4 large Chinese medical woodcuts.

4 woodcuts on 2 sheets of paper, 59 x 51 cm, Japan paper, Chinese lettering (some old creases, sl. toned).

Both in steel frame.

Four acupuncture charts printed on two sheets by imperial decree in 1909 from the original woodblocks. The charts are probably based on the so-called bronze man (tongren) of the short Xuantong Dynasty (1908-1911). The illustrations include (1) an anterior view, showing the meridians and collaterals (jingluo) of the human body, (2) The backbone harbouring the main vessels (dumai), (3) a side view with descriptions of the origin of zang and fu, and (4) an anatomical scheme of zang and fu, viewed as internal organs.
Ref. J. Van Alphen & A. Aris (eds.), "Oriental Medicine. An Illustrated Guide to the Asian Arts of Healing", Boston 1997, pp. 186-87.