Tradition and Modernity in Mongolian Medicine

Gerke, Barbara

doi:10.1089/acm.2004.10.743

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…If Sowa Rigpa's expansion and reorientation towards the global within the framework of a subaltern humanitarianism originated in the Tibetan exile community, from the 1980s the Tibetan areas in China took the lead in terms of its commercialization and modernization. By the early to mid-2000s, these developmentswhich also took place in Mongolia (Gerke 2004;Janes and Hilliard 2008) and Bhutan (Wangchuk 2008) culminated in the emergence of a transnational, and rapidly growing, Sowa Rigpa industry (Kloos 2017b). Based on pharmaceutical mass production to supply burgeoning domestic and international markets for traditional medicines, this industry quickly established itself as an integral part of Asia's innovative knowledge sector, officially proclaimed as one of Tibet's "pillar industries" and constituting an important factor for economic growth throughout the region.…”

Section: The Sowa Rigpa Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Humanitarianism from Below: Sowa Rigpa, the Traditional Pharmaceutical Industry, and Global Health

Kloos

2019

Medical Anthropology

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In this article I explore, for the first time, the relationship between Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine) and global health, tracing "the global" in ethical discourses and pharmaceutical innovation practices of Tibetan medical practitioners. I argue that Sowa Rigpa's engagement with the world and its global health activities outside China can be understood as a form of "humanitarianism from below," while its industrialization in China aligns with global health in different ways. In providing new insights into recent developments of Sowa Rigpa, I aim to decenter the notion of humanitarianism and contribute to a broader understanding of global health.

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Section: The Sowa Rigpa Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Humanitarianism from Below: Sowa Rigpa, the Traditional Pharmaceutical Industry, and Global Health

Kloos

2019

Medical Anthropology

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“…This is one example of a dom zasal/baria zasal method that might induce a placebo reaction in adults (Jagan et al, 2019). Due to the lack of empirical research into the TMM itself, their effectiveness might be explained in terms of the trust that the patients place on the practitioner or solely the placebo effect (Gerke, 2004). Furthermore, there is a solid religious affiliation in TMM, including baria zasal and dom zasal (Bold, 1989).…”

Section: Concussion Healers (Bariachi) and Their Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For centuries, Mongolians have used traditional methods (treatments), known as Traditional Mongolian Medicine (TMM) to treat a variety of diseases (Bold, 1989;Gerke, 2004;Sodnompilova & Bashkuev, 2015;Tsybikova et al, 2019) is well adapted to the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolian people, severe climatic conditions, and dietary conditions. In the context of a nomadic lifestyle, concussions and fractures are common due to falling from horses or colliding with livestock.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concussion treatment through Baria zasal: An exploration of Traditional Mongolian Medicine

Ganbat¹,

Byambasukh²,

Dalkh³

et al. 2021

Neurosci Res Notes

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There is no specific treatment for concussion in modern medicine; existing treatments are limited to resting and restoring cognition. For Mongolians, seeking concussion treatment from a bariachi, an advanced practitioner of the baria zasal traditional massage therapy, is very common. The baria zasal technique has been passed down the generations for millions of years, keeping with the Mongolian nomadic culture and way of life. However, this Mongolian treatment is little known or researched internationally. Due to the lack of literature on this subject, conducting a meta-analysis or systematic review was impossible. We reviewed the literature published in Mongolian about this technique. We also searched articles published from 1 January 1921 to 20 June 2021 in PubMed using "concussion", "baria zasal", and "Bariachi" keywords. Although informal observation indicates this is a commonly sought treatment among patients, there are very few published scientific articles about the practice outside the realm of cultural anthropology. This may be due to a few reasons: the informal, semi-religious setting in which the treatment takes place makes it difficult to conduct scientific field research; concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury, making it impossible to identify changes in the brain as a result of the treatment using imaging methods and therefore difficult to verify; and lastly, baria zasal is generally uncontested as a treatment even by Mongolian medical professionals, therefore it has not been the subject of empirical debate. Moreover, it is not classified under a specific system, each bariachi having its technique. As bariachis do not receive formal training, their treatments often depend on instincts, natural talents, and personal abilities. Therefore, it is recommended to study the techniques of baria zasal of concussion to explain its enduring popularity in Mongolia and to ascertain how it interacts with standard western medical treatment.

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“…The medical tradition known as Sowa Rigpa (gso ba rig pa), or Tibetan medicine, has provided an important source of healing across the Tibetan plateau, the Himalayan region, and beyond for many centuries (Gerke 2004;Janes and Hilliard 2008;Meyer 1981;Saijirahu 2008;McKay and Wangchuk 2005;Norboo and Morup 1997). Although it has been supported by the state for several decades in China, Mongolia, and Bhutan, the tradition was not granted official recognition by the Government of India until 2010.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positioning Sowa Rigpa in India

Blaikie¹

2016

MAT

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The years leading up to the recognition of Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine) by the Government of India in 2010 saw unprecedented interaction between various branches of the tradition and the state apparatus. These interactions grew particularly intense during March 2008, when two conferences focusing on related issues took place. The first referred to 'Tibetan medicine' and was organised by Tibetan exile institutions, while the second spoke of 'Sowa Rigpa' and was hosted by a coalition of Himalayan Indian associations. Through detailed ethnography of these events, this article examines the way in which a medical system was discursively constructed and positioned on the brink of state enfranchisement. It shows how 'discourse coalitions' and antagonisms formed during these events, and enquires as to the implications of these for the balance of power in Sowa Rigpa and for its positioning in relation to the Indian state, technoscience, and the growing market for traditional medicines.

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Tradition and Modernity in Mongolian Medicine

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Humanitarianism from Below: Sowa Rigpa, the Traditional Pharmaceutical Industry, and Global Health

Humanitarianism from Below: Sowa Rigpa, the Traditional Pharmaceutical Industry, and Global Health

Concussion treatment through Baria zasal: An exploration of Traditional Mongolian Medicine

Positioning Sowa Rigpa in India

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