Perspectives on the Body-Body on Display: Exploring the Mystery of the Human Body through Historical Images

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Perspectives on the Body

In general, different fields observe and describe the body in vastly different ways. For example, the medical field emphasizes internal organ structure, meridians, acupuncture points, muscles, and nerves; forensic science focuses on external features such as the mouth and bones; and religious text assigns the body special symbolic meanings, deriving philosophical concepts by observing the human body as a microcosm of the universe. This section features text and images from works such as Diagnosing and Treating Diseases through Viscera, The Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Sustaining Life, The Illustrated Charts of Physical Anatomy, Priceless Book about Medicines of an Eastern Country, The Washing Away of Wrongs, The Vajra Wisdom Sutra, The Jivaka’s Five Viscera Classic, and Tibetan medical thangkas. Together, these text and images illustrate varying medical, forensic, Buddhist, and Taoist perspectives on the body, revealing the body’s multifaceted significance in ancient culture. They also shed light on over two millennia of evolving understanding of the body and the cross-cultural exchanges and influences that shaped these views.

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The Medical Perspective on the Body

Li Ke Guatu
(Illustrations of the Sciences)
Anonymous
Second edition published by the Shanghai Commercial Press in February 1919
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Traditional Chinese depictions of the body emphasize internal organs, meridians, and the flow of vital energy (qi). This exhibition showcases anatomical illustrations, including Xuanmen Maijue Neizhaotu (Diagnosing and Treating Diseases through Viscera), Dongui Bogam (The Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine), and Zhenqiu Zisheng Jing (Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Benefitting Life). By the late Qing Dynasty, Western science introduced skeletal, muscular, and nervous system depictions, shifting traditional perspectives.
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana

1.De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem
Andreas Vesalius, 1514-1564
©Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana

2.Studi Anatomici
Giulio Bonasone, c. 1498- after 1574
©Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana

During the Renaissance, the anatomist Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) authored De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem (On the Fabric of the Human Body in Seven Books), featuring highly detailed anatomical engravings. This groundbreaking work corrected many misconceptions about human anatomy and became one of the foundational texts of modern anatomy. The Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vatican Apostolic Library) houses a copy of this masterpiece, along with “Studi Anatomici (Anatomical Studies)”, a series of anatomical drawings by the renowned Italian engraver Giulio Bonasone (c. 1498-1574). This exhibition showcases selected image reprints from De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem and “Studi Anatomici,” exploring Renaissance depictions of the human body. These works are presented in dialogue with anatomical illustrations from the museum’s collection, offering a comparative perspective on the representation of the body in Western and traditional Chinese contexts.
Medical Thangka

The term “Thangka” originates from the Tibetan word “Thang Kha,” and has been interpreted in as Buddhist scroll painting. Thangka paintings cover diverse themes, including religion, medicine, astrology, history, mythology, and nature. This exhibition showcases several medical Thangka images, known in Tibetan as “sman thang.” Traditional Tibetan medicine, with its long history, emphasizes the connection between human health and nature, linking bodily structures, functions, and diseases to natural phenomena. Medical Thangkas illustrate meridians, acupuncture points, skeletal structures, vital points, and internal organs.
The Forensic Perspective on the Body

Lüliguan Jiaozheng Xiyuanlu
(Records of the Washing Away of Wrongs, Revised by the Bureau of the Codes)
Written by Song Ci, Song dynasty; Proofread by the Codification Office, Qing dynasty
Imprint by the Wuying Palace in 1742, the 7th year of the Qianlong reign (1736-1795), Qing dynasty

Traditional Chinese forensic science (known as Jianyanxue) and traditional Chinese medicine both focus on the human body but are distinguished by their focus on life and death. Chinese medicine emphasizes the living body, with depictions centered on the internal organs and the flow of vital energy (qi). In contrast, forensic science examines the body after death, focusing on external features, such as the mouth and the bones, with minimal attention to internal organs. This exhibition highlights Lüliguan Jiaozheng Xiyuanlu (Records of the Washing Away of Wrongs, Revised by the Bureau of the Codes), authored by Song Ci (1186–1249) and revised in 1741 under Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736-1795). Featuring bone and corpse diagrams, it became as the standard forensic guide of Qing Dynasty.
The Buddhist and Daoist Perspectives on the Body

Anonymous

Religions interpret the human body with spiritual and symbolic meanings. Daoism views the body as sacred, with each organ governed by certain deity, as illustrated in Sancai Tuhui (Assembled Illustrations of the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man) by Wang Qi (1530–1615) and Wang Siyi. These depictions focus on organs like the liver and heart. The Qipo Wuzang Jing (The Jivaka’s Five Viscera Classic) presents symbolic anatomical illustrations aligned with religious cosmology. The Zhenchan Neiyin Dunzheng Xuning Fajie Jingangzhi Jing (The Vajra Wisdom Scripture) combines esoteric teachings and Daoist practices, featuring unique depictions such as the “Original Form of All Beings” and the “Sun and Moon-Rabbit Female Body Diagram,” which further explores the diverse religious interpretations of the human body.