Epidemics in Ancient Imperial China – Myths, Facts and Lessons for Posterity

Abstract

The recorded history of China spanned over 47 centuries. Since the beginning of the first century epidemics of each dynasty had been duly, if incompletely, recorded. This study is an attempt to review the epidemics recorded from the beginning of the first century A.D., when epidemic records first appeared as a regular entry, to the beginning of the 20th century which marked the end of the last dynasty in Imperial China. No attempt is made to stratify the types of individual infections as such scientific knowledge was lacking. Rather, epidemics are treated as one subject, in the broadest sense, of massive and highly contagious infections, occurring wave after wave, affecting society, culture, governments and the rise and fall of empires dynasties. Some of the materials had been used in a previous article in this Journal but reused out of necessity. Yet, every attempt has been made to minimize excessive repetition.