This is the beginning of a blog series about the research that I have done on traditional Chinese medicine throughout my time as an undergraduate student. The series is an adaptation of my senior capstone.
The goal of this blog post is not to revolutionize medicine or completely overhaul the healthcare system, but to provide an even playing field where traditional Chinese medicine (or TCM as I will also call it) and biological medicine (also known as biomedicine) can be brought into conversation with one another. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of important terminology and practices, but a glimpse into a practice in which not everyone may have the opportunity to witness or experience first-hand. Examining TCM from a Western perspective undoubtedly has its flaws but allows us to start a conversation about the medical system. My goal is to remove the assumptions and stigma attached to such practices that are often called “alternative medicine.” I know that it is impossible to change every mind, but I hope that this paper will serve as a starting point for better understanding and greater awareness. Only then do we have a chance to truly appreciate and begin to view the world and the practices of others in another light.
The beginning of this paper will introduce the methodology of my research and the lenses in which I viewed and presented the information utilized in this blog series. The anthropological and historical approaches introduced will then be applied in a brief section that discusses how and why medical systems and practices form within countries and cultures. The approach will also be utilized in the next section which will help the reader familiarize themselves with TCM. Much of this writing will be dedicated to the examination of how traditional Chinese medicine has developed historically and how it continues to function today. Understanding the circumstances and contexts in which TCM developed will be of great benefit for examining and contemplating ways in which the practice can be integrated with other healthcare systems. The section following the historical development of traditional Chinese medical practices will describe the modern application of TCM in China and beyond. The topic of integrating biomedicine and TCM will have a section of its own that also addresses the potential hurdles and setbacks such an undertaking may face. The next segment will be dedicated to the differences in conceptualization of biomedicine and TCM. A case study about mental health in Singapore will further explain the importance of cultural values and traditions on the practice of biomedicine worldwide. The final section of this paper will appeal to the reader as to why such a reconfiguration of the current Western—particularly US—healthcare system is needed.
As the first post in the blog series, it is best to start here. However, feel free to pop around and look at any of the posts that look the most engaging. There is no right or wrong way to read through the series.
Here is a list of the related posts in the series:
Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Biomedical Approach
Why is the Integration of Medical Systems Important?
The Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Biomedical View of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Modern-day Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Synthesis of Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Differences in Conceptualization of Self: Depression and Anxiety
Case Study: The Conceptualization of Mental Health in Singapore
Check out the next post in the series here:
自分の言語の限界が、自分の世界の限界。 
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