During the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an was the national economic, cultural and political center at that time. It was also the activity center of Buddhism and Taoism, and it was an important area for Buddhist medical activities.

01 Introduction

Since Buddhism was introduced to China , the medical activities of monks began. During the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an was the national economic, cultural and political center at that time. It was also the activity center of Buddhism and Taoism, and it was also an important area for Buddhist medical activities.

Through their own study and research, the monks not only accumulated rich medical knowledge, but also gradually developed a set of effective medical methods in practice.

Therefore, Tang Dynasty monks played a very important role in the development of medicine, and also had a profound impact on later generations.

02 Monks and Diseases

" Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms of Diseases " says: "The origins of all diseases are caused by wind, cold, heat or epidemic diseases" . " Nei Jing " provides an in-depth explanation and discussion on the origin and pathogenesis of the disease.

Buddhism began to enter a prosperous period after being introduced to China, and a large number of Buddhist theories and methods related to human diseases were applied to the medical field.

For example, Wang Chong of the Eastern Han Dynasty said in " Lun Heng ": "Doctors want to treat Buddhist patients." Tang Xuanzang also wrote in "The Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty": "There are three methods of medicine... one is the art of external treatment, the other is the art of internal treatment, and the third is the art of medicine" .

According to records, as early as the 3rd century AD, the physician Sun Simiao had begun to classify and study diseases. His book " Qian Jin Yifang " contains a large number of writings on human diseases and treatments.

One of the works on the treatment of plague is "Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms of Diseases".

" Tang Shu " records that Tang Taizong the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, "the world was troubled and there were diseases and epidemics" . Chang'an monks were also an important medical force at that time.

According to the "Old Tang Book" records, in the first year of Zhenguan (627): "In the fifth month of Gengshen, a Taoist such as Zhang Quanyi came to Beijing as a monk doctor." This shows that some doctors among the monks in Chang'an were active in the front line of medical activities at that time.

They left a glorious mark in the history of ancient Chinese medicine by administering medicines to treat diseases, prescribing medicines for patients, and diagnosing illnesses.

Many of them were monks or participated in the activities of monks and nuns.

Therefore, this article will take the medical activities of monks in Chang'an during the Taizong period of the Tang Dynasty as the research object for discussion and analysis.

03 The influence of monks on monks’ medical activities

During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism spread to all areas of Tang Dynasty society and had an important influence.

Among them, the relationship between monks in Buddhism is particularly close, even the relationship between master and disciple. "The Biography of Master Xuanzang" records: "Since the Tang Dynasty, when lay people were sick and asked for medical prescriptions and bait, the lay people would not give them money or food."

In this context, the medical activities of monks have also developed accordingly.

Monks, as an individual group with the ability to think and act independently, believe that the "reincarnation of life and death" and "reincarnation is not empty" ideas in Buddhist teachings are beliefs and pursuits they agree with.

Therefore, it has a strong mysterious color in Buddhist teachings: "If you ask about the cycle of life and death" . This thought had a huge influence on monks, leading them to combine Buddhist teachings with medicine.

also makes it easier for Buddhist monks to approach and connect with monks.

Because monks have a deep master-disciple relationship, and there will be some mutual support, help, and common progress among each other, they are more likely to be welcomed by the monks.

For example: " Taiping Guangji " records an incident during the Taizong period of the Tang Dynasty: There was a famous monk in the Tang Dynasty named Zen Master Hongyuan. He often cured diseases and gave good medicine to people when he was in charge of work in the temple.

is therefore deeply loved and loved by the general public.

At the same time, Zen Master Hongyuan is very good at communicating with the people around him and conducting communication activities; preventing and treating diseases, etc.

Because Zen Master Hongyuan was once a monk and is now well known to monks and ordinary people, he spreads Buddhist knowledge and spreads the spirit of Buddhism, etc., so he is loved and respected by people.

Therefore, Zen Master Hongyuan had deep connections and exchanges with the people of the Tang Dynasty; this was also one of the main reasons for the master-disciple relationship in the process of the spread of Buddhism:

"A monk who is famous in the world because of his birth must have the foundation of virtuous behavior" ; and also because of the temple The monks themselves are a relatively closed special group with strict precepts and rules ( The Sixth Patriarch's Altar Sutra );

they have a high moral level and cultivation, which provides them with a high-quality cultural level, exchange of ideas, and an atmosphere for cultural activities.

In addition, because Buddhist teachings contain some discussions and reflections on the value and meaning of life, etc., these ideas are recognized and accepted by Buddhist monks and ordinary people.

Therefore, it also provides them with more opportunities so that they can better appreciate the meaning of life and the value of life in the course of their lives;

This is also one of the main reasons why Buddhist monks can spread Buddhist teachings, spread Buddhist ideas and their cultural and spiritual activities can flourish: "Buddha saves all living beings with compassion, joy and sacrifice" ; and "Those who practice Buddhism are good results" ;

In this regard, they are essentially different from monks.

In this case, some contradictions appeared among the monks: on the one hand, some monks pursued interests as their main goal; but on the other hand, there were conflicts between monks and ordinary people because of the interest relationship.

