Saigon Attractions #13 The Fito Museum of Traditional Medicine

Chinese and Vietnamese traditional medicine have of course got histories that go back to the stone ages. The lovely building with its carved wooden interior is a really excellent setting for which to explore this interesting topic. Covering 6 floors, it has 18 exhibition rooms, each one displaying many interesting artefacts relating to this fascinating subject. The story of ancient medicine is told in carved wooden pictures. Some fifty wood carvers worked for three years to complete this part of the museum.

The Museum houses large collections of traditional herbs and spices
The building itself is worthy of a visit, with different rooms demonstrating the architecture of different regions and people within the country. The temple door frame is built in the style of a Northern House from the Red River Basin, there is a Hué style balcony and some depictions of Lingas from the Cham Ethnic minority.

The entrance to the Fito Museum

Vietnamese traditional medicine can trace its roots back through more than 2000 years of history. Widely accepted as the medical founders of Vietnam’s Traditional Medicine, the greatest physicians were Tue Tinh who lived in the14th century and Hai Thuong Lang Ong Le Huu Trac from the18th century. In line with Vietnamese custom Tue Tinh, as the greatest ever living practitioner, is regarded as a Saint.

All exhibits are displayed as though in an old working shop

More drawers as in the old style herbalists
This is a really good smallish museum and a great place to spend a few hours delving into a subject that has many interesting facets.

!steemitworldmap 10.776416 lat 106.671957 long The Fito Museum of Traditional Medicine D3SCR

For other Saigon attractions see also:

#1 Suoi Tien Theme Park @inseasia/attractions-in-ho-chi-minh-city-suoi-tien-theme-park

#2 Vinh Nghiem pagoda@inseasia/saigon-attractions-vinh-nghiem-pagoda

#3 Notre Dame Basilica @inseasia/saigon-s-magnificent-notre-dame-basilica

#4 The Cu Chi Tunnels @inseasia/saigon-attractions-4-the-cu-chi-tunnels

#5 The Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City @inseasia/saigon-attractions-5-the-municipal-theatre-of-ho-chi-minh-city

#6 People’s Committee Building @inseasia/saigon-attractions-6-people-s-committee-building

#7 Museum of Vietnamese History @inseasia/saigon-attractions-7-museum-of-vietnamese-history

#8 The Reunification Palace @inseasia/saigon-attractions-8-the-reunification-palace

#9 The War Remnants Museum @inseasia/saigon-attractions-8-the-war-remnants-museum

#10 Nguyen Hue @inseasia/saigon-attractions-10-nguyen-hue