"Quan Ti Xin Lun” - A new treatise on Human Anatomy

-Canton - 1853 

-Benjamin Hobson, Chen Xiutang, Gong Soucheng.

-Collation: 1,2,1,1,1,1,71 (Complete). Folded anatomical plates not called for in this issue

Quan Ti Xin Lun is regarded as a landmark publication in Chinese medical history. Compiled by Dr Benjamin Hobson and Chen Xiutang, the anatomical work reconciled Chinese views of “Qi” with modern Western Science. Benjamin Hobson (1816–1873) was a London Missionary Society physician whose medical writings played a central role in introducing Western anatomy and medicine to Qing China.

The work included Illustrations which were commissioned to demonstrate anatomy and challenge traditional Chinese views of the body. The book was first Printed in 1851 at the “Kum-le-fau” hospital in the Xiguan district of Canton (Guangzhou), and sponsored by the London Missionary Society. Documents record 1200 copies of the first edition were printed at a cost of 176 silver dollars.

An introductory page states that this edition was published in Autumn, the 8th Month of the 3rd year of Xianfeng i.e. August 1853.

This 1853 edition represents an early Canton reissue of Hobson’s seminal anatomical treatise. The colophon records its publication at the Hui’ai Medical Hall (惠愛醫局) at Jinli Port, Guangzhou, and includes a respectful endorsement by Gong Shouchen at the Guangdong Provincial Offices. 

This 1853 issue demonstrates continued demand and sustained block use. The plates show signs of wear consistent with reuse from the earlier impression.

True first editions of this work are rare and I can only find 11 copies of the work in Worldcat. This later second edition is noted in one institution (Melbourne University) on Worldcat, although I imagine some have been miscatalogued as 1851 editions as stated on the title page.