Traditional Chinese Medicine History

Influences of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine has five main influences: Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Yingyang, and 5-Phases. Each of these concepts and belief systems respectively has contributed major expansion to notion and practice of Chinese Medicine. It is the layering of these 5 different basis of knowledge that culminate Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Confucianism emerged during the Zhou Dynasty (1121-249 BCE) through the writings of Gongfuzu (Confucius). Through his advocacy and the consciousness of the era, a high level of awareness and organization concerning public health and hygiene arose. Confucius� view was that the body was to be held as sacred and therefore not to be mutilated in any way. It was due to his assertions of this nature that the development of energetic medicine began to sway over such techniques as surgery that were formerly common practice.

Daoism, in its original form was pure philosophy. The teachings of Daoism, as founded by Laozu, can be divided into esoteric and exoteric conceptions. The esoteric encompasses philosophy while the exoteric is made up of alchemy and occultism. Frequently during reign of the Tang Dynasty (619-907 CE), rulers would consult magicians, alchemists, and doctors in search for an elixir of life. Much of our knowledge of the actions of plants and minerals is due to the widespread testing of herbs and minerals during this period. Daoism is also thought to be the basis of proper breathing therapies. Literature suggests celestial and terrestrial breathing practices provide a basis for connection to the mysterious and the physical realms.

Buddhism was introduced in China from India in about 67 CE. It had a great influence in the pathology and aetiology of Chinese medicine because of the introduction of such concepts as faith healing, hypnotism, autosuggestion and other psychotherapeutic measures now associated with healing. During this time the mind was emphasized and the body was submerged.

Eventually, Chinese medical physiology, pathology, and treatment is reduced to the interplay between yin and yang. The first references of yinyang date back to Zhou dynasty (about 1000-770 BCE)

The theory of the 5-Phases and its application to medicine has been said to mark the beginning of �scientific� medicine. Healers are now observing nature with a combination of inductive and deductive methodology, as opposed to imposing supernatural causes for disease. Acknowledgement of 5-phase allowed numeration to be applied in the interpretation of nature and the human body.