Pathways To Theoretical Modernization Of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The dissertation consists of two major parts. The first part is a demonstration of the feasibility for theoretical modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM henceforth), while the second part is an attempt to propose methods and pathways for theoretical modernization of TCM.It is commonly claimed nowadays that the TCM theory, deeply rooted in the traditional culture of China, is the outcome of ancient Chinese philosophy. Thus, the inheritance and/or development of TCM theory should inevitably be based on further study of China's traditional culture. In this case, since Chinese culture differs drastically from western or modern culture, the "modernization" of the TCM theoretical system is a hardly surmountable or even impossible task.A survey of pre-Qin literature and classics discloses a fact that in medical cases and treatises before the early Warring States period, no trace of ancient Chinese philosophy could be found, and these earliest medical theories originated merely from vivid life experience which were then applied clinically. A further examination of ancient literature reveals that it was only after ancient philosophy came into existence and then into vogue that philosophical traces started to appear in ancient medical theories, but such philosophical elements therein were only loosely linked with clinical practices and were utilized decoratively in the medical discourse. Hence, a conclusion can be drawn from all these 1lterature research that ancient Chinese philosophy is not the origin of TCM theory; rather, ancient medical practitioners and theorists had chosen to popularize TCM theory in the disguise of ancient philosophy due to certain realistic considerations.In addition, by comparing and contrasting between TCM and ancient western medical theories as well as clinical practices, the present dissertation discovers that both TCM and ancient western medical theories skillfully employed metaphoric thinking patterns in understand medical problems, demonstrating medical logic and guiding clinical treatment, and both systems constructed medical theories in terms of the relationship between subject and object. Furthermore, the construct concept that TCM termed as "Qi", which refers to a substance directly related to air but with slight difference, is also found in ancient western medicine, and both medical traditions positioned this concept as the core of pathology. These findings lead to a tentative conclusion that TCM theory is not a unique product that can only stem from China's traditional culture; rather, it should be better regarded as the product of the instinctive thinking patterns shared by human beings, which has acquired naturally corresponding cultural features in different regions due to the respective developmental environments that differ from each other.On the basis of these findings and in accordance with the rules and principles underlying TCM theoretical development during the past two thousand years, the present study reveals that TCM theory has been adjusting itself along with and in the light of the mainstream systems of knowledge and cognition as well as language preferences of the time in order to resonate with the contemporary society. From this perspective, we can state that the process of TCM formulating what we termed as "traditions" today is in fact a process of continuous modernization. Such modernization adjustments are still based on clinical practices, hence no negative impact on clinical effects. Therefore, it is by all means practical and probable for present day TCM theory to actively integrate and interact with modern/western sciences so that TCM can achieve better self-cognition, improve and enrich its proper cognitive approaches, language expressions with the assistance of other disciplines, while at the mean time inspiring other modern disciplines. That is the feasible route to the realization of TCM modernization.As regards concrete pathways to theoretical modernization of TCM, the present dissertation proposes two suggestions. The first is that the accomplishments of TCM clinical practices as well as the highly clinically effective portion in TCM theory should be integrated with the achievements of western modern medicine, in order that mankind can reach a more panoramic knowledge system of the human body. Concrete measures may include the following: interpretation of the relations between Yin and Yang Organs in TCM theory by drawing upon achievements in modern medicine; explication of TCM pathology and further research of the coordination and cooperation of inner organs via accomplishments and findings in modern medicine. The second is a new concept proposed, namely "Function-oriented Chemical Substance Group" (FoCSG), for exploration of the effectiveness of Chinese materia medica. Studies of Chinese materia medica today still focus on search of the "effective constituents" in a certain kind of herbal medicine, a typical way of interpreting Chinese materia medica within the theoretical framework of western medicine. Many achievements have been obtained via this approach, but the fundamental issue is still at large, and thus recent years have witnessed wide range questioning against such studies. Based on observation and reflection over previous findings, the present dissertation proposes a new term, FoCSG, arguing that the biological shape and properties emerging in the process of growth is attributed to the coordination and cooperation of the inner chemical substance groups. These FoCSGs can produce certain effects on organisms by means of chemical reaction, and such effects can be partially realized in the human body, which explains the effectiveness of Chinese materia medica.