The history of traditional Chinese medicine (abr. TCM) may be traced back to many millennia. This essay aims to present the main milestones of its development, the current role within the Chinese healthcare system, its strong expansive spreading in the world as seen by the World Health Organization and its relations to the Western medicine.  Kulcsszavak: hagyományos kínai orvoslás története, akupunktúra, modern orvoslás kapcsolata