英文介绍中医

RevisedfinaldraftNovember26,2020英文介绍中医TraditionalChinesemedicine(alsoknownasTCM,simplifiedChinese:中医;traditionalChinese:中医;pinyin:zhōngyī)includesarangeoftraditionalmedicalpracticesoriginatinginChina.ItisconsideredaComplementaryorAlternativeMedicalsysteminmuchofthewesternworldwhileremainingasaformofprimarycarethroughoutmostofAsia.TCMpracticesincludetreatmentssuchasherbalmedicine,acupuncture,dietarytherapy,TuinaandShiatsumassage;oftenQigongandTaijiarealsostronglyaffiliatedwithTCM.TCMtheoryisextremelycomplexandoriginatedthousandsofyearsagothroughmeticulousobservationofnature,thecosmos,andthehumanbody.MajortheoriesincludethoseofYin-yang,theFivePhases,thehumanbodyChannelsystem,ZangFuorgantheory,sixconfirmations,fourlayers,etc.0RADITIONAL-CHINESEMEDICINEWITHALONGHISTORY历史悠久的中国传统医学TraditionalChinesemedicine(TCM)hasahistoryofseveralyears.Itsorigincanbetracedbacktoremotealongcourseofstrugglingagainstdiseases,TCMevolvedintoauniqueandintegratedtheoreticalsystcmofTCM.ItisanimportantpartofChineseculture.Morethan2,000yearsago,cameoutHuangdi'sClassiconMedicine(HuangDiNeijing),whichistheearliestmedicalclassicextantinChina.Itconsistsoftwoparts—BasicQuestions(SuWen)andMiraculousPivot(LingShu),eachcomprising）ninevolumes,eachofwhich,inturn,containsninechapters,totalingupto162bookgivesacompleteandsystematicexpositiontothefollowingvarioussubjects:therelationshipbetweenmanandnature,thephysiologyandpathologyofthehumanbody,andthediagnosis,treatmentandpreventionotdiseases.Italsousesthetheoriesofyin-yangandthefiveelementstodealfullywiththeprinciplesoftreatmentbydifferentiationofsyndromes(TDS)accordingtotheclimaticandseasonalconditions,geographicallocalitiesandindividualconstitution.Hence（givingexpression）totheholisticconceptoftakingthehumanbodyasanorganicwholeandtakingthehumanbodywiththesurroundingenvironmentastheintegrity.ItlaidapreliminaryfoundationforthetheoreticalformationofTCM.AfterHuangdi'sClassiconMedicineanotherclassicofmedicine,ClassiconMedicalProblems(NanJing),wasgivenbirthtotheworldbeforetheEasternHanDynasty.ThebookdealsmainlywiththebasictheoryofTCM,suchasphysiology,pathology,diagnosisandtreatmentofdiseasesandsoon.ItsupplementedwhatHuangdi'sClassiconMedicinelacked.Fromthenon,manymedicalschoolsandvariousclassicsonmedicinewerebroughtintobeinginsuccession,eachhavingitsownstrongpoints.中医有着几千年的历史,起源可追溯至远古时代。在长期与疾病的斗争中，中医演化并形成了一套独特且完整的理论体系。2000多年前出现的《黄帝内经》是中国现存的最早医着。它由《素问》和《灵枢》两部分组成。每部分包含9卷，每卷又有9章，总计162章。该书对人和自然的关系、人体的生理及病理、疾病的预防和诊治等方面进行了系统全面的说明。