| How Old is Oriental Medicine? |
| Oriental Medicine is at least three thousand years old. Written evidence from China dates back to about 1,500 BC, and archeological evidence of medicinal herbs and acupuncture needles dates back to about 5,000 BC. Sometime between 400 BC and 200 BC, the Huang Di Nei Ching (Yellow Emperor's Classic) was written. This text describes a conversation between the Yellow Emperor (Haung Di) and his court physician (Chi Po) that presumably took place in about 3,000 BC. In that book, the Emperor asks numerous health-related questions, and his loyal physician answers them with lengthy discussions. There is no evidence that this conversation actually took place, and it is more likely that this story was used as a framework to record and transmit medical principles and theory. Prior to written language, storytelling was used throughout the world as a way to record history and knowledge, and this story likely developed from such an oral tradition. |
| The Huang Di Nei Ching describes the use of a variety of modalities. Dietary therapy and nutrition were recommended as the first line of treatment, expecially for internal illnesses. Next, herbal therapy was emphasized. Following that, external therapies of acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, breathing, and exercise techniques were recommended for treating external injuries and for attempting to indirectly treat internal illnesses. |
| Practicing medicine in ancient China was considered highly respectable, and the "great" physicians were considered the ones who kept their patients from becoming ill. When a patient became ill, it was considered to be partly the physician's fault, and the phsycian would not charge any fee from sick patients, relying upon payment when they were well and able to earn a livelihood. Thus, these great physicians were responsible for creating the first health care insurance plans. |
| Being a physician was not always a safe occupation in China. An inquisitive mind and scientific investigation kept many physicians at their best. Being a skilled practitioners was further emphasized by the potential punishment for being wrong. Periodically, a court physician or other physician called in to cure the Emperor or his family made a mistake, or simply could not cure fatal injuries or illnesses. The physician was summarily executed along with his associates, and medical books were burned. To protect knowledge from being lost and to secure a livelihood for the future generations, many advances in medical science were made and passed on secretly within families. On the other hand, when physicians had a good working relationship with their Emperor, they might have at their disposal criminals and others upon which to perform medical experiments. The Emperor essentially owned his subjects and might be willing to sacrifice undesirables for the good of the people, or more importantly, of his own lineage. Many physicians experimented on themselves as well, attempting to experience and define, first hand, the toxicology and healing properties of various plants, animals, and minerals. |
| While the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory were first laid down in print in the Huang Di Nei Ching, and continued to evelove in China, TCM spread throughout southeast Asia region as far as Japan by 800 A.D., along with the teachings of Buddhism. As various regional cultures gained access to TCM, they adapted it and developed variations and specialties, utilizing local healing methods. From the basics of Yin/Yang, Qi, Five Elements, Eight Principles, and other common theories, there developed advanced systems, such as Japanese Hara Diagnosis, Japanese Kanpo, Korean Constitutional Therapy, and others. When Traditional Oriental Medicine finally reached Europe, advances were made there also, such as French Energetics and Nosier's Ariculotherapy. In deference to the common origins of all of these healing arts, it is often referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, in recognition of the long-standing prevalence throughout the Orient, it it now usually referred to as Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM), Oriental Medicine (OM) , or Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM). |
| The other event that occured over the past one thousand years has been a unification and cross-mixing of acupuncture, herbal medicine, manual therapy, exercise, meditation, breathwork, and other related medical methodologies. Later, many cultural practices, including traditional medicine, were suppressed by long periods of European and Christian colonialism. However, Oriental Medicine experienced a gradual recovery after World War II, as Asian nations finally gained total independence from the European dominance of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and then again during the past three decades as trade and communications nomalized and expanded between most Asian countries and the rest of the world. |