質問本草 内篇巻一 / Medicinal Herbs and Plants for Internal Use, Vol. 1

This set of books introduces and explains the effects of medicinal plants that grow from the Ryukyus to Satsuma and includes illustrations. In Japanese, the study of the medicinal properties of plants is called honzōgaku (herbalism). The books are based on Chinese herbalism and is regarded as representing herbalism in early modern Japan. According to Kanjun Higashionna, the books’ Ryukyuan author Go Shizen (also known as Go Keishi) may have actually been Kenki Shimabukuro, the successor of Kenryō Shimabukuro who went to Fuzhou as a medical doctor and passed on the secret teachings of treatments for oral diseases (Higaonna Kanjun zenshū, vol. 9). The books are written in a style of answering questions from the Satsuma domain lord. The editing process of the books began in 1785 and were published in Satsuma in 1837. This volume begins with a preface by the editors, followed by Shitsumon honzō written by Go Shizen, then part one titled Shotoku daibatsu (the title of the reference material), and then part two which includes illustrated commentary on the medicinal properties of plants.