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Traditional Mongolian medicine

2017-06-27 (chinadaily.com.cn)

Traditional Mongolian medicine occupies an important part in the rich Mongolian cultural heritages. Traditional Inner Mongolian doctors gave priority to moxibustion therapy, and were skilled in using fire needles, a method for treatment of disease by penetrating the red-hot needles into acupuncture points. Mongolian medicines are mostly botanical drugs. Ancient people classified the properties of Mongolian medicines into eight kinds: heavy, smooth, cool, soft, rough, light, acrid, sharp.

Traditional Khorchin bonesetting manipulation

Traditional Khorchin bonesetting manipulation is a folk method of bonesetting originating around two hundred years ago in Inner Mongolia, and is derived from ancient Shamanism in northern China. With the guidance of traditional Mongolian medical theories, priority is given to manual reduction and splintage complemented with massage, medicines, diet and functional treatment, and has become a most curious subject to learn.

Traditional Mongolian moxibustion

This method belongs to the traditional external therapy of Mongolian medicine by burning mugwort over acupuncture points. 

Blood-letting therapy

This treatment involves cutting or puncturing the vein in certain parts of the body for bloodletting, relieving the body of toxins to achieve disease treatment and precautionary protection. It is appropriate for heat-related diseases caused by blood-based ailments, such as furuncles, skin diseases, gout and tuberculosis. There are two steps to the treatment - preoperative preparation and bloodletting itself.

Acupuncture cupping

A popular external therapy combining acupuncture and cupping. Once a part of the body for cupping therapy has been chosen, the cups are moved and dermal needles are inserted into the upheaval parts. Then, the heated cups are placed over the parts again to get rid of extravasated blood. The body parts for cupping therapy should be hairless with gigantic muscles and high resilience. The therapy is effective across a short course of treatment, is simple and without pain or danger.

Kumiss cure

As a traditional diet-therapy in Inner Mongolia, Kumiss cure provides efficacy of physical fitness and disease treatment. It is particularly effective in the treatment of shock, chest distress and pericardial pain. According to research, there are many effective constituents in kumiss that benefit bodily health, such as sugar, protein, fat and vitamins. Other constituents like amino acids, lactic acid, enzymes, aromatic materials and microelements are also present in kumiss.

Inner Mongolian people have accumulated a rich diet, in which they mainly eat dairy products and meat. Kumiss occupies the highest level of all consumed dairy products in Inner Mongolia.

With the improvement of fermentation technology for kumiss, wine-making technology has also come into being, which has great significance for the development of Mongolian medicine. Specifically, the technology of fermenting kumiss has been developed into a unique form of kumiss therapy.