Much of what we learn about classical Chinese medical philosophy came from Taoist philosophies of natural balance. Taoist philosophy is about the knowledge that the human body is a complicated micro-cosmos of interlinking systems that work in harmony for the overall well-being of the body.
According to the philosophy of Traditional Chinese medicine in Spokane, the body is also outfitted with its own devices to combat disease and heal itself. So, any form of therapy administered is to aid in the typical self-healing process of the body, not to disrupt it.
One branch that’s mainly concerned with curing physical trauma is Tit tar. Tit tar was believed to have originated in Canton China in 200 B.C., by Master Wah Toh. It is very closely related to the Chinese defense discipline of kung fu. Some believe that tit tar came about due to the need to safely, immediately, and effectively treat injuries caused by the execution or practice of high-contact martial art.
The defensive art of tit tar further evolved from the Chinese battlefield of yore. Because of the modern high technology long-range weapons used these days, soldiers don’t have the time to heal well and thus experienced greater physical injury. Enterprising military doctors equipped with the knowledge of the use of herbs and tit tar were able to tend effectively and immediately tend to the injured, bringing them back to combat duty within a matter of days. These tit tar doctors were thus very necessary to the ancient armies of China.
One of the most illustrious masters of tit tar masters is the legendary patriot, healer, revolutionary, martial artist, and philosopher, Wong Fei Hung who went on to be immortalized in more than a hundred Hong Kong films. A master of the martial arts style of Hung Kuen, Wong Fei Hung is most closely affiliated with Po Chi Lam, his clinic, where he taught and practiced acupuncture, tit tar, and other kinds of traditional Chinese medicine. He was known for his compassion as a doctor that compelled him to treat often and just about anybody. His treatment was free if the patient was too poor to pay.