TCM Books Investigation Of Liaoning Province Before1949

Medical development in Liaoning Province lagged much behind that of Central China in ancient time due to its periphery location, sparse population, and being hard to get to. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasty, however, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Liaoning area has developed significantly as the population increase and the communication with places inside the Shanhaiguan Pass becomes more frequent. Medical scientists emerge frequently and medical books appear regularly as the economy and culture prospers in the area. Especially during the period of the Republic of China, TCM had a rapid progress with many excellent masterpieces. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive investigation of TCM literature before the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)(1949) in Liaoning Province.The purpose of this study is to comprehensively and systematically investigate the quantity, kind, preservation, version, library collection, and academic features of TCM literature in Liaoning area before the founding of PRC by analyzing the available data. This study helps to deeply understanding the overall development of TCM in Liaoning. It does not only contribute to fill the research gaps in this field and compliment the literature deficiency of Zhong Guo Fen Sheng Yi Ji Kao, Zhong Guo Yi Ji Tong Kao, and Ihong Guo Zhong Yi Gu Ji Zong Mu, but also enriches the TCM history in Liaoning Province. In short, this study is innovative that it adds detailed information for the history of local TCM.This paper could be categorized as bibliographical research on TCM literature with a focus on local TCM literature. The scope of this research is the overall situation of TCM books written or edited by medical scientists in Liaoning area before the founding of PRC. Liaoning area limits to the current territory of Liaoning Province. Liaoning medical scientists refer to those being recorded in Chinese chronicles, and regional or local chorography within the boundary of current Liaoning Province, or those being self-identified as Liaoning residents. TCM books includes medical books in all subjects and forensic books. However, the works written by Japanese scholars during the "Puppet Manchurian" period (1932-1945) are not included.Medical literature used for this research are first searched in two largest Chinese academic databases, Wanfang data and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and then collected from many medical references books including Liao Ning Yi Xue Ren Wu Zhi, Liao Ning Sheng Wei Sheng Zhi, Zhong Guo Fen Sheng Yi Ji Kao, Zhong Guo Yi Ji Tong Kao, Zhong Yi Ren Ming Ci Dian, Zhong Yi Ren Wu Ci Dian, Zhong Yi Wen Xian Ci Dian, Zhong Guo Zhong Yi Gu Ji Zong Mu, etc. The researcher has looked over related literature in many national, regional and institutional libraries, including the National Library of China, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Library, Capital Library of China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Library, Liaoning Provincial Library, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Library. The researcher has also visited many Liaoning medical scholars, experts, and private bibliophiles in order to get more familiar with TCM-related information and obtain better understanding of Liaoning TCM literature. Then the researcher extracts TCM articles and historical records from the Digital Chorography of the National Library of China, Liaoning Provincial Chorography and Chronicle and related reference books, and rearranges them into categorical investigation of Liaoning medical books. The researcher also creates a summary table of Liaoning medical books information and many graphs based collected data. Finally, the researcher presents many academic features of Liaoning medical books, and investigates and explains many existing questions after a comprehensive and systematic analysis. This paper is divided into five parts:The first part presents a brief overview of Liaoning history, geography and medical literature. The second part includes a investigation of Liaoning medical books based on their subjects, names, authors, biographies, contents, abstracts, prologues, versions, collections, addendums, comments, instructions, and etc. The third part includes a classification introduction of Liaoning medical books according to their importance on the authors, publications, contents, features, versions, collections, and etc. The fourth part provides a literature analysis on Liaoning medical books by creating related summary table and graphs. The conclusion is given lastly.The conclusion of this paper mainly includes the following three aspects:First, the amount, classification and preservation of Liaoning medical books.Second, the amount and kinds of existing Liaoning medical books but not in Zhong Guo Zhong Yi Gu Ji Zong Mu.Finally, the academic features of Liaoning medical books.