Review Joseph Needham's study on Ge Hong and western view of the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Ge Hong(), from Joseph Needham's view, is a historical figure with multiple characters, for example: he was a priest, a scientific researcher, a pioneer in the research of chemical medicines, a successor of the "prevention prior to cure" theory, an early explorer of immunotherapy. He was a man who detailedly recorded the infectious diseases, an ascetic with a strong individual spirit. Ge Hong was also a collector of the new knowledge, and his writings can be regarded as the typical Chinese ancient literature. Needham's viewpoints on Ge Hong represent a different perspective of western society on ancient Chinese science and technology, especially on the development of Chinese medicine.