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Comprehensive Introduction to TCM
This course is an introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine, and covers all aspects of materials deemed essential to the understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a comprehensive approach to Traditional Chinese Medicine, in that it covers the three fundamental aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which include its history, foundation, and diagnosis.
History of TCM
- This part covers the following topics of study in the history of TCM:
- Introduction to the ancient history of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- The budding of medical knowledge during the primitive society
- Legends stage of medicine
- The findings from the Ma Wang Dui Chinese tomb in Chang sha in 1973, which marks the earliest system of Chinese medicine unearthed.
- Four most important classics
Outstanding Physicians in Historical Perspective.
- Spring and Autumn period (770-476) and the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.)
- The Qin Han period (206-220 A.D.)
- The six dynasties and West Jin period (220-589)
- The Sui dynasty period (581-618)
- The Tang dynasty (618-907)
- The Song dynasty period (960-1279)
- The Jin and Yuan dynasties (1115-1368)
- The Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
- The Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
- The period after 1911
Schools of Thought
- The Classical school
- The Shang Han school
- The school of cold-cool remedies
- The school of tonifying earth
- The school of counteracting pathogenic attack
- The school of watering yin
- The school of warming and tonifying
- The school of warm diseases
- The school of integrating Chinese and Western medicines
- Acupuncture: past and present
Second: Foundation of TCM
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The contents of the second part include the following:
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Yin-yang theory
The basic contents of yin-yang theory; applications of yin-yang theory in T.C.M. -
Five Element theory
The basic contents of Five Element theory; applications of Five Element theory in T.C.M.; Classifications of objects according to Five Element theory -
Causes of disease in T.C.M.
External causes: six pathogenic energies (liu yin zhi qi); internal causes: seven emotions (qi qing); neither external nor internal causes: excessive labour and sex fatigue, bad eating habits -
Pathological changes in T.C.M.
Ba-gang theory (yin yang han re biao li xu shi); pathological changes in liu jing (six meridians) -
The principles of treatment in T.C.M.
Han fa (to induce perspiration), qing fa (to clear heat), xia fa (to induce bowel movement), wen fa (to warm up), xiao fa (to eliminate), bu fa (to tonify), he fa (to harmonize), tu fa (to induce vomiting), and the treatment of qi (energy), xue (blood), jing luo (meridians), etc. - Terminologies of T.C.M.
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Yin-yang theory
Third: Diagnosis in TCM
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The contents of this part include the following:
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Wu zang (five viscera or yin organs)
Xin and xin bao (heart and pericardium), gan (liver), pi (spleen), fei (lungs), shen (kidneys); physiology of the yin organs -
Liu fu (six bowels or six yang organs)
Xiao chang (small intestine), dan (gallbladder), wei (stomach), da chang (large intestine), pang guang (bladder), san jiao (triple burning); physiology of the yang organs -
Qi heng zhi fu (extraordinary organs)
Nao (brain), gu (bones), sui (marrow), mai (blood vessels), nu zi bao (womb or uterus); physiology of extraordinary organs - The connections between the organs
- Pathological changes in zang-fu (organs)
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Qi, xue, jin-ye (energy, blood, body fluids)
Physiological actions of qi, xue, jin-ye; pathological changes of qi, xue, jin-ye; the connections between qi, xue, jin-ye -
Si zhen (four methods of diagnosis)
Wang zhen (diagnosis by observation) which includes the observation of patient's complexion, the natural colour and appearance of the skin, the observation of the patient's physical build, development and nutrition, the observation of tongue; wen zhen (diagnosis by hearing and smelling); wen zhen (diagnosis by interrogation); qie zhen (pulse-taking and palpation)
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Wu zang (five viscera or yin organs)