• Ancient Chinese gradually discovered medicinal herbs when collecting food.
• During the period of clan commune, discovery of fire gradually led to the invention of hot compresses and moxibustion.
• The practice of medicine was very much intermixed with witchcraft to cure illness.
• Yellow Emperor and Shen Nong are said to be the founders of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

II. The Early Medical Activities 

Shang (1700 ∼ 1100 BC)

• Inscriptions on oracle bones describe the use of wine and hot water as medicine and the use of needles and bronze knives as surgical instruments. The oracles also talked about a number of diseases and illnesses.
• Yi Yin was credited with improving decoction methods and extending their applications.

III. Preliminary Establishment of Theoretical System

Zhou Dynasty (1100 ∼ 221 BC) 

• According to the book Rites of Zhou, this period had an organized medical system in which court officials of the emperor had different specialties such as dietitians, disease and surgical doctors and veterinarians. The book also recorded seasonal epidemics and relevant treatment drugs.
• Yi He used the imbalance of six factors (yin, yang, wind, rain, night and day) to explain the cause of various diseases.
•  Bian Que was the first recorded physician who established Chinese medicine diagnostic procedures.
• It was around this time period that the yin/yang and the five element philosophies were applied to Chinese Medicine.
• Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (huang di nei jing) : the book is comprised of two parts: Plain Questions (su wen) and The Vital Axis (ling shu).     Significance: summarizes previous medical experiences and deals with the anatomy and physiology of the human body. It lays the foundation for TCM.

Qin & Han Dynasties (221 BC ∼ 220 AD)

• An influx of philosophical thinking in the practice of Chinese medicine was due to a vast adoption of different beliefs.
• The Fifty-two Prescriptions (wu shi er bing fang)    Significance: the earliest written reference of Chinese pharmacology. The book documents herbal combinations which were applied at the time.
• Apprenticeships were a common means of educating new physicians during this time. Examinations to recruit qualified physicians were introduced.
• Shen Nong’s Classic of Herbal Medicine (shen nong ben cao jing)     Significance: the earliest complete Chinese materia medica reference, which lists a total of 365 Chinese medicines and outlines some principles of herbal combinations (prescriptions.)
• Hua Tuo, pioneered the use of an anesthetic drug and devised gymnastic exercises known as “the play of the five animals” to help Chinese keep fit and healthy.
• Zhang Zhongjing, Treatise on Cold-induced and Miscellaneous Diseases (shang han za bing lun)   Significance: This book establishes diagnosis based on overall analysis of signs and symptoms. Its 269 prescriptions make up the basis for modern clinical practice. It was rewritten and divided into two parts called Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases (shang han lun) and Synopsis of the Golden Chamber (jin kui yao lue).

IV. All-round Development in Medicine

The Chinese Middle Ages (220 ∼ 581 AD)

• Wang Shuhe, Pulse Classic (mai jing)   Significance: a compilation of all the knowledge on pulse diagnosis up to this point in history. It establishes the standard for pulse diagnosis and is the earliest text for pulse study.
• Huang Fumi, ABC of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (zhen jiu jia yi jing)    Significance: this is considered to be the earliest complete reference guide to acupuncture and moxibustion, which summarized information on the meridians, acupuncture points, needle manipulation and their contraindications. It listed a total number of 349 acu-points and discussed the therapeutic properties of each point.
• Ge Hong, Prescriptions for Emergency (zhou hou jiu zu fang) Significance: the first clinical emergency guide contains information about common diseases, emergency cases and abstracts on related therapies.
• Lei Xiao, Lei’s Treatise on Medicinal Processing (lei gong bao zhi lun)   Significance: the first treatise on preparation and processing of drugs; it became the practice of the time.
• Gong Qingxuan, Left Prescriptions by Liu’s (liu juan zi wei fang)     Significance: the earliest known treatise on Chinese surgery.
• Tao Honjing, Variorum of the Classic of Herbal Medicine (shen nong ben cao jing hiz zhu)    Significance: the number of listed herbal medicines in this reference book has increased to 730. It furthered information about herbs by adding herbs’ nature, location, and time of harvesting. This book dominated the pharmaceutical literature until the middle of the 7th century.

