Iran
Daily: Beijing published the complete Chinese version of ‘The Canon of
Medicine’ by the Iranian polymath and father of modern medicine, Avicenna.
Translated
by Zhu Ming of Beijing Medical University, the book was released in June 2010
and includes the biography of Avicenna and pictures of the book’s English and
German translations.
According
to Mehr News Agency, ‘The Canon of Medicine’ has always been popular with
Chinese physicians and parts of the book were previously translated and used.
Originally
written in Arabic, the book is a 14-volume medical encyclopedia, which presents
a clear and organized summary of the medical knowledge of the time.
Considered
one of the most significant books in the history of medicine, The Canon of
Medicine has also been translated into Latin, Hebrew, German, French and
English.
Also
known as ‘Shaykh Al-Ra’is’ (Master and Head), Avicenna wrote about 450 works,
of which only 240 have survived. Some 150 of his books are on philosophy and 40
on medicine including his magnum opus ‘Kitab Al-Shifa’ (The Book of Healing)
which is an immense encyclopedic work.
Many
literary and scientific figures were influenced by Avicenna, including the
renowned poet Omar Khayyam and the celebrated 13th-century scientist Khajeh
Nasir Al-Din at-Tusi.
Avicenna
disciple Jorjani (Sorsanus) has documented his life story in the Life of
Avicenna.
Source:
IBNA News Agency