Before talking about acupuncture or dietetics, traditional Chinese medicine rests on a few key principles, inherited from Taoist thought. This section introduces them simply, without jargon, to help you understand the reasoning behind every piece of advice on this site.
The two complementary forces running through the body, nature and Chinese medicine.
Vital energy: where it comes from, what it does, and what happens when it runs low or becomes blocked.
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water: the framework linking organs, seasons and emotions.
The channels that carry Qi through the body, each linked to an organ and a symbolic dimension.
These four notions — Yin/Yang, Qi, the 5 Elements, the Meridians — do not work in isolation: together they form a single system of thought, in which the body, emotions, seasons and diet are constantly interconnected. It is this overall view that allows us, in consultation, to understand the origin of a symptom rather than treating it in isolation.
To go further on practical themes, also see Chinese dietetics and the Journal articles.
