Though the main ideas and techniques of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are thousands of years old, these medical practices are still commonly employed in China, and are even being adopted around the world.

In China, you'll find a confusing mixture of modern and traditional medical practices. You may be confused, amused and even frightened by the traditional practices that you see and by the medical advice that you'll receive.

虽然中医的主要思想和技术已有数千年历史，但这些医疗实践在中国仍然普遍使用，甚至在世界各地被采用。在中国，你会发现现代和传统医疗实践混杂在一起。你可能会对看到的传统做法和收到的医疗建议感到困惑、好笑甚至害怕。

Qi and the Yin-Yang Balance — TCM Theory气与阴阳平衡 — 中医理论

The core belief of traditional Chinese medicine is about the yin-yang or qi balance in the body and its organs.

中国传统医学的核心理念是关于身体及其器官内的阴阳或气的平衡。

What Is "Qi" Believed to Be?人们认为“气”是什么？

It is believed that qi is life energy, and its flow in the body depends on the environment and what happens to the body. The balance of qi in the parts of the body depends on the flow of various kinds of qi and fluids. Injury, physical suffering, and lack of proper food causes a qi deficiency.

人们认为气是生命能量，它在体内的流动取决于环境和身体的变化。身体各部位气的平衡取决于各种气和津液的流动。受伤、身体疼痛和缺乏适当的食物会导致气虚。

Yin Qi and Yang Qi 阴气和阳气

Most Chinese medicine practitioners think that there are many kinds of qi, and the most basic kinds are yin qi and yang qi.

Everything is a balance of yin and yang. Yin is female, dark and formless. Yang is male, light, and form. Females have more yin qi, and males have more yang qi, and as people age, they lose qi.

大部分中医认为，气有很多种，最基本的是阴气和阳气。万物都是阴阳平衡的。阴为女性，黑暗无形。阳为男性，光明有形。女性阴气较多，男性阳气较多，随着年龄增长，气会流失。

The Most Common TCM Techniques 最常见的中医技法

Acupuncture: This famous medical technique involves inserting needles at precise meridian points.

针灸：这种著名的医疗技术涉及将针插入精确的经络穴位。

Fire cupping : This ancient practice has been practiced for hundreds and thousands of years. The Chinese style uses the acupuncture meridians. It is used to remove yang from the body, and it is appropriate for conditions such as bronchitis, heat stroke, and hot weather-related conditions.

拔火罐：这种古老的疗法已有数百年甚至数千年的历史。这种中式疗法利用针灸经络。拔火罐用于去除体内的阳气，适用于治疗支气管炎、中暑以及与炎热天气相关的病症。

Traditional herbology and medicines: In many ways, Chinese herbal medicine is similar to Western herbal medicine, though the emphasis is on promoting the yin-yang balance.

中药：中草药在许多方面与西方草药相似，但重点在于促进阴阳平衡。

Massage: It seems like there are massage parlors everywhere, and there are various styles that are all thought to be good for the health, some of which are more appreciated by Chinese than foreigners.

推拿：似乎到处都有按摩院，而且有各种各样的按摩方式，都被认为对健康有益，其中一些更受中国人而不是外国人的青睐。

Medicinal cuisine : The emphasis in this traditional method of meal preparation, special recipes, and way of eating is to promote the yin-yang balance.

药膳：这种传统的膳食准备方法、特殊菜谱和饮食方式的重点是促进阴阳平衡。

Moxibustion: This is another surprising technique and is used to add Yang to the body. It is appropriate for women with birthing problems, older men, and cold weather-related health issues.

艾灸：这是另一种令人惊奇的技术，用于补充身体的阳气。它适合有生育问题的女性、老年男性和寒冷天气相关的健康问题。

Qigong: Meditation and special exercise, such as qigong and tai chi also manipulates the qi balance and the body fluids in the body.

气功：冥想和特殊锻炼，如气功和太极也控制体内的气平衡和体液。