History
Chinese medicine is a system of healing as ancient as Ayurveda (Indian medicine) with an unbroken tradition that can be traced back to around 2500BC and includes South East Asian traditions that originally came from China.
To understand what Chinese medicine is, one must appreciate the social forces and philosophic tendencies that shaped the first Chinese medical text: The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine (the Huang Di Nei Jing) dated around 1000BC. It describes 365 medicines, over 250 of which are herbs, their physical actions and applications.
The next major text which is used today, "The Compendium of Materia Medica" was compiled in the 16th Century and lists all the plants, animals and minerals used in Chinese medicine at the time. It includes herbs that are still used including opium, ephedrine, rhubarb and iron.
Chinese Medicine today
These texts are still taught and the principles are adhered to today although Chinese medicine has continually been developed and refined in response to cultural and clinical advances and ongoing research. It survived through the rise and fall of several dynasties and still exists happily in China alongside Western allopathic medicine, providing healthcare for the majority of the Chinese population.
It also continues to grow in popularity in the West with the US and some parts of Europe leading the way in terms of academic research.
The Life Force - "Qi"
Qi is seen as the essential life force that powers all living things. In humans we take in Qi from the air and extract it from food and drink and pass it into the body. This Qi then circulates around the body and becomes vital energy.
The quantity, quality and balance of Qi in each person influences their state of health and lifespan and this in turn is affected by other factors such as the season climate, lifestyle, diet and air quality.
Pathogenic factors
Wind, Dampness, Dryness, Heat and Cold can damage the internal balance of the body, obstructing the movement of Qi in the organs.
Disturbance or "internal Wind" can cause vertigo, unsteady movement, trembling, tinnitus and headache. Dampness increases Phlegm and oedema and can cause digestive issues. Dryness causes drying of the mucus membranes which can lead to issues with the skin. Cold decreases circulation causing pain and can also lower metabolism while excess Heat leads to inflammation and potential arthritic conditions.
Health in the body
Qi flows through a network of channels, or meridians throughout the body and can be stimulated and balanced using acupuncture, acupressure, diet and herbal medicine.
The fluids in the body are also seen as vitally important. This fluid or moisture protects, nurtures and lubricates the tissues and blood which is the basic material from which bone, muscle, nerves, organs and skin are made.
For the body to be adequately healthy, Qi, moisture and Blood need to circulate within the meridian channels that connect all parts of the body.
What is illness?
Illness is seen as a result of either depletion or congestion of Qi, moisture and Blood caused by unhealthy diets, lifestyle, stress, tension, overwork, lack of exercise or any other thing that impairs the ability of the organ networks to function properly.
Conclusion
Chinese medicine is culturally a very different way of seeing the human body and life in general. We may be wise to open our minds to the fact that this system of medicine and healing the body was one of the first to evolve on planet earth (along with Ayurvedic). Whilst our Western system of thought and treatment is amazing especially for acute conditions, we do demonstrably lack skill and success in treating long term illness. We would be wise, in my opinion and experience to be more open minded to differing approaches in thinking about and treating sickness and disease.
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