One of the oldest civilizations originates from the present area of China from 6,000 A.D. According to legend, the first Chinese state was founded where now Beijing stands by Huang-ti (秦始皇帝; ? - i.e. 2698/2598) the “Yellow Emperor.” He is a national hero, the founder of the Chinese state, and the patron of esoteric art.
One of the fundamental works of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon (黃帝內經 Huángdì Nèijīng). This work is considered equal to that of Hippocrates’. The book describes many illnesses and their treatment, moreover the herbs and their extractions still used in contemporary medicine.
The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon considered the essential oils as the essence of the herbs which contribute to the physical and spiritual development of the user. Drops of such oils were placed on the so-called mu-points and shu-points (acupuncture points), jüan points (source points), and other meridians to achieve the desired effect. By using essential oils, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, five states can be achieved: (1) healing and relaxation, (2) healing of serious wounds, (3) enhancing inner beauty and self-respect, (4) enhancing nobility, and (5) a state free from disturbing factors.
The other fundamental work describing herbs and their healing powers is Shen-nung Pen-tsao Ching (The Classic of Herbal Medicine; 神农本草经) which is related to Emperor Shen-nung (2737 B.C. - 2699 B.C.), the father of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In his work, the Emperor describes more than 300 herbal plants. The effects of these plants were tested on himself. The Emperor was one of the most prominent characters of Chinese history and mythology; he was also the one who established the culture of tea-drinking and development of acupuncture.
The main idea of the Chinese remedy was not to make a distinct difference between the healing of the soul and the physical body. If you heal one, you will heal the othe, therefore perfumes, essential oils, and incense were integral part of remedy and inseparable from spirituality as well.
