Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Essential Guide to Understanding the Human Body

Xu Xiangcai

• Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781886969704
• eBook ISBN: 9781594390975
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Alternative & Complementary Medicine

Wisdom from the East ...for Living in the West Discover the foundation behind this fascinating system of holistic health based on several thousand years of real clinical experience. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a unique, comprehensive, and scientific system, maintaining that the root of a disease must be found, and that a patient must be treated according to their whole being as well as their surrounding natural conditions. Viewing the human as a single, integrated entity that relates with nature, TCM maintains that the human body is affected by any changes that occur in nature, and must be treated as such. Since its beginnings, not only has TCM been well preserved and documented but it has also been continuously developing and growing. Having remarkable curative abilities and few side effects, it is an effective means to prevent and treat diseases and to keep yourself strong and healthy.

Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine is systematic, concise, practical and easy to read. Originally published in China, this re-edited edition (the 3rd book in our Practical TCM series) will provide you with the principles of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases.

Discover the principles of treatment and prevention of diseases. Learn essential primary theories, such as Yin and Yang and the Five Elements Theory, as well as their use in clinical applications. Discover the foundations for diagnostic methods. Essential for today's alternative health library.

CHAPTER 1

The Concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine

1.1 TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM)

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a discipline that deals with human physiology, pathology, diagnosis and the treatment and prevention of diseases. TCM encompasses a specific, integrated system of theory, which comes from a history of several thousand years of clinical experience. TCM develops from the experience of the Chinese people in their long struggle against diseases. As a result, TCM has contributed a great deal to the promotion of health and prosperity of the Chinese nation and to the further development of medical sciences all over the world as well.

1.2 THEORETICAL SYSTEM OF TCM

The theoretical system of TCM consists of the theories of yin and yang, the five elements, zang-fu organs, meridians, pathogenesis, syndrome and techniques of diagnosis. It also includes the therapeutic principles of health preservation and the six natural factors. It is a theoretical system much influenced by ancient materialism and dialectics, with the doctrine on yin and yang and the concept of integrated whole as its guiding principle. This concept is based in the physiology and pathology of the zang-fu organs and meridians. The diagnostic and therapeutic features of TCM include bianzheng lunzhi, which is a selection of treatment based on differential diagnosis.

1.3 CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF TCM

TCM is mainly characterized by its specific diagnostic techniques and therapeutic principles based on a practitioner’s interpretation of the physiological functions and pathological changes of the human body. For instance, TCM regards the body as an integrated whole, closely interconnected by zang-fu organs, channels and collaterals that maintain a close link with the outer world. Where the development of disease is concerned, TCM stresses that endogenous pathogenic factors (namely, seven abnormal emotions) and exogenous pathogenic factors (namely, six exogenous pathogens) play an important role.

TCM utilizes four diagnostic techniques as its principal methods:

•  Differentiation of diseases according to the theory of the zan-fu organs.

•  Differential diagnosis according to the theory of the Six Channels.

•  Differential diagnosis by the analysis of wai, qi, ying and xue.

•  Differential diagnosis by the analysis of san jiao (tri-jiao or triple warmer/triple energizer).

TCM attaches great importance to the prevention and preventive treatment of disease. The practice of TCM maintains that the primary cause or root of a disease must be found and that a patient must be treated according to their physique as well as their seasonal and local conditions. In short, the characteristics of TCM can be summarized as:

•  The concept of wholism.

•  Selection of treatment based on differential diagnosis.

1.4 THE CONCEPT OF WHOLISM

The concept of wholism refers to a general view of the human body as a single, integrated entity that inter-relates with nature.

The human body is composed of a variety of tissues and organs and each of these performs a particular function and contributes to the life activities of the whole body. Thus, the human body is an integral whole, in that its constituent parts are inseparable in structure and connected with and conditioned by one another.

Because humankind exists in nature, the human body is affected directly or indirectly by any changes that occur in nature.

1.5 BIANZHENG LUNZHI

The word bian means comprehensive analysis and the word zheng refers to symptoms and signs. Zheng, however, not only refers to a mere combination of symptoms, but to a pathological generalization of a disease in a certain stage and the relation between body resistance and pathological agents.

