Ts'ien tung sticks, China, 1800-1920
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Each of the eighteen bamboo sticks is inscribed with a number. A worshipper at the God of Medicine Temple shakes the container while praying until one of the sticks falls out. The stick is taken to a counter for a prescription matching that number, which is dispensed at any Chinese pharmacy. The bamboo cylindrical container is known as ts’ien tung. Gods have always played a role in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Object number:
A117828
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: divination
The practice of seeking knowledge of the future through the interpretation of omens or other supernatural means.
Glossary: ts'ien tung
A process of treatment specific to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Eighteen bamboo sticks are inscribed with a different number. A worshipper at the God of Medicine Temple shakes the container while praying until one of the sticks falls out. The stick is taken to a counter for a prescription matching that number which is dispensed at a pharmacy.