From the Silk Road to the Belt and Road: A History of Chinese-Iranian Medical Exchanges

Abstract Since ancient times, China and Iran, two ancient civilizations with profound medical traditions, have engaged in extensive medical interactions through trade and cultural exchange channels, such as the Silk Road. The paper first reviews the emergence of medical exchanges between the two countries during the Han dynasty, then elaborates on the in-depth development of medical exchanges from the Three Kingdoms to the eve of the Tang dynasty. Entering the Song and Yuan dynasties, the medical exchanges between the two countries became more specific, involving the translation and dissemination of medical classics, the exchanges between doctors, and the trade and cultivation of medicinal materials. The paper further examines the new opportunities and challenges presented by traditional medical exchanges between the two countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. It emphasizes the contribution of this cross-civilization medical exchange to the development of the medical systems of both sides and to human health. This article reveals its far-reaching significance by systematically examining the historical context of medical exchanges between the two countries. It provides historical references and inspiration for future in-depth cooperation between the two countries in traditional medicine.