Chinese Medicine
The Chinese have a long history of research and practice in medicine. Many of these treatments would be classified as "alternative" today, but in truth, such treatments have a long tradition of success, and often are more effective than those seen in modern medicine. The traditional treatments that have been used in China for the past several thousand years are today known as "Traditional Chinese Medicine" or TCM. These treatments include herbal medicine, Shiatsu massage, acupuncture and other techniques.
The origins of TCM are thought to lie with the philosophies that inspired Taoist and Buddhist thought. The earliest known text surrounding the practice of traditional Chinese medicine is called the "Huangdi neijing" which translates to "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" in English. "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" was made up of two books. The first was called the Suwen, or Basic Questions and surrounded the theories behind Chinese medicine as well as basic diagnostic methods. The Suwen is the more commonly used text in traditional medicine. The second book was named the Lingshu, or the Divine Pivot. This book covered the practice of acupuncture in great detail.
The creation of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon was by far the most significant occurrence in the history of traditional Chinese medicine. Other significant events include:
-The release of "A Treatise on Cold Damage," a medical textbook which referenced "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" and detailed a variety of herbal prescriptions and therapies, including sweat therapy and cooling therapy.
-the invention of the "Meng" in 56 BC by Zhang Liang. This instrument was the precursor of the modern stethoscope.
-"Materia MEdica," a text documenting 833 medical substances derived from stones, metals, plants, animals and other materials, was compiled in 657 AD
-The practice of Chinese medicine saw huge reforms during the mid-twentieth century under Mao.
