Humanistic Spirit Of Traditional Chinese Medicine

This book aims to introduce in everyday language the profound culture and unique legacy of the ancient healing art with mesmerizing stories, allusions and anecdotes in the history of its evolution, handpicked from three perspectives, including contributions of master TCM practitioners, the nourishment of TCM by traditional Chinese culture, and the exchanges between TCM and its western counterparts. The vivid narrative of each section is complemented with elaboration of one related key TCM concept in a specific column. It is a brilliant reader for those interested in TCM and traditional Chinese culture.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a great treasure of China's ancient history and culture. Written for health professionals, researchers, social scientists and educators, this book elaborates a view that TCM is embodied in diverse and complex human dimensions and meanings in Chinese culture. Encircling Cultural Meaning includes the TCM concept 'Qi', the holistic approach, which embodies culture in medicine. The book identifies intricate human dimensions of TCM in: the life stages of youth, adulthood and old age, as family connections, as identity, as balancing /harmonising life, as complementary and knowledge transmission roles. In particular, TCM is seen through the lens of leadership - as refining human relationships, as self, as moral practice, as good management practice, and as embracing the cultural environment. Underlying these categories, shared meanings are revealed, as well as core values and health beliefs in Chinese culture. The complex human dimensions of TCM are shown to be deeply rooted in social, cultural and historical contexts in the Chinese diaspora. The Spirit of Chinese Culture: its Human Centredness Conceptions of Leadership in Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM for Youth, Adults and the Elderly TCM in Family Connectedness Chinese Identity, Body Image and Gender Balance/Harmony/Knowledge Underlying Beliefs and Roles Social-Cultural Significance The author draws from and extends her PhD research on lived Chinese experiences and conceptions of TCM across diverse individuals, populations, two focus groups in Australia, and three focus groups in Macau and Hong Kong. Encircling Cultural Meaning reveals rich and profound values in Chinese culture manifested at all levels of life, including: the reciprocal care of filial piety, trust, respect, considerations for others, the quest for self understanding, and the strive for peace and harmony. These inner virtues in human relationships offers a soothing refuge and solution to the modern world which is often punctuated with imbalance, the overdependence on material acquisition, distrust, violence, and man's inhumanity towards man.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated from the traditional medical system in the Chinese civilization, with influences from the Daoist and Chinese folk traditions in bodily cultivation and longevity techniques. In the past few decades, TCM has become one of the leading alternative medical systems in the United States. This book demonstrates the fluidity of a medical ideological system with a rich history of methodological development and internal theoretical conflicts, continuing to transform in our postmodern world where people and ideas transcend geographic, ethnic, and linguistic limitations. The unique historical trajectories and cultural dynamics of the American society are crticial nutrients for the localization of TCM, while the constant traffic of travelers and immigrants foster the globalizing tendency of TCM. The practitioners in this book represent an incredible range of clinical applications, personal styles, theoretical rationalizations, and business models. What really unifies all these practitioners is not their specific practices but the goal of these practices. The shared goal is to strive for health, not just health in terms of the lack of illness but the ultimate health of achieving perfect balance in every aspect of the being of a person—physically, mentally, spiritually, and energetically.

This book is both a translation and interpretation of Chapter 8 of the Huangdi Neijing Ling Shu, which described the ancient Chinese view of how the emotions influenced physical health. The heart was the center of a living being and the home of Spirit, and the peace and health of the heart could be compromised by human emotions. Larre's interpretation stresses the communication needed between patient and doctor to design a therapy geared specifically to each patient's authentic nature.

The Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine is an international collaboration of Chinese medicine experts from both China and the west, and co-written by an experienced practitioner who has been teaching the subject in western schools. This book covers the theory of traditional Chinese medicine and discusses the topic in greater depth than any English language textbook available today. An abundance of classical references are also included here. The material in this text comprises course material for a professional course of training in TCM, which is also the basic material for studying and comprehension of other more advanced courses in TCM. The main contents include the physiological basis of essence-qi, yin-yang and the five phases, followed by the theories of essence, qi and blood, fluids, and spirit. Organ manifestation, channel and collateral theory, constitutional theory, etiology and patho-mechanism, and also principles of prevention and treatment are expounded upon. The knowledge in this textbook is approximately equal to that for students of TCM colleges in China, and coincides with the requirements in the Examination Syllabus for TCM Professional Practitioners Worldwide.

Established by the Western Han dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is currently finding increased acceptance. A General Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine explores the thinking behind TCM, its philosophy-based theory, and its cutting-edge uses in today’s clinical practice. The book covers: Establishment and characteristics of TCM’s theory Establishment and development of TCM’s clinical system. Basic features of TCM TCM’s philosophical bases: primordial qi, yin-yang and Five Elements TCM’s medical model, method, and architecture Organized to make information easily accessible, each chapter contains: Goals & Requirements and Key Contents to enable readers to understand the core and the outline of the chapter Endnotes for readers to learn some cultural and historical information peculiar to China Glossary for readers to understand more specific information about TCM and Chinese culture Complete with chapter outlines and ancillary material, this carefully designed guide brings a time-tested practice back to the future.

In this book, we endeavor to introduce readers to the cultural background, origins and historical development of traditional Chinese medicine. We surveyed the most important events in its long history and the conditions that influenced its development, including the cultural and philosophical ideas and assumptions that led to the development of the particular methods and techniques of healing that characterize Chinese medicine. Our goal is not to give an exhaustive survey of the history and philosophy of Chinese medicine, but rather to convey the patterns of its development and allow readers to gain an understanding of the distinctive features of traditional Chinese medicine.