Jaung-Geng Lin, MD, PhD
Pei-Chi Chou, MD, MS
Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science,
College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
ABSTRCT
Since thousands of years ago, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been the guardian of people’s health, also an important force for social stability in China despite the fact that the western medicine was brought into China in Ming dynasty along with the development of cultural exchange by Western missionaries, and gradually grew to flourish. Fortunately, sages and pioneers never gave up efforts for the development of Chinese medicine to prevent its extinction. Today, under concerted belief, TCM is still playing an important role as the guardian of national health, and thus promote the trend of research of TCM in Western society. The World Health Organization (WHO) used to regard TCM as an alternative medicine, but now has already been re-categorized as complementary medicine according to the results of clinical research regarding the effects on diseases. WHO thinks that modern Western medicine should work with TCM to achieve the best results in terms of fighting diseases, and pointed out that “one of the brightest prospects in the war against diseases is the combination of the modern medicine with the traditional medical science”. This indicates that WHO highly recommends the value of TCM [1]. The development of Chinese medicine in Taiwan will be introduced in the following content.
KEYWORDS
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); The Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Taiwan
The origin of National TCM Physician Day-317 (17th March)
When it comes to the development of TCM in Taiwan, one cannot help mentioning the National TCM physician day. In upper half of the 20th century, China was in the control of northern warlords and the southern Kuo Min Tang (KMT). There were 3 consecutive incidents regarding how people with political powers from the governmental administration claimed the abolition of TCM. “317” means the day of 17th March, 1929. A forum on the issues of TCM’s future was held. There were intensive debates on whether people should keep practicing TCM or not. The forum has important implications on the consequent development of TCM.
The situation for TCM was very difficult during that period. The fast spread of Western medicine was a major shock to TCM. Hostility existed within the Western medicine practitioners and an attempt to eliminate TCM was fermenting. On 14th February 1929, the Central Health Committee of the Chinese government held its first meeting and passed the bill proposed by Yu-Yen: “Abolition of the outmoded medicine in order to eliminate barriers to public health”. The bill distorted and slandered the practice of TCM, they regarded TCM as outmoded and not appropriate for the modern society, advocated the replacement with new Western medicine. They also put particular emphasis on the description of “outmoded TCM should be eliminated so people would not think the same old way. The new medicine and associated administration can thus go further “The bill also requested all the TCM practitioners to register to the government. The main contents are: “Relocating and rearranging the existing TCM practitioners” ; “the Ministry of Health implements the limitation of the issuing of practicing licenses of TCM”; “prohibit the establishment of the TCM medical school”; “Ban the advertising of advocacy in TCM”.
TCM sector in the country aroused great indignation and opposition, immediately after the report of this bill by Shanghai Business News on 26th February 1929. Commissioners like Shia Yin-Tang, Yin Sho-Tien and Chu Shao-Po from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of Shanghai called the Ministry of Health in Nanjing to protest. The statement to inform all the TCM practitioners in the country about the bill was printed in Shanghai Business News on 27th February 1929. Again, on 4th March, all representatives of TCM organizations across the country were informed to attend the congress which is recommended to be held in Shanghai. The congress was held on 17th March. Assembly was composed of 262 representatives from the country’s 15 provinces, 132 medical organizations. The congress brought about the following ideas and slogans: “to promote traditional Chinese medicine in order to resist cultural invasion,””to promote traditional Chinese medicine to prevent the economic aggression,” “to promote Chinese medicine equals the preservation of Chinese culture and economics”. A half-day strike took place in Shanghai in the TCM sector, and they provide full support of the congress in terms of all modes of transport to protest against the government. All sectors of society such as the National Business Alliance, the Association of Chinese Domestic Products, TCM news as well as Southeast Asia and Overseas Chinese representatives also called to protest. The congress lasted 3 days, the final adoption of three resolutions included: (1) makes the date of 17th March the Day of the united struggle of Chinese medicine; (2) the establishment of national unity and the General Federation of Chinese Medicine; (3) organization of joint petition group to Nanjing [2].
