On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.
Aidan Keeva, DACM, LAc
Dr. Aidan Keeva is a doctor of Chinese medicine, writer and teacher whose clinical practice orients around classical methods. He is the author of the forthcoming book The Resonant Body: Anatomy, Perception, and the Phenomenology of Chinese Medicine; and co-founder of the Green Mountain Institute of Chinese Medicine, a center for classical medicine and spiritual self-cultivation based in southern Vermont. Learn more at AidanKeeva.com and GMICM.org.