Tibetan medicine has a long history, forming a complete theoretical system and based on rich experience in clinical practice. For thousands of years, it has widely absorbed the essence of Han medicine and the ethnic medicine of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries. Tibetan medicine has unique insight and efficacy in regard to certain diseases, and is unique in the national pharmacology that has developed over many centuries in China. It has made important contributions to the prospering of the Tibetan nationality.
According to the theories of Tibetan medicine, people fall sick because of the impact of environment, climate, diet and daily lire, as well as the imbalance of three major factors of body. The main diagnosis methods include interrogation, observation and palpation. Analysis and summarization is conducted according to the results of these three aspects. The nature of the disease is judged according to the aetiological agent.
The main medical code concerning Tibetan medicine is the Four Medical Tantras written by Yuthok Yonten Gonpo, a famous Tibetan medicine scientist in the 8th century. It has rich contents including the classification of various diseases, physiology, pathology, diagnosis and treatment, drug formulations, etc.
According to theory, diseases are divided into two kinds, namely those with symptoms caused by cold factors, and those with symptoms caused by hot factors. Tibetan medicine prescriptions include the oral medication and external treatment. Tibetan drugs also are divided based on their hot and cold properties. Because all kinds of diseases have different characteristics, drugs should be selected for treatment according to their properties and flavors, especially their efficacy, and the state of the illness. External treatment methods include moxibustion therapy, bloodletting, cupping, hemostasis with the hot ghee, pasting the external wound with barley vinasse, etc. Common drugs, prepared by using many kinds of materials, total more than 1,400 kinds, including some specialties of Tibet.
The treatment aspects of Tibetan medicine include diet, daily life practice, oral medication, and external treatment. Tibetan medicine pays attention to oral medication and external treatment, and also diet and daily life.
Tibet is unique in terrain and rich in drug resources. There are more than 1, 000 kinds of medicinal plants available, accounting for more than half of the total of China. Some animal and vegetable drugs are very rare, and many are specialties of Tibet. Tibetan medicine has the fine tradition of self-collection, self-planting, self-preparation and self-usage.