同时它运用阴阳和五行理论全面阐述了因时、因地、因人而异辩证论治的原则并且表达了整体观念的思想即把人体看作一个整体，把人与其周围的环境看作一个整体。这为中医理论的形成奠定了初步的基础。继《黄帝内经》之后，东汉时期之前出现了《难经》。该书涉及了中医的基础理论如生理、病理和疾病的诊治等。它补充了《黄帝内经》的不足。自此许多不同的学派及经典着作相继出现，各抒己见。ShenNong'sHerbal(ShenNongBenCaoJing),alsoknownasClassicontheHerbal(BenCaoJing)orTheHerbal(BenCao),istheearliestbookonmateriamedicainChina,whichappearedinabouttheQin-HanPeriodwithitsauthorshipunknown.Notonlydoesitlist365medicinalitem—amongwhich252areherbs,67areanimals,and46areminerals,butalsodividesthemintothreegradesaccordingtotheirdifferentpropertiesandeffects.Thebookalsogivesabriefaccountofpharmacologicaltheories—principal(jun),adjuvant(chen),assistant(zuo)andguide(shi);harmonyinsevenemotions(qiqinghehe),fourpropertiesofmedicinalherbs(siqi)andfivetastesofmedicinalherbs(wuwei).《神农本草》（亦称“本草经”或“本草”）是中国最早的药物学专着。它出现于秦汉时期，作者不祥。它不仅罗列了365种药物（其中草药252种，动物类药67种，矿物类药46种）而且依药物性质及功效的不同将其分为三个等级。同时，该书简述了方剂的基本原则（君、臣、佐、使）和七情与药物的四气五味相和的原则。IntheHanDynasty(3rdcenturyAD),ZhangZhongjing,anoutstandingphysician,wroteTreatiseonFebrileandMiscellaneousDiseases(ShangHanZaBingLun),whichisdividedintotwobooksbylatergenerations,oneisentitled"TreatiseonFebrileDiseases",(ShangHanLun),theotherSynopsisofPrescriptionsofGoldenCabinet(JinKuiYaoLue).ThebookestablishedthepnricipleofTDS（TreatmentofDifferentiationSyndromes；TechnicalDataSystem技术数据系统）,therebylayingafoundationforthedevelopmentofclinicalmedicine.汉朝（公元前3世纪）的张仲景是一位着名的医家，着有《伤寒杂病论》。该书被后人分为两部分，名为《伤寒论》和《金匮要略》。该书建立了辩证论治的原则及技术数据系统，因此，为临床医学的发展奠定了基础。IntheWesternJinDynasty.HuangFumi,afamousphysician,compiledA-BClassicofAcupunctureandMoxibustion(ZhenJiuJiaYiJing)Thebookconsistsof12volumeswith128chapters,including349acupoints.Itistheearliestextantworkdealingexclusivelywithacupunctureandmoxibustionandoneofthemostinfluentialworksinthehistoryofacupunctureandmoxibustion.西金时期的着名医家皇浦谧编辑的《针灸甲乙经》由12卷128章组成，包括349个穴位。它是现存最早的针灸学专着，也是针灸史上最具影响力的着作之一。TheSuiandTangDynastiescameintotheirowninfeudaleconomyandculture.In610AD,ChaoYuanfanetal.compiledGeneralTreatiseontheEtiologyandSymptomology.Thebookgaveanextensiveandminutedescriptionoftheetiologyandsymptomsofvariousdiseases.ItistheearliestextantclassiconetiologyandsymptomsinChina.In657AD,SuJingtogetherwith20otherscholars,compiledNewly-RevisedMateriaMedica(XinXiuBenCao),whichisthefirstpharmacopoeiasponsoredofficiallyinancientChina,andtheearliestpharmacopoeiaintheworldaswell.SunSimiao(581-682AD)devotedallhislifetowritingoutthetwobooks:ValuablePrescriptionsforEmergencies(BeiJiQianJinYaoFang)andSupplementtoValuablePrescriptions(QianJinYiFang).Thehooksdealwithgeneralmedicaltheory,materiamedica,gynecologyandobstetrics,pediatrics,acupunctureandmoxibustion,diet,healthpreservationandprescriptionsforvariousbranchesofmedicine.BothbooksarerecognizedasrepresentativeworksofmedicineintheTangDynasty.SunSimiaowashonoredbylatergenerationsas"thekingofherbalmedicine".