Sui & Tang Dynasties (581 ∼ 907 AD)

• Chao Yuanfang, Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms of Diseases (zhu bing yuan hou lun)   Significance: the earliest record in China that categorizes the causes, symptoms and pathology of 1739 kinds of disease in a systematic manner.
• 624 AD, Tang government established the Imperial Medical Academy, which set up institutions for education in various fields of medicine. Meanwhile some local medical schools were established too.
• 659 AD, Su Jing, Newly Revised Materia Medica (xin xiu ben cao)    Significance: the first official pharmacopoeia in China and in the world, in which listed 844 kinds of Chinese medicine. It was the first to include diagrams and illustrations of the herbs in the text.
• 581〜682 AD, Sun Simiao, Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold (qian jin yao fang) and A Supplement to the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold (qian jin yin fang)     Significance: the first medical encyclopedia in China, which comprised of 30 volumes and 5,300 prescriptions. These books dealt with acupuncture, moxibustion, dietary therapy as well as disease prevention and health preservation. It was an outstanding reference for treatment of deficiency diseases.
• 621〜714 AD, Meng Xin, Herbal Diet Therapy (shi liao ben cao)   Significance: a herbal reference with both medicinal and dietary information.
• 713〜741 AD, Chen Cangqi, Supplement to Materia Medica (ben cao shi yi)   Significance: this herbal book became a practical guide for clinical diagnosis and drug application. It contributed greatly in the development of prescriptions.
• 752 AD, Wang Tao, Essential Secrets from the Imperial Library (wai tai mi yao)    Significance: a master’s compendium of prescriptions available before the Tang dynasty. It covers a lot of ancient references, prescriptions and medical development.
• 841〜846 AD, Master Taoist Lin, Secret Methods of Treating Traumas and Fractures (li shang xu duan mi fang)     Significance: the earliest treatise on bone and traumatic surgery.
• 847〜859 AD, Zan Yin, Tested Treasure in Obstetrics (jing xiao chan bao)    Significance: the first Chinese work on gynecology and obstetrics.
• 974 AD, Liu Han & Ma Zhi, Revised Materia Medica of the Kaibao Era (kai bao chong ding ben cao)     Significance: a herbal classic expanded the number of herbs and drugs to 983; its method of classification was advanced.

 V. Great Innovation and Achievement in Medicine

Five Dynasties & Song (907 ∼ 1279 AD)

• 982〜992 AD, Wang Huaiyin, Imperial Benevolence Formulary of the Taiping Era (tai ping sheng hui fang)   Significance: the first official prescription book of China. It lists a total of 16,834 prescriptions and gives prescription details of the actions, combination principles and proper administration in a systematic manner.
• 1027 AD, Wang Weiyi, Illustrated Manual of the Bronze Man Showing Acupuncture and Moxibustion Points (tong ren shu xue zhen jiu tu jing)   Significance: the book illustrates all the meridians and the appropriate acu-points.
• 1027 AD, Wang Weiyi was in charge of designing and casting two life-size male bronze statues for acupuncture.  Significance: these inventions marked an important step for TCM education, by using these models as a concrete demonstration tool.
• 1057 AD, Song government established The Bureau for the Re-editing of Medical Books to collect, collate and verify all medical texts bequeathed by 1,000 years of history. As a result, several of the established classics were published and many books were rewritten or revised under new titles.
• 1060 AD, Zhang Yuxi, Completed and Annotated Materia Medica of the Jiayou Era (yu xi jia you bu zhu shen nong ben cao)   Significance: the number of medicines recorded was increased to 1,083.
• 1061 AD, Su Song, Illustrated Materia Medica (ben cao tu jing)   Significance: the first time woodblock printing illustrations were included in a pharmacopoeia.
• 1075 AD, Su Shi & Shen Gua, Efficacious Prescriptions of Su and Shen (su shen liang fang) Significance: an individually published text.
• 1076 Ad, the Imperial Bureau of Medicine of Song government established “dispensaries” for public welfare.
• 1082 AD, Tang Shenwei, Classified Materia Medica (zheng lei ben cao)   Significance: a pharmacopoeia that listed 1,558 drugs with illustrations; it remained the model for the next 500 years.
• 1086 AD, Han Zhihe, Hidden Meanings of Shanghan Illnesses (shang han wei zhi) Significance: one of the earliest studies on Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases.

