Chinese Medicine


Vials (2)

 

 

At least since the centuries following the SONG-time, Chinese pharmacists were trying to find beautiful delivery vessels - in the noble competition between the pharmacists, the patient benefited, who received his remedies in ever more beautiful vessels. Many of the vials bore blessings and blessings, and were too good to throw away - rather, they were used by the patient's family as a tea caddy, flower vase, inkwell or snuffbox. Some vessels were designed from the beginning as collectible objects, there was about a series of eight with the image of popular deities, other series paid homage to war heroes or animals - collectible pictures, so to speak. Since the 18th century erotic scenes have been found on some vials, not just those containing aphrodisiacs ...



Thus, a surprisingly large number of older vessels have been preserved.



Early porcelain vessels bore inscriptions indelibly engraved on the glaze. In order to simplify the reuse of the vessels, the pharmacists later renounced an overly incisive form of their vessels and definitive texts. Instead, they preferred to put the vials on a mostly red paper label.
Later, especially for mass-produced low-cost glass, the name of the drug was firmly incorporated in the glass. From a Luxembourg pharmacy (in petange) come these three identical, 51 mm high vials made of coarsely processed, unclean glass and inscription in high relief. Delivery vessels of the same shape (quadrangular with round neck) - but made of porcelain - existed long before (innocence p. 168)

 

Lit.:

Paul U. Unschuld, Huichun, Chinesische Heilkunde in historischen Objekten und Bildern, Verlag Prestel 1995.