Foreword O. Nyamdavaa, Ambassador of Mongolia to India, New
Delhi, India. Editorial
(click here to read the Editorial) B. Gerke, Principal Trustee, ITTM, Kalimpong,
India.
PART I: On
Mongolian Medical Literature An Introduction W. A. Unkrig, in Die Tibetische Medizinphilosophie
(Philosophy of Tibetan Medicine) by P. Cyrill von Korvin-Krasinski, Zürich 1953.
Some Sources of Ancient
Mongolian Medicine Prof. D. Tserensodnom (Ph.D., Dr. of Science in
Philology), Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Institute of
Language and Literature, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Tibetan and Mongolian
Medicine Holdings at Western Washington University H. G. Schwarz (Prof. Emeritus), President of the
Mongolia Society, Inc., Western Washington University, WA, USA.
PART II: Short
Biographies of Mongolian Physicians
Some Notes on the Famous
Mongolian Pharmacologist Jambal Dorje P. Banzragch (MD) Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and B.
Gerke, ITTM, Kalimpong, India.
Academician Ts. Haidav -
Innovator of Traditional Mongolian Medicine Yu. Mungh-Amgalan, (Ph.D., Dr. of Science in
Linguistics), Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
and G. Tsend-Ayush (MD), Chicago, IL, USA.
The Tale of a Private
Physician Practising Tibetan Medicine in Mongolia as told by P. Banzragch (MD), Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia, to B. Gerke, ITTM, Kalimpong, India.
Part III: Research
Papers
Research on Treatment of
Liver Diseases with Traditional Mongolian Medicine Summary of a Doctoral Thesis by J. Khatanbaatar
(MD, Ph.D.), Director of the Traditional Mongolian Centre for Liver Diseases,
Honoured Physician of Mongolia, Social Policy Advisor to the Prime
Minister of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar
Reconstruction of
Traditional Theory and Methodology in
Indo-Tibetan-Mongolian Medicine Summary of a Doctoral Thesis by B. Boldsaikhan
(MD, Ph.D.), Head of the Clinic of Traditional Medicine
and Professor of the System Science Research Institute
of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology,
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
PART IV: Exploring Mongolian Medical Practice
Tradition and Innovation:
The Traditional Mongolian Centre for Liver Diseases in
Ulaanbaatar B. Gerke, ITTM, Kalimpong, India.
Discussing Pharmacology in
Traditional Mongolian Medicine D. Adyakhuu, Director of Pharmacy, Traditional
Mongolian Centre for Liver Diseases. Interviewed by B. Gerke, ITTM, Kalimpong, India.
Case Study Report: Treatment
of Juvenile Chronic Aggressive Hepatitis C with
Traditional Mongolian Medicine B. Tegshdelger (MD), Deputy Director, Traditional
Mongolian Centre for Liver Diseases.
On Andai Therapy in Eastern
Inner Mongolia B. Saijirahu, Tokyo, Japan.
Ayurvedic Principles of
Preventive Health Care Applied to Traditional Mongolian
Medicine S. Harnuud, former Director, Inner Mongolian
International Cultural Exchange Centre, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.
Searching for Mongolian
Medicine in the Gobi Desert S. Carey, (BSN, RN, M.Ed.), Middlebury, VT, USA.
PART V: Education
in Mongolian Medicine
Museum Project: ãLight of
Dharmaä Centre of Traditional Mongolian Medical Studies
in Ulaanbaatar Prof. D. Tserensodnom (Ph.D., Dr. of Science in
Philology), Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Institute of
Language and Literature, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The Manba Datsan - Clinic
and Training Centre for Traditional Mongolian Medicine D. Natsagdorj, the Khamba Lama, Director of Manba
Datsan, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
On Traditional Medical
Education at the Manba Datsan G. Odontsetseg, Physician of Traditional Medicine,
Manba Dastan, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Interviewed by B. Gerke, ITTM, Kalimpong, India.
Full-credit, 2-week
University Course Exploring Traditional Mongolian
Medicine & Yoga at the University of Vermont,
VT, USA. Summarised by S. Carey (BSN, RN, M.Ed.),
Middlebury, VT, USA.
