Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a medical practice rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, emphasising a holistic approach to health that does not sharply distinguish between food and medicine. Acupuncture, herbal concoctions and massage are among its treatments. Some TCM teachings have scientific backing: a compound in a herb known as qinghao is an effective treatment for malaria. But many TCM medicines and treatments are probably no better for a patient's health than a placebo. Some brews are harmful—if not to the patient, then to the bears, snakes and other animals killed to provide their ingredients.
Nearly 90% of Chinese public hospitals have TCM clinics. Some 700,000 TCM practitioners operate in China, receiving over 1bn visits from patients every year. Many Chinese see TCM as a way to stay healthy, with conventional medicine (known locally as "Western medicine") seen as more suitable for treating serious illness. The Communist Party supports the industry as a source of national pride.
In January 2026 the government released a new five-year plan for the TCM pharmaceutical industry calling for digitised "smart factories" to produce TCM concoctions, more R&D to develop substitutes for rare ingredients, and the use of artificial intelligence to discover new treatments. A company from Tianjin has developed a glove-like gadget, controlled by the user's brainwaves, which can perform acupuncture on the hands of stroke victims; as of early 2026 it was undergoing clinical trials.
Technology is creeping into clinics. Some have sensors which detect the speed, strength and rhythm of a pulse—an essential element of a TCM health diagnosis—and interpret the results. AI chatbots are helping TCM doctors choose concoctions. A mini-program on WeChat offers dietary advice based on TCM to users who upload a picture of their tongue. Using machines is cheaper than training a TCM doctor.
TCM knowledge is scattered across thousands of ancient books and in the brains of doctors who may prefer to keep their techniques secret. Two TCM doctors trained in different schools might have completely different judgments of a patient's condition. AI-powered diagnoses have reached the level of an "average" TCM doctor, according to one Beijing-based software engineer building AI models for TCM clinics. Without more high-quality clinical trials, however, TCM modernisation will be mostly a high-tech mirage: no amount of algorithmic refinement can substitute for an evidence base. Many Chinese patients who rely on TCM also resist being treated by machines; some treatments, such as massages, need the "human touch".
Iles's Law: There is always an easier way to do it. When looking directly at the easy way, especially for long periods, you will not see it. Neither will Iles.