What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

TCM is a vast and all-encompassing concept, but while it contains profound wisdom, it can also become a breeding ground for misinformation. As TCM has evolved throughout history, it has indeed undergone continuous change. However, I believe its essential core must remain unchanged.   

First and foremost, TCM is a form of medicine built upon the foundation of traditional Chinese philosophy. The key difference between Chinese and Western traditional philosophy lies in their fundamental approaches: Chinese philosophy is based on interconnectedness, focusing on the intricate relationships and mutual influences among all things in the world—where a single move can affect the entire system. In contrast, Western philosophy is rooted in reductionism, seeking to study increasingly smaller and more isolated components.   

This divergence in philosophical foundations has given rise to two distinct medical frameworks. 

Applying this perspective of interconnectedness within the medical framework means recognizing the body as an indivisible whole, where every system and part is intimately linked. Maintaining balance and harmony among these interconnected parts is the key to health.  

When a person falls ill, it is because this balance and coordination have been disrupted. Why do some people tend to develop certain illnesses while others are prone to different ones? It is because each individual’s innate constitution and lifestyle predispose them to specific imbalances or vulnerabilities.   

For example, take the common cold:   

- Some people develop high fever and coughing;   

- Others experience high fever with severe headaches;   

- Some rarely run a high fever at all;   

- And some may even suffer from nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea upon catching a cold.   

This variation occurs because each person’s constitution reacts differently to disease. Western medicine treats specific diseases, while TCM assesses the individual’s reactive state to determine their physical constitution and correct imbalances that affect the whole body.   

Thus, TCM does not treat diseases—it treats people.   

As students of TCM, we must firmly internalize this concept. Some ask me: "Can TCM treat infertility?" My answer is: No, it cannot. But TCM can regulate a woman’s body and emotional state according to her unique condition, helping her conceive naturally.   

For instance, yesterday, a couple came in with the same cold infection—yet their symptoms were entirely different:   

- The wife had high fever, severe headache, nausea, and retching (but couldn’t vomit), indicating Shaoyang dysfunction. She was prescribed **Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) combined with Ge Gen Tang (Kudzu Decoction).   

-The husband had high fever, extreme thirst, constant drinking and urination, so he received **Ge Gen Tang (Kudzu Decoction) combined with Wu Ling San (Poria Five Powder).   

They lived together and were infected by the same virus—Western medicine would likely prescribe them the same treatment. But TCM tailors therapy to their individual reactions, because TCM treats the person, not the disease.   

If you would like to share, discuss some cases, please join me the case study session: Pooling wisdom.