“Traditional Chinese Medicine” (TCM) first appeared in the “Book of Han: Arts and Literature, Treatises on Formulas,” which states: “To increase heat with heat, and to increase cold with cold, is not seen externally, which is a significant loss.” Hence the saying goes: “When ill, seek treatment, and one often finds TCM.” Here, the character 中 (zhòng) is pronounced with a falling tone. In 1936, the Nationalist government officially established the term “Traditional Chinese Medicine” through the “Regulations on Traditional Chinese Medicine.”
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Meaning of Traditional Chinese Medicine
The meaning of Traditional Chinese Medicine mainly has three layers:1. Traditional medicine of the Chinese nation2. Physicians of intermediate levelFor example, in the “Classic of the Golden Coffer,” it mentions: “In ancient times, the superior physician observed color, the intermediate physician listened to sounds, and the inferior physician diagnosed pulses. The methods of diagnosis are indeed not easy.”
Moreover, the Medicine King Sun Simiao in the “Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold” mentioned: “In ancient times, the good physicians treated the state, the intermediate physicians treated people, and the inferior physicians treated diseases. It is said that the superior physician listened to sounds, the intermediate physician observed color, and the inferior physician diagnosed pulses. It is also said that the superior physician treated diseases before they occurred, the intermediate physician treated diseases that were desired, and the inferior physician treated diseases that had already occurred.”
3. Medicine of harmonyThe concept of “harmony” or “the view of harmony” originates from the “Doctrine of the Mean,” which is the core of Confucian thought and theory, historically permanent, and an important part of Chinese culture, also permeating all aspects of TCM. TCM cannot be separated from “harmony,” which is also a concept in TCM. The pathogenic factors disrupt the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang within the body, leading to disharmony of the organs, which is the fundamental cause of disease. TCM employs various methods, whether to correct, adjust, strengthen, or support, ultimately restoring the body’s balance to achieve a state of health. This process is a concrete manifestation of the concept of “harmony” in the field of TCM. It can be said that TCM is indeed the medicine of harmony.
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Theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine
In fact, TCM originated in primitive society, and by the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, TCM theories had basically formed, with subsequent generations summarizing and developing them. TCM carries the experiences and theoretical knowledge of the ancient Chinese people in their struggle against diseases, gradually forming and developing into a medical theoretical system under the guidance of ancient materialism and dialectical natural philosophy through long-term medical practice.
TCM is a traditional medical science with a unique style, formed under the influence and guidance of ancient Chinese materialism and dialectical thought, continuously accumulating and summarizing through long-term medical practice. It is an extremely rich summary of the experiences of the Chinese people in their long-term struggle against diseases, with a history of thousands of years, and is an important part of Chinese traditional culture.
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Sources of Chinese Medicine
In ancient China, there were many legends about the origins of medicines. The legends of “Fuxi tasting a hundred herbs and creating nine needles,” “Shennong tasting a hundred grasses,” and “Yi Yin creating decoctions” reflect the origins of the ancestors’ understanding and use of medicines. Through countless attempts and experiences over generations, people gradually acquired knowledge to distinguish between food, medicine, and poison, and consciously utilized them. With more production and medical practice, more plants, animals, and minerals with medicinal value were discovered, and knowledge of medicines was accumulated and developed.
(Fuxi tasting a hundred herbs, image from Baidu Encyclopedia)
(Shennong tasting a hundred grasses, image from Baidu Encyclopedia)
In ancient Chinese texts, traditional medicines were often referred to as “medicines,” “toxins,” or “poisons.” The term “Chinese medicine” was first recorded in the “Shennong Bencao Jing,” which classified medicines into three grades based on toxicity: upper, middle, and lower. Among them, “one hundred and twenty kinds of middle medicines are for nourishing nature to respond to people, both toxic and non-toxic, to be used appropriately. To stop diseases and replenish the weak, this is the essence of the text.” Here, “Chinese medicine” is a classification term for medicines, relative to “upper medicine” and “lower medicine,” specifically referring to middle-grade medicines that can both replenish deficiency and expel evil.
The term “Chinese medicine” has different connotations in different historical periods. With the development of TCM theory and practice, its connotation has been continuously enriched, and its forms have been expanded. In the Han Dynasty, the “Shennong Bencao Jing” recorded “Chinese medicine” mainly as a classification standard for medicines; in the early 20th century, “Chinese medicine” referred to traditional medicines of our country.
Currently, according to the “Traditional Chinese Medicine Law of the People’s Republic of China,” “Chinese medicine” refers to the collective term for medicines of all ethnic groups in our country, including Han and minority medicines. TCM is a great creation of the Chinese nation, a treasure of ancient Chinese science, and a key to unlocking the treasure house of Chinese civilization, making a significant contribution to the reproduction and survival of the Chinese nation and positively impacting the progress of world civilization.
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party proposed to promote the construction of a healthy China, clearly requiring “to promote the inheritance and innovative development of TCM.” TCM is a treasure of Chinese civilization, playing an important role in maintaining human health; it is a condensation of history, reflecting the ideological forms of the Chinese nation at specific stages of development, containing the rich connotations of traditional Chinese culture, making a significant contribution to the prosperity and health of the Chinese nation, and is a rare pearl in the history of science in China and the world.