The Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)

The Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)

The Story of Famous Physicians

The Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)

The medicinal substances recorded in the medical book “Bencao” (本草) were originally passed down from Shennong, totaling only three hundred sixty-five types. During the Liang Dynasty, Tao Hongjing added three hundred sixty-five more, bringing the total to seven hundred thirty types. In the Tang Dynasty, Su Gong added one hundred fourteen types, and in the Song Dynasty, Liu Han added another one hundred twenty types. By the time of Zhang Yuxi and Tang Shenwei, a total of one thousand five hundred fifty-eight types had been supplemented, which was considered the most comprehensive at that time. However, with such a wide variety of species and complex names, some were analyzed into two or three types, or two different types were classified as one. Li Shizhen, through clinical practice, discovered that many toxic medicines were mistakenly believed to be able to “prolong life with long-term use.” Therefore, he resolved to compile a new materia medica. At the age of thirty-one, he began to prepare for this, and in order to “exhaustively search and gather,” Li Shizhen read a large number of reference books. After finishing the collection at home, he took the opportunity of practicing medicine to borrow from the wealthy families in his hometown.

The Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)

In the thirtieth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1551), in the Jing Wangfu of Qizhou, Hubei, the wealthy Prince of Fushun, Zhu Houhuan, had a troubling matter. One of his grandsons had contracted a strange illness: he had a craving for lampwick flowers (the flower shape formed from the ashes of lamp wicks) and raw rice. Whenever an oil lamp or candle was lit, this grandson would demand to eat upon smelling the scent of the lampwick flowers. If he was not given any, he would cry endlessly. At the same time, this grandson did not like to eat cooked rice but preferred raw rice. The doctors in the royal palace could not determine the illness, only saying that “the prince was possessed by a spirit.”The Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)The young prince became increasingly emaciated, and the family was in a state of panic. Prince Zhu Houhuan posted reward notices throughout the city: seeking a famous physician to save his grandson, offering a reward of ten thousand taels of gold!

That year, Li Shizhen was thirty-three years old. He was recommended to the Fushun Prince’s residence. When Li Shizhen entered the young prince’s room and pulled back the bed curtain, he was met with the sight of a frail, emaciated child, even breathing weakly. Li Shizhen did not dare to be negligent and quickly extended his hand to take the pulse. After five minutes, he felt the pulse was somewhat weak and inquired about the child’s eating and drinking habits, as well as any unusual behaviors. A maidservant said that the young prince had recently developed a particular fondness for the scent of lampwick flowers and had asked her to bring him raw rice several times, swallowing it whole without cooking, and after eating, he would rub his stomach comfortably.

The Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)

Upon hearing this, Li Shizhen immediately bent down and pressed on the young prince’s abdomen, using his hands to massage his waist. After a series of techniques, he initially determined it to be a “worm infestation.” He quickly instructed his apprentice to find the corresponding medicinal materials for expelling the worms. Upon hearing this, Prince Fushun immediately ordered that within half an hour, the medicinal materials were presented one by one. Li Shizhen personally prepared three doses of herbal medicine and instructed the maidservant to feed the young prince the medicine on time.The young prince took Li Shizhen’s medicine and returned to normal within three days, able to eat, run, and jump. Prince Zhu Houhuan was very pleased and wanted to reward Li Shizhen with ten thousand taels of gold, but he ultimately did not accept the gold. Instead, he asked Prince Fushun to help him find several rare medicinal materials, as for Li Shizhen, being able to gather various medicinal materials for different ailments was far more important than ten thousand taels of gold.From then on, Li Shizhen frequently visited the Jing Wangfu. Whenever the family members, young and old, fell ill, they would seek Li Shizhen for treatment. Several cases of strange illnesses among the members of the Jing Wangfu were cured by Li Shizhen’s miraculous prescriptions. These medical cases were later recorded by Li Shizhen in the “Compendium of Materia Medica.”

(To be continued)

Editor: Zhao Shuli

Proofreader: Xu Ying

Reviewer: Jia ShuxianThe Story of Famous Physicians: The Origin of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Part Two)

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