Cross-Cultural Knowledge Transfer and The Adaptation of Chinese Medical Practice in Mongolia
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Abstract
This study explores the impact of Chinese medicine on Mongolian medical traditions in the 18th and 19th centuries. Through the analysis of Mongolian medical texts, the literature reveals the selective approach Mongolian healers used when integrating Chinese concepts and treatments into their own. As infectious diseases was an important factor in shaping the Mongol population, a key focus is found on their strategy against this, particularly to smallpox. By filtering and engaging with Chinese knowledge, Mongolian scholars actively tailored it to the contextual needs of their country to strengthen their preexisting medical system. Alongside this, this article further aims to unpack the importance of translation in the dissemination of medical knowledge, notably through the Mongolian translation of The Fine Words of Smallpox (1814). Ultimately, this research underscores the impact of Chinese medical pratices on Mongolian medicine, illustrating the significance of cross-cultural connections in advancing medical traditions and public health.
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