Chinese doctors drew on a vast knowledge of natural remedies to treat their patients. Plant, animal, and mineral elements were combined by skilled apothecaries to produce medicines designed to treat the specific issues faced by each patient. Chinese medical practitioners began with the premise that disease was a consequence of disharmony with nature. Disharmony was reflected in imbalances within the patient’s body, imbalances that revealed themselves in the symptoms of disease. Thus, the doctor treated disease by prescribing medicinal ingredients designed to restore balance to the patient’s system. As you examine this image of a Chinese apothecary shop, think about the connections between Chinese medicines and Chinese philosophy. How would you explain the differences between traditional Chinese and contemporary Western theories of diseases and their treatments?

Questions to Consider