隋唐时期形成了自己封建的经济文化制度。公元前610年，巢元方编辑的《诸病源候论》对各种不同疾病的病因及症状进行了广泛而详细的描述。它是现存最早的病因及症状学着作。公元前657年，苏敬和其他20名医家学者编辑了《新修本草》。它是中国古代官方正式发起编辑的药典，也是世界上最早的药学着作。孙思邈（公元前581－682年）倾其一生精力撰写了两部着作，分别是《备急千金药方》和《千金翼方》.书中涉及了医理总论、中药、妇产科、儿科、针灸、方药饮食及养生等医学的不同分支。两本着作都是唐代医学的代表作。孙思邈因此被后世誉为“方药之祖”。IntheSongDynasty,moreattentionwaspaidtotheeducationofTCM.Thegovermentsetup"theImperialMedicalBureau"fortrainingandbringingupqualifiedTCMworkers.In1057AD,aspecialorgannamed"BureauforRevisingMeidicalBooks"wassetupinordertoproofreadandcorrectthemedicalbooksfromprecedingages,andtopublishthemoneafteranother.ThebooksrevisedhavebeenhandeddowntillnowandarestilltheimportantclassicsforChinaandothercountriestostudyTCM.宋朝更注重的是中医教育。政府兴办了太医局训练和培养合格的中医师。公元前1057年，一个特殊的组织－校正医书局成立了，其目的是为了对从前的医书进行校正并一一印刷出版。被修改过的医书流传至今并仍是现今中国和全世界学习中医的重要经典着作。IntheJinandYuanDynasties,thereappearedfourmedicalschoolsrepresentedbyLiuWansu(1120-1200AD),ZhangCongzheng(1156-1228AD),LiGao(l180-1251AD)andZhuZhenheng(1281-1358AD).Amongthem,LiuWansubelievedthat"fireandheat"werethemaincausesofavarietyofdiseases,andthatthediseasesshouldbetreatedwithdrugscoldandcoolinnature.Sohewasknownas"theschoolofcoldandcool"bylatergenerations,ZhangCongzhengbelievedthatalldiseaseswerecausedbyexogenouspathogenicfactorsinvadingthebody,andadvocatedthatpathogenicfactorsshouldbedrivenoutbymethodsofdiaphoresis,emesisandpurgation.Sohewasknownasthe"schoolofpurgation".ThethirdschoolrepresentedbyLiGaoheldthat"Internalinjuriesofthespleenandstomachwillbringaboutvariousdiseases".Therefore,heemphasizeedthatthemostimportantthing,clinically,shouldbetowarmandinvigoratethespleenandstomachbecausethespleenisattributedtotheearthinthefiveelements.Sohewasregardedasthefounderofthe"schoolofreinforcingtheearth".Andthefourthschoolwasknownasthe"schoolofnourishingyin"byfoundedZhuZhenheng.Hebelieved:"Yangisusuallyredundant,whileyiniseverdeficient".Thatiswhythebody"oftenhasenoughyangbutnotenoughyin".Soheusuallyusedthemethodtonourishyinandpurgefireinclinicalpractice.金元时期出现了四个医学学派代表人物分别为：刘完素（公元前1120－1200）、张从正（公元前1156－1228）、李杲（公元前1180－1251）、朱震亨（公元前1281－1358）。他们中，刘完素认为火热是导致各种疾病的病因，治疗疾病应选择性质寒凉的药，因此被后世称为“寒凉派”。张从正认为外邪侵犯人体是疾病的原因，提倡用“汗、吐、下”等法驱邪外出，所以被称为“攻邪派”。第三个学派以李杲为代表主张“脾胃内伤，百病由生”。因此强调临床中最重要的应为温养脾胃。因为脾在五行中属土，故其被称为“补土派”的奠基人。