Tibetan Medicine

01 · Historical Records

After the 14th century, Tibetan medicine divided academically into the Southern and Northern schools. The compounding techniques of the Tibetan medicine Renchen Changjue: this formula was completed in the 8th century CE and first recorded in the classic Tibetan medical treatise "Four Medical Tantras." Following the principles of Tibetan medicine, it is carefully prepared from natural, precious, and rare Tibetan medicinal materials grown in the special ecological environment of the "roof of the world," combining modern science with traditional techniques.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Each of the two schools has its own academic strengths, and they overlap with one another. Both the Southern and Northern schools are components of Tibetan medicine. The Lhasa Northern School of Tibetan medicine is one of the major schools of Tibetan medicine; the "mercury refining method" and the "Renchen Changjue compounding techniques" are distinctive drug-processing methods. The Tibetan medical "mercury refining method," abbreviated as "mercury processing" or "Zuozhu Qinmo," is called by the Tibetan people the treasure among treasures of Tibetan medicine. Through complex and special processing, generations of famous Tibetan doctors refined highly toxic mercury into "zuota," the king of medicines — non-toxic and possessing remarkable curative effects. As an important processing method for Tibetan medicinal materials and the sole essence of Tibetan pharmaceutical practice, this technique has been highly valued by Tibetan medical scholars for thousands of years and transmitted from generation to generation, so that it has been carried forward to this day. The practical method of mercury processing was first recorded in the 8th century CE in the "Four Medical Tantras" compiled by Yutuo Ningma Yundan Gongbu, and is described in some detail in the formula for the precious medicine "Renchen Changjue" pills. At the end of the 13th century, the great sage Wujianba Renqinbei successfully carried out the entire practical operation of cold-heat treatment and detoxification in the "mercury refining" process, and compiled works such as the "Treatise on Mercury Preparation," initiating a systematic and complete practical operation of "mercury processing" in Tibetan pharmacy and making immeasurable contributions to its popularization and promotion. The "zuota" produced by mercury refining is an indispensable and important raw material for compounding precious Tibetan patent medicines. It has a long history of use in Tibetan medicine, has been validated by nearly two thousand years of clinical practice, is widely applied and used in large quantities, is the finest grade of Tibetan medicine, and has the effects of prolonging life, strengthening the body, reducing toxicity, and enhancing efficacy. More than a thousand years of clinical practice have proven that this medicine has unique curative effects on chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, chronic atrophic gastritis, and liver and gallbladder diseases. It has been used to the present day and is renowned both at home and abroad for its distinctive efficacy, highly praised by medical experts and patients in China and abroad. This formula is compounded from more than 120 kinds of natural animal, mineral, and plant materials unique to Tibet. More than ten Tibetan medicine enterprises across the country produce and sell it; however, most of the medicinal material resources have been damaged to varying degrees, and some medicinal species have experienced population decline or even face extinction.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

The Lhasa area is the home ground of the Northern School of Tibetan medicine. Both the mercury refining method and the compounding of Renchen Changjue complete their most critical step on this plateau: the cold-heat treatment and detoxification of mercury rely on the experience of generations of practitioners, while the proportions of the 120 medicinal ingredients depend on repeated cross-checking of the established formula among Tibetan medicine factories in different places. When Qiangba Chilie became director of the Tibetan Hospital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1962, he promoted specialized outpatient clinics and introduced testing methods; Nyima Ciren, while engaged in clinical work, wrote a monograph on the mercury refining method. This technique has thus been preserved in both hospitals and scholarly studies.

