Fujian Botanicals and Epidemic Defense: Reconstructing Medical Geography and Social Relief from Bamin Tongzhi

Background: Botanical Atlas in Digital Chronicles

The Bamin Tongzhi, compiled by Huang Zhongzhao during the Ming Dynasty, is the first comprehensive provincial chronicle of Fujian. Its content is profound and extensive, especially in the [Local Products] section of the [Economy] volumes, which meticulously records Fujian’s rich biological resources. Fujian’s geography, characterized by “negative mountains and bordering the sea,” provides an ideal habitat for various Chinese medicinal herbs.

In Bamin Tongzhi, the [Medicinal Ranks] are recorded as vital economic and livelihood resources. These records are not only a microcosm of the medicinal trade at the time but also crucial historical materials for studying public health, the distribution of authentic herbs, and the strategies used by officials and civilians to combat epidemics in the Ming Dynasty. By mining these fragmented historical data, we can reconstruct a medical geography of Ming-era Fujian, providing deep insights into the evolution of modern public health systems.

Core Historical Interpretation: Geographical Distribution of Authentic Herbs

The Bamin Tongzhi provides extremely detailed distinctions of medicinal material distribution across various prefectures, reflecting the ancient emphasis on “authenticity” (Di Dao).

1. Jian Zexie and Regional Advantages

Zexie (Alisma) is one of Fujian’s most representative medicinal materials. Historical records clearly state that Zexie was produced in Jianning and Xinghua prefectures, growing in shallow water with “leaves like ox tongues, a single long stalk, and white flowers”. The variety from Jianning was of superior quality, known as “Jian Zexie,” and was a significant trade commodity in the Ming Dynasty. Additionally, Jianning was famous for Wuyao and Huanglian.

2. Botanical Diversity in Fuzhou Prefecture

As the provincial capital, Fuzhou boasted a wealth of medicinal varieties. Lianqiao (Forsythia) was recorded here; the chronicle distinguished between large and small varieties, noting that the southern type had “narrow, small leaves, short stalks, and yellow-black fruit containing seeds like millet”. Shichangpu (Stone Sweet Flag) also had significant records in Fuzhou, particularly the high-quality “nine-segmented” variety found below the Longqiu Cliff of Huangbo Mountain, though it was extremely difficult to collect due to the steep terrain. Furthermore, Fuling (Poria) was widely distributed in deep pine forests across Fuzhou, Jianning, Quanzhou, and Zhangzhou.

3. Unique Varieties and Values

The chronicles also record many unique local varieties. For instance, Shujunzi (Quisqualis indica) was widely distributed in Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and Zhangzhou, famous for treating pediatric ailments. Wild Yam (Shuyu) in Fujian was described as “thin as a finger, white, and extremely firm,” with medicinal effects and taste superior to those grown in gardens.

Official Response to Epidemics in the Ming Dynasty

When facing epidemics, Ming-era Fujian officials primarily implemented relief through specialized institutions and the dissemination of standardized medical guidelines.

1. Institutionalized Operation of Huimin Yaoju

According to the [Officials] and [Welfare] chapters, prefectures and counties in Ming Fujian established [Huimin Yaoju] (People’s Benefit Pharmacies) according to regulation. For example, Fuzhou, Jianning, and Quanzhou all had these institutions. Their functions included storing medicine and appointing medical officers to treat the poor and prisoners. These pharmacies were the forefront of official public medical relief, playing a key role in stabilizing social order during outbreaks.

2. Combating Superstition and Popularizing Medicine

Historically, shamanism often took precedence over medicine in Fujian. Officials took strong intervention measures. When Cai Xiang governed Fuzhou during the Northern Song, he selected over 6,000 practical prescriptions from the Taiping Shenghui Fang and carved them onto stone tablets for public use, teaching the people to “return to the orthodox way of healing”. This tradition was inherited and expanded in the Ming Dynasty, reflecting the official logic of fighting epidemics through knowledge dissemination.

The government strictly cracked down on the custom of using “Gudu” (ritual poisoning). The chronicles detail methods for testing poisoning using silver hairpins and eggs and promulgated prescriptions using herbs like Five-gall (Wubeizi) for detoxification, requiring local neighborhood units (Baojia) to monitor each other.

Folk Response and Epidemic Prevention Customs

Folk society formed a highly resilient self-rescue system by combining medical knowledge with seasonal festivals and religious beliefs.

1. Seasonal Rituals and Hygiene

The Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu) was seen as a critical node for dispelling disease. People hung Ai (mugwort), peach, or chinaberry leaves on doors to “dispel poisonous air” and “avoid pestilence”. They also drank Changpu (Sweet Flag) or Xionghuang (Realgar) wine and gave children five-colored strings (Longevity Threads) to ward off disasters. On New Year’s Eve, “expelling the pestilence” (Zhuyi) rituals were held to drive away evil spirits believed to be the source of disease.

2. Social Compensation of Healing Deities

When official medical resources were insufficient, the public turned to deities. Wu Ben (Baosheng Dadi), a famous Northern Song physician from Tongan, saved countless lives during epidemics. After his death, he was worshipped as a “Divine Physician,” and his temples (such as Ciji Palace) became centers for people to pray for health. This faith provided not only psychological comfort but also practical relief through folk-organized medical charity.

3. Charitable Relief and Public Cemeteries

Local gentry and temples played a vital role in burying the dead to prevent secondary infections. Each county established [Public Cemeteries] (Yizhong) or [Louzeyuan] to bury those who died without family. For instance, Zhao Shendao in Quanzhou provided porridge during a famine and built wheeled boats to collect and bury exposed corpses during an epidemic.

Significance to Modern Readers: Integration of Wisdom and Inheritance

Reflecting on the medical records in Bamin Tongzhi offers profound insights for modern society. First, it emphasizes the idea of [Infrastructure First] in epidemic prevention. Whether it was the pharmacies of the Ming or the stone-carved prescriptions of the Song, the essence was to establish accessibility to public health services. Second, it demonstrates a [Collaborative Governance] model. In the resource-scarce ancient era, Fujian built a multi-dimensional prevention network through official institutional guarantees and folk customs.

Digital local chronicles, as a “cultural gene bank,” record not only the habitats of Jian Zexie and Shichangpu but also the courage and wisdom of humanity in the face of disaster. For modern readers, these ancient records prove that a region’s health and security depend not only on technological progress but also on the deep integration of social mobilization and cultural resilience.