历史学最新文献

"The Chinese Medical History Association" was renamed as "The Medical History Division of the Chinese Medical Association" (hereafter "The Medical History Division") in 1996. The Medical History Division began to exert its influence on academic communities in the period of 1996-2023. It mainly focused on organising academic activities in its field. For instance, it held a total of 46 academic conferences or symposiums at diverse levels from 1996 to 2023. It particularly followed academic annual conferences and had part of the proceedings published or left them on some academic websites, such as CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure). Additionally, The Medical History Division built some research teams, activated the aged experts potential, supported and trained the young, provided opportunities for their academic thinking development, standadised the organisation management, and improved the management structure. It also held regular Committee meetings and created new posts for the young to drive its own development.

Lei Zheng Zhu Shi Qian Shi Xiao Er Fang Jue, written by Xiong Zongli in the Ming Dynasty, is an important annotation of Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue. It was twice put into the Catalog of National Rare Books of China. It remained with ten versions currently based on historical records and some book catalogs. This paper used a fieldwork and textural research method on the diverse versions of this book in terms of re-editions, version characters and the content. It was found that new versions and new collections were discovered, and some suspected versions with the names of others and versions mixed with others were also unearthed, resulting in insufficient version information. This paper clarified the version source and divided it into two version systems. One is the copy carved into something as the first published book, including the publication at the beginning period of the Ming dynasty and the reprint of the Cun De Tang by Chen Shihuang and the handwritten copy in Japanese in the third year of the Zheng De period in the Ming dynasty. Another is the copy system carved into something by Wu Mianxue, involving the version of Wu Mianxue in Xin An School in the period of Wan Li in the Ming Dynasty, the one in Dou Zhen Da Quan, the one in Yi Sheng Tang in the Ming Dynasty, the handwritten copy in the period of Wan Li in the Ming Dynasty and the carving copy by Qian Long Xuan in the 13 years of Bao Li in Japan.

Ointment rubbing therapy, as an external therapy of traditional Chinese medicine, combines massage techniques with ointment as medium and has been used in the treatment of internal and external medicine, gynecological, pediatric, androgenic and orthopedic conditions. This therapy originated from the Pre-Qin periods and was fully developed in the Song, Jin and Yuan dynasties. It is still often seen today because it was widely used by physicians in previous dynasties. However, it was not fully passed on and is not well known currently because many books and monographs related to it cannot be found and many of its ancient prescriptions have not been explored. This paper traces the origin of ointment rubbing therapy and summarises its characteristics and representative ancient books in each historical period, in order to provide references for research of ointment rubbing therapy.

The term 'Qu Qiao' originally came from Taoism (Dao Jiao) and referred to the human body which was opposite to the spirit (Shen). After being brought into traditional Chinese medicine, its connotation was widely extended and enriched. This paper examined the process through which 'Qu Qiao' came into Chinese medicine and the connotation and extension in this process. It was found that this term was developed at levels and structure as a demonstration of the cognition of ancient physicians on physiology and pathology in terms of parts of the human body and their relationship. The study of this term is valuable to enrich the acupuncture theories and helpful to promote pertinence in terms of clinical discrimination and treatment.

Chinese social thought and moral ethics underwent significant transformations because of modern social structure changes. Medical ethics with Chinese characteristics came into being with the introduction of modern western medicine and medical ethics into China. This indicated that Chinese medical ethics might be the integration of Chinese traditional ethics and western medical ethics. It was found that the development of modern Chinese medical ethics involved the following characteristics -- attaching importance to the consistence of the power and responsibilities of physicians, highlighting the function of medical societies and legislation in professional ethics, pledging their medical secrets, and being patriotic to their motherland. It was also found that the development of modern Chinese medical ethics had some deficiency because of the times and social backgrounds. These complicated characteristics and values of modern Chinese medical ethics can be taken as references for the further development of contemporary Chinese medical ethics.

