History of History of MMedicineedicine inin AAncientncient ChinaChina

Assist.Prof.Dr. Mehmet KARATAŞAssist.Prof.Dr. Mehmet KARATAŞ

Department of History of Medicine and Department of History of Medicine and EthicsEthics

CivilizationCivilization inin A Ancientncient ChinaChina

• The Chinese civilization continued The Chinese civilization continued uninterruptedly for almost 4.000 years. Its uninterruptedly for almost 4.000 years. Its origins are not so clearorigins are not so clear, unlike, unlike the the great great civilizations in the Middle East. civilizations in the Middle East.

• The Chinese civilization takes its form The Chinese civilization takes its form since the first half of the second since the first half of the second millennium BC. Chinese populations have millennium BC. Chinese populations have inhabited their land since prehistoric times inhabited their land since prehistoric times until today and for muntil today and for manyany centuries centuries,, they they were were isolated from other cultures. isolated from other cultures.

• Magnetic compass, paper, gunpowder etc. Magnetic compass, paper, gunpowder etc. were invented in ancient china. were invented in ancient china.

MMedicineedicine inin A Ancientncient ChinaChina

Yin - Yang Yin - Yang

Yin and Yang are two opposite elements yet Yin and Yang are two opposite elements yet complementary components of the complementary components of the cosmological force of nature. Yin represents cosmological force of nature. Yin represents the moon, night, earth, water, coldness, the moon, night, earth, water, coldness, dampness, darkness, cloudiness, softness dampness, darkness, cloudiness, softness what is feminine and so on: yang represents what is feminine and so on: yang represents the sun, day, heaven, fire, heat, dryness, the sun, day, heaven, fire, heat, dryness, brightness, sunshine, hardness, what is brightness, sunshine, hardness, what is masculine and so forth. masculine and so forth.

Yin - Yang

MMedicineedicine inin A Ancientncient ChinaChina• Classical Chinese medicine was based on Classical Chinese medicine was based on the the

reign of reign of three legendary emperors:three legendary emperors:Fu Hsi (Fu Hsi (c. 2900 B.Cc. 2900 B.C), ), Shen Nung (Shen Nung (c. 2c. 28800 B.C00 B.C), who compiled the first ), who compiled the first known medical herbalknown medical herbal treatise, treatise, Pen-tsaoPen-tsao in which in which he give 365 drugs which he said to be tested by he give 365 drugs which he said to be tested by himself, himself, Huang Ti (Huang Ti (c. 2c. 26600 B.C00 B.C)),, who whose se medical medical information information was was transmitted transmitted verballyverbally for many for many centuries and beccenturies and becameame a written text in 3rd a written text in 3rd century B.C.century B.C.

• Similar to Ancient Greeks, Ancient Chinese Similar to Ancient Greeks, Ancient Chinese believed on elementsbelieved on elements, they had five:, they had five: wood, fire, wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each characterized earth, metal and water. Each characterized anan action or interaction action or interaction withwith human physiology. human physiology.

Fu HsiFu Hsi

Shen Nung (Shen Nung (red emperorred emperor))

Huang Ti (Huang Ti (yellow emperoryellow emperor))

MMedicineedicine inin A Ancientncient ChinaChina

Anatomy and physiologyAnatomy and physiology

Because of Confucius philosophy forbids Because of Confucius philosophy forbids violation of violation of the the body, anatomical body, anatomical knowledge was knowledge was veryvery limited and poor in limited and poor in ancient china. Direct anatomical studies ancient china. Direct anatomical studies begbegaan as late asn as late as the the 18th century 18th century,, and and anatomy was taught by diagrams and anatomy was taught by diagrams and artificial models rather than dissection.artificial models rather than dissection.

Anatomy and physiologyAnatomy and physiology

MMedicineedicine inin A Ancientncient ChinaChina

• Physiology dependPhysiology dependeded on on five humorsfive humors. .

• They believed that each emotion They believed that each emotion was was seatedseated in different organs: happiness in in different organs: happiness in heart, thought in spleen, sorrow in lungs, heart, thought in spleen, sorrow in lungs, anger and soul in liver etc.anger and soul in liver etc.

Diagnosis and the importance ofDiagnosis and the importance of pulsepulse

Pulse had an important part of diagnosis in Pulse had an important part of diagnosis in ancient Chinese medicine and they define ancient Chinese medicine and they define dozens of varieties. The examination of dozens of varieties. The examination of pulse considered capable of diagnosing the pulse considered capable of diagnosing the nature and location of any kind of disease. nature and location of any kind of disease. The process of evaluation of the pulse was The process of evaluation of the pulse was immensely complicatedimmensely complicated,, because because it it varied varied not only according to the disorder but also not only according to the disorder but also according to the season, the time of the according to the season, the time of the day, the constellation, and sex of the day, the constellation, and sex of the patient. patient.

DiagnosisDiagnosis a and the importance of pulsend the importance of pulse

Diagnosis Diagnosis

It was not possible for a man to examine a It was not possible for a man to examine a woman especially from noble class. woman especially from noble class. Ceramic, ivory or wooden dolls were Ceramic, ivory or wooden dolls were pointed by the patient for to give an idea pointed by the patient for to give an idea about her health problem.about her health problem.

