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Many Chinese people, especially the older
generation, are accustomed to going to traditional Chinese doctors and using
traditional Chinese remedies. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a history
stretching back thousands of years. TCM is an extremely rich discipline, built
upon the combined experiences of famous practitioners of past dynasties, and the
extensive body of medical writings they produced.
 The
theories of TCM are quite different from those of Western medicine. TCM
considers Nature and Human to form a single whole, and emphasizes the
philosophical concept known as "The Unity of Heaven and Human." Environmental
factors such as the four seasons and changes in temperature and weather are
believed to influence the human body, with the body and Nature forming an
integrated system. For instance, when the weather is hot in the spring, humid in
the summer, dry in the fall, or cold in the winter, TCM employs treatments known
as "eliminating fire," "expelling dampness," "moistening the body," and
"guarding against cold" respectively. All parts and systems of the body are
considered to be closely connected and mutually interacting. "The outside of the
body is Yang, the inside is Yin; the back is Yang,
the abdomen is Yin." TCM utilizes Yin-Yang Theory and Five Elements
Theory, which advocate "administering treatment according to pattern,"
rather than "treating the head when the head hurts; treating the foot when the
foot hurts." According to the Five Elements Theory, the liver and
gallbladder are Wood, the heart is Fire, the spleen and stomach are Earth, the
lungs and intestines are Metal, and the kidneys and bladder are Water. When
Yin and Yang
are out of balance, disease and
disorder result. Diagnosis relies on inspecting the complexion, smelling the
breath, inquiring about symptoms, and feeling the pulse in order to determine
the overall condition of the body.
 Traditional
Chinese remedies consist of natural preparations. Several thousand years of
experimentation have determined the specific medicinal properties of numerous
herbs, and the specific prescriptions and treatments that should be used for a
wide range of conditions. The famous Compendium of Materia Medica
, written by Li Shizhen
during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), contains comprehensive descriptions of
thousands of Chinese herbal remedies. Traditional Chinese remedies may either be
taken internally or applied externally to promote the recovery of normal
functioning, in accordance with the theory of "administering treatment according
to pattern." Thus the saying, "Western medicine treats the symptom, Chinese
medicine treats the root." As more people have become interested in alternative
lifestyles in recent years, there has been a corresponding upsurge of interest
in herbal medicine and non-pharmaceutical treatments. Traditional Chinese
medicine and remedies have become increasingly popular around the world, and the
number of Sino-foreign exchanges concerning traditional Chinese medicine and
remedies has steadily increased. Japan, the United States, and Germany have
established a number of cooperative projects with China, and the World Health
Organization has opened seven traditional Chinese medicine centers in China.
Studies concerning acupuncture, moxibustion, and the use of acupuncture
for anesthesia and pain relief have been published in 120 countries and
regions around world. In 1987, the World Acupuncture Association, consisting of
over 50,000 members from almost 100 countries and regions, was established
in Beijing. In 1991, the International Association of Traditional Chinese
Medicine was established in China, with representatives from several dozen
countries jointly drafting the "Beijing Proclamation." To date, China has
established medical, research, and educational exchanges in the field of TCM with more than
100 countries and regions.
From China -- Past and
Present
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