Daoism and Chinese Medicine:
Philosophy, Theory, and Practice
Here is a comprehensive academic course on Daoism and Chinese Medicine, designed for a semester-long university-level program (14–16 weeks). It combines philosophical foundations, historical context, and clinical applications of Chinese Medicine, all under the Daoist worldview.
📚 Course Title: Daoism and Chinese Medicine: Philosophy, Theory, and Practice
🎓 Course Level: Undergraduate (Advanced) / Graduate
📅 Duration: 14 Weeks (Semester Course)
🕰️ Format: 2 Lectures + 1 Discussion/Lab per week (3 hours/week total)
📘 Course Description:
This interdisciplinary course explores the foundational principles of Daoism and their profound influence on Chinese Medicine. Students will examine classical texts, core Daoist concepts, and how these ideas shaped theories of health, diagnosis, and healing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The course integrates philosophical reflection with practical exposure to TCM concepts such as Qi, meridians, yin-yang, five phases, and body-spirit cultivation.
🥢 Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, students will:
- Understand the central tenets of Daoist philosophy.
- Analyze key Daoist texts (e.g., Daodejing, Zhuangzi) in relation to medical theory.
- Explain the role of cosmology, Qi, yin-yang, and the five elements in Chinese Medicine.
- Explore diagnostic and treatment modalities (acupuncture, herbs, qigong) within Daoist paradigms.
- Develop a critical view of how ancient wisdom applies to modern integrative medicine.
📚 Required Texts:
- Dao De Jing, trans. D.C. Lau or Roger Ames.
- Zhuangzi, trans. Burton Watson.
- The Web That Has No Weaver by Ted J. Kaptchuk.
- Foundations of Chinese Medicine by Giovanni Maciocia (selected chapters).
- Selected classical medical texts (Huangdi Neijing, Nan Jing).
🧭 Syllabus Overview
Week 1: Introduction
- Course overview and learning goals
- What is Daoism? What is Chinese Medicine?
- Historical interplay of Daoism and healing
Week 2: Origins of Daoist Thought
- Cosmology: Dao, Wu (non-being), and Ziran (spontaneity)
- Nature as teacher; health as harmony
- Reading: Dao De Jing Chapters 1–10
Week 3: The Way of Nature and the Body
- The body in Daoism: microcosm of the cosmos
- Yin-yang theory: complementary opposition
- Reading: Dao De Jing Chapters 11–20; Yin-Yang in Maciocia
Week 4: Zhuangzi and the Unbounded Self
- Non-action (Wu Wei), transformation (Hua), and health
- Zhuangzi’s critique of rigidity in knowledge and medicine
- Reading: Zhuangzi Selections
Week 5: Qi Theory and Energetics
- Qi as vital force: ancient meanings and modern debates
- Qi channels, organs, and the circulation of vitality
- Exercise: Intro to Qigong breathing
Week 6: Five Phases (Wu Xing)
- Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water in nature and the body
- Cycles: Creation, control, pathology
- Correspondences: seasons, organs, emotions
Week 7: The Daoist Body: Meridians and Organs
- Zang-Fu theory and organ spirits (Shen)
- Channel theory and internal alchemy
- Discussion: The body as a spiritual ecosystem
Week 8: Midterm Exam + Case Studies
- Midterm assessment
- Medical case study analysis (classical perspective)
Week 9: Daoist Ritual, Meditation, and Inner Cultivation
- Jing-Qi-Shen: refining essence, energy, and spirit
- Daoist meditation, visualization, and breathing techniques
- Lab: Guided Neidan (inner alchemy) practice
Week 10: Diagnosis in TCM
- Pulse and tongue diagnosis
- Listening, smelling, asking, palpation
- Daoist intuition and diagnostic insight
Week 11: Treatment Modalities
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Daoist roots
- Chinese Herbal Medicine: energetic properties and seasons
- Ethical considerations of harmony vs intervention
Week 12: Illness as Imbalance
- Daoist views of disease: imbalance, blockage, excess/deficiency
- Emotional pathology and spiritual disconnection
- Reading: The Web That Has No Weaver (Ch. 5–6)
Week 13: Daoism, Ecology, and Holistic Health
- Ecological thinking and sustainability in Chinese Medicine
- Daoist contributions to integrative and preventive medicine
Week 14: Modern Applications + Review
- Integrative medicine and global health dialogue
- Daoism’s relevance to modern chronic illness and lifestyle disorders
- Final project presentations / review session
📑 Assignments & Grading:
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Participation & Discussion | 10% |
| Weekly Reading Reflections | 15% |
| Midterm Exam | 20% |
| Final Research Paper or Project | 30% |
| Case Study Analysis | 15% |
| Practicum Reflection (Qigong/Meditation) | 10% |
🎓 Final Project Ideas:
- Comparative analysis of Daoist and Western concepts of health
- Translation and commentary on selected Daoist medical texts
- Qigong regimen with theoretical explanation
- Modern application of five-element diet theory