Establishment of the TCM Meta Conceptual Model Based on Domain Ontology

Informatics methods and techniques have been increasingly developed and applied in the field of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, because of the lack of research on the conceptual information model of the TCM and the absence of theoretical guidance to the top-level model, the current TCM information research is usually demand oriented and hardly reflects the characteristics and advantages of the TCM. This article analyzes the theoretical foundation and research status of the TCM conceptual information model and makes a proposal to establish the conceptual information model of the TCM based on domain ontology. This proposal emphasizes the motion law of the TCM information, including the generation and variation law of human self information, the influence and variation law of human bodies induced by natural information and social information, and the mutual influence and association law of external information, natural information, and social information, based on which the TCM conceptual information model can be established.