The Chinese approach medicine with a different philosophy than Western culture does.  They follow a wholistic approach incorporating the mind and the body into a single unit.  The Chi is the life source that runs through the body allowing life.  They treat the symptoms by determining where in the body the Chi has been hampered.  There a re two different forms of medicine used to treat illness: acupuncture and herbal medicine.  in order to prevent disease the Chinese use Tai Chi, a form of low-impact exercise used to move and manipulate the chi.

Su Tzu's Chinese Philosophy Page  (http://mars.superlink.net/fsu)
An introduction to the general philosophy that lies behind Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine  (http://www.healthy.net/clinic/therapy/Chinmed/index.html)
A source which gives an introduction to Chinese medicine, and then focuses on how acupuncture is incorporated into it.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Athlete  (http://www.eastmeetswest.com/article.htm)
A description of how athletes have used traditional Chinese medicine.

An Introduction to Chinese Herbal Medicine  (http://www.treasureofeast.com/intro.htm)
An overview of Chinese herbal medicine including uses of the herbs, classification, and information on specific herbs.

Acupuncture.com  (http://acupuncture.com)
Answers all questions about Chinese acupuncture on the student, consumer, and the practitioner level.

Historical Overview of Acupuncture  (http://rhemamed.com/acuhis.htm)
Includes an historical overview of Chinese acupuncture as well as information on different types of acupuncture (ear, scalp, whole body).

Yang Style Tai Chi  (http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Philosophy/Taichi/tc-home.html)
Everything needed to know about Tai Chi.

Tai Chi & Taoism  (http://chebucto.ns.ca/Philosophy/Taichi/tao-chi.html)
The incorporation of Tai Chi with the Taoist philosophy.

Alternative Treatment to Chronic Diseases, Health Food & Cosmetics from Herbs and Nature  (http://catalog.com/inforg01/index.htm)
Links to modern products that have come from traditional Chinese medicine.
 

Return to class readings page:  Kinesiology 493: Philosophy of Kinesiology