Unearthed Tomb Mural Depicts Ancient Chinese Medication

Archaeological have found a mural unearthed from an ancient tomb in the northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi, which depicts how traditional Chinese medication was practiced 1,000 years ago.

Song Dynasty murals are not rare in and around the ancient Chinese capital Xi'an, but researcher Sun Bingjun at Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology said this was the first found to depict traditional Chinese medication, prevalent in China for nearly 5,000 years.

Chinese Herbal Therapy, may Fight Against HIV
Astragalus root, frequently used in Chinese herbal therapy, may help in the fight against HIV.

The mural, about four meters square, had a man sitting on a chair, whom experts believed was the tomb owner.

"Jars and bottles were seen on a table nearby," said Sun.

Two other men were sitting at the table, one of whom was carrying two bags of herbs and the other consulting a huge collection of herbal formulas.

Cancer Cells Targeted by Natural Compound in Japanese, Chinese Herbal Medicines
A natural compound from magnolia cones, found in Japanese and Chinese herbal medicines, has the ability to block an elusive pathway for cancer growth in a collaborative study.

"The names of the herbs were still seen on the bags and the papers," said Sun. "We assume the master of the house was sick and two physicians were making prescriptions," he added.

Sun and his colleagues have finished a preliminary research on the mural, which was found in a Song Dynasty (960-1279) tomb in the suburbs of Hancheng City in February.

Traditional Chinese Herbs may Help to Ease Eczema
A traditional combinations of five Chinese herbs may help treat people suffering from eczema.

On the same mural were eight busy servants, some were waiting on the master while others were preparing his medicine, according to Sun.

"One of them had a bowl and cup in each hand, while others were busy at the stove, presumably brewing herbs," he said.

Coco-Cola to Develop Drinks Using Chinese Herbal Ingredients and Formulas
The Coca-Cola Company said Wednesday it had launched a research centre for traditional Chinese medicine in Beijing to develop beverages using Chinese herbal ingredients and formulas.

Two other murals were found in the same tomb chamber, one depicting a 17-member troupe staging an opera and the other, about nirvana, a divine state of peace and release from desire for Buddhists, he added.

"These seem to suggest the tomb owner was a Buddhist and loved performing arts," he said.

The tomb chamber, the murals and the coffin were elevated from the 10-meter deep pit and transported to a heritage base in the provincial capital Xi'an for better protection and further research.

Source-ANI
SRM