Phenomenology and Traditional Chinese Medicine: Converging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science

Exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine

Column Introduction: Exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine is our insightful dialogue platform dedicated to the realm of traditional Chinese medicine. With every edition, medical experts at home and adrood to engage in dynamic conversations with our readers. We embark on an exploration of diverse subjects, including the confluence and innovative perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine with philosophy, methodologies, religious contexts, and other domains. shares their unparalleled insights and rich experiences. Through this column, we hope show the multifaceted, holistic, and contemporary relevance of traditional Chinese medicine for our esteemed readership.

Column Highlights:

1.Each Traditional Chinese Medicine Authority:

This is an interview with the Dr. Xiaoming Cheng of Osher Center of Integrative medicine in Harvard Uninversty. His profound expertise promises readers an immersive journey into the intricate world of traditional Chinese medicine.

2.Interdisciplinary Discourse: Our conversations traverse the realms of traditional Chinese medicine, philosophy, methodologies, phenomenology, religion, and more. This diverse exploration unearths novel connections and captivating themes.

3.Holistic Insight: Through these interdisciplinary dialogues, our goal is to offer a panoramic view of traditional Chinese medicines multifaceted nature. We aim to illuminate its profound significance and relevance within contemporary society.

Host:Professor Cheng, we are aware of traditional Chinese medicine, but could you please provide an introduction to phenomenological theory?

Professor Cheng: Phenomenology is a philosophical approach and methodology that underscores the significance of studying phenomena in their essence. It encourages us to transcend preconceived concepts and assumptions, and to uncover the authentic reality that lies beneath appearances. Phenomenology advocates direct exploration of subjective experiences and meticulous descriptions to attain a more profound comprehension. One could visualize it as an approach that starts from phenomena themselves, untainted by preconceived theoretical frameworks, and instead involves in depth observation of the characteristics, structure, and inherent meanings of the phenomena to gain understanding.

Host: It does have a certain air of mystery, and interestingly, it seems to share similarities with traditional Chinese medicine (laughter).

Professor Cheng: Indeed, the concept is rather graspable. Phenomenology serves as a tool for humans to observe, comprehend, and navigate the world around them. Across history, humans have employed this method either knowingly or unknowingly. Whether in times of limited knowledge during ancient civilizations or in today’s age of information abundance, individuals have adeptly utilized phenomenological principles to create diverse frameworks for comprehending disciplines, objects, and societal dynamics.

Host: So, essentially, we are using phenomenological theories in our daily lives. Now, could you shed light on how phenomenological theory is employed within the realm of traditional Chinese medicine?

Professor Cheng: In ancient times, when information accessibility was limited, people largely relied on observation and intuition to understand the external world. In this context, the phenomenological theory gained significant prominence. Ancient philosophers and scholars utilized phenomenological approaches to uncover the essence and patterns of phenomena through direct descriptions and perceptions. While phenomenological theory underscores the scrutiny and interpretation of phenomena, traditional Chinese medicine theory centers on the holistic observation and regulation of human phenomena.

Through the lens of phenomenology, we can delve deeper into the concepts of Yin and Yang, as well as the Five Elements in traditional Chinese medicine. This provides a means to elucidate their relationship with human experiences. For instance, in traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners assess an individual’s health status and formulate treatment strategies by examining indicators such as facial complexion and tongue appearance. Interestingly, this practice, grounded in intuition and observation, can be seen as an application of phenomenological theory in action.

Host: Professor Cheng, could you please provide a more detailed insight into how the phenomenological theory operates within the framework of traditional Chinese medicine? What exact role does it play in this context?

Professor Cheng: Certainly. In the realm of traditional Chinese medicine theory, the phenomenological theory manifests itself in three key dimensions. Firstly, it adopts a humancentered perspective. It stems from the wisdom, cognitive traits, and accumulated clinical knowhow of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Their distinctive modes of observation are also integral to this approach. This imbues traditional Chinese medicine theory with a distinctive sense of humanistic compassion.

