Zhang Zhongjing: introduction about his biography and legend,main books and academic thoughts.
✵Zhang Ji, also known as Zhang Zhongjing, was one of the most influential herbalists in Chinese history. He was a legendary herbalist and master of herbs in both Chinese and world history. He is not mentioned in the history book Hou Han Shu (The Book of the Later Han, or History of the Later Han), but his achievements were first recorded in the ancient book Ming Yi Lu (Records of Famous Herbalists), written by Gan Bozong (甘伯宗 Gān Bózōng) of the Tang Dynasty. It recorded that: "Zhang Zhongjing is from Nan Yang. His name is Ji; Zhong Jing is an alias. He started learning crafts from a local herbalist named Zhang Bozu. People at that time said his ideas and skills were more refined than his master's. His books are brief, essential, and profound. His method is simple but detailed and cannot be understood by those who know a little or are shallow."
張仲景(Zhāng Zhòngjǐng).
Brief Introduction
Chinese Name:
張機 (Zhāng Jī)
Alias:
仲景 (Zhòngjǐng)
Popular name:
張仲景 (Zhāng Zhòngjǐng)
English Name:
Zhang Zhongjing, or Zhongjing Zhang (Given/Sur Name)
Hometown:
Nie Yang county, Nan Yang Jun
Dates:
about 150-219 A.D.
Main works:
《傷寒雜病論》(Shang Han Za Bing Lun, or Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases),《辨傷寒》十卷 (Bian Shang Han.10 Vols),《評病藥方》壹卷 (Ping Bing Yao Fang.1 vol),《療婦人方》二卷 (Liao Fu Ren Fang.2 vols),《五藏論》壹卷 (Wu Zang Lun.1 vol)
Representative works:
Shang Han Za Bing Lun (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases)
Biography and legends:
Zhang Ji is the name of the herbalist Zhang Zhongjing (150?~219? A.D.). Zhongjing is his alias. He is one of the most influential herbalists in the history of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and a legendary herbalist and master of herbs both in Chinese and world history. He was from the ancient Nan Yang Jun, Nie Yang County of the Han Dynasty (present-day Zhang Zhai village, Dongyang town, Deng County, Henan Province). In the fourth year of the Yanxi period (161 A.D.), Zhang Ji took Zhang Bozu (張伯祖 Zhāng Bózǔ) as his teacher and learned excellent diagnostic and treatment skills. He was a master of classics and herbal prescriptions. His books were used as the ancestor's book for later herbal prescriptions. During the Han dynasty, people declared that Bian Que (扁鵲Biǎn Què) and Cang Gong (倉公Cāng Gōng) could not compare with him. Later, people respected him as the "Medical Sage." In 1182 A.D., the herbalist Liu Wansu (劉完素Liú Wánsù) recorded "Zhong Jing, the inferior Sage" in his book. In 1526 A.D., the herbalist Li Lian (李濂 Lǐ Lián) recorded in his book, History of Medicine, that Zhong Jing "was elected as the inferior Sage." In 1589 A.D., the herbalist Fang Youzhi (方有執 Fāng Yǒuzhí) recorded in his book, (Shang Han Lun Tiao Bian), that “Zhong Jing was called sage."
During the late years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were three eminent physicians who are briefly known in history as the "Three Miracle Herbalists of the Jian'an Period." Jian'an was the third reign title of Emperor Xian Di of the Han dynasty, and it lasted from around 196 to 220 A.D. The three physicians were herbalist Zhang Zhongjing, Hua Tuo (華佗 Huà Tuó) and Dong Feng (董奉 Dǒng Fèng).
The history book Hou Han Shu (The Book of the Later Han, or History of the Later Han) made no mention of him. His achievements were first recorded in the ancient book Ming Yi Lu (Records of Famous Herbalists), written by Gan Bozong (甘伯宗 Gān Bózōng) of the Tang Dynasty. It recorded that: "Zhang Zhongjing is from Nan Yang. His name is Ji; Zhong Jing is an alias. He started learning medicine from a local herbalist named Zhang Bozu. People at that time said his ideas and skills were more refined than his master's. His books are brief, essential, and profound. His method is simple but detailed and cannot be understood by those who know a little or are shallow."
