ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature

Jianyan shishang zhinan 檢驗屍傷指南

Apr 3, 2021 © Ulrich Theobald

Jianyan shishang zhinan 檢驗屍傷指南 "Compass to the examination of corpses and injuries" is a book on forensic medicine written by an unknown person during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644). The brief text is, together with a text on first aid called Yijiu sishang fa 醫救死傷法, attached to a commented edition of the Ming Code Da-Ming lü 大明律 that was published by Wang Kentang 王肯堂 (d. 1638), but it seems quite probable that the book was printed in the early Qing period 清 (1644-1911).

The handbook on examination consists of 25 chapters that describe how different manners of death can be discerned by examining a body. It is largely based on the excellent collection Xiyuan jilu 洗冤集錄 and can be called an extract of the latter, yet with an addition of improvements. Both texts were included in the 1694 edition of the Xiyuanlu.

Source,
Wu Shuchen 武樹臣, ed. (1999). Zhongguo chuantong falü wenhua cidian 中國傳統法律文化辭典 (Beijing: Beijing daxue chubanshe), 457.