Formulas, cases, and the exchange of medical knowledge between early modern Europe and China
Présentation par Gianna Pomata
Formulas, cases, and the exchange of medical knowledge between early modern Europe and China
In this lecture, I examine the exchange of medical knowledge between Europe and China in the early modern period. I consider in particular the translation and transmission of medicinal formulas and pharmacological knowledge, focusing on the Chinese recipes and list of materia medica published in Specimen Medicinae Sinicae (1682), edited by the Dutch physician Andreas Cleyer and presumably translated by the Jesuit Michael Boym. Specimen played a fundamental role in the introduction of Chinese pulse medicine to Europe. Most importantly, the medicinals formulas and materia medica contained in it appear to be the first attempt to transfer Chinese pharmacological knowledge to Europe.
Based on my previous lecture, I also consider whether medical case literature circulated between Europe and China. I find that several important European case collections were carried by the Jesuit missionaries to China, and that, conversely, some Chinese case narratives made it all the way to Europe as part of European translations of Chinese materia medica texts. On the whole, however, I find that cases traveled much less well than formulas/recipes between the two cultures.
Date
- Mercredi 2 février, 17h-19h
Lieu
- Ehess, bât. France, salle 2 (RdC), 190-198 av. de France – 75013 Paris
Conférence donnée dans le cadre du séminaire d’Antonella Romano, Rafael Mandressi et Jean-Marc Besse, Savoirs et productions du monde au XVIe siècle. Lieux, Acteurs, Échelles.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Monique Abud (28 janvier 2015). Formulas, cases, and the exchange of medical knowledge between early modern Europe and China. ChinElectrodoc. Consulté le 21 septembre 2024 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/mqmp
