Spring Brings New Flowers for Materia Medica Culture
On February 17th-19th, while the northern part of the country remained shrouded in ice and snow, spring was already in the air in Nanning; the plants and trees were flourishing and the flowers were as red as fire. In commemoration of 500 days before the 500th anniversary of Li Shizhen, the Guangxi Medical Botanical Garden and Hong Kong Baptist University launched the "First Forum of Materia Medica Culture and the Inauguration of the Nationally-Certified AAAAA Status of the Guangxi Medical Botanical Garden". Held at the world's largest botanical garden dedicated to medicinal plants, the forum was an impressive event dedicated to the "transmission of materia medica culture, building a healthy China". Over 200 Chinese and foreign scholars were in attendance, including experts from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and 12 overseas nations. More than 500 guests attended the opening ceremony, including over 200 scientists, teachers and students from the Guangxi TCM University and over 80 high-level artists and performers.
To commemorate the 500 anniversary of Li Shizhen in 2018, Hong Kong Baptist University launched a “Materia Medica Cultural Project” beginning in 2014, featuring academic forums, publications, and a multimedia outreach through movies and television. Thanks to the hard work of colleagues around the world, the once obscure topic of materia medica has become a hot trend, with interest brewing worldwide.
In the middle of this lively event, the new book "Zhongzhen Discusses Materia Medica" was officially launched. "Zhongzhen Discusses Materia Medica" represents the first talk show television series by a Chinese medicine expert. In a lively multimedia format, Professor Zhao Zhongzhen shares his rich knowledge gained through decades of research and expeditions around the world; in the brief period of a few months, the series has attracted over 10 million views. To satisfy the interests of the audience, the book "Zhongzhen Discusses Materia Medica" was published in a traditional Chinese version on the basis of the talk show, and a simplified Chinese version will soon be published by the China Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House. At the same time, an online platform for materia medica culture will be launched.
To expand "Zhongzhen Discusses Materia Medica", the Hong Kong TV station TVB is broadcasting a series of highly acclaimed short films titled "The World Discusses Materia Medica", which were previewed to the delight of the audience. With the feedback, support, and encouragement of experts and industry across the world, the series aims to use a popular style to promote the culture of Chinese medicine and disseminate knowledge about high quality herbal medicines. Featuring the renowned Hong Kong host Ms. Chen Fusheng, the series will grow from 80 episodes to 500 episodes, and will be broadcast across Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and overseas. In addition to Chinese, it will feature English subtitles.
The First Forum of Materia Medica Culture and the 15th Meeting of the Materia Medica Study Group was the core academic event of the weekend. The Chinese medical expert and academician Yao Xingsheng from the Chinese Engineering Institute took the stage to begin, and was followed by nearly 40 scholars from abroad who shared their views on the development of materia medica. This forum was based on the plans set in 2011 in Hong Kong at the founding of the Chinese materia medica study group. The organization's focus is to promote research and exchange on materia medica studies and to promote the transmission of materia medica culture. Thus far, the materia medica study group has organized many diverse meetings of high-level experts for academic exchange, and has given rise to a highly active WeChat group of 500 members.
The same evening, the "The First Forum of Materia Medica Culture Arts Performance" showcased colorful performances of song and dance, highlighting the minority cultures of Guangxi and the culture of Chinese medicine. Composed by Professor Zhao Zhongzhen and Director Lu Jun of the Chinese Cultural Research Institution, the "Song of Materia Medica" was performed in a moving rendition by the Hong Kong singer Wu Xiangsheng, and followed up by the song "I am Chinese", leaving the audience feeling as one.
In this magnificent setting in Nanning, the worldwide influence of Li Shizhen and the "Compendium of Materia Medica" was evident. Before the conclusion of the forum, members reaffirmed their dedication to transmitting the culture of Chinese medicine with a series of activities to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Li Shizhen. By working together, the study of Chinese medicine can spread to reach the world, enriching humanity and blossoming around the planet.
Acknowledgements
Contributions from Dr. Zhaoyu Dai (Hong Kong) and Mr Eric Brand (Hong Kong) are gratefully acknowledged.
