中國早期道士的醫療活動及其醫術考釋：以漢魏晉南北朝時期的「傳記」資料為主的初步探討

林富士

    本文主旨在於考察東漢魏晉南北朝時期（大約是二至六世紀）「道士」的醫療活動以及他們所使用的「醫術」，並討論道教在形成與發展過程中和中國醫療文化之間的互動關係。

    憑藉「傳記」資料和相關記載，我們發現，有許多道士在東漢六朝時期的中國社會中扮演著醫療者的角色。而且，對於某些道派而言，醫療之事不只是道士個人一時的興趣，而是道派長年的經常性活動，部分道教經典甚至針對治病之事詳加規範，並提出病因之說和療病之道。有些道士還以此為業，以獲得生活所需或信徒的供養。

    至於他們所使用或主張的醫療方法，大致不出醫者之術、養生之術、巫者之術和道教自創的儀式療法這四大類。這些方法雖然沒有完全融為一體，道教內部對其運用也有不同的意見，但大體而言，已初步建構出道教獨特的醫療體系，並影響中國醫學和醫療文化的發展。

    而當時的道士，利用「大疫」流行的機會，從事醫療活動，也相當成功的爭取到不少信徒和弟子，有些人甚至因而創立勢力龐大的道團或道派。總之，醫療確實是當時道士傳佈信仰、度化弟子、吸引信徒、凝聚教團的主要手段之一。

關鍵詞：道士 醫療 神仙 養生 傳記

Medical Activities and Healing Arts of Taoists in Medieval China: A Preliminary Study Based on Hagiographic Material of the Han, Wei-Chin and Northern and Southern Dynasties

Fu-shih Lin

Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica

    This paper is an examination of the medical activities of Taoists during Eastern Han, Wei-Chin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, and of the healing arts which they employed. It also examines the relationship between Taoism, in its formative and early stages, and Chinese medical culture.

    Relying on 'hagiographic' material and related records, we find that many Taoists functioned as medical practitioners during the Eastern Han and Six Dynasties period (ca. 2nd-6th century AD). Moreover, in the case of some Taoist lineages, medical practice was not merely a matter of individual interest but was of long standing and regular concern to the lineage itself. A number of Taoist scriptures are devoted to medical practice, providing detailed discussions of causes for disease as well as methods for healing. A number of Taoists depended on medical practice for their livelihood, either as a source of income or as a means of attracting donations from Taoist adherents.

    Healing methods practiced and advocated by Taoists, generally fell into four types: physicians' methods, methods of "nurturing life," shamanistic methods and healing rites developed by Taoists themselves. Although these four types of practice were not completely synthesized into a single system and Taoists held differing views concerning their respective uses, we may generally conclude that Taoism, since first forming a distinct medical system, influenced the development of Chinese medicine and of medical culture more generally.

    Taoists were successful in attracting numerous adherents and disciples through their healing arts during periods of "severe plagues" in medieval China. The establishment of some Taoist sects and lineages was based on the success of such practices. In conclusion, medical practice was one of the primary methods of Taoists for spreading their beliefs, converting disciples, attracting adherents and forming religious communities in medieval China.

Keywords: Taoist, healing, immortal, nurturing life, hagiography