Wusiman Yasheng
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Wusiman Yasheng, Male, Uyghur, from Tulufan, Xinjiang, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Uyghur Medicine (Ⅸ-21). The tradition is documented in Tulufan, Xinjiang. Within the regional tradition and school record of Uyghur Medicine in Tulufan, Xinjiang: Sand therapy, that is, the sand-burial therapy, is the crystallized wisdom of the people of Turpan City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in understanding and making use of nature; it is a method of treating disease by using the distinctive local natural conditions, developed over a long struggle against illness, and it is an important component of Uyghur medicine. Sand therapy is divided into two types: whole-body sand therapy and local sand therapy. The therapy combines sunlight therapy, heat therapy, and massage into one; it treats illness when ill and preserves health when well. It is beneficial not only for inheriting and carrying forward China's traditional Chinese medicine culture, but also has positive significance for safeguarding people's health, building a harmonious society, strengthening ethnic unity, and promoting local socioeconomic development. In the Tang Dynasty, medical writings already contained the record that "in the Western Regions, burying in hot sand dispels all ailments of wind and cold"; travel accounts by famous figures of successive dynasties frequently describe "burying in sand in the land of fire to cure illness and drive away disease." Sun Simiao, the famous Tang Dynasty medical scholar, gave a detailed introduction to the sand therapy in his Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold (Qianjin Yaofang). Another famous Tang Dynasty medical scholar, Chen Cangqi, explained the specific methods of sand therapy in his Supplement to the Materia Medica (Bencao Shiyi). Li Shizhen, the great Ming Dynasty medical scholar, mentioned sand therapy in his Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu): "In the sixth month, take river sand, expose it to the blazing sun until it is extremely hot, and sit in it, replacing it when it cools," adding that the standard should be "taking the heat through to induce sweat," that is, until the body perspires.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Wusiman Yasheng is anchored in the documented technical standards of Uyghur Medicine in Tulufan, Xinjiang. Within the documented technical tradition of Uyghur Medicine in Tulufan, Xinjiang: Sand therapy is a non-medicinal therapy: it is a comprehensive natural physiotherapy method that makes use of the natural resource of magnetic dunes, acting through the conduction of heat by hot sand, magnetic effects, mineral penetration, and the massage of sand grains. Sand therapy is strongly seasonal: June 5 to August 20 each year is the golden season for sand therapy in Turpan. During this period, sunlight is abundant, daylight hours are long, and temperatures are high, making it most suitable for sand-burial treatment. In whole-body sand therapy, most of the body is covered with hot sand, leaving only the head, face, and neck exposed. Generally it is done for 2 hours a day, with 10 to 15 days making one course of treatment. Local sand therapy depends on the area being treated. It is done 1 to 2 hours a day, with 10 to 15 days making one course of treatment. Clinical practice has proven that sand therapy has many indications, and it is particularly effective against rheumatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Sand therapy has the characteristics of no side effects, low cost, and fast results, which help lighten patients' burdens in various respects and reflect the social benefits of Uyghur medicine. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Whole-body sand therapy": The body is buried in hot sand except the head and neck, two hours a day over a course of ten to fifteen days. "Local sand therapy": Hot sand is piled on the affected part for one to two hours a day over ten to fifteen days. "Sweating is the measure": The session ends when the body has sweated; Li Shizhen records sitting in sun-baked river sand from the sixth month, changing it as it cools. "Heat conduction, magnetism and sand massage": A drug-free natural therapy acting through heat conduction, the magnetic sand, mineral penetration and the massage of grains.
Whole-body sand therapy
The body is buried in hot sand except the head and neck, two hours a day over a course of ten to fifteen days.
Local sand therapy
Hot sand is piled on the affected part for one to two hours a day over ten to fifteen days.
Sweating is the measure
The session ends when the body has sweated; Li Shizhen records sitting in sun-baked river sand from the sixth month, changing it as it cools.
Heat conduction, magnetism and sand massage
A drug-free natural therapy acting through heat conduction, the magnetic sand, mineral penetration and the massage of grains.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Wusiman Yasheng was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Uyghur Medicine, with Tulufan, Xinjiang as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Uyghur Medicine in Tulufan, Xinjiang: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2014 (batch 4), with Tulufan, Xinjiang as its declared area, and Tulufan Weiwueryi Hospital as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
In the Tang Dynasty, medical writings already contained the record that "in the Western Regions, burying in hot sand dispels all ailments of wind and cold"; travel accounts by famous figures of successive dynasties frequently describe "burying in sand in the land of fire to cure illness and drive away disease." Sun Simiao, the famous Tang Dynasty medical scholar, gave a detailed introduction to the sand therapy in his Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold (Qianjin Yaofang).
05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage
National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abudouwubuer Aji | Hetiandi, Xinjiang | 04-1954 | Other regional school |
| Aibibula Yusufu | Xinjiangweiwueryixuegaodengzhuankexuexiao | 04-1955 | Other regional school |
| Abudoukelimu Abudouremu | Shache, Xinjiang | 05-2966 | Other regional school |
| Wusiman Yasheng | Tulufan, Xinjiang | — | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。