Medicines are commonly administered orally, or rubbed into affected areas of the body, but sometimes Li remedies are taken in a more unusual way: wrapped up in small cloth bags and attached to the person by red thread. It is believed that the scent emanating from the bag can revitalize spirits, and some Li even ‘wear’ herbs as an ancient form of contraceptive.

Women have long played an important role in Li medicine practices, an effect of the matrilineal nature of ancient society. The roles of doctor and chemist are one and the same, with doctors extremely knowledgeable about pharmaceutical complexities, and pharmacists acting as very able doctors.

The job does not confer professional status, and most doctors in a village are actually amateurs, pursuing other careers at the same time (usually farming). Thus, many doctors choose to specialize in a certain area. Education comes through following a senior “medical lady” who passes on her knowledge to the next generation. The teacher will frequently take her students on field trips to identify plants, their medicinal parts, and the growth habits of different herbs. It has long been the custom that, upon graduation, the tutor will kill a rooster during a ceremony to mark the end of study. Afterwards, students are free to collect herbs and practice medicine on their own.

The Li have no written language, and so pass on their medical knowledge orally, which has left the future of the practice in a precarious position. Becoming a Li doctor brings with it considerable responsibilities, but the average income is not much different to other much less stressful jobs. Some believe that this is one of the reasons why young people rarely want to study ancient medicine. Existing Li doctors are mostly elderly villagers, with some even in their seventies.

There is another challenge to the continuation of tradition. Rapid development of Hainan Province has meant that precious herbs able to produce direct economic benefits are under threat of over-exploitation. Stephania succifera, a renowned Li herb used to treat cancer, has recently been given Class II State Protection. In the wild it is seldom found, almost to the point of extinction. Zhong Yi, author of Hainan Plants Record and professor of botany at Hainan Normal University, expresses his concerns about plant protection on the island. He has been calling for special measures to ensure that Li communities can continue to utilize natural resources and safeguard their traditional way of life. In a wider sense, Zhong believes that Hainan’s unique geographical location and its abundant species are vital to human survival and development. “It will be a great pity if Li doctors of later generations can not find any available herbs,” he says.