About Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a holistic medical system with over 2,500 years of history. It emphasizes restoring balance within the body rather than treating isolated symptoms.
Qi (气) — Vital Energy
Qi is the fundamental life force that flows through every living being. In TCM, health is maintained when Qi circulates freely through the body's meridian pathways. Blockages or deficiencies in Qi are considered root causes of illness.
Yin & Yang (阴阳)
All phenomena are understood through the interplay of Yin (cool, passive, internal) and Yang (warm, active, external). Health represents a dynamic balance between these complementary forces; disease arises when they fall out of harmony.
Five Elements (五行)
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water form a cycle of generation and control that maps onto organs, emotions, seasons, and more. This framework guides diagnosis and treatment by revealing patterns of excess or deficiency.
Zang-Fu Organ Theory (脏腑)
TCM views organs not just as anatomical structures but as functional systems encompassing physical, emotional, and energetic roles. The five Zang (solid) and six Fu (hollow) organs work in paired relationships to maintain balance.
Pattern Differentiation · 辨证论治
Pattern differentiation (Biàn Zhèng Lùn Zhì) is the defining methodology of TCM. Unlike Western differential diagnosis — which identifies a single disease entity — TCM pattern differentiation identifies the specific imbalance within the individual patient. The same Western disease (e.g., migraine) may present as several different TCM patterns, each requiring a completely different treatment strategy.
TCM uses six major diagnostic frameworks, often layered together for complex presentations. A skilled practitioner selects the most appropriate framework based on the clinical context: Eight Principles for initial classification, Six Stages for febrile diseases, Four Levels for warm diseases, San Jiao for damp-heat conditions, Zang-Fu for internal organ disorders, and Qi-Blood-Fluid for substance-level pathology.
Eight Principles · 八纲辨证
Bā Gāng Biàn Zhèng
The most fundamental diagnostic framework in TCM, classifying all pathology along four polar axes: Interior vs Exterior (location), Hot vs Cold (nature), Excess vs Deficiency (strength), and Yin vs Yang (overarching category). Every TCM diagnosis begins with Eight Principle differentiation to determine the basic nature of the disease before refining further.
Clinical Example
A patient presenting with fever, chills, floating pulse, and body aches → Exterior-Cold-Excess (Wind-Cold invasion of the Tai Yang).
Six Stages · 六经辨证
Liù Jīng Biàn Zhèng
Developed by Zhang Zhongjing in the Shang Han Lun (~200 CE), this framework tracks how externally contracted diseases progress through six channel layers: Tai Yang → Yang Ming → Shao Yang → Tai Yin → Shao Yin → Jue Yin. Each stage has specific symptom clusters and dedicated herbal formulas. It remains the gold standard for treating febrile and infectious diseases.
Clinical Example
Alternating chills and fever, bitter taste, costal pain → Shao Yang stage → Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction).
Four Levels · 卫气营血辨证
Wèi Qì Yíng Xuè Biàn Zhèng
Created by Ye Tianshi (叶天士) in the Qing Dynasty for Warm Disease (Wen Bing) treatment. It tracks pathogenic heat as it penetrates from the superficial Defensive (Wèi) level, through the Qi level, into the Nutritive (Yíng) level, and finally the Blood (Xuè) level. Each level demands different cooling and draining strategies.
Clinical Example
High fever, irritability, faint rash, rapid thin pulse → Yíng (Nutritive) level heat → Qing Ying Tang (Clear the Nutritive Level Decoction).
San Jiao · 三焦辨证
Sān Jiāo Biàn Zhèng
Also from the Wen Bing school, Wu Jutong's (吴鞠通) Triple Burner framework divides warm disease progression anatomically: Upper Jiao (Lung/Heart), Middle Jiao (Spleen/Stomach), and Lower Jiao (Liver/Kidney). It is frequently used alongside Four Level differentiation for febrile diseases involving dampness.
Clinical Example
Abdominal distension, loose stools, heavy limbs, greasy tongue coat → Middle Jiao Damp-Heat → San Ren Tang (Three Seed Decoction).
Zang-Fu · 脏腑辨证
Zàng Fǔ Biàn Zhèng
The most commonly used framework in modern clinical TCM. It identifies disease patterns by specific organ-system dysfunction: Liver Qi Stagnation, Spleen Qi Deficiency, Kidney Yin Deficiency, Heart Blood Deficiency, Lung Dryness, and many others. Each pattern has characteristic tongue, pulse, and symptom presentations that guide both acupuncture and herbal treatment.
