From Seeking Evidence To Analysing And Explainning

The essence research of symptom complex (ERSC) is an important part of basic theory study in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). There are a lot of good results in its forty years' research history, at the same time, we can also see some problems, which always make us puzzled in our research process. How to get out of this puzzlement is a hotpot in academic researches.In this paper, we attempt to do some methodological groping work on the puzzlement. First we analyse the central problems of ERSC. Then using the "perspective and analysis of ERSC of insufficiency of the kidney-yang", a widely accepted classic research leaded by Shen Ziyin as a case, we review the characteristics of its methodology, and the ideology used by this case in many problems in ERSC. By these researches, we attend to make clear the puzzlement in academic research work in this field. We also want to put forward some aspects that should be paid attention to and point out the direction for future research.The main conclusions of this paper are that we should get rid of the puzzlement taken by Golden Indicator, get out of some negative influence of agnosticism, translation theory and test theory. We should evaluate the results of ERSC in its history justly, so that we can adjust our attitude and make the ERSC researches further.