Sun Simiao (traditional Chinese:孫思邈;simplified Chinese:孙思邈;pinyin:Sūn Sīmiǎo;Wade–Giles:Sun Ssu-miao; 581–682)[1] was a Chinese physician and writer of theSui andTang dynasty, who was fromTongchuan, centralShaanxi. He was titled as China'sKing of Medicine (藥王;药王,Yaowang) for his significant contributions toChinese medicine and tremendous care to his patients.
Sun wrote many books, of which two—Beiji qianjin yaofang ("Essential Formulas for Emergencies [Worth] a Thousand Pieces/Catty of Gold") andQian Jin Yi Fang [zh] ("Supplement to the Formulas of a Thousand Gold Worth")—were milestones in the history of Chinese medicine.[2] They summarized pre-Tang dynasty medicine.[3] The former listed about 5300 recipes for medicines, and the latter 2000. He also put forth the “Thirteen measures to keep health”, which claimed that actions like touching hair, rolling eyes, walking, and shaking heads improved health.[3]
Apart from this, he is known for the text "On the Absolute Sincerity of Great Physicians," often called "the Chinese Hippocratic Oath," or called "Dayi Heart", which comes from the first chapter of the first of the above-mentioned two books.[2] This portion of the book is still a required reading for Chinese physicians. The following is an excerpt of the text:
A Great Physician should not pay attention to status, wealth orage; neither should he question whether the particular personis attractive or unattractive, whether he is an enemy or friend,whether he is a Chinese or a foreigner, or finally, whether he isuneducated or educated. He should meet everyone on equalgrounds. He should always act as if he were thinking of hisclose relatives.[4]
The workEssential Subtleties on the Silver Sea (銀海精微, yínhǎi jīngwēi) was probably written by Sun Simiao. It was published at the end of theYuan dynasty (1271−1368) and has had wide influence on theChinese ophthalmology until today.[5]
In addition to his medical work, Sun also experimented in Chinesewaidan external alchemy and may have been an initiated Daoist adept.[6] The sinologistNathan Sivin says Sun Simiao's famousDanjing yaojue丹經要訣 "Essential Formulas of Alchemical Classics"
[...] is as close to a modern laboratory handbook as anything we are likely to find in ancient literature. Following a preface and a catalogue of elixir names, there is a set of detailed specifications for necessities of the laboratory, including theliuyini六一泥 "six-one" lute which was universally employed in Chinese pharmacology and alchemy for the hermetical sealing of reaction vessels. Finally, there are the recipes themselves: ingredients grouped at the beginning, with weight and advance preparation clearly noted, and perspicacious, concise directions for compounding and using the products.[7]
Sun believed deeply that the science of alchemichal elixers would help humans achieve immortality. A tenth century historian wrote that Sun's body did not decay for some time after his death, due to the amount of murcury he ingested while trying to develop the perfect elixer of immortality.[8]
Sun preferred life far away from court, and tended to live essentially as a hermit. He was a devoutDaoist and did work withEmperor Gaozong, and probablyEmpress Wu, on their Daoist studies.[1] Sun was not, however, open only to traditional Chinese ideas. He was a student ofBuddhism, as well.[9]Fazang, a ChineseSogdian monk, is credited with bringing the Avatamsaka sect of Buddhism to the Tang Dynasty, and Sun helped popularize it, as well.[9][10] Some historians believe that Sun introduced Gaozang and Wu to study of the Avatamsaka, of which they became great patrons and supporters.[1] Scholars argue that he is most accurately thought of us a "Buddho-Daoist."[10]
Ultimately, after Sun's death, Fazang composed the best-known biography of Sun.[9][1]
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