中国传统医学中的身体与信念:以丹药秋石为例

Body and Belief in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Case Study on Qiushi

中国古代以人体尿液为主要原料制备的丹药秋石,被认为具有治疗与养生等功能。通过对秋石的制备方式、主治功用进行考察,意在探讨制备秋石的理论根源,分析中医赋予具体药物以药性和主治功用的机制以及中医的身体性与药物有效性的评价问题。研究发现:以人尿炼制秋石有外丹术、内丹术、医学等多重源流;从长历程的因素来鉴定药物的功用,实现对自然的模拟,是中医对药物认知方式的特色所在;作为认识主体的身体,以阴阳五行为媒介,对药物功用原理进行解释;身体被视作持续和流动,药物与人体通过其中相似的要素而相感、相生,认识药物、自然与认识人体交互进行;医家在炮制秋石的过程中构建的对传统理论的信念是秋石被长期使用的可能原因,对秋石功用的认知与评价交织在一起。

Qiushi,which literally means'autumn mineral',was made from human's urine and considered as a kind of elixir in ancient China. This thesis explores the cultural and theoretical background of the production and indications of qiushi. The function of the human body and the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine are discussed with qiushi as a case. The technology of qiushi resulted from the combination of some Daoist practices and the knowledge of medicine. Long term elements are taken into account in the evaluation of the effects of medicines,and the interaction between medicine and human body is emphasized—these constitute the features of the cognitive patterns in traditional Chinese medicine. The effects of medicines are explained in terms of yin,yang and five elements. Medicines and human body,which is in flux,interact with each other through their similar factors. The beliefs in traditional and classical theory have played an important part in the application of qiushi for a long time.