FOREWORD

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

The Formation,Development and Basic Theory of TCM

The Characteristics of TCM

CHAPTER TWO YIN-YANG AND THE FIVE ELEMENTS

Yin-Yang Theory

The Five-phase theory

CHAPTER THREE THE ZANG-FU ORGANS

The Five Zang-Organs

The Six Fu-Organs

The Extra Fu-Organs

CHAPTER FOUR THE ESSENCE,QI,BLOOD AND BODY-FLUIDS

Essence

Qi

Blood

Body-fl uid

Relationship of Qi,Blood,Body-fl uid

CHAPTER FIVE THE MERIDIANS AND COLLATERALS

Twelve Regular Meridians

Eight Extra Vessels

Physiological Functions and the Application of Meridian and
Collaterals

CHAPTER SIX ETIOLOGY

Exogenous Pathogenic Factors

Endogenous Pathogenic Factors

Endogenous Pathogens from Pathological Processes

Non-Endogenous and Non-Exogenous Pathogenic Factors

CHAPTER SEVEN PATHOGENESIS

Vital-qi and Pathogenic Factors

Imbalance between Yin and Yang

Disorder of Qi and Blood

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has an extensive history of
more than

thousands of years. It has accumulated the Chinese people’s life
experiences

through centuries of struggling against diseases. It is a vital
part of world

cultural heritage. TCM theories and medicine practices have been
enriched

throughout Chinese history and have demonstrated clinical
effectiveness. TCM

continues to be an integral part of the Chinese healthcare
system and continues

to make significant contributions to the health of Chinese
people, and people

around the world.

The Formation, Development and Basic Theory of TCM

The formation of the TCM theory has been infl uenced by ancient
Chinese

philosophy, especially by Yin-Yang and Five-element theories.
TCM views

human physiology and pathology from a holistic perspective and
has developed

a unique and comprehensive system to understand the human body
and disease

pathogenesis. It is based on systemic understanding of
physiology and pathology

of the whole person, Zang-fu organs and meridians-collateral
system. TCM

practitioners assess the clinical signs and symptom to obtain a
TCM differential

diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan for each
patient.

Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei
Jing) is the

oldest and greatest of the medical classics. It is an
amalgamation of medical ideas

and techniques that were used before 200 BC. It laid a solid
foundation for the

formation of TCM theory and clinical practice.

The Classic on Medical Problems

(Nan Jing) was written and

formed before the Eastern Han

Dynasty. The book mainly focuses

on the theory of TCM, such as TCM

physiology, pathology, diagnosis

and treatment of disease, etc. It is a

supplement to the Yellow Emperor’s

Classic of Internal Medicine.

In the Han Dyna s ty (3r d

century AD), Zhang Zhongjing, an outstanding physician, wrote
Discussion of

Cold-Induced and Miscellaneous

Diseases (Shang Han Za Bing

Lun). It was divided into two

books by later generations. The

first book is entitled Discussion

of Cold-Induced Diseases (Shang

Han Lun), While the other

was Synopsis of the Golden

Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lu ..e). These

books established principles of

treatment based on differentiation of patterns, thereby laid a
solid foundation for

the development of clinical practice.

Shen Nong’s Herbal (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing), also known as the
Classic

on Medicinals (Ben Cao Jing) or The Herbal (Ben Cao), is the
earliest materia

medica book in China. It appeared

around the Qin-Han Period with

unknown authorship. Not only

did it list 365 medicinal items―

among which 252 are herbs, 67

are animals, and 46 are minerals,

but also divided them into three

grades according to their different

properties and effects. The book

also gives a brief introduction

of pharmacological theories―

Principal (Jun), Adjuvant (Chen), Assistant (Zuo) and Guide
(Shi); harmony of

seven emotions (Qi Qing He He); four properties of medicinal
herbs (Si-qi) and

fi ve tastes of medicinal herbs (Wu-wei). It provides a
theoretical basis for the use

of Chinese medicinals and formulas.

