The 'Chinese' Theory: For and Against

[Jorge_Stolfi]

I’m not convinced by the theory that he copied the book just to sell it.

 

At this point, the details of how the book was created and the Author's motivation are no longer important.  It suffices to point out that there are plausible scenarios and motivations that would have resulted in the book we have.

The motivation may not have been immediate.  He probably was amazed at the amount and detail of Chinese medical literature available, and felt that he just had to bring some of that material home, in a form that he could understand at least in part.  Maybe he dreamed that he could sell the book to an Euroepan doctor for a good sum.  Maybe he dreamed of becoming as famous as Marco Polo.  Maybe some doctor back home had asked him to note down any interesting medical information that he found.

why would he go to China for that?

It is not very likely that he went to "China" specifically to learn their medicine.  If the dictation happened in "China", then, statistically, the Author was most likely a merchant who went there to buy stuff that was only found there (spices, silk, porcelain, gemstones, ...).  There for example a record of a Venetian merchant who spent several years in Burma buying rubies to sell in Europe.  

Or maybe the Author was an attachè to an European merchant outpost, like an interpreter or physician.  Or maybe he was an explorer, like Ibn Batuta, Pytheas, Gaspar da Gama...

All the best, --stolfi