Library

Imperial Edict of the Second Year of Jiayou, August 3rd: The court has repeatedly promulgated medical texts, entrusting various commanderies to collect and keep them, in preparation for treating illnesses among military personnel and civilians. It has been reported that poor families find it difficult to meet the court's intention of compassion and care. Now, apart from the capital city where medicines have already been distributed annually, for the Three Capitals and all circuits, henceforth, each metropolitan prefecture, strategic town, and the four prefectures of Yi, Bing, Qing, and Wei shall be granted two hundred guan of cash annually, while other prefectures, military districts, and monitors shall be granted one hundred guan. The local governors are entrusted to select and assign officials to supervise, ordering physicians to prepare medicines according to the seasonal conditions and prescribed formulas. When military personnel or civilians request to receive them, they shall be distributed immediately. Regarding classics such as *Shennong Bencao* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), *Tai Su* (Great Simplicity), *Jia Yi Jing* (Classics of Jia Yi), *Su Wen* (Basic Questions), as well as formularies like *Guang Ji*, *Qian Jin*, and *Waitai Miyao*, Taichang Shaoqing and Direct Scholar at Jixian Academy Zhang Yuxi, Zhifang Yuanwaishlang and Secret Pavilion Proofreader Lin Yi, Dianzhong Cheng and Secret Pavilion Proofreader Zhang Dong, and Dianzhong Cheng and Library Pavilion Proofreader Su Song are appointed to jointly correct them, and their findings shall be reported. Minister Yuxi and others subsequently memorialized: establishing a bureau for printing and correction, and requesting the assignment of two or three medical officers to assist in detailed verification. In the tenth month of that year, Qin Zonggu and Zhu Youzhang from the Medical Bureau were dispatched to the bureau to serve. In the tenth month of the third year, Ministers Yuxi, Yi, Song, and Dong further memorialized: In the old editions of *Bencao* (Materia Medica) commentaries, descriptions of drug properties and efficacy are often sparse and incomplete. We have collected and supplemented notes on drug efficacy from various *Bencao* works and historical texts, gradually organizing them. Furthermore, we observed that during the Xianqing era of the Tang Dynasty, an imperial edict was issued to compile *Bencao*. At that time, besides revising and annotating the *Benjing* (Classic of Medicine), various medicinal substances were illustrated with drawings and accompanied by separate treatises (*Tujing*), making the identification of drugs most detailed and complete. However, these were later lost, and few complete copies remain. We propose issuing orders to all counties and prefectures in the circuits where medicinal materials are produced, instructing knowledgeable individuals to carefully identify the roots, stems, seedlings, leaves, flowers, fruits, color, shape, and size of insects, fish, birds, beasts, jade, and stones suitable for medicinal use. Each item should be drawn and described in detail, including flowering and fruiting times, harvesting seasons, and therapeutic effects. For medicinal products from foreign regions, inquiries should be made to merchants at the border markets and maritime trade ports, providing similar analyses. Samples of one or two liang, or one or two pieces of each substance, should be sealed in horn cases and sent via travelers to the capital for submission as evidence for drawing the *Bencao Tu* (Illustrations of Materia Medica) and compiling a separate *Tujing*. This is hoped to run parallel with the current *Bencao Jing*, enabling future generations to know the basis for their medication. The memorial was approved. In September of the fourth year, another edict appointed Chen Jian, Crown Prince's Assistant, to jointly correct the text. In August of the fifth year, the annotated *Bencao* was completed and submitted first. On November 15th, an edict appointed Gao Baoheng, Vice Director of the Guanglu Temple, to jointly re-verify it. By December of the sixth year, the manuscript was copied and printed plates were prepared as before, totaling twenty-one volumes including the table of contents, and it was bestowed the name *Jiayou Buzhu Shennong Bencao* (Supplementary Annotations to the Divine Farmer's Materia Medica of the Jiayou Era). Presented on August 12th of the Fifth Year of Jiayou.

Imperial Edict for *Tujing Bencao* (Illustrated Materia Medica):

In October of the Third Year of Jiayou, the Bureau for Correcting Medical Texts memorialized: We observe that during the Xianqing era of the Tang Dynasty, an imperial edict was issued to compile *Bencao*. Besides revising and annotating the *Benjing*, various medicinal substances were illustrated and accompanied by separate treatises (*Tujing*), making the identification of drugs most detailed and complete. These were later lost, and few complete copies remain. We hope to order all places producing medicinal materials to instruct knowledgeable individuals to carefully identify the roots, stems, seedlings, leaves, flowers, fruits, color, shape, and size of insects, fish, birds, beasts, jade, and stones suitable for medicinal use. Each item should be drawn and described in detail, including flowering and fruiting times, harvesting seasons, and therapeutic effects. For foreign products, inquiries should be made to merchants at border markets and maritime trade ports, providing similar analyses. Samples of one or two liang, or one or two pieces of each substance, should be sealed in horn cases and sent via travelers to the capital for submission as evidence for drawing the *Bencao Tu* and compiling a separate *Tujing*, running parallel with the current *Bencao Jing*, so that future generations have a basis for medication. The Imperial Decree stated: All Circuit Transport Commissions should direct subordinate prefectures, military districts, and monitors to appoint Tongpan (Joint Prefect) officials to specifically manage this matter, reporting to the Bureau for Correcting Medical Texts. In May of the sixth year, another memorial stated: *Bencao Tujing* was compiled and edited by Su Song, Taichang Boshi and Scholar at Jixian Academy. As it was nearing completion, he was appointed Prefect of Yingzhou. Regarding the text of the *Tujing*, it was requested that the official continue editing it independently. The edict approved this. In October of that year, the compilation was finished, sent to the bureau for copying, and presented on December 1st of the seventh year. An edict ordered woodblock printing for implementation.

Preface of Proofreaders for *Zhenglei Bencao*:

On July 29th of the Sixth Year of Zhenghe, an edict was received for proofreading.

Co-proofreader Gong Bi, Neisheng of the Imperial Medical Academy, Official Checking Formulas for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Co-proofreader Ding Fu, Dengshilang, Official Checking Formulas for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Co-proofreader Xu, Dengshilang, Official Checking Formulas for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Co-proofreader Du Runfu, Dengshilang, Official Checking Formulas for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Co-proofreader Zhu Yongbi, Hanlin Yihou, Inner Resident Physician, Official Checking Formulas for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Co-proofreader Xie, Hanlin Yiguan, Official Checking Formulas for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Co-proofreader Liu Zhi, Fengyilang, Doctor of the Imperial Medical Academy, Reviewer for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.
Proofreader Cao Xiaozhong, Zhongwei Dafu, Defense Commissioner of Kangzhou, Commander-in-Chief of Longde Palace, Supervisor of Medical Affairs for the Construction of Mingtang Institute, Inner Physician, Supervisor of the Imperial Medical Academy for the Compilation of Shengji Jing.