38 Li Shizhen

Li Shizhen

Time period: 1518-1593

Subject: Medicine, Pharmacology, Biology

Biography:

Li Shizhen (李时珍）was born in 1518 in what is now Hubei province, China,  during the height of the Ming Dynasty. He grew up in a family with a strong medical background. His grandfather was an itinerant doctor, a type of physician who traveled from place to place to offer diagnostic and healing services. His father was also a respected physician and scholar, who attained the rank of a subordinate medical officer of the Imperial Medical Academy. Under the influence of his family, and after multiple failed attempts on the imperial examination  (which would have secured him a prestigious bureaucratic post), Li pursued the path of a doctor and practitioner.

By the age 27, Li had gained recognition for his medical abilities. He was invited to be an official in the Chu Royal Court, in charge of the rituals and medical affairs.   A few years later, he was recommended to the Imperial Medical Institute in Beijing as an assistant president. Li’s national recognition grew with the publication of Bencao Gangmu (Great Compendium of Herbs), a seminal work that solidified his status as one of the most influential figures in traditional Chinese medicine. His contributions are celebrated in numerous scholarly works, books, and even in popular media such as songs and films. Additionally, the Li Shizhen award（李时珍医药创新奖) is presented to doctors and researchers who make valuable contributions to traditional Chinese Medicine.

Summary of their contributions:

Li Shizhen started the work of Bencao Gangmu (the Great Compendium of Herbs) around the age of 30. He completed the project in 1578 with the assistance of his sons and grandsons, and finally published the first edition in 1596, three years after Li’s death. This monumental monograph was an encyclopedic work in the tradition of materia medica literature, detailing qualities and origin of various substances used in making medical drugs. Specifically, it contains descriptions and illustrations of about 1,094 herbs, 444 animals, 275 mineral substances, and 11,000 prescriptions in which the material is used, including form and dosage of the prescriptions. The work also includes critical commentaries about errors in previous medical text. For example, he mentioned that the alchemical remedies made of heavy metals were quite toxic and did not prolong life, as had been recorded previously. Remarkably, Li also described processes and technologies that seem modern by today’s standards, such as distillation, use of mercury and iodine, and even smallpox inoculation.

The time and effort Li has devoted in this work is incredible and admirable. Unlike many ancient medical texts, which were often commissioned and financially supported by emperors, Bencao Gangmu was largely Li’s own endeavor. He spent decades traveling to numerous regions of China collecting and testing herbs and specimens; interviewing hunters and local healers; and reading over hundreds of related medical literature. Only after he had compiled enough information did he start his own groundbreaking work.

Integration with the BC Secondary Science Curriculum:

The work of Li Shizhen could be integrated in:

Science 8

• During the discussion of viruses and treatment for disease, vaccines and antibiotics are often the primary focus. However, the use of herbs as pharmaceutical treatment prior to the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics could be discussed in this section.
• Smallpox is often an example when introducing and exploring the impacts of epidemics. Li’s documentation and prescription for treating smallpox in Bencao Gangmu can also be highlighted as an early example of medical intervention for epidemic diseases.

Life Science 11

• The final publication of Bencao Gangmu was a comprehensive encyclopedia that cataloged herbs, animal parts, and minerals used for medicinal purposes. However, Li frequently went beyond the pharmaceutical scope in his work. His collection was remarkable for its breadth, and he succeeded in organizing medicinal materials into more logical groupings than had been achieved before. This categorization can be integrated into the first few lessons of Life Science 11 where students learn about taxonomy, classification, and nomenclature. Li’s grouping was strikingly close to the binomial system introduced by Carl Linnaeus during the 18th Century.
• The work of Charles Darwin and evolution is also a major topic in Life Science 11. In Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859), he actually reported to have quoted from Li’s Bencao Gangmu. It had detailed information about the variations of plants and animals which helped Darwin work out his theory of evolution. This is a powerful connection that showcases how many famous works of Western Scientist that the curriculum tends to focus on, may have referenced or been inspired by Scholars from other nations and cultures.
• Given the extensive collection of plant and animal illustrations, the work of Li’s could also be weaved into the later lessons and units of Life Science 11 where students explore the diversity of life, and study different plants and animals.

Anatomy and Physiology 12

• Li’s knowledge and documentation of herbs as medicinal drugs could be explored during the topic of metabolism and enzymes. For instance, Li’s observations about the toxic effects of heavy metals, such as mercury, could be connected to modern concepts like allosteric inhibition of enzymes. This link could help students understand how certain substances can interfere with enzyme activity, a principle that aligns with Li’s observations on the harmful effects of specific compounds used in alchemical remedies.
• In later units, when discussing the body systems, related diseases, and available treatments, Li’s work can serve as a valuable point of comparison. His treatments for diseases, mainly using herbs, minerals, and animal parts, can be contrasted with modern medical approaches. This would offer students an opportunity to understand how treatments have evolved over time, highlighting both the continuity and changes in medical knowledge and practices.

Curricular Competencies:

Li Shizhen’s dedicated work also demonstrates and models many curricular competencies.

• Questioning and predicting: Make observations aimed at identifying their own questions, including increasingly abstract ones, about the natural world
• Planning and conducting: Collaboratively and individually plan, select, and use appropriate investigation methods, including fieldwork and lab experiments, to collect reliable data (qualitative and quantitative)
• Applying and innovating: Contribute to finding solutions to problems at a local and/or global level through inquiry

References:

Carla Nappi. (2014, March 3). Biographical sketch of Chinese pharmacologist Li Shizhen | Harvard Magazine. Harvard Magazine. https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2010/01/pharmacologist-li-shizhen-biography

Dorr, S. D. (n.d.). Li Shizhen: Scholar Worthy of Emulation. Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, OR. http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lishizhen.htm

Science | Building Student Success – B.C. Curriculum. (n.d.). https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1998, July 20). Li Shizhen | Compendium of Materia Medica, Herbalist, Naturalist. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Li-Shizhen