Fengdu Medicine King Hall

Fengdu Medicine King Hall

Fengdu Medicine King Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

Medicine King Hall: Couplets read: “Medicine can treat non-fatal diseases, but only Buddha can save those with karmic ties.” The deities worshipped in the hall are Sun Simiao and Pi Tong.

Sun Simiao: Born in 581 AD in Jingzhao Huayuan (today's Yao County, Shaanxi Province) during the Sui Kaihuang era, he passed away in 682 AD during the first year of the Tang Yongchun era, living to the remarkable age of 101. In his youth, he studied medicine diligently, earning a reputation for his extensive knowledge of classical texts, history, philosophy, and medical scriptures, as well as Buddhist texts. He carefully summarized the experience of his predecessors, widely collected and applied folk prescriptions, herbal formulas, and acupuncture techniques. Not only was he of high moral character in medicine, but he was also generous and dedicated, compiling famous medical masterpieces such as “Qianjin Yaofang” (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) and “Qianjin Yifang” (Supplement to the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold), making significant contributions to ancient Chinese medicine. Legend has it that he once cured an unusual illness of Empress Changsun, wife of Emperor Taizong of Tang, and was thus honored by the emperor as the Medicine King. The public admired his medical ethics, and both Taoism and Buddhism held him in high esteem, hence he was revered as the Sage of Medicine and the Medicine King Bodhisattva, with temples built in his honor.

Pi Tong: A native of Anguo County, Hebei Province, he was one of the founding heroes of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He fought with Liu Xiu in battles to suppress Wang Mang’s usurpation, achieving remarkable military success, and was later appointed as Prefect of Quyang. He was not only proficient in medicine and pharmacology but also advocated for and supported the folk medicine industry. As a result, Anguo developed a tradition of cultivating herbs, producing medicine, and valuing healthcare, eventually becoming China’s later “Medicine Capital.” After Pi Tong’s death, the people of Anguo built a “Pi King Temple” outside the city gate. Later, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty posthumously honored him as “Lingkuang Gong” (Sovereign of Miraculous Blessings) and issued an edict to build a temple for his worship. Pi Tong gradually came to be worshipped as the “Medicine King.”