第四个学派为朱震亨发起的“滋阴派”。他认为“阳常有余，阴常不足。”因此在临床上常用“滋阴泻火”的方法。LiShizhen(1518-1593AD),afamousphysicianandpharmacologistintheMingDynasty,wroteTheCompendiumofMateriaMedica(BenCaoGangMu).Thebookconsistsof52volumeswith1,892medicinalherbs,includingover10,000prescriptionsand1,000illustrationsofmedicinalitems.Inaddition,hisbookalsodealswithbotany,zoology,mineralogy,physics,astronomy,meteorology,etc.ItisreallyamonumentalworkinMateriaMedica.ItisagreatcontributiontothedevelopmentofpharmacologybothinChinaandallovertheworld.Duringthesameperiod,acupunctureandmoxibustionreachedtheirclimax.Manyliteratureconcerningacupunctureandmoxibustionfortheagesweresummarizedanddeveloped.李时珍（公元前1518－1593年）是汉朝着名的内科医生及药师，撰写了《本草纲目》。该书共有52卷，记载了1892种药，10000首方剂和1000条医理注释。另外该书还涉及了植物学、动物学、地质学、药理学、天文学、气象学等学科，是一部真正的药物学不朽着作。它对中国乃至全世界药学的发展作出了巨大的贡献。在同一时期，针灸也达到了发展的高潮，许多历代的涉及针灸的文化得到了总结和发展。SincethefoundingofNewChina,ourgovernmenthaspaidgreatattentiontoinheritinganddevelopingtheheritageofTCMandMateriaMedica.AseriesofpoliciesandmeasureshavebeentakenfordevelopingTCM.In1986,theStateAdministrativeBureauofTCMandMateriaMedicawasestablished.ThisleadingbodyistheguaranteeofdevelopingTCMandMateriaMedicasmoothly.NeverbeforehasTCMbeenasprosperousasitistoday.TCMhasexperiencedmanyvicissitudesoftimesbutalwaysremainsevergreen.ThereisnodoubtthatTCMwilltakeitsplaceinmedicalcirclesoftheworldasacompletelynewmedicine.自从新中国成立以后，我国政府对继承和发扬中医药遗产予以了高度的重视，制定了一系列利于中医药发展的方针政策和 措施 《全国民用建筑工程设计技术措施》规划•建筑•景观全国民用建筑工程设计技术措施》规划•建筑•景观软件质量保证措施下载工地伤害及预防措施下载关于贯彻落实的具体措施 。1986年，国家中医药管理局成立了，它成为保证中医药顺利发展的领导主体。中医药从来没有象今天这样繁荣过。在历经了时代的变迁和沧桑之后，中医药仍然保持着其鲜活的生命力。毫无疑问，中医药将以崭新的面貌耸立于世界之林。SPECIFICANDPROFOUNDTCM中医的独特性与深刻意义TCM,oneofChina'ssplendidculturalheritages,isthesciencedealingwithhumanphysiology,pathology,diagnosis,treatmentandpreventionofdiseases.TCMsummeduptheexperienceoftheChinesepeopleintheirlongstruggleagainstdiseasesand,undertheinfluenceofancientnaivematerialismanddialectics,evolvedintoaunique,integralsystemofmedicaltheorythroughlongclinicalpractice.Duringseveralthousandyearsithasmadegreatcontributionstothepromotionofhealth,theproliferationandprosperityoftheChinesenation,andtheenrichmentanddevelopmentofworldmedicineaswell.TheformationofthetheoreticalsystemofTCMwasgreatlyinfluencedbyancientChinesematerialismanddialectics.Thetheoreticalsystemtakesthephysiologyandpathologyofzang-fuorgansandmeridiansasitsbasis,andTDSasitsdiagnosticandtherapeuticfeatures.中医是中国辉煌的传统文化之一，它是一门涉及人体生理、病理、诊断、治疗和疾病预防的科学。它是在古代朴素的唯物主义和辨证法的影响下对中国人民长期与疾病斗争经验的总结，并在长期的临床实践中演化成了一套独特完整的医学理论。