Study On Distribution And Change Of Medicinal Material Origin In Wu-Ling Mountain Region During Historical Period (618-1840)

Medicinal material has been an important material to prevent and treat human diseases since the ancient times. It has a great effect on human’s health, survival and development. Meanwhile, medicinal material occupies a significant position in ancient China’s economic and social life. The exploitation and production of medicinal material not only affects the context of social development macroscopicly, but also microscopicly impacts on the local economy. And it can not be underestimated even today. Concerning about the medicinal resources, exploring the process and reasons of changing in the distribution of medicinal material origin are important contents of historical geography study. Wu-Ling Mountain region is rich in medicinal resources. It is the multi-ethnic neighborhoods as well as the key area of national poverty alleviation. Study on distribution and change of medicinal material origin in Wu-Ling Mountain region has both academic and practical value.To study the medicinal resources and its origin in Wu-Ling Mountain region during historical period (618～1840), we must refer to some basic literature datas, such as New Book of Tang, The Hhistory of Song Dynasty, Tang Liu Dian, Tong Dian, Wen Xian Tong Kao, Yuan He Jun Xian Tu Zhi, Tai Ping Huan Yu Ji, Yuan Feng Jiu Yu Zhi, Da Ming Yi Tong Zhi, and Da Qing Yi Tong Zhi. Moreover, some materials in herbal works should be used, especially materials in Newly-revised Materia Medica, Qian Jin Yi Fang, Ben Cao Tu Jing, Zheng Lei Ben Cao, Ben Cao Meng Quan, Ben Cao Cheng Ya Ban Ji, Compendium of Materia Medica, Yi Xue Liu Yao, Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi, and Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao.It is necessary to comprehensively use the methods and theories of different subjects—History, Historical Geography, Materia Medica, Chinese Medicinal Materials Resource, Natural Resource, Regional Economics, Industrial Economics, Geological Mineral and Zoology—when studying the distribution and change of producing area. By qualitativly and quantitativly study, as well as field research, we can deepen the understanding of distribution and change of producing area in Wu-Ling Mountain from Tang to Qing Dynasty.On the basis of reviewing the academic history, we can learn the background, feature, trend, causes and regularity of distribution and change of medicinal material origin. At the same time, we can know the influence that it has on contemporary medicine industry. In that case, we can build the framework of distribution and change of medicinal material origin in Wu-Ling Mountain region during historical period.Although the organizational system in Wu-Ling Mountain region’s administrative division is different among different period, it reflects process of improvement with the economy development. Wu-Ling Mountain region has various terrain, topography, geomorphology, geology and climate types, and vegetation is preserved well, which provides a unique natural condition for medicinal material to grow and survive. The number of resources in Tang and Song Dynasties, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties and modern times are 295,393 and 2172. It shows that Wu-Ling Mountain region is herb resource-rich area from the ancient time to today.Change in plant herb origin has two features. Firstly, medicinal material origin enlarges; Secondly, most places of origin have relative stability. Change in mineral medicinal material origin is that it expands to surrounding areas. Southwest Hubei is rich in animal medicine. It forms a distribution pattern which centralizes in southwest Hubei and scatters in other areas. The animal medicine origin is characterized by its recession and significant imbalance.Medicinal material origin spreads all over the Wu-Ling Mountain region, dispersed and concentrated. Herbs are highly concentrated in southwest Hubei, especially plant herbs and animal medicine. Western Hunan is rich in mineral medicinal material. While herb number in northeastern Guizhou is relatively small, and southeast Chongqing is the least. Therefore, the geographical distribution pattern of herb is descending from southwest Hubei to northeast Guizhou, and descending from western Hunan to southeast Chongqing. The feature of entire change of herb resources is two. One is most plant and mineral medicinal materials origin expands, but animal medicine decreases; another is the center of origin changes a lot.The change of herb resources number and the change of administration region number are the important manifestations of changes of medicinal material origin. The total number of herb resources in Wu-Ling Mountain region in Tang, Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties are 231,295,350and 393. The increasing numbers reflect the expanding trend of herb origin. Different areas and types of herb resources differ from different historical period. Plant and mineral medicinal materials increase, however, animal medicine resource first increase and then decrease slightly and then continue to rise. The total number of administrative regions increases from Tang to Qing Dynasties. The largest increase appears during Tang and Song Dynasties, while the least increase appears during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The number of administrative regions of plant and mineral medicinal materials improved a lot, but animal medicine decreased slightly. The numbers of single specie herb origin are distinctive. The total number and growth trend of herb resource in Wu-Ling Mountain region are identical with the total number and growth trend of administrative regions. They reflect the expending trend of herb origin.In all factors that affect the distribution and change of herb origin, resource-oriented factor is fundamental. Regional economic development, technical factors, transportation and commerce, customs, medical impact of the war, human’s killing of animals for medicinal and medicinal animal’s physical as well as ecological characteristics, etc., are all important factors. Under the functions, it forms the spatial distribution pattern and characteristics of herb origin in Wu-Ling Mountain from Tang to Qing Dynasties.The features of distribution and change of herb origin in Wu-Ling Mountain region from Tang to Qing Dynasties are extending from the point to plane, from the edge to the interior, and has characteristic of coexistence of specialization and diversification. The factors have feature of comprehensive and differences. The pattern of herb industry nowadays is the inheritance and extension of historical period. The distribution and change of medicinal material origin in Wu-Ling Mountain region during historical period lay the foundation for current herb industry.