Wisdom Of The Ancient Orient Essay Research

Wisdom Of The Ancient Orient Essay, Research Paper

Wisdom of the Ancient Orient

The structure of the Canadian health care system is an ever-changing institution which tries desperately to match the care they provide with the values they hold true. Health care providers have begun to take a holistic approach to care, trying to ensure an individuals health, not only physical, but emotional, psychological and interpersonal. The technology, quality and availability of care are at its highest levels ever, yet people are still unsatisfied with the current system. If the problem isn t with the availability and quality of health care, then where does it lie. Medical practitioners have applied their holistic philosophy in all areas of health care, except the actual treatments themselves. They are treating a disease or illness as something which must be treated and cured, rather than something which one must strive to prevent. The act of treating a disease or an illness, in traditional Chinese medical practice, is like digging a trench long after the battle has begun. Oriental medical practices are founded on the philosophy of yin and yang which emphasises the importance of universal balance and harmony. Their method of treatment is a truly holistic one in that the idea of healthy living is deeply embedded into every aspect of their culture through this philosophy and through the long medical history of the Chinese people. Oriental medicine prescribes a continuous intake of the proper nutrients through herbal use to regulate the bodies internal yin and yang, creating a harmonic balance of mind, body and soul.

The origin of Chinese medicine is traditionally associated with three legendary Emperors; Fu Hsi, Shen Nung, and Huang Ti.

Fu Hsi became Emperor in 2852 b.c. He is said to be responsible for the most profound accomplishment in the history of China, the text I Ching. Thought to be the oldest book in Chinese history, it contains the foundations of all Chinese philosophy in the doctrine of yin and yang.

Shen Nung is the second of the three emperors responsible for Chinese medicine. He is credited with the authorship of the text Shen Nung Pen Ts ao, translated Shen Nung s Herbal which describes the properties of over three-hundred herbal medicines. He is thought to be the first herbalist, and the father of herbal medicine. His rule ended in 2697 b.c., not surprisingly since he was rumoured to have poisoned himself several hundreds of times testing his herbal concoctions.

The third emperor, Huang Ti, reigned from the year 2697 b.c. until 2595 b.c. Among other things, such as the invention of the chariot, currency and cloth clothing, Huang Ti is credited for authorship of the Huang Ti Ne Ching, translated, the Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine, the most important and earliest work in Chinese medicine. It indicated that the Chinese of the time recognized the circulatory system as the bodies means of nutrient distribution.

These three texts undisputedly are the foundations of all modern Chinese medicine, however, as one Professor of Anthropology, Eugene Anderson put it No serious scholar questions the mythological nature of the three emperors. Fu Hsi is said to have the body of a snake, Shen Hung sinply means devine farmer, and the Yellow Emperor is equally improbable. The Shen Nung Pen Ts ao, in reality was written in the Han dynasty (206b.c. -220 a.d.) and the earliest fragments of the Nei Ching date back to only 200 or 300 b.c. It is more probable that they are the works of early herbalists who wanted their writings to gain immediate respect and attention so they credited their work to highly revered and respected individuals.

It was under the Han dynasty that the classical doctrine of Chinese medicine was formed, primarily based on the works of Chang Chung Ching (born c.158-166) and Hua To (born c.136-141). He was the first to associate certain symptoms with an appropriate treatment. His major accomplishment is the authorship of the Shang Han Yun, a text held in the same esteem as the Nei Ching. The text describes the stages of a developing disease and measures to take in the treatment of these stages. His text is still widely used today by modern herbalists.

Hua To was the most skilled surgeon of the Han dynasty. His main interest was in the study of drugs. He was the pioneer in the use of anaesthetics, antiseptics, anti-inflammatory ointments, and anthelmintics. He also observed that physical exercise improved digestion and circulation and strengthened the body. Based on these findings, Hua to originated a series of exercises modelled after the bear, the stag, the crane, the tiger and the monkey. These movements greatly influenced another aspect of Chinese culture, the martial arts. Before Hua To s time, the martial arts was a field concerned with the controlled swinging of limbs for combat purposes, and had no emphasis on breathing control and anatomy. Although he never published any work, Hua To s circulatory exercises constitute an important aspect of Chinese culture not usually associated with medicine.

Some time after the fall of the Han dynasty, many Chinese territories were reunified under the rule of the Sui and Tang dynasties (590-906). During this time of political stability, a rapid growth and development of Chinese culture and economy occured. Many milestones in the medical scienc