2. Content and Significance of the Model

2. Content and Significance of the Model

The "Six-Character Policy" of "Western diagnosis, TCM syndrome differentiation; TCM as the mainstay, Western medicine as the auxiliary" can serve as a temporary clinical model for integrated Western and TCM medicine in internal medicine. The "Six Characters" consist of four sentences, forming four consecutive meanings. First is "Western diagnosis," meaning that after receiving a patient, one must first clarify the Western diagnosis, and to do so, all available Western diagnostic tools must be utilized. Once the Western diagnosis is confirmed, the second step in the model—TCM syndrome differentiation—can begin. This differentiation is conducted under the premise of a confirmed Western diagnosis and in specific conditions, greatly increasing the accuracy of the differentiation, much like fishing in a net rather than in the open sea. TCM syndrome differentiation, in accordance with traditional principles, strives to use traditional differentiation methods such as Six Meridians Differentiation, Eight Principles Differentiation, Zang-Fu Organ Differentiation, Wei-Qi-Ying-Xue Differentiation, Three Jiao Differentiation, and Etiology Differentiation, while also drawing on the experience and views of past medical masters regarding similar conditions. After the Western diagnosis is clarified, TCM syndrome differentiation naturally integrates the Western medicine's microscopic, local, and pathogen perspectives with TCM's macroscopic, holistic, and body response perspectives in the physician's mind, elevating the overall understanding of the disease to the level of integrated Western and TCM understanding. In doing so, it not only overcomes the limitation of traditional TCM neglecting the local aspect but also corrects the bias of pure Western medicine overlooking the whole. More importantly, over time, many points of convergence emerge between the two medical systems in terms of understanding, representing areas where the two systems share common ground. It is expected that these points of convergence will first be proposed clinically and then confirmed through experimental research, eventually returning to clinical practice as widely accepted theories that embody both the characteristics of modern TCM and the components of modern science and technology. As these points of convergence increase, the integration of Western and TCM medicine will expand from isolated instances to broader applications and deeper development. The combination of Western diagnosis and TCM syndrome differentiation creates a more precise foundation for TCM prescription formulation. The third part of the concept, "TCM as the mainstay," must be considered together with the fourth part, "Western medicine as the auxiliary," as the two together form a single concept emphasizing the therapeutic role of TCM prescriptions. Thus, it is clear that the primary purpose of this policy is to develop TCM rather than Western medicine, and this is also the ultimate goal of understanding the full meaning of integrated Western and TCM medicine. As a clinical method model for integrated Western and TCM medicine in the field of internal medicine, the "Six-Character Policy" aims to fulfill the important mission of developing contemporary TCM through the principles of "drawing on the past for the present" and "borrowing from the West for the East." Our years of clinical practice have shown that the prescriptions selected through this integration not only demonstrate outstanding efficacy but also exhibit high reproducibility.