GROUP OF TWO MEDICAL THANGKAS FROM THE BLUE BERYL SERIES QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY comprising: a thangka depicting ten arrays of medicinal herbs with inscriptions; and another depicting various medical equipment in eight panels (Dimensions: 64.5cm x 44cm each) (Qty: 2) (64.5cm x 44cm each) Qty: (2) Footnote: Provenance: Private Manila collection; the present owner's father acquired them in the 1970s Note: The paintings are an extension of the Four Tantras appearing as part of the commentary written by Sangye Gyamtso, Regent to the Fifth Dalai Lama, in 1687-88, and entitled The Blue Beryl. The fundamental text of Tibetan medicine is the Tantra of Secret Instructions on the Eight Branches, the Essence of the Elixir of Immortality and commonly abridged as Four Tantras (Gyud Zhi), teaching four methods of treatment: Diet, Lifestyle, External Therapies, and Medication. The paintings shown here include the variety of herbology from the 'Exegetical Tantra'. Tibetans used a broad variety of ingredients in medicine including mineral, vegetable and animal products. This painting (and the text that accompanied the painting) provided doctors with information about the plants to be used in treatments, such as the season or moon phase in which they would be most effective. There were paintings for plants and for minerals and for animal products required to treat ailments such as fever; surgical tools played a small part in the medical practice in Tibet. The first resort was always pulse-feeling, urine analysis, prescription of herbs etc. and in the case of accident or obvious trauma, surgery. The tools almost look like weapons and were made of sharpened iron - steel was unknown - and their effectiveness was largely dependent on the skill of the surgeon. Many of them have vajras on the end to bring down the power into the instrument while others have scorpion motifs to ward off harmful forces. Comparable examples sold at Christie's New York, 19th September 2002, Lot 151