These four classical works served as a basis for the enrichment
and

development of the theoretical system of TCM. In 610 AD, Chao
Yuanfang, et

al compiled General Treatise on the Etiology (Zhu Bing Yuan Hou
Lun). This

book provides an extensive and detailed description of
etiologies and symptoms

of various diseases. It is the earliest classic work focusing
solely on etiology and

symptoms. In the Song Dynasty, Chen Wuze put forth the famous
etiological

theory known as “The Three Categories of Pathogenic Factors”. In
the Jin

and Yuan Dynasties, there appeared four main medical schools
represented by

Liu Wansu, Zhang Congzheng, Li Gao and Zhu Zhenheng. In the Ming
and

Qing Dynasties, there appeared several medical classics such as
The Treatise

of Epidemic Diseases (Wen Yi Lun) written by Wu Youxing , The
Passage of

Febrile Diseases (Wen Re Bing Pian) written by Ye Tianshi, and
The Doctrine of

Seasonal Febrile Diseases (Wen Bing Tiao Bian) written by Wu
Jutong. These

books further enriched the theoretical system of TCM.

The universities and colleges of TCM were founded in the 1950s
in China.

Along with the development of TCM, Signifi cant progress was
made to ensure

TCM theory was further studied. In the 21st century, the
scholars of TCM

continue to develop TCM as well as utilize modern science and
technology to

research TCM through Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM).

The Characteristics of TCM

The theory of TCM has its roots in clinical experience. It is
used as a guide

in clinical practice. There are two basic fundamental pillars of
TCM’s theoretical

system: holism and differential diagnosis.

I The Holistic Concept

TCM views the world and human body from a holistic perspective.
It

attaches great importance to the unity of the human body with
nature, and within

the body itself. Its relationship with the nature deems that the
human body

is an organic whole which has an inseparable relationship with
the external

natural world. This holistic view permeates through the entirety
of TCM theory,

approaches and clinical practices.

1. Holism of the Human Body

In TCM, the human body is regarded as an organic whole in which
its

constituent parts are physically inseparable in structure and
functionality, and

its “xing” (body) is unified with its “shen” (spirit). The human
body is an

organic whole centered on the five Zang-organs with the Heart as
its “king”.

The meridians and collaterals connect the six Fu-organs, fi ve
sense organs, nine

orifi ces, bones and four extremities, tendons, pulses, muscle
and skin with each

other while Qi and Blood nourish the whole body.

In TCM, the body and spirit influence each other. “Xing” refers
to the

physical body, while “shen” refers to the psychological,
emotional and mental

aspects. “Xing” is the material foundation for “shen”, while
“shen” infl uences

“xing”. Ancient Chinese philosophy has aided in the development
of TCM theory

and clinical practice where the body, mind and spirit depend on
each other and

have an inseparable relationship with each other. The unity of
the whole is the

basis for life. Thus, a patient is viewed as a unified whole, in
which the body,

mind and spirit are intricately connected and infl uence each
other.

2. Holism of the Human Being and Nature

(1) Unity between the Body and Nature

TCM emphasizes harmony between human beings and nature, and
in

Chinese it means “Tian Ren He Yi ” (heaven and man are one). The
human

being lives in nature and needs nature to survive. People are
infl uenced directly

or indirectly by their natural environment and it affects their
physiological and

pathological responses. When drastic change of the natural
environment occurs

and exceeds the body’s tolerance, or

when the body’s dysfunction of the selfadjustment

is unable to adapt to the

environment, there will be an imbalance

between the human being and nature.

This leads to disease pathogenesis.

TCM focuses a great deal of attention

on the infl uences of nature, seasonality,

geo-environmental factors time of day,

and their inter-relationship with health

and disease.

Seasonal changes significantly influence human physiology. For
example,

Summer-heat is associated with exuberance of “Yang-qi” making Qi
and Blood

come to the surface, Where by the body heat is reduced by
sweating. In the case

of winter, “Yang-qi” is hidden inside, extra water is excreted
through the urine.

Meanwhile, certain diseases are more prevalent in one season
versus another

season. Some chronic disease may transform into an acute
episode, when dramatic

climate change happens.

The alternations of day and night changes the functional
condition of

the human body too. With the waning and waxing of Yin and Yang
in the day

and at night, Yang-qi of human body will accommodate itself to
the outside

or inside accordingly. Therefore, many patients tend to feel
worse in the

evening compared with day time. In addition, the difference of
geographical

environments, climate, quality of soil and water will have
different effects on

its residence.