The Qin-Han Dynasties Period was the carrying forward period of the Chinese medicine . In this period , the dialectical treatment idea was established ; the clinical medicine progressed greatly . The prescription system was basically founded , and the early medical records came into being . In his work “Treatment of Typhoid”, Zhang Zhongjing of the Eastern Han Dynasty proposed to diagnose various diseases on the basis of the disorders of the organs ,and formulated a system of matching diseases and recipes . He set up the basic principles of dialectical treatment , comprising the four methods of diagnosis , the eight principal syndromes , the visceral condition , the channels and collaterals , the three-pathogenic causes , and the eight therapeutic approaches . His work was highly useful in internal medicine , and was studied by physicians in later generations . Hua Tuo was a famous physician and surgeon . He carried out surgical operations using a herb medicine as anesthetic , inspiring the later surgeons . The “Medical Herbal Canon of Shen Nong” appearing then was a compendium on medical materials . It accumulated the medical and pharmaceutical experiences up to the Eastern Han Dynasty,exercising a far-reaching influence on the study of medical herbs and recipes in the later generations . The medical record at that time included the patient’s name , identity , birthplace , sex , the name of disease , the cause of disease , the pulse condition , the diagnosis, the cure ( recipes , acupuncture , moxibustion , gargles ,etc . ) and the precautions , which was plain and succinct , reflecting he style of early doctors .
During the Three Kingdoms-Six Dynasties period , confronted by the century-long warfare , the social disturbance , the amalgamation of varied nationalities , and the cultural exchanges between nationalities , the medical practitioners had more opportunities to treat diseases and injuries , and accumulate experiences . Both diagnostics and therapeutics reached a new level . This period saw the appearance of nearly200 medical works concerning internal medicine , surgery, orthopedics , obstetrics , gynecology ,pediatrics and first-aid. The “Pulse Canon” written by Wang Shuhe and the “Canon of Acupuncture & Moxibustion” written by Huangpu Bi were representative medical works . Pharmaceutics made a great advance . More than seventy works on medical herbs were written , the most important of which was the “Aggregate Annotation to the Herbal Canon” by Tao Hongjing in the Northern-Southern Dynasties .In this work he summed up the experiences of renowned medical practitioners including himself since the appearance of the “Herbal Canon” and referred to the “Supplementary Records of Renowned Medical Practitioners” . This work multiplied the number of medical herbs and revised the limitations , measurement and dosages of them , and most importantly , specified a new way of categorization of them , exercising a far reaching influence . In addition , the “Master Lei’s Dissertations on Preparing Medicine” written by Lei Xue was the pioneering work in this field . Triggered by the metaphysical philosophy, alchemy gained momentum , and many people took various drugs . While this caused new diseases , this also hastened the development of pharmaceutics .
Chinese medicine became full-fledged in the Sui-Tang Dynasties owing to the thriving economy and culture, the progress in science and technology , the frequent exchanges between China and foreign countries and the concern of the rulers for the medicine. The medical achievements of the past were summed up ; and the effective recipes and drugs of the contemporary doctors , folks and alien peoples were assimilated , so as to pave the way for further advance in theory and practice . The academic researches on pharmacy and on disease cure and prevention improved . In the Tang Dynasty , a fairly complete system of medical education was founded both at the centre and the localities ,and even many overseas students were enrolled. This not only raised the comprehensive proficiency in medicine , but also laid the cornerstone for the succeeding medical education . The government compiled and issued the “Newly Revised Herbal Canon” as a new code of materia medica , used as a textbook for the medical schools and academies.
The Song Dynasty was an important period for the development of science and technology in China , marked by the invention and utilization of gunpowder , compass and printing . The Song emperors paid unprecedented attention to medicine. Under such circumstances , a number of scholar-officials and generals also paid attention to the annotation and revision of the ancient medical literature . For example , Su Shi and Shen Kuo both retained a private collection of medical treatises .
The Liao-Western Xia-Jin-Yuan Dynasties were the period of the ascendancy of the Chinese minorities. Either the Han medicine was directly employed . Or the Han medicine was blended with the minority medicine . This was a characteristic of the development of the Chinese medicine in this period .
The Ming Dynasty was a politically-stable and economically –advanced period in the Chinese history . In the middle and later part of the period capitalist production sprouted , and commercial economy pushed ahead overseas exchanges , sciences, technology and culture. The medicine also reached a marked high level . The officials who advocated Confucianism and filial devotion , considered medicine as an important means for fulfilling the filial duty . There was a slogan : “If one cannot be a good minister , one should be a good doctor”. The scholars who failed in the imperial service examinations flocked to the medical profession , contributing to upgrading the educational qualities and knowledge structure of the medical practitioners and to bettering the position of surgeons . In the preceding Song Dynasty “the surgeons were mostly vulgar and illiterate .” Now, the social status of the medical practitioners including the surgeons was elevated . They went to large cities to study under famous masters unpracticed among the populace to gain experiences . Medical theories too , improved . Many medical practitioners passed on their knowledge from generation to generation , a condition favorable for professionalism in medicine. For instance , Chen Sicheng , the author of “Secrets of Syphilis” , was born of an eight-generation medical family . A medical work was often initiated by the father and finalized by the son or even the grandson , which was often specialized and authoritative in a certain field , and was practical and acknowledged extensively .
Creation was the mainstream of the development of medical science in Ming , exemplified by the two works : “On Pestilence” by Wu You Xing and “Syllabus of Medical Herbs” by Li Shizhen . The knowledge about smallpox and the development of human pos vaccination were an outstanding creation of the medical science in the Ming Dynasty . It inspired Sir William Jenner to invent the cowpox vaccination . It created a new era of immunology . The medicine in the Ming Dynasty was characterized by a system of medical theories .
The early mid-period of the Qing Dynasty testified a complicated development of medicine . Going through historical tests and accumulation , the Chinese traditional medicine in this period was perfected , and matured practically and theoretically . A sound system was formed either for the general medicine or for the different branches , with more effective cures in comparison with other nations at the same period . The febrile-disease school in medicine played a positive role in curing epidemic febrile diseases , diminishing death rate and preventing infection . The wide implementation of the human pox vaccination to prevent smallpox was a brilliant achievement in the Chinese and world medical history .