Clinical Example
Hypochondriac distension, sighing, PMS, wiry pulse → Liver Qi Stagnation → LR-3, LR-14, PC-6, GB-34; Chai Hu Shu Gan San.
Qi-Blood-Fluid · 气血津液辨证
Qì Xuè Jīn Yè Biàn Zhèng
Differentiates disorders based on the fundamental substances of the body. Qi patterns include Qi Deficiency, Qi Stagnation, Qi Sinking, and Qi Rebellion. Blood patterns include Blood Deficiency, Blood Stasis, and Blood Heat. Fluid patterns include Phlegm, Dampness, and Dryness. Many complex clinical presentations involve combinations of these pathologies.
Clinical Example
Fixed stabbing pain, purple tongue with ecchymoses, choppy pulse → Blood Stasis → SP-10, BL-17, LR-3, SP-6; Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang.
How Medi-Chi Uses Pattern Differentiation
When you enter a Western medical condition, Medi-Chi's AI engine identifies 2–4 differential TCM patterns that commonly underlie that condition. For each pattern, it provides the expected tongue and pulse presentation, a complete acupuncture point prescription tailored to your selected treatment style (across 14 traditions), herbal formulas with dosages, and additional modalities like moxibustion or cupping where indicated.
Try a diagnosis now →Acupuncture Point Prescriptions · 针灸处方
An acupuncture point prescription (Zhēn Jiǔ Chǔ Fāng) is the specific combination of points selected for a treatment session. Unlike simply needling sore spots, classical prescription follows systematic methods rooted in meridian theory, Five Element relationships, and organ-channel physiology. The practitioner combines multiple methods to create a cohesive prescription that addresses both the root cause (Běn) and the presenting symptoms (Biāo).
Local-Distal Combination · 远近配穴
The most fundamental prescription method: combine local points near the affected area with distal points on the same or related meridians. Local points address the symptom directly; distal points regulate the meridian and treat the root cause.
Clinical Application
Frontal headache: Local → ST-8, Yintang (EX-HN-3); Distal → LI-4, ST-44 (Yangming channel distal points)
Front-Mu & Back-Shu · 俞募配穴
Each Zang-Fu organ has a Front-Mu (Alarm) point on the chest/abdomen and a Back-Shu (Transport) point along the Bladder meridian on the back. Combining both creates a powerful organ-regulatory treatment. Mu points are often reactive in acute/excess conditions; Shu points treat chronic/deficiency patterns.
Clinical Application
Stomach pain: CV-12 (Stomach Mu) + BL-21 (Stomach Shu) — regulates Stomach Qi in both directions
Eight Confluent Points · 八脉交会穴
Eight specific points on the limbs each connect to one of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. They are paired in Master-Couple combinations: SP-4 + PC-6 (Chong Mai / Yin Wei Mai), SI-3 + BL-62 (Du Mai / Yang Qiao Mai), GB-41 + SJ-5 (Dai Mai / Yang Wei Mai), LU-7 + KI-6 (Ren Mai / Yin Qiao Mai). These pairs treat complex multi-system conditions.
Clinical Application
Gynaecological disorders with emotional component: SP-4 (Master) + PC-6 (Couple) opens Chong Mai & Yin Wei Mai
Five Shu Points · 五输穴
The Five Shu (Transporting) points — Jing-Well, Ying-Spring, Shu-Stream, Jing-River, He-Sea — are located between fingers/toes and elbows/knees. Each corresponds to an Element and has specific clinical indications based on the Nan Jing, Chapter 68: Well points treat fullness below the Heart; Spring points treat body heat; Stream points treat heaviness and joint pain; River points treat cough and chills/fever; Sea points treat counterflow Qi and diarrhoea.
Clinical Application
Acute sore throat with heat: LU-11 (Jing-Well, bleed) clears Lung heat; LU-10 (Ying-Spring) clears heat from the channel
Yuan-Source & Luo-Connecting · 原络配穴
Combining the Yuan-Source point of the affected meridian with the Luo-Connecting point of its interior-exterior paired meridian is called a 'Host-Guest' combination. The Yuan point tonifies the primary channel's original Qi; the Luo point regulates the paired channel. This method treats both the affected organ and its paired organ simultaneously.
