Bronze Man (English spelling)

Japanese: 銅人 - どうじん（英語表記）tóng rén

In Chinese medicine, two bronze human models with the location of acupuncture points and meridians marked on their surface were made by Wang Weiyi in 1027 (Tiansheng 5, also called 1026) during the Northern Song Dynasty. The purpose of making them was to show the standard locations of acupuncture points, but the surface was covered with yellow wax so that doctors could insert needles and mercury would flow out when the needles were hit, so they were probably also used for medical examinations. The bronze man was subsequently repaired several times, and several larger and smaller models were made, but the one in the Tokyo National Museum is said to be one of the first bronze man.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国医学において，表面に経穴と経脈の位置を示した銅製の人体模型で，北宋の1027年(天聖5。1026年ともいう)に王惟一によって2体作られた。その製作目的は経穴の標準の位置を示すためであるが，表面に黄蠟を塗って医者に鍼を刺させ，穴にあたれば水銀が流れ出るようになっていたというから，医者の試験にも用いたのであろう。銅人はその後，何回か修理され，大小いくつかのものも作られたが，東京国立博物館に所蔵されているものが，最初の銅人のうちの1体であるという。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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