Awakening to the Taoist foundations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) 

Our supreme God created the heavens and the earth and all peoples. From the DNA of one man, Adam, He birthed all the nations of the earth, with every person sharing 99.9% of the same DNA. The Lord has pre-determined our times on earth and given us purpose and meaning in life. Through His Son, Father God has made healing possible for all who place our faith in Jesus. Yet there can be ideologies and ways of thinking that block simple faith in the Lord Jesus and His promises. One such example is the teachings and practices of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which are deeply rooted in Taoism. 

 

Acts 17:26 NKJV  And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

1 Peter 2:24 NKJV  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 

Mark 10:52 NKJV  Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Clarification: The following discussion does not promote Western medicine over Chinese (Western medicine has its own issues, see What is pharmakeia?) Our focus is on our one true Source of healing, Jesus Christ. The hope is to liberate us from unconsciously following patterns of the world that ensnare us. The belief system of TCM is very entrenched in Chinese culture, vocabulary, and psyche, so much so that we are literally born into its ecosystem. Regardless of which religion or birthplace a Chinese person identifies with, he or she will be affected by TCM’s Taoist philosophies on how to live, in one way or another. Because some readers may find the following content challenging, we will begin with a short prayer to invite the Holy Spirit to guide us

A prayer:

“Father God, thank you for giving me life and determining all the days of my life before the foundation of the world. Please open the eyes of my understanding, so that I may discern Your will for me. Holy Spirit, please show me if I have been following any patterns of the world that grief You and that keep me from experiencing You intimately. Give me wisdom and revelation to know what is from You and what is not from You. Thank you. In Jesus name, amen.”

Ephesians 1:17-19 NKJV  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 

God calls our bodies He created for us “very exceptional”

God declared that everything He has created, which includes our bodies, is very good. The root word for “good” in Hebrew here is “meod”, which means “exceedingly, highly, great”. In other words, our bodies are very “exceedingly, highly, great”.

Genesis 1:31 NKJV  Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good [meod]. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

One only needs to examine the human body to appreciate how incredible God’s design truly is. If we were to unravel our DNA and stretch it out, the human code that God wrote for us would go on and on for 107.8 billion kilometres! Indeed, God’s thoughts for us are indeed innumerable like the sand and He has only good designs for us. No wonder King David said in Psalm 139 that our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

Psalm 139:17-18 NKJV  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

Psalm 139:13-14 NKJV  For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 

God also created our body to heal itself, it is constantly repairing, replacing, and renewing our tissues. Our body comprises approximately 30 trillion cells. Every day, our body:

• Produces about 500 billion new blood cells
• Replaces about 330 billion new cells to repair and renew tissues
• Expels millions to billions of microbes through breathing, sweating, shedding skin cells, and waste

Here are some other amazing facts about the body that God has designed for us:

• Our immune system creates “memory” cells that will remember the exact pathogens of each infection, so that our body will “know” how to destroy the same virus next time – before we even feel sick 
• Our immune system intentionally raises our core temperature (i.e. a fever) to create a hostile environment that is difficult for viruses and bacteria to survive in, all while boosting white blood cell activity.
• Our entire blood volume is replaced every 120 days (4 months)
• Our blood has an emergency clotting mesh function to seal wounds and stop bleeding
• The outer layer of our skin completely renews itself every 2 to 4 weeks
• Our entire gut lining replaces all its cells every 3 to 5 days
• Our entire skeleton is replaced every 10 years or so
• Our livers can regrow, even if up to 75% of it is removed, back to its full size and function
• Our eye cornea can heal and fill in minor scratches without any scarring in just 1 to 3 days
• Our lungs’ airways expel built-up toxins and recover 1 week after quitting smoking
• Our brain heals and adapts without generating new cells by rewiring and optimizing existing neural networks, through a process called neuroplasticity 
• Our body goes into overdrive while we sleep to release growth hormones, repairing muscle, synthesizing protein, and resetting the immune system.
• Our bones are living tissue that constantly rebuild. When fractured, the body forms a soft callus of cartilage and minerals, bridging the gap and eventually remodeling the bone so it is as strong as it was before the break.

