title: [Study on the names of Muzhi and Pinzhi before the Tang dynasty].
abstract: Muzhi (male hemorrhoid) and Pinzhi (female hemorrhoid) recorded in bamboo slips found in the Han Tomb of Zhanjiashan were named after the shape of genitalia of males and females, which conserved the original meaning of Mu (male) and Pin (female). In Wu shi er Bingfang (Formularies for 52 Kinds of Disorders), a silk manuscript found in the Han Tombs of Mawangdui, Pinzhi and Muzhi were defined as hemorrhoid inside and outside the anus, which used the extended meaning of Mu (male) and Pin (female). In Sui and Tang dynasties, Muzhi and Pinzhi were named after morphology or location of the hemorrhoid. The famous doctor of the Tang dynasty, XU Zeren, made a more perfect classification of hemorrhoids. In all, the names of Muzhi and Pinzhi were related to location, morphology and features of hemorrhoids and the influence of yin-yang thought to medicine.
authors.affiliation: Kibi International University, Takahashi, 716-8508, Japan.
authors.forename: Ji-Ran
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ai-Ping
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Ming-Xin
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhao-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Dai