Secondly, the phenomenological theory distills the observed manifestations encountered by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. For instance, consider the concept of Yang, a wellknown principle in traditional Chinese medicine. I’ve distilled the essence of Yang by systematically abstracting its mental aspects, consciousness, behaviors, and outward expressions. This process forms the foundation of my understanding of Yang.

Thirdly, the phenomenological approach significantly influences the unique imagerybased cognition in traditional Chinese medicine. Take the description of the liver, for example. Employing a phenomenological perspective, the liver’s dynamic “images” in various human life activities are revealed, leading to an enhanced comprehension of its functions and intricate relationships with other tissues and organs. Stressing the body’s holistic nature and dynamic equilibrium, its various constituents are viewed as interconnected entities. The liver’s performance, such as its influence on visual acuity, its physical appearances, and its blood reservoir function, reflects its dynamic activities. By extracting, aggregating, and concretizing these specific phenomena, a methodological theory is developed. Naturally, similar methods apply to other organs like the kidneys, lungs, and spleen. These methods are believed to relate to emotions, decisionmaking capabilities, and blood circulation. When the energetic equilibrium of the liver is disrupted, it may impinge upon the functions of other bodily parts, potentially giving rise to various ailments.

By scrutinizing and analyzing the organs’ “appearances” within life activities, we can amass valuable information about the body’s health status and subsequently devise treatment strategies. It’s noteworthy that this approach underscores a holistic outlook, setting it apart from the organcentric analytical approach prevalent in modern medicine.

Host: It seems like we’ve just scratched the surface of a vast and intriguing topic today. Delving deeper into this subject might require more time. How about we initiate our exploration in earnest during our next interview?

Professor Cheng: Absolutely, our discussion today has merely brushed against the confluence of phenomenological theory and traditional Chinese medicine. There’s an abundance of nuanced conversations yet to be embarked upon. I’m eagerly anticipating our upcoming dialogue, where we can further navigate the intricate connections and potentials between traditional Chinese medicine and phenomenological theory. Irrespective of whether it’s the era of limited knowledge from the past or the present age of information overload, dialogues that span across time and space often usher in novel perspectives and inspirations. Let’s eagerly await our next conversation as we continue this voyage into an engrossing and promising domain.

Host: Our sincere gratitude, Professor Cheng! Your insights have been incredibly enlightening. Today’s conversation undoubtedly holds profound implications for our audience.

Professor Cheng: You’re very welcome. In our next discourse, we’ll delve further into the attributes and comprehension of phenomenological theory, alongside a comprehensive exploration of how traditional Chinese medicine theory aligns, manifests, and expands through the lens of phenomenology. Until then, take care and see you all in the next session! Thank you!

探索中醫

欄目簡介：“探索中医”栏目是我們專注於中醫領域的對話欄目。

在每一期中，我們將邀請國内外醫學專家與讀者展開精彩對話，深入探討各種話題，比如中醫與哲學、方法論、宗教學等領域的交叉點和新穎觀點，分享他們獨到的見解和經驗。通過本欄目，我們希望爲讀者呈現中醫的多維度、綜合性和現代意義。

欄目特點：

1.中醫專家：本期將訪談哈佛醫學院整會醫學研究所程曉明醫生，他將爲讀者帶來深入的洞見和對中醫的獨特理解。

2.多領域交叉：我們將圍遶中醫與哲學、方法論、唯象學説、宗教學等領域展開對話，探索新穎且有趣的話題。

3.綜合性視角：通過跨領域的對話，我們旨在展現中醫的綜合性特徵，深入探討其在現代社會中的意義和應用。

唯象學説與中醫：傳統智慧與現代科學的交匯

主持人：程教授，您能給我們介紹一下唯象學説嗎？

程教授：唯象學説是一種哲學思想和方法，强調我們應該專注於研究現象本身，超越預設的觀念和假設，從而揭示現象背後的真實本質。它主張通過直接的主觀體驗和詳細描述來研究現象，以獲得更深入的理解。你可以把它想象成一種從現象出發的方式，不受先入爲主的理論框架的影響，而是通過深入觀察現象的特點、結構和内在意義來理解它。

