Week 1 - Chinese Medicine Foundations

Introduction to Chinese Medicine

  • Institution: Endeavour College of Natural Health

  • Course Code: CMPR111

  • Course Focus: Foundations of Chinese Medicine

Recommended Readings

  • Textbook: Maciocia, G. (2015). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text (3rd ed.). Elsevier.

    • Key Chapters:

    • Yin and Yang: pp 3–17

    • The Five Elements: pp 19–40

Lecture Content Overview

  • Teaching Structure:

    • Lecture notes incorporate tutorial questions and activities to promote group discussions.

    • The lecturer will act as a facilitator.

    • Lecture content is based on material covered in the corresponding Digital module.

    • Recommendation: Students benefit most by attending lectures/tutorial sessions after completing the Digital component.

Course Introduction

  • Topics Covered:

    • Professional and regulatory requirements of Chinese Medicine (CM) within the contemporary healthcare landscape.

    • Foundation philosophies and theories related to CM.

    • History, development, and terminology endemic to CM.

Assessment Tasks for CMPR111

  • Types of Assessments:

    • Online Quiz

    • Due: Week 6

    • Weighting: 40%

    • Format:

      • 10 multiple-choice questions (10 marks)

      • 10 matching questions (10 marks)

      • 5 short answer fill-in-the-blank (5 marks)

    • Instructions:

      • Closed-book quiz; no materials can be accessed during the quiz

      • Completed through the Learning Management System (LMS)

      • More details available in Quiz - Assessment Guide under the assessments tab in the LMS

    • Final Written Exam

    • Due: Week 13

    • Weighting: 60%

    • Format:

      • Closed book, use Respondus LockDown Browser.

      • Part A: Multiple choice questions (20 marks)

      • Part B: Matching questions (20 marks)

      • Part C: Short answer questions (20 marks)

      • Part D: Tables: Fill in tables as per directions (20 marks)

      • Part E: Long answer question/case study (20 marks)

Library Resources

  • Endeavour Library Services:

    • Access to ebooks, databases, journals, and apps specific to Chinese Medicine.

    • Study Skills:

    • Academic writing tips and assignment help available from the Study Skills tab.

    • Contact Information:

    • Library homepage, copyright information, and APA 7 referencing guides available through the library's site.

Student Support Services

  • Support Areas:

    • FAQs on various topics including course progression, wellness clinic, and academic integrity.

    • Learn procedures for re-enrollment, Austudy, Centrelink support, and finance FAQs.

Module 1 Learning Topics

  • Introduced Topics Include:

    • Sinology

    • Yin Yang

    • Heaven, Earth, and Humankind

    • Five Elements

    • Eastern and Western Medical Philosophy

Discussion Questions

  • Sinology in Chinese Medicine:

    • Why is Sinology significant to the study of CM?

    • Can CM be effectively taught/practiced without a firm grounding in Sinology?

  • Yin Yang Concept:

    • What is the main concept behind yin yang?

    • Core Idea: CHANGE

    • Chinese Characters Communication: Discuss how change is depicted through characters.

Yin Yang

  • Associations:

    • Yin: Night, Cold, Dark, Substance, Slow, Earth, Moon, Down, Rest, Turbid

    • Yang: Day, Hot, Light, Function, Fast, Heaven, Sun, Up, Active, Transparent

  • Earliest Reference:

    • Located in Yi Jing, a divinatory record from the Zhou dynasty (1060-256 BCE).

    • Consideration: Reflects the origins and development of CM with yin yang as a core principle.

Cosmology in Chinese Medicine

  • Three Domains:

    • 天 (Heaven - upper/yang)

    • 人 (Humanity - middle)

    • 地 (Earth - lower/yin)

  • Significance: Discusses how this cosmology shapes the understanding of the human body, disease, and health.

Five Elements

  • Core Concept: CHANGE

  • Arrangements of the Five Elements:

    • Cardinal Directions:

    • Wood: East

    • Fire: South

    • Earth: Centre

    • Metal: West

    • Water: North

    • Seasons:

    • Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Autumn, Winter

  • Discussion Questions:

    • Why was change significant to ancient peoples?

    • What does change mean personally?

    • How is change integral to medical thinking?

Evaluation of Chinese Medicine

  • Discussion Topics:

    • Factors contributing to the increasing popularity of CM in contemporary times.

    • Strengths and weaknesses of traditional Eastern and Western medical philosophies.

References

  • Main References:

    • Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (n.d.).

    • Maciocia, G. (2015). The foundations of Chinese medicine (3rd ed.). Elsevier.

Copyright Information

  • Regulations:

    • In accordance with Commonwealth Copyright Regulations 1969.