[Differential analyses on the historical relationship between Zhenglei bencao (herbology of classified syndromes) and Mingyi Bie Lu (appendant records of famous physicians)].

This author claims that, by using the approach of "inclusion of all canons", Tao Hongjing incorporated the 365 kinds of drugs from the earliest canon "Shen Nong's Herbological Canon" with another 365 kinds of "subordinated drugs from famous physicians", including Wu Pu and Li Dangzhi etc. to compile his 7-volume "Collected variorum of herbological canon". Owing to the changes and modifications made on the term "subordinated drugs from famous physicians" by the prefaces of herbological works of successive ages, the misunderstandings that the other 365 appendant kinds of drug were derived from an available Ming Yi Bie Lu and that the preface by Tao Yinju of the Liang Dynasty in Zhenglei Bencao was the preface of the book Mingyi Bielu were thuw formed.