Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Volume 6 of the Body

Illustration of Back-Erupting Carbunclesoriginal: "fabei chuang" (發背瘡). In traditional Chinese medicine, these are deep-seated, multi-headed boils or carbuncles. Because they appear on the back—close to the spine and internal organs—historical medical texts treated them as extremely serious, often life-threatening conditions resulting from "abundant heat-toxin."

The woodcut illustration shows a person seated on a simple, low four-legged stool. Their robe is draped down around their waist to fully expose the back, which is marked with distinct circular spots. These spots serve as a visual guide for the physician, indicating the typical sites where these dangerous "back-erupting" sores appear. The figure’s posture, though calm, is intended to demonstrate the clinical presentation of the disease for diagnostic purposes.