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"The contribution of this work is immense: a complete translation of one of the landmark scientific/medical works in Chinese history. The Ben cao gang mu, historically, has been the most comprehensive materia medica, with 1,892 medical substances. But because of the various regions of mainland China explored by Li Shizhen, Ming dynasty–era social mores, language, the multiple cultures of China, and different usages of medicinals throughout China, it has been difficult at best to translate this work into European languages, including English. Previous attempts have led to inferior works. The Ben cao gang mu also quotes many preceding works of materia medica, some no longer available, and folk knowledge of remedies, so few herbal medicine texts can compete with this one. It is an invaluable resource, indeed, for the clinician and the scholar and in university libraries. It is academic, precise, readable, and well sourced."––Z'ev Rosenberg, author of Returning to the Source: Han Dynasty Medical Classics in Modern Clinical Practice
List of contents
1. Prolegomena
1.1 History of Chinese materia medica literature
1.2 Structure and contents of the Ben cao gang mu
1.3 Biographical sketch of Li Shizhen (1518 – 1593)
2. Notes on the Translation
3. Wang Shizhen’s preface of 1590
4. Translation of the Ben cao gang mu. Chapters 38 - 46
Section Clothes and Utensils. Chapter 38
Group: Clothes and Silk
Group: Utensils and Further Items
Section Worms/Bugs. Chapter 39
Worms/Bugs I.Born from Eggs Group, First
Section Worms/Bugs. Chapter 40
Worms/Bugs II. Born from Eggs. Final Group
Section Worms/Bugs. Chapter 41
Worms/Bugs III. Born from Transformation Group.
Section Bugs Worms/Bugs. Chapter 42
Worms/Bugs IV. Born from Moisture Group.
Section [Animals with] Scales. Chapter 43.
[Animals with] Scales I. Dragon Group.
[Animals with] Scales II. Snake Group.
Section [Animals with] Scales. Chapter 44
[Animals with] Scales III.
[Animals with] Scales IV. Fish without Scales.
Section [Animals with] Shells. Chapter 45
Shells I. Tortoises and Tortoises Group.
Section [Animals with] Shells. Chapter 46
Shells II. Clams Group.
Appendix
5. Weights and measures.
5.1 Measures of capacity.
5.2 Measures of weight.
5.3 Measures of length.
5.4 Measures of the size of pills.
6. Appendix Pharmaceutical Substances of Plant Origin mentioned in BCGM ch 38 – 46 in passing. By Ulrike Unschuld.
