The Theory Of Evolution, The Development Of Modern Chinese Medicine

After being introduced into China, the evolutionary theory has influenced the nation in general, TCM included naturally. The present thesis followed the clue of the introduction of evolutionary theory to analyze the cultural characteristics and schools of thoughts, and explored them essentials of the transformations of TCM in history philosophy, so as to draw a picture of the future of TCM. This thesis falls into three chapters:In Chapter one, reviewed the idea of treasuring the past that influenced the development of TCM most before the introduction of evolutionary theory, then reviewed the influence of evolutionary theory on China at that time, followed by an analysis of the influence of evolutionary theory on the dispute between Western medicine and TCM. The major influence of evolutionary theory is on the radicals and the followed. In the fourth section of this chapter the criticism of the radicals is summarized.In Chapter two, the medical paradigm of TCM, theoretical peculiarities of TCM and the process of formation are analyzed, with stress on the special way of development of TCM. Then the movements of reform and scientific orientation of modern TCM is to some extent distracted from its own way, thus causing the muteness of TCM.In the third chapter, the dispute and innovation of the four major schools of TCM in Jin and Yuan dynasties are analyzed, focusing on the significance of the tension between past cherishment and evolutionary theory. To the fact that the subject status of TCM in modern China, the present paper stressed the importance and necessity of keeping the subjectivity of TCM and explained with the example of the famous event of"letter from the five elderly", and justified the possibility of the development of the subjectivity of TCM from methodological perspective.Conclusion: past cherishment stresses on inherit whereas evolution stressed on innovation. Without inherit there is no innovation. Without innovation, TCM will lose opportunities for the future. Therefore present TCM should keep the tension between past cherishment and evolution, and build a bright future within this tension.