Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c6.33.1

v1.c6.33.1

Traditional Chinese “herbalism” witnessed extensive development in the Tang Dynasty. Sun Simiao quoted the theory of the great Indian doctor ‘Jīvaka’ in Volume I in *Qian jin yi fang* (*Supplement to Invaluable Prescriptions for Ready Reference*) that “all things under heaven are medicines.” Undoubtedly, the thought that all things were medicines largely broadened the vision of doctors. Many Indian medicines entered China, and Indian studies on herbs were translated into Chinese. During the Tang period, Indian Master Dharmacandra (called Fa Yue in Chinese) “was proficient in Tripitaka and had good knowledge of medicine.” Volume XIV of Yuan Zhao’s *Zhenyan xin ding shi jiao mu lu* (*Catalogue of Buddhist Teachings Newly Established in the Zhenyuan Era*) records that Dharmacandra arrived in Chang’an in the 20th year of Kaiyuan Reign (732 CE), “offered astrology, medical prescriptions, palm-leaf scriptures, herbals and sutras as tributes. His disciple, Monk Li Yan translated *Fang yao* (*Prescriptions*) and *Ben cao* (*Herbals*) sutras with his master, for the emperor.” This was because properties of Hu medicines were little known in China, and the medical circles especially needed to know the characters of these foreign medicines, judge their authenticity, compare them with local medicines, and add them to the daily used medical books.