Our bodies do this without any conscious effort on our part. Even our breath is not conscious, because it is “the breath of the Almighty gives us life.” The Lord’s blessings are very much on our body functions. Because the Spirit of God made us, He will also know how to keep us in tip-top shape. 

Job 33:4 NKJV  The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

It is helpful to note that most medicine does not actually heal us, it only helps us feel better or heal faster as our bodies self-heal. The only Source of healing is our Creator God – and His healing encompasses physical, emotional and spiritual healing.

Jeremiah 17:14  Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.

Scriptural guidance on our bodies, diet and health

Here is what God’s Word tells us about our bodies, health, healing, good health practices, diet and epidemics.

1. The human body

• Our bodies belong to Jesus who has purchased us from darkness, deception, and destruction with His own blood | 1 Corinthians 6:20 NKJV  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 
• Our bodies are meant to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, we are His temple | 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 
• The Holy Spirit is our life force, the breath of God in us | Job 33:4 NKJV  The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

2. Our health 

• We will be kept healthy and strong when we love and revere God and His instructions and depart from evil | Proverbs 3:7-8 NKJV  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

3. Healing 

• Healing is a gift of the Holy Spirit | 1 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
• Our diseases will be healed when our iniquities are also forgiven | Psalm 103:2-3 NKJV Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases. 
• Healing comes speedily to those who do good to those who are helpless | Isaiah 58:7-8 NKJV  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  
• Jesus healed every sickness and every disease | Matthew 9:35 NKJV  Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
• As Jesus’ disciples, we have been given the power to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease too, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us | Matthew 10:1 NKJV  And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
• If we need healing, we ought to approach someone who is in right relationship with God to confess our sinful trespasses and ask him or her to pray for our healing | James 5:15-16 NKJV  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

4. Good practices for health

• Keep a joyful, grateful attitude, it is good medicine | Proverbs 17:22 NKJV  A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.
• Make a practice of speaking and listening to pleasant kind words | Proverbs 16:24 NKJV   Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
• Take good care of our thoughts and emotions i.e. our souls | 3 John 1:2 NKJV  Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 
• Focus our hearts on and meditate on God’s Word, this practice will give our bodies life and health | Proverbs 4:20-22 NKJV   My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 

5. Sickness 

• Sickness and disease can be the result of our rebellion against God (He is the Source of life and when we turn away from obeying His voice, we will stray into destruction) | Deuteronomy 28:15,21-22 NKJV  “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: The Lord will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 
• Sickness can come about as a result of demonic oppression | Acts 10:38 NKJV  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
• There are certain spirits that specialise in bringing infirmity | Luke 13:11 NKJV  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.

6. Our diet 

• Eat and drink for the glory of God | 1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV  Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 
• Do not be like those outside God’s covenant and worry about what we eat or drink | Matthew 6:31-33 NKJV  “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 
• Eat anything that is sanctified by prayer | 1 Timothy 4:4-5 NKJV  For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
• Don’t judge one another by what we eat if we do so for the Lord | Romans 14:2-3 NKJV  For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 

7. Healing herbs and medicine 

• There are plants with leaves that have healing properties | Revelation 22:2 NKJV  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
• Some of these plants with leaves are literally medicine | Ezekiel 47:12 NKJV  Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.

8. Epidemics (pestilence)

• We will be protected from plagues when we make it a habit to abide in God and remain under His covering | Psalm 91:1-6 NKJV  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”  Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 

* A pestilence is a deadly, highly infectious, and rapidly spreading disease that causes a devastating epidemic or pandemic

The world’s medical systems

The common thread we see from all the scripture verses above is that God is the One who will watch over us and keep us in good health. The Bible also shows us that the root of sickness and disease can be linked to spiritual causes, so it is not surprising that the medical systems of this world have spiritual roots too. Western medical systems evolved out of Egyptian magic (See What is pharmakeia?) – while Chinese medical systems developed out of Chinese wu shamanism. The roots of any system will still bear fruit, good or bad, no matter how much it may have evolved over the decades. 

