Traditional Chinese Medicine: Theory and Global Influence

Traditional Chinese medicine (Zhongyi) is one of the world's oldest healthcare systems, developed over three thousand years and remaining in active use by hundreds of millions today. Unlike Western medicine, TCM seeks to restore the overall balance of the body, treating the person rather than the disease.

The Theory of Qi and Balance

The foundational text of TCM, the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), presents the concept of qi (vital energy) flowing through the body in meridians, balanced between yin and yang.

Therapeutic Modalities

TCM encompasses herbal medicine (Zhongyao), acupuncture (Zhenjiu), tui na massage, and tai chi and qigong movement practices. Artemisinin, derived from sweet wormwood, won the Nobel Prize in 2015 for its antimalarial properties.