Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c6.s2.t2.41

v1.c6.s2.t2.41

There were many new trends in Chinese ophthalmology as a result of the Indian influence. The classification of eye diseases was now based on anatomy, and treatments suggested were combination of Indian surgical methods and traditional Chinese methods of internal medicine. Ophthalmic surgery in all its aspects was introduced into Chinese medicine at this time. Inclusion of certain drugs in the prescriptions eg “Amalika” which was called A mo qin 阿黎勒 “Haritaki” or 訶黎勒He li qin in “Triphalā” translated as 三果, “Chakshus” or Jue ming zi决 明子and “Jaṭāmańsi” or Ma xi and黄連 Huang lian in Chinese, further suggest a useful integration of the two medical systems.¹⁹