Miao Medicine
01 · Historical Records
Miao medicine is renowned at home and abroad for treating bone injuries, a reputation rooted in the Miao medical theory and practice that "healing bones must replenish the marrow."
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The bone-marrow trauma ointment is a specialized ointment created by the Long family, a Miao martial-arts lineage in Huilong Group, Shuli Village, Majiang County, Guizhou Province. Based on the distinctive bone-injury theories and practices of Miao medicine, it was developed to address musculoskeletal pain, fractures, and injuries from falls and blows encountered in daily life and martial-arts training. The bone-marrow trauma ointment is mainly circulated among the Miao villages of Xiasi Town and Xuanwei Town in Majiang County, Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, and later spread throughout the county and to Kaili City, Zhenyuan County, and beyond. The raw ingredients grow mainly in Majiang County and surrounding areas of Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, where the land is fertile, the vegetation dense, the ecology sound, and medicinal resources abundant, providing a reliable supply of materia medica for the formation and development of the ointment. "Unity of medicine and martial arts" is a major feature of Miao medicine, referring to the close integration of medicine and martial arts. The bone-marrow trauma ointment is composed of 15 locally grown Miao medicinal materials and addresses both injury treatment and marrow replenishment. Prepared by traditional Miao craft, it goes through special process steps including selection and processing, categorized concoctive preparation, oil-decoction extraction, staged paste formation, and mountain-spring soaking. This paste-refining technique, formed by combining Miao medical culture with distinctive craft, is applied by fumigation-washing, external application and smearing, and acupoint poulticing, so that its therapeutic effect is fully brought into play. The bone-marrow trauma ointment and its production technique are highly distinctive: first, the medicinal materials are of excellent quality. Second, it has deep foundations and outstanding efficacy. After more than a century of clinical practice across many generations, its efficacy has never waned; it is particularly effective against injuries from falls and blows, blood stasis, rheumatic pain, fractures, osteomyelitis, and other ailments.
Mending bone by nourishing marrow
Fifteen local Miao drugs make up the paste, combining injury treatment with marrow nourishment.
Sorting and graded processing
Crude drugs are sorted and processed by grade before decoction so that their actions are not cancelled out in one pot.
Oil decoction and extraction
The prepared drugs are decocted in oil to draw out the fat-soluble constituents, unlike water decoction.
Paste made in stages
The paste is built up in stages, with firing time and the order of additions marking the skill of the craft.
Immersing in mountain spring water
The finished paste is steeped in mountain spring water to clear residual fire and impurities.
Fumigation, rubbing and acupoint application
It is applied by fumigation, rubbing or plastering at acupoints, so that the drug enters through skin and points.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Because of its precise drug selection, unique craft, safe use, and good results, this ointment has served the health of people of all ethnic groups locally and in surrounding areas for a hundred years, earning the recognition, praise, and trust of the local population. The raw materials for the bone-marrow trauma ointment mostly grow in the mountains of Qiandongnan, Guizhou. The medicinal materials produced there are numerous and of good quality; the whole formula consists of 15 native herbs, all premium wild medicinal materials among local Miao drugs, each with its own unique therapeutic effect.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Miao Medicine · Miao Medicine · Miao Medicine · Miao Medicine.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The bone-marrow trauma ointment and its related production technique are transmitted within the family; from the first-generation inheritor Long Abie to the fifth-generation inheritor Long Xinchen, more than a century has passed. Besides being suited to injuries from falls and blows, rheumatic joint pain, fractures, and osteomyelitis, the bone-marrow trauma ointment also shows good efficacy against sprains and contusions, lumbar disc herniation, and hyperosteogeny; being safe, effective, simple, and inexpensive, it has considerable cultural, medical, and social value.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Long Yunian 04-1950
- Tian Xingxiu 05-2963
- Wang Zengshi 05-2964
- Long Xinchen
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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