Classical Chinese Medicine
Classical Chinese Medicine is the oldest, professional, continually practiced, literate medical system in the world. This medical system’s written literature stretches back 2,500 years, and currently one-forth of the world’s population uses it. Chinese medicine has been created by some of the best educated and brightest scholars in Chinese history. These scholars have recorded their theories and clinical experience from generation to generation in literally thousands of books. It is estimated that there are between 30-40,000 extant books on Chinese medicine written before the turn of the century and, since then, hundreds of thousands more books and articles in professional journals have been written and published in the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.
The antiquity, beauty and efficacy of Chinese medicine have attracted Western scholars for generations. But as modern China sought credibility for its age-old system of medicine, and as westerners have striven to understand it within their own scientific context, each has emphasized selected pieces from the rich tapestry of Chinese medicine. By focusing on the rich and variegated nature of Chinese medicine that defined the profession before recent standardization attempts, Classical Chinese Medicine strives to revive the classical depth of Oriental medicine.
Chinese Herbal Medicine is the main therapeutic modality within Classical Chinese Medicine. Chinese herbal medicine is based on an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. This means the patient receives a custom written herbal formula designed to treat both the symptom or disease and also their individual pattern. Such a pattern is made up of a person’s signs and symptoms as well as their emotional temperament and bodily constitution. Chinese herbal medicine treats the full range of human disease. It treats acute diseases, like intestinal flu and the common cold, as well as chronic diseases, such as allergies, gynecological disorders, autoimmune diseases, chronic viral diseases, and degenerative diseases due to aging. In particular, Chinese herbal medicine is especially good for promoting the body’s ability to heal and recuperate.
Qigong is an ancient Chinese art of physical fitness, health enhancement, relaxation, and meditation. Translated literally as “energy” (qi) “work” (gong), qigong is the most ancient of all Chinese healing modalities. Qigong generically refers to a wide variety of systems of therapeutic exercises, including meditation, visualization, breathing exercises, sound work, movements, stretches, and self-massage. Qigong is an integral part of Classical Chinese medicine for maintaining health and enhancing vitality.
Oriental Bodywork is an integral part of Oriental medicine. Tuina is a style of Chinese therapeutic massage, and Shiatsu is a style of Japanese therapeutic massage. Chinese pediatric massage techniques are used on children and infants. These styles of bodywork are eloquent in that they apply Classical Chinese medical theory and follow the acupuncture meridians, allowing for a more holistic approach.
Dietary Therapy and lifestyle counseling follow the theories of Classical Chinese Medicine. In Classical Chinese Medicine, specific foods have individual therapeutic properties. A particular food can be used not only to maintain health but also to contribute towards the treatment of a patient.