title: [Principles of traditional Chinese medicine].
abstract: The beginnings of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can be related to the three most important philosophic and religious personalities. Modern Western medicine (MM), which was already sensationally successful at that time, was brought to China by business men, missionaries and soldiers. Compared to MM, the theories of TCM seem abstract, its concept unusual. Historical hallmarks of TCM influenced by culture are the following: the medical system is philosophical, oriented towards humanism. TCM is a medical system without strict structural relationships (without anatomy).
authors.affiliation: Schmerz- und Akupunkturambulanz der Neurologischen Abteilung des Krankenhauses der Stadt Wien-Lainz. alexander.meng@akupunktur.at
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000266:history; D016740:Meridians; D010686:Philosophy, Medical / Q000266:history*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D019366:Western World