Chinese woodcut: Talisman against epidemic diseases

Woodcut from Jiangxueyuan gufang xuanzhu (An Annotated Selection of Ancient Prescriptions from the Crimson Snow Garden), published in 1737 (2nd year of the Qianlong reign period of the Qing dynasty). It bears witness to the practice of using written charms to avert disease. This charm was inscribed in cinnabar on yellow paper. Attached to a doctor's hat, it was believed to give protection against infection when examining victims of pestilence

PICTURE TITLE: Talisman to avert epidemic diseases