The Little World of badges, The Great World of TCM

In the long history of traditional Chinese medicine, the ancients left rich academic ideas, diagnosis and treatment methods, and a vast number of documents, which is the treasures of ancient Chinese science. Among them, there is a kind of physical objects with special historical and cultural research value of TCM, but there has never been a special research, it is a badge.

The badge has the dual concepts of broad sense and narrow sense. Broad badge refers to the certificate and badge; narrow badge only refers to the badge. Badge, as "medal" or "badge" in English. Among them, "medal", especially refers to the medal or medal, and "badge", generally refers to the "badge" or "badge", refers to the belt on the body used to indicate identity, occupation, honor signs, generally made of metal. It has a long history, and its origin can be traced back to the totem symbol of the primitive society. In the Warring States Period, the badge was recorded in the history books for the first time, but it is fundamentally different from the badge in the present sense, which actually refers to the flag. Later, in our dynasties, the role of the badge was various: some for reward (such as reward), some for passage (e. g. waist badge), some for identification (e. g. clan emblem), some (badge) as symbol for dispatch of troops, etc.

It was not until the Qing Dynasty that the badge really had a modern recognized meaning and was made of metal. In the 19th century, international exchanges increased, and many countries often gave them MEDALS to important foreign guests. However, according to the tradition, the Qing government gave official titles and top wear, which was not appropriate for international practice. Therefore, in December 1881, the Qing government issued the Constitution of Playing The Treasure Star, which set up the medal of "Double Dragon Treasure Star" to foreigners, which gave birth to the first badge of modern significance in Chinese history. The "Double Dragon Treasure Star" medal is star-shaped and is modeled after the National flag of the Qing Dynasty, with the dragon as its symbol. The medal is divided into five and eleven levels. The grades are marked above the treasure star and inlaid with jewelry and distinguished by their colors. When the medal is awarded, a "certificate of the medal" shall be issued as a certificate. In the third year of Xuantong (1911), the Qing government promulgated the Constitution of the Medal, which extended the recipients to the local people, and set up a medal bureau to manage the awarding of MEDALS.

During the period of the Republic of China, the use of badges reached a historical peak, which was varied. The use of the badge is also developed from awards, to signs, involving military and political, parties, education, health, sports, charity, religion, commerce, agriculture, industry, etc.; Issued in the name of organizations, and donated in the name of individuals, a variety of names. Among them, the theme of medicine and health care, especially the badges made and issued by traditional Chinese medicine related schools, academic organizations and industry organizations, occupies an important position. For example, Ye Shengtao's Mr.Pan in Difficulties said, " The office gave him the flag of the Red Cross, but opened it in front of the school; and gave him the badge of the Red Cross, indicating that he was a member of the Red Cross."The" Red Cross badge " mentioned here is a typical identification sign issued by social groups.

After the founding of new China, wearing a badge has become one of the signs of the people to express their enthusiasm for socialist construction. The scope of the use of the badge, further expanded, almost as long as the commemorative events on the normal badge. During this period, the influence of Chairman MAO's badge was the most prominent, with as many as 80,000 kinds of distribution. In the field of traditional Chinese medicine, it is more focused on all kinds of traditional Chinese and western medicine joint clinics, traditional Chinese medicine academic groups, traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture and moxibustion) courses, traditional Chinese medicine industry associations, etc., Which is of great significance for sorting out and studying the evolution of the Party's traditional Chinese medicine policy after the founding of new China.

The badge integrates painting, calligraphy, carving and other arts in one, molding, paint, porcelain, inlay, gold, enamel and other techniques in one, can be said to be a variety of shapes. It condenses the vicissitudes of life between the square inch, with a distinct historical brand. According to the statistics of the past few years, there are at least 200,000 badge collectors in China, of which the badge fans account for one third. With the continuous discovery of new types and values of badges, this number is still increasing. At the same time, in the badge collection field, subdivision has become a trend; the specialty, such as the Anti-Japanese War, education, science and technology, sports and other special badge exhibitions are also endless.

And the handed down certificate collection, in the collection circle is more concentrated in the education theme, that is, a variety of graduation certificates. Compared with badges, the varieties of certificates are less, mainly including graduation (completion) certificate, membership certificate, certification documents, etc. However, in form, the content of the certificate is more abundant than the badge, such as the full name of the issuing authority, the name of the person in charge of the issuing authority, the date of the issuance, the name of the certificate owner (mostly including personal information such as native place, age), and the basis of the issuing, which is concise and accurate. In the field of TCM, most of the membership certificates of the Republic of China matched the 1950s and 1960s, the completion certificates of TCM courses were matched with the badges. In addition, some of the certificates at the transition of the old and new society, the signature, tax bills, alteration, correction, old things, new use and other changes, the characteristics of The Times is very significant.

In the thousands of years of development of TCM, Chinese medicine, the accumulated medical classics and drugs are the main contents of the research of contemporary TCM inheritors, while few people consult the badges. Relative to other cultural relics of traditional Chinese medicine, badge to a certain extent, reflects the Chinese medicine in education, practice, organization, academic, cultural, business development, shows the information is more concentrated, more refined, can more accurately record a particular historical period of people or events, and can even play the role of generational, qualitative. The author through visiting in recent years, and communicate with the badge collection of experts, it is widely believed that the modern badge of traditional Chinese medicine only within a few thousand, even with lovers or museum of traditional Chinese medicine, also more for collection, no one explores, is one of the "unpopular" in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, the badges are small in size and are not highly appreciated and easily lost; the certificates are mostly paper, easy to be defaced and difficult to recover. In the 1950s and 1960s, due to the historical reasons, most of the badges with the Republic of China logo were destroyed, so there is s much, the urgency of rescue and excavation is extremely strong, there is a great need for protective research efforts, combined with the experience of traditional Chinese medical history literature, modern Chinese history, fine arts, casting, printing and other disciplines, the issuing background, shape, material, technology and other dimensions of modern traditional Chinese medicine badges, it is helpful to prove and clarify the key information of TCM industry management, educational institutions, academic groups, figures and events in the relevant historical period; at the same time, you can also excavate part of the contents of no historical records, develop new research directions in the history of traditional Chinese medicine.。

The badge is the epitome of an era, but also the witness of a person's life in history. Witness chapter, such as see the person, this is the most meaningful place.