Traditional Chinese Medicine: Basic Principles Traditional Chinese

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Medicine(TCM) is based on the philosophical concept that the human body is a small universe with a set of complete and sophisticated closely-related subsystems. Those systems usually work harmoniously to maintain the normal function of thehuman body. There are also systems (much like the immune system in modern concept) in human body to heal illness automatically. In case of any imbalance between those subsystems in the human body, the healing system may lose power and then illness occurs. On the other hand, if balance is restored, the person heals.

TClM theory pays more attention to assisting the balance of the human body and letting its healing system do its job, while Western medicine is better at fighting the cause of illness directly. This is why many people in China seek treatment from Western medicine for acute illness and prefer to use TCM for long-term problems.

The basic theory of Chinese medicine attepts to explain the nature of life cycle and disease changes. It includes five theories: yin and yang, the five elements, how to direct one’s strength, zangfu(internal body organs), and channels. It also researchesdialectics, and explains why diseases occur, how to diagnose and prevent diseases, and how to keep the body healthy.

Opposition: Everything has two opposite aspects, yin and yang struggle with each other and try to control each other.

Interdependence: yin and yang define each other and therefore one canot exist without the other.

Mutual consumption and support: yin and yang each give off themselves to nourish the other.

Inter-transformation: yin can become yang and yang can become yin.

Infinite sub-divisibility: There is always a bit of one in the other.

The five elements-wood, water, fire, metal, and earth-emerged from the observation of the various groups of dynamic processes, functions, and characteristics in the natural world. Each of the elements is seen as having a series of correspondences relating both to the natural world and the human body.

TClM uses a system of inter-relationships between the five elements to understand how the various processes of the body support and control each other. Because of these inter-relationships, when one of the organs and its associated element is out of balance, the other elements are also affected. This imbalance will manifest in the individual with many different signs and syptoms. It may show in the facial color, the sound of the voice, or a change in the emotional state as well as disharmony in the functioning of the connected organs.

There are two main cycles involved in the five elements: the sheng and the ke. The sheng Cycle is ore yan, expansive, oriented with an emphasis on growth and so generating. The he Cycle is more yin, contractive, oriented with an enphasis on control and so restraining.

The Sheng/Generating Cycle: The clockwise sequence on the circle represents the Sheng Cycle. Each element is the mother of the next: metal produces water; water nourishes wood; wood fuels fire; fire makes earth; earth yields metal.

The he/Regulating Cycle: The clockwise sequence produced by the pentagon represents the regulating or destructive cycle. Fire can melt metal; metal can cut wood; wood can contain earth; earth can absorb water; water can extinguish fire.

The concepts of yin-yang and the five elements provide the intellectual framework of much of Chinese scientific thinking in the field of medicine.The organs of the body are seen to be interrelated in the same sorts of ways as other natural phenomena，and best understood by looking for correlations and correspondences.

To treat diseases，doctors use the methods of observation，auscultation and olfaction，interrogation，and pulse feeling and palpation.These methods，known as the four major methods，each have their distinctive function and doctors can make a correct analysis of diseases by applying all of them.

patients.It is believed that when viruses attack the human body，people’s internal organs and blood will be affected，thus naking their Interrogation:By interrogation.doctors will talk to the patients or someone who knows about the disease（to get the information about how the disease occurs，how it develops，its current symptoms，and how it is treated）.This method is useful when there are no obyious symptoms from the patients’outer appearance.In this case，interrogation will help the doctors to get the information they need.

Also，by interrogating，doctors can obtain other indirect information related with the disease，such as the patients’daily life，working.

Pulse Feeling and Palpation:Doctors use the method of pulse feeling and palpation by touching or pressing the patient’s pulse.It is believed that changes inside the body are reflected by the changes of the pulse activity.Sometimes doctors press the skin of a certain part of the body to identify the nature and the severity of the disease inside the body part.