title: [On the connotation of "Shennong tastes all kinds of herbs and encounters seventy kinds of toxic substances in a single day"].
abstract: The description of "Shennong tastes all kinds of herbs and encounters seventy kinds of toxic substances in a single day" is a legend in Chinese medical history, demonstrating that medicine is originated from practice. This description has been interpreted as a semi - mythological legend. In fact, the description has a true and primitive background. Among them, the "day" and "seventy" bear specific implication and deep historical and cultural connotation. As time progresses, the fading of history will be even more deified. Hence, this phenomenon should arouse attention during the study of medical history.
authors.affiliation: College of Life - science, Northwestern University, Xi'an 710069.
authors.forename: Baohua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Xingjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000266:history*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000266:history*; D049690:History, Ancient; D049692:History, Early Modern 1451-1600; D049691:History, Medieval; D049711:History, Modern 1601-; D009229:Mythology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal