A Brief History of Scientific Research in Chinese Medicine

Theoretical and applied research in Chinese medicine has long been carried out in a traditional way by successive generations of medical doctors. Theoretical research was mainly based on the exegesis of classical writings and the development of new insights in the annotations. The theoretical outreach has been developed around such classic works as the Neijing, the Nanying, the Shennong Ben Cao Jing, the Treatise on Typhoid Fever, the Essentials of the Golden Chamber, the Pulse Classic, and the Acupuncture and Moxibustion A and B Classic.

Applied research is mainly to summarize the clinical experience, through the collation of medical cases and the compilation of prescription books, medicine books, the new clinical techniques, new discoveries and the development of new prescriptions and new medicines written for the world. In the ancient Chinese medicine research, these annotations and summarization of experience were mainly carried out by medical practitioners in a scattered and spontaneous manner. For example, Li Shizhen, in the Ming Dynasty, completed the scientific masterpiece "Compendium of Materia Medica" with his personal efforts over a period of 27 years and three drafts. However, there are also some large-scale projects organized by the government. Such as the Tang Dynasty, the government adopted Su Jing's proposal, the organization was rich in talented pharmacists, scientists, artists **** 22 people, the pharmacology of a precedent, following the finishing research work, which lasted two years, in 659 years, compiled into the "Newly Revised Materia Medica" and issued the country as the first by the government issued a pharmacopoeia of the Materia Medica. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty, the government sponsored the compilation of Taiping Shenghui Fang (100 volumes); during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, the government sponsored the compilation of Shengji Gonglu (200 volumes); during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, the Bureau of Correcting Medical Books was even set up, which was presided over by Palm Yuxi, Lin Yi, Gao Baoheng, Sun Zhao, and so forth, and the Bureau successively corrected and published Suwen, Lingshu, Typhoid, Jingui Yuwen Jing (The Golden Pill), and Lianshu. The medical books were published in succession, including the Suwen, Lingshu, the Treatise on Typhoid Fever, the Jinggui yuxuanjing, the Pulse Classic, the Acupuncture and Moxibustion A and B Classic, the Thousand Golden Essentials, and the Secret Essentials of the Wai Tai.

Large-scale scientific research on Chinese medicine was carried out after the founding of the People's Republic of China. 1952, the Ministry of Health commissioned the Beijing Medical College to run a Central Ministry of Health, Chinese medicine specialized researchers to study the class (five-year). 1955, directly under the Ministry of Health, the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine was officially established, and at the same time, organized the first Western medicine study of traditional Chinese medicine research class. 1956, the state in Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Guangdong, established the first Chinese medicine research center in Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan and Guangdong. In 1956, the state set up four Chinese medicine colleges in Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan and Guangdong, and in 1959, the scientific and technological work of Chinese medicine was included in the twelve-year scientific development vision plan of the state. 1982, the development of traditional medicine was included in the constitution, so that the cause of traditional Chinese medicine had a legal guarantee. 1986, the "State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine" was officially established, and in 1988, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine was expanded into the "State Administration of Chinese Medicine". "In 1986, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine was officially established, and in 1988, it was expanded to become the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the Department of Science and Technology in charge of the scientific research of traditional Chinese medicine, which clearly stated that "relying on scientific and technological progress to improve academic standards is the key to the development of the cause of traditional Chinese medicine." In 1978, traditional Chinese medicine colleges and research institutes began to enroll postgraduates. By the end of 1990, there were 170 research institutes of traditional Chinese medicine above the municipal level, 29 institutions of higher education in traditional Chinese medicine, and 3 institutions of higher education in national medicine, with more than 17,500 full-time researchers.

Scientific research on Chinese medicine has become an important part of the national medical science and technology.