在过去的几千年里，中医为中华人民健康水平的提高、民族的繁荣昌盛及世界医学的丰富及发展做出了巨大的贡献。中医理论系统的形成受到古代中国的唯物主义和辩证法的极大影响。这套理论系统以脏腑经络的生理病理为基础，以辨证论治为其诊断特色。TCMhasitsownspecificunderstandingbothinthephysiologicalfunctionsandpathologicalchangesofthehumanbodyandinthediagnosisandtreatmentofdisease.TCMregardsthehumanbodyitselfasanorganicwholeinterconnectedbyzang-fuorgans,meridiansandTCMalsoholdsthatthehumanbodyiscloselyrelatedtotheoutsideworld.Inregardtotheonsetanddevelopmentofadisease,TCMattachesgreatimportancetotheendogenouspathogenicfactors,namelythesevenemotion,butitbynomeansexcludestheexogenouspathogenicfactors,namelythesixpathogens.Indiagnosis,TCMtakesthefourdiagnosticmethods(inspection,auscultationantolfaction,inquiry,pulse-takingandpalpationasitsprincipaltcchniques,eightprincipalsyndromesasitsgeneralguideline,anddifferentiationofsyndromeaccordingtothezang-futheory,differentiationofsyndromesaccordingtothesix-meridiantheory,anddifferentiationofsyndromesaccordingtothetheoryofwei,qi,yingandxueasitsbasictheoriesofthedifferentiationofsyndromes.Italsostressesthepreventionandpreventivetreatmentofdisease,andputsforwardsuchtherapeuticprinciplesas"treatmentaidingattherootcauseofdisease"."strengtheningvitalqianddispellingpathogens,regulatingyinandyangandtreatingdiseasesinaccordancewiththreeconditions"(i.e.theclimaticandseasonalconditiont,geographiclocalitiesandthepatient'sconstitution).中医在对人体的生理功能、病理改变和诊治疾病方面有其独特的见解。它把人体看作一个以脏腑和经络相互联系的有机整体并认为人体与其外界环境也是息息相关的。中医高度重视内因即所谓的“七情”在疾病的发生和发展过程中所起的作用，但也决不排除外因的作用即所谓的“六淫”。在诊断方面，中医以四诊（望、闻、问、切）为技术原则、八纲辨证为指导总纲并把脏腑辨证、六经辨证、卫气营血辨证作为其辨证论治的基础。它强调“未病先防”、“治病求本”、“扶正祛邪”、“调整阴阳”和“三因制宜”（因时、因地、因人制宜）的重要性。Thesecharacteristicts,however,canbegeneralizedastheholisticconceptandtreatmentbydifferentiationofsyndromes(TDS)然而，对以上的中医特点可以用“整体观念”和“辨证论治”加以概括。l.TheHolisticConcept1.整体观念By"theholisticconcept"ismeantageneralideaof,ontheonehand,theunity）andintegritywithinthehumanbodyand,ontheother,itscloserelationshipwiththeouterworld.Thehumanbodyiscomposedofvariousorgansandtissues,eachhavingitsowndistinctfunction,whichisacomponentpartofthelifeactivitiesofthewholebody.AndinTCMthehumanbodyisregardedasanorganicwholeinwhichitsconstituentpartsareinseparableinstructure,interrelatedandinterdependentinphysiology,andmutuallyinfluentialinpathology.Meanwhile,manlivesinnature,andnatureprovidestheconditionsindispensibletoman'ssurvival.Soitfollowsthatthehumanbodyisboundtobeaffecteddirectlyorindirectlybythechangesofnature,towhichthehumanbody,inturn,makescorrespondingresponses.TCMsays:"Physicianshavetoknowthelawofnatureandgeographicalconditionswhendiagnosingandtreatingdiseases."That'swhyTCMnotonlystressestheunityofthehumanbodyitselfbutalsoattachesgreatimportancetotheinterrelationshipbetweenthebodyandnatureindiagnosingandtreatingdiseases.