AREAS INFLUENCED BY CHINESE THOUGHT

Chinese medical concepts and practice had a profound influence on the neighbouring countries of East, Southeast and South Asia. They also penetrated westwards along the ancient Silk Road to Persia and thereby became absorbed into the Arab world. Between China and India there were reciprocal influences, along the trade routes through Burma in the east and the Khunjerab Pass in the Karakoram mountain range in the west.

We cite two examples in our account of Chinese thought penetration, one where there was a profound influence, namely Japan, and one which the eddies of Chinese medical thought touched, namely the Islamic world.