ABSTRACT
Based on the inheritance, the research group summarized the transmissive pathogenesis of depression in three typical stages, formulating the stepward treatment units which included Chinese medicine, acupuncture and TCM characterized psychotherapy, and formed a sequential treatment plan that balanced the principle of strengthening healthy Qi to eliminate pathogens, active and passive treatment, physical therapy and psychotherapy. Based on the retrospective analyses, ten typical clinical syndromes have been formed, constituting the pattern differentiation of "Three Phases, Five internal organs and Ten syndromes" for depression, which sysmatically showed the TCM syndrome differentiation. This work promoted the experiences and methods of treating depression by Chinese medicine.