International Conference on
Mongolian Medicine in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, P. R. China, August
18-20, 2001. Summarised by the Editors.
Addresses of the
Contributors
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Editorial
It has taken almost two years of challenging
efforts to present the eighth volume of AyurVijnana
with the focus on traditional Mongolian medicine.
This issue was inspired by my visit to
Ulaanbaatar, in the autumn of 2000, at the invitation of
Jambal Khatanbaatar, Honoured Physician of Mongolia and
Social Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Mongolia.
My stay was hosted by the Traditional Mongolian Centre
for Liver Diseases - which is directed by Khatanbaatar -
located in the outskirts of the capital. The contact had
been established through the kind courtesy of the
Mongolian Ambassador to India, O. Nyamdavaa. The
Ambassador had visited ITTM in May 2000, being a close
friend of Lama Chimpa, Trustee of ITTM, and his son Amur
Sanathu, Second Secretary & HOC of the Indian Embassy in
Mongolia.
In the midst of the bright autumn days in Mongolia
that I fondly remember, I met a number of outstanding
physicians and scholars. Many of these professionals
kindly contributed to this issue. Over the long period
of editing and strengthening the dialogue with new
friends in Mongolia, further contacts were established
with scholars of Mongolian studies in Japan and the USA,
whose contributions added new dimensions to this volume.
The medical traditions preserved in Mongolia,
which only in 1990 ushered in multi-party democracy, and
Inner Mongolia - an autonomous region and part of China
since 1947- give evidence of an extremely rich
indigenous heritage. Awareness of its potential
contributions to the understanding of human health and
illness has also increased in recent years in the West.
Within the short span of the last ten years,
several hospitals and institutions involved in the
research, practice and promotion of traditional medicine
have surfaced in Ulaanbaatar. Most of them are
represented in this issue through articles by their
senior scholars and physicians. Their contributions
cover a wide range of scholarly interest, including
papers on academic and social-historical topics,
critical appreciation of works by certain Mongolian
scholars, interviews with professionals in the field, as
well as rare documentation of personal experience during
the time when Mongolian medicine had to be practised
clandestinely.
The range of information presented in this issue
has been kept as wide as possible, considering the
inherent dynamism of the Tibetan and Mongolian medical
systems, as well as Ayurveda, in which both are rooted.
These traditions have been continuously evolving, as are
the cultures and societies in which they are embedded,
giving rise to tremendous challenges in their study.
AyurVijnana does not purport to be a
'scientific' journal in the way Western biomedicine
still claims to hold priority over other existing
medical systems. This volume is meant to be a modest
contribution to the study of traditional Mongolian
medicine. In fact, over most of the last century,
English publications on this topic have been few and far
between.
Although medical historians and anthropologists
are increasingly veering towards acceptance of
'plurality' in medical systems (1), an exclusivist
tendency still remains among a number of scholars and
practitioners of traditional medicine. Often we
encounter a limited perception of each of the systems,
being propagated as either 'Ayurveda', 'Tibetan
Medicine' or 'Mongolian Medicine', sometimes with strong
nationalist notions. Today, it is rare to find scholars
versed in the three languages, Sanskrit - Tibetan -
Mongolian, necessary to understand those medical systems
in their much wider context of the complex Central and
South Asian history. After all, these three traditions
drew their basic understanding of the five elements and
three humours from the same sources. Moreover, Tibetans
and Mongolians have a considerable amount of medical
literature in common, the oldest of which are based on
ancient Ayurvedic texts.(2)
Nevertheless, each people added to the corpus of
medical knowledge, drawing from their own indigenous
materia medica and medical requirements, and carved
out new characteristics which are typical to their own
tradition and deserve recognition in their own right.
Indigenous traditions in Mongolia existed even before
the arrival of Buddhism and Tibetan medicine (see pp. 28
and 79 ), as they did in Tibet before the introduction
of Buddhist and medical teachings from India.
