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Hiding in Plain Sight-ancient Chinese anatomy
Vivien Shaw1, Rui Diogo2, Isabelle Catherine Winder3
1School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales.
Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)
|September 3, 2020
Summary
The Mawangdui medical texts, dating to 168 BCE, are the world's oldest anatomical atlas. These Chinese texts offer a physical body perspective, predating and influencing acupuncture practices.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Medical History
- Archaeology
Background:
- Traditional anatomical studies are limited by lost texts and a Eurocentric bias.
- Ancient Greek anatomical texts are more familiar than those from other cultures.
- Human anatomy has been studied for millennia through dissection.
Observation:
- The Mawangdui medical texts were discovered in Changsha, China, entombed in 168 BCE.
- These texts predate and inform later acupuncture texts.
- Interpreting these texts requires knowledge of ancient Chinese and anatomical investigation.
Findings:
- The Mawangdui medical texts represent the oldest surviving anatomical atlas globally.
- These texts describe physical body structures, not esoteric concepts.
- They offer a previously unrecognized perspective on the history of anatomy.
Implications:
- This discovery challenges the Eurocentric view of anatomical history.
- It provides a new foundation for understanding the origins of acupuncture.
- The texts reveal a hidden chapter in the study of human anatomy.
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