Clinical Application
Lung Qi Deficiency with Large Intestine dryness: LU-9 (Lung Yuan) + LI-6 (LI Luo) — tonifies Lung, moistens Intestine
Mother-Son Tonification-Sedation · 补母泻子
Based on Five Element generating (Sheng) cycle theory. To tonify a deficient organ, needle the 'Mother' point (the element that generates it). To sedate an excess organ, needle the 'Son' point (the element it generates). This is the foundation of Five Element acupuncture and Korean Sa-am technique, which extends it to four-needle protocols.
Clinical Application
Lung (Metal) Qi Deficiency: Tonify SP-3 (Earth point of Earth meridian — Mother of Metal) + LU-9 (Earth point of Lung — Mother point on affected channel)
From Theory to Practice
These prescription methods are not used in isolation — a skilled practitioner layers multiple methods in a single treatment. For example, a treatment for chronic low back pain (Kidney Yang Deficiency pattern) might combine: Back-Shu points (BL-23 Kidney Shu), Local points (Du-4 Ming Men), Yuan-Source (KI-3), Five Shu He-Sea (KI-10 for tonification), and Moxibustion on Du-4 and BL-23 to warm the Yang.
A Living History · 历史
Traditional Chinese Medicine has evolved continuously over millennia, absorbing knowledge from clinical observation, classical scholarship, and cross-cultural exchange.
Huang Di Nei Jing
The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine is compiled — the foundational text of TCM theory covering Yin-Yang, Five Elements, meridians, and acupuncture.
Nan Jing (Classic of Difficulties)
Expands on the Nei Jing with 81 questions exploring pulse diagnosis, the Five Shu points, and the Eight Extraordinary Vessels.
Shang Han Lun
Zhang Zhongjing writes the Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders — the first systematic approach to pattern differentiation and herbal formula prescribing.
Tang Dynasty Codification
Sun Simiao's Qian Jin Yao Fang (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) integrates acupuncture, herbs, dietetics, and ethics into clinical practice.
Bronze Acupuncture Model
Wang Weiyi creates the first life-size bronze acupuncture teaching model with 354 marked points, standardizing point locations across China.
Ben Cao Gang Mu
Li Shizhen publishes the Comperta of Materia Medica cataloguing 1,892 substances — the most comprehensive herbal pharmacopoeia of its era.
TCM Modernization
The People's Republic of China formalises TCM education, establishes TCM hospitals and universities, and standardizes the meridian/point nomenclature.
WHO Acupuncture Standard
The World Health Organization publishes standard acupuncture point locations, unifying nomenclature across 361 classical points worldwide.
ICD-11 Integration
WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) incorporates a chapter on Traditional Medicine for the first time, legitimising TCM diagnoses globally.
Diagnostic Methods
TCM practitioners use four primary diagnostic methods known as the Four Examinations (四诊): Observation (望), Listening & Smelling (闻), Inquiry (问), and Palpation (切) which includes pulse diagnosis and abdominal palpation. Together these methods reveal patterns of disharmony that guide treatment.
Evidence & Research · 研究
Modern clinical trials and systematic reviews increasingly support acupuncture and TCM for a range of conditions. Below are highlights from peer-reviewed journals and international health bodies.
Chronic Pain
Individual patient data meta-analysis of 20,827 patients found acupuncture significantly superior to sham and no-acupuncture controls for chronic musculoskeletal pain, headache, and osteoarthritis.
Vickers et al., JAMA Internal Medicine, 2018
Migraine Prophylaxis
Acupuncture is at least as effective as prophylactic drug treatment for migraine with fewer adverse effects. Frequency of attacks reduced by ≥ 50% in half of patients.
Linde et al., Cochrane Database, 2016
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea
Electroacupuncture at PC-6 reduces the severity of acute chemotherapy-induced vomiting. WHO lists nausea among conditions for which acupuncture has proven efficacy.
Ezzo et al., Cochrane Database, 2015
Low Back Pain
ACP Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend acupuncture as a first-line non-pharmacologic treatment for chronic low back pain, ahead of opioid therapies.
Chou et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2017
Fertility & IVF
Acupuncture administered around embryo transfer may improve clinical pregnancy rates. Research continues on its role in regulating reproductive hormones.
Smith et al., Cochrane Database, 2019
Mental Health
Acupuncture combined with counselling or usual care significantly reduces depression severity compared to usual care alone, with sustained benefits at 12 months.
MacPherson et al., PLOS Medicine, 2017
Treatment Modalities
Treatment in TCM is multi-faceted and may include acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, cupping, Tui Na (therapeutic massage), dietary therapy, and Qi Gong exercises. The goal is always to restore the body's natural equilibrium and support its innate healing capacity.