Ancient Chinese models of psychology

The oldest evidence of psychological thought in ancient China is found in the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). These artifacts contain the first recorded occurrences of the character xin (心), a pictograph of the physical heart that served as the "heart-mind"—the recognized center of both cognition and emotion.

Key milestones in the earliest mentions and systematic analysis of psychology in China include:

● The Concept of "Xin" (Heart-Mind): In these earliest scripts, xin was viewed as the seat of thinking (si), knowing (zhi), intention (zhi), and emotions (qing). Unlike Western dualism, early Chinese thought viewed the mind and body holistically, with xin acting as the "ruler" of the body’s functions and moral character.

● The I Ching (Book of Changes): Originating over 3,000 years ago as a divination manual in the Western Zhou period (c. 1000–750 BCE), the I Ching represents one of humanity's earliest attempts to create a system for understanding the patterns of human life, fate, and free will. It utilized archetypes and metaphors that are considered precursors to modern theories of the psyche and self-reflection.

● Neuropsychiatric Descriptions: Chinese texts dating back approximately 3,000 years provide some of the earliest descriptions of mental illness. These include detailed accounts of mania (kuang) and psychosis (dian), which were attributed to "imbalances" in the body's vital forces.

● Developmental Psychology: Formal theories regarding the stages of human development and moral cultivation can be traced back 2,500 years to the time of Confucius. Confucius emphasized the role of social relationships and ritual (li) in aligning the mind and body to cultivate moral intelligence.

● Systematic Medical Analysis: The Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), compiled over 2,200 years ago, is the earliest known medical text to provide a comprehensive psychosomatic model. it categorized seven essential emotions (qing)—pleasure, anger, worry, deliberation, sadness, fear, and fright—and detailed how their regulation was vital for maintaining mental and physical health.

Today Chinese concepts of balance are shared by many other traditional cultures such as Japanese complementary therapies. Philosophical concepts from Confucius and Taoism in particular can be found in forms of philosophical and existential analysis.