Background and Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Following the scientific aspects of acupuncture that have already been described, in this chapter the background of acupuncture and the philosophical theories behind it are introduced. Some of these theories are difficult for a European to understand, not least because it is so difficult for us to adapt to the holistic pattern of thought on which it is based; this does not, for example, recognize the division of the human organism into body and soul. The terms used in any work on acupuncture are very rich and complex in meaning. In many cases their meaning can only be conveyed and delimited by description in various ways. A detailed discussion of parallels to western thinking would go beyond the scope of this textbook, and we shall therefore confine ourselves in this section to a presentation of the traditional ideas, without further comment.