04 The status and role of monk doctors in Tang Dynasty society

"Book of Tang" records: "In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan (Zhenguan), there was a Taoist priest named Zhang Quanyi who came to Beijing as a monk doctor" . Zhang Quanyi was a famous Taoist priest and medical scientist in the Tang Dynasty. He was named "Master Qingxu" by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty.

was later named "Zixu Tong Xuan Miao Zhen Great Master" . Not only was he highly skilled in medicine, but he was also proficient in Taoist and Buddhist teachings.

"The Taoist name is Quanyi, also known as Xujing, and his teacher Zhang Zongyan is also known as Taixuan, and his names are Zhenyuanzi and Taixuanzi."

It can be seen that this monk was a famous medical scientist, Taoist priest and Taoist figure in the Tang Dynasty. He was also a disciple of Buddhism and a senior Taoist monk.

According to the above records, it can be seen that the status of monks in Chang'an was relatively high at that time, and their status and professional level could represent the image and social and cultural height of the Tang Dynasty.

Zhang Quanyi is an important task of Taoism. According to the "Book of the Sui Dynasty" records: "In the third year of Huichang, Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty, from February Gengwu to March Jiaxu, there was a Taoist priest Zhang Quanyi who worked as a monk doctor in Shangjing."

"Old Book of Tang" records: "In June Bingshen, there was a Taoist priest Zhang Quanyi who worked as a monk doctor in Xijing...". According to the "New Tang Book·Yiwenzhi" record:

"There were three people who became Jinshi at the age of seven (in their entire life)." He was also a famous Taoist priest and famous medical scientist in the Tang Dynasty.

Regarding the issues of Chang'an monks' excellent traditional Chinese medicine skills and high social status at that time, there is also a relevant discussion in the "Old Book of Tang":

The importance of the monk doctor's status to a doctor is not that he can cure diseases, prescribe medicine, or write medical treatises to express opinions, but that he is a person with a certain culture and social status in the process of social and cultural development.

This point is explained in detail in "Records of Famous Paintings of the Past Dynasties": "(Tang Dynasty · Zhang Sengyou ) He was a doctor as a profession, and his family had no money, so he used medicine to support his relatives..." The economic income of monks and nuns in Buddhist temples in the Tang Dynasty was not high. This was because there was no money in the temples in the Tang Dynasty to pay for medical activities such as seeing doctors, prescribing medicines, and treating patients.

Therefore, monk doctors did not receive social attention and recognition in the entire Tang Dynasty society.

However, during the feudal society period in China, there were also many monks engaged in medical activities and some professionals.

For example, Buddhists, Taoists, monks and other groups with different identities all have some people who prescribe medicines to treat diseases, injuries and other medical activities in their own names.

"Complete Poems of the Tang Dynasty" records: "(Tang · Lu Guimeng ) The young man's family was poor and he was good at medicine." This sentence means that Lu Guimeng was very interested in medicine because his family was poor when he was young.

According to the " New Book of Tang ": "(In 782 AD), he first sacrificed his life for the prince." This sentence refers to the fact that the prince Tang Dezong Li Shi (reigned from 703 to 756) attached great importance to monks and Taoist priests prescribing medicines to treat diseases, and ordered all monks and Taoist priests to be invited to the prince's residence to treat them.

It can be seen that the statement that there were monks and Taoist priests from all over the country in the Prince's Mansion at that time participated in medical activities and that these people were involved in activities related to the field are all speculations based on the facts.

From the above analysis, we can find that at that time, Chang'an monks and Taoist priests, as people with a certain cultural and social status, were very respected and recognized in the entire Tang Dynasty society.

They are respected and recognized by people just like Buddhist monks and Taoist priests, and have achieved a high social status and recognition;

but their own medical level and medical skills are also more advanced than other groups.

Summary

Although the medical activities of monks in Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty were a very unique social phenomenon, they also had some characteristics that other countries or regions did not have.

First, monks and nuns occupied a large proportion in the society of the Tang Dynasty. Second, Buddhism itself has doctors, magicians, alchemists, monks and other people of different statuses participating in medical activities.

Third, there are a large number of talented doctors among the monks. They can not only treat patients and save people, but also prescribe medicines and sell medicinal materials.

Fourth, because Buddhist thought penetrated into all aspects of social life at that time, Buddhism itself became an indispensable part of ancient Chinese medical activities.

Fifth, monks in the Tang Dynasty were one of the most active and active driving forces in the medical field at that time. They not only provided help for people's medical treatment in daily life.

will also conduct medical activities in various ways such as psychological counseling for patients; and make contributions in the medical field. Therefore, the monk group also played a certain role in promoting the development of medicine in the Tang Dynasty.

In short, the medical activities of monks in the Tang Dynasty had great positive significance and research value for the civilized and healthy development of Tang Dynasty society.

also played a great role in promoting the development of medicine in our country. It was not only the inevitable result of social development and social progress at that time, but also the embodiment of its own cultural value and social significance.

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