Cognitive Characteristics and Empirical Research Paths of Tacit Knowledge in Tongue Inspection of Traditional Chinese Medicine
10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2026.13.001
- VernacularTitle:中医舌诊隐性知识的认知特点与实证研究路径探析
- Author:
Min LAI
1
;
Chunhua JIA
2
;
Yuxia JIN
1
;
Ying HU
1
;
Yuan DENG
1
Author Information
1. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Chongqing University of Chinese Medicine，Chongqing，402760
2. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
tongue inspection;
tacit knowledge;
cognition;
event-related potential;
eye movement tracking
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2026;67(13):1353-1358
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Tacit knowledge of tongue inspection is content that affects diagnostic results but is difficult to be explicit. Its cognitive characteristics are rooted in xiang thinking and embodiment. It constructs multidimensional associations between tongue manifestations and disease mechanisms through imagery mapping， and it relies on the practitioner's bodily perception， clinical context， and long-term practice for continuous internalization. In response to the neglect of tacit transmission and individual cognitive processes in current traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） tacit knowledge research， an empirical research framework integrating cognitive neuroscience is proposed. Specifically， event-related potential （ERP） and eye tracking （ET） technologies can be used to capture the brain electrical activity and eye movement trajectories of experts and novices in different tongue diagnosis cognitive tasks. By integrating multimodal cognitive data such as behaviorism， ERP components， and ET indicators， the implicit cognitive advantages of experts in the perception， mapping， and decision-making stages of tongue diagnosis are presented， and the possibility of achieving tacit knowledge transformation through visual cognitive transfer training is explored. Exploring empirical pathways to uncover the cognitive mechanisms of tongue diagnosis tacit knowledge is of great significance for the inheritance of traditional Chinese medicine.
