Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is rooted in an 8000 year old Taoist philosophy that focuses on our relationship with nature and the universe. This idea reflects the classical Chinese belief that human beings have an intimate connection with their environment. The origins of TCM are attributed to a legendary sage named Fu Hsu who lived in the Yellow River area of China approximately 8000 years ago. Based on his observations of nature, he came up with two symbols. He believed that these symbols, a broken line (representing yin) and an unbroken line (representing yang), illustrate the two major forces in the cosmos.
                                                  
     ________    _________        __________________
                   yin                                      yang
   
From this idea, Fu Hsu formulated the well known concept of yin and yang, vital to Chinese Medicine theory and practice. This philosophy that began thousands of years ago in China with reflections on the universe and our place in the cosmos, remains the basis of Chinese Medicine theory today.