• 1093 AD, Dong Ji, Emergency Prescriptions for Pediatric Rash Diseases (xiao er ban zhen bei ji fang lun)   Significance: the first published work on smallpox in China, including its causes, therapies and prescriptions.
• 1098 AD, Yang Zijian, Ten Kinds of Difficult Childbirth (shi chan lun)   Significance: the earliest text that mentions the version method, a manual procedure to turn the position of fetus so as to facilitate delivery.
• 1100 AD, Pang Anshi, General Treatise on Shanghan Illnesses (shang han zong bing lun)   Significance: an early study on shang han and wen bing.
• 1102〜06 AD, Yang Jie, Anatomical Atlas of Truth (cun zhen tu)   Significance: the earliest work of anatomy that was based on autopsies.
• 1103 AD, The Imperial Bureau of Medicine of Song government established the department of drug manufacturing.
• 1107 AD, Chen Shiwen, Formulary of the Taiping Welfare Dispensary Bureau (tai ping hui min he ji ju fang)   Significance: it represents the first government-published prescription book in the world.
• 1107 AD, Zhu Gong, Classified Treatise on Life Saving (lei zheng huo ren shu)   Significance: the author revises the text of Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases (shang han lun) and adds supplements to its therapies.
• 1111〜17 AD, Medical officers of the Song Dynasty, General Collection of Imperial Remedies (sheng ji zong lu)  Significance: this formulary gathers a wide variety of resources such as ancient texts and folk prescriptions.
• 1116 AD, Kou Zongshi, Development of Herbal Medicine (ben cao yan yi)   Significance: based on the established theories, the writer innovated teachings of herb properties, and dispelled certain long-held beliefs.
• 1119 AD, Yan Xiaozhong, Key to Differentiation and Treatment of Children’s Diseases (xiao er yao zheng zhi jue)   Significance: the working experiences of the well-known pediatrician Qian Yi, who was the author’s master, were detailed in this book. The book made a significant contribution to the development of TCM pediatrics.
• 1132 AD, Xu Shuwei, Formulary with Basic Facts (pu ji ben shi fang)   Significance: a prescription text written and edited by an individual.
• 1144 AD, Cheng Wuji, Annotations on Shanghanlun (zhu jie shang han lun)    Significance: the first comprehensive treatise on commentary notes of Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases.
• 1150 AD, Liu Fang, A New Book of Pediatrics (you you xin shu)   Significance: a treatise on pediatrics, which collates and collects the achievements prior to the Song Dynasty. The writer also created a diagnostic method of inspection of finger veins in children.
• 1174 AD, Chen Yan, Treatise on Three Causes of Diseases with Syndromes and Remedies (san yin ji yi bing zheng fang lun)    Significance: the book promulgated the“theory of three causes,” which were closely followed by later writings.
• 1182 AD, Liu Yuansu, The Pattern and Mechanism of Disease Causes from Plain Questions (su wen xuan ji yuan bing shi)    Significance: a text that studies the Plain Questions and outlines pathogenic concepts.
• 1186 AD, Liu Yuansu, Plain Questions: Discourse on Mechanism for Preserving Life (su wen bing ji qi yi bao ming ji)   Significance: a study of the Plain Questions which centers on the theory of the “five movements and six influences.”
• 1186 AD, Zhang Yuansu, The Pearl Bag (zhen zhu nang)   Significance: a pharmacopoeia which makes significant advances on the theory of drug actions especially related to meridian tropism.
• 1189 AD, Cui Jiayan, Principles of the Pulse by Master Cui (cui shi mai jue)   Significance: using previous classics as reference, the writer further refined and elaborated on pulse studies.
• 1208〜24 AD, Imperial Bureau of Medicine, A General Detailed Discussion on Formulary for Pediatrics Hygiene (xiao er wei sheng zong wei lun fang)   Significance: one of the most important texts on pediatrics during that time, it included breakthrough ideas about pediatric tetanus.
• 1217〜21 AD, Zhang Congzheng, Confucians’ Duties to Serve Their Parents (ru men shi qin) Significance: promulgated his theory of the “six doors and three methods.”
• 1220 AD, Wang Zhizhong, Nourishing Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion (zhen jiu zi sheng jing)   Significance: this publication exerted considerable influence on acupuncture and moxibustion; it describes how to choose acu-points according to syndrome differentiation.
• 1224 AD, Zhang Gao, About Medicine (yi shuo)   Significance: an early study on Chinese medicine history; it records achievements of well-known physicians and related anecdotes.
• 1226 AD, Wenren Qinian, Moxibustion Treatise for Emergency (bei ji jiu fa)   Significance: a special book discussing moxibustion methods for emergency cases.
• 1237 AD, Chen Ziming, The Complete Book of Efficacious Prescriptions for Women (fu ren da quan liang fang)   Significance: a voluminous treatise on gynecology and obstetrics. It became an important reference work for later periods.
• 1247 AD, Li Gao, Treatise on Differentiation of Endogenous and Exogenous Injuries (nei wai shang bian huo lun)    Significance: this book further elaborated on syndrome differentiation principles according to the organs. It identifies differences between exogenous and endogenous diseases.
• 1247 AD, Song Ci, Collected Records of Medical Jurisprudence (xi yuan lu)    Significance: a treatise on forensic medicine, which became the established basis for legal judgments.
• 1249 AD, Li Gao, Treatise on the Spleen and Stomach (pi wei lun)    Significance: a treatise on spleen and stomach diseases, which is still an important reference in modern-day TCM practice.
• 1253 AD, Yan Yonghe, Formulary for Succoring the Sick (ji sheng fang)    Significance: an individual publication that gathers 400 prescriptions.
• 1254 AD, Chen Wenzhong, Treatise on Smallpox in Children (xiao er dou zhen fang lun) Significance: a treatise on smallpox, with prescriptions attached.
• 1263 AD, Chen Ziming, Essence of External Surgery (wai ke jing yao)    Significance: this book marks the establishment of external medicine and trauma surgery as independent branches of medicine.

