Chinese Histry

*The first medical discoveries in Ancient China began more than 2,000 years ago. These discoveries were found through a search for an elixir of life. The ancient Chinese searched for this potion in order to make their Emperor immortal. Eventually, in their search the ancient Chinese made medical remedies.

*The remedies made throughout this early period were mostly made from herbal resources or from animal parts such as a pig's liver. Still today the Chinese greatly depend on raw plants and animal products to cure diseases. However some of these plant and animal remedies have brought conflicts to the present day due to illegal poaching and a lack of abundance in plants and animals for example dried sea horses.

*Chinese medical practices continued to grow later when a Pharmacologist, Tsou Yen, put out a theory on the origins of diseases. He stated that two spirits like forces called Ying and Yang flowed to the body and diseases were formed when these two forces became out of balance. This theory was picked up by numerous physicians and has stayed a Chinese tradition in medicine and daily life in china.

*Tsou Yen wrote more theories, each continuing to advance both spiritually and in science. One of these theories talked about elements. Tsou Yen classified the elements as large and small and continued by placing herbal remedies in categories. There were "Four Spirits" and "Five Tastes". If the remedies caused the body to respond to hot, or cold they would go into the "Four Spirits" category. If the medicine had tastes such as sour or sweet these medicines they would be placed in the "Five Tastes" group.

*The belief of that Ying and Yang was key to keeping the body healthy led to the development of acupuncture. This treatment was a drug free procedure that involves needles being placed in certain areas of the person's body. When these needles were placed in specific spots it would release any negative energy. With the release of harmful forces the body would be put back into a balanced state and pain and disease would be thus cured. Today acupuncture remains a strong medical procedure and has been popularized in North America.

*Some of the first records of doctors as they emerged in Chinese culture spoke of doctors bringing people back from the dead and out of comas.