Lǐ Shízhēn 李時珍 (zì Dōngbì 東璧, hào Bīnhú shānrén 瀕湖山人, 1518–1593, 明), Míng-period polymath of Qízhōu 蘄州 (modern Húběi); the most influential figure in the entire history of Chinese pharmacology and natural history. Held the office of Court Sacrificial Director at the Princely Establishment of Chu (Chǔwángfǔ Fèngcí zhèng 楚王府奉祠正). Biography: Míng shǐ Fāngjì zhuàn. Author of the foundational Běncǎo gāngmù 本草綱目 (KR3e0079, 52 juan, 1,892 substances in 16 部 and 60 categories) — the single most comprehensive Chinese pharmacopoeia and one of the most influential natural-history works in any culture before modern times. Composition span: 1552–1578 (over 26 years; Lǐ himself reports “30 years”, “800+ books consulted”, “three drafts”); first printed Wànlì gēngyín (1590) at Jīnlíng with Wáng Shìzhēn’s preface; Lǐ’s son Lǐ Jiànyuán 李建元 presented it to the throne posthumously with a memorial. Also author of Qí jīng bā mài kǎo 奇經八脈考 (KR3e0080, 1 juan) — on the 8 extraordinary channels; Bīnhú màixué 瀕湖脈學 (KR3e0081, 1 juan) — the most widely-used Chinese pulse-doctrine treatise. The Běncǎo gāngmù was the first Chinese natural-historical work translated into European languages (partial translations into French, German, English from the 17th century onward) and was foundational for the modern Western reception of Chinese natural history. Darwin cites it in the Origin of Species. The catalog meta dynasty 明 is correct; lifedates 1518–1593 also correct.