Modernization of Tibetan Medicine

Before the Chinese Invasion in 1959 Tibet had two medical centres in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet: Chakpori and Men- Tsee- Khang. During the Cultural Revolution Chakpori was destroyed, as well as and many valuable scripts, moreover, the enormous practical knowledge of the Tibetan physicians who were killed, was also lost. Men- Tsee- Khang fortunately, has survived this time and nowadays Tibetan Medicine is taught and practiced again in Tibet.

In 1961 the Tibetan Government in Exile in North-India newly founded the Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute (TMAI). It is under the management of Dr. Yeshe Donden and its goal is to preserve, promote and further develop Traditional Tibetan Medicine and Astrology, as well as to produce Tibetan medicines in an environmentally sensitive manner. The photo (right) shows a variety of medicines of the TMAI. Today there are numerous subsidiaries in India and also the Chakpori-Institute has been newly established in India.

The further development of Tibetan Medicine and the contribution of this medical system to global health is one of the concerns of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. At the occasion of his visit of Padma ltd. in August 2005 he advocated a bridging between Western and Eastern medicine:
"So, it (is) very clear that a free country with the rule of law and a strong tradition of objective and open-minded research is very important, very useful. Therefore, I very much appreciate the work you (Padma) carry out. It is wonderful, wonderful! And I hope in the future, our medical centre in Dharamsala keeps close contact, and with contact I mean some Tibetan physicians come from time to time for a visit and discuss and carry out research work jointly. (...)
I believe since many years, that the Tibetan medical system itself is a combination of traditions of different countries. That means in ancient time some kind of cooperation (took place between) Chinese tradition, Indian tradition, Tibetan tradition and some others. Now, in the 21st century it is worthwhile to (continue) this close cooperation in order to serve humanity."