Yasuyori Tamba

A physician from the Heian period. A native of Tanba Province (Kyoto Prefecture). His ancestor was Emperor Ling of the Later Han Dynasty, and Emperor Ling's fifth grandson, King Achi, came to Japan and naturalized during the reign of Emperor Ojin. He excelled in medicine, and was given the surname Tanba Sukune in recognition of his skills. He was promoted and held important positions, but his name became firmly established with his work "Ishinpo." In 982 (Tengen 5), he was ordered by imperial decree to cite medical books from the Sui and Tang dynasties and compile the 30-volume "Ishinpo," which he presented to the Emperor in 984 (Eikan 2). This work is the oldest surviving medical book in Japan, and is a valuable document that includes medical books that have already been lost in China. It shows traces of the Japanese adaptation of Chinese medicine, such as the use of Japanese names for herbal medicines and Japanese readings for illnesses.

[Yamane Nobuko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安時代の医師。丹波国（京都府）の人。先祖は後漢(ごかん)の霊帝といい、霊帝5世の孫、阿知王(あちのおみ)が応神(おうじん)天皇の時代に渡来し帰化した。医術に優れ、認められて丹波宿禰(すくね)の姓を下賜された。昇進して要職を歴任したが、彼の名は『医心方(いしんほう)』によって不動のものとなった。982年（天元5）に勅を受け、隋(ずい)・唐の医書から引用して『医心方』全30巻をまとめ、984年（永観2）天皇に献上した。この書は現存する日本最古の医書であり、今日すでに中国で失われた医書も含まれた貴重な文献であり、草薬には和名を、疾病には和訓を施すなど、中国医学の日本化の跡がうかがわれる。

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