MMedicineedicine inin A Ancientncient ChinaChinaTreatmentTreatment

• Much of the treatment was based on Much of the treatment was based on yin-yangyin-yang principle, which believed the balance between principle, which believed the balance between active and passive, hot and cold, male and active and passive, hot and cold, male and female, etc. The others are diet, drugs, female, etc. The others are diet, drugs, acupuncture acupuncture and and moxibumoxibusstion.tion.

• Doctor had to determine the cause of Doctor had to determine the cause of disharmony in the body and put the patient on disharmony in the body and put the patient on the right path, which is the right path, which is TaoTao. In other words . In other words restore the harmony between yin and yang in restore the harmony between yin and yang in a patient.a patient.

• Exercises Exercises werewere highly recommended and highly recommended and believed to keep the body fit and restore the believed to keep the body fit and restore the well-being of person. well-being of person. MassageMassage was also among was also among the regular methods of treatmentthe regular methods of treatment

Acupuncture and Acupuncture and moxibumoxibusstiontionThe origin of acupuncture is not clear and The origin of acupuncture is not clear and in this application the skin in this application the skin is is pierced by pierced by long needles to varying deptlong needles to varying depthhs. The s. The physiology of acupuncture rests on the physiology of acupuncture rests on the Taoist doctrine that the life force Taoist doctrine that the life force chichi, or , or energy, circulates through all the body energy, circulates through all the body organs. The acupuncture points located on organs. The acupuncture points located on invisible lines on the body. It is believed invisible lines on the body. It is believed that all disease are a result of inbalance in that all disease are a result of inbalance in the energy flow in the body and the energy flow in the body and acupuncture needles restore and balance acupuncture needles restore and balance the the chi.chi.

Acupuncture and Acupuncture and moxibumoxibusstiontion

• MoxibuMoxibusstiontion (moxa) (moxa) is also as old as is also as old as acupuncture. In moxibuacupuncture. In moxibusstion similar points tion similar points on the body on the body are are burned with a specific burned with a specific plant.plant.

• Both Both acupunctureacupuncture and and moxibumoxibusstiontion were were believed to produce stimulation on special believed to produce stimulation on special points and unblock obstructed life force points and unblock obstructed life force chichi, allow, allowinging it to circulate in the body it to circulate in the body again.again.

Things to remember from Ancient Things to remember from Ancient Chinese MedicineChinese Medicine

• The concept of disease in Chinese medicine The concept of disease in Chinese medicine – Taoist doctrine and the blockage of life energy, chiTaoist doctrine and the blockage of life energy, chi– Imbalance between yin and yang Imbalance between yin and yang – 5 elements, each emotion seated in a different 5 elements, each emotion seated in a different

organorgan

• Using pulse for diagnosis of the diseases Using pulse for diagnosis of the diseases • Treatment methods: Diet, acupuncture, Treatment methods: Diet, acupuncture,

moxibustion moxibustion • Herbal medicine treatises: Pen TsaoHerbal medicine treatises: Pen Tsao• Confucianism did not allow harming of the Confucianism did not allow harming of the

body–dissection was not permitted body–dissection was not permitted

Konuyla İlgili SORU/CEVAPKonuyla İlgili SORU/CEVAP

Soru 1: Soru 1: Antik Çin tıbbının tıbbi uygulamalardaki Antik Çin tıbbının tıbbi uygulamalardaki kuramsal yaklaşımı neydi?kuramsal yaklaşımı neydi?

Cevap 1: Ying-Yang Cevap 1: Ying-Yang

Soru 2: Soru 2: Çin tıbbında tedavide öne çıkan uygulamalar Çin tıbbında tedavide öne çıkan uygulamalar nelerdi?nelerdi?

Cevap 2: Diyet, akupunktur, moksibusyonCevap 2: Diyet, akupunktur, moksibusyon

ReferencesReferences

• A. Selim ATAY, İnönü Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, A. Selim ATAY, İnönü Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, translationtranslation

• Tolga GÜVEN, Marmara Üniversitesi Tıp Tarihi ve Etik AD Tolga GÜVEN, Marmara Üniversitesi Tıp Tarihi ve Etik AD ders notlarıders notları

• Ali Haydar BAYAT, Tıp TarihiAli Haydar BAYAT, Tıp Tarihi

• Emine ATABEK, Şefik GÖRKEY, Başlangıcından Emine ATABEK, Şefik GÖRKEY, Başlangıcından Rönesansa Kadar Tıp TarihiRönesansa Kadar Tıp Tarihi

• Çağlar Boyu Tıp, Roche YayınlarıÇağlar Boyu Tıp, Roche Yayınları

• http://antiquecannabisbook.com/chap2B/China/http://antiquecannabisbook.com/chap2B/China/China.htmChina.htm

• http://fineartamerica.com/featured/china-emperor-fu-http://fineartamerica.com/featured/china-emperor-fu-hsi-granger.htmlhsi-granger.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Pagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page