中医药发祥于中华大地，在不断汲取世界文明成果、丰富发展自己的同时，也逐步传播到世界各地。早在秦汉时期，中医药就传播到周边国家，并对这些国家的传统医药产生重大影响。预防天花的种痘技术，在明清时代就传遍世界。《本草纲目》被翻译成多种文字广为流传，达尔文称之为“中国古代的百科全书”。针灸的神奇疗效引发全球持续的“针灸热”。抗疟药物“青蒿素”的发明，拯救了全球特别是发展中国家数百万人的生命。同时，乳香、没药等南药的广泛引进，丰富了中医药的治疗手段。

　　二、中国发展中医药的政策措施

　　中国高度重视中医药事业发展。新中国成立初期，把“团结中西医”作为三大卫生工作方针之一，确立了中医药应有的地位和作用。1978年，中共中央转发卫生部《关于认真贯彻党的中医政策，解决中医队伍后继乏人问题的报告》，并在人、财、物等方面给予大力支持，有力地推动了中医药事业发展。中华人民共和国宪法指出，发展现代医药和我国传统医药，保护人民健康。1986年，国务院成立相对独立的中医药管理部门。各省、自治区、直辖市也相继成立中医药管理机构，为中医药发展提供了组织保障。第七届全国人民代表大会第四次会议将“中西医并重”列为新时期中国卫生工作五大方针之一。2003年，国务院颁布实施《中华人民共和国中医药条例》；2009年，国务院颁布实施《关于扶持和促进中医药事业发展的若干意见》，逐步形成了相对完善的中医药政策体系。

Born in China, TCM has also absorbed the essence of other civilizations, evolved, and gradually spread throughout the world. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-AD 220), TCM was popular in many neighboring countries and exerted a major impact on their traditional medicines. The TCM smallpox vaccination technique had already spread outside of China during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). The Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) was translated into various languages and widely read, and Charles Darwin, the British biologist, hailed the book as an "ancient Chinese encyclopedia." The remarkable effects of acupuncture and moxibustion have won it popularity throughout the world. The discovery of qinghaosu (artemisinin, an anti-malaria drug) has saved millions of lives, especially in developing countries. Meanwhile, massive imports of medicinal substances such as frankincense and myrrh have enriched TCM therapies. 

II. Policies and Measures on TCM Development

China lays great store by the development of TCM. When the People's Republic was founded in 1949, the government placed emphasis on uniting Chinese and Western medicine as one of its three guidelines for health work, and enshrined the important role of TCM. In 1978, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee transmitted throughout the country the Ministry of Health's "Report on Implementing the Party's Policies Regarding TCM and Cultivating TCM Practitioners," and lent great support in areas of human resources, finance, and supplies, vigorously promoting the development of TCM. It is stipulated in the Constitution of the PRC that the state promotes modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine to protect the people's health. In 1986, the State Council set up a relatively independent administration of TCM. All provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government have established their respective TCM administrations, which has laid an organizational basis for TCM development. At the Fourth Meeting of the Seventh National People's Congress, equal emphasis was put on Chinese and Western medicine, which was made one of the five guidelines in China's health work in the new period. In 2003 and 2009, the State Council issued the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Traditional Chinese Medicine" and the "Opinions on Supporting and Promoting the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine," gradually forming a relatively complete policy system on TCM.