Song Correction Bureau Study Medical Books

The Bureau for Revising Medical Books was established by the official of Northern Song Dynasty in1057,the2nd year of Jiayou of Emperor Renzong to revise and publish ancient medical books.11medical books had been revised and edited in12years,which have become the final version until today.It has made great contribution to the preservation and transmission of ancient medical literature, the dissemination and development of academic thought of Traditional Chinese Medicine.However,few scholars in TCM academia have done comprehensive and systematical researches about it at present.This paper made a comprehensive study of the life stories of13members of the Bureau with historical philology, bibliography, textual criticism and other research methods,and conducted a systematic collection and analysis of the notes of11medical books using statistical methods,striving to clarify historical features of the institution.This reseach has important documentary value for understanding the change of knowledge and ancient books of TCM in Song Dynasty,and also has great practical significance of collating ancient medical texts.This paper elaborates in six parts:the background, process, membership, achievements, evaluation of the Bureau for Revising Medical Books and conclusion.1.The backgrounds of the Bureau for Revising Medical BooksThe Bureau for Revising Medical Books was established under the social and medical backgrounds of early Song Dynasty. The policy of "You Wen Chong Ru" in Northern Song Dynasty subjectively created a relatively relaxed political environment for the development of medicine.The government objectively paid more attention to the military and civilian medical and health as the disaster of war and pestilence. Strong financial strength in early Song Dynasty provided economic security for revising and pringting the medical books. The improvement of printing skill, paper making, ink making and some other techniques strongly supported the publication of medical books in large-scale in technology;The reform of the imperial examination system, prosperity of the official and private schools, the forming of reading fashion, the transmission of revising books and other factors also accelerated the eager for knowledge standardization and the demand of books revising. In addition, a lot of experiences accumulated in revising medical books during four early Song dynasties,which laid the foundation for the Bureau to revise medical books extensively.2.The processes of the Bureau for Revising Medical BooksThe Bureau for Revising Medical Books was a temporary agency established by the official of Northern Song Dynasty following the suggestion of Palace Secretary Han Qi in1057,the2nd year of Jiayou of Emperor Renzong,aiming to edit,revise and publish ancient medical books.It was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Compilation. The agency had a strict workflow in electing revising officials,making the project,determining the principles and arranging the tasks of editing and proofreading.Through historical analysis,the officers revised medical books at home, not in the Bureau. The name of agency for revising medical books should be "Jiao Zheng Yi Shu Suo",not "Jiao Zheng Yi Shu Ju".Revising medical books was migrated to Tai Xue(Guo Zi Jian) after dismissing the Bureau in1069, the2nd year of Xi Ning of Emperor ShenZong. It existed for12years.3.The memberships of the Bureau for Revising Medical BooksThe memberships of Bureau for Revising Medical Books consisted of two parts, one was Tiju officer of the Bureau for Revising Medical Books, performed by Jing Chao Guan. Han Qi, Fan Zhen,Qian Xiangxian held the post in succession. Han Qi made the largest contribution because of the suggestion of setting up the Bureau for Revising Medical Books from the angle of the public health and national security.Han Qi had worked for6years from the2nd to8th year of Jiayou of Emperor Renzong(1057-1063); Fan Zhen had served for3years until the3rd year of Zhiping of Emperor Yingzong(1066). And then Qian Xiangxian succeeded, he retired presumably in the2nd year of Xi Ning of Emperor ShenZong(1069),also served for3years. Even though they three were not medical officials, they organized elaborately, actively involved in editing and proofreading, made outstanding achievements during their tenure.The other part was officers of revising medical books,composed of Guang Ge officers, Confucian ministers who had medical knowledge and Han Lin medical officers. Zhang Yuxi, Lin Yi, Zhang Dong and Su Song were Guang Ge officers.Gao Baoheng,Sun Zhao,Sun Qi and Zhu Youzhang were Confucian ministers who had medical knowledge.Qin Zonggu and Zhu Youzhang were Han Lin medical officers. Lin Yi, Gao Baoheng and Sun Qi participated for the longest time and revised the most books among the ten officers. Confucian ministers played an important role in revising medical books in Song Dynasty.4.The achievements of the Bureau for Revising Medical BooksDuring12years, The Bureau for Revising Medical Books had edited and revised11medical books, including Jiayou Buzhu Bencao(Jiayou buzhu Materia Medica),Bencao Tujing(Illustrated Materia Medica),Shanghan Lun(Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases), Jingui Yuhan Jing(Canon of the Golden Casket and Jade Case),Beiji Qianjin Yaofang(Valuable Prescriptions for Emergency), Jingui Yaolue Fang(Synopsis of Gold Chamber), Qianjin Yifang(Supplement to Valuable Prescriptions), Chongguang Buzhu Huangdi Neijing Suwen (Chongguang Buzhu Huangdi’s Canon of Medicine and Plain Conversatoin) Mai Jing(Canon of the Pulse), Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing(A-B Classics of Acupuncture and moxibustion) and Waitai Miyao Fang(Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library).The work ended the history of copying by hand. And those printed books became the stereotyped version since Song Dynasty, even until today. In addition, a set of more mature principles, methods and procedures which formed in revising medical books has given a good example for the future generations.5. The evaluations of the Bureau for Revising Medical BooksChinese and foreign scholars gave high evaluations for the achievements of Bureau for Revising Medical Books, but some scholars put forward different views to the mode of revising books.lt is objective and fair to evaluate the Bureau for Revising Medical Books according to specific situation from the historical background.6.Main conclusions(1)The building of the Bureau for Revising Medical Books was not accidental, it was the product of political, economic, technological, cultural, educational, medical and other integrated factors in the early Song Dynasty. Among them, the shift of the center of revising books in Renzong Period played a very important role.(2) The establishment of Bureau for Revising Medical Books had a direct relationship with Han Qi’s proposal.The officers revised medical books at home, not in the Bureau.The name of agency for revising medical books should be "Jiao Zheng Yi Shu Suo", not "Jiao Zheng Yi Shu Ju".(3) Among the members of the Bureau for revising medical books,Tiju officers were responsible for organizing, coordinating and making detailed plans; Confucian ministers played an important role in the medical books revision; Addition to the medical officers, all the participants signed in the preface of the book revised.(4) The Bureau originally planned to revise8medical books,but finally revised11; Among them, the revising records of Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot),Tai Shu and Guang Ji were not seen currently.6medical books including Bencao Tujing, Qian Jin Yi Fang," three books of Zhongjing " and Mai Jing(Canon of the Pulse)",were not in the original plan,later included in the revision range.(5) The organization and mode of the Bureau for Revising Medical Books combined by the members of Confucian ministers and medical officers under the different professional backgrounds, are worth learning in collating ancient Chinese medicine books today.