The book investigates the revival of Tibetan medicine against the backdrop of political and social transformation in 20th-century China. It explores the efforts of medical practitioners, known as amchi, and their Medical Houses in the Tsang region, focusing on those on the margins of both the Chinese state and the Lhasa medical establishment. The work highlights how these practitioners preserved their professional heritage despite significant adversity and limited research access, offering a perspective often absent from historical accounts due to political restrictions.

The book offers a novel ethnographic and theoretical approach to understanding the revival of Tibetan medicine, particularly focusing on practitioners in the Tsang region. It is noted for breaking new ground by including the perspectives of marginal amchi, whose voices have often been excluded from historical narratives due to research access limitations and the dominance of state-sanctioned histories. The work illuminates the resilience of medical practitioners in preserving their heritage amidst significant political and social challenges.