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is traced back to shaman healers, known as wu, who acted as spiritual mediators that treated physical and spiritual ailments using herbal concoctions, early acupuncture, massage, and ritual ceremonies. They were responsible for divination, interpreting the will of ancestors, and driving away evil spirits that were thought to cause illness. Over the centuries, particularly around the Warring States period and Han Dynasty, healing practices transitioned away from purely spirit-based explanations and began incorporating Taoist philosophies such as Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and Qi energy into the form of traditional Chinese medicine that we know today.

This truth may be startling to some who is not aware of the history of our medical systems, but as believers, we need to equip ourselves with some basic knowledge so that we are able to discern which diagnosis, beliefs, and practices are aligned with God’s Word for us and which are not. Most crucially, we do not want to agree with the wrong conclusions or speak curses over our bodies, when healing from our Father in heaven is just at our doorstep. Healing begins with our minds and how we think!

Proverbs 4:23 warns us that we are to keep our hearts with all diligence. The root word for “keep” is “natsar”, which means to “observe, preserve, keep, watch, or guard” and the root word for heart is “leb”, which refers to our “inner man, mind, will, heart”. This implies that we need to be very careful to observe and watch our thoughts, emotions and desires, because these will affect what issues will arise in our lives. When our thoughts, emotions and desires are centred on God, we will thrive. (Please refer to the testimonies below)

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

“Health is wealth”

The world proclaims that good health is true wealth. In Chinese culture, it is common to hear people say, “To be healthy is the most important.” It is not surprising that the second largest industry by revenue in the world is healthcare, after financial services.

For a believer, our true wealth is to know God intimately. He is the Source of life, peace, hope, and healing. 

Romans 11:33 NKJV  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

We are called to be good stewards of our bodies, the temple of the Holy Spirit. When health becomes something we prioritise or idolise, it can become hard to make wise decisions regarding our bodies. Our anxieties make it hard to listen to God’s voice. The Spirit of God will lead us to the right diagnosis and healing, so let us first ask the Lord to search our hearts for any idolatry and lay it down.

Confronting the doctrine of TCM with the Word of God

Let us now take a look at what traditional Chinese medicine says about our bodies as well as its teachings and recommendations for an abundant life.

1. The human body

• Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) teaches that our bodies are deeply interconnected with the fundamental, ever-flowing natural order of the universe (Dao). In Taoism, everything originates from and must live in harmony with the Dao (道 meaning “the way”), the impersonal cosmic power that guides all things.
• The human body is viewed as a mini representation of the universe. It is to serve as the central vessel for spiritual cultivation, where physical, mental, and energetic practices are used to align one’s mind, body, and spirit with the Dao.
• The major organs in the body are said to be governed by five planets of our solar system which are linked to the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) of nature in Taoism:
  • Liver and gall bladder network: Governed by the “Wood” star (Jupiter) represented by the azure dragon of the east 
  • Heart and small intestine network: Governed by the “Fire” star (Mars) represented by the vermillion bird of the south
  • Spleen and stomach network: Governed by the “Earth” star (Saturn) represented by the yellow dragon
  • Lungs and large intestine network: Governed by the “Metal” star (Venus) represented by the white tiger of the west
  • Kidneys and bladder network: Governed by the “Water” star (Mercury) represented by the black tortoise of the north
• By governing our organs, these stars determine our thoughts, emotions, intuitions, intellect, and drive, basically our personality:
  • Liver (Ethereal Soul): Governs dreams, intuition, and life planning. 
  • Heart (Spirit/Mind): Governs consciousness, emotional balance, and mental clarity.
  • Spleen (Intellect): Governs thought, focus, and memory. 
  • Lungs (Corporeal Soul): Governs physical sensations and primal instincts.
  • Kidneys (Willpower): Governs ambition, drive, and survival instincts.
• The kidneys are considered the root of life that stores Jing (essence), which acts as a direct physical bridge to one’s ancestors. This ancestral connection dictates one’s physical health and endurance, reproductive vitality and personal destiny.

