Traditional chinesse medicine

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Traditional Chinese medicine has a history of thousands of years. Its use spread throughout the Han society, with different treatment systems developed for the noble, peasant, worker and merchant classes .Chinese medicine," often called "Oriental medicine" or "traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)," encompasses a vast array of folk medical practices based on mysticism. in traditional Chinese medicine is that disease is due to an internal imbalance of Yin and Yang; therefore disease can be treated by correcting the Yin Yang imbalance, thereby returning the body to a healthy state. It holds that the body's vital energy (chi or qi) circulates through channels, called meridians, that have branches connected to bodily organs and functions. Illness is attributed to imbalance or interruption of chi. ..

The Chinese believe that health is achieved, and disease prevented, by maintaining the body in a 'balanced state' also the body is a delicate balance of Yin and Yang To understand the fundamental polarity and harmony in life, you must have a background on Chinese medicine. Health is achieved though the balance of the opposing forces between "yin" (spirit), and "yang" (blood). Yin represents water,quiet, substance and night, whilst Yang represents fire, noise, function and day. The two are polar opposites and because of this one must be present to allow the other to exist; for instance, "how can you experience joy if you do not understand misery?" The state of the body is determined by the balance of Yin and Yang within it. Each of the organs of the body has an element of Yin and Yang, although one organ may be more Yang in its nature The

attraction between them creates an energy called "Qi" (pronounced chee). This energy flows to all parts of the body through channels which are known as "meridians"

(pathways that run along the surface of the body and branch into the body's interior). An imbalance in these forces is what is believed to cause illness and disease. Qi is a very wide concept, difficult to understand in detail, but it is an essential part of the traditional Chinese picture of the body. For example, The Qi of the liver is the functional ability of the liver, and the Qi of the body is the total vital force of a human being. It is also divided into v...

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...resence of a supernatural entity but do not provide a clear

explanation on it. Both thought systems consider it mostly as a mystery that the human mind cannot fully comprehend The basic meanings of the Tao are:

1. The Way of the Mysterious: "the mystery of mysteries."

2. The Way of the Universe: "the mother of the world."

3. The Way of the Vision: "being one with the eternal."

Confucius put great importance in conducting numerous rituals for various occasions. He found it to be an essential part for the well being of the society. He said, "when superiors love ritual, the people are easy to direct" . Xunzi provides a more elaborate explanation. He said "Ritual conduct is the perfection of decorum . . . Sages comprehend it, gentlemen comfortably carries them out, officials preserves them and the common people consider them the custom" . Buddhism was introduced to china in the 1st century and gave birth to basic ideas of gaustama sakyumuni like reincarnation after death to different kind of creature example cat, dog. Medical ideas of health and therapy.

Medicine in China: Historical Artifacts and Images

Paul U. Unschuld