On the Importance of Folk Traditional Chinese Medicine

Yesterday, I went to Tsinghua University to attend a lecture on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The speaker was Chinese, originally from Canada. He had no academic or professional background introduction whatsoever, yet carried the title of professor. He claimed that the modernization of TCM had already been completed. He argued that TCM is an authentic systemic medicine, while Western medicine is thoroughly empirical. At the same time, he proposed a theory of TCM self-consistency, claiming it could be compatible with any discipline. Moreover, he asserted that his theory could enable people with zero background to learn and proficiently apply TCM to treat diseases in a short time. During the lecture, he spent roughly half an hour recounting various difficult and complex cases treated by his students. (I intend no mockery in this passage.)

I have navigated these circles for a long time and met no fewer than several hundred folk practitioners. I feel they fall mainly into two categories. The speaker above likely received a formal higher education, and his presence differs from those of purely grassroots origins. Yet they operate outside official channels — perhaps unable to enter them — forging their own paths. They generally do not cause trouble; they are the Song Jiang type. The other group comes from purely folk backgrounds with generally lower educational levels. I have met many of them. Most have read some books — perhaps obscure ones, perhaps mainstream — but rarely have they studied orthodox textbooks. They tend to be stubborn, limited in their receptiveness, and prone to blunders. They are the Fang La type.

With folk practitioners, my approach has always been to take the best of what they offer and befriend them. These people invariably possess some remarkable skill, and with fellow practitioners, they are usually straightforward and easy to get along with. I used to think they were simply making a living this way, and that the state, putting people first, turned a blind eye and let it pass. But today it suddenly struck me that their existence is not just necessary — it is indispensable.

Reason One: These folk practitioners are all die-hard TCM enthusiasts. They believe completely in the correctness of TCM and show no capitalistic compromise toward Western medicine — they resist it to the bitter end. There is now a rather absurd phenomenon: I work at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, yet no one here dares to step outside and declare that TCM is scientific. Whenever someone in society publicly questions this, almost no one from the Academy confronts them head-on; it is always met with cold treatment. The Academy does not speak out because we study science — but science cannot be defended by science alone. It also needs champions, and folk practitioners are the best champions.

Reason Two: A single spark can start a prairie fire. TCM is arguably the lifeblood of Chinese culture — whoever moves against it commits a crime against history. Our nation has endured over a century of cultural aggression from Western powers. Many time-honored brands have vanished, many traditional crafts have been lost, moral systems in many rural areas have collapsed, and most young people have no interest in traditional agrarian culture. Now the Twenty-Four Solar Terms have been successfully inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list — perhaps in a few years, we will have to learn farming from the Japanese. I have seen some research findings from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on folk TCM practitioners. Their overall numbers are declining, but at a slower rate than the official TCM sector. Most people who develop an interest in TCM do so because their own ailments cannot be cured by modern medicine; through self-study and self-treatment, many of them become masters. So the vitality of TCM lies primarily in the folk domain. Official TCM can be eliminated by decree, but the folk force is powerful. Their existence plays a crucial role in protecting and passing on the cultural atmosphere of TCM.

That concludes my reasons. Let me say something else. In early August, I posted on the TCM forum of DXY (Dingxiangyuan). That post remained at the top for three months, and the moderators were at a loss — they could only cold-shoulder it. The post attracted many folk TCM practitioners; it was they who liked my post, stood up for me, and spoke on my behalf, making the post what it became. At the same time, the post also drew many TCM skeptics. Their logic remained as backward and inadequate as ever. From these people, one can see that science education in our country is still at a very low stage. Many people educated under our system cannot view things objectively, lack independent thinking ability, and are devoid of humanistic and ethical sensibility. From them, I roughly understand why medical disputes in China are so severe — most of these people are doctors themselves! With such minds, how can they properly handle the relationship between medicine and human beings?

Finally, I want to sincerely thank all my colleagues fighting on the front lines of TCM. As long as no one gives up, we are the hope of the future.

中文原文 / Chinese Original