Traditional Chinese Medicine
” Thousands of years old, traditional Chinese medicine takes the individual into account as a whole, considering both his or her physical and psychological aspects. It also pays special attention to the patient’s relationship to his or her environment. “
THE FIVE BRANCHES
Though acupuncture is the most well known face of traditional Chinese medicine, it is only one of its five branches. These branches are complementary and aim, through different means, to re-establish the patient’s energetic balance in order to create the foundations for sustainable health.
The five branches of traditional Chinese medicine are:
- Acupuncture
- Pharmacopoeia (Chinese herbs)
- Dietetics
- Tuina massage
- Qi Gong
MAIN CONCEPTS
Traditional Chinese medicine is based on a Taoist vision of the human body and its environment. Among its key concepts used are: Qi, the meridians, Yin and Yang theory, and the Five Elements theory.
ORIGINS
The origins of traditional Chinese medicine go back several thousands of years and are based in the most ancient of Chinese traditions. As such, though the first written traces of this medicine are found in the 5th century BCE, the foundations of this practice are often traced back to the Yellow Emperor, a mythical sovereign from the 3rd millennium BCE.
RECEPTION IN THE WEST
Relations between China and the West trace back to Marco Polo and have been constant since the arrival of the Jesuits in the Middle Kingdom, in the 16th century. Since this period, Chinese culture has never ceased to fascinate and intrigue, often perceived through the conceptual filters of Western intellectuals of each period. In turn, traditional Chinese medicine, and more particularly, acupuncture have taken part in this cultural exchange, according to the values and concerns of our contemporary societies.
