TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AND MENTAL-EMOTIONAL DISORDERS Part 1

One of the priorities of Chinese culture and society following the disruptions of the warring states period (475 – 221 BC) was to achieve some degree of social harmony and to avoid further anarchy, warfare, and dispute in a vast country with many different cultural minorities. Confucianism, which even moreso than Daoism became the dominant philosophical school, laid down very precise rules and recommendations for social behaviour. The smooth functioning of the whole was seen as more important than the needs of the individual. To this day, despite the upheavals of the cultural revolution, Confucianism is still very much built into Chinese culture.

Add to this is the influence of Buddhism, which has its own approach to emotional harmony and cultivates the idea of observing emotions as they come and go, like we can observe the reflections of a flock of geese flying over a mountain lake – when they are there, they are there, and when they are gone, they are gone; we simply watch them pass.

So the overiding apsect of much of Chinese culture spurred the notion that emotional and mental wellbeing, along with physical wellbeing, was dependent upon following certain patterns of behaviour and thought and of upholding certain virtues. Dominant amongst these were filial piety and respect for elderss and ancestors. A strong emphasis was placed upon the appreciation of nature and on moral obligation to others. Self-denial was viewed as a virtue. Privacy was also cherished, so that thoughts and feelings remained hidden and external displays of emotion were moderated.

Therefore, to achieve personal and social harmony, strong emotions were to be repressed or, at best, moderated. They were certainly not to be exhibited or celebrated.