The Ancient Books Collation And Academic Succession Of Chinese Medicine

The Chinese medical science has a distant source and a long stream. The academic succession of Chinese medicine has continued for a long time, and never been broken off. In the course of Chinese medical succession, it is indispensable to learn and pass on the ancient medical books. The collation and study of ancient medical books is also important method and means by which the tradition of Chinese medicine can keep up.Several important ancient books collations in Chinese medical history were closely connected with the development of Chinese medicine. From Ancient Times to Qin Dynasty, it is the germination period and mature period of Chinese medicine. During this period, at first the learning was in the officials' charge, but later this succession mode was replaced by the transmission from master to disciple in private, and the transmission of medical learning experienced the change from mouth-to-ear instruction to written on bamboo and silk. It is during this period that the original medical literature began to form. Han Dynasty is the specialized instruction period of Chinese medicine. During this period, the transmission mode of medical learning was mainly from master to disciple in private, and the ancient books collation included the medical books collation by Li Zhuguo, the compilation of Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of Huangdi) and Shanghan Zebing Lun (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Other Diseases) written by Zhang Zhongjing. From Wei and Jin Dynasty to Sui and Tang Dynasty, it is the renewed collection period of Chinese medicine. During this period, the medical learning was mainly handed down in the family, and the ancient books collation included the compilation and annotation of medical books by Wang Shuhe, Huangfu Mi, Tao Hongjing, Chao Yuanfang, Quan Yuanqi, Yang Shangshan, Wang Bing, Sun Simiao, Wang Tao, etc. From Song, Jin to Yuan Dynasty, it is the renovation period of Chinese medicine. During this period, the transmission of medical learning was mainly through school education or self-study, and the ancient books collation included the medical books collation by Jiaozheng Yishu Ju (the bureau of medical books collation) in Northern Sony Dynasty and the research and annotation of medical classics in Jin and Yuan Dynasty. Ming and Qing Dynasty is the continue innovating and back to the ancients period of Chinese medicine. During this period, the transmission mode of medical learning was the same as the previous period, and the ancient books collation mainly included research and annotation of medical classics, which appeared in a large quantity, and compilation of many medical encyclopedia, series and handbooks. As a conclusion, there is synchronous and dynamic relation between Chinese medical succession and ancient medical books collation.The Chinese ancient medical books collation is influenced by the tradition of Jing Xue (study of Confucian classics). There is a tradition of canon in Chinese medical history, which is different from other traditional medicine. This tradition means that medical classics take the core position within academic system, and the collation and study of medical classics is crucial in the succession of Chinese medicine. The development of Confucianism has been driven by the collation and explanation of the Four Books and Five Classics. The development of Chinese medicine is also connected with the collation and research of Chinese medical classics.The ancient books collation and academic succession of Chinese medicine have developed continuously with the innovation of media. Great technical innovation leads to mutation, and gradual technical improvement leads to gradual change. From keeping records by tying knots, Mankind had successively experienced different media ages using tortoise shells or bones, metals or stones, silk and bamboo, etc. Subsequently paper and art of printing were invented. Every time the technical progress of media can bring the leap of civilization. During each period the succession of tradition has never been broken off. With technical progresses, ancient books collation has often been endowed with new vitality. There was a large-scale ancient books collation in Western Han dynasty, however the collated books were written on bamboo and silk at that time, most of which have been already lost today. Because the art of printing was applied widely, the ancient books collated in Northern Song Dynasty have been mostly preserved now, moreover, the content and form of ancient books collation has become rich and various. At present, information and digital technique brings revolutionary changes to the ancient books collation. The digital memory and digital transmission is deeply influencing the future development direction of this work.The ancient books collation and academic succession of Chinese medicine in each period has different characteristics respectively. On one side the academic succession is influenced by the trend of thought at different times, on the other side it is a result of the development of Chinese medicine's internal rule. The Chinese medicine is continuously from academic contention to academic harmony. During this course theories (Xue) and techniques (Shu) have been promoted and combined with each other through mutual influence, so it forms a powerful tradition. This tradition is impelled by the academic synthesis from ancient medical books collation, as well as it embodies its accomplishment in the collation of ancient medical books at that time. This is a basic rule and a motive force of Chinese medical development. This rule exactly is the embodiment of the spirit of harmony in Chinese medicine, which is the core idea of Chinese culture.Nowadays, the knowledge-based economy ages is coming. The academic divisions become more and more specialized. Today's academic succession attaches importance to imparting concrete and useful knowledge much more, which can be verified in practice. At the same time, mankind of the whole world has entered a new media era again, and the digital technique has deeply changed the modes of our existence and communication. The Chinese book also left lead and fire, and then move towards light and electricity. Therefore, the ancient books collation and academic succession of Chinese medicine is in the face of a new challenge and chance. How to continue Chinese ancient medical books collation and keep up Chinese medical succession in the new media era, it is the problem that all the Chinese medical personnel, especially who are engaged in Chinese ancient medical books collation, have to consider and be confronted with seriously.The build of knowledge base for ancient literature has already become an inevitable trend of ancient books collation and utilization, which adapts to the request for utilizing the information of ancient literature with high efficiency. It is also an inevitable work that we should do sooner or later. Whether this work can be put into practice or not, does really relate to the future academic succession of Chinese medicine, and will determine the current development direction of Chinese ancient medical books collation and research, so it is a very important strategic problem.As the carrier of Chinese medical learning, Chinese ancient medical books are not only the crystal of predecessors' wisdom and the production of ancient civilization, but also a kind of precious cultural resource that can be continuously developed and utilized, which contain great cultural energy. As the method and means of Chinese medical succession, the ancient medical books collation is necessary tool to exploit this resource.Wang Bing said: "If you want to ascend a mountain, it is impossible without path. If you want to cross a river, it is impossible without boat." The ancient books collation is the proper path and boat by which we can read and comprehend ancient books correctly. Without the help of ancient books collation, it would be very difficult to understand the thoughts of ancient times, and the academic succession of Chinese medicine probably will be broken off because of losing this support. The ancient books collation is the basic mission of the Chinese medical literature research. Academic succession is the main goal of Chinese medical history research. Chinese ancient medical books collation should depend on great ideas from Chinese medical history so as to undertake the heavy task of Chinese medical succession. Accordingly, Chinese medical succession also should depend on reliable means from ancient books collation so as to pass on the torch of learning from generation to generation, and make Chinese medicine live forever!...