TCM Diagnostics Magic: The Surprising Tie to Picking Watermelon

A fresh peek into the ancient wisdom

Summer is here. Let’s pick watermelon and talk about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

What? What?

Just wait.

Also, can you imagine getting diagnostics without medical tests after visiting a TCM doctor? How would you feel?

Puzzled? How does it work? Human X-ray?

Amazed? This is magic!

A rip-off? Perhaps a placebo.

Well, none of these is a surprise.

TCM diagnostics methodology is called Four Examinations 望闻问切 (wàng wén wèn qiè). It’s one of the key frameworks in TCM, where the fundamentals haven’t changed over two thousand years (!). Believe it or not, its hidden wisdom has a surprising connection with the art of picking watermelon.

Let’s dive in.

Picking a juicy, ripe watermelon can be a hit-and-miss. I remember when I was growing up, the newspaper always had information on how to pick a good watermelon during the summertime.

Tips for picking watermelon seem pretty common across the globe. They usually include:

Observing: Look for field spots that are creamy yellow, the color tone of the outer skin that is dull and not overly shiny, and the shape is regular.

Listening: Tap the watermelon with your hand or fist and listen for a deep sound.

Lifting and touch: A ripe watermelon should feel heavy for its size. And touch to check for any soft spots.

I also recall seeing the practice at the farmer’s market where vendors cut out a small piece of the watermelon to let customers see the color inside. While the inside is clear to the eyeballs, preventing contamination and maintaining the freshness of the watermelon can be a challenge, especially if it can’t be sold and eaten soon after.

Next, let’s get a glimpse of TCM Four Examinations to diagnose patients.

望: Observing, i.e., general appearance, body build, skin tone, facial complexion, vibe, tongue, eye, etc.

闻: Listening, i.e., voice, pitch, breathing, sound of coughing, and smelling.

问: Asking, i.e., history of the illness, sleep, diet, appetite, digestion, habit/lifestyle, etc.

切: Take the pulse plus feel if there are any irregularities along the meridians of interest.

Now you must notice the similarities. 问 is the exception, as watermelon can’t talk.

Sounds simple?

Not so fast.

When picking the right watermelon, farmers growing watermelons would have little chance of missing it. It’s built upon experience, knowledge, in-depth observation, and hands-on. For someone with less skill and experience, it takes trial and error.

Behind TCM Four Examinations, sophisticated theories and knowledge have been accumulated and validated across generational practices. The diagnosis and treatment involve the blend of Yin Yang, Five Elements, Eight Principles, and Meridian systems. Not surprisingly, some call TCM the art of healing.

Four Examinations would allow TCM doctors to collect multi-dimensional patient information and determine the disease pattern, body constitution, etc. Then they can come up with an individualized treatment plan, which may include herb medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, dietary therapy, therapeutic massage, lifestyle modifications, and mind-body exercises. This is called 辨证论治 (bei zheng shi zhi)- syndrome differentiation for treatment.

Picking watermelon and TCM diagnosis, both aim to see inside from outside. It reminded me of a comment I stumbled upon years back.

It’s the Dr. Oz show on TV. During a demo on the show, Dr. Oz asked a kid to come up to the stage to look into the ear canal using an otoscope. Then Dr. Oz made a comment: “If we can’t see it, we can’t treat it.”

Seeing is believing. It is powerful and transparent, yet challenging at times, even in modern days with cut-edge technology: Are subhealth conditions detectable? What about precursors? And pain? Besides, sometimes when the pathological signals are seen, could it be too late due to its advanced stage?

TCM Four examinations provide an interesting way to “see” the inside from the outside. This intriguing non-invasive approach could allow for the early detection of discomfort before problems get worse and become visible through conventional tests. It’s a unique method encompassing ancient wisdom with thousands of years of practice and is still in use today.

The analogy of picking watermelon offers a glimpse of TCM Four Examinations. In future posts, we will delve deeper into the TCM wisdom of Inside-Outside connection.

Thank you for reading. Stay healthy.

This post is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered health advice. Please consult health professionals for medical questions and advice.

I write about culture, work-life learning, and the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine for better living. Click here if you would like to be notified when I publish.