Framework theory and its application in TCM / 中华中医药杂志

ABSTRACT

"Framework" and "framework theory" were proposed several decade years ago, and has been widely used in multidisciplinary research. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the concept and connotation of "framework theory" and to discuss the key role of it in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) research, so as to improve integrality and logicality of the theoretic system of TCM. TCM, as a independent science, ought to have the theory and practical framework which can reflect its characteristic and developmental rule. In this paper, we started from the research thought of "framework", introduced the definition, connection and difference between "framework" and "framework theory", analyzed the conditions and methods of establishing a framework, and discussed the applications of "framework" in TCM research.