Jin & Yuan Period (1115 ∼ 1368 AD)

• 1294AD, Zhen Shirong, Treatise for Children Life Saving (huo you xin shu)   Significance: a representative treatise of Yuan Dynasty, recorded some practical and proved prescriptions for pediatric diseases.
• 1306 AD, Wang Haogu, Materia Medica for Decoctions (tang ye ben cao)   Significance: this book provides information about the major ingredients, actions, administration and preparation of drugs for various diseases.
• 1330 AD, Hu Sihui, Principles of Correct Diet (yin shan zheng yao)   Significance: a proponent of a balanced diet, Hu Sihui, especially focused on eating in moderation.
• 1335 AD, Qi Dezhi, Essentials of External Medicine (wai ke jing yi)     Significance: this book brings out new viewpoints on the causes, pathogenesis and diagnosis of external diseases.
• 1343 AD, Wei Yilin, Effective Formulae Tested by Physicians for Generations (shi yi de xiao fang)   Significance: this book is a testimony to Wei’s skills in setting fractures and bone disorders. He invented the suspension method for reduction of spinal fractures, which contributed greatly to the development of TCM bone-setting and traumatology.
• 1347 AD, Zhu Zhenheng, Supplementary Treatise on Knowledge from Practice (ge zhi yu lun)   Significance: the book discusses the theory of internal fire or heat during physiological and pathological changes in the body.
• 1347 AD, Zhu Zhenheng, Elaboration of the Bureau Formulary (ju fang fa hui)   Significance: the author advocates treatment based on syndrome differentiation. He criticizes the abuse of set prescriptions and improper usage of dry and pungent herbs.

 VI. Further Development in the Medical Theory & Practice

Ming Dynasty (1368 ∼ 1644 AD)

• 1368 AD, Wang Lu, A Discourse on Tracing Back to the Medical Classic (yi jing su hui ji)   Significance: this book differentiates shang han from wen bing and recommends different therapeutic approaches for the conditions.
• 1406 AD, Zhu Su & colleagues, Herbal for Relief of Famines (jiu huang ben cao)   Significance: a botany book that is a medicinal and dietary guide for famine periods.
• 1406 AD, Zhu Su & colleagues, Universal Aid Formulary (pu ji fang)    Significance: the largest prescription text in ancient China, which collates the achievements prior to 15th century.
• 1408 AD, Ming government, Great Encyclopaedia of the Yongle Reign (yong le da dian)    Significance: a general encyclopedia covering topics such as medicine, history and astronomy. It was held at the time to be the largest in the world as well as in ancient China.
• 1442 AD, Leng Qian, Essentials for Long Life Preservation (xiu ling yao zhi)     Significance: a treatise on health maintenance with plentiful chapters discussing qi-gong and life preservation.
• 1443 AD, the Imperial Bureau of Medicine of Ming government appointed special personnel to be in charge of re-casting life-size male bronze statues for acupuncture, modeled after the one produced in the Song dynasty.
• 1492 AD, Wang Lun, Collection of the Essential Herbals (ben cao ji yao)    Significance: the author further developed the herbal classification method used by Tao Hongjing (456〜536AD).
• 1528 AD, Xue Ji, Essentials of Diseases of the Mouth and Teeth (kou chi lei yao)    Significance: an early written reference for mouth and teeth diseases.
• 1529 AD, Gao Wu, Gatherings of Eminent Exponential Acupuncturists (zhen jiu ju ying fa hui)   Significance: this book gathers the important theories and experiences from previous acupuncture and moxibustion texts and also attaches notes from the author.
• 1529 AD, Xue Ji, A Synopsis of Internal Medicine (nei ke zhai yao)   Significance: the first medical book that was entitled as “internal medicine” in TCM history.
• 1529 AD, Xue Ji, A Repertory of Traumatology (zheng ti lei yao)   Significance: the book records 19 methods of bone setting with some of the external remedies, which are very concise and practical.
• 1549 AD, Jiang Guan, Classified Case Records of Famous Physicians (ming yi lei an)   Significance: a study on medical cases, this book is the earliest large-sized treatise compiled according to disease types.
• 1550 AD, Shen Zhiwen, Remedies for Leprosy (jie wei yuan sou)   Significance: the earliest medical book that focuses on leprosy.
• 1554 AD, Xue Ji, The Essential Mechanism of Sores and Ulcers (li yang ji yao)   Significance: an early treatise on leprosy, which introduces diagnostic methods, remedies and successful case studies.
• 1556 AD, Xu Chunfu, Complete Compendium of Medical Tradition, Ancient and Contemporary (Gu jin yi tong da quan)   Significance: this book gathers medical knowledge from over 230 published classics and other literature that contained TCM knowledge.
• 1564 AD, Li Shizhen, Binhu’s Study on the Pulse (bin hu mai xue)   Significance: the book enriches current knowledge on pulse studies.
• 1567〜72 AD, this period saw advances in immunology. Variolation, which provided protection against smallpox, was recorded. It became popular in China and later was widespread to European countries.
• 1575 AD, Li Chan, Introduction to Medicine (yi xue ru men)   Significance: a monograph for beginners to learn medicine, with a special section on medical ethics.
• 1578 AD, Li Shizhen, Compendium of Materia Medica (ben cao gang mu)   Significance: this book summarizes most of the herbal information available in the sixteenth century.
• 1584 AD, Wu Kun, Study on Prescriptions (yi fang kao)   Significance: this was a brief commentary on herbal prescriptions, including their nomenclature, properties of each component, efficacy, indication, ways of modification and contraindications.

