Traditional TCM Culture
01 · Historical Records
The origins of the Longshan Medicine King (Yaowang) medical culture of Xinshao are tied to Sun Simiao. According to historical records and legends, Sun Simiao of the Jingzhao commandery of the Tang dynasty followed the traces of Ge Hong, lived on Longshan, gathered medicines, practiced medicine, pursued self-cultivation, and wrote books; integrating Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and medicine, he was venerated as the Medicine King. Successive generations of inheritors thereafter practiced medicine and taught disciples in the Longshan region, gathering and testing whatever was available locally, and this gave rise to the custom of 'nine in ten commoners being physicians (or herbalists)' and to more than a hundred renowned medical and health-preservation experts.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Longshan in Xinshao has 2,384 varieties of Chinese medicinal materials, providing conditions for the development of medicine and the nurturing of the Medicine King medical culture. According to historical records and legends, Sun Simiao of the Jingzhao commandery of the Tang dynasty followed the traces of Ge Hong and lived on Longshan, gathering medicines, practicing medicine, pursuing self-cultivation, and writing books. Integrating Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and medicine, and being of both virtue and consummate skill, he was venerated as the 'Medicine King.' His medical science, health-preservation learning, and medical practice fused with folk customs and the Meishan culture, together constituting the Medicine King medical culture, which is deeply integrated into the people's daily life, production, and health care practice; this gave rise to the custom of 'nine in ten commoners being physicians (or herbalists)' and nurtured more than a hundred renowned medical and health-preservation experts. The contemporary transmission and practice of the Medicine King medical culture focuses mainly on four aspects. First, telling and singing the stories of the Medicine King and offering sacrifices to Sun Simiao, so as to spread the fame of Sun Simiao's medical ethics, style, and skill, educate people to turn toward goodness and revere medicine, and establish sound morality. Second, incorporating the lifestyle and hygiene customs advocated by Sun Simiao, such as choosing one's dwelling, nurturing one's nature, massage, daoyin exercises, medicinal diet therapy, medicinal baths, and taboos, into daily life and health-preservation practice, so as to conduct self-care for health preservation, disease prevention, and treatment. Third, transmitting the medical arts of the Medicine King through master-disciple teaching. Fourth, planting, harvesting, processing, preparing (paozhi), and storing Chinese medicinal herbs in accordance with Sun Simiao's understanding of and requirements for them.
Narrating the Drug King's stories
Told and sung, the stories of the Drug King pass on his ethics and skill, teaching people to revere medicine and goodness.
Rites for Sun Simiao
Rites for the physician join storytelling as the first channel of transmission in the Longshan tradition.
Passing on the medicine by apprenticeship
Apprenticeship carried the art onward through some 2,384 local drug species and more than a hundred physician-healers.
Choosing a dwelling, nourishing character, massage and daoyin
Dwelling, character, massage, daoyin, diet, bathing and regimen—all woven into daily life as self-treatment.
Growing, gathering and processing herbs
Following his requirements, herbs are grown, gathered, processed and stored; the culture spreads from Longshan in Xinshao towards neighbouring prefectures and beyond.
The great physician's sincerity
The sincerity of the great physician expresses a human-centred ethic that speaks to present-day moral life as much as to medicine.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Centered on the veneration of Sun Simiao as the Medicine King, the Longshan Medicine King medical culture is a regional traditional medical culture circulated in the Longshan area of Xinshao County and surrounding areas such as Loudi and Xiangtan, and it is gradually spreading beyond the province and even overseas.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture · Traditional TCM Culture.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The Longshan Medicine King medical culture includes the medical characteristics of Sun Simiao and the medical experience of the community of physicians nurtured by the Medicine King medical culture, as well as folk medical experience and health customs; the moral culture of the medical ethics of 'great dedication and utmost sincerity' proposed by Sun Simiao, together with the views of life, morality, and values continually supplemented and developed by successive generations of inheritors; the fine tales and mythical stories praising Sun Simiao and his medical ethics and skill; and the relics and cultural artifacts of the activities of Sun Simiao and the relevant inheritors. The medical experience nurtured by the Longshan Medicine King medical culture has enriched the content of traditional medicine; it is still applied today in clinical and health-preservation practice and has considerable cultural value. The concept of 'great dedication and utmost sincerity' advocated by Sun Simiao embodies a people-centered view of life, values, and morality grounded in benevolence toward others and honesty without deceit; transmitting and carrying forward the Medicine King culture plays a promoting role in the moral construction of today's society.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Quyuxiang 03-1461
- Lei Yulin 04-1948
- Shentuyinhong
- Lu Qifu
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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