The Chinese nation enjoys a long history, the creation of traditional Chinese medicine was a unique sparkling pearl among the splendid cradle of ancient civilizations, and therefore, it is quite necessary for foreigners who are going to learn Chinese in China to take a closer view.
As early as two million years ago, the ancient people started to work, live and multiply, but the living conditions during that period was so hard that they were constantly tortured by the threats from the fierce animals, the invasion of the natural disasters, the hunger and the afflictions of the diseases, which may seem horrible for people to study Chinese in China in the present society.
During the long-term fighting with nature, some of the functions of human body were further evolved and perfected, e. g: the enlargement of cerebral capacities, the strengthening of logical thinking, as well as the increasing of primitive knowledge, and all of which had given rise to some fundamental changes perceivable to people who are going to study Mandarin in China.
As friends who are about to take a trip to learn Chinese in China can see that during the primitive period, ancestors would discover that the fruits, leaves, blossoms, stems of some vegetations could cure or alleviate some diseases during their searching for food.
As friends who are waiting to study Chinese in China can see that during the primitive period, placing the burned stones or sands wrapped with animal furs on certain part of human body could help to alleviate the pain.
As can also be understand by friends who are about to take a trip to study Mandarin in China that during the primitive period, the wound of one part of the body can magically reduce the pain in other part of the body.
After about 200~300 thousand years ago, with the accumulation of knowledge, the activities of medication had emerged, and to forty thousand years ago, traditional Chinese medicine was at the stage of oral imparting of knowledge, and then about thirty thousand years after, people came to memorize certain medicine , and the tools for medication was also made, what’s more interesting for people to learn Chinese in China to take notice of is that the ancestors during that period had consciously cure pain or wounding with the fire, water, stone needle as well as acupuncture bones; the rudimentary stage of traditional Chinese medicine was formed during the early stage of the slavery society, which was about 4,000 years ago, when the methods of medication such as acupuncture, massage, pressing, and herbal medication, etc. were adopted by traditional Chinese medicine.
What’s funnier for people to study Chinese in China is the approval of wine as a method of curing diseases, in traditional Chinese medicine, there seems to be an intimate relationship between the wine and medicine. The wine was regarded as an ideal medicine then.
The Chef of the Shang dynasty, Yiyin invented the herbal medicine, which had provided favorable conditions for the development of internal medicine system, what is interesting for people who are ready to study Mandarin in China is that among the 160 thousand pieces of oracle scriptures evacuated from Yinxu, more than 300 pieces were concerned with medication, which elaborated more than ten specific diseases.
While during the West Zhou dynasty, the “the four diagnostic methods of the wound” was created and practiced, which was thought to be the opening stage of the present traditional Chinese medicine system. The people who are interested in Chinese culture and in looking forward to come and learn Chinese in China will discover that the “four diagnostic methods of the wound” which was invented during the Western Jin dynasty are still practiced in the current Chinese herbal medicine stores.
For people who would like to study Mandarin in China to have a better understanding of the traditional Chinese medicine, two traditional books are here recommended for more information: the first one is the masterpiece “Inner Cannon of Huangdi” which was produced during the Period of the Warring States is the earliest comprehensive book on traditional Chinese medicine; While the second one for people who would like to study Chinese in China to read is “Shennong’s Herbal” which was composed during the East Han dynasty. It is the earliest book specialized in medication that has had been handed down in preservation.