整体观念的总思想是一方面认为人体是一个统一的整体，另一方面认为人体与其外界环境密切相关。人体由不同的脏腑组织组成，每个脏腑组织都有其独特的功能并都是整个人体进行生命活动的组成部分。中医把人体看作一个有机人体认为人体的各部分在生理上相互联系和相互独立，在病理上相互影响。同时，因为人类生活在自然中，自然提供给人类赖以生存的环境，所以人体就会直接或间接的受到自然环境变化的影响并产生相应的反应。中医认为医生在诊治疾病时应该熟悉自然规律和地理环境。这便是中医为何在诊治疾病时既强调人体为一整体也重视人体与自然环境相互作用的关系。2.TreatmentbyDifferentiationofSyndromes2.辨证论治TCM,ontheotherhand,ischaracterizedbyTDS.Differentiationmeanscomprehensiveanalysis,whilesyndromereferetosymptomsandsigns.Sodifferentiationofsyndromesimpliesthatthepatient'ssymptomsandsignscollectedbythefourdiagnosticmethodsareanalyzedandsummarizedsoastoidentifytheetiology,natureandlocationofadisease,andtherelationbetweenvitalqiandpathogens,therebydeterminingwhatsyndromethediseasebelongsto.Bytreatmentismeantselectingthecorrespondingtherapyaccordingtotheoutcomeofdifferentiatingsyndromes.Takenasawhole,TDSmeansdiagnosisandtreatmentbasedonoverallanalysisofsymptomsandsigns.中医的另一特色是辨证论治。“辨证”即综合分析相关的症状，因此辨证意味着将四诊收集到的症状加以分析和总结确定疾病的病理、病性、病位和邪正关系，从而确定疾病的证型。“论治”指的是根据辨证的结果选择相应的治疗。总的来说，辨证论治即在对症状的全面分析基础上进行诊治。Asconcernstherelationshipbetween"disease"and"treatment",TCMtakestwodifferentclinicalwaysonthebasisofTDS.Oneis"treatingthesamediseasewithdifferenttherapies",bywhichismeantthatthesamediseasemaymanifestitselfindifferentsyndromesatdifferentstagesorunderdifferentconditions.Therefore,thetherapiesofthesamedieaseshouldbeadoptedtowardsdifferenttherapiesaccordingtothepatient'sconstitution,thegeographicalenvironment,theclimaticandseasonalchanges.Takefluforexample,itmaybecausedbywind-cold，wind-heat,summer-heatanddampnessorotherpathogens.Soisadvisabletoadoptdispersingwind-cold,eliminatingwind-heat,clearingawaysummer-heatanddampnessrespectively.Theotheriscalled"treatingdifferentdiseaseswiththesametherapy",bywhichismeantthatdifferentdiseasesmanifestingthemselvesinthesamesyndromemaybetreatedwiththesametherapy.Forexampleprolapseoftherectumduetoprotracteddiarrheaandhysteroptosisaretwodifferentdiseases.However,iftheyarebothmarkedbythemselvesinthesamesyndromeofqiofsinkingofthemiddleenergizer,theycanbetreatedinthesametherapybyliftingqiofthemiddieenergizer.FromtheaboveitbecomesobviousthatTCMdoesnotfocusitsattentiononsimilaritiesordissimilaritiesbetweendiseasesbutonthedifferencesbetweenthesyndromes.Generallyspeaking,thesamesyndromesaretreatedwithbasicallysametherapies,whiledifferentsyndromeswithdifferentones.