Biblical truths: 

1. It is the Lord God who created everything | Genesis 1:1 NKJV  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 
2. Our Creator is the true power over all things. He holds all things in the universe together | Colossians 1:16-17 NIV  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
3. Our Creator is not some impersonal force, He comes to fellowship with all His people | 1 Corinthians 1:9 NKJV  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
4. The true Way is Jesus Christ, not Dao | John 14:6 NKJV Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
5. All of nature’s elements were created by God and obey His Word | Psalm 148:7-8 NKJV  Praise the Lord from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
6. Mankind is not equal to nature, we are called to have dominion over all of nature | Genesis 1:26 NKJV  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
7. Our bodies are members of Jesus Christ, not part of the universe, stars, or seasons | 1 Corinthians 6:15 NKJV  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?  …
8. Our bodies are meant to be living sacrifices to God | Romans 12:1 NKJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
9. Every part of our bodies have been purchased by God and belong to Jesus | 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
10. God’s beloved children do not practise astrology nor do we give mere planets credit for our health and emotions | Deuteronomy 4:19 NKJV  And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
11. Our organs do not determine the condition of our mind, emotions, intellect, and drive, it is the peace of God that does | Philippians 4:7 NKJV  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
12. Our kidneys are not the root of life, nothing in our flesh gives life. Only the Holy Spirit gives us life | John 6:63 NKJV  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
13. Neither our kidneys nor our ancestors dictate our personal destinies, it is God who determines our lives | Psalm 139:16 NKJV  Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
    

2. Our health 

• The energetic laws of the Dao shape one’s health because humanity and nature are one  (天人合一). Health is achieved when the body is in harmony with the Qi energy and the balance of Yin and Yang in nature.
• Qi (气 / 氣 meaning “air,” “vapor,” or “breath”) is the dynamic, vital energy or substance through which the Dao manifests and operates. It is also known as the “divine breath of life”. 
• Yin and Yang (阴阳, 阴 meaning “overcast,” “insidious,” “secret” or “negative” and 阳 meaning “sun,” “light” or “positive”) represent the Taoist philosophical concept of dualism, where seemingly opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world. Yin (dark) is associated with the feminine, stillness, water, cold, receptivity, and the earth. Yang (light) is associated with the masculine, action, fire, warmth, assertion, and the heavens.
• Yin also represents the moon, while Yang represents the moon
• Emotional imbalance leads to an unhealthy flow of Qi in specific organs, which leads to specific sicknesses:
  • Liver (Anger): Imbalance leads to irritability, tightness in the chest, or physical tension
  • Heart (Joy): Imbalance leads to restlessness and insomnia
  • Spleen (Worry): Imbalance leads to fatigue, bloating, or other digestive issues
  • Lungs (Sadness): Imbalance leads to shallow breathing, low energy, and crying spells
  • Kidneys (Fear): Imbalance leads to fatigue, or the inability to feel grounded
• Conversely, physical organ imbalances can trigger specific emotional disturbances.

Biblical truths:

1. The Dao and universe do not shape our health, it is our Creator God who gives us health and healing, He promises us an abundance of peace | Jeremiah 33:6 NKJV  Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
   
2. We can gain the whole world and have great health but lose our soul, health is not true wealth, it is knowing God that is true riches | Matthew 16:26 NKJV  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
3. Health comes from living with godly wisdom and staying away from evil | Proverbs 3:7-8 NKJV  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
4. It is the Holy Spirit who give us our breath and is the Source of life, Qi is not our breath or energy force | Job 33:4 NKJV  The Spirit of God has made me,And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5. Believers do not balance light and darkness, we choose the light over darkness | Ephesians 5:8,11 NKJV  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 
6. We do not seek to balance between the moon and the sun, the moon and sun have been given to God’s people as our heritage, we do not serve them | Deuteronomy 4:19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. 
7. Emotional imbalance and sickness are not due to a disruption of Qi in the body. Any loss of peace and joy is a signal that we have grieved the Holy Spirit through sin and rebellion and we need to return to Him for the grace to recover and heal | Galatians 5:22 NKJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…

Side note: Those who conduct deliverance will recognise that the said symptoms of an unhealthy flow of Qi are typical signs of demonisation.

