For the 2024 Year-End Closing episode, we continue on with the History of Chinese Medicine during the Sòng. Bi Sheng started a revolution in book printing with his invention of movable type printing. This led to an explosion of new printed titles and wider access to medical texts among the general (urban) populace. During the Song, it became downright respectable to enter the medical profession. Many young people aspiring for a career in officialdom, looked to a career in medicine as either an alternative to working in the government or something to do in addition to serving the emperor. Many advances were made in forensic medicine, pediatrics, and healthy nutrition. And with all the new knowledge and acquisition of new knowledge through interaction with physicians from other cultures, the understanding of human health and how the body operates kept inching forward. In the field of pharmacology, there were also many advances, particularly in the publication of new materia medica texts.
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Ep. 340 | The History of Chinese Medicine (Part 4)

Since 2010, The China History Podcast, presented by Laszlo Montgomery brings you over 300 episodes of curated topics from China's antiquity to modern times.

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Once again, as a regular feature to the CHP, I'm including the latest Chinese Sayings Podcast offering. This one may be a bit of a departure from the average CSP episode. The Chinese Saying for this time is Jiǎn Bú Duàn, Lǐ Hái Luàn-剪不断 理还乱. Many Chinese poetry lovers and aficionados may already be familiar with this line from the 10th-century poem 相见欢. Today's CSP offering is more of a history lesson than an introduction to a chengyu but it's worth it to hear it out to the end. The star of this episode is the final ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Like his kindred spirit emperor Huizong of the Northern Song, Li Yu 李煜 of Southern Tang wasn't much of a ruler. But what he lacked in leadership ability he made up for it with his great literary skills, especially where cí 词 poetry was concerned.
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S9E06 | The First Cut is the Deepest

Among the many changes happening in China towards the end of the Han Dynasty was a rise in the popularity of Buddhism. Rivalries began to arise among the three religions as they jockeyed for positions in the halls of power. The seeds of Neo-Confucianism are planted by Tang scholar-officials: Han Yu, Li Ao, and Liu Zongyuan. We also look at the Confucian Daotong Lineage.
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The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 10)

I forgot to upload this one to the CHP feed last week. 不好意思. Here's a good one from the Three Kingdoms Era in which we feature the famous story of Meng Huo, Zhuge Liang, and Qī Qín Mèng Huò 七擒孟获. Some people just can't accept defeat but in the end, they bow to the inevitable. Cao Pi of Wei thought he'd have some fun and employed Meng Huo to harass his enemy in the Kingdom of Han. That didn't go as planned. But Zhuge Liang sure seemed to enjoy it.
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S9E05 | Had enough yet?

Like James Dean, Confucius was much bigger in death than he was in his own lifetime. It wasn't until the Han Dynasty that Confucianism enjoyed a major triumph. This time we'll look at Dong Zhongshu who was so consequential in tying Confucianism and the imperial government into one system. We'll also look at Sima Tan (father of Sima Qian) and the Six Schools, as well as the first explainers of Confucianism: Liu Xin, Wang Chong, and Yang Xiong. I hope you're enjoying this series. Nine more episodes to go. We still have the Yi Jing (Book of Changes), Daoisim, and Song Neo-Confucianism to go yet.
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The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 9)

We've already explored the Ru School of Philosophy and the thought of Confucius, Mengzi and Xunzi. This time we look at Legalism and the most important philosophers of this school of thought. We'll look at the lives of Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, Han Fei, and Li Si and how they embraced this controversial political philosophy.
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Ep. 340 | The History of Chinese Medicine (Part 4)

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