汉代人眼中的疫病

The Epidemic Viewed in the Han Dynasty

在汉代,疾疫被看做是"灾异"的一种。时人认为,君王"不明"、德行不盛都会引发疾疫,由此逐渐衍化为一种神秘的以灾异附会社会人事的灾异说。由于在当时医疗技术落后,因恶鬼造成疫病的看法十分普遍,祈祷逐疫去病的仪式也十分盛行,这反映了天命禳灾的思想。汉代进步的疫病观认为,疾疫的发生是"天地之道"和自然规律,主张用医药救治抗疫,并指出,得了疫病后让患者喝符水和祈祷,"无益于治病",是愚蠢之举。

In the Han dynasty the epidemic was seen as one kind of 'disasters and unusual things'.People then thought it came from 'obscurity' and little virtue from king,and was gradually turning into a mysterious thing connected with people and society.It was generally thought that evils brought epidemic because of the poor medical technology,and the ceremony of getting rid of this epidemic was popular.In contrast,some people in the Han dynasty thought epidemic came from 'way of heaven and earth' and natural law,and suggested medical treatment.It is foolish that the sick were let to drink ceremonial holy water and pray.