关于疾病和治疗的关系，中医在辨证论治的基础上存在两种治疗途径。一种是“同病异治”，即同一疾病在不同环境、不同阶段下会显示出不同的证候，因此，对同一疾病应根据患者的体质、地理环境的不同和天气季节的变化采取不同的治疗措施。例如流感可以由风寒、风热、暑湿之邪造成，所以治疗应相应的采取祛风散寒、疏散风热和清暑化湿的方法。另一种是“异病同治”，即不同的疾病出现相同的证候可以采取相同的治疗。例如泻泄引起的脱肛和子宫下垂是两种不同的疾病，然而，如果它们都是以中焦之气下陷引起相同的证候为特征的话就可以采取相同的治疗——升提中焦之气。从以上，显而易见，中医并不是注重疾病之间的相似和不相似，而是重视证候的相同与否。总而言之，相同的证候采取相同的治疗方法，不同的证候采取不同的治疗方法。Tosumup,theprinciplethatdifferentcontradictionsinessencearehandledbydifferentmethodsinthecourseofdevelopmentofadiseaseisthecoreofTDS.总之，原则是在疾病的发展过程中不同的本质矛盾应采取不同的方法，这就是辨证论治的核心。YINANDYANG-THELAWOFNATURE阴阳－自然界的法则Yinandyang,whichcomefromancientChinesephilosophy,areageneraltermfortwooppositesofinterrelatedthingsorphenomenainthenaturalworld.Atfirst,theirconnotationswerequitesimple,referringtothetwooppositesidesofanobject.Thesidefacingthesunisyangandthereversesideisyininthecourseoflongpracticeandobservation,theancientChinesepeoplecametounderstandthattheoppositionandwax-waneofyinandyangareinherentinallthings.YiZhuansays,"YinandyangarewhatiscalledDao",(Daomeansthebasiclawoftheunityofoppositesintheuniverse).Inotherwords,"Everythingintheuniversecontainsyinandyang."Andtheyfurtherbelievedthatyinandyangcannotonlyrepresenttwooppositeobjectsbutalsobeusedtoanalyzetwooppositeaspectsexistinginasingleentity.Generallyspeaking,thingsorphenomenawhicharedynamic,bright,hot,functional,etc...,pertaintothecategoryofyang,whilethosethatarestatic,dark,cold,substantial,etc.,pertaintothatofyin.Theyin-yangtheoryholdsthatthedevelopmentandchangesofeverythingintheuniverseresultfromtheunityofoppositesbetweenyinandyang.SuWensays:"yinandyangarethelawofheavenandearth,theprinciplesofallthings,theparentsofallchanges,theoriginoflifeanddeath..."Theyin-yangtheoryisanimportantconstituentofthetheoreticalsystemofTCMandrunsthrougheveryaspectofthesystem.Itisusedtoexplainphysiologyandpathologyofthebodyandtoguideclinicaldiagnosisandtreatment.Thebasiccontentofyin-yangtheorycanbesummarizedasfollows.阴阳来自古代中国哲学，是自然界中相联系的事物和现象中相互对立面的总称。最初，它们的内涵很简单，指的是事物的对立两方。向阳为阳，背阳则为阴。在长期的观察实践中，古代中国人民开始认识到阴阳的对立和消长存在于一切事物中。《易传》曰：一阳一阴谓之道（道代表宇宙中对立统一的基本规律）。换言之，“宇宙中的每个事物都包含阴阳两方面”。并且他们进一步认为阴阳不仅代表两个对立的事物而且可用于分析一个单独实体中存在的两个对立面。总之，动态的、明亮的、热的、功能的事物或现象属于阳；反之静止的、黑暗的、冷的、实质的事物和现象属于阴。阴阳理论认为宇宙中一切事物的变化发展来自于阴阳的对立统一。《素问》曰：阴阳者，天地之道也，万物之纲纪，变化之父母，生杀之本始。阴阳理论是中医理论系统的重要组成部分并贯穿于该系统的各个方面。它用于解释人体的生理和病理现象并指导临床的诊治。阴阳理论的基本内容可总结为以下几方面。l.TheUnityofOppositionBetweenYinandYang1.