Investigations on principles of traditional Chinese medicine
The unity of heaven and man(accordance)is a highly generalization of the relationship between man and nature in view of Chinese philosophy,which is embodied by common law deduced through observing the telepathy between heaven and man.As one of the most important world outlooks in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),theory of the unity of heaven and man is an important thinking mode to guide us to understand the relationship between heaven and earth(the big universe)and man(the small universe).That is to say,under the guidance of theory of yin-yang and five elements,changes in anatomical structure,physiological function and underlying pathological mechanism in human body(internal environment)is deduced by meticulously observation of changes in the heaven(external environment).Concretely speaking,principle that is responsible for changes in the human body(principles of TCM)is deduced by the principle underlying the changes in the heaven(principles of heaven),and in turn,the principles of TCM is used to guide prevention,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis prediction of disease;and vice versa,principles of TCM is testified by feedback falsification(by efficacy of herbs and formulas,acupuncture and massage,etc.).Therefore,as the main cognitive mode that guide understanding human anatomy,physiology and pathology in TCM,principles of TCM should be deduced from principle of the heaven and further testified by the pharmacological efficacy.
Principle of heavenPrinciples of traditional Chinese medicinePharmacological efficacyUnity of heaven and manSimilar imagery of heaven and man