The bill was forced to withdraw under intensive protest from the Chinese medicine sector in the country. The TCM sector has regarded “317” as a major pain and impact, 17th March (317) was selected as the National TCM Physician Day to commemorate the incident.
The National TCM Association
After “317” incident, the TCM sector has strived actively for the same equality of treatment and position as the Western medicine. In order to struggle for their legitimate rights and interests, the formation of the National TCM association was initiated in 1943 by the Qin Qin [3], Zhang Jian-Zhai, Zheng Man-qing, Tsao Qi-feng, Ren Ying-Qiu and Tsao Sen-Yang. After two years of struggle, the National TCM Association was formally set up on 25th October 1945 in Chongqing [4] .
In 1975, the National TCM association resumed its duties in Taiwan [5] and has been actively striving for the development of TCM to relieve the pain of the people suffering from diseases. Over the years, through the efforts and leadership of the successive chairman including Lin Gen-Shen, Chang Cheng-Mao, Wu Shui-Sheng, Lin Jaung-Geng, the National TCM association not only has participated in the formulation of national health policy but also fought for general access to the care and treatment by TCM. The National TCM association has further requested the reimbursement from many kinds of insurance policies such as the insurance system of the labors and the farmers. The contract for the total amount of National Health Insurance outpatient payment system was signed as well, thus, to create a new era in TCM. Lin Jaung-Geng, a chairman of great visions, passed the bill to purchase the conference hall of the National TCM association to facilitate the sustainability of the association. Opening of the conference hall took place in 2001. The National TCM association is grateful for all the hard work of the pioneer founders and still needs to move on. Many challenging tasks remain such as the fight for the establishment of the National University of TCM; TCM practitioners cultivated through the national formal education systems; improvement the quality of continuing education for TCM practitioners; obtain approval for TCM practitioners to use biochemical tests, X-ray for clinical interpretation and the use of modern medical equipment, in order to promote the modernization of TCM; handling of inter-disciplinary researches to promote the combination of Chinese and Western medicine to expand the scope of TCM service; the printing of newsletters to strengthen two-way communication among members; to build the website of information to promote TCM culture; to hold activities such as sports events for the physical and mental soundness; and to facilitate international academic exchanges, to expand diplomacy in terms of TCM, and enhance the position of TCM in the international arena.
Education of TCM
The education of TCM had been suppressed unprecedentedly from 1840 -1949. It was a long and dark period. Fortunately, TCM predecessors have not given up any opportunity to push for TCM schools, which make today’s TCM to emerge on the world stage. At present, there are three institutes of higher education of TCM in Taiwan. They are either systems of baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate and will be introduced separately in the following content.
China Medical University
China Medical University (CMU) was established in 1958. The establishment can be attributed to the joint effort of many predecessors including Mr. Qin Qin. He and some legislators, over a few years’ unremitting efforts, along with the strong support of Yu You-Ren (the leader of Control Yuan) and Zhang Qi-Yun (the leader of Minister of Education), finally obtained the permit from government of the establishment of Taiwan’s first school of TCM. This enabled the continuation of the lifeblood of TCM education. The situation was very difficult at the beginning. Fortunately, with the painstaking efforts of the previous school Board and the former senior government councilor Chen Li-fu, CMU has been making contributions to the academic achievements of TCM, the implementation of modernization of the TCM education, strengthening of Western and Chinese medicine courses, promotion of mastery of Chinese and Western medicine to establish new medical system, and cultivation of more excellent TCM and Western medicine physicians. School of Medicine of CMU was founded in 1966 to implement the original intention to cultivate expertise in TCM, and complete training in both Western and Chinese medicine and this has begun a new era in medicine. The design of the complete course was originally six years, after thorough consideration and in order to foster integration of Chinese and Western medicine as well as clinical practice and academic excellence, it was extended to seven years in 1967. Subsequently, in 1996, in consideration of clinical sub-specialties as well as the integrity of clinical training, double-majoring in the School of Medicine (TCM and Western Medicine) extended to eight years while single-majoring (in TCM) will remain the same seven-year course of study. In 1984, the establishment of five-year school of Postbaccalaureate Chinese Medicine launched. The original thoughts were to absorb the various fields of expertise to join the ranks of TCM research so people with different backgrounds can study TCM from a broader perspective. Apart from putting in clinical work, the treatment of many clinical conditions faced emerging bottlenecks; many TCM practitioners expanded their career into areas of research. The Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science started the program for master’s degree of TCM in 1975 and doctoral degree in 1988. The Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine was established in 1999 with master programs and the Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science was set up in 2005[6].
