Slave society in China had undergone three dynasties of the Xia, Shang and Zhou. Slave society, being more advanced than primitive society in productive forces and culture, had promoted the progress of medicine, orthopedics and traumatology had begun to germinate. As a result, there came doctors in orthopedics and traumatology.

In the Xia dynasty, wine-making technique had been invented. This is a great invention in medical history. Wine, as the earliest stimulant (excitant) and narcotic (anesthesia), could promote blood circulation and stop pain, which is of great significance in treating traumatic disorders.

Doctor Yi Yin of the Shang dynasty invented decoction, which is a leap in the history of medical development. It marks the birth of compound prescription and greatly improves the effect of medication, providing oral medication for the treatment of traumatic diseases. The Shang dynasty is a period of full bloom for bronze wares. Wide application of bronze wares had improved medical implements. Metal needles or knifes gradually replaced stone needles. This is the germ of Chinese acupuncture technique and also the beginning of application of primitive medical implement in orthopedic and traumatological department. In inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells from the Shang dynasty, there were records of some terms of traumatic disorders such as Jishou (hand injury), Jijing (tibial injury), and Jigu (bone injury)

Doctors were classified in the Zhou dynasty into four kinds known as Shiyi (nutritionist), Jiyi (physician), Yangyi (surgeon) and Shouyi (veterinarian), of which Yangyi is the doctor in surgery or traumatology. And traumas were classified as four kinds of strain, injury, fracture and fragmentation.