Sun Simiao, a medical specialist in ancient China, was also one of the world's greatest medical specialists. He authored two medical books, entitled "Essential Recipes Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces" and "A Supplement to Recipes Worth a Thousands Gold Pieces", both of which were milestones in the history of Chinese medicine summarising pre-Tang medical developments.
Background
Sun Simiao, a famous medical specialist of the Tang Dynasty, was a native of Huayang, Jingzhao (today's Yao, Shaanxi). He became a famous physician as a young adult. Sun Simiao preferred to live as a normal physician instead of pursuing a career in politics
Career
It is said that Sun studied very hard and mastered various Chinese classics by the age of 20. He had been sickly as a child and took up medicine as an adult, strengthening his own health (though still suffering various ailments), treating relatives and neighbors, and then practicing in the countryside of Huguan, not far from the capital city of Chang'an. He traveled great distances, perhaps as far as Sichuan province, to learn about useful prescriptions. After gaining a great reputation and completing his first book, he lived mostly in seclusion on Wubai Mountain (later to be known as Medicine King Mountain, Yaowang Shan), where he followed Taoist principles (Taoism was strongly supported during the Tang Dynasty) and integrated them with Buddhism and Confucianism. Noblemen would come to him to learn from his vast knowledge and experience. A cave where Sun lived in Taoist retreat and received such visitors has long been the destination of pilgrims; a pool where he is said to have washed herbs is located nearby.
Sun refused at least three official court positions offered to him: by the Emperor Wendi of the Sui Dynasty and by the Emperors Taizong and Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. He preferred to provide treatment for ordinary people in the rural setting, though he accompanied Emperor Gaozong for a time. His medical orientation was described in an official history of the Tang Dynasty, as relayed by Paul Unschuld: "His biography describes him as an extraordinarily talented man, who devoted himself to the teachings of the Yi Jing, of Lao Zi, and of the yin-yang philosophers, and he also took an interest in the magical calculation of numbers." His work emphasized the five elements and yin-yang systems of influences that are based on correspondences between features of the external environment and the internal structures and workings of the body. He is considered the first to have presented issues related to ethics of medical treatment, depicting the characteristics of a great physician and cautioning physicians about behavior that was inappropriate to their profession. He was especially concerned, as emphasized in Taoist philosophy, about physicians being influenced by a desire for rewards, including financial rewards, fame, or favors granted to them: they should not have these as their goal. Patients should be treated equally, regardless of rank, wealth, age, or beauty.