3. Sickness, healing, good practices for health

• Sickness is due to the imbalance in Qi and imbalanced Yin and Yang
  • Heat: Overactive state or an excess of Yang energy
  • Cold: Underactive state or a deficiency in Yang energy
  • Damp: Body’s digestive and fluid-processing systems are sluggish and failing to efficiently transform and transport fluids
• Healing relies on the smooth, unobstructed flow of Qi energy through pathways in the body called meridians. When this flow is blocked or disrupted, illness occurs. 
  • Qi deficiency: General exhaustion or depletion of bodily energy, leading to chronic fatigue, shallow breathing, and weak immune function
  • Qi stagnation: Physical or emotional blockage that stops the smooth flow of energy, commonly causing localized pain, distension, and emotional frustration
  • Qi sinking: Severe form of deficiency where the body’s lifting energy fails, frequently causing organ prolapse and chronic diarrhea
  • Rebellious/counterflow Qi: Energy moving in the wrong, unnatural direction, such as lung Qi rising to cause coughing, or stomach Qi rising to cause vomiting
• One needs to clear away the dense, physical blockages so that one’s physical, mental, and spiritual state can remain bright, clear, and perfectly attuned to the flow of the universe, Dao.
• Healing requires balancing internal organs with the natural elements. Living in harmony with life cycles and seasonal changes supports the body’s natural regenerative abilities:
  • Eat seasonally and mindfully. Eat foods appropriate for the climate and season to support one’s internal energy. Emphasize warm, freshly cooked, and easily digestible foods to protect digestive fire, avoiding extremes of raw, cold, or overly greasy meals.
  • Align rest with natural rhythms to restore Yin energy. Aim to sleep around 10pm to allow the body’s internal organs to repair. 
  • Avoid being exposed to extreme temperatures e.g. protect the neck with a scarf or keep the feet warm.
  • Cultivate a calm, optimistic state of mind to prevent stress or emotional turmoil from causing energy blockages.
• TCM treatments and mind-body practices can regulate Qi, for example:
  • Acupuncture: Stimulate specific meridian pathways to remove energy blockages, “calming the spirit” and grounding the mind.
  • Herbal Medicine: Use plants, roots, and minerals to nourish the blood and fluids, which act as the “physical anchor for the spirit.”
  • Qi Gong & Tai Chi: Cultivate vital energy directly through mindful movement and breathwork, “aligning physical posture with spiritual vitality”.
  • Tuina & Cupping: Releases physical tension and stagnation in the muscles and fascia, which helps “calm an agitated spirit rooted in physical pain”.
• Mothers who have just delivered need to go through postpartum confinement, a 30-day period of intensive recovery focusing on restoring depleted Qi energy and blood through strict bed rest, avoiding exposure to “wind” and cold, and consuming warming, nutrient-dense foods. Without such confinement, chronic, long-term health complications will manifest later in life. Because the body is in an extreme state of “emptiness” after childbirth, deviations from traditional protocols are thought to result in specific physical and psychological ailment.

Biblical truths: 

1. Our body is not a fragile system of Yin and Yang or Qi, God has made us in His image and blessed our bodies to be very good | Genesis 1:27-28 NKJV  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them…
2. As God’s people, we rely on the Holy Spirit who is given to us without limit, He is never deficient or stagnant | John 3:34 NKJV  For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
3. We ought to care for our bodies to be strong temples of the Holy Spirit, not for the sake of Qi energy or Yin and Yang | 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  
4. We need to be careful how we label our bodies and ourselves, words have the power of life and death | Proverbs 18:21 NKJV  Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
5. We need to avoid the trap of being in a constant cycle of self-diagnosis | Proverbs 3:5-8 NKJV  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
6. It is God who rules over sickness or health, He is the Source of our healing | Exodus 15:26 NKJV  and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”  
7. God has given us bodies that self-heal, we need to trust in the healing that God has prepared for every need of our bodies, even if it takes longer than we like. We need to develop patience.

