Chinese medicine and pharmacology are important
component parts of China’s splendid national culture. Chinese medicine and
pharmacology have made tremendous contributions to China’s prosperity
throughout the country’s history of several thousand years. They are noted
worldwide for their outstanding curative effects, strong national character,
unique method of diagnosis and treatment, systemic theories and vast
accumulation of historical records and materials, making it common wealth of
the medical treasure-house of mankind. Chinese medicine and pharmacology have
shown great vitality for several thousand years. They are also a valuable
complement to the modern techniques of medicine and pharmacology.
The origin of traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology can be traced back
to primitive society. Medicine was originally created in the struggle against
Nature by the ancient Chinese. In the course of food gathering, they found that
some food items could alleviate the symptoms of or cure diseases. That was the
origin of TCM. When the ancient Chinese lit fires to warm themselves, they also
found that heated stones and sand wrapped in animal skin or bark could reduce
pain. Through repeated practice and improvement, moxibustion methods were
gradually developed. In the process of using stone instruments they found that
when a part of the body was hit by something, pain in some other part of the
body might be relieved, and so stone or bone acupuncture needles were invented.
After a long period of development, the theory of collateral channels took
shape, and the technique of acupuncture treatment was perfected.
The basic theory of TCM shows its unique understanding of the zang-fu organs,
meridians and collateral channels, qi, blood and body fluids, and pathogeny.
The diagnostic method of TCM consists of the “four examination methods” and the
differentiation of symptoms. The former refers to visual inspection of the
complexion, auscultation, reading the pulse and directly asking about the
patient’s conditions. The differentiation of symptoms means after the actual
circumstances are gathered through these examinations and analyses, the proper
method of treatment is induced. TCM pharmaceutical treatment is often
accompanied by acupuncture, massage therapy and qigong (breathing exercises).
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