Dec 17, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald
Jiuhuang bencao 救荒本草 "Roots and herbs for disaster relief" is a medical encyclopedia written by the early Ming-period 明 (1368-1644) scholar Zhu Su 朱橚 (1361-1425), Prince of Wu 吳, from 1378 of Zhou 周, who was the fifth son of Emperor Taizu 明太祖 (r. 1368-1398). In 1389 he was deprived of his title and only given back his territory during the Yongle reign-period 永樂 (1403-1424). His posthumous title is Prince Ding 定王.
During his exile in Yunnan, Zhu Su had the opportunity to learn much about drugs from among the common folks. Zhu Su was not only a famous poet who published the collection Yuan gongci 元宮詞, but he was also very interested in pharmacology and medicine and authored the books Jiuhuang bencao and Pujifang 普濟方 "Common healing methods". In two cases authorship of the book is attributed to Zhu Youdun 朱有燉 (1379-1439), Prince Xian of Zhou 周憲王, first in Li Shizhen's 李時珍 (1518-1593) pharmaceutical encyclopaedia Bencao gangmu 本草綱目, and then in the 1555 edition of the Jiuhuang bencao.
His illustrated book is 4-juan-long (originally 2, but there were also versions of 8 juan length) and was printed in 1406. The 5 chapters of the book described 414 kinds of pharmaceutical plants, of which 80 are trees, 20 grains, 23 fruits, 46 edible plants, and the 245 remaining other various herbs. Of these plants, 276 are not included in earlier writings. For each plant the author gives information about alternative names, the place where it grows, its shape, colours and taste, how it is prepared and consumed, and which diseases can be cured with it. For an easy identification, an excellent illustration is added for each plant.
The book was written with the purpose to provide quick medical help in case of natural disasters for a large number of afflicted persons, particularly in the region around the city of Kaifeng 開封, Henan, where Zhu Su had his residence. The book was rated as of a superior quality and has largely been made use of by Bao Shan 鮑山 for his book Yecai bolu 野菜博錄 and by Wang Qing 王磐 (c. 1550) in his treatise Yecaipu 野菜譜.
Figure 1. Illustration from the Jiuhuang bencao 救荒本草
 |
Images and description of cardoon (Cynara cardunculus, cijicai 刺薊菜) and large thistle (Cirsium japonicum, daji 大薊). 1525 edition. |
The book in total has been included in Xu Guangqi's 徐光啟 (1562-1633) encyclopedia Nongzheng quanshu 農政全書, in the section Huangzheng 荒政 "Disaster relief", and is often quoted in Li Shizhen's Bencao gangmu. It is also to be found in the series Gezhi congshu 格致叢書, Siku quanshu 四庫全書 and Zhongguo gudai kexue jishu tulu congshu chubian 中國古代科技圖錄叢編初集 (1959).
Sources:
Fan Yanni 范延妮 (2021). "Jiuhuang bencao de lishi chengjiu ji haiwai chuanbo kaolüe 《救荒本草》的歷史成就及海外傳播考略", Xibu Zhongyiyao 西部中醫藥, 2021 (4): 67-70.
Li Hui’e 李會娥 (2004). "Jiuhuang bencao zhong yecai liyong fangfa chutan 《救荒本草》中野菜利用方法初探", Nongye kaogu 農業考古, 2004 (3): 214-217+22.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰 (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1647.
Liu Changzhi 劉昌芝 (1993). "Jiuhuang bencao tiyao《救荒本草》題要", in Gou Cuihua 茍萃華, ed. Zhongguo kexue jishu dianji tonghui 中國科學技術典籍通彙, part Shengwu 生物卷 (Zhengzhou: Henan jiaoyu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 105-106.
Liu Zhenya 劉振亞, Liu Puyu 劉璞玉 (1995). "Jiuhuang bencao yu woguo shiyong bencao ji bencao tupu de tantao 《救荒本草》與我國食用本草及本草圖譜的探討", Gujin nongye 古今農業, 1995 (2): 46-52.
Luo Guihuan 羅桂環 (1984). "Woguo gudai zhongyao zhiwuxue zhuzuo: Jiuhuang bencao 我國古代重要植物學著作——《救荒本草》", Zhiwu zazhi 植物雜誌, 1984 (1): 37-38.
Luo Guihuan 羅桂環 (1985). "Zhu Su he ta de Jiuhuang bencao 朱橚和他的《救荒本草》", Ziran kexue yanjiu 自然科學研究, 1985 (2): 189-194.
Mao Guanghua 毛光驊 (1980). "Zhu Su yu ta de Jiuhuang bencao 朱橚與他的《救荒本草》", Hunan Zhongyiyao Daxue xuebao 湖南中醫藥大學學報, 1980 (2): 72-73.
Peng Shijiang 彭世獎 (1990). "Jiuhuang bencao 救荒本草", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, part Nongye 農業 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 1, 487.
Qiu Le 邱玏 (2020). "Yi Bo’en ji qi dui Jiuhuang bencao de Yingyi he yanjiu 伊博恩及其對《救荒本草》的英譯和研究", Zhongguo Zhongyiyao tushu qingbao zazhi 中國中醫藥圖書情報雜誌, 2020 (5): 58-61.
Read, Bernard E. (1946). Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao: Giving their Identity, Nutritional Values and Notes on their Preparation (Shanghai: Henry Lester Institute of Medical Research [repr. Taipei: Southern Materials Center, 1977]).
Wang Defei 汪德飛 (2013). "Jiuhuang bencao ruogan wenti de tantao 《救荒本草》若干問題的探討", Zhongguo nongshi 中國農史, 2013 (3): 132-142+145.
Wang Guozhong 王國忠 (1996). "Jiuhuang bencao 救荒本草", in Zhongguo xueshu mingzhu tiyao 中國學術名著提要, Vol. Keji 科技卷 (Shanghai: Fudan daxue chubanshe), 420.
Wang Yonghou 王永厚 (1994). "Jiuhuang bencao de banben yuanliu 《救荒本草》的版本源流", Zhongguo nongshi 中國農史, 1994 (3): 117-118.
Xu Xu 徐栩 (2019). "Jiuhuang bencao de kexue sixiang yanjiu 《救荒本草》的科學思想研究", Henan keji 河南科技, 2010 (21): 22-23.
Yan Xianzhang 閻現章 (1993). "Mingdai Jiuhuang bencao bianzuan tese shitan 明代《救荒本草》編纂特色試探", Henan Daxue xuebao 河南大學學報, 1993 (4): 109-114.
Yi Bo'en 伊博恩, Mao Lidun 毛禮敦 (1979). "Jiuhuang bencao Yingyiben qianyan 《救荒本草》英譯本前言", Shijie kexue yikan 世界科學譯刊, 1979 (7): 41-43.
Zhao Hankun 趙含坤, ed. (2005). Zhongguo leishu 中國類書 (Shijiazhuang: Hebei renmin chubanshe), 195-196.
Zhou Qiji 周啟基 (1988). "Jiuhuan gbencao de tongsuxing shiyongxing he kexuexing 《救荒本草》的通俗性實用性和科學性", Zhongguo nongshi 中國農史, 1988 (1): 99-110.
Zhou Zhaoji 周肇基 (1990). "Woguo zui zao de jiuhuang zhuanzhu: Jiuhuang bencao 我國最早的救荒專著——《救荒本草》", Zhiwu zazhi 植物雜誌, 1990 (6): 43-44.
