Dear all,
I would like to invite everybody to share their thoughts and knowledge on the core differences between Original Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (what we usually refer to as TCM). As I have open this thread, I will first share my views on this subject, based on limited knowledge.
TCM is part of Original Chinese Medicine, although Original Chinese Medicine may not be TCM. In others words, all that is found in TCM is found in Original Chinese Medicine, but Original Chinese Medicine owns some specific ‘areas’ lacking in TCM. Well, those supplemental areas are making the difference between the two. Please everybody share your thoughts. To start, here are a few points, classified only for convenience of this post:
1. USE OF THE DEEPER AND PROFOUND CLASSICAL KNOWLEDGE
Teachers who trace their lineage back to Original (often ‘familial’) Chinese Medicine are direct in their teachings, though they may use concepts and paradigms that have been removed and therefore are lacking in TCM teachings (or briefly tackled). Those are profound concepts involving the Five Ancestral Spirits and the use of emotional interplay to cure diseases (for example). Ancient teachings have been passed down in classics, such as the Inner Classic of Yellow Emperor. Although those classics are quoted in TCM teachings, their deeper aspects are rarely used. Physicians of the old days could (can) use practically those concepts both in their diagnosis and treatments. For example, most TCM manuals give detailed explanations on the Five Elemental Processes (mistranslated as ‘five elements’), but they won’t give practical use of this processes both on diagnostic or treatment.
2. TIME SCHEDULE
TCM is usually taught within 4 to 6 years. Some importance is usually given to Western diagnosis (use of western illness terms, with the risk of getting to the point of symptomatic treatment versus holistic treatment). It may require a much more longer period to equip someone with the appropriate classical skills and understanding of Original Chinese Medicine, simply because this system is complete and huge.
3. CHI KUNG
It is obvious, especially for us students of Sifu, that high level Chi Kung must have been (and still is!) used in high level ancient Chinese Medicine, yet the modern one lacks its use (in curing illness at least, nevertheless it is commonly said that its preventive benefits are obvious –anyway what is usually practiced is low level Chi Kung-).
4. TREATMENT DIFFERENCES
Treatments may differ, because of difference of understanding (of the deeper and profound concepts hidden in the Classics, that may lead to select other ways of treatment than the usual one) and skill (high level Chi Kung, manipulation of needles and selection of acupuncture points, etc…).
As the concepts of TCM are a ‘lighter’ version of Original Chinese Medicine, TCM uses symptomatic treatments (acupuncture points are selected for their symptomatic value, not their intrinsic value). In other words, symptomatic diagnosis versus Chinese (holistic) diagnostic. In Original Chinese Medicine, one must treat both the cause and the symptom.
5. DIAGNOSIS
A main difference lies on Chinese diagnostic. Using the 4 stages of diagnostic, the 8 methods, the pulse diagnosis (extremely important), the tongue analysis, palpation and interrogatory. This last point is also very significant of Original Chinese Medicine. Interrogatory can reveal hidden factors, and sometimes it is necessary to forget about some ‘evident’ proofs to concentrate on finer and more subtle symptoms.
More on the way...
Maxime.
I would like to invite everybody to share their thoughts and knowledge on the core differences between Original Chinese Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (what we usually refer to as TCM). As I have open this thread, I will first share my views on this subject, based on limited knowledge.
TCM is part of Original Chinese Medicine, although Original Chinese Medicine may not be TCM. In others words, all that is found in TCM is found in Original Chinese Medicine, but Original Chinese Medicine owns some specific ‘areas’ lacking in TCM. Well, those supplemental areas are making the difference between the two. Please everybody share your thoughts. To start, here are a few points, classified only for convenience of this post:
1. USE OF THE DEEPER AND PROFOUND CLASSICAL KNOWLEDGE
Teachers who trace their lineage back to Original (often ‘familial’) Chinese Medicine are direct in their teachings, though they may use concepts and paradigms that have been removed and therefore are lacking in TCM teachings (or briefly tackled). Those are profound concepts involving the Five Ancestral Spirits and the use of emotional interplay to cure diseases (for example). Ancient teachings have been passed down in classics, such as the Inner Classic of Yellow Emperor. Although those classics are quoted in TCM teachings, their deeper aspects are rarely used. Physicians of the old days could (can) use practically those concepts both in their diagnosis and treatments. For example, most TCM manuals give detailed explanations on the Five Elemental Processes (mistranslated as ‘five elements’), but they won’t give practical use of this processes both on diagnostic or treatment.
2. TIME SCHEDULE
TCM is usually taught within 4 to 6 years. Some importance is usually given to Western diagnosis (use of western illness terms, with the risk of getting to the point of symptomatic treatment versus holistic treatment). It may require a much more longer period to equip someone with the appropriate classical skills and understanding of Original Chinese Medicine, simply because this system is complete and huge.
3. CHI KUNG
It is obvious, especially for us students of Sifu, that high level Chi Kung must have been (and still is!) used in high level ancient Chinese Medicine, yet the modern one lacks its use (in curing illness at least, nevertheless it is commonly said that its preventive benefits are obvious –anyway what is usually practiced is low level Chi Kung-).
4. TREATMENT DIFFERENCES
Treatments may differ, because of difference of understanding (of the deeper and profound concepts hidden in the Classics, that may lead to select other ways of treatment than the usual one) and skill (high level Chi Kung, manipulation of needles and selection of acupuncture points, etc…).
As the concepts of TCM are a ‘lighter’ version of Original Chinese Medicine, TCM uses symptomatic treatments (acupuncture points are selected for their symptomatic value, not their intrinsic value). In other words, symptomatic diagnosis versus Chinese (holistic) diagnostic. In Original Chinese Medicine, one must treat both the cause and the symptom.
5. DIAGNOSIS
A main difference lies on Chinese diagnostic. Using the 4 stages of diagnostic, the 8 methods, the pulse diagnosis (extremely important), the tongue analysis, palpation and interrogatory. This last point is also very significant of Original Chinese Medicine. Interrogatory can reveal hidden factors, and sometimes it is necessary to forget about some ‘evident’ proofs to concentrate on finer and more subtle symptoms.
More on the way...
Maxime.
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