• 1586 AD, Ma Shi, Annotated Elucidation of Subtleties from Plain Questions and The Vital Axis   Significance: the book revises and deciphers the content of the Suwen and Lingshu, which is also regarded as the earliest and completed annotation for the Lingshu.
• 1589 AD, Fang Youzhi, Detailed Analysis of Shang Han Lun (shang han lun tiao bian) Significance: a commentary on the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases which collated and verified the original context.
• 1591 AD, Gao Lian, Eight Essays on Life Nourishment (zun sheng ba jian)   Significance: this book talks about life nourishment and health maintenance.
• 1601 AD, Yang Jizhou, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (zhen jiu da cheng)   Significance: this book introduces the integrated healing experiences in acupuncture and moxibustion by combining it with herb therapies. It was an important text in the Ming Dynasty.
• 1602〜08 AD, Wang Kentang, Standards for Diagnosis and Treatment (zheng zhi zhun sheng)   Significance: an annotation focused on diagnosis and treatment, this whole series is divided into six branches of medicine including gynecology, pediatrics, shanghan, dermatology, prescriptions and miscellaneous.
• 1604 AD, Gong Yunlin, Hidden Significance of Infant Massage (xiao er tui na mi zhi) Significance: this book gathers the therapies and achievements of infant massage prior to the 16th century; including the author’s own experiences.
• 1615 AD, Gong Yanxian, Prolonging Life & Preserving Vitality (shou shi bao yuan) Significance: a comprehensive treatise on medicine, including the diagnosis and treatment for different specialties like surgery, gynecology and pediatrics.
• 1617 AD, Chen Sigong, Orthodox External Medicine (wai ke zheng zong)   Significance: the author precisely outlines various surgical procedures and cancer therapies. He advocated fortifying the spleen and stomach in managing surgical cases.
• 1620 AD, Wu Zhiwang, A Synopsis of Female Diseases (ji yin gang mu)   Significance: a treatise on women diseases, in which the author provides detailed information on menstruation, vaginal discharge, pregnancy and childbirth.
• 1622 AD, Miao Xiyong, A Complete Handbook on Medicinal Preparation (pao jiu da fa) Significance: an important reference for learning and studying the applications and preparation of Chinese medicine.
• 1624 AD, Zhang Jiebin, Systemic Compilation of the Internal Classic (lei jing)   Significance: the author revised and annotated the text of the nei jing in a more systematic way.”
• 1632 AD, Chen Sicheng, Secret Writings on Putrid Ulcers (mei chuang mi lu)   Significance: an relatively early treatise on syphilis, which recommends the use of arsenic and mercury to treat syphilitic ulcers.
• 1640 AD, Zhang Jingyue, The Complete Work of Zhang Jingyue (jing yue Quan shu) Significance: a comprehensive medical collection on internal diseases, which covers theories, diagnoses, treatment principles, annotations from different schools, clinical experiences and prescriptions.
• 1640 AD, Shi Pei, Prescriptions handed down from Physicians through the Ages (zu ji) Significance: an important reference for studying ancient prescriptions and records the most well-known prescriptions of the Ming Dynasty and those prior to this dynasty.
• 1642 AD, Wu Youxing, Treatise On Pestilence (wen yi lun)   Significance: this book puts forth a new etiological concept theory of liqi (excessive influences), which was a great discovery prior to understanding the concept of bacteria causing illness.
• 1642 AD, Li Zhongzi, Essentials of the Internal Classic (nei jing zhi yao)   Significance: a concise commentary on the nei jing.

