By Dr Than Lwin Tun
MYANMAR traditional medicine is a branch of medical studies that stand out firmly and solidly for thousands of years in the chronicle of history as the Myanmar cultural heritage highlighting as national medicinal arts. For many centuries, the Myanmar people have lived their lives under the healthcare of Myanmar traditional medicine in successive eras.
In Myanmar, traditional medicine has been regarded as an invaluable national heritage and flourished significantly as a major part of the Myanmar culture. In line with the direction of the Union Government, the Ministry of Health has accorded it, as one of the priority activities and exerted all-out efforts from all perspectives for strengthening the provision of traditional medicine services to the people.
The provision of traditional medicine services is at the basic health services level with the objective of making essential traditional medicine easily accessible for the benefit of both urban and rural populations. It also supports and uplifts the health status of the people of Myanmar in the context of primary healthcare. Particularly for the rural population, traditional medicine is still a priority and has been carried out in the mode of preventive focus, getting along with the traditional values and the traditional art of treatment. The cultural values of traditional medicine have been handed down for generations, sustaining its potent therapeutic milestones, till the current era.
It was chronicled that Myanmar traditional medicine has been considered a prestigious service in the earliest history of Myanmar, such as Tagaung, Sri Ksetra and Bagan periods which was about 600 BC. Myanmar traditional medicine is a broad, deep and delicate branch of science covering various basic medical knowledge, different treaties, a diverse array of therapies and potent medicines.
The focal and central root of Myanmar traditional medicine derives from four main streams such as that of the Day Tha Nar Naya (the teachings of Lord Buddha), the Bay Thit Za Naya (the disciplines of medicine), the Weiz Za Da Ra Naya (the knowledge and wisdom: terms for a person who is an expert in a particular branch of knowledge, a person with supernatural powers), and the Net Khat Ta Naya (the aspects of astrological science), and that they are based on practical treatment with cured records.
Records on treatment methods and the cases of cured illnesses were put up on the Pae (a version found in palm leaves); the Parabeik (The palm leaves book); the literary testimony; and the medicinal statement in the eras and kingdoms of Tagaung, Sri Ksetra, Bagan, Innwa or Ava, Nyaungyan, Konbaung, and Yadanabon.
The authentic records were written by the Myanmar traditional physicians themselves in connection with the application of definite treatments of the kings, the princes, the ministers, the military commanders, and the public.
In the Buddha era literature, it could be found that there was a traditional medicine university where professors taught medicine subjects to scholars such as Sayagyi Ziwaka, who clarified the remedial potency of the creepers, the grass, and the herbal shrubs, and eventually had spelled out the adage such as “When the utterance of oral words and quotation are serious and solemn, then the creepers, the grass, and the herbal shrubs bring curative potency”.
In the Myanmar era of 1133, during the reign of the Third King Hsinphyushin Min Tayar of the Konbaung Dynasty, authorized and legal traditional royal physician U Myat Tun of Khway Saung Ywar submitted the “Maha Di Gar Yu Say Kyan Medicine Treatise”, a conditional manual, which remains until today as reference dissertation by the Myanmar traditional practitioners.
According to the references found in these documents, there are many books and records on the most renowned physicians and medicine books during different eras and kingdoms. During the sovereignty of King Mindon Min, the Glass Palace Chronicle of the Kings of Burma mentioned that ten royal physicians were assigned on duty for (24) hours, with the high titles of “Nay Myo Bi Tat Ka Raja”, which reflected the significant and vital position of the Myanmar traditional physicians.
The University of Traditional Medicine, Mandalay (UTM), has been opened with a view to nurturing human resources with qualified healthcare skills in conjunction with the aim for the development of Myanmar traditional medicine in sound and firm foundation in similar growth and expansion of the past.
In addition, our sincere appreciation to all the respected professionals in the field of traditional medicine for contributing to their knowledge and experiences, which will be a valuable historical platform in traditional medicine for future generations and in the promotion of accessing traditional medical care services for all people.
Ref: Records from the Department of Traditional Medicine
