Classified Materia Medica

唐慎微Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

5.0

Word count: 845K words
Chapters: 32

Summary

The Classified Materia Medica for Emergency Preparedness, Compiled from Historical and Contemporary Sources (1082 CE, the 5th year of the Yuanfeng era of the Song Dynasty), commonly known as the Classified Materia Medica (Zhenglei Bencao), is a work of ancient Chinese pharmacology in 31 volumes, compiled by Tang Shenwei.

Editor's review

The Classified Materia Medica is a monumental pharmacological work compiled by Tang Shenwei in the Song Dynasty. In 31 volumes and completed during the Yuanfeng era of the Northern Song, it has long been regarded as a key document in the history of Chinese materia medica, bridging earlier and later traditions. Drawing together the pharmacological knowledge of earlier ages and reorganizing and supplementing it, it is rich in scope and provided later works on materia medica with a framework and source materials to draw on. For today's readers, its value lies not only in "medicines" themselves but in the wealth of ancient natural-historical knowledge and medical ideas it preserves; it is a window onto the way science was organized in the Song. It should be read as a traditional pharmacological document, with attention to its principles of classification, its method of compilation, and its historical context, rather than consulted as a modern medication guide. The edition printed by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company is suitable for study and collection, and it is best read alongside basic introductions to the history of materia medica or to Chinese medical bibliography, so that its place in the tradition can be understood. The work is lengthy; readers are advised to select passages according to interest and need rather than insist on reading it through, and to focus on appreciating the scale and care with which the ancients organized knowledge.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students and researchers of Chinese medicine who need to understand the state of Song-dynasty materia medica literature.
Readers in the humanities and history interested in ancient natural history and the cultural history of medicine.
Those engaged in compiling Chinese medical literature or studying the editions of ancient books who need to consult traditional materia medica formats.
Lovers of traditional culture with some grounding in classical Chinese who are willing to read selections from ancient scientific and technical texts.

Not a good fit for

General readers hoping to look up medicines and use them according to modern medical standards, or seeking immediate treatment advice.
Complete beginners with no ability to read classical Chinese who need accessible popular-science books.
Readers who want only light, story-driven content and lack patience for documentary works.

Reading tips

Begin with the preface or a relevant introduction to the history of materia medica to understand the place of the Classified Materia Medica in the pharmacological tradition.
There is no need to read it through; select passages by drug category or interest, and use reference works to look up rare characters and terms.
Pay attention to its classification and compilation methods as you read, understanding it as a document rather than a practical manual.
Compare it with later major works on materia medica to observe how pharmacological knowledge was transmitted and supplemented.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
序
卷第一
卷第二
卷第三
卷第四
卷第五
卷第六
卷第七
卷第八
卷第九
卷第十
卷第十一
卷第十二
卷第十三
卷第十四
卷第十五
卷第十六
卷第十七
卷第十八
卷第十九\禽上
卷第二十\上品
卷第二十一\中品
卷第二十二\下品
卷第二十三\上品
卷第二十四
卷第二十五
卷第二十六
卷第二十七
卷第二十八
卷第二十九
卷第三十

FAQ

Is the Classified Materia Medica suitable as a family medication reference?

No. It is an ancient pharmacological document whose contents belong to a particular historical context and format and cannot be equated directly with a modern medication guide. General readers with health problems should consult a professional physician; this book is better read and studied from a documentary and scholarly perspective.

Can someone without a foundation in Chinese medicine read this book?

Reading the original text directly is demanding, as it involves a great many ancient drug names, technical terms, and classical Chinese expressions. Readers are advised to first acquire some basic knowledge of Chinese medical bibliography or the history of materia medica, then use reference works to read selected entries, progressing gradually into the text.

Why is this book important in the history of pharmacology?

The Classified Materia Medica was completed in the Northern Song. It gathers and organizes a wealth of pharmacological material from earlier periods; in its many volumes and relatively complete format it provided an important reference for later works on materia medica and is one of the key documents for understanding how ancient Chinese pharmacological knowledge accumulated and was organized.

What should readers focus on?

Focus on its approach to classifying drugs, its method of compilation, and the Song-dynasty medical ideas it reflects, rather than memorizing prescriptions in isolation. Understanding it within the development of materia medica makes its documentary value and historical position more apparent.

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About the author

唐慎微 Author

Tang Shenwei was a physician and pharmacologist in ancient China. Extant public sources are limited: neither his birth and death years, nor his native place, teachers, or official career can be confirmed, so a complete biography cannot be reconstructed. What is certain is that he is remembered in the history of medicine for the book Zheng Lei Ben Cao (Classified Materia Medica). The work holds an important place among traditional materia medica texts, gathering knowledge of medicinal substances and emphasizing the organization and preservation of source materials, which reflects a rigorous and practical approach to compilation. In style, Tang Shenwei focused on collecting and classifying documents rather than offering empty discussion, giving the book value both as a practical reference and as a compilation of source materials. Because biographical materials are scarce, our knowledge of him today rests mainly on this transmitted work; readers interested in the transmission and evolution of ancient pharmacological knowledge may begin with it and appreciate its place in the tradition of materia medica literature.