 Qing Dynasty (1644 ∼ 1911AD) 

• 1644, Fu Renyu, A Precious Book of Ophthalmology (shen shi yao han)   Significance: the book records different eye diseases, including 108 syndromes, 308 prescriptions and illustrations. It is also named as Great Compendium of Ophthalmology (yan ke da quan).
• 1665, Qi Kun, Great Compendium of External Medicine (wai ke da cheng)    Significance: the book discusses the essentials of surgical diagnosis and treatment as well as lists commonly used prescriptions.
• 1669, Ke Qin, Renewal Variorum of Exogenous Febrile diseases (shang han lai su ji)   Significance: the book contains various notes and commentaries on shang han.
• 1670, Zhang Zhicong, Collected Notes on the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine   Significance: this book clarifies a lot of difficulties and queries about the nei jing.
• 1682, Wang Ang, Variorum of Prescriptions (yi fang ji jie)    Significance: this was a widely applied prescription book.
• 1687, Zhao Xianke, Key Link of Medicine (yi guan)   Significance: the book advocates fortification of the body by warming methods, and also stresses the importance of fire in the vital gate.
• 1687, Li Yongcui, Supplemental Compilation for Therapy (zheng zhi hui bu)   Significance: this book summarizes different experiences and teachings of TCM schools. It outlines over 80 kinds of syndromes, which are mainly miscellaneous types of diseases.
• 1694, Wang Ang, Essentials of Materia Medica (ben cao bei yao)   Significance: a monograph on the herb properties, this book also pointed out the hazards of smoking.
• 1694, Wang Ang, Prescriptions in Rhyme (tang tou ge jue)   Significance: an important guidebook for TCM prescriptions.
• 1694, Zhang Lu, Zhang’s General Medicine (zhang shi yi tong) Significance: a comprehensive medical collection, covering almost all branches of medicine from the ancient period to contemporary times. It introduced inoculation methods against smallpox.
• 1695, Xia Ding, Iron Mirror of Paediatrics (you ke tie jing)   Significance: a treatise on children’s diseases, it expounds the author’s experience and views and recommends massage therapy treatment
• 1697, Wang Honghan, Ancient and Contemporary Medicine History (gu jin yi shi) Significance: a commentary on the history of TCM.
• 1723, Jiang Tingxi, A Collection of Ancient and Modern Books (gu jin tu shu ji cheng)   Significance: a large size reference book that was compiled under the commission of the Qing government, this encyclopedia focused on medicine in approxiamtely 520 chapters.
• 1729, You Yi, Essentials on Synopsis of the Golden Chamber (jin kui yao lue xin dian)   Significance: a detail commentary, which collated and verified for the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber.
• 1729, You Yi, Strings-of-Pearls Variorum of Shang Han (shang han guan zhu ji)   Significance: a commentary and re-edited version of Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases.
• 1732, Cheng Zhongling, Medicine Comprehended (yi xue xin wu)   Significance: a medical collection that becomes an important guidebook for clinical application, and also outlines concrete requirements for medical ethics.
• 1740, Wang Weide, Life-for-all Manual of External Medicine: Diagnosis and Treatment (wai ke zheng zhi quan sheng ji)   Significance: the author’s family had been practicing medicine for four generations. He compiled this surgical book according to the family’s working experiences.
• 1742, Wu Qian, Golden Mirror of Medicine (yi zong jin jian)   Significance: this medical series was compiled under the commission of the Qing government. It introduces vaccinations against smallpox and illustrations of various instruments for various traumatic bone surgeries.
• 1746, Ye Tianshi, Treatise on Febrile Diseases (wen re lun)   Significance: a summary on the theory and experiences of wen bing.
• 1746, Ye Tianshi, Clinical Guide with Case Histories (lin zheng zhi nan yi an)   Significance: a collection of medical case studies.
• 1750, Chen Fuzheng, A Complete Work on Pediatrics (you you ji cheng)   Significance: the author used the previous pediatric texts as references. He summarized those experiences and then added his own appreciation and experiences.
• 1757, Wu Yiluo, New Compilation of Materia Medica (ben cao cong xin)   Significance: the book introduces properties, preparation methods and how to differentiate commonly used drugs.
• 1757, Zhang zongliang, A Guide to Throat Diseases (hou ke zhi zhang)   Significance: a treatise on throat diseases.
• 1759, Xu Dachun, Classified Remedies of the Shang Han Lun (shang han lei fang) Significance: this book notes and revises the classification of the 113-prescription contained in the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases.
• 1759, Zhao Xuemin, Treatise on Folk Medicine (chuan ya)   Significance: this medical series collects and verifies many efficacious teachings from traveling physicians, demonstrating the value and flourishment of Chinese folk remedies.
• 1761, Wu Yiluo, Accurate Use of Set Recipes (cheng fang qie yong)   Significance: a valuable reference for prescription study and clinical application, which details a large number of prescriptions.
• 1765, Zhao Xuemin, Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica (ben cao gang mu shi yi)   Significance: a supplement text to Compendium of Materia Medica, in which 921 drugs were listed.
• 1792, Tang Dalie, Collections of Some Physician’s Discussions (wu yi hui jiang)   Significance: the earliest TCM magazine.
• 1798, Wu Jutong, Analysis of Wen Bing (wen bing tiao bian)   Significance: this book defines the area of wen bing teachings and its concrete location in the body, thus making the school of wen bing more integrated and systematic.
• 1805, Gao Bingdiao, Collections of Surgery Studies (yang yi xin de ji)   Significance: this is an influential and representative work of surgery in the Qing Dynasty. It was compiled according to the author’s own surgical experience. He frequently discussed and treated external diseases from internal medicine approaches.