Main books and academic thoughts:
According to the autobiographical notes of Zhang Zhongjing, classics such as Su Wen (The Plain Questions), Jiu Juan (The Spiritual Pivot), Nan Jing (The Difficult Classic), Yin Yang Da Lun, Tai Lu Yao Lu and other books were already widespread. Evidence from Jia Yi Jing·Xu (the Preface to the Systematized Canon of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) showed that a professional classic about herbal prescriptions and treatments, named Tang Ye Jing, had already been published. The basic classics of TCM include basic theories, materia medica, prescriptions of Chinese materia medica, and the science of acupuncture and moxibustion. These were already widespread, and the basic theory of medicine was taking shape, becoming prolific and complete gradually.
Shang Han Za Bing Lun (the Treatise on Cold-induced and Miscellaneous Diseases) was the first classic medical book to completely represent and combine "theory, method, herbal prescriptions, medicine." In the book, Zhang Zhongjing first explains the pathological reasons, mechanisms, and treatment methods of epidemic and miscellaneous diseases, establishing a firm theoretical basis for the development of medicine in later generations. The combined theory system of Shang Han Za Bing Lun has a very high scientific level and practical value. It offers very effective treatment methods for both exogenous febrile diseases and miscellaneous diseases and has proved herbalists with a long-term clinical practice guide since its publication. It has had a significant influence on the development of TCM academics.
During the Jin Dynasty, the imperial physician Wang Shuhe (王叔和 Wáng Shūhé) collected the surviving volumes of Shang Han Za Bing Lun and attempted to edit and organize them. While editing the book, he found that he could not edit it into 16 volumes; only 10 volumes were completed. The book mainly discusses cold-induced disease, their syndrome differentiation, and their treatment theory. Thus, he named this edition Shang Han Lun (The Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases). Wang Shuhe also collected many contents of Shang Han Lun (The Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) in his famous work Mai Jing (The Pulse Classic).
References:
1.Zhang Zhongjing: introduction about his biography and legend,main books and academic thoughts.
✵Zhang Ji, also known as Zhang Zhongjing, was one of the most influential herbalists in Chinese history. He was a legendary herbalist and master of herbs in both Chinese and world history. He is not mentioned in the history book Hou Han Shu (The Book of the Later Han, or History of the Later Han), but his achievements were first recorded in the ancient book Ming Yi Lu (Records of Famous Herbalists), written by Gan Bozong (甘伯宗 Gān Bózōng) of the Tang Dynasty. It recorded that: "Zhang Zhongjing is from Nan Yang. His name is Ji; Zhong Jing is an alias. He started learning crafts from a local herbalist named Zhang Bozu. People at that time said his ideas and skills were more refined than his master's. His books are brief, essential, and profound. His method is simple but detailed and cannot be understood by those who know a little or are shallow."
Zhang Ji is the name of the herbalist Zhang Zhongjing (150?~219? A.D.). Zhongjing is his alias. He is one of the most influential herbalists in the history of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and a legendary herbalist and master of herbs both in Chinese and world history. He was from the ancient Nan Yang Jun, Nie Yang County of the Han Dynasty (present-day Zhang Zhai village, Dongyang town, Deng County, Henan Province). In the fourth year of the Yanxi period (161 A.D.), Zhang Ji took Zhang Bozu (張伯祖 Zhāng Bózǔ) as his teacher and learned excellent diagnostic and treatment skills. He was a master of classics and herbal prescriptions. His books were used as the ancestor's book for later herbal prescriptions. During the Han dynasty, people declared that Bian Que (扁鵲Biǎn Què) and Cang Gong (倉公Cāng Gōng) could not compare with him. Later, people respected him as the "Medical Sage." In 1182 A.D., the herbalist Liu Wansu (劉完素Liú Wánsù) recorded "Zhong Jing, the inferior Sage" in his book. In 1526 A.D., the herbalist Li Lian (李濂 Lǐ Lián) recorded in his book, History of Medicine, that Zhong Jing "was elected as the inferior Sage." In 1589 A.D., the herbalist Fang Youzhi (方有執 Fāng Yǒuzhí) recorded in his book, (Shang Han Lun Tiao Bian), that “Zhong Jing was called sage."
During the Jin Dynasty, the imperial physician Wang Shuhe (王叔和 Wáng Shūhé) collected the surviving volumes of Shang Han Za Bing Lun and attempted to edit and organize them. While editing the book, he found that he could not edit it into 16 volumes; only 10 volumes were completed. The book mainly discusses cold-induced disease, their syndrome differentiation, and their treatment theory. Thus, he named this edition Shang Han Lun (The Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases). Wang Shuhe also collected many contents of Shang Han Lun (The Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases) in his famous work Mai Jing (The Pulse Classic).
