Introduction: History of medicine in China. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a system of medicine dating back at least 23 centuries, aims to prevent or cure disease by maintaining or restoring YinYang balance. China has one of the most ancient medical systems in the world.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine date back at least 2,200 years, although the earliest written record of Chinese medicine dates back to the Huangdi neijing (The Internal Classic of the Yellow Emperor) in the 3rd century BCE. This opus provided the theoretical concepts for TCM that are still the basis of its practice today.
Traditional Chinese medicine aims to restore a dynamic balance between two complementary forces, yin (passive) and yang (active), which permeate the human body as they do the whole universe.
According to TCM, a person is healthy when there is a balance between these two forces. On the other hand, infection results from an imbalance of yin and yang.
A visit to a traditional Chinese pharmacy is like visiting a small natural history museum. A typical pharmacy contains hundreds of cabinet drawers, glass cases, and jars containing various plant and animal materials.