The Weights in <I>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</I> (Dun Huang Version) and the Volume of a <I>Fang Cun Bi</I> (One Cun Square Spoon) : Weights and Measures in the Period when the <I>Shan Han Lun</I> was Written / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

For the purpose of investigating weights in the era when the <i>Shan Han Lun </i>was set forth, the weight and measures described in the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</i>, written in the period slightly after the <i>Shan Han Lun</i>, were studied. Some descriptions of the metrological standards are confusing in the <I>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</i>. We focused on the measuring container, whose volume is equal to that of the one cun square spoon (fang cun bi), shown in the dun huang version of the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu</i>. The volume of this measuring container was calculated on the assumption that the measures in this text follow those of the <i>Han Shu Li Li Shi</i>, and a result of 5.07 cm³was obtained. The result was confirmed by using the actual measured values of the crude drugs. The result was also considered to support measurements of the volume in the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu </i>as following the <i>Han Shu Li Li Shi</i>. With those results, descriptions of the density of honey and lard were examined, and the weight in the <i>Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu </i>was clarified to follow that in the <i>Han Shu Li Li Shi</i>.