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3 The Principles of TCM

3.1 Difference between Western Medicine and TCM

While Western medicine focuses on detecting and eliminating the cause of a disorder, Eastern medicine sees the origin of disease in the interaction of various, mutually interdependent internal and external influences. The Chinese physician looks for the threads that connect individual processes in the organism and merges them into one common effect. This is the point at which he or she recognizes nonphysiological patterns and shows the body the way back into healthy channels. Misdirected energies are steered back in the right direction, and the body is shown the way to self-healing.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the underlying goal is to integrate all the potential variables of a disorder into the patient’s clinical picture and include them in the treatment. This approach entails a direct contradiction to current research and treatment methods of Western medicine, whose goal is to control and, if possible, eliminate all variables. In individual cases, a deviation of symptoms from the norm can lead to problems with diagnosis or treatment.

Western medicine tends to analyze individual symptoms to understand the cause of a disorder. For this purpose, it has developed sophisticated diagnostic systems such as imaging techniques and laboratory diagnostics.

3.2 Important Terms in TCM

3.2.1 The Basic Substances

The five basic substances are:

•Qi (life energy)

•Xue (blood)

•Jing (essence)

•Shen (vital spirit)

•Jin ye (bodily fluids)

Qi

From the philosophical or cosmological perspective, qi is the true source of the entire universe and of life in general. It is the basic substance of which the world and hence also the human body is composed. It is only as the result of the tension between yin and yang that this activating energy in our world is created.

The body’s own qi moves the organism and, depending on its function, has different characteristics. To begin with, each organ and each functional cycle have their own qi with the specific characteristics required in that context.

In general, the functions of qi are:

•Moving

•Protecting

•Transforming

•Preserving

•Warming

In addition, there are different manifestations of qi in the body, which fulfill a variety of functions.

Zong Qi The respiratory or gathering qi is connected to the heart and lung. It gathers in the thorax and directs the rhythm of the breath.

Yuan Qi The source qi is the refined, energetic form of essence and has its source in the kidneys. It circulates in the body and activates all organs. It gathers in the yuan source points and courses through the triple burner.

Gu Qi The food qi is formed from ingested food by the spleen and then ascends into the thorax. There, it is transformed into blood in the heart and, in combination with air, forms the zong qi in the lung.

Zhen Qi The true qi is the last stage of refined qi and has two manifestations: wei qi and ying qi.

Wei Qi One aspect of qi which defends the body. It is the external protection (defense qi). Wei qi courses closely underneath the skin and regulates the sweat glands.

Ying Qi This is the nutritive qi that is linked to the blood (xue) and assists in transforming the purest nutrients into blood. Xue and ying are inseparable. “Battalion, barrack, camp, operational, searching” are translations for this term. All these terms are in the widest sense related to the notion of provisioning. Ying extracts itself and becomes blood. It nourishes the viscera and moistens the bowels. It originates from food (nutrients).

Xue

Xue is equated with blood. It is the material aspect of qi.

Jing

Jing (essence) is the earth aspect of the three treasures shen, qi, and jing, and thereby carries the greatest yin energy. Jing stands for the inherited substance/DNA and is an internally produced substance that should be preserved. Earlier heaven essence (xian tian zhi jing) is bestowed already on the fetus during conception and is very difficult to reproduce. It is consumed in the course of one’s life.

Later heaven essence (hou tian zhi jing) can be replaced daily by the spleen and stomach with a healthy diet.

Shen

Shen is the spirit, consciousness, vitality, or external manifestation of the internal condition of the body. Thinking is the dominant aspect of this concept. Shen manifests in the memory and in sleep, emanates from the eyes, and means “wonderful,” “mysterious,” and is related to the eternal dimension of life, to the magical and heavenly aspects of being alive. Shen is the yang aspect of the three treasures shen, qi,and jing. It connects us to heaven and brings us our dao.

Jin Ye

Jin ye are all the other fluids except for blood (xue). They are two completely different substances: Jin is a thin fluid that nourishes the skin and muscles and enters the blood. It forms sweat and urine. Ye is the thicker part that nourishes the bones, internal organs, brain, and marrow. It moistens openings and joints. Both of these come from the essence of our food.

3.2.2 Zang Fu

Zang fu is the Chinese term for the internal organs (Table 3.1). Zang are the visceral or storage organs. Fu are the bowels or hollow organs, which have the role of collecting and eliminating. The viscera and bowels are linked to the 12 main channels.

Table 3.1 Viscera and bowels

3.2.3 Yin and Yang

Life means transformation. The monad tai ji (Fig. 3.1) symbolizes the relationship between yin and yang. The lower, black section of the circle symbolizes yin within yin, while the upper, white section stands for yang within yang. Both halves continuously change into each other and carry the seed of the other in them. We can see the polarity of yin and yang in animate and inanimate nature as well as in every living creature (Fig. 3.2).

Originally, yin and yang were compared with the properties of the two sides of a mountain. The darker, cooler, lower side corresponded to yin; the brighter, warmer, upper side to yang. Consequently, yin was also associated with the sinking of fog, the condensation of water, slowness, stillness, gathering and containing, the inside, heaviness, depth, nurturing, the feminine, and the night. Yang, on the other hand, referred to warmth, dispersing, evaporation, activity, movement, speed, the outside, pushing, the masculine, and the day.

Heaven (seat of the sun) is yang; the earth is yin.

Functions of Yang

•Source of warmth

•Moving

•Securing

•Protecting

•Transforming

Functions of Yin

•Cooling

•Moistening

•Nourishing

•Transmitting stillness

The four principles of yin and yang are:

1.Yin and yang constitute opposites and contain each other’s seeds in them.

2.Yin and yang can change into each other.

3.Yin and yang are mutually dependent.

4.Yin and yang consume and control each other.

It is impossible for yin and yang to exist on their own. Without light, there can be no shade; without mountain, no valley; without cold, no warmth.

The harmonious balance of yin and yang is essential for the healthy function of body and soul.

Opposites do not exclude each other—they need each other. A wonderful image for this relationship is the magnetic rod, which always has a north and a south pole,...