TCM

History of TCM

China is a vast country in eastern Asia, totaling some 5.9 million square kilometers, second only to Canada and Russia in terms of landmass. The Chinese call their country Zhong guo, which means Middle Country, perhaps because the ancient Chinese thought of their country as both the geographical center of the world and the only cultured civilization. 

Taoism

The basis of Traditional Chinese medicine rests upon the teachings of Taoism, the ancient spiritual philosophy of China sometimes referred to as the 'Chinese yoga'. At the heart of the Taoist philosophy is the postulation of an invisible and omnipresent force that creates and regulates the myriad functions of universe, called the Tao (pronounced “dow”).  The ancient Chinese character for ‘Tao’ is composed of two parts: a head, representing a wise and knowing person; and the act of walking. Thus, the Tao is a journey or a path to the understanding of the ultimate nature of reality.  

Yin and Yang

Manifest in the activities of the tao are the paired opposites of Yin and Yang, the instigators of all change. The third stanza of the first poem of the Tao Te Ching describes the significance of these dual principles:

The Concept of Qi

The circulation of tao in the body is referred to as the ‘Qi’ (pronounced ‘chee’), and practices that aim to support and balance the Qi of the body such as Qi qong and meditation enhance the natural awareness of tao.  According to the Taoist tradition there are three attributes to Qi, one relating to the nature of ‘tao’, the other to the act of breathing and the last to a kind of wind that permeates and enlivens all living things. 

TCM and the Blood

From a traditional Chinese perspective Blood (Xue) and Qi are interdependent entities, representing the basic dynamics of Yin and Yang in the body, respectively. Thus is any discussion of Blood and the activities of the cardiovascular system it is important to understand the role of Qi. As regulator of the flow of Blood where the Qi is deficient Blood begins to stagnate, and similarly, when the Blood begins to stagnate the flow of Qi becomes blocked.

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TCM and the Digestion

Digestive function in Traditional Chinese medicine is largely ruled by the Stomach and Spleen, both considered the root of the post-natal Qi, or the energetic component that sustains the body and is derived from the processes of digestion According to TCM theory, the function of digestion is regulated by the activities of Yin and Yang, Yang corresponding to the function of the Stomach, and Yin to the functions of the Spleen.  This duality means however that the element of Yin is required to counter-balance the intense Yang energy of the Stomach, and the Yang energy is needed to power and enliven the passive Yin nature of the Spleen. Please login or register to see the full article

TCM and the Liver

Similar to the Western understanding of the liver, the Chinese conception of the Liver (for which we shall use a capital ‘L’ to distinguish it from the physiological liver) encompasses a variety of functions, some of which overlap with the physiological liver and some which do not. According the Chinese perspective, the Liver functions to ensure the smooth flow of Qi that results in the proper movement of Blood, which in turn, directs energy to the muscles and tissues during physical activity.

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