China publishes pharmacopoeia of Hui medicine

XINING -- A pharmacopoeia of practical medicine of the Hui ethnic minority, China's largest Muslim group, has been published, collecting traditional therapies from along the ancient Silk Road.

Zhang Jianqing, deputy director of the Hui arm of the China Medical Association of Minorities and author of the book, said on Thursday that it took him five years to compile.

Zhang sought help from Iranian Embassy in China and imams in Qinghai for reference on documents of Islamic medical classic, such as the Avicenna, or Canon of Medicine.

The Hui form the majority of the population in northwestern regions, such as Ningxia, Qinghai and Shaanxi, but the Hui language has no written form.

Hui medicine was developed in Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the medical system matured during Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), but many of the therapies have been forgotten.

Currently, Qinghai Red Cross Hospital offers Hui Medicine Outpatient Services, which is very popular among local people.

Hui and Tibetan medicine have been used in drug rehabilitation, said Zhang.

Zhang believes that Hui medicine will be revived with growth of the Belt and Road.

The Practical Medicine of China's Hui Group was published by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House. Zhang plans to publish the Arabic version of the book within three years and is looking for Arabic translators to carry out the work.