Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine, also known as TCM , includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Although well accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medical system in much of the western world.
TCM practices include such treatments as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and both Tui na and massage.
Much of the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine derives from the same philosophy that informs Taoist and Buddhist thought, and reflects the classical Chinese belief that the life and activity of individual human beings have an intimate relationship with the environment on all levels.
In legend, as a result of a dialogue with his minister Qibo (岐伯), the Yellow Emperor (2698 - 2596 BCE) is supposed by Chinese tradition to have composed his Neijing: Suwen or Inner Canon: Basic Questions (《内经·素问》). The book Huangdi Neijing (《黄帝内经》, Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon's title is often mistranslated as Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. Modern scholarly opinion holds that the extant text of this title was compiled by an anonymous scholar no earlier than the Han dynasty, just over two-thousand years ago. Another Chinese index book of herbs is Bencao Gangmu （《本草纲目》） by Li Shizhen
In keeping with traditional Chinese martial arts practice all senior students of the school of Chinese martial arts are taught basics of traditional Chinese medicine.
At senior black belt or sash ranks it is a prerequisite that the student be skilled in one of the major healing arts of china and done a minimum of 200 hours under a qualified practitioner.
Beginners will be taught early on in their training the basics of massage, and bone setting (tuina).
