Legends of Chinese Medicine

Name: Legends of Chinese Medicine
ISBN: 9787571015022

龚力民 / 方磊 / 方石林Hunan Science & Technology Press · ChinaApr 2025

3.3

Word count: 95K words
Chapters: 80
ISBN: 9787571015022

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Summary

This book collects, organizes, and revises folk tales, legends, poems, verses, couplets, and other legendary material related to traditional Chinese medicine. It gathers stories and legends about 39 medicinal herbs, including ginseng, 20 essays on materia medica, and 22 cultural stories about Chinese medicine, supplemented with more than 190 original plant illustrations or ink line drawings. Part One presents folk tales about Chinese herbal medicine, telling how people overcame disease and natural disasters. Part Two, essays on materia medica, traces the origins, producing areas, properties, and effects of commonly used herbs through ancient and modern sources, helping readers understand their history and distinguish fact from fiction. Part Three covers Chinese medicine culture, collecting and organizing information on the naming, names, properties, effects, poems, verses, couplets, and riddles of Chinese medicine.

Editor's review

The Legend of Chinese Medicine builds a bridge between modern readers and traditional Chinese medicine culture with vivid writing. Drawing on solid scholarship and fluent storytelling, Gong Limin avoids the usual approach of dry materia medica dictionaries or abstruse theoretical exposition. Instead, he integrates each herb's historical origins, legendary stories, cultural meanings, and practical properties into a lively portrait of herbal culture. The book's value lies not only in its knowledge but also in its storytelling: it restores seemingly ordinary plants such as ginseng, dong quai, and goji berry as cultural symbols carrying millennia of Chinese wisdom and philosophy of life, allowing readers to grasp naturally the core ideas of "unity of heaven and humanity" and "learning from nature" while enjoying the stories. For non-specialist readers, it removes professional barriers and offers a relaxed yet profound introduction to Chinese medicine culture; for enthusiasts, it provides a cultural perspective and historical depth beyond prescriptions and medicinal properties, enriching their understanding. Published by Hunan Science and Technology Press, the book ensures accuracy, is richly illustrated, well designed, and a pleasure to read. In short, it is an excellent work combining literary appeal with scientific rigor, an effective attempt at the "creative transformation and innovative development" of Chinese medicine culture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers curious about Chinese medicine culture, historical legends, and plant stories
Primary and secondary school students or family readers who want an easy introduction to the background of Chinese medicine as part of traditional culture
Enthusiasts of Chinese medicine, health cultivation, and natural therapies who wish to broaden their cultural horizons rather than focus solely on prescriptions
People in cultural communication, education, or creative work who need material and inspiration from Chinese medicine culture

Not a good fit for

Medical students or practitioners seeking rigorous, systematic textbooks or academic monographs focused on clinical medication and prescription compatibility
Readers expecting a practical manual with clear disease diagnoses, specific health recipes, or medicinal diet preparation steps

Reading tips

Read in chapter order, or start with a familiar or interesting herb (such as goji berry or chrysanthemum) as a daily cultural vignette
While reading, observe or try to handle the herbs mentioned (for example, buy some goji berries to steep in water or smell dried tangerine peel) to enhance sensory understanding
Pay attention to the "modern perspective" or "cultural notes" section at the end of each herb entry, which links ancient wisdom with modern life

About the publisher

Hunan Science & Technology Press China · Founded in 1979

Hunan Science & Technology Press has long focused on science popularization and medical publishing, balancing academic depth with accessibility for general readers. Among the 462 titles in the database are Richard Feynman's classic lectures on QED, the nature of physical laws, and relativity in the "Approaching Feynman" series, as well as general-audience works such as George Gamow's One, Two, Three... Infinity and Sean Carroll's The Big Picture. Its paleontology and dinosaur list includes Gregory S. Paul's Princeton field guides and authors such as Xing Lida. Hermann Weyl's Symmetry further reflects the press's attention to classic works bridging science and the humanities. Overall, the publisher shows a clear author profile and an emphasis on illustrated, well-rounded science publishing across both translated and original titles.

版权信息
序一
序二
前言
上篇中药故事和传说
1 人参
2 苍术
3 丹参
4 知母
5 绵马贯众
6 射干
7 威灵仙
8 重楼
9 徐长卿
10 黄精
11 常山
12 续断
13 葛根
14 杜仲
15 辛夷
16 金银花
17 女贞子
18 决明子
19 佛手
20 吴茱萸
21 使君子
22 菟丝子
23 蛇床子
24 车前草
25 仙鹤草
26 金钱草
27 佩兰与广藿香
28 茵陈
29 益母草
30 鱼腥草
31 夏枯草
32 蒲公英
33 麻黄
34 乌梢蛇
35 马勃
36 朱砂
37 瓜蒌
38 大枣
39 灵芝
40 牛膝
中篇药苑漫谈话中药
1 十方九药用当归
2 跌打损伤说三七
3 千年良药何首乌
4 镇惊祛风用天麻
5 山区人民话百合
6 说古道今话党参
7 药食同源话莲子
8 公孙树下话银杏
9 “杏林佳话”说杏仁
10 人人都爱合欢花
11 百花凋谢显芙蓉
12 南国红豆最相思
13 多栽香樟用途广
14 逢人就说马齿苋
15 奇特的生物——冬虫夏草
16 中药制药第一人
17 “大医精神”传万代
18 编撰医门圣书
下篇中药文化传奇
1 中药的命名
2 中药的名称
3 药名诗词
4 药名、打油诗、联词
5 药名闺情
6 药名对联
7 药名对联招女婿
8 药名对联考徒弟
9 中药谜语
10 歇后语猜药名
11 中药找“搭档”
12 两地情书
13 中医人的情书
14 从容施药，夏朴行医
15 中药歌谣

