What is Chinese Medicine?

Chinese medicine is a complete system of medicine with its own theories of normal physiology and disease pathology. These theories are part of the natural sciences of premodern China which evolved from generations of observation and recording of the changes around us. Over time, this system of medicine has developed a rich understanding of health and disease, and has developed its own methods to promote health along with methods to diagnose, prevent and treat disease.

One of the central tenants of Chinese natural science is that man and the world around him form an inseparable whole. Observing and understanding this natural law has allowed the development of an understanding that man himself forms a small, connected universe which mirrors, and is influenced by, the larger universe surrounding him.

Through observation of the natural environment, two basic theories about the nature of the world arose, yin yang theory 陰陽學說, and five phase theory五行學說. Both of these theories are a way to classify and categorize objects and events in the natural world. Additionally, both contain laws of movement, connection, and interaction within and among the categories. These two basic theories are part of a tradition in China of observing, recording, and contemplating the nature of the universe.

It is because of this rich tradition that the ancient Chinese discovered that the man's body mirrored the world around them. Through observation, these early scientists and observers discovered that everything in the world is interconnected, perpetually in motion, and always changing. They also discovered that the world does not move in a random and chaotic manner, but that the world moved according to patterns and cycles that exert a subtle influence on everything around us, and that there was nothing in this world, including man, which could escape from this influence.

It is these discoveries that form the basis for the traditional science, philosophies, and religions of ancient China including the philosophies of Daoism and Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism. Chinese medicine is also part of this rich tradition, focusing on the health and well-being of man.

As part of a tradition which includes the accumulation of thousands of years of experience and understanding of the world, Chinese medicine has evolved into a unique medical system. This medical system is most readily recognized by its therapeutic methods, namely acupuncture and moxibustion針灸, Chinese herbal medicine方劑, Tuina 推拿 massage, qigong 氣功 breathing exercises and Chinese dietary therapy 食療. When applied skillfully, these therapeutic methods have proven to be quite powerful and effective in promoting health and fighting disease.

--adapted from Chinese Medical Theory Volume I - Fundamentals, by Kevin Juliano