Professor Toshihiko Matsuo of Okayama University, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Health System Integrated Sciences, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said that the origin of Chinese herbal medicines prescribed in Japan can be traced back to Gianzhen, a Chinese monk who came to Japan during the Nara period. A research group led by a hospital doctor Liu Shihua (specially appointed assistant professor at Okayama University at the time of the research) clarified this.
According to Okayama University, Ganjin Wajo was a high priest born in Yangzhou, China.He is said to have brought Buddhist precepts and herbal medicine to Japan during the Nara period.However, although some of the herbal medicines were described in the Heian period medical book 'Ishinpo' and are stored in the Shosoin of Todaiji Temple in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, the full details were unknown.
Dr. Liu found the full picture of Kampo medicine brought to Japan by Gianzhen Wajo in the out-of-print modern Chinese book, "Three Treasures (Ganjin Secret Three Treasures)", and the author, Mr. Raizuda, called Ganjin Wajo's Kampo Medicine. I found out that it was the 52nd generation of a family that had inherited the same thing for generations.
In Japan, it is possible to prescribe Western medicine and Kampo medicines at the same time under medical insurance, and Kampo medicines are sold at pharmacies as non-prescription medicines.Dr. Liu and his colleagues compared the 36 types of Chinese herbal medicine ingredients and their prescriptions brought to Japan by Gianzhen Wajo with the Chinese herbal medicines sold in modern Japan. It concludes that the origin is in Ganjin Wajo.
Paper information:[Compounds] Traditional Chinese Medicines and Prescriptions Brought from China to Japan by a Monk (Jianzhen, Japanese: Ganjin) : A Historical Review
