A Philological Study on the Nomenclature of Malaria in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Malaria is an ancient disease, with references found as early as the Yin-Shang period in Chinese history. However, historical records lack standardized terminology, leading to confusion in disease names and misclassification. This study analyzes the terms "nüe", "jiē", and "shān" as used in classical Chinese medical and historical texts. It finds that while the meanings and hierarchical relationships among these terms are not consistent, all have been used historically to describe malaria-like illnesses. Among them, "nüe" has remained the most widely adopted term, commonly appearing as a suffix in disease names. A total of 35 different naming classifications for malaria have been identified in Chinese historical texts, alongside a variety of regional colloquialisms. By referencing modern definitions and classifications of malaria, this paper clarifies the meanings of these historical terms, disentangling overlapping and hierarchical relationships among them.