By hannover-web.com On October 18-19, the Inner Mongolia Conference on the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Mongolian Medicine) took place in Tongliao, gathering experts and scholars from both domestic and international backgrounds. During the welcome speech, Tongliao’s mayor, Qi Dalengtai, highlighted the city’s reputation as the “Capital of Mongolian Medicine” and noted that it is the core area for the development of Mongolian medicine in China, with over 50% of the national output of Mongolian herbal medicine originating from this city.
What gives Tongliao the confidence to develop Mongolian medicine?
Historically, the northern Mongolian people and their ancestors have cultivated their medicinal practices through a blend of cultural exchanges with other ethnic groups, which significantly advanced the development of Mongolian medicine. Tongliao is not only an important birthplace for the Mongolian ethnic group but also a notable origin of Mongolian medicine. The earliest medical records here reference Mongolian medical practices, and many renowned scholars in the field have emerged from this region.
Among them is the legendary figure Zhanbura Dorji, a descendant of Chagatai Khan, whose hometown is in Tongliao’s Naiman Banner. His work, “The Classic of Mongolian Medicine,” is illustrated and revered as a foundational text in the field.
The first Mongolian Medical College in China was established here, with Su Rongzabu, the first national master of Mongolian medicine, having served as the college’s president. Inner Mongolia University, located in Tongliao, possesses the largest teaching base for Mongolian medicine in the country and is home to China’s only doctoral program in Traditional Chinese Medicine with a focus on Mongolian medicine. Additionally, the unique and highly regarded techniques of “Mongolian orthopedic treatment” and “Mongolian Auricular Moxibustion” are preserved and advanced in this city.
Today, Tongliao’s cultivation of medicinal herbs has reached a significant scale, covering an area of 800,000 acres, which includes 80,000 acres of common farmland, 220,000 acres of medicinal herbs grown in forest understories, and 500,000 acres of wild forest medicines. The region primarily cultivates species such as Astragalus, Sophora, Atractylodes, Saposhnikovia, Platycodon, Licorice, and Scutellaria. The approach to cultivation is transitioning from traditional small-scale farming to larger, standardized operations.
Tongliao holds several prestigious titles, including that of the largest producer of Mongolian medicine through corporations like Inner Mongolia Mongolian Medicine Co., Ltd., the first established Mongolian medicine production company, and Inner Mongolia Ke’erqin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., which leads in the production of Mongolian medicinal patches. Collectively, these three companies account for over 50% of the national market share for Mongolian pharmaceutical products.
In recent years, the Tongliao government has prioritized the advancement of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Mongolian Medicine), appointing a dedicated vice mayor to oversee this area. They have enacted multiple supportive policies, including the “Tongliao Mongolian Orthopedic Protection Regulation,” the “Tongliao Mongolian Medicine Protection and Development Regulation,” and the “14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Mongolian Medicine).”
Looking ahead to 2024, Tongliao has founded the Inner Mongolia Zhong-Mongolian Medicine Group Co., Ltd., established a research center for the development of traditional medicine, and been approved as a national experimental zone for the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine.
To date, Tongliao has trained 30 inheritors in “Mongolian orthopedic techniques” and “Mongolian Auricular Moxibustion,” and has produced 210 inheritors of traditional Chinese medicine (Mongolian medicine), along with 120 key talents in TCM clinics and 1,311 professionals skilled in suitable techniques for grassroots TCM (Mongolian medicine).
Mayor Qi Dalengtai emphasized that the TCM (Mongolian Medicine) industry, backed by its rich historical heritage, strong industrial foundation, and excellent medical service capabilities, demonstrates remarkable vitality and broad development potential. It represents not only the wisdom of an ethnic group but also a valuable asset in safeguarding human health.
