ProfessorJiangGeli,thefirstmedicalpractitionerinthePeople’sLiberationArmy(PLA)withaPhDinChineseacupuncture,hasbroughttobearhisbenevolent,sagaciousandanalyticalreasoninginathoroughgoingexaminationofcurrentmedicalmodels.Afteryearsofresearchandpractice,ProfessorJianghasmadeasignificantcontributiontohumanmedicinethroughhisintroductionofhumanisticholisticmedicine–themedicalmodethatmeetsthedemandsof21st-centuryhealthcare.
ChinaToday(CT):AsanexpertpractitioneroftraditionalChinesemedicine(TCM)withdoctoratesinmedicalscienceandphilosophy,youhaveopenedupanewrealmofmedicalsciencebyvirtueofahumanisticholisticmedicalmodelperfectedonthebasisofyourvastknowledgeofhumanscience,philosophy,deepinsightintoChineseandWesternmedicine,anddecadesofclinicalexperience.Whatwasyouroriginalintentionincreatingthisnewmodel?
JiangGeli:Itwasnosuddeninspirationorepiphany.Rather,thehumanisticholisticmedicalmodelevolvedoverthecourseofmylifeandthreedecadesofexperienceasamedicalpractitioner.Diverseacademicapproaches,advancesinhealthcare,theoreticalmedicalinnovations,andtechnologicaldevelopmentsoverthepastdecadealllaidthefoundationsonwhichtoestablishmytheory.
Hardshipsduringchildhoodsharpenedmytenacity.Igrewaccustomedtoassumingresponsibilityformyfamily,andlatersocietyasawhole,havingwitnessedthesufferingofacquaintanceswhoseillnessescouldnotbetreated,dueeithertopovertyorineffectivetherapies.Thisfiredmyresolvetobecomeadoctorwhoseexcellentskillscouldtreatandcuretothesickandinfirm.
Afterobtainingmybachelor’sdegreeinTCM,IstudiedunderacademicianShiXuemin,aTCMandacupuncturemaster,andreceivedmymaster’sanddoctoraldegrees.In1994,IenlistedinthePLA,andwasthearmy’sfirstphysicianwithaPhDinacupuncture.Later,Idevelopedtherapiesthatcombineacupuncture,cupping,andpsychotherapytocurecardio-cerebrovascular,cervicalspine,andlumbarvertebradiseases,aswellaspsychologicalconditions.Asregardsmentalhealth,Ihaveintroducednewconceptssuchas“comprehensiveoverallthinking”and“humanisticmedicalscience(greenmedicaltreatment).”Myresearchonbulbarpalsycausedbystrokesandsicksinussyndrome–conditionsthathavechallengeddoctorsthroughouttheworld–havewonmorethan10awardsinthefieldsofscience,technology,andhealthcare.Toformulatethehumanisticholisticmedicalmodeltheory,IembarkedonadoctoralphilosophyprogramatNankaiUniversity.Undermysupervisor,theeminentProfessorChenYanqing,Icompletedmyresearchonchangesinmedicalconceptsandapproachesandtheestablishmentofahumanisticholisticmedicalmodel.
Dramatictransitionsinhumansocietythatledtogrowinghealthcaredemandsandnotablechangesinthespectrumofhumandiseasesallcontributedtothedrivingforcethatshapedthisnewmedicalmodel.Humanhealthtodayisgreatlyinfluencedbyscienceandtechnology,achangingnaturalenvironment,andmodernlifestyle.Higherincidencesofchronicdiseasesstemmingfromoldage,emotionalstress,metabolicdisorders,andanunhealthylifestyledemandradicalreformstomedicalapproachesandmodels.
Basedonmedicalpractice,weseekintegrationofdiverseschools,includingthoseofphilosophy,medicalscience,andlifesciences,fromtheperspectivesofhumanscienceandphilosophy.Meanwhile,boldtheoreticalexplorationsandtechnicalinnovationshavefacilitatedestablishmentofthehumanisticholisticconcept,thethree-dimensional(body,mind,andspirit)preceptofthehumanbody,andthefour-dimensional(body,mind,spirit,andenvironment)outlookonlife.Thesehaveevolvedintothehumanisticholisticmedicalmodelthathaspolarizedtheattentionofmedicalcircles.