阴阳的对立统一Bytheoppositionbetweenyinandyangismeantthatallthingsorphenomenainnaturehavetwooppositeaspects-yinandyang,suchasheavenandearth,motionandquiescence,ascendinganddescending,exitingandentering,dayandnight,heatandcoldnessandsoon.Theformerbeingyangandthelatteryin（P29）ineverypairabove.Theunityistheoutcomeofmutualoppositionandrestrictionbetweenyinandyang.Withoutopposition,therewouldbenounity;Withoutmutualopposition,therewouldbenomutualcomplement.Itisonlythroughthiskindofoppositionandrestrictionthatthedynamicequilibriumcanbeestablished.Forinstance,inthenatureworld,themotionsofcelestialbodies,thevariationsofthefourseasons,thealternationsofdaysandnights,aswellassproutinginspring,growinginsummer,reapinginautunmandstoringinwinter,arealltheconcretemanifestationsoftheunityofoppositesbetweenyinandyang.阴阳对立指的是自然界中所有的事物和现象都存在对立两面—阴阳，如天地、动静、升降、进出、日月、寒热等等。以上的每对现象中前者为阳，后者为阴。统一是阴阳对立制约的结果。没有对立就没有统一，没有相互对立就没有相互补充。正是这种对立统一，阴阳才能达到动态平衡。例如，天体运动、四季变迁、昼夜交替、以及春生、夏长、秋收、冬藏的变化，皆为阴阳对立统一的具体表现。TCMbelievesthatthenormalphysiologicalfunctionsofthehumanbodyresultfromtheoppositeandunifiedrelationshipbetweenyinandyang.Bothofthemarealwaysinastateofdynamicbalance.Evenundernormalphysiologicalconditionsofthehumanbody,yinandyangcannotbeinastateofabsolutebalance,butinastateofrelativebalance.If,foranyreason,therelativebalanceisdestroyed,thereisboundtobeexcessordeficiencyofyinoryang,andthenadiseasewillarise.AsisstatedinSuWen,"Yininexcesscausingyangdisease,whileyanginexcessleadingtoyindisease."Itispreciselyduetotheunityofoppositesbetweenyinandyangthatallthingscandevelopandchangeceaselesslyandthenaturalworldisperpetuallyfulloflife.中医认为人体的正常生理功能是阴阳对立统一的结果。阴阳总是处在动态平衡的状态。甚至在人体正常的生理条件下，阴阳也不可能达到绝对平衡，而是处于相对平衡的状态。一旦阴阳的相对平衡被打破就一定会导致阴阳的偏实偏虚，疾病也就随之产生了。正如《素问》所指出的“阴胜则阳病，阳胜则阴病”。也正是由于阴阳的对立统一万物才得以发展变化，自然界才得以永生。2.Interdependencebetweenyinandyang2.阴阳相互依存Yinandyangareopposedtoandyet,atthesametime,dependoneachother.NeithercanexistinisolationwithoutitsOpponent'sexistence.Inotherwords,withoutyintherewouldbenoyang,andit'sthesametheotherwayround.Soeitheryinoryangistheprerequisitefortheother'sexistence.AndthiskindofcoexistentrelationshipisstatedinTCM,"solitaryyinoryangfailingtolive."Thisinterdependenceisalsoreflectedintherelationshipbetweensubstancesandfunctions.Thesubstancecorrespondstoyinandthefunction,toyang.Thefunctionistheresultofmaterialmotion,andnothingintheworldisnotinastateofmotion.Thereby,thereisnotanysubstancewhichcan'tproduceitsfunctionandthereisalsonotanyfunctionwhichdoesn'toriginatefromthemotionofitssubstance.Therefore,Neijingsays:"Yinintheinterioristhebasisforyang;whileyangintheexterioristheactivityforyin.""Yin"referstothematerial，ba