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Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Introduction
Traditional Chinese Medicine dates back almost 5000 years to legendary figures such as The Yellow
Emperor, Huang Di, and The Divine Farmer, Shen Nong. There are seven concepts which underpin Traditional
Chinese Medicine. These are:-
• Yin & Yang
• The Five Elements
• The Twelve Organs
• Qi
• Blood and The Three Treasures (Jing, Qi & Shen)
• The Eight Principles
• Causes of diseases
Yin & Yang are the forces at work around us. It is based on the idea that everything is grouped
in pairs of opposite energies, the equivalent of Newton's law of 'For every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction'. This can be applied to all things, including the workings of the human body. What is
Yin or Yang is only a relative concept; in other words, it is only Yin/Yang... when compared with something
else.
The Five Elements describe natural energies. Each element is associated with a colour, flavor,
season, direction and other aspects and can be matched to a particular body type and personality.
The Twelve Organs are not to be confused with the organs of modern anatomy and Western medicine.
Although they are called by the same names, they have different functions. Each organ has a set of
functions, areas of the body it controls and a Meridian along which acupuncture points are located. In
Traditional Chinese Medicine, the solid organs are the liver, heart, spleen, lungs & kidneys.
The hollow organs are the gallbladder, stomach, small intestine, large intestine & bladder.
There are two other organs in Traditional Chinese Medicine & they are the pericardium the covering
that protects the heart) & The Triple Heater (San Jiao) which controls the distribution of heat and water.
Qi is the potential energy in all living things, ranging from plants to humans. It determines
our energy or vitality and is the catalyst for all our bodily processes. Qi moves the blood and our blood
nourishes the organs in order to produce Qi. Preserving and nurturing our Qi is the most important step in
protecting your health.
Blood moistens, nourishes and cools the body. It works closely with Qi to maintain our health.
Jing is an energy we are born with & determines our basic constitution. It is closely associated
with inherited Qi, reproductive energy and the kidneys. Shen lives in the heart. Imbalance of the
Shen leads to insomnia, confusion and anxiety. Together, Jing, Qi & Shen are our Three Treasures.
The Eight Principles are specific medical concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine which elaborate
the ideas that everything is based on pairs of opposing energies. These principles, made up of four pairs
of opposites, are known as Yin-Yang, Hot-Cold, Full-Empty & Interior-Exterior. A disease in Traditional
Chinese Medicine can have several of these properties.
Causes of Diseases can be categorized as:-
• External causes (the six evils: wind, cold, fire, summer heat, dryness, damp)
• Internal disharmony between the organs' energies
• Internal disharmony between the organs' associated emotions
Read more: Which Health Element of Traditional Chinese Medicine are You?...
Read more: Chinese Acupuncture...