CT:Whatisthefundamentalconnotationofthehumanisticholisticmedicalmodel?Andwhatarethemainfeaturesofthisnewmodelcomparedwithitsexistingcounterparts?
Jiang:Thehumanisticholisticmedicalmodelisbasedonthesubstantivecharacteristicsandtreatmentprinciplesofmedicalscience.Itcomplieswiththedevelopmenttrendofmedicalscienceandcontemporarydemandsforbetterphysicalandmentalhealth.Humanorientationisoneofitsfundamentalconnotations.Moreover,themodelimbuesthephilosophyoflife,theessenceofChineseandWesternmedicine,andmodernlifescienceandtechnology,sointegratingbiology(thehumanbody,itsactivitiesandmetabolism),ecology(theinternalandexternalenvironmentofhumanbody),emotions(psychology,thespirit,andintelligence),andsociety(interpersonalfamilyandsocialrelationships).Characterizedbygreenconcepts,holisticadjustment,andhumanisticscienceandtechnology,theemphasisofthenewmedicalmodelisontreatingandmaintaininghealthonthefourdimensionsofbody,mind,spirit,andenvironment.
ThecurrentmedicalmodelwasformulatedbyAmericanpsychiatristGeorgeL.Engelin1977.Differentfromtraditionalmodel,Engel’stheoryhighlightsbiological,psychological,andsocialinfluences.Thismodel,however,failedtofunctionasexpectedduetoseveralacademicflaws.Wearethereforecallingforamorescientific,human-oriented,integratedandprecisemodelthatwillmeettheneedsofthisera.
Humanisticholisticmedicinecameintobeingagainstthisbackdrop.Ononehand,itcontributestopracticingandpassingdownTCMtheoriesandtechniquesthatunderlinetheequilibriumbetweenyinandyang,aswellasanoverallanalysisofillnesses.Ontheother,itpromotesintegrationofTCMandWesternmedicine,andbetterutilizationofmodernscienceandtechnology.Thenewmodel,throughamoreadvancedsystemandgreaterperception,isbetteradjustedtocontemporaryhumanhealthconditionsandtheirdemandsonhealthcare.Itsinnovativefourmajormedicalscientificconceptsarethemodel’smainfeatures.
First,comparedwithEngel’sbiopsychosocialmodel,thefour-dimensionalconceptofmedicine–biology,psychology,society,andecology–havebroadenedourhorizonsbytakingfullconsiderationoftheinfluenceofenvironmentalchangesonhumanhealth.
Second,thefour-dimensionalconceptofhealthcare–thephysicalbody,emotions,mentality,andenvironment–takesaccountofgrowingandworseningpsychogenicpathogenicfactorsandtheirrelevancetopatients,theneedforhighermedicalintegrityandmorespecificmedicaltreatment.
Third,theepochalstrategythatmakesTCMmorehuman-oriented,technologicallyadvanced,greener,andpopulargloballyhighlightstheadvantagesofTCM,whichisintegratingintotheworldwithconfidenceandexpectedtofulfillepoch-makingrevitalizationandfurtherachievements.
Fourth,theconceptof“inclusivetranscendence”blendsthephilosophiesofTCMandWesternmedicine.ThemergingofChineseandWesternmedicine–fromtheorytopractice–isaninevitablerequirementofthisera,andatrendinworldmedicaldevelopment.
CT:Couldyouspecifythemainfactorsofyourfour-dimensionallifeview?
Jiang:Thehumanbodyisanassemblyofourlifeforms,tissues,andorgansinaphysicalpresence.Themindreferstoouremotions,intentions,selfawareconsciousactivities,andtherepresentationsofthemall.Thespirit,ourtemperamentandmentality,istheleastknownaspectofhumanbeings.Theenvironmentimpliesnotonlytheinternalandexternalhumansituation,butalsoincludesthestatusofthebody’sspecificfunction.
