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

During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the physician Li Shizhen (1518–1593) recorded human-animal transformations in his Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica). The Sancai Tuhui (Assembled Illustrations of the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man) illustrated hybrids like beast-faced humans and human-faced fish, inspired by ancient Chinese texts like the Shanhai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas). Similar imagery appears in Western traditions. This exhibition features image reprints of human-animal hybrids from the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vatican Apostolic Library), reflecting ancient views on the “normal” and “extraordinary” body, often shaped by mythology.

Ancient views of the diseased body were multifaceted. The “Wuxing Shengshuai Tu (Five Elements Prosperity and Decline Chart)” explored links among organs, time, and illness, while the “Guanxing Chase Tu (Observation of Form and Color Chart)” connected facial coloration to health. Illustrations depicted conditions like “Renmian Chuang (Human-face sores)” that could “speak,” as well as “Ruyong,” a disease affecting both men and women. Epidemics, or “Fanzheng,” were named after animals, reflecting imaginative interpretations of pain. The Shanghan Shejian (Tongue Inspection for Cold Damage Diseases) analyzed tongue coatings to reveal hidden conditions of the body. These works showcase traditional Chinese medicine’s diverse perspectives on the body and illness.