[Pei Zi Yan Yi and its author]

Area of Science:

• History of Medicine
• Chinese Medical History

Background:

• Pei Zi Yan Yi is a medical book authored by Pei Yizhong, a prominent physician in Jiaxing during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties.
• Existing versions of Pei Zi Yan Yi are rare, often incomplete, and infrequently cited in bibliographical records.
• The scarcity and incompleteness may stem from the Yong Zheng period's Literary Inquisition and the Pei family's political affiliations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the academic value of Pei Zi Yan Yi.
• To provide insights into the political climate and lifestyles of medical and Confucian communities in the Jiangnan region during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review of extant versions of Pei Zi Yan Yi.
• Analysis of relevant historical documents and bibliographical records.
• Historical contextualization considering political events and social structures of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Main Results:

• Pei Zi Yan Yi was initially written during the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty.
• The book was first published in 1671 and later amended with Shan Run Yuan Bing Shi in 1713.
• Few complete copies of the text are currently extant.

Conclusions:

• Pei Zi Yan Yi holds significant academic value for understanding historical Chinese medicine.
• The study offers insights into the socio-political landscape influencing intellectual and medical groups in southern China during the Ming and Qing periods.
• Further research into the text and its historical context is warranted.