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- A Brief History of Tibetan Medicine
The Tibetan medical system is one of the world's oldest known
medical traditions. There are many evidences such as applying
residual barley from chang (Tibetan beer) on swollen parts, drinking
hot water in case of indigestion and using melt butter for bleeding
are some of the practical experiences that gradually formed the
basis for the development of art of healing in Tibet. During
the pre-Buddhist era, Tibet had religious and cultural influences
from the indigenous Bon tradition.
4th century AD: The renowned Tibetan physician Dungi Thorchok was born. He becomes eminent in his field and later serves as the personal physician to his grand father, the 28th King Lhathothori (348-468 AD). Under his lineage the famous Yuthok Yonten Gonpo is born.
7th century AD: During this century, which marks the beginning of two centuries of Tibetan dominance of Upper Asia, King Songtsen Gampo (617-650 AD) invites physicians from India, China and Persia to Tibet. The result is believed to be a collation, in Tibetan, of their combined medical knowledge.
8th century AD: During the reign of King Trisong Deutsen (755-797 AD), the first International Medical Conference at Samye, Tibet is held, and features physicians from India, Persia, Nepal and other neighboring countries. After the Conference, elder Yuthok Yonten Gonpo (708-833 AD), synthesizes the essence of various Asian Medical System and wrote rgyud bzhi (Four Tantra).
12th century AD: The Younger Yuthok Yonten Gompo rewrites the rGyud-bZhi or Four Tantras, the teachings on which Tibetan medicine has since been based.
13th-14th century AD: Jangpa Namgyal Dragsang and Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorjee write many books on Medicine and Astrology.
17th century AD: Tibetan medicine undergoes further development at the hands of Desi Sangye Gyatso, the most influential politician, scholar and physician of his time. He founds the Chagpori Medical Center (1696 AD) in Lhasa, Tibet.
1916: The Thirteenth Dalai Lama establishes Men-Tsee-Khang in Lhasa, Tibet.
1959: China invades Tibet and Men-Tsee-Khang, Lhasa, closes temporarily. Many of its staff and students, as well as many village-based Tibetan physicians, are arrested and imprisoned. Most die in prison. In the ensuing years, Chinese authorities destroy many Tibetan medical scriptures, paintings and traditional medicines.
March 23, 1961: The tradition of Tibetan medicine is kept alive by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, who re-establishes Men-Tsee-Khang in Dharamsala, India.