Characteristics of the Countermeasures against Epidemics in Tenpyo 9(737)

Abstract

The plague that occurred in 737 was a pandemic that caused heavy casualties in the Japanese Islands from April to the fall of the same year. Daijokanbu and Tenyakuryokanmon, which were launched in June 737, detail the countermeasures taken by the Japanese government during the plague. Daijokanbu has been cited several times in later generations as a prescription for the plague. In particular, since Daijokanbu was the only Japanese prescription to be cited in the Ishinpo which was compiled in the late 10th century, it is believed that later intellectuals recognized the Daijokanbu’s treatment of epidemics. According to feeds at the time, the 737 plague was particularly damaging to the nobility. Tenyakuryokanmon consisted of 24 prescriptions, some of which cited Chinese medical books such as Senkinpo. It can be seen that at that time, the Tenyakuryo was based on the latest Chinese medical books to respond to the plague. Although Daijokanbu and Tenyakuryokanmon were prescriptions for the same plague, it is hard to determine which feed was more effective against the plague because each had different prescription targets for aristocrats and people. In conclusion, during the 737 plague, the Japanese government not only divided the subjects of the prescription into aristocrats and the people, but also actively utilized the prescriptions recorded in the Tang’s latest medical books to find out that it tried to get out of the plague.