Anatomical measurements, prone figure, Chinese woodcut

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Anatomical measurements, prone figure, Chinese woodcut. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Description

From an edition published in 1537 (16th year of the Jiajing reign period of the Ming dynasty). The illustration shows a human figure lying face downwards. Measurements relating to anatomical locations are inscribed on the body (see Lettering). NB. There are close similarities between this image and L0037433.

Lettering

Picture title: Measurements (chicun) on the prone figure. Other lettering: From the back of the ear to wangu (the mastoid process) is 9 cun in total. From the cranium [i.e. the centre of the anterior hairline] to the top of the head (ding) [Scribal error for xiang, nape - the two characters differ by one stroke] is 1 chi 2 cun. From the corner [of the skull] to zhugu (the Column Bone -- spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra) is 1 chi. From the nape to the backbone (i.e. the 1st prominent spinal process) is 2½ cun. The 21 sections of the backbone down to the coccyx altogether measure 1 [error for 3] chi. The length from the shoulder to the elbow is 1 chi 7 cun. The length from the elbow to the wrist is 1 chi 2½ cun. From the wrist to the proximal joint of the middle finger is 4 cun. From the proximal joint to the distal joint of the middle finger is 4½ cun.The circumference of the waist is 4 chi 2 cun. From the post-patellar fossa (xiguo) to the instep (fushu) is 1 chi 2 (error for 6) cun. From the bottom of the knee to the external malleolus (waihuai) is 1 chi 6 cun.

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