined a vast number of traditional Chinese medical classics, medical 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 Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, the unique perspective—starting with the "body of the Yellow Emperor"—allows for discussions on the yin-yang balance and gender, revealing that Song Dynasty medical gynecology emphasized the principle of "women governing blood as the commander," prioritizing the treatment of menstrual regulation and the art of single-prescription formulations. Pregnancy and childbirth became the core of obstetric activities within families. After the Ming Dynasty, the focus of gynecology shifted to nourishing yin, with treatment shifting from the external to the internal, emphasizing the replenishment of qi and blood depletion caused by childbirth. This book does not merely examine the content and history of traditional Chinese medical gynecology from the perspective of general technical history but delves into the social and cultural dimensions, exploring the cultural roles of ancient Chinese women as a special gender within traditional Chinese medicine. Thus, it is not a traditional medical history work but rather places topics related to medical history within the context of society, family, and gender, creating a new style that blends medical history, disease history, and body history.