3. Our diet, healing herbs and medicine 

• A person’s body has different constitutional states and he or she should eat accordingly for health reasons.
  • Cold or cool nature: Avoid raw vegetables, salads, watermelon, bitter gourd, crab, green tea and iced water, out of fear it will destroy the body’s digestive fire
  • Hot or warm nature: Avoid chili peppers, garlic, ginger, lamb, durian, chocolate, and fried or roasted foods, out of fear it will cause sore throats, acne, or emotional irritability
  • Neutral nature: Avoid rice, corn, pork, and carrots, out of fear it will fail to actively correct body imbalances
• TCM restricts specific tastes if an organ is thought to be weak, believing that too much of a taste damages its paired organ. 
  • Sour: Restricted to protect the liver and spleen 
  • Bitter: Restricted to protect the heart and lungs 
  • Sweet: Restricted to protect the spleen and kidneys 
  • Pungent/spicy: Restricted to protect the lungs and liver 
  • Salty: Restricted to protect the kidneys and heart
• TCM herbs are categorised by their specific temperature, taste, targeted organs, and direction with the aim to restore the body’s Yin and Yang balance and the harmonious flow of Qi.

Biblical truths: 

1. Our focus is not about what we eat or drink, but on fulfilling our God-given destinies on earth | Romans 14:17 NKJV  for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
2. We do not decide on the food we eat based on the Taoist Five Tastes, but on whether it has been offered to idols or not | Acts 15:28-29 NKJV  For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
3. We give thanks to God for everything we eat and drink | 1 Corinthians 10:30-31 NKJV  But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God
4. Our concern is not about one’s constitutional state is hot or cold, but whether a person’s spiritual state is hot or cold | Revelation 3:15-16 NKJV  “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
5. In fact, the Word of God says that cold water (usually discouraged in TCM) refreshes a weary soul | Proverbs 25:25 NKJV  As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country. 
6. Jesus referred to the reward from giving a cup of cold water to any of His disciples | Matthew 10:42 NKJV  And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
7. We need to be on the alert for what prognosis (i.e. the prediction of the likely course and outcome of a disease) we agree to for they can become self-fulfilling prophecies, we should only agree to what the Word of God says about our bodies and God has said our bodies are very good | Proverbs 23:7 NKJV  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 
8. God is not against us using food and herbs for our well being. He has provided certain leaves as medicine (see list of herbs mentioned in the Bible below as some examples) | Ezekiel 47:12 NKJV  Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.
9. The issue comes when the diagnosis is rooted in philosophies and teachings that are not aligned with God’s Word on our bodies. We are to live according to “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” | Matthew 4:4 NKJV  But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ 

Examples of healing plants mentioned in the Bible
Plants	Scripture Reference	Traditional Uses
Aloe	Song of Solomon 4:14	Skin care, burns, wound support
Anise	Matthew 23:23	Digestive support, respiratory support
Calamus	Song of Solomon 4:14	Digestive complaints, mental clarity
Cinnamon	Song of Solomon 4:14	Digestive support, circulation
Fig	Isaiah 38:21	Poultices, wound support
Frankincense	Song of Solomon 4:14, Matthew 2:11	Respiratory support, skin care
Hyssop	Exodus 12:22	Respiratory support, cleansing
Juniper	Psalm 120:4	Urinary and digestive support
Mallow	Job 30:4	Soothing digestion and sore throats
Mustard	Matthew 13:31	Circulation, digestive support
Myrrh	Song of Solomon 4:14, Matthew 2:11	Oral health, wound support
Myrtle	Isaiah 55:13	Respiratory and urinary support
Rue	Luke 11:42	Digestive and menstrual support
Saffron	Song of Solomon 4:14	Mood support, antioxidant support
Spikenard	Song of Solomon 4:14, John 12	Calming and soothing properties
Wormwood	Deuteronomy 29:18	Digestive and gallbladder support

The promise of an abundant life 

We have an incredibly dedicated and good Father in heaven, who sent his own Son to die for our sins and pay for our healing. What is more powerful than Jesus’ blood for our healing? It is by His stripes on the cross that we are healed. Jesus promised that we will not only have life, and have it “more abundantly”. We enter into this divine abundant health through faith in Jesus, when our minds are aligned with this eternal truth. 

Isaiah 53:5 NKJV  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

John 10:10 NKJV The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Can being in good health really be so simple? Yes, because Jesus has promised that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. His promised Holy Spirit now lives in us and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty from fear and sickness. The Holy Spirit is the One who gives life to our bodies.

Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Romans 8:11 NKJV  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

On the other hand, TCM teaches us that our bodies are fragile and subject to mystical elements outside an ordinary person’s ability to see and understand. 

Deception, a subtle twisting or obscuring of the truth

The philosophy and doctrine behind traditional Chinese medicine sounds enticing because there are elements that are close to eternal truths. For example, we are meant to be yoked to the Way and that is Jesus, not Dao. We do have a life force in our bodies that is way beyond ourselves and that is God, the Holy Spirit, it is not Qi. We belong to the Creator who is in heaven, not to creation or this universe. This heaven and earth will pass away, only those who are faithful will be with Him forever in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-8). In TCM, our eyes are taken off God and we are taught to be anxious about and strive for our health.

Colossians 2:8 NKJV  Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Matthew 24:35 NKJV  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Philippians 4:11-13 NKJV  Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Deception is not 100% lies, it can be 90% truth with a 10% twist. That is why the Bible calls us to be sober-minded and to take every thought captive to obey Jesus. When our minds are “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”, we will be like Eve who was deceived into thinking that she needed the knowledge of good and evil (a form of duality, similar to Yin and Yang) to thrive.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 NKJV  You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV  For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

2 Corinthians 11:3 NKJV  But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Beware whatever we submit to, we’ll become a slave to

The apostle Paul showed his beloved disciples in Corinth that there was an ongoing war for their minds and that they needed spiritual weapons, such as the Word of God, prayer and faith, to pull down the strongholds of their minds. Strongholds refer to deeply ingrained thought patterns, beliefs, or attitudes that are opposed to God’s truth. One such stronghold for Chinese people, and increasingly for other cultures that adopt TCM, is that belief in traditional Chinese medicine has the answers to our desires for health and well being. This has become so deeply ingrained in the Chinese psyche over the generations that one can refer to our body as too “hot” or too “damp”, without stopping to question and discern if this is in line with the Word of God. Did Jesus ever go around “diagnosing” people this way?

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NKJV  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Once we turn to Jesus, we need to renew our minds and no longer be conformed to the patterns of this world. Whoever we subject our thinking to will become our master – including the thought patterns of our culture. For example, if we believe our bodies are in a constant flux of Qi or subjected to dualistic spiritual forces, we open ourselves up to spirits of confusion, fear, anxiety, and infirmity. We unconsciously allow the world to speak words of death over our bodies, temples of the Holy Spirit, by agreeing that we have Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, blood deficiency, liver qi stagnation, kidney essence depletion, internal damp or heat, dry-heat, phlegm stagnation, or toxic internal fire!

Romans 12:2 NKJV  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 6:16 NKJV  Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

It is understandable for non-believers, who do not know God, to place their faith in the mystical healing power of Qi or Yin and Yang – but this should not be the case for followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. When a child of God does that, how does the Holy Spirit feel? Will it not grieve Him deeply? Should we not thank God for the amazing body He has created for us that self-heals?

Ephesians 4:30 NKJV  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

No longer subject to principles of this world 

Jesus came to free us from the traps of this world that ensnare our souls (i.e. our minds and emotions). Let us not fall back into following the principles of this world with its regulations about what we can eat or do — or allow people to manipulate our souls and bodies. Those who practice TCM are often bound to Taoist principles for their entire lives, spending money where they may not need to at all. Let us set our minds on the true riches of knowing Jesus.

Colossians 2:20-22 NKJV  Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 

Taoism opposes the God of the Bible by teaching that all humans must be mini replicas of an impersonal, nameless force of nature named Dao, and that we are to manipulate and cultivate an internal “life-force energy” named Qi. It is not too farfetched to say that these are the same principles as witchcraft and sorcery. As believers, we are to rely solely on the Holy Spirit and God’s grace for power, strength, and transformation. Anything we rely on, other than God, has the danger of becoming an idol.

God takes the sin of idolatry very seriously. The Word of God warns us that rebellion brings curses. Deuteronomy 28 even lists specific examples of illnesses that will come upon those who turn from God and follow the principles of this world. Curses were never meant for people made in God’s image. The Lord blessed Adam and Eve abundantly when He created them. The first curse recorded in the Bible was on the serpent i.e. Satan (Genesis 3:14). When we follow the ways of Satan in a similar quest for self-empowerment, we reject God’s blessings. This opens us up to curses of confusion, affliction, sickness, and so on. 

