The Publication of Plague-Related Books and the Construction of Plague Theory in the Qing Dynasty
As early as the pre-Qin period,Chinese classics recorded plagues,and people at that time had rec-ognized their epidemic characteristics and dangers.However,it was not until the late Ming Dynasty,when Wu Youke wrote the Treatise on Epidemic Infectious Disease that China had its first monograph on epidemiology.After the Qing Dynasty,the Treatise on Epidemic Infectious Diseases was continuously reprinted and revised,and many works that explained,supplemented,or edited it were also published.Meanwhile,doctors in the Qing Dynasty wrote a large number of new plague-related books.Various so-cial forces,including bookshops,authors and their descendants,officials and guilds,participated in the printing and publication of these plague-related books,with many publishers distributing the books for free or encouraging reprints.All these efforts were also crucial parts of epidemic prevention and relief.The extensive compilation and publication of plague-related books further promoted the development and prosperity of plague theories.Additionally,the prefaces and postscripts of these plague-related books provide insights into the disasters caused by plagues on human society,as well as the responses of the state,society and individuals during outbreaks.
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