✵Ben Jing, or Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing or Shen Nong's Herbal, one of China's earliest materia medica, believed to be a book of the 1st century B.C. with its authorship attributed to the ancient emperor "the Divine Peasant" Shen Nong. The book is the earliest existing pharmacological monograph that survived till today, the first systematic summary of China's early clinical experience in the use of herbs, and has been regarded as a classic work of traditional Chinese medicine.
Ben Jing (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
Brief Introduction
中文名 (Chinese Name):
《本经》Ben Jing
English Name:
Shen Nong's Materia Medica
Author (or Authors):
☯神农 (Shen Nong)
Edition age:
the 1st century B.C.
Introduction of Ben Jing.
Shennong Ben Cao Jing, also known as Shennong Ben Cao, or Ben Cao Jing, and in English it is known as Shen Nong's Herbal, or Shen Nong's Materia Medica, the book is the earliest surviving pharmacological monograph in China. The author is unknown, and "Shennong" is a pretext for the authorship. Since ancient times, there have been different theories about its time, theories said it was compiled in the Qin and Han Dynasties, or in the period of the Warring States. The original book not survived till today, the current book was collected and compiled by later generations from the collection of ancient herb books. The book was first recorded in the Sui Shu-Jing Ji Zhi (The book of Sui-book of records), "Shen Nong Ben Cao, four volumes, supplemented notes by Lei Gong". Throughout the ages there have been a variety of versions from handed-down copies and annotated copies, the earliest surviving compilation is a compilation copy Shennong Benjing by Lu Fu in Ming dynasty (1616 AD), a widely circulated compilation is Shennong Bencaojing by Sun Xingyan, Sun Fengyi in Qing dynasty (1799 AD).
Shennong Ben Cao Jing is the earliest existing pharmacological monograph that survived till today, the first systematic summary of China's early clinical experience in the use of herbs, and has been regarded as a classic work of traditional Chinese medicine. The book is divided into three volumes, containing 365 kinds of herbs (252 kinds of botanical herbs, 67 kinds of animal medicines, and 46 kinds of mineral medicines), and is classified into the upper grade, the middle grade, and the lower grade, with concise and simple text, which has become the essence of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
The contents of the Ben Jing are records of herbs including flavor, main indications, synonym, growing environment, part for medicine use, mainly indicated diseases and syndromes. It also summarizes how the various herbs can be used in combination with each other, as well as simple preparations.
The book follows the principle of the formulae of Nei Jing (the Inner Canon), and also takes the herbs as examples of the status of the ruler and ministers in the dynasty to show their primary and secondary relationships and the laws of combination. The book also has a detailed description of the taste of herbs, pointing out that the four qi (cold, heat, warmth and coolness), and the five flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty) are the basic nature of herbs, which can be used for the different selection of herbs for the different nature of diseases (cold, heat, dampness and dryness).
In order to ensure the quality of herbs, the book also pointed out that attention should be paid to the origin of herbs, the time, method, authenticity of collecting. Various dosage forms should be made, depending on the nature of the herbs. The time of taking the herb should be determined according to the location of the disease before or after eating, or in the morning, or before going to bed. All these have certain significance in guiding the use of herbs.
References:
1.Introduction of Ben Jing:Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing.
✵Ben Jing, or Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing or Shen Nong's Herbal, one of China's earliest materia medica, believed to be a book of the 1st century B.C. with its authorship attributed to the ancient emperor "the Divine Peasant" Shen Nong. The book is the earliest existing pharmacological monograph that survived till today, the first systematic summary of China's early clinical experience in the use of herbs, and has been regarded as a classic work of traditional Chinese medicine.
Shennong Ben Cao Jing, also known as Shennong Ben Cao, or Ben Cao Jing, and in English it is known as Shen Nong's Herbal, or Shen Nong's Materia Medica, the book is the earliest surviving pharmacological monograph in China. The author is unknown, and "Shennong" is a pretext for the authorship. Since ancient times, there have been different theories about its time, theories said it was compiled in the Qin and Han Dynasties, or in the period of the Warring States. The original book not survived till today, the current book was collected and compiled by later generations from the collection of ancient herb books. The book was first recorded in the Sui Shu-Jing Ji Zhi (The book of Sui-book of records), "Shen Nong Ben Cao, four volumes, supplemented notes by Lei Gong". Throughout the ages there have been a variety of versions from handed-down copies and annotated copies, the earliest surviving compilation is a compilation copy Shennong Benjing by Lu Fu in Ming dynasty (1616 AD), a widely circulated compilation is Shennong Bencaojing by Sun Xingyan, Sun Fengyi in Qing dynasty (1799 AD).
The contents of the Ben Jing are records of herbs including flavor, main indications, synonym, growing environment, part for medicine use, mainly indicated diseases and syndromes. It also summarizes how the various herbs can be used in combination with each other, as well as simple preparations.
