Gilded Portrait of Sun Simiao
Ming Dynasty
Gilded copper.H:10.5 cm,w:7.5cm.Sun Simiao(581-682)was a native of Huayuan,Jingzhao,in present Shanxi province.He was the most famous physician of the early Tang Dynasty,revered by later generations as KingMedicine.He compiled Prescriptions Worth a Thousand in Gold (Qian jin fang,Fig.185) and an equally important sequel (Qian jin yi fang,Fig.186).In the portrait.Sun is smiling.He has a straight nose and long auricles.A robe covers hisfeet,and his hair is coiled in a high bun.In his right hand he holds some medicinal pellets;his left hand,level in front of his chest, held some object that is now missing.(Collection of Museum for History of Medicine,Shanghai University of TCM)