“Traditional Chinese Medicine” (zhōng yī) first appeared in the “Book of Han: Arts and Literature, Classic Formulas,” which states: “To increase heat with heat, and to increase cold with cold, is not seen externally, which is what is lost.” Hence the saying: “When ill, seek treatment, and one often finds Traditional Chinese Medicine.” Here, the character 中 (zhòng) is pronounced with a falling tone. In 1936, the Nationalist government officially established the term “Traditional Chinese Medicine” in the “Regulations on Traditional Chinese Medicine.”
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Meaning of Traditional Chinese Medicine
The meaning of Traditional Chinese Medicine has three layers:
1. Traditional medicine of the Chinese nation
2. Physicians of intermediate skill
For example, the “Golden Chamber Classic” 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” states: “In ancient times, the good physician treated the state, the intermediate physician treated people, and the inferior physician treated diseases. The superior physician listens to sounds, the intermediate physician observes color, and the inferior physician diagnoses pulses. The superior physician treats diseases that have not yet occurred, the intermediate physician treats diseases that are desired to occur, and the inferior physician treats diseases that have already occurred.”
3. Medicine of harmony
The concept of “harmony” or “the view of harmony” originates from the “Doctrine of the Mean” and is the core of Confucian thought. It is a permanent historical concept and an important part of Chinese culture, permeating all aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine cannot be separated from “harmony,” which is also a principle of TCM. The fundamental cause of disease arises when pathogenic factors disrupt the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang within the body, leading to disharmony of the organs. Traditional Chinese Medicine employs various methods to correct, adjust, strengthen, or support, ultimately restoring 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 Traditional Chinese Medicine is indeed the medicine of harmony.
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Theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine
In fact, Traditional Chinese Medicine originated in primitive society, and by the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the theories of TCM had basically formed, with subsequent generations summarizing and developing them. Traditional Chinese Medicine carries the experiences and theoretical knowledge of the ancient Chinese people in their struggle against diseases, gradually forming and developing a medical theoretical system under the guidance of primitive materialism and dialectical natural philosophy through long-term medical practice.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is a unique traditional medical science formed under the influence and guidance of ancient Chinese materialism and dialectical thought, continuously accumulating and summarizing through long-term medical practice. It is a rich summary of the experiences of the Chinese people in their long 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 tales of “Fuxi tasting hundreds of herbs and creating nine needles,” “Shennong tasting hundreds of grasses,” and “Yi Yin creating decoctions” reflect the origins of the ancient Chinese people’s 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 hundreds of herbs, image from Baidu Encyclopedia)
(Shennong tasting hundreds of 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: superior, intermediate, and inferior. Among them, “Chinese medicine” refers to 120 types that are beneficial for nurturing life, regardless of toxicity, and are suitable for treating deficiencies and expelling pathogens. Here, “Chinese medicine” is a classification term for medicines, relative to “superior medicine” and “inferior medicine,” specifically referring to intermediate-grade medicines that can both tonify deficiencies and expel evils.
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 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,” “Traditional Chinese Medicine” refers to the collective term for medicines of all ethnic groups in our country, including Han and minority medicines. Traditional Chinese Medicine 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 survival and development 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 Traditional Chinese Medicine.” Traditional Chinese Medicine is a treasure of Chinese civilization, playing an important role in maintaining human health; it is historically condensed, reflecting the ideological forms of the Chinese nation at specific stages of development, containing rich connotations of traditional Chinese culture, and has made significant contributions to the prosperity and health care of the Chinese nation, being a rare gem in the history of science in China and the world.
Source: Online article