Uyghur Medicine
01 · Historical Records
Kuxitai, in Uyghur, translates literally as "to burn or to kill"; it refers to the method of heating and refining medicinal materials with certain implements and auxiliary or supplementary materials, and it is thus naturally the category in Uyghur medicine's concoctive preparation where mastery of heat control is most crucial, used mostly for mineral drugs, shellfish, and harsh seed drugs. In the clinical practice and pharmacies of Uyghur medicine around Hotan and Kashgar throughout the ages, this refining method was passed down orally from master to apprentice, and the criteria for judging heat control can only be taught by word of mouth even today.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
2. The "geliyikmaiti" clay-wrapped refining method: this refers to the method of wrapping the medicinal material directly in "geliyikmaiti" clay and then heating it over a low fire to refine the drug. This method is mostly used to refine croton seed, castor bean, nutmeg, aloe, and calomel. 3. The pot-refining method: this refers to the method of placing the medicinal material directly in a pot and heating it over a low fire to refine the drug. This method is mostly used to refine alum, borax, coral, pearl, copper, gypsum, arsenolite, sulfur, and niter. 4. The smoke-condensation refining method: this refers to the method of heating the medicinal material to produce smoke, then scraping down the solidified smoke for later use. The specific method is as follows: grind the drug into a fine powder, place it in a pot, and after heating until it yellows, cover it with a bowl; place three layers of salt-soaked paper strips where the pot and bowl meet, and seal them with clay mud; then fill sand up to the rim of the pot; place two grains of rice on the bottom of the bowl and press it down with two pieces of earth; first heat with a low fire for 1 hour, gradually increasing the heat; when the rice on the bowl bottom turns yellow, reduce the heat and continue heating with a low fire; when the rice turns black, stop heating; remove the sand and clay, then scrape the medicinal powder from inside the bowl with a knife for later use. This method is mostly used to refine mercury, cinnabar, and realgar. 5. The heated drip-distillation method: this refers to the method of placing the medicinal material in a pot, heating it, and causing the active ingredients of the drug to drip-distill. The specific method is as follows: place the drug in a bottle with a small hole, align the distillate jar below it, and heat around the bottle so that the melted medicine distills into the receiving jar. This method is mostly used to refine light salt, table salt, and sal ammoniac. The kuxitai method has six main effects: (1) reducing or eliminating the toxicity or side effects of the drug; (2) changing and moderating the nature and grade of the drug; (3) improving efficacy; (4) facilitating compounding, preparation, and storage; (5) ensuring the purity of the drug; and (6) making it easy to take. With its distinctive therapeutic methods and efficacy, Uyghur medicine has played an important role in safeguarding the physical and mental health of people of all ethnic groups and has made important contributions to the prosperity of all peoples.
Clay-wrapped drug refining
Drugs are wrapped in the special clay and heated gently, a method used for Croton, castor seed, nutmeg, aloe and calomel.
Pot refining
Drugs are heated gently in a pot, a method applied to alum, borax, coral, pearl, copper, gypsum, arsenic and sulphur.
Smoke sublimation judged by rice grains
Fine powder is heated under a lidded bowl sealed with salted paper strips, clay and sand; two rice grains on the bowl bottom signal the heat by their colour.
Heated distillation
The drug sits in a pierced jar above a receiver and is heated around until it melts and distils through the hole.
Six purposes of Kusitai
Kusitai serves six ends: cutting toxicity, tempering the drug's nature, raising efficacy, easing dispensing and storage, ensuring purity and palatability.
A sealed furnace that must not leak
Clay, sand and salted paper strips hold the heat and pressure inside the sealed vessel, and every detail is passed on at the furnace.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Uyghur medical science has a long history, distinctive regional and ethnic characteristics, a unique foundational theory, and rich clinical experience, and occupies an important place in the treasure house of China's traditional medicine. "Kuxitai" translates literally from Uyghur as "to burn or to kill"; it refers to the method of heating and refining medicinal materials with certain implements and auxiliary or supplementary materials, and is mainly divided into: (1) the "geliyikmaiti" clay-sealed refining method, also called the "bottle-loading refining method", in which the drug is loaded into a bottle, the mouth of the bottle is covered well, and the mouth and exterior of the bottle are treated with red clay, wheat or barley, and the like.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Uyghur Medicine · Uyghur Medicine · Uyghur Medicine · Uyghur Medicine · Uyghur Medicine.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The kuxitai method has six main effects: reducing or eliminating the toxicity or side effects of the drug; changing and moderating the nature and grade of the drug; improving efficacy; facilitating compounding, preparation, and storage; ensuring the purity of the drug; and making it easy to take. These six points show that it occupies a pivotal position in the Uyghur concoctive preparation system: the smoke-condensation refining method deals with toxic drugs such as mercury, cinnabar, and realgar, which place especially high demands on sealing the furnace and judging the heat; once this experience is lost, it is difficult to replace.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Abudouwubuer Aji 04-1954
- Aibibula Yusufu 04-1955
- Abudoukelimu Abudouremu 05-2966
- Wusiman Yasheng
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript; it mirrors the bilingual dossier. 阅读中文版，或返回 英文名录。