Ming And Qing Dynasties Taoist Medical Research

This thesis mainly discusses the content, characteristics, and achievement of Taoism Medicine in Ming (1368-1644 AD.) and Qing (1644-1911 AD.) dynasty. In the preface, the definition of Taoism Medicine is put forward. The author deems Taoism Medicine as "a religious medicine based on the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which is gradually formed by the knowledge accumulation of both self-training of taoists in the process of 'becoming immortal" and treating people's disease for advocating Taoism. And then he points out the three portions of Taoism Medicine research, including "the central circle", "the middle circle" and "the peripheral circle".This thesis can be divided into three chapters. The first chapter mainly discusses the characteristics of TM in Ming and Qing dynasty, which is believed to become mature. This mature roughly shows asâ‘ many schools of Inner Alchemy existed and the theory of Inner Alchemy was mature;(2)Many books on treating disease with herbal medicine and Taoist practice were published then. The features of TM good at treating external and intractable disease and treating disease with simple, convenient and low-costing method were fully developed in Ming and Qing dynasty;(3)the External Alchemy was gradually substituted by Inner Alchemy, and the results of Taoism in preparing elixir was adopted by clinical practice of treating external disease. The Taoists mainly eating herbal and wooden medicine for immortality rather than mental and ore medicine;(4)the exclusive book on treating disease with spell, incantation and medicine used together was appeared, which changed the condition of using spell and incantation only to treat disease.The second chapter analyzes three aspects of TM in Ming and Qing Dynasty by investigating Taoist literature of that period, including the basic theory, the etiological factor and pathogenesis of disease, and the methods used in treating disease.The third chapter evaluates some of the Taoism Doctors and Taoism books in Ming and Qing Dynasty. It put forth the definition of Taoism Doctor of "the Taoistswho perusing immortality while still treating disease of patients." And also the author claims that many Taoism Doctors have the characteristics of reclusive, mysterious, perusing immortality and treating disease with simple, convenient, and low-costing method.At last, by analyzing some medical literature the author argue that the TM exerted extensive and profound influence on Traditional Chinese Medicine while it absorbed theory and many diagnostic and treating methods from TCM.