In 45th anniversary (2003), the hard working of many people with lofty ideals upgraded the original college to the level of a true university, i.e., the China Medical University (CMU). College of Chinese Medicine was the established formally which continues to shoulder the responsibilities of TCM education, research, faculty development. In recent years, under the collaboration between the distinguished Alumnus – Tsai Chang-Hai (the chairman of the school board) and members of the school board, the board functions soundly. CMU also achieved increasingly grand scale and has become the medical center in Taiwan as well as the internationally renowned university under the strong leadership of Chairman Tai and school Principal Huang Jung-Tsun through the joint efforts of all teachers and students.
As enshrined in the school anthem: “the best physicians heal the nation, followed by ones heal the individuals”, in addition to expectations of CMU students to “sincerely help others, carefully do things, always be motivated to improve, be with integrity” as taught by the school motto, students are also requested to fulfill the following:” Diligence, Integrity, Love and Care”. CMU hopes the students can have not only the noble characters but also the emphasis on humane care in addition to clinical practice. They should be concerned about the state and social public policy, co-construct a healthy and happy country and society. In 1991, there were 2 graduates of the first doctoral program in TCM: Professor Lin Jaung-Geng specializes in acupuncture medicine and Professor Chen Jung-Chou specializes in traditional Chinese medicine gynecology. Professor Lin has devoted his life’s efforts in the development, research, and education of TCM. To be grateful for CMU, his alma mater, Professor Lin has been donating his salary to the school and actively organized the scholarship in remembrance of his mentors. They are:” Professor Ma Guang-Ya scholarship” and “Professor Huang Wei-San Scholarship”. With the gratitude for his parents, Professor Lin also founded the scholarship in remembrance of his parent: Mr. and Mrs. Lin. The scholarships have benefited so many students in need and thus more patients in need can be taken care of in the future.
There are more than 20,000 China Medical University alumni in all levels all over the country at present. They may be working in the major medical centers, or in the backwater, but they are all dedicating their profession to the health of our fellow countrymen. Some outstanding alumni lead the central government agencies, or other medical society groups of academia or other industries.
School of Chinese Medicine, Chang-Gung University and the Department of Chinese Medicine, Chang- Gung Memorial Hospital
Mr. Wang Yong-Qing, the chairman of Formosa Plastics corporation Group, thought that there must be extremely valuable essence in TCM as it can last as more as five thousand years in China with proven clinical effects. TCM can be regarded as the wisdom and experience descending from our ancestors, which would be the best complementary medicine to Modern western medicine. If combined with modern technology, TCM can make the most of it in terms of the benefits of the patients as well as the society.
In order to set up TCM health care system, Professor Xie Gui-Xiong from National Taiwan University Hospital and Professor Lin Jaung-Geng from CMU were counseled for their expertise and experience. Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) launched the out-patient clinics of TCM in August 1996 at Lin-Kou district, Tao-Yuan County which was the first TCM out-patient clinic system in medical center and teaching hospital of Taiwan. In May 1999 CGMH expanded the TCM out-patient clinics to the level of branch hospital of CGMH and began to offer the service of TCM out-patient clinics at Keelung and Kaohsiung branch CGMH in July 2000. Yun-Lin and Chia-Yi branch also started the TCM service in January 2002.The above-mentioned institutes were integrated and renamed as the Chang Gung Memorial hospital for Chinese medicine in May 2003. In October 2006, the hospital accepted the first time TCM hospital accreditation and was awarded excellent and among the best.
