To inherit essence and keep integrity and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）

firstly

it is necessary to correctly understand and grasp the basic connotations and interrelationships between science and philosophy

medicine and culture

as well as inheritance and innovation

both in the TCM theorical and practical systems. In the theoretical system of TCM

philosophical vocabularies

such as essential qi

yin-yang

and the five phases

have been introduced; these vocabularies were then usually used as suffixed constitutive elements of TCM terminology

and when integrated with the names of the five zang organs

the philosophy terminology has been transformed to medical terminology. The inheritance and development of TCM is invested with rich Chinese culture

and has participated in the establishment and development of Chinese culture. However

the cultural elements have not changed the nature of TCM as life science. TCM is still attributed to the category of medicine rather than culture. A major turning point has occurred in TCM more than one hundred year ago. Currently

the academic opinions and propositions from the school of fusion of Chinese and Western Medicine has become the mainstream; and the technology inheritance is characterized by spontaneity and extensiveness. To inherit the essence and keep the innovation continuously

it is a must to return the core theory to the classical origin and connect TCM with the frontiers of contemporary life sciences.