Acomplete“humanbody”isregardedasanintegralwhole,andatthesametimeasasystemthatconnectswithheaven,earth,andhumankind.Itcanbesummarizedasthebody,mind,spirit,andenvironment.Therefore,thisperceptionthroughwhichtounderstandcomprehensivelyhumanlifeiscalledthefour-dimensionaloutlookonlife,andisofgreatvalueforin-depthresearchintohumanscience,philosophy,andmedicalscience.
CT:Whatinnovativetheorieshavebeenproposedundertheframeworkofhumanisticholisticmedicalscience?
Jiang:Innovativetheoriesincludetheconceptof“humanisticholism,”medicalphilosophy,andnewtheoriesonmedicaltreatment.Amongthem,theviewsofdialecticalcomprehensionandmedicalethicsarethemostoutstandingandrepresentativeinnovationtheoriesofhumanisticholisticmedicalscience.
Basedonthecharacteristictheorywherebythehumanbeingisacarrierofmulti-cultureandthebody-mind-spiritenvironmentfour-dimensionaloutlookonlife,thedialecticalcomprehensiontheorywherebytheheartreflectstheobject–thefaceisshapedbyheart–andotherinnovativetheories,aswellasthatofthehumanconscienceandhumanistconceptofinnateknowledgeandinstinctiveability,thehumanisticholisticdialecticalcomprehensionviewiscognizantoftheworldandourselvesandalsotransformstheworldandourselves.Thisconceptembodiestheworldviewthat“combinesthematerialandspiritual.”Itisamedicalscientificrationalethathasabroadscopeofutilization,coveringthebody-mind-spirit-environmentfour-dimensionaloutlookonlifeasawhole,andactsasaguideandreferencethroughwhichtobecognizantofourselvesandlife,regenerateourphysicalandmentalhealth,andfullycomprehendhumanmedicalscience,healthanddiseasesandhealthcare.
The“humanisticholisticmedicalethicsview”consciouslyfulfillsSunSimiao’sspiritofsincerityandtheHippocraticoathtoabidebytheinternationalrulesofmedicalscience,topersistinthestudyprincipleof“achievinganexpertiseinawiderangeoflearningandsimultaneouslypromotenaturalandsocialscience,”sotobuildtheconceptofhumanisticscienceandtechnology,practicehumanbenevolence,righteousness,etiquette,andwisdom,andfulfilltheconceptofmedicaltreatmentthatsparesnoeffortsin“strivingformoreefficacioustreatmentthroughgreaterskill,moreharmoniousdoctor-patientrelationships,andmaintenanceofthebody-mind-spiritenvironmentfour-dimensionalholisticapproachtorehabilitation.”
Thisnewconceptofmedicalethicscallsfortherestorationandrevitalizationofthehumanisticnatureofmedicalscience.Itisbeneficialtotheconstructionofhumanisticholisticmedicalethicsthatdemandsbothvirtueandability.
CT:Inclinicalpractice,youadvocateandpracticethephilosophyofhumanisticholisticmedicalscienceandusehumanisticholistictreatmentmethodstotreatnumerouspatients’illnesses.Couldyouexplainhumanisticholistictreatmentmethodsandtheircurativeeffects?
Jiang:Theoutstandingfeaturesarebasedontheadvantagesoftheholisticapproachesofacupunctureandmoxibustiontherapy.Thehumanisticacupunctureandmoxibustionskillswehavedevelopedarebasedondiseaseentities,diseasecircumstances,andthepersonalsituationofthepatients.ItcombinestheadvantageousmedicaltechnologiesoftraditionalChineseandWesternmedicineandpsychologytoformthe“threedimensionalholistictreatmentofbody,mindandspirit.”Itisa“four-dimensionalclinicaltherapythinking”modelintegratedwithtraditionalChinesetherapy,Westerntherapy,acombinationoftraditionalChineseandWesternmedicine,andhumanisticholisticmedicalscience.
