A Preliminary Study on Chinese Medicines for Epidemic Prevention and Treatment Recorded in Ancient Local Chronicles of China

Author：CHEN Ruixin, NONG Hancai

Unit：China Institute for History of Medicine and Medical Literature, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China

Quote：引用：陈瑞欣，农汉才.中国旧方志所载疫病防治药物初探[J].中医药导报,2026,32(1):251-255,259.

DOI：10.13862/j.cn43-1446/r.2026.01.042

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Abstract：

Ancient local chronicles of China contain abundant data related to epidemics. This paper collected 179 single Chinese medicines for epidemic prevention and treatment mainly from the local chronicles of the Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, whose indications cover epidemics, miasma, variola and rashes, cholera, plague, measles, leprosy and other epidemic diseases. Most of these Chinese medicines are bitter-cold or pungent-warm in nature and flavor, mainly belonging to heat-clearing medicines and exterior-releasing medicines. Some of them have both medicinal and edible properties with rich varieties. The medication methods are diverse, including burning and fumigating, bathing, wearing, spraying, decocting with water for oral administration, grinding with water for oral administration, boiling with wine for oral administration, taking with white rice porridge, or mixing with water, honey, wine, salt, sugar, cinnabar and glutinous rice for oral administration. The processing techniques include nine-time steaming and nine-time sunning, calcination, grinding into powder, burning into ash and shade drying. The dosage forms can be divided into decoctions, pills, powders, ointments and other forms. Such knowledge of Chinese medicines and prevention and treatment experience are also widely applied in modern epidemic prevention and control, demonstrating the enduring vitality of traditional Chinese medicine.

Key words：epidemic diseases; ancient local chronicles; medicines; prevention and treatment

摘要：

中国旧方志中载有丰富的涉疫资料。本文主要从明代、清代、民国地方志中收集了179种疫病防治单味药物，适应证涵盖疫、瘴、痘疹、霍乱、鼠疫、麻疹、麻风等疫病。相关药物性味多苦寒、辛温，并以清热药和解表药为主，部分兼具药食两用属性，种类丰富；用药方法多样，包括烧熏、洗浴、佩戴、喷洒、水煎服、水研服、酒煮服、以白米粥送服或用水、蜜、酒、盐、糖、朱砂、糯米调服等；炮制工艺包括九蒸九晒、火煅、研末、烧灰、阴干等方法；剂型可分为汤、丸、散、膏等多种形式。此类药物知识与防治经验，在现代疫病防治中亦有诸多运用，展现了中医药的持久生命力。

关键词：疫病；旧方志；药物；防治

Release time：2026-03-05

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