The oracle-bone inscriptions related to medical issues encompass disease names,causes,progression,and treatment methods,reflecting the Shang(商)people’s understanding of diseases.This study,employing interdisciplinar...The oracle-bone inscriptions related to medical issues encompass disease names,causes,progression,and treatment methods,reflecting the Shang(商)people’s understanding of diseases.This study,employing interdisciplinary perspectives from philology and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),explores the Shang dynasty’s understanding of disease etiology and its manifestations in TCM.The Shang people’s understanding of disease causation can be summarized as spiritual disturbances and harm from insects or curses.Spiritual disturbances are categorized into three aspects:diseases sent by the Shang Di(上帝Supreme Deity),diseases caused by deceased persons who had transformed into deities,and diseases associated with nightmares.Concepts in TCM,such as diseases caused by emotions,environmental pathogens,and the relationship between nightmares and diseases,can be traced back to early understanding of disease causation reflected in oracle-bone divinations.Furthermore,specific TCM treatments,such as Gui Men Shi San Zhen(鬼门十三针Thirteen Ghost Points)and Zhu You Shu(祝由术Zhuyou therapy),are deeply influenced by the concept of spiritual disturbances.The Shang people’s understanding of disease causation has profoundly impacted the formation and development of etiological theory in TCM,evident not only in theoretical explanations of disease causes but also in specific medical practices.By studying the concepts of disease causation in medical-related oracle-bone inscriptions,we can gain a deeper understanding of the development of ideas,theoretical systems,and treatment methods related to disease causes in TCM.展开更多
文摘The oracle-bone inscriptions related to medical issues encompass disease names,causes,progression,and treatment methods,reflecting the Shang(商)people’s understanding of diseases.This study,employing interdisciplinary perspectives from philology and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),explores the Shang dynasty’s understanding of disease etiology and its manifestations in TCM.The Shang people’s understanding of disease causation can be summarized as spiritual disturbances and harm from insects or curses.Spiritual disturbances are categorized into three aspects:diseases sent by the Shang Di(上帝Supreme Deity),diseases caused by deceased persons who had transformed into deities,and diseases associated with nightmares.Concepts in TCM,such as diseases caused by emotions,environmental pathogens,and the relationship between nightmares and diseases,can be traced back to early understanding of disease causation reflected in oracle-bone divinations.Furthermore,specific TCM treatments,such as Gui Men Shi San Zhen(鬼门十三针Thirteen Ghost Points)and Zhu You Shu(祝由术Zhuyou therapy),are deeply influenced by the concept of spiritual disturbances.The Shang people’s understanding of disease causation has profoundly impacted the formation and development of etiological theory in TCM,evident not only in theoretical explanations of disease causes but also in specific medical practices.By studying the concepts of disease causation in medical-related oracle-bone inscriptions,we can gain a deeper understanding of the development of ideas,theoretical systems,and treatment methods related to disease causes in TCM.