Afteryearsofclinicalpractice,thehumanisticholisticmethodoftreatmenthasbeenextraordinarilyeffectiveincardiovascularandcerebrovasculardiseases,spinedisease,psychologicaldiseasesanddiseasescausedbymodernlifestyle.
Mr.Dengsufferedfromspinalcordnecroticparaplegiaandlimbmuscleatrophy.Allthedomestichospitalshewenttosuggestedheundergosurgery.Whenhecametoourhospital,hisillnesshadprogressedtothepointwherehewasparalyzedfromtheneckdown.WecarefullyformulatedaprogramofhumanisticholistictreatmentandhumanisticacupunctureandmoxibustiontherapysupplementedbytraditionalChineseandWesternmedicineandrehabilitationtherapy.Afteroneyearoftreatment,Mr.Dengcouldstandunaidedandtendtohisowndailyneeds.
Duetodomestictraumaandthebreakdownofhermarriage,Ms.Chensufferedfromsevereanxiety,worsenedbyneckandlumbarvertebradegenerativediseasesforyears.Shetriedallkindsofmedicaltreatmentbutnothingworked.Eventuallyshehadanervousbreakdownandseriouslyconsideredsuicide.Throughhumanisticacupunctureandmoxibustiontherapy,body-mindspiritanalysistherapyandtraditionalChinesemedicineaswellasaccompanyingpsychologicaltreatment,Ms.Chentotallyrecovered.
CT:Asaversatilescholar,youhavemadevaluablecontributionsinthefieldsofmedicalscience,philosophy,andliterature.Yourformulationofthehumanisticholisticmedicalmodelwillundoubtedlyhavesignificantimpactonthedevelopmentofhumanmedicalscience.Couldyoutellusaboutthelatestprogressandprospectsoftherelevantstudies?
Jiang:Thelatestresearchprogressincludes,firstly,systematicallydemonstratingtherevitalizationstrategyof“holistichumanization,eratechnicalization,greenecologicalizationandglobalpopularization.”
Second,IproposetoachieveaninclusiveandtranscendentmodelthatcombinestraditionalChineseandWesternmedicine.
Third,theTheoriesandPracticesofHumanisticHolisticMedicalScience,aniconicclassical500,000-Chinesecharacterwork,istobepublishedbythePeople’sMedicalPublishingHouse.Meanwhile,aseriesof10bookshavebeendraftedforsuccessivepublication.
Weintendtosetupanextensiveacademicorganizationandgathermedicalexpertstoapplytheoriginalmedicalmodelinvariousfieldsofmedicalsciencetorealizeitswideapplicationinglobalmedicine.Inlinewithitsoriginalscientificcharacteristics,wecanconfidentlymakethefollowingforecastsastoitsprospects:
-Thehumanisticholisticthinkingconceptwillbecomeathinkingpatternwithuniversalvalues;
-Thebody-mind-spirit-environmentoutlookonlife,healthandmedicinewillbecometheuniversalconsensus;
-TheinclusiveandtranscendentmedicaldevelopmentmodelwillcontributetotheultimatemeshingoftraditionalChineseandWesternmedicinebygraduallydispellingthebarriersbetweenthem;
-Suchaninclusiveandtranscendentmedicaldevelopmentmodel,bycombiningmedicalessencesatalltimesthroughouttheworldandcomplyingwiththedevelopmentstrategyofa“healthyChina”andtheWorldHealthOrganization“healthconcept”willbewidelyacceptedandgloballyappliedinthehealthadministrationandeducationdepartmentsofallcountries.
Ifirmlybelievethatthehumanisticholisticmedicalmodelwillguidethedevelopmentofhumanmedicalscienceinthe21stcentury,andpossiblyhastenthewaveofglobalmedicalrevolution.
JiangGeliisthedirectorofthePLATCMandacupuncturecenter.