Comparative Guts

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Guts

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The diagram of the stomach

The diagram of the stomach from Zhang Jiebin (1563-1640), Illustrated Wing of the “Classified Canon” (Leijing tuyi), woodblock edition, preface dated 1624 From the collection of the Harvard-Yenching Library, Harvard University – This image of the stomach accompanies Zhang’s illustration of the pathway of the Foot Yang Brightness Stomach Channel. The upper text begins with […]

The hand lesser yin heart channel

Die Leitbahn von der Hand zum Herzen Die aufgeschlagenen Seiten des Buches aus dem 17. Jahrhundert zeigen neben einer Vielzahl gruppierter und einzelner chinesischer Schriftzeichen zwei Abbildungen. Text, Beschriftung und Darstellungen sind in Schwarz-weiß gehalten. Eine kräftigere Linie grenzt den Inhalt von den Seitenrändern ab. Links auf der Doppelseite bilden die vertikal verlaufenden Schriftzeichen ein Textfeld, das bis zur Hälfte des Blattes reicht. Je drei Zeilen führen am linken und rechten Rand weiter bis in die untere Hälfte hinab. Dazwischen befindet sich der obere Teil einer Herzzeichnung. Ihr unterer Teil füllt den Rest der Seite. Das Herz liegt im Zentrum der Skizze. Ein Schriftzeichen, größer als die übrigen, prangt in seiner Mitte. Vom Herzen gehen vier Verbindungen ab, die wie Schläuche dargestellt sind. Ein breiter Schlauch führt senkrecht nach oben zwischen die Textzeilen. Seine obere Hälfte ist mit Querstrichen versehen. Eine Beschriftung aus fünf untereinander stehenden Zeichen ist links daneben erkennbar. Die drei anderen Schläuche führen bogenförmig nach unten. Jedes Ende ist mit zwei Schriftzeichen versehen. Die rechte Doppelseite zeigt die Umrisse einer männlichen Figur in einem Umhang, der bis über die Knöchel reicht. Die Falten des Stoffes erscheinen als dünne leicht gewellte Linien. Der Mann hat ein breites Gesicht, gelockte Haare und einen Vollbart. Der rechte Arm ist im 45°-Winkel ausgestreckt, die Handfläche weist nach vorn. Mit der linken Hand greift er sich an den rechten Oberarm. Von der Achselhöhle bis zum kleinen Finger verläuft die Herzleitbahn. Sie erscheint als dünne, etwas geschwungene Linie. Darauf verweisen neun kleine Ringe auf Akkupunkturpunkte. Diese sind hier mit je zwei Schriftzeichen markiert. Am rechten oberen Rand verlaufen Schriftzeichen vertikal bis zur Mitte des Blattes. Zhang Jiebin, gestorben 1640, war Arzt und Schriftsteller. Die Holzschnittausgabe, aus der diese Seiten stammen, wird in der Harvard Yenching Library der Harvard University in den USA aufbewahrt. — — The Guiding Path from the Hand to the Heart The open pages of a 17th century book show two illustrations in addition to a multitude of grouped and individual Chinese characters. The text, inscription, and illustrations are in black and white. A bold line delimits the content from the page margins. On the left of the double-page spread, the vertically running characters form a text field that extends halfway down the page. Three lines each continue down the left and right margins to the lower half. Between them is the upper part of a heart drawing. Its lower part fills the rest of the page. The heart is in the centre of the sketch. A character, larger than the rest, is emblazoned in its centre. Four connections branch off from the heart, depicted like tubes. A wide tube leads vertically upwards between the lines of text. Its upper half is marked with horizontal lines. An inscription consisting of five characters one below the other is visible to the left. The other three tubes lead downwards in an arc. Each end is marked with two characters. The right double page shows the outline of a male figure in a cloak that reaches above the ankles. The folds of the fabric appear as thin slightly wavy lines. The man has a broad face, curly hair, and a full beard. His right arm is stretched out at a 45-degree angle, the palm facing forward. With his left hand, he grasps his right upper arm. The cardiac conduction pathway runs from the armpit to the little finger. It appears as a thin, somewhat curved line. On it, nine small rings refer to acupuncture points. These are marked here with two characters each. On the upper right margin, characters run vertically to the centre of the sheet. Zhang Jiebin, who died in 1640, was a physician and writer. The woodblock edition from which these pages are taken is preserved in the Harvard Yenching Library at Harvard University in the USA.