主持人：聽起來有點玄，和中醫還挺像（笑）

程教授：其實很好理解，唯象學説是人類觀察、理解和探索世界的方法。從古至今，人類一直在有意或無意地運用這一方法。不論是在知識匱乏的古代，還是在信息爆炸的今天，人們都熟練地運用唯象學説來建立各種工作模式，以此瞭解學科、事物和社會。

主持人：這樣看來，唯象學説我們好像每天都在使用啊，那唯象學説是如何在中醫裡應用的呢？

程教授：在古代，由於信息獲取的限制，人們對於外界的認知主要依靠觀察和直覺。唯象學説在這個背景下具有特别重要的意義。古代哲學家和學者運用唯象學説的方法，通過對現象的直接描述和感知，來揭示事物的本質和規律。唯象學説强調現象的觀察和解釋，而中醫理論注重人體現象的整體觀察和調節。通過唯象學的視角，我們可以更深入地理解中醫理論中的陰陽學説、五行學説等，並解釋其與人體現象之間的關係。例如，中醫師通過觀察患者的面色、舌苔等象徵，判斷身體的健康狀况，制定治療方案。這種基於直覺和觀察的方法，實際上就是唯象學説的應用。

主持人：程教授，可以請您進一步介紹中醫理論中的唯象學説嗎？它在中醫中扮演着怎樣的角色？

程教授：在中醫理論中，唯象學説體現在三個方面。首先，它從人本位出發，即從中醫師自身的智慧、認知特點和對臨床經驗的總結以及觀察事物的方式入手。這使得中醫理論具有獨特的人文關懷。其次，唯象學説將中醫師所觀察到的存在進行歸納總結，舉個例子，我們共同的朋友楊老師，我從楊老師的思想、意識、行爲和表現等方面，通過方法學的角度進行具體抽象，形成對楊老師的認知。第三，在傳統中醫象思維的認識特點上尤其獨特之處，比如對肝臟的描述，唯象思維的觀點表現的是肝臟這個器官在人體生命活動中表現出來各種動態的“象”來體會和理解這個臟器的作用以及和其他組織、器官、臟器之間的關係。在强調了身體的整體性和動態平衡，將身體的各個組成部分視爲相互關聯的整體。肝臟的表現出來本身的工作表現,比如肝開竅於目、肝和膽相表裡、肝藏血等。通過將具體現象進行抽解、抽集和具象化，形成一種方法學的理論。當然，類似的方法也適用於腎、肺、脾等。同時還被認爲與情緒、决策能力、血液循環等方面有關。當肝臟的能量平衡被打破時，可能會影響到身體其他部分的功能，導致不同的疾病。通過觀察和分析臟器在生命活動中的表現出來的“象”，可以獲得關於身體健康狀况的信息，進而制定治療計劃。這種方法强調了整體觀念，與現代醫學的以器官爲中心的分析方法有所不同。

主持人：感覺這是一個非常龐大的話題。咱們一期訪談恐怕難以深入，不如這期咱們就開個頭，下期詳細探討兩個領域之間有趣而深刻的聯繫？

程教授：是的，我們今天只是觸及到了唯象學説與中醫的交匯點，還有許多更深入的探討有待展開。期待在下一次訪談中，能够繼續探討這一領域，深入挖掘中醫與唯象學説的更多聯繫和可能性。無論是在知識匱乏的古代，還是在信息爆炸的今天，這種跨越時空的對話都能够爲我們帶來新的思考和啓發。讓我們期待着下一次訪談，繼續探索這個有趣而充滿潜力的話題。

主持人：非常感謝您，程教授。爲我們帶來瞭如此有價值的見解。今天的訪談内容對我們的聽衆一定有很大的啓發。

程教授：不必客氣。下一期我們將詳細闡明唯象學説的特點、認識以及中醫理論是如何運用唯象學説呈現、表達及闡述的，那我們下期再見！謝謝大家！