TCM is a circulation medicine based on the concept of Qi (pronounced chee, which is our energetic life force).  Qi flows through the meridians, which are pathways in our body that carry blood, fluid and energy to our organs, tissues and cells for nourishment.  If this free flow of energy in the body is disrupted, then there will be pain and disease.  

Because a person is viewed as a complete energetic system, TCM seeks to balance the mind, body and spirit.  This treatment of the person as a whole and not individual parts is what makes TCM unique from Western medicine.  TCM seeks to find the underlying cause of the illness, and a treatment is designed to address it.  The symptoms will be addressed as well, which is referred to as the branch treatment.  If the root of an illness is not addressed and only the symptoms are repressed, than complete healing cannot occur.  

You can learn more about TCM here.