The hand lesser yin heart channel (two facing pages) from Zhang Jiebin (1563-1640), Illustrated Wing of the “Classified Canon” (Leijing tuyi), woodblock edition, preface dated 1624. From the collection of the Harvard-Yenching Library, Harvard University – In writings on acupuncture, it became common to pair an image of an internal organ with an image of […]

Diagram of the Inner Landscape

Diagram of the inner landscape from Zhang Jiebin (1563-1640), Illustrated Wing of the “Classified Canon” (Leijing tuyi), woodblock edition, preface dated 1624. From the collection of the Harvard-Yenching Library, Harvard University – In his magnum opus, The Classified Canon (Leijing), the physician Zhang Jiebin reorganized the contents of the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon by topic. […]

A segment of a Mayan hieroglyphic text, highlighting the stylised glyph for ‘heart’

A segment of a Maya hieroglyphic text with a stylised glyph for ‘heart’ Site: Palenque Culture: Maya Date: Late Classic (c. AD 683) Context: Temple of the Inscriptions, West Panel, A7-A8 Medium: Carved limestone monument Figure credit: Drawing by Christophe Helmke – Much as with other Mesoamerican cultures, the Maya viewed the heart as the […]

A depiction of a man being attacked and mauled by a jaguar

A depiction of a man being attacked and mauled by a jaguar, as his entrails flow from the severed abdomen Site: Greater Calakmul area Culture: Maya Date: Late Classic (AD 650-750) Context: Vase BOD32 Medium: Codex-style painted ceramic vase Figure credit: Drawing by Christophe Helmke – In the detail of this intricately painted Maya vase, […]

Late Classic altar at the site of Xunantunich

Late Classic altar at the site of Xunantunich, depicting a skeletal figure with its putrid guts flowing from the ribcage Site: Xunantunich Culture: Maya Date: Late Classic (AD 849) Context: Altar 1 Medium: Carved stone monument Figure credit: Drawing by Christophe Helmke – This altar depicts a skeletal figure, crouching to fit into the surrounding […]

Battle scene and their aftermath

Battle scene and their aftermath, in the murals of Bonampak illustrating the mutilation of defeated warriors Site: Bonampak Culture: Maya Date: Late Classic (c. AD 800) Context: Structure 1, Room 2 Medium: Mural Figure credit: Watercolour by Heather Hurst and Leonard Ashby – In this amazingly detailed and colourful mural, we get a spectacular look […]

Mythic battle between a crocodilian creature

Mythic battle between a crocodilian creature and with the entrails spilling out of the defeated humans Site: Becan Culture: Maya Date: Early Classic (c. AD 250-400) Context: Structure 9 Medium: Polychromatically painted ceramic vessel Figure credit: Drawing by Christophe Helmke. Photograph by Jorge Pérez de Lara – The setting is a mythic battle in primordial […]

Stylized heart rendered in sheet gold

Stylized heart rendered in sheet gold, found in an offering at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan Site: Tenochtitlan Culture: Aztec Date: Late Postclassic (c. AD 1486-1502) Context: Templo Mayor, Offering 167 Medium: Cold-hammer gold with incisions Figure credit: Photograph by Jorge Pérez de Lara / M. Islas – The heart occupied a privileged place in Aztec […]

Depiction of an eagle devouring a human heart at the site of Tula

Depiction of an eagle devouring a human heart at the site of Tula Site: Tula Culture: Toltec Date: Early Postclassic (c. AD 900-1200) Context: Pyramid B Medium: Stone relief Figure credit: Photograph by Zeray Peter – Ornamenting the sides of the imposing Pyramid B at Tula, a wide range of felines, coyotes, and eagles are […]