Among the early scholars to investigate Oriental
medicine from a broad perspective, was the German
Tibetologist and Mongolist Wilhelm Alexander Unkrig
(1883-1956). He mastered the three Oriental languages
and wrote a very useful summary on what was known of
Tibetan and Mongolian medicine until the 1950s in
Europe. Unkrig himself preferred to call his field of
research 'Lamaistische Heilkunde' (Lamaist Science of
Healing), drawing from Sanskrit, Tibetan and Mongolian
literature in his study. These early contributions to
the Western understanding of Oriental medical studies,
in a wider sense, should not be underestimated,
considering that the medical cultures of India, Tibet
and Mongolia were almost unheard of in Europe during the
first half of the 20th century.
Unkrig's paper - last published in 1953 and 1968 -
is presented in its English translation at the beginning
of this issue (3) to make the reader aware of a very
early work of European scholarship in Oriental medicine.
Unkrig applied his profound linguistic knowledge to
understand the historical context of medical systems
that developed in India, Tibet and Mongolia over
centuries.
The articles of this issue are presented in five
parts, involving the areas of medical literature and
history, biographies of physicians, recent research,
clinical practice and education. In Part I, on Mongolian
Medical Literature, D. Tseren-sodnom presents 'Some
Sources of Ancient Mongolian Medicine', drawing
attention to the indigenous traditions of Mongolian
nomad medical cultures before the second arrival of
Buddhism and Tibetan medicine in the 16th century AD
(p.28).
H. G. Schwarz introduces the collection of Tibetan
and Mongolian medical texts at the library of the
Western Washington University (p.31). Thanks to him and
ITTM volunteer efforts, the catalogue of 266 entries is
now available online on the ITTM at
Three Short Biographies of Mongolian Physicians,
in Part II, give insight into three extraordinary lives:
Jambal Dorje, the famous Mongolian pharmacologist, who
collated a major Tibetan-Mongolian materia medica,
lived during the 19th century (p.34). Ts. Haidav, whose
contribution to Mongolian medicine has been summarised
by Yu. Mungh-Amgalan and G. Tsend-Ayush, was a pioneer
who promoted and preserved traditional medicine under
difficult conditions in Mongolia throughout the
communist era (p.40). Lastly, P. Banzragch shares his
life experience over a period of seventy years, spanning
an early pre-communist Tibetan-Buddhist education,
followed by a Western medical career as a cardiologist.
In the later part of his life, after meeting the
mysterious personality, Lama Lobsang, he began a serious
study and practice of Tibetan medicine (p.45).
The two Research Papers by Mongolian physicians,
presented in Part III of the issue, have one approach in
common. Both authors studied Western as well as
traditional medicine in Mongolia and have applied their
modern research methods to verify the effectiveness of
their indigenous drugs and raw materials. The papers are
concise summaries of doctoral theses. Their brief
presentations intend to inform the readers about the
kind of research conducted by Mongolian physicians. The
originals are written in Mongolian and interested
scholars may contact the authors directly for further
information (see author's address list on page 108). The
collection of their specialised material is also meant
to point out the various facets in which the tradition
is presented in Mongolia itself. J. Khatanbaatar
summarises his research on traditional Mongolian drugs
for liver disorders (p.55). B. Boldsaikhan introduces
modern research methods, such as artificial intelligence
and fuzzy logic, to the study of 'hot and cold' diseases
in traditional Mongolian medicine (p.58).
Part IV, explores Mongolian Medical Practice, from
various perspectives. The article on the Traditional
Mongolian Centre for Liver Diseases in Ulaanbaatar
addresses the modern pluralistic approach where
innovations include various alternative therapies in
combination with biomedicine. The introduction of
Vipassana meditation for doctors and patients, funded by
the Centre, is certainly remarkable (p.65). The
interview with D. Adyakhuu on pharmacological aspects of
traditional Mongolian medicine (p.75) is followed by a
case study of treating juvenile chronic aggressive
hepatitis C, documented by B. Tegshdelger (p.78).
B. Saijirahu presents an indigenous shamanic dance
therapy, known as Andai, used to treat women's
psychosomatic problems. This tradition is prevalent in
Eastern Inner Mongolia and has hardly been studied
(p.81). Harnuud Sodnomdarjaa from Inner Mongolia focuses
on the traditional roots of Ayurvedic medicine. In his
article, originally written in classical Mongolian, he
stresses the preventive health care approach in Ayurveda
and advocates that Mongolian medicine should pay more
attention to 'prevention' rather than 'treatment'
(p.84).
