Chinese medicine is holistic: it is based on the idea that no single part of a person can be understood except in its relation to the whole. In this medical system a symptom is not traced back to a single cause, but is viewed as a part of a pattern. In order for a practitioner to analyze a patient and prescribe a treatment the whole person and all circumstances in the person’s life must be included in the pattern.

A person who is well is "in harmony." He or she has no distressing symptoms and expresses no mental, emotional, physical or spiritual imbalance. When a person has distressing symptoms the physical manifestation is only one part of the imbalance. All other aspects of their life and behavior must be taken into consideration.

In Chinese medicine the totality of mental, emotional and physical symptoms determines the patient’s treatment plan.