Mao Youzhi: Biographical Introduction and Historical Accounts, Major Works and Academic Contributions
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✵Mao Youzhi: A renowned herbalist and gynecologist of the Ming Dynasty; his family had practiced gynecology for generations, tracing its expertise back to ancestral physicians. He is the author of Mao Shi Nv Ke Mi Fang (Secret Prescriptions on Gynecology by the Mao Family), a specialized treatise on the diagnosis and treatment of obstetric syndromes.
- Mao Youzhi
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Brief Introduction Chinese Name: 茅友芝 (Máo Yǒuzhī) Alias: Unknown Style Name: Unknown English Name: Mao Youzhi (family name first) or Youzhi Mao (given name first) Hometown: Anting, Jiading (present-day Anting Town, Jiading District, Shanghai) Dates: Unknown; active during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) Major Work: 《茅氏女科秘方》(Mao Shi Nv Ke Mi Fang, or Secret Prescriptions on Gynecology by the Mao Family) Representative Work: Mao Shi Nv Ke Mi Fang Biographical Introduction and Historical Accounts
Mao Youzhi was a native of Anting, Jiading. His family had practiced gynecology for generations, with medical expertise passed down from ancestors. His exact birth and death dates remain unknown, and historical records of his life are scarce.
Major Works and Academic Contributions
Mao Shi Nv Ke Mi Fang—also known as Anting Mao Shi Shi Chuan Nv Ke (Gynecological Secrets Transmitted by the Mao Family of Anting)—is a Ming-dynasty gynecological treatise compiled by Mao Youzhi. Completed in the second year of the Hongzhi reign (1489 CE), the text originated as a secret manuscript transmitted within the Mao family across generations. It was never officially printed or published; instead, copies were hand-copied within the clan as part of the Mao family’s ancestral medical heritage. The work focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of obstetric syndromes, addressing etiology and pathogenesis related to prenatal and postpartum conditions, as well as cold-induced disorders during pregnancy. It systematically classifies 18 antenatal syndromes, 21 postpartum syndromes, the supplementary or modified Siwu Tang (Four-Substance Decoction) before and after childbirth, the supplementary Bawu Tang (Eight-Substance Decoction), and the 21 syndromes of cold-affection—totaling sixty syndromes covering menstruation regulation, pregnancy, and the puerperium—each accompanied by corresponding treatments and prescriptions. Syndrome differentiation is presented concisely and clearly, and prescriptions are closely aligned with clinical patterns. The text preserves essential theoretical foundations of traditional Chinese gynecology and obstetrics while integrating generations of the Mao family’s clinical experience—particularly their refined application of Liuhe Tang (Six-Harmony Decoction), Siwu Tang (Four-Substance Decoction), and other classic formulas. Notably, many therapeutic guidelines and formula indications are rendered in verse form for ease of memorization and transmission.
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- 1.Mao Youzhi: Biographical Introduction and Historical Accounts, Major Works and Academic Contributions
