Description
Book Synopsis: A cultural history of the concept of pharmacy, both the material nature of drugs and the trade in medicine, in early modern China Know Your Remedies presents a panoramic inquiry into China's early modern cultural transformation through the lens of pharmacy. In the history of science and civilization in China, pharmacy—as a commercial enterprise and as a branch of classical medicine—resists easy characterization. While China's long tradition of documenting the natural world through state-commissioned pharmacopeias, known as bencao, dwindled after the sixteenth century, the ubiquitous presence of Chinese pharmacy shops around the world today testifies to the vitality of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Rejecting narratives of intellectual stagnation or an unchanging folk culture, He Bian argues that pharmacy's history in early modern China can best be understood as a dynamic interplay between elite and popular culture.
Beginning with decentralizing trends in book culture and fiscal policy in the sixteenth century, Bian reveals pharmacy's central role in late Ming public discourse. Fueled by factional politics in the early 1600s, amateur investigation into pharmacology reached peak popularity among the literati on the eve of the Qing conquest in the mid-seventeenth century. The eighteenth century witnessed a systematic reclassification of knowledge, as the Qing court turned away from pharmacopeia in favor of a demedicalized natural history. Throughout this time, growth in long-distance trade enabled the rise of urban pharmacy shops, generating new knowledge about the natural world.
Bringing together a wealth of primary sources, Know Your Remedies makes an essential contribution to the study of Chinese history and the history of medicine.
Details
If you're fascinated by the history of pharmacy and want to delve into the cultural transformation of early modern China, then Know Your Remedies is the book for you. This comprehensive exploration of pharmacy in China offers insights into the material nature of drugs and the trade in medicine. Discover the intriguing interplay between elite and popular culture that shaped the development of pharmacy during this crucial period in Chinese history.
Unlike other historical accounts, Know Your Remedies demonstrates that pharmacy in early modern China was anything but stagnant or monotonous. Instead, it showcases the dynamic nature of pharmacy as it evolved alongside decentralizing trends, factional politics, and the rise of long-distance trade. From the commercial enterprise to the branch of classical medicine, pharmacy played an integral role in shaping public discourse and intellectual curiosity in late Ming and early Qing China.
One of the most compelling aspects of this book is the examination of the role of pharmacy in the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). While China’s state-commissioned pharmacopeias declined after the sixteenth century, the prevalence of Chinese pharmacy shops worldwide today is a testament to the enduring vitality of TCM. Know Your Remedies sheds light on how the relationship between pharmacy and TCM has evolved and influenced Chinese culture up to the present day.
Written by He Bian, a renowned expert in Chinese history, this book is meticulously researched and draws upon a wealth of primary sources. Through engaging storytelling and critical analysis, Know Your Remedies provides a fresh and unique perspective on the history of pharmacy and medicine in early modern China.
Don't miss out on this invaluable resource for anyone interested in Chinese history or the fascinating world of pharmacy. Expand your knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of medicine in early modern China. Experience the journey yourself by getting your copy of Know Your Remedies today!
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