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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

Later, through the continuous practice and transmission by famous Tibetan medical scholars such as the wise men Karmaba Rangqiong Duoji, Suka Nianduoji, and Gongzhu Yundan Gyaco, the essence of this Tibetan medical culture has been passed down from generation to generation, continuing to safeguard human health. To this end, starting from the compounding and techniques of the Tibetan medicine "Renchen Changjue," it is crucial to protect as soon as possible and renew the use of some of the medicinal species in its compounding that are on the verge of extinction. Qiangba Chilie (recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): He mastered everything: Tibetan medical theory, history, the doctrines of various schools, clinical practice in all specialties, materia medica, prescriptions, pharmaceutical preparation, astronomy, and calendrical calculation, becoming a Tibetan medical master recognized today. Qiangba Chilie not only inherited the essence of traditional Tibetan medicine but also played an important role in promoting the modernization of Tibetan medicine. In 1962, as director of the Tibetan Hospital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, he broke through obstacles and vigorously promoted specialized outpatient clinics and introduced advanced testing methods and instruments, changing the habits of traditional Tibetan medicine. In 1974, when the Tibetan medicine class of the Lhasa Municipal Health School enrolled students and began teaching, Qiangba Chilie undertook the compilation of eleven courses, including fundamentals of Tibetan medicine, physiology, surgery, and the five-views studies. He carefully studied and interpreted the classic Tibetan medical work "Four Medical Tantras," organized and compiled the "Eighty Colored Thangkas of Tibetan Medicine," served as chief editor of "Tibetan Man Tang Detailed Explanation: Light of Blue Beryl," and compiled and published Tibetan medical textbooks such as "Chinese Tibetan Medicine" and "Internal Medicine of Tibetan Medicine," making outstanding contributions to the recovery, revitalization, and development of the Tibetan medical cause in Tibet. Male, of Tibetan ethnicity, born in 1929, died in 2011, a native of Lhasa, Tibet. He is a representative inheritor of Tibetan Medicine, a first-batch national-level intangible cultural heritage item. Nyima Ciren (recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, of Tibetan ethnicity, born in 1959, a native of Lhasa, Tibet. He is currently president of the Tibetan Medical College of Tibet, holder of a master's degree in Tibetan medicine, and doctoral supervisor. The Tibetan medical mercury refining method has a history of more than a thousand years and is the core technique in the preparation of Tibetan medicines. Nyima Ciren has also engaged in Tibetan medical teaching and research, publishing a large number of professional academic papers, such as "The Map of the Human Form," and has written several monographs, including the "Tibetan Medical Numerals Dictionary," "Five Kinds of Sanskrit Combined Reading Primer," and "Tibetan Mercury Refining Method." He led the development of Tibetan medicines for treating hepatitis A and B, which were included in the National Spark Program projects 206 and 209; he studied in depth the more than twenty diabetes cases described in ancient Tibetan medical texts and researched and prepared a series of new medicines. Nyima Ciren carefully collected and organized 260 secret prescriptions of the late Tibetan medical master Cuoru Cailang, promoting the transmission and development of Tibetan medical science. He is a representative inheritor of Tibetan Medicine (Lhasa Northern School Tibetan Medicine Mercury Refining Method), a first-batch national-level intangible cultural heritage item.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

• Qiangbachilie 01-0220
• Nimaciren 01-0221
• Suolangqimei 01-0222
• Gawu 01-0223
• Duoji 01-0224
• Tangka Angwengjiangcuo 01-0225
• Gesangnima 01-0226
• Mima 03-1450
• Gesangciren 03-1451
• Lixianjia 03-1452
• Danzengpengcuo 03-1453
• Suolangdunzhu 03-1454
• Luosangduoji 03-1455
• Baimajiacuo 03-1456
• Eri 03-1457
• Gamacuoni 03-1458
• Sangjie 03-1459
• Nima 03-1460
• Zhandui 04-1947
• Mingzhu 05-2957
• Suonanwangjie 05-2958
• Nimacairang 05-2959
• Dansongzhaba
• Yujue
• Duojierenqing
• Cirenluobu
• Kanzhaojia

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Tibetan Medicine (Tibet) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Qiangbachilie · National Representative Bearer Archive
3. Nimaciren · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