Azi A
Zhonghua Yi Shi Za Zhi. 1994;24(4):229-32.
Early in the matriarchal society 4000 years ago, medical activities of the Yi-nationality had already begun. Through long process of struggle against diseases, the ancestor of Yi-nationality accumulated a huge wealth of medical knowledge, including acupuncture, medicinal wine and herbs, from which the theory of "Ba Fang" (eight-direction) "Ba Jiao" (eight-corner) and Yin-Yang system were formed, and became the core of rationale of Yi-medicine. Due to geographical reasons, Yi-medicine was isolated and scarcely communicated with the outside world. Hence, so far it preserves much of its own features and thus, it offers excellent materials for the studies on the provenance and development of the medicine of Chinese minorities.
早在4000年前的母系社会时期，彝族的医疗活动就已开始。在与疾病长期的斗争过程中，彝族祖先积累了极为丰富的医学知识，包括针灸、药酒和草药等，在此基础上形成了“八方”“八角”理论以及阴阳体系，成为彝族医学理论的核心。由于地理原因，彝族医学处于相对封闭状态，与外界交流甚少。因此，至今它仍保留着诸多自身特色，从而为研究中国少数民族医学的起源与发展提供了绝佳资料。
