OTEYBOYDAK TLEUKABYLULY

Oteyboydak Tleukabyluly (1388-1478) – famous Kazakh scientist, healer and author of solid medical-ethnographic works ?Medical narration?. He was familiar with such historical personalities as Zhanibek khan, Zhirenshe sheshen. O. Tleukabyluly was a well-known public figure, involved in dealing with the plight of the people.

The dates of his birth and death are taken from his book ?Medical narration?. He writes that he started writing this book at the age of 70 at the request of Zhanibek khan and finished it at the age of 85; after Zhanibek khan?s death. There is also evidence that Oteyboydak died at the age of 90. He inherited his medical and healer gift from his ancestors. O.Tleukabyluly devoted his life to treatment and brought traditional (folk) medicine in the academic system. Thus, he was able to raise the medicine of his time at a high level. In this respect, he, like al-Farabi, despised thirst for fame, wealth, and devoted his life to the study of the peculiarities of healing. The book ?Medical narration? has survived until today, thanks to his relatives. But only fourth part of the rich heritage, having gone through the test of time, has reached our days. The rest part was burnt by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in China. This book gives a lot of information on traditional Kazakh medicine. The fact that he used a variety of compounds (mixture), offered over 4000 recipes, convinces us that Oteyboydak was an experienced healer and an outstanding scientist. His book mentions medical properties of 728 kinds of drugs of plant origin, 318 kind of medicine of animal origin, 318 types of medicines derived from metals and metalloids, as well as references to some 500 anatomical terms. It witnesses that the book has the historical-ethnographic importance as well as the depth and richness of the Kazakh language. The book was published in 1994 in the Arabian language and Urumgi (China), In 1996 - in the Kazakh language in Almaty. In 1997 the book was awarded the government of China ?First State Book? prize. Two public medical centers for studying O.Tleukabyluly?s heritage were created in China. The monument to O.Tleukabyluly has been erected on Walkode dzhailau in Almaty area and one street was named after him in Almaty. O.Tleukabyluly was not only a scientist-healer but also the visionary thinker and the patriot, who well knew the life, customs, the world, the spiritual culture of his people. Reference: Kazakhstan, National Encyclopedia, volume 5