Deuteronomy 28:15,21-22,27-28  “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: The Lord will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.

2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV  whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Choose to walk in divine health 

The Bible gives us all the answers we need for all matters of life. Here are some good biblical practices for health.

• Dedicate each day to the Lord and choose to trust Him | Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
• Study and meditate on the Word of God each day, let it transform us on the inside, when our souls are well, we will be in good health  | Proverbs 4:20-22 NKJV  My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
• Forgive others quickly, remove the emotional toxins and bitterness from our hearts | Ephesians 4:30-32 NKJV  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [i]clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
• Grow strong spiritually so we have the inner strength to withstand sickness: pray and fast regularly, confess our sins, obey the Holy Spirit, guard our minds and emotions etc. | Proverbs 18:14 NKJV  The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?
• Keep a clear conscience, do good to others | Psalm 41:1-3 NKJV  Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. 
• Renounce all idols, destroy all cursed objects from our home | Deuteronomy 7:26 NKJV  Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.
• When faced with sickness, rest and let the body heal, be patient | Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord…
• Eat healthily and seek out herbal remedies | Ezekiel 47:12 NKJV  … Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
• Ask for Spirit-filled believers to pray for healing | Mark 16:17-18 NKJV  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
• Pray against and rebuke sickness | Luke 4:39 NKJV  So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.

For believers with friends and family who are deep into traditional Chinese medicine, the Bible reminds us to respond to non-believers who question us for our reason to abstain from TCM with gentleness and respect. We ought to have compassion on those who do not know Jesus and who have turned to mystical ideas for solutions. We all need Jesus!

1 Peter 3:15 NKJV But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Testimony: Being set free from anti-Christ ideology 

“Raised in a traditional Chinese family, I grew up using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). As a Christian, I saw no issue with this until 14 years ago, when  a speaker at a healing and deliverance conference revealed TCM’s roots in Taoism. I tried to avoid using it, but soon realised how deeply my view of health and healing was rooted in TCM ideology. It became a mental stronghold. Whenever I felt unwell, I fell back into old habits, consulting TCM doctors and becoming dependent again on the herbal treatments they prescribed.

In early 2026, I became concerned about my health. I confessed to God about my struggle to believe in divine healing. I felt the Lord speak to my heart, “If you want to see My healing in your life, you have to stop taking TCM and put your full trust in Me.”  With that, I threw away my medicine-boiling pot. 

Subsequent research confirmed that TCM is deeply tied to Taoist philosophy, relying on concepts like Qi, Yin and Yang, and harmony with the Dao – the ultimate source of existence in Taoism. This philosophy rejects God as Creator, making it a counterfeit “Way” that stands in opposition to Christ, who is the true Way. 

I finally understood how I had been a slave to TCM. It was a spiritual battle for my soul, it was not just about my body. TCM is not just about merely herbal medicine, it has an entire ideology behind it that is anti-Christ in nature. I fell into its trap and was in a cycle of stress and fear, constantly trying to perfectly follow its dietary principles, such as “hot” and “cold” food restrictions. While TCM offered temporary physical relief, I was totally dependent on it, rather than on God.

Consequently, I prayed to repent for my and my family’s past participation in TCM and Taoism. I renounced its beliefs, broke all spiritual ties with its associated deities and spirits, and commanded them to leave me. I chose to place my entire life, mind, and health into the hands of Jesus, asking Him to cleanse me from all spiritual contamination.

I am deeply grateful to the Lord for exposing this deception, breaking my chains, and setting me free from bondage.”

May this sharing be a blessing to you as you seek to love God with all your heart and stay alert to the corrupting ideologies behind TCM.

More testimonies

Joyce: Healed from severe eczema 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDMD7GsuSIA&t

Mike: Healed from torn labrum in shoulder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjEZurkGrxs&t

Brian: Healed from ulcer colitis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOSFIHftOeQ

Denise: Healed from cancer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOSFIHftOeQ