Interesting TCM Fact 101: The First Female TCM Physician

Due to the high physical requirements and the cultural bias in the ancient times of valuing males over females, the first recorded female TCM physician came only in BC 126 in the Western Han Dynasty.

tcm-acupuncture-female-physician-first

Her name was Yi Shuo （义妁）. However the records of her biography and clinical achievements was almost unfounded. The only records were that due to her excellent skills in all modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture and in treating all specialties of ailments, she was conferred as the first female Imperial Physician for the Empress of Han Dynasty. And because of her, her brother Yi Cong was also enlisted and conferred as one of the high ranked officers for the Imperial Army. In fact his brother’s records that can be found today were more than Yi Shuo’s herself.

I can only say life is hard as a physician in the olden days, even more so for a lady to take up this noble role and excel in it. I’m sure she had her wonderful stories and clinical experiences which were of great pity to be unrecorded for the benefit of mankind and generations to come after her.

You rock girl!

TCM(Traditional Chin Med), TCM Wellness, Basics of TCMXiang Jun Limtcm, acupuncture, female, physician, first