When the two words are combined to form the word bianzheng, the term refers to the clinical data collected by the four diagnostic techniques of TCM: detection, analysis, summary and diagnosis. The patient’s symptoms and signs are detected, analyzed and summarized thus establishing a diagnosis.

When the word lunzhi is added, it means that a proper therapeutic program is drawn up according to the diagnosis made.

The differential diagnosis known as Bianzheng Lunzhi is a fundamental principle of TCM that allows for the recognition and treatment of disease.

1.6 TREATMENT OF THE SAME DISEASE WITH DIFFERENT THERAPEUTIC METHODS

Disease that is in different stages may manifest itself by different syndromes and, therefore, can be treated with different therapeutic methods. Let us look at measles for example. In the early stage, when the appearance of the skin eruption is delayed and incomplete, the principle for promoting eruption must be applied. In its middle stage, when the lung-heat is the main syndrome, the practice of clearing away the lung-heat is indicated. Finally in the late stages, when lingering heat impairs yin in the lungs and stomach, the method of nourishing yin in order to clear away the lung-heat must be adopted.

1.7 TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT DISEASES WITH THE SAME THERAPY

The same therapy can be employed to treat different diseases that manifest themselves by the same syndrome. For example, both prolapse of rectum due to protracted illness and uterine prolapse can be treated by the therapy of elevating spleen-qi if the two ailments manifest themselves by sinking the qi of the middle-jiao.

CHAPTER 2

Yin-yang and the Five-element Theory

2.1 YIN-YANG DOCTRINE

According to ancient Chinese philosophy the yin and yang are two opposite categories. In the beginning, their meanings were quite simple, referring to turning away from or facing the sunlight respectively. Later, the yin and yang principles were used to describe an endless variety of things such as weather (cold or warm), position (downward or upward, right or left, internal or external), moving condition (mobile or static) and so on. The philosophers of ancient times observed that each phenomenon had two aspects, which were opposites regardless of the focus. Thus, the yin and yang theory is known as the basic law of the universe.

Yin and yang theory states that a natural phenomena contains two opposite aspects, thus forming the concept of the unity of opposites. Generally speaking, things active, external, upward, hot, bright, functional and hyperfunctional are of yang nature, while those that are static, internal, downward, cold, dark, substantial and hypofunctional are yin in nature.

Yin-yang doctrine is used to illustrate the sources and primary forms of movement of all things in the universe and the causes of their beginning and end.

As a theoretical tool in TCM, the yin-yang doctrine was applied to the study of physiology and pathology of the body and to diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

2.2 THE UNITY OF YIN AND YANG AS TWO OPPOSITES

Every thing and phenomenon in nature has two opposite aspects, yin and yang, which are manifested mainly in their mutual restraint and struggle. For example, the motions of celestial bodies, including the sun and the moon and the climactic changes of the four seasons, are the specific manifestations of the unity of opposites between yin and yang.

The Unity of Thoughts of Medicine and Book of Changes states that violent motion should be suppressed by tranquility, thus the hyperactivity of yin is restrained by yang. This implies that there is a relation of mutual restraint and mutual struggle between motion and tranquility. In other words, two mutually opposite aspects of anything always restrain one another through struggle.

When the yin and yang theory is applied to the body, the two opposites do not exist in a balanced state, rather they oppose each other. Through this kind of opposition and struggle a dynamic equilibrium can be established within the body. It is only through constant restraint and struggle that all things ca...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Foreword
• Preface
• Chapter 1 The Concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Chapter 2 Yin-yang and the Five-element Theory
• Chapter 3 Qi, Blood and Body Fluid
• Chapter 4 Phase of Viscera
• Chapter 5 Meridians, Channels and Collaterals
• Chapter 6 Etiology and Occurrence of Disease
• Chapter 7 Pathogenesis
• Chapter 8 Diagnostic Method
• Chapter 9 Differential Diagnosis and Treatment
• Chapter 10 Preventative Therapeutic Principles
• Glossary
• Index