A Review of the Ancient Concepts of Chinese Medicine

In Chinese medicine the Huang Di Nei Jing 黃帝內經 (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic) is considered to be the classic text with the highest authority. The authors of this article believe that some of the concepts in the Nei Jing 內經 (Inner Classic) have been mistranslated and misinterpreted. As a result, Chinese medicine has been labelled and widely accepted as an ‘energy-based’ medicine. There is enough evidence to present a different point of view. It is time for a re-evaluation of the ancient concepts of Chinese medicine. We believe that the metaphysical energy model needs to be replaced by a bio-physiological understanding in order for Chinese medicine to be integrated into the healthcare systems of today. This article supports this argument, which has gained strong momentum in the Chinese medicine profession due to a multitude of publications in recent years that have successfully exposed the history and shortcomings of the energy model, as well as offering an alternative perspective.