元代舌诊专书《敖氏伤寒金镜录》版本源流考OA

Ao Shi Shang Han Jin Jing Lu(《敖氏伤寒金镜录》Ao's Golden Mirror Records for Cold Damage)holds the distinction of being the earliest extant monograph dedicated specifically to tongue diagnosis in China.It originated from the"Twelve Tongue Diagrams(十二舌图)"by a scholar named Ao in the Yuan Dynasty.Subsequently,during the same dynasty,Du Qingbi(杜清碧)expanded upon this foundation by compiling"Twenty-four Tongue Diagrams(二十四舌图)",merging them into a single,more comprehensive volume.The Ming dynasty physician Xue Ji(薛 己)was instrumental in its initial discovery,block-printing,and widespread promotion.Following his efforts,the book was reprinted many times and circulated widely.Surviving copies today include various standalone editions,editions integrated within larger collectanea,and appended editions.Through careful collation and analysis of these versions,several key findings emerge.The Jiajing Jichou edition stood as the archetype,the foundational text from which all other extant editions derived.From this Jichou edition,distinct branches evolved,represented notably by the version within Xue Shi Yi An(《薛氏医案》Xue's Medical Cases),Ma Chongru's(马崇儒)edition,and the edition found in Yi Xue Ji Lan(《医学集览》A Collection ofMedicine),each possessing unique characteristics.By comparing the titles,organizational structures,and textual variations of these representative versions,valuable clues for reconstructing the filiation and differentiation of all extant editions of Ao Shi Shang Han Jin Jing Lu can be identified.Further in-depth investigation reveals that the vast majority of the over ten medical compendiums containing this work could be traced back to the Xue Shi Yi An version.Additionally,prefaces and postscripts included in these books often elucidate the original intentions behind their publication.Compared to pulse diagnosis,tongue images are easier to discern.At the same time,compared to mastering complex formulas,tongue diagnosis is more straightforward to grasp.This practical advantage proved particularly significant in urgent clinical situations or when managing a large number of patients.Consequently,the book garnered significant attention from physicians during the Ming and Qing dynasties,becoming an essential ready-reference work and achieving extraordinarily wide circulation.