In order to pass extensive and profound Chinese medicine and to cultivate a new generation of TCM practitioners while combining with modern medical technology, Chang Gung University (CGU) actively set up the School of Chinese Medicine in 1996, approved by the Ministry of Education in 1997 and the establishment was carried out in March 1998[7]. The school began accepting students of high school graduates and also participating in joint enrollment for universities and independent colleges. The annual total number of students was 50. The goal was in the pursuit the modernization and innovation of TCM, with a view to contributing to the welfare of all mankind’s health. In order to cultivate the professionals with knowledge of traditional and modern medicine, curricula were revised to adopt both Western and Chinese Medicine (double major). CGU has set up a research institute of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine and has begun planning research institute of acupuncture and clinical pharmacy of TCM, wishing the overall development of TCM research and the position into the international arena.
School of Chinese Medicine, I-Shou University
Due to the rapid growth of the elderly population, the development of the preventive health care system, in addition to severe disease medicine, has become a new trend of development. TCM is characterized to have the concept of preventive health care. There are three main sources of TCM physicians: the graduates from 7-year or 8-year school of Chinese medicine; graduates from 5-year post-baccalaureate school of Chinese medicine as well as TCM practitioners who pass the special board examination. This kind of examination will be discontinued in 2011, allowing cultivation of TCM practitioners return to a normal higher education system. As CGU is located in the north and CMU is located in the central city of Taiwan, I-Shou University (ISU) will be the first university located in the south of Taiwan to have the higher education system of TCM. The application to set up the school of Chinese medicine was adopted in June 2009 and will start recruiting students in 2010 to cultivate more talented practitioners and researchers.
ISU has an affiliated hospital with the regional teaching resources and high-quality educational environment. Well-known professors of TCM set up department of Chinese medicine in the hospital to provide better medical services. They will also cooperate with the School of Chinese Medicine to establish a comprehensive training system for clinical teaching. The hospital has constructed a platform of communication between School of Medicine and the School of Chinese medicine, emphasizing the training of Chinese herbal medicine combined with biotechnology techniques, thus giving a richer curriculum. The graduates in the future will be more pluralistic.
Conclusion
TCM has long been closely linked with our people’s health. Under the trend of global promotion of traditional medicine and the government’s addressing of the public demand for TCM, the development of TCM needs the collaboration of multidisciplinary professionals, so we can cultivate the next generation of outstanding physicians, establish a comprehensive health care system, as well as actively involve in the modernization of TCM research in Taiwan.
References
1. Traditional Chinese Medicine Could Make “Health for One” True. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2000. (Accessed at http:// www.who.int/entity/intellectualproperty/studies/Jia.pdf)
2. Yu Wei: The origin of National TCM Physician Day. Chin J Med Hist. (Chin) 2001, 31:12.
3. Li Jing Wei. Introduction to historical facts of Qin Qin s struggle for right of TCM development. Chin J Med Hist (Chin) 1999, 29: 24-28.
4. Jaung Geng Lin. History of Chinese Medicine in Taiwan. The National Union of Chinese Medical Associations; (Chin) 2004, 49-56.
5. Huang Wei San. The establishment of the national union of Chinese Medical Associations. The National Union of Chinese Medical Associations; (Chin) 2004, 63-64.
6. Jaung Geng Lin. The establishment of Chinese Medical University. The National Union of Chinese Medical Associations; (Chin) 2004, 251-254.
7. Shen Jian Zhong. The establishment of School of Chinese Medicine, Chang-Gung University and the Department of Chinese Medicine, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital. The National Union of Chinese Medical Associations; (Chin) 2004, 265-267.
Correspondence to:
Dr. Lin, 11F, No.91, Xueshi Rd., North Dist., Taichung City 404, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Telephone: +886-422053366 ext 3311
Fax: +886-422035192