An interesting contribution by Sas Carey describes
an expedition into the Mongolian Gobi Desert in 2001 on
her quest to discover traditional medical practices
(p.86). Reaching the county of Manlai, a 12 hour drive
from Ulaanbaatar, Carey realises in an interview with a
pediatrician that the hospital uses mainly biomedicine
and wants to develop its laboratory rather than
introduce traditional medicine. However, in the nearby
region, she explores and documents traditional healing
arts which are still practised by nomadic bone setters.
(4)
Part V of this issue deals with the Education of
Traditional Mongolian Physicians in contemporary
Mongolia. The preservation of traditional Mongolian
medical studies is underway in different parts of the
country, especially in the capital, where, for example,
D. Tserensodnom is working on the establishment of the
Centre of Traditional Mongolian Medical Studies and a
museum seeking international support (p.93).
A presentation of the five-year education
programme at the Manba Datsan reflects a traditional
teaching approach. The activities and history of the
Manba Datsan are described by D. Natsagdorj, the Khamba
Lama (p.95). An interview with G. Odontsetseg reveals
that students at the Manba Datsan memorise the entire
'Four Medical Tantras' known as Gyushi - the
standard 11th century medical text - in both the Tibetan
and Mongolian languages. Once qualified, they also have
to undergo regular examinations to renew their working
license every five years (p.99). Modern approaches, such
as the three-year course for MDs that was introduced in
the article on the Traditional Mongolian Centre for
Liver Diseases (p.66), are also embraced, creating a
dynamic blend of tradition and innovation within
Mongolian medical studies.
The fact that Mongolian medicine has been
introduced to Western students for the first time in a
two-week course at the University of Vermont, USA, in
2001 (p.103), raises many questions: To what extent can
such a complex tradition that requires three to five
years of intensive studies be taught to Westerners
without translated teaching material available? Will
Mongolian medicine meet the same pitfalls that Tibetan
medicine already faces in the West, being taught in
weekend workshops, but with few opportunities for
non-Tibetans to become qualified in the field? Should
there be an international agreement or a kind of
standardisation about the possible levels of involvement
in traditional medical education? Will courses remain on
the introductory level, or will professional training be
available at one point of time? I hope that this
publication will inspire readers to discuss these
issues.
The International Conference on Traditional
Mongolian Medicine, held in Hohhot, in August 2001, was
another milestone in bringing traditional Mongolian
medicine to an international focus (p.105). The editors
give a brief summary on a small selection of the 395
conference presentations, which reflect the multitude of
topics that traditional Mongolian medicine has addressed
in recent years.
Preparing this issue has been a rewarding
experience, including the linguistic problems of working
with Mongolian authors through interpreters or in direct
communication. Unfortunately, not all the articles that
reached us could be included in this volume. We are
grateful to the co-sponsors for covering two-thirds of
the publication costs, and we thank our readers for
voluntary contributions to cover the remaining expenses.
I sincerely wish to thank all authors,
translators, technical and editorial colleagues and
advisors for their patient voluntary efforts towards
presenting this wealth of information in a creative and
purposeful manner. These efforts will undoubtedly help
to bring traditional Mongolian medicine a step further
towards a global dialogue and international exchange.
May this publication open new doors for Mongolian
scholars and physicians to introduce their work and
views to the West, and for both to find new ways to
explore together what they have to offer and aspire to
share.
Barbara Gerke
Editor Kalimpong, July 2002
NOTES
(1) Ernst W. (ed.) 2002: Plural
Medicine, Tradition and Modernity, 1800-2000. London
and New York: Routledge. (2) e.g. The Ashtanga Hrydaya
Samhita by Vagbhata. (3) We are grateful to the
publishers, Origo Verlag, Zürich, for their kind
permission to print Unkrig's paper in its English
translation in AyurVijnana. (4) At the time of printing, Sas
Carey is on her way to the Manlai sum hospital, in the
Mongolian Gobi desert, to set up a laboratory with the
help of a laboratory technician. The equipment and
transportation has been donated by hospitals, doctors
and individuals from the Northeastern United States. She
will further research and film the traditional medical
practice of bone setters.
