Zhuang Medicine
01 · Historical Records
The Zhuang medicated-thread moxibustion therapy is rooted in the backgrounds of ancient Yue culture and Lingnan culture. It takes yin and yang as its foundation, holds that the qiaowu (brain) governs the spirit, that the three qi of humanity, heaven, and earth move in step, that the viscera, bones, flesh, qi, and blood form the body, and that the three passages — the qi passage, grain passage, and water passage — and the two paths — the dragon path and fire path — are its functions. In this theory, the body surface and the interior are connected through the dragon path and fire path, so the medicated thread need not be inserted under the skin; simply searing the acupoints on the body surface can open these paths. The craft of twisting the medicated thread from ramie, soaking it in medicinal liquid, and drying it grew out of the everyday experience of Zhuang village households using locally available materials. Combined, these form a distinctive branch of external treatment methods in Zhuang medicine.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Zhuang medicine is the traditional medicine of the Zhuang people. It is an ethnic traditional medicine built on the backgrounds of ancient Yue culture and Lingnan culture, taking yin and yang as its foundation, with the qiaowu (brain) governing the spirit, the three qi of humanity, heaven, and earth moving in step, the viscera, bones, flesh, qi, and blood forming the body, and the three passages — qi passage, grain passage, and water passage — and the two paths — dragon path and fire path — serving as its functions. Medicated-thread moxibustion is one of the external treatment methods of Zhuang medicine. The medicated thread used by Zhuang physicians is twisted from ramie, with diameters of 0.25 mm, 0.7 mm, and 1 mm, and is soaked in medicinal liquid and dried for later use. In application, the medicated thread is lit and used to sear the patient's body-surface acupoints, so as to dredge the dragon path and fire path; it has the effects of dispelling wind and relieving obstruction, stopping pain and itching, invigorating blood and resolving stasis, and reducing swelling and dispersing masses. In this therapy, both the ramie medicated thread and the soaking liquid are made from locally available materials; the herbal soaking prescriptions are formulated according to Zhuang medical theory. The acupoints selected include the plum-blossom point, lotus point, and eldest-son point (all named for their likenesses), as well as experiential points; acupoints of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture may also be used. Zhuang medicine is applied mainly among the Zhuang people; the neighboring Miao, Yao, and Dong peoples also use it through exchange and cross-adoption. Because it is convenient to apply and produces good therapeutic results, Zhuang medicated-thread moxibustion has been promoted nationwide as an appropriate rural technology.
Twisting the ramie medicated thread
The medicated thread is twisted from ramie in three diameters, 0.25, 0.7 and 1 millimetres, chosen by point and severity.
Soaking in herbal liquor and drying
The thread is soaked in a herbal liquor prescribed by Zhuang theory and then dried for use.
Burning the thread to open the dragon and fire routes
The lit thread is applied to points on the body surface to open the dragon and fire routes, easing wind, pain and swelling.
Plum-blossom, lotus and eldest-son points
Points are named after shapes such as plum blossom, lotus and eldest son, joined by experiential points and Chinese acupuncture points.
Three ways and two routes
Zhuang medicine names three ways and two routes; the thread cautery works from the skin to open the two routes.
Promotion as a suitable rural technique
Convenient and effective, the medicated-thread cautery has been promoted nationwide as a suitable rural technique.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Zhuang population in China totals more than 16 million, distributed mainly in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Wenshan Zhuang Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Zhuang medicine is applied mainly among the Zhuang people; the neighboring Miao, Yao, and Dong peoples also use it through exchange and cross-adoption. The Zhuang population in China totals more than 16 million, distributed mainly in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Wenshan Zhuang Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province; because both the medicated thread and the soaking liquid can be made from local materials, thread moxibustion has spread together with these communities. Because it is convenient to apply and produces good results, medicated-thread moxibustion has been promoted nationwide as an appropriate rural technology, and this promotion has itself become a key route for the preservation and continuation of the technique. Teaching and research institutions such as Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine have codified the preparation of the medicated thread, the selection of acupoints, and the essentials of operation into standards, giving this originally scattered folk external treatment a form that can be taught.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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