Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), one of China’s splendid cultural heritages, is the science dealing with human physiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. TCM summed up the experience of the Chinese people in their long struggle against diseases and, under the influence of ancient naive materialism and dialectics, evolved into a unique, integral system of medical theory through long clinical practice. During several thousand years it has made great contributions to the promotion of health, the proliferation and prosperity of the Chinese nation, and the enrichment and development of world medicine as well. The theoretical system takes the physiology and pathology of zang-fu organs and meridians as its basis.
 
　　TCM has its own specific understanding both in the physiological functions and pathological changes of the human body and in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. TCM regards the human body itself as an organic whole interconnected by zang-fu organs, meridians and collaterals. And TCM also holds that the human body is closely related to the outside world. In regard to the onset and development of a disease, TCM attaches great importance to the endogenous pathogenic factors, namely the seven emotions, but it by no means excludes the exogenous pathogenic factors, namely the six pathogens. In diagnosis, TCM takes the four diagnostic methods (inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, pulse-taking and palpation as its principal techniques), eight principal syndromes as its general guideline, and differentiation of syndrome according to the zang-fu theory, differentiation of syndromes according to the six-meridian theory, and differentiation of syndromes according to the theory of wei, qi, ying, xue as its basic theories of the differentiation of syndromes.
 
　　It also stresses the prevention and preventive treatment of disease, and puts forward such therapeutic principles as “treatment aiding at the root cause of disease”. “Strengthening vital qi and dispelling pathogens, regulating yin and yang and treating diseases in accordance with three conditions”(i.e. the climatic and seasonal conditions, geographic localities and the patient’s constitution).