An important aspect of Chinese culture is Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM. Chinese medicine has been around for a long time and still exists today. In the United States we think of it as acupuncture and massage. TCM is still very popular in its country of origin where it is still practiced as it was a few centuries ago. Chinese medicine is evolving to the present day, but maintains close ties to its roots. Chinese medicine is also becoming more and more widespread in different parts of the globe. It is an important part of Chinese history and culture, and the people who participate in it do so with great respect. Chinese medicine has a great history, procedures, risks, and how it lives on in the modern world. Chinese medicine has been around for over 2,000 years and originated in East Asia. It was very superstitious in the beginning, as all the original practitioners were tribal shamans and holy men, practicing the “Way of Long Life”, this method evolved into what is used today. (Schoenbeck 2034). They used herbal concoctions, special diets, and martial arts to keep themselves and others healthy. Shamans shared their practices, and the medicine quickly spread throughout China. The methods were soon adopted into the daily lives of villagers and in more populated, less rural areas. These practices were not only medicinal, but were also used as ways to deal with religious and mythical means. The way the practices were very different and unconventional. Medical practices developed through observation, not scientific measurement (Williams 14). All their research was done by trial and error, not by experimentation. Practitioners went straight to the procedure and did not test their hypotheses... half of the paper... and Medicines (TCM).": MHRA. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, 1 February 2013. Bruno, Leonard C. “Traditional Chinese Medicine.” Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine 3rd ed. 2004. eLibrary. Kupferschimidt, Kai. “Dangers of Chinese Medicine Unearthed by DNA Studies.” Science/AAAS Science Magazine, 12 April 2012. Schoenbeck, Joan and Teresa G. Odle "Traditional Chinese Medicine." Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. "1973." : Science for the Chinese people". World Year of Book Science 2009.