Huang Di Medallion

WLMD ID: arda

Venerated for millennia as an ancestor of the Chinese people and a deity of the Daoist religion, Huang Di is also known as The Yellow Emperor. He was believed to have ruled China from around 2698 to 2598, B.C.E. Now considered a mythological figure, he has been credited with the invention of writing, mathematics, anatomy, astrology, coined currency and numerous other innovations. 

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine has been called the first medical textbook. Based on material of even earlier date, its present arrangement has been dated to the 5th Century. The book is framed as a series of questions posed by Huang Di to his minister, C'hi Po. It covers an extensive range of medical topics, including the use of acupuncture to treat disease. Anesthesiologists today may use acupuncture to help patients manage chronic pain.

The medallion shown here was designed by Annette Landry for Le Club Français de la Medaille. Produced in Paris, France in 1972, this medallion is number 55 of the 100 that were minted. This image of Huang Di closely reproduces one that was published in the late 15th Century.

 

Catalog Record: Huang Di Medallion Contact [email protected] for catalog record.