• 1808, Qian Xiuchang, Essential Supplements on Traumatic Surgery (shang ke bu yao)   Significance: a treatise on bone setting and trauma.
• 1820, Chen Xiuyuan, Sixteen Volumes on Medicine (yi shu quan ji)   Significance: a medical series.
• 1822, Qing government ordered the Imperial Bureau of Medicine to close down the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion permanently.   Significance: the Qing emperor believed that the acupuncture and moxibustion methods were not appropriate to treat the royal families, therefore he ordered the Imperial Bureau of Medicine to close down this department permanently.
• 1827, Fu Shan, Obstetrics and Gynecology of Fu Qingzhu (fu qing zhu nu ke)   Significance: the book outlines the teachings and experiences of the well-known gynecologist Fu Qingzhu (1607-1684). Comments from other physicians were also recorded.
• 1829, Zhang Nan, Medical Alarms (yi men bang he)   Significance: this book discusses a wide variety of TCM information including theories, diagnostic methods and therapies with case studies attached.
• 1830, Wang Qingren, Correction of Errors in the Medical Circles (yi lin gai cuo)  Significance: a documentation of anatomy compiled by observations from corpses. It discovered organs and structures previously unmentioned, which revived TCM anatomy.
• 1838, Zheng Meijian, A Jade Key to Laryngology (chong lou yu yao)   Significance: the author compiled this treatise on throat diseases based on his own clinical experiences.
• 1840, Jiang Kaoqing, Jiang’s Book on Prescriptions for Trauma (jiang shi shang ke fang shu)   Significance: a treatise especially for various bone diseases including incised wounds, fracture setting and trauma.
• 1842, The Sino-British Nanjing Treaty stipulated that the British could set up medical offices in the five Chinese trading ports.
• 1842, Due to the rise of Western Medicine, TCM was no longer the one and only medical practice in China.
• 1843, Zhou Songling, A Summary on Massage for Children (xiao er tu na ji yao) Significance: this book details applications of traditional massage therapies in childhood diseases.
• 1844, The Sino-US Wangxia Treaty was signed, which stipulated that Americans could set up medical offices and churches in the trading ports.
• 1846, Bao Xiangao, New Compilation of Proved Formulary (yan fang xin bian)   Significance: this book compiled various simple, proven and secret recipes of the time.
• 1848, Wu Qijun, An Illustrated Textual Study on Plants (zhi wu ming shi tu kao)   Significance: a collection of herbal illustrations which lists 1,714 herbs.
• 1848, Wu Qijun, Collected Compilation of Plants With Illustrations (zhi wu ming shi tu kao zhang bian)   Significance: this text compiled herbal information from previous classics, a total of 838 herbs were listed.
• 1852, Wang Mengying, Compendium of Epidemic Febrile Diseases (wen re jing wei)   Significance: an important reference for wen bing management, and also a commentary for wen bing.
• 1852, Wang Mengying, Wang’s Case Studies (wang shi yi an)    Significance: the author describes his successful cases on wen bing and miscellaneous types of disease in detail.
• 1863, Fei Boxiong, Supplementary Notions of Medical Experience (yi cun sheng yi)   Significance: the author wrote about chronic diseases according to his experiences, and created many of his own prescriptions as well.
• 1864, Wu Shangxian, Treatment with External Methods (li yue pian wen)   Significance: in the book, the author advocated using external therapies for treatment, and collects a vast variety of formal or folk remedies and experiences about external therapies.
• 1865 Fei Boxiong, Discourses on Prescriptions (yi fang lun)    Significance: the author stressed drugs should be prescribed according to proper diagnosis; he is against the abuse of commonly used prescriptions that cover a broad range of illnesses.
• 1877, Pan Wei, Summary on Obstetrics and Gynecology (nu ke yao lue)   Significance: this book discussed familiar women diseases in a concise and systematic way.
• 1881, “College for Medical Practice” was set up in Tianjin, indicating that the Chinese formally established it’s own education program for western medicine.
• 1882, Lei Feng, Treatise on Seasonal Diseases (shi bing lun)   Significance: a treatise on seasonal diseases including the causes, pathology, symptoms and diagnosis. The author also outlined some self-created therapeutic methods and prescriptions.
• 1884, Tang Zonghai, Five Medical Works on Linking Up Traditional Chinese with Western Medicine (zhong xi hui tong yi shu wu zhong)   Significance: the author advocated the idea of Sino-Western convergence and communication in medicine. It was as early text on this topic.
• 1884, Tang Zonghai, Treatise on Blood Syndromes (xue zheng lun)   Significance: a commentary on blood syndromes.
• 1889, Zhang Zhenjun, Revised Standards on Massage Manipulations (li zheng an mo yao shu)   Significance: this book introduced different massage manipulations and illustrated the acu-point selection and manipulations of child massage.
• 1892, Ma Peizhi, Lineage of Studies on Surgical Diseases (wei ke chuan xin ji)   Significance: this book accumulated a wealth of experience in surgical and skin diseases such as pyogenic infections and skin ulcers.
• 1892, Zhu Peiwen, A Combination of Chinese and Western Anatomy Illustration (hua yang zang xiang yue zuan)   Significance: the author illustrated organs according to both Chinese and Western concepts with added commentary.
• 1901, Zheng Xiaoyan, A Concise Book in Plagues (shu yi yue bian)   Significance: a treatise on the treatment and prevention of plagues, enclosed with successful case studies and proven prescriptions.
• 1901, Zheng Xiaoyan, Analysis of Fake Drugs (wei yao tiao bian)   Significance: the book revises and classifies formulary according to different dosage forms. It also testifies to various erroneously reported medicines.
• 1912, The Minister of Health of Kuomingtang government, Wang Daxie, was one of the first officials to call for the abolition of Chinese medicine.

