| Objective:The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, written by Li Xuechuan in the Qing Dynasty, is a comprehensive masterpiece concerning acupuncture that covers a wide range of aspects and contains profound thoughts. Probing into the origin, development, and theoretical basis of acupuncture, as well as the theoretical and practical achievements made therein before the mid-Qing Dynasty, the book imposed a profound influence on the further development of acupuncture. For a long time, however, different editions circumstances and content characteristics of this book remained unexplored and there was no specific research on the background of its author Li Xuechuan, not to speak about professional digitalization. This paper studies the above unexplored fields for the purpose of promoting further research of relevant fields. Lastly, on the basis of combination of the first-hand materials and documentary records, we have elaborated dates of birth and death of Li Xuechuan and established his hometown, relatives, and friends to lay a solid foundation for follow-up study about his life and the academic thought of that great medical scientist.Approaches:First of all, relevant information was collected and collated based on a thorough study of the book and related literatures. Secondly, field investigations were carried out to collect first-hand information, laying a solid foundation for the follow-up study. Thirdly, digital information processing technology was fully used to obtain detailed and reliable statistical data as the basis of the study.Results:This paper explores the edition, content characteristics, and digitization of the book and the background of its author Li Xuechuan, principally coming to the following results. Firstly, the existing15block-printed editions of The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of the Qing Dynasty were studied to establish their characteristics and the relations therebetween. During the process, the information concerning the collection thereof was recorded in detail, errors found in the major reference books were corrected, and the academic values of the different versions were appraised. In addition, the high quality versions were selected for digital data statistics and analysis in order to determine the master copy, primary corrected copy, and reference corrected copy for publishing a high-level version of The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in simplified Chinese. Secondly, detailed information regarding all the58medical literatures,52ancient medical scientists,97prescriptions, and243kinds of traditional Chinese medicines recorded in The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion was organized, all the361fourteen meridian acupoints and the53extra acupoints included in The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion were verified. Thirdly, the work elaborates advanced functions of a self-developed The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion database application system in information retrieval, data analysis and editing control. This database system provides a domestically advanced digital statistical tool and a data analysis platform for promoting the follow-up research on The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and greatly improves the efficiency and reliability of related research. Fourthly, based on the field investigations and related literatures, the background of Li Xuechuan has been explored which lays a solid foundation for in-depth study of Li Xuechuan and his academic thoughts.Conclusions:Firstly, the statistical data of The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion database show that in many aspects the3block-printed editions of The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion have obviously distinctive characteristics. Secondly, the editions of the Tongzhi Period of the Qing Dynasty actually have early editions represented by the versions housed in the Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences and Faculty of Medicine of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and later editions represented by others. Thirdly, the supplementary edition compiled in the second year of the Daoguang Period (1822) housed in the Library of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, formerly known as the Dihua Cottage Edition, embodies the medical claims and achievements of Li Xuechuan to the highest extent, thus should be valued and fully used. Fourthly, although The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion is considered a portfolio of a selection of acupuncture medical literatures written in different times, there are still differences between it and the originals in terms of acupuncture positioning, needling and moxibustion techniques etc. which shall not be deemed to be just errors for some of them are the personal opinions in theory and practice of Li Xuechuan. Fifthly, the establishment of the high level The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion database is of great significance for improving the efficiency and reliability of related researches. Sixthly, Li Xuechuan, the author of The Source of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, was born between1751and1755, and probably died in1841. Seventhly, Li Xuechuan’s family, including11generations so far from Li Xuechuan, used to live at today’s Middle Dengwei Road, South Dengwei Road and the intersection of South Street of Guangfu Town at the foot of the Dengwei Mountain which is about one kilometer to the north of the government compound of Guangfu Town. |
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