The seven articles on 'Yun Qi' in Su Wen (Issue 19-22) focused on the theories of 'Wu Yun Liu Qi' based on the influence of climate changes on the human body. It was found that the two citations in the seven papers from Tai Shi Tian Yuan Ce were annotated and interpreted by Wang Bing with reference to the Dun-jia astrolabe. One citation was "nine stars and seven luminaries revolve in the sky" in Tian Yuan Ji Da Lun in Su Wen, meaning the movements of celestial bodies in the universe. The "nine stars" here referred to the Big Dipper, rather than the nine stars in the Dun-jia astrolabe. Another citation was "the Qi passed through the lunar mansions and the gates between the sky and the earth" in Wu Yun Xing Da Lun in Su Wen. The interpretation of this citation has to take the reference of the unearthed Liu-Ren astrolabe instead of the Dun-jia. It was found that by marking the path on the Liu-Ren astrolabe, the Qi transformed into Five-Yun and led to Sui-Yun, reflecting the changes of climate, phenology and pathogenic characteristics throughout a year. This indicates the unity and harmony of time and space.

Character research or figure studies is important content in Chinese Journal of Medical History - a pivotal platform for research on the history of Chinese medicine in China. A total of 893 papers on character research were published from 1947 (when the journal was launched) to 2024, accounting for 20.74% of the journal content. These papers on character research were distributed in the diverse sections of the journal, such as 'Characters', 'Masterpieces', 'Chinese Medical History', 'Short Pieces and Discussion', 'Textural Research', 'Forum and Contention' and 'History Discourses', showing the trend of periodic changes with time. The contents of these papers involved biographies, achievements or evaluations, characters relationships or comparative studies and character relics studies. This character research covered a variety of viewpoints, research methods, novel data and materials and even cross disciplines.

Tools have to be used to process herbs and drugs in traditional Chinese medicine. Many of them were described in The Fifty-Two Prescriptions for Diseases. However, these tools still appear controversial today. This paper examined three metal tools 'Diao'(), 'Yan'() and 'Ding'() in The Fifty-Two Prescriptions for Diseases, in order to clarify the nature of the metal tools for processing from the unearthed Han Dynasty Tombs. It was found that the 'Diao'() in the Han Dynasty was not copper ware with a handle, but a tool with an open curved bottom. The 'Yan' () in the Han Dynasty was not a three-legged device with a top container, but a combination of a kettle, a caldron and a pot. The 'Ding'() in the Han Dynasty was a container normally with a lid, a round belly and an ellipsoidal shaped dome, which helped enhance gas pressure in cooking. The results of this study provide a reference to understand the characteristics of three metal tools used in processing herbs and drugs in The Fifty-Two Prescriptions for Diseases at that time.

ölmei-7 is a medicinal formula in classic Mongolian medicine, renowned for its diuretic efficacy. Clinically, it is widely used in the treatment of visceral-origin edema associated with disorders of the heart, kidney, liver, and other internal organs. This study reviewed the ancient texts of Mongolian and Tibetan medicine across various historical periods with traditional philological methods, drawing on the standards of Mongolian medicine. The study examined the origin, name, composition, indications, modifications, and dosage ratios of ölmei-7. It was found that ölmei-7 had been skillfully applied in clinical practice up to the 16^th century. Its basic or fixed composition was constructed with seven herbs - safflower, fragrant green orchid, scabiosa flos, Cochinchina Momordica Seed (processed), maitake, quomai, and gardenia. It was also associated with another 17 herbs as it medically evolved, such as clove, sedum, and gentiana. Clinically, ölmei-7 can be used for internal organs alternatively according to etiology, pathogenesis, nature of disease, predilection sites, and simultaneous phenomenon of the condition of dropsy. The main medicinal flavor and dosage of ölmei-7 is also believed relatively stable clinically. It has the value of further development and application.

Sman thang, the graphic drawings of Tibetan medicine, was completed by Desi Sangye Gyatso at the end of the 17th century. Its content was based mainly on Blue Lapislazuli (Lan Liu Li), the annotated version of Rgyud bzhi (Si Bu Yi Dian). It drew references from many classic medical books, such as Ashtanga Hridaya (Ba Zhi Xin Yao) and Lunar King (Yue Wang Yao Zhen), involving the content of Tibetan medicine on physiology, pathology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, with 80 drawings in total. Sman thang was, therefore, taken as the first reference learning material by the Tibetan medicine learners for a long time. With the Sman thang stereotyping and dissemination after the 18^th century, Tibetan medical education had been further developed. With the innovation of traditional Tibetan medicine teaching, the genres of Sman thang tended to be diversified into flip charts, long form books, wall paintings, xylographs and other forms, adapting to the needs at different stages, places and for various people. These genres of Sman thang broadened the scope of Tibetan medicine education and played an important role in promoting the development of Tibetan medicine.