 VII. Revolution in The Recent Hundred-year

Modern China (1911 AD ~)

• 1922, Yun Tieqiao, Intelligent Notions on Medical Classics (qun jing jian zhi lu)   Significance: a commentary on medical classics.
• 1909〜24, Zhang Xichun, Records of Traditional Chinese in Combination with Western Medicine (yi xue zhong zhong can xi lu)   Significance: the author advocates for integration of Eastern and Western medicines; some of his comments are quite distinctive.
• 1924, Yun Tieqiao, Study on Shang Han Lun (shang han lun yan jiu)   Significance: based on the viewpoints of Sino-Western convergence, the author notes, revises and elucidates the original content of the Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases (shang han lun).
• 1925, The Kuomingtang government prohibited Chinese medicine courses from being included in medical schools.
• 1929, Yu Ai and Wang Qizang, officers from the Kuomingtang government, wrote a proposal, entitled “A Case for the Abolishment of the Old Medicine to Thoroughly Eliminate Public Health Obstacles,” and was passed in the first congress of the Central Ministry of Health. This pushed the TCM abolition movement to its peak.
• 1929, TCM workers and pharmacies throughout the country went on strike, which resulted in the resolution being forced to be abandoned.
• 1931, “Central College of Chinese Medicine” was founded, which aimed to modernize TCM.
• 1933, Wu Bingyao, An Edited Essence on Acupuncture and Moxibustion (zhen jiu zuan yao)   Significance: this book introduces acu-point selection for moxibustion and acupuncture and attaches anatomy and color illustrations of meridians and acu-points.
• 1935, Chen Cunren, Chinese Pharmaceutical Encyclopedia
• 1936, The Kuomingtang government issued “The Chinese Medicine Ordinance” which was very discriminatory against TCM.
• 1936, Cao Pingzhang, A Great Collection of Chinese Medicine Book (zhong guo yi xue da cheng)   Significance: this medical series collects most of the important classics from the second to the 20th century.
• 1950, The People’s Republic of China government held the First National Conference on Health and determined that future medical policy would combine Chinese and Western medicine.
• 1955, The Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine was founded.
• 1956, TCM Colleges were established again in the big cities like Chengdu, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.
• 1956, Full-time training courses for Western doctors to study TCM were launched.
• 1962, a first edition textbooks for TCM education, approved by the government and TCM experts, was published for TCM colleges.
• 1964, a second edition textbook for TCM colleges was published.
• 1980, The Ministry of Public Health established a national guideline for the development of Chinese and Western medicine, and for their long-term co-existence and integration into China’s healthcare system.
• 1980, The Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House was founded.
• 1985, The National Bureau of Chinese Medicine Administration was founded.
• 1986, Chinese Qi-gong Science Research Association was founded.
• 1987, The Joint Society of World Acupuncture and Moxibustion Science was founded in Beijing.

References:

1. Dominique Hoizey & Marie-Joseph Hoizey, translated by Paul Bailey. A History of Chinese Medicine. Edinburgh University Press Ltd 1993.
2. State Administration of TCM. Advanced Textbook on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology. New World Press 1995.
3. 甄志亞 主編《中國醫學史》上海科學技術出版社1997.

Compiled and Edited by:

Angela Collingwood, MSN, Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.
Lawrence Lau, Ph.D., Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.
Rose Tse, Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.