3. How Taoism influenced Traditional Chinese Medicine today
1) Taoism originated the concept of ‘Qi-energy’
The founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu, says in Chapter 42 of his Tao Te Ching:
The Chinese character for dao
The One begets the two,
The two begets the three and
The three begets the ten thousand things.
All things are backed by the shade,
Faced by the light,
And harmonized by the immaterial breath.[14]
Here, Lao Tzu talked about harmonizing the breath of energy to nourish all of the entities. He believed “Qi,” the vital energy, creates the universal yin (shade) and yang (light) that blend to produce the harmonic “Qi-energy” with which human beings are endowed.[15]
Another Influential Taoist, Zhuangzi (4th century BC) also mentioned Qi in his writings. He wrote that wind is the “Qi of the earth” and that cosmic Yin and Yang are “the greatest of Qi”.
He described Qi-energy as "issuing forth" and creating profound effects He said, "Human beings are born [because of] the accumulation of ‘Qi’. When it accumulates there is life. When it dissipates there is death... There is one Qi that connects and pervades everything in the world." [16]
The classic Taoists’ concept of ‘Qi -energy’ was eventually developed, along with many other early Taoist principles, into the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic (黄帝内剄 Huangdi Neijing), the most important text of Chinese medicine, which enormously influenced traditional Chinese medicine.
2) Taoist influence on Huangdi Neijing
The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic is considered the most influential text of Chinese medicine and was written between the Warring States period (475-221 BC) and the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD).
As I mentioned above, the Huangdi Neijing doctrine was based on Taoist principles, which found value in the harmony of the cosmic universe, as well as in human life and the spirit. This involved concepts such as Yin and Yang, Qi, and the Five Elements, and environmental factors such as wind, cold, and heat. In Taoism, one can maintain the balance between man, heaven, and earth, and therefore preserve health and longevity. [17]
The Neijing is one of the most important classics of Taoism. First, it gives a holistic picture of human life. It does not separate external changes - geographic, climatic, and seasonal, for instance - from internal changes such as emotions and our responses to them. It tells how our way of life and our environment affect our health. Without going into detail, the book articulates a treasure of ancient knowledge concerning the natural way to health, implying that all phenomena of the world stimulate, tonify, subdue, or depress one’s natural life force. [18]
The book shows early Taoism’s influence on medical notions of the cause, nature, treatment, and prevention of illness. Natural therapies and preventive approaches of the Huangdi Neijing hold timeless value and are even more appreciated today, not only in traditional Chinese medicine, but also in various healing methods worldwide.
3) Waidan - External Alchemy’s influence on Chinese herbology
As I mentioned in the Alchemical Taoism section, Waidan was practiced widely by using herbal or chemical substances found outside of the body to achieve longevity and immortality. The ingredients used for these elixirs were metal, mineral, animal or botanical products. Most of them play important role in the Chinese herbology today.
Some of the drugs subsequently developed in Chinese medicine resulted from the experiments with minerals by Taoist adepts and from the doctrine of transformations and abrupt changes to which these substances could be subjected.[19]
Although there were fatal risks to the human body in experimenting with the processing of elixirs, numerous attempts at processing those ingredients eventually developed into today’s Chinese traditional medicine and herbology.
4) Neidan: "Three Treasures" and their Influence on Traditional Chinese Medicine
As I also mentioned above, Neidan comprises the elixir derived from the cultivation of substances found inside the body and in particular the manipulation of three substances in the body known as the "Three Treasures," which consist of Jing (life essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit or mind).
"Essence can generate Breath, and Breath can generate Spirit; to strengthen and protect oneself, nothing is more important than this. Those who devote themselves to Nourishing Life (養生yangsheng) treasure in the first place their Essence. If the Essence is full, Breath is strong; if the Breath is strong, Spirit flourishes; if the Spirit flourishes, the body is healthy and there are few illnesses. Internally, the five viscera bloom; externally, the skin becomes smooth. One’s complexion is luminous, and one’s ears and eyes are sharp and bright. "[20]
Today, the "Three Treasures” play an important role in Chinese medicine. For example, the breathing exercises for cultivating the circulation of Qi within the body developed into Qigong today. Qigong is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation that is used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training. Yoga also uses those breathing and meditation techniques for balancing and strengthening the body and spirit.
The "Three Treasures" are appreciated more than ever today, not only for initiating prolonged life, but also for keeping the body and spirit healthy and for preventing illness. It surely influenced today’s Chinese medicine as well as many other healing methods all over the world.
Work sited:
[14] Lao-Tzu and the Tao.http://www.traditionalmedicine.net.au/laotsu.htm
[15] Edward Wayne Younkins, Champions of a Free Society: Ideas of Capitalism's Philosophers and Economists (Lexington Books, 2008) 13.
[16] Fernando Guimaraes, Vibrational Energy Medicine: complimentary or alternative healing modalities (PediaPress, 2011), 108.
[17]“The Yellow Emperor's Classic,” http://www.traditionalmedicine.net.au/neijing.htm.
[18] Maoshing Ni, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine: A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with commentary (Shambala Publications, 1995), preface.
[19] Paul Ulrich Unschuld, Medicine in China: A History of Ideas, (University of California Press, 1985), 112.
[20] Catherine Despeux, “Jing, qi, shen; 精 氣 神; essence, pneuma (breath, energy, vital force), spirit,” in The Encyclopedia of Taoism, ed. Fabrizio Pregadio (Routledge, 2008), 562–5.
Bibliography
Despeux, Catherine. “Jing, qi, shen; 精 氣 神; essence, pneuma (breath, energy, vital force), spirit,” in The Encyclopedia of Taoism, ed. Fabrizio Pregadio. Routledge, 2008.
Guimaraes, Fernando. Vibrational Energy Medicine: complimentary or alternative healing modalities. PediaPress, 2011.
Ni, Maoshing. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine: A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with commentary. Shambala Publications, 1995.
“Similarities and differences between religious and philosophical Daoism Wang, Zhenguao.” History and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Science Press, 1999.
Unschuld, Paul Ulrich. Medicine in China: A History of Ideas. University of California Press, 1985.
Wang, Mu and Fabrizio Pregadio. Foundations of Internal Alchemy, The Taoist Practice of Neidan. Translated and edited by Fabrizio Pregadio. Golden Elixir Press, 2011. www.goldenelixir.com/jindan.html.