肉桂藥材名實考證

A Textural Research of the Medicinal Material of Rou-guei

The aim of this study is to identify the use of rou-guei through the medicinalmaterial and the nature of medicinals in ancient documentation. The name and theuse of rou-guei can be seen in many editions of materia medica, classical formula.However, the correct medicinal material and the use of rou-guei are still unclear.The result shows that the name of rou-guei was first used in Xinxiubencao (SuJing) during Tang dynasty. But the medicinal material has already been used sinceBencaojingjizhu (Tao Hongjing) during Liang dynasty: “There were only jiungueiand mu-guei in Shennongbencaojing. The use and appearance are similar.There are three kinds of guei at the time. The one with half rolled and full of oilwhich we called guei is the most used.” So the name of rou-guei is due to thehalf rolled appearance. Rou-guei was also first shown in the classical formulacalled Xiaopinfang (Chen Yanzhi) during Northern and Southern dynasties. Theconclusion shows the appearance of the medicinal material of rou-guei is halfrolled and full of oil. This kind of guei is separated from mu-guei. We shouldchoose guei-sin rather than guei-jhih. The use of rou-guei is like the foregoingin Bencaojingjizhu (Tao Hongjing). This study can benefit the origin and sourcewhen using the medicinal material of rou-guei.