春來本草發新花
2月17-19日,北國依然是冰天雪地,而八桂大地的南寧已經是春意盎然,草木蔥蘢,花紅慾燃。由廣西藥用植物園與香港浸會大學中醫藥學院共同主辦的“首屆本草文化論壇暨廣西藥用植物園創建國家AAAAA級旅遊景區啟動活動”,就在這世界最大的藥用植物園內隆重開幕 。
本屆本草文化論壇,以紀念李時珍誕辰500周年500天倒計時為契機,以“弘揚本草文化,建設健康中國”為主題,聲勢浩大,高潮疊起。來賓匯聚了來自兩岸四地與海內外12個國家和地區的中醫藥專家學者200餘人,加上藥植園的科技人員和來自廣西中醫藥大學的師生200餘人、80多人陣容的高水準藝術家表演團隊,以及開幕式後還不斷紛至遝來的代表,前後參加活動的總人數超過了500人。
爲迎接明代傑出醫藥學家李時珍2018年誕辰500週年,香港浸會大學中醫藥學院在2014年發起本草文化工程以來,通過舉辦學術會、刊行書著和拍攝影視作品等活動與社會互動,在各界朋友的共同努力下,使得“本草”這一略顯冷僻的詞語,這一以往較少被關注的學科,逐漸聚焦爲一個熱點,並正在海內外釀生一波波熱浪。
在此次活動中,《中振說本草》圖書版的首發式也同台舉行。《中振說本草》,是首檔中醫藥專家出場的視頻系列脫口秀節目。趙中振教授將自己數十年間在本草學術上的衆多研究成果與感悟,結合他的豐富知識和海內外訪問交流的閱曆,通過多媒體手段的立體和生動的再現。在其視頻節目上線的短短數月內,就創造了點擊觀眾超過千萬人次的記錄。爲進一步滿足受衆需求,根據該脫口秀內容整理出的中文繁體版圖書《中振說本草》應運而生。該書的簡體版圖書不久也將由中國中醫藥出版社發行。與此同時,本草文化網平臺不久也將啓動。
作為《中振說本草》節目的拓展,香港無線電視台即將推出的系列短片《世說本草》在本次論壇活動的啓動儀式上試映了部分樣片,博得廣泛好評。衆多國內外的知名企業在積極回應並贊助這一節目,人們期望著通過喜聞樂見的形式,弘揚中醫藥文化,宣傳中國優質的中醫藥産品。由於反響熱烈,節目製作方“超藝理想文化學會”陳複生女士已表示考慮由原本籌劃的80集系列片,預計增拍至500集。其發行和播放區域將由香港、內地、台灣而擴展到海外。該節目除中文語音版外,還將推出英文版系列。
“首屆本草文化論壇暨第十五次本草讀書會”,是本次活動的學術核心內容。中藥領域的資深專家、中國工程院年逾八旬的姚新生院士,也精神抖擻地掛帥出場了。近40名來自海內外的專家學者先後登上講台,各抒己見,探討本草發展大計。本次論壇的學術統籌者,是2011年於香港成立的本草讀書會。該團體的宗旨是研習和交流本草學術,繼承並弘揚本草文化。迄今爲止,本草讀書會先後舉辦了多次不拘一格的高層次學術沙龍。特別是2016年8月發起的本草讀書會微信群,甫一誕生成員就超過了500人,群內日常的學術交流也十分活躍。
當晚,作爲論壇活動的一環,“首屆本草文化論壇文藝展演”亦通過絢爛多彩的歡歌勁舞,表現了多民族聚居的廣西地方風情和中醫藥文化。趙中振教授與中國文化研究院魯軍院長原創、洗凡老师谱曲的《本草之歌》,通過雋永的詞句和雄渾的旋律,經香港歌唱家吳向陞先生的深情演繹,引起眾多參會者的心聲共鳴。一首《我是中國人》的歌曲也讓臺上台下融爲一體,令會場上的熱烈氣氛達到高潮。
濟濟群英薈聚南寧,昭示着李時珍與《本草綱目》在海內外的影響力,也說明了中醫藥文化的號召力。聚是一團火,散是滿天星。為進一步弘揚中醫藥文化,論壇結束前,與會者發出了熱切的倡議:呼籲關心中醫藥學事業發展的專家學者和社會各界人士共同關注和參與迎接2018年李時珍先生誕辰500周年的活動。共同推進中醫藥學走向世界、造福人類,讓中醫藥之花開遍全球。
(戴 昭宇 執筆)