Traditional Medicine in Asia
Traditional Medicine in Asia
Traditional Medicine in Asia
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grow<strong>in</strong>g attention around the world.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to some estimates, a large<br />
number of people <strong>in</strong> many develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
countries rely heavily on traditional<br />
practices to meet their primary health care<br />
needs. 1 In Ch<strong>in</strong>a, although Western<br />
medic<strong>in</strong>e is available, the majority of the<br />
population still rely on zhongyi (Ch<strong>in</strong>ese<br />
medic<strong>in</strong>e or traditional Ch<strong>in</strong>ese medic<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
or TCM) to solve their health problems.<br />
Western medic<strong>in</strong>e and Ch<strong>in</strong>ese medic<strong>in</strong>e<br />
are practised side by side at every level of<br />
the national health care system. 2<br />
Introduction<br />
ur<strong>in</strong>g the past decade, traditional<br />
Dsystems<br />
of medic<strong>in</strong>e have received<br />
With a history of over 2000 years, the<br />
TCM practice offers natural, safe and<br />
effective therapies and cures for many<br />
diseases with much less side- effects. TCM<br />
takes a unique theoretical and practical<br />
approach to health. In treatment, it<br />
<strong>in</strong>cludes the use of various <strong>in</strong>tervention<br />
modalities, such as Ch<strong>in</strong>ese medication,<br />
acupuncture and moxibustion, Tu<strong>in</strong>a<br />
(massotherapy), dietary, and Qigong.<br />
2, 3<br />
These modalities may be used separately<br />
or <strong>in</strong> comb<strong>in</strong>ation to effect a treatment.<br />
TCM differs <strong>in</strong> fundamental ways from<br />
Western medic<strong>in</strong>e. This paper is thus<br />
An overview of traditional Ch<strong>in</strong>ese medic<strong>in</strong>e<br />
An overview of traditional<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese medic<strong>in</strong>e<br />
prompted by a desire to present an<br />
overview of the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese system of<br />
medic<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
Fundamentals of TCM<br />
Hongguang Dong<br />
Xiaorui Zhang<br />
As an important part of the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese<br />
culture, TCM has evolved <strong>in</strong>to a unique and<br />
complete medical system dur<strong>in</strong>g the long<br />
history of Ch<strong>in</strong>a. The Huang Di Nei J<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of <strong>Medic<strong>in</strong>e</strong><br />
or Canon of <strong>Medic<strong>in</strong>e</strong>) was the first<br />
monumental classic which systematically<br />
documented the etiology, physiology,<br />
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of<br />
disease. This work was probably compiled<br />
over several centuries by various authors<br />
and consists of two parts: Su Wen (Pla<strong>in</strong><br />
Questions) and L<strong>in</strong>g Shu (Miraculous Pivot,<br />
also known as Canon of Acupuncture). It<br />
takes the form of a dialogue between the<br />
legendary Yellow Emperor and his m<strong>in</strong>ister,<br />
Qi Bo, on the topic of medic<strong>in</strong>e. Its<br />
appearance between 300 BC and 100 BC<br />
marked the establishment of TCM. 4 One<br />
strik<strong>in</strong>g difference between TCM and<br />
Western medic<strong>in</strong>e is <strong>in</strong> the way <strong>in</strong> which<br />
the human body is observed, and hence<br />
the difference <strong>in</strong> the concept of health.<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese medic<strong>in</strong>e holds a holistic view<br />
of the human body. It stresses the overall,<br />
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