Qibo (岐伯)

Qibo (岐伯)

Alternative Names (異名):
Qibo, 岐伯, 기백, Qíbó(pinyin), Chi Bo(Wade-Giles)

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Qibo, was a mythological Chinese doctor, employed by Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) as his minister. It is said that he was enlightened with the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine by an ethereal being from the heavens.

He was a doctor in shanggu shidai (simplified Chinese: 上古时代; traditional Chinese: 上古時代; pinyin: shànggǔ shídài) in legend. He lived in Beidi (Chinese: 北地; pinyin: běidì, now Qingyang).

It is said that he had learned medicine from some celestial being like Guangchengzi, Chisongzi (Chinese: 赤松子; pinyin: chìsōngzǐ), Zhongnanzi (Chinese: 中南子; pinyin: zhōngnánzǐ). He recognized medicinal herb in daylight, learned Tao of health maintenance and mastered jingluo medicine. Zhongnanzi recommended Qibo to Huangdi, while Huangdi asked Tao to Guangchengzi in Kongtong Mountains. Qibo became the chancellor of Huangdi. He sampled medicinal herbs by the order of Huangdi. Huangdi Neijing is the a book comprising the dialogues regarding medicinal problems between Huangdi and Qibo.

The renowned sinologist Paul Unschuld maintains based on phonetic resemblances that the elusive Qibo might actually have been Hippocrates.

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Traditional Chinese medicine | History of China | Chinese mythology | Asian mythology stubs | Chinese people stubs