FAQ

What is the difference between this book and the Compendium of Materia Medica?

The core difference lies in genre and focus. The Compendium of Materia Medica is the monumental pharmacological work compiled by Li Shizhen in the Ming dynasty; it is systematic and rigorous, focusing on academic information such as drug classification, properties and meridians, and therapeutic effects. The Legend of Chinese Medicine is a modern popular work emphasizing storytelling and culture, aiming to recount the historical legends, humanistic allusions, and cultural connotations behind Chinese medicines. It can be seen as a cultural annotation and entertaining guide to the Compendium of Materia Medica.

Is the content scientific? Can I use medicines on my own based on what the book says?

The book is accurate and rigorous regarding the history and general knowledge of Chinese medicine and has been reviewed by a professional publisher. Note, however, that the medicinal properties and effects discussed are mostly traditional cultural descriptions or historical records, not modern medical diagnostic or prescribing guidelines. The book repeatedly emphasizes "please follow your doctor's advice"; its purpose is to spread culture, not replace professional medical advice. Never judge your condition or prescribe medicine solely on the basis of stories in the book; for specific health problems, always consult a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner or other qualified medical professional.

Is this book suitable for children?

It is very suitable as extracurricular reading to spark young people's interest in traditional culture and nature. The stories are engaging and let children learn in a fun way about the origins of Chinese medicine names, famous historical legends (such as Shennong tasting a hundred herbs), and the close connection between plants and human life. The book contains no complex or abstruse medical theory, its language is accessible, and some editions may include illustrations, effectively fostering affinity with and appreciation for fine traditional Chinese culture. Parents are encouraged to read along and explain interactively.

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About the author

龚力民 Author

Gong Limin currently has limited publicly available information; he is known only as the author of the book Legends of Chinese Medicine, which is classified under medicine. Judging from the title and category, the work likely centers on Chinese materia medica, recounting stories of herbs in a legendary style that combines knowledge with readability, aimed at general readers interested in traditional Chinese medicine culture. Because reliable information about the author's life, professional background, and writing career is lacking, it is not possible to determine whether he has medical or pharmaceutical training, nor should his identity or achievements be speculated upon. The existing records show only this one work, so his writing profile remains insufficiently known. Readers who wish to understand his style and sources may begin with this book and pay attention to how it presents the origins, uses, and related legends of Chinese medicines, without inferring details about the author's life.

方磊 Author

Fang Lei is an author about whom limited public information is available, and whose writing and editorial interests span several fields. Four of his works are included in the collection, covering management, medicine, classical poetry, and artificial intelligence. This wide range suggests an attention to and ability to bring together different areas of knowledge. Representative works include The Logic of Platform Governance, which discusses issues related to the operation and governance of platforms; Legends of Chinese Medicine, which presents knowledge about traditional Chinese medicine; The World Remains the Same, which takes classical poetry as its subject; and AI Changes the World: New Developments in Artificial Intelligence and the Intelligent Computing Economy, which focuses on recent advances in AI and the intelligent computing economy. Judging from these works, Fang Lei writes for both professional and general readers, turning topics in management, medicine, traditional culture, and technology and economics into accessible narratives that may appeal to readers interested in cross-disciplinary knowledge.

方石林 Author

Fang Shilin is an author about whom little public information is available. At present, only one representative work can be confirmed, Zhongyao Chuanqi (Legends of Chinese Materia Medica), which is commonly classified under medicine. The title suggests that the book draws on the field of Chinese herbal medicine and seeks to present herbs, formulas, or related figures and stories in a "legendary" narrative style, giving specialized traditional Chinese medical knowledge greater narrative appeal and readability. Writing of this kind is generally aimed at general readers interested in traditional Chinese medicine culture, combining information about medicinal substances with anecdotes and entertainment, and thus serving to popularize and spread this knowledge. Because no reliable records of his birth and death dates, birthplace, or career have been found, his life cannot be further outlined; on the available evidence, Fang Shilin is known to readers mainly through a single medical work, and its value lies chiefly in the accessible presentation of Chinese herbal culture in Zhongyao Chuanqi.