{"id":3791,"date":"2011-03-27T15:40:13","date_gmt":"2011-03-27T20:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=3791"},"modified":"2011-03-27T16:54:53","modified_gmt":"2011-03-27T21:54:53","slug":"chinese-medicine-pt-1-introduction-%e4%b8%ad%e5%8c%bb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinese-medicine-pt-1-introduction-%e4%b8%ad%e5%8c%bb\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Medicine pt. 1: Introduction (\u4e2d\u533b)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Chinese traditional medicine or \u4e2d\u533b (Zh\u014dng<\/a> y\u012b<\/a>) is a broad range of mostly preventative health practices that include various forms of\u00a0herbal medicine,\u00a0acupuncture,\u00a0massage and dietary therapy. Unlike western medicine, which is founded upon observable research and deductive reasoning, Chinese medicine takes the long view–quite literally. Chinese medicine works because it has been tried and tested for thousands of years, a timetable well beyond western medicine. That huge head start has benefitted eastern medicine prior to the development of the scientific method.<\/p>\n

Even if not founded upon empirical evidence, western doctors will admit the merits to Chinese medicine–even if they don’t understand it. What was it Deng Xiaoping said? “Black cat, white cat, as long as it catches the mice”?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The common thread among these diverse practices is a system for balancing the various functions of the body, based in\u00a0Daoist<\/a> principles of\u00a0yinyang<\/a> and other\u00a0metaphysical belief systems, that originated during the\u00a0Warring States Period in regions that are included as part off\u00a0China. Chinese medicine is commonplace throughout most parts of East Asia, but is considered “alternative medicine” in the western world.<\/p>\n

Chinese practices use a different physiological model than modern western medicine, and make a number of assumptions that are inconsistent with or untestable under the principles of scientific medicine-hence the divide between the two schools. In general, Chinese medicine practices take a holistic approach, viewing the body in terms of organ system based loosely around particular body functions (such as digestion or excretion) rather than in terms of isolated organs. Sounds pretty similar to how Chinese people view culture and society–as a collective.<\/p>\n

These organ systems are conceived to be interrelated in various systematic ways, and various techniques are used to stimulate or support weakened systems or to soothe or dampen over-excited systems–including everything from massage therapy to vomit inducing tea. Chinese medicine in practice involves an often subjective diagnosis of the general state of various organ systems followed by ongoing efforts to reestablish a healthy balance between the systems. Harmony is the name of the game. Chinese medicine is about maxing out the synergy between body, mind and even spirit. Watch for a brief explanation:<\/p>\n