Tibetan medicine has once again earned a world-class honor—the “Four Medical Tantras” have been inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

In May of this year, the 216th session of the UNESCO Executive Board was held in Paris, France. During the meeting, a new list of projects for the Memory of the World Register was reviewed and approved. “The Four Medical Canons” was successfully included on the list, adding yet another world-class honor to Tibetan medicine.

"The Four Medical Tantras" is the foundational work of Tibetan medicine. Tibetan medicine has a long and rich history, dating back to ancient times—since the ancestors of the Tibetan people first settled on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, rudimentary practices of Tibetan medicine began to emerge. Over the long course of history, these practices gradually evolved and were refined through generations of accumulated experience. By the 8th century AD, Yutok Nyingma Yundan Gombu, known as the "Medicine King" and "Medical Sage" of Tibetan medicine, was born. Building upon the foundations of Tubo medicine, he drew extensively from Chinese medicine, Indian Vedic medicine, and Persian medicine. After years of painstaking effort and dedication, he completed the monumental work "The Four Medical Tantras." Over the subsequent 13 generations and five successive lineages of practitioners, with more than 200 years of continuous supplementation and revision, the text finally took on its present form.

The "Four Medical Tantras" is divided into four major sections: the "Fundamental Section," the "Explanatory Section," the "Secret Section," and the "Subsequent Section." The "Fundamental Section" serves as the general outline of the entire work and is hailed as "the crystallization of the entire essence of Tibetan medicine." It comprises six chapters covering origins, outlines, physiology, pathology, diagnosis, and metaphorical illustrations using trees. The "Explanatory Section" represents the foundational theoretical component of Tibetan medicine, encompassing topics such as the formation of the human body, human anatomy, physiology, pathology, etiology and pathogenesis, preventive healthcare, medicinal substances, diagnosis, treatment, and medical ethics and professional conduct. Since this section elucidates all the fundamental theories of Tibetan medicine, as stated in the essence of the "Four Medical Tantras": "The 'Explanatory Section' is like the sun and moon suspended high in the sky, illuminating the principles of terrestrial medicine so clearly that they are as transparent as a mirror," it consists of 31 chapters. The "Secret Section" primarily discusses the causes, symptoms, and treatments of various diseases across different medical disciplines, constituting the clinical aspect of Tibetan medicine—“just like a wish-fulfilling jewel, from which all clinical needs originate.” It contains 92 chapters. The "Subsequent Section" focuses on specific methods for diagnosing and treating diseases, forming the practical and operational component of Tibetan medicine—“just like a vajra, enabling unimpeded healing of illnesses.” It comprises 27 chapters.

“The Four Medical Tantras” is a comprehensive and pioneering medical masterpiece that integrates all aspects of medicine into a single, coherent work. It serves as an encyclopedic reference for Tibetan medicine, encompassing the entirety of both theoretical foundations and practical applications within the Tibetan medical system. The Fifth Dalai Lama once said: “The ‘Four Medical Tantras’ will endure forever through the ages, becoming a treasure trove of life-saving nectar.”

As early as the 17th century, the "Four Medical Texts" were translated into Mongolian, playing a positive role in the formation and development of Mongolian medicine. Subsequently, it was translated into various foreign languages, including Russian, English, German, and French. In the future, Tibetan medicine will play an increasingly important role in the global healthcare system.

The “Four Medical Texts,” which have been inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, include five editions: the 1546 woodblock print “Zhatang Edition,” the 1640 woodblock print “Dadan Edition,” the 1662 woodblock print “Ganden Panchokling Edition,” the 1892 woodblock print “Yao Wang Shan Edition,” and the 1942 “Gold-Ink Manuscript.” The nomination was organized by the State Archives Administration and the texts are now preserved at the Tibetan Hospital in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

It is reported that in 2018, "The Four Medical Treatises" was successfully inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the Asia-Pacific Region Register. Also in the same year, "Tibetan Medicine Bath Therapy—Knowledge and Practices of the Tibetan People in China Concerning Health, Well-being, and Disease Prevention and Treatment" was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.