Investigation on several monographs of the Tang dynasty related to Lingnan (Southern Tidges) medicine

Abstract

In the Tang dynasty,eight monographs related to Lingnan medicine were recorded in Yi wen zhi (Bibliography of Arts and Literature) of Xin tang shu (Annals of New Tang Dynasty),Yi wen liie (Brief Bibliography of Arts had Literature) of Tong zhi liie(Brief Annals of General History),Yi wen zhi (Bibliography of Arts and Literature) of Song shi (Annals of Song Dynasty).However,all of them were lost in the Yuan and Ming dynasty.Now,a piece of stone-carving,Gnang nan she sheng lun yang qi tang fang (Nourishing Qi Prescription of Treatise of Keeping Health of Guangnan) was found at the cliff on Nanxi Mountain in Guilin,the descriptions about keeping health prescription and keeping health treatise in Ling nan wei sheng fang (Hygiene Prescriptions of Southern Ridges) were regarded as the only extant version of Guang nan she sheng lun (Treatise of Keeping Health of Guangnan) written by Zheng Jing-xiu in the Tang Dynasty.Monographs about southern Chinese medicines and oversea medicines in the Tang dynasty can be seen,such as Nan hai yao pu (Prescriptions of Nanhai) written by anonymous author and Li Xun's Hai yao ben cao (Oversea Materia Medica).Both claimed by Li Shi-zhen to be the same book.Now,after checking the Zheng he ben cao (Materia Medica of Zhenghe Reign),it is suspicious that these are two different books instead of one,because sometimes,one medicinal item is quoted from one source,while other item can be quoted from the both sourees at the same time with different contexts. Key words: Lingnan (Southern Tidges) medicine; Guang nan she sheng lun (Treatise of Keeping Health of Guangnan); Nan hal yao pu (Prescriptions of South Sea); Hai yao ben cao(Oversea Materia Medica)