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Forgotten Traditions of Ancient Chinese Medicine

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This book is a translation of a text from 1757 by Hsu Ta-ch'un, translated by Paul U. Unschuld.

This book will be of particular interest to those who have a background in traditional Chinese medicine and are knowledgeable with TCM terminology. It is not a book recommended for beginners wishing to study TCM.

The book is fascinating, delving deeper into the mysteries of TCM classifications and diagnosis and will be difficult for anyone trained in TCM to put down.

The chapters are short, to the point and full of ancient wisdom. One chapter I enjoyed deals with asking the patient for his/her preferences and aversions, what gives them joy or misery, etc. This will further enable the trained practitioner to diagnose the nature of the patient's illness. Fascinating reading.

This is not an herbal material medica and if anyone is looking for such a book I would not suggest this. It's more for diagnosis and understanding the nature of illnesses rather than specific herbs and formulas.

Unschuld has created a wonderful translation of a great classic. This text presents the often cutting style of the physician Hsu Ta-ch'un. This is not a clinical manual in the sense that there are no point prescriptions or formulas. For those who understand the theories behind such "prescriptions," the concepts will be enlightening. For scholars of the medicine, the criticisms of the "four schools" and the appearance of the original Chinese text will be valuable. The often critical style of Hsu Ta-ch'un is still highly relevant today, as he spends a good amount of time criticising "lesser" physicians.

I am currently in my 2nd year of a classical Chinese medicine program and just came across this translation. First, I should say that Xu Ling Tai's calls for physicians to return to the classics (Nei Jing, Shang Han Lun, Nan Jing, Huai Nan Zi)--not for philosophical purposes but, in fact, to increase the efficacy of Chinese medicine--echos those of my most revered and respectable teachers. Xu's insights reveal extensive medical knowledge and clinical wisdom, as well poignant social commentary of the time. Xu is highly educated and extremely opinionated, which makes for an interesting read. This translation is surprisingly easy to read--written in a colloquial style and translated by a master of Chinese medical language. I appreciate the publisher's decision to include both the Chinese and English texts for comparison's sake. My only disappointment on this front has been the use of Wade-Giles instead of the standard Pin Yin transliteration. Otherwise, if you're looking for a collection of 100 concise essays by an 18th century physician-scholar, covering anything from 'how to counsel your patient's family,' 'what to do about the price of ginseng,' and 'why smaller formulas and ancient prescriptions elicit better clinical results,' you really ought to check this one out!

I would rate this text highly. I refer to it often for inspiration. Its a book that is suitable for any reader weather your a student or someone who has an interest in the classics or is working with the principles contained in the Nei Jing or Nan Jing. What we have within this book is the ability to get behind a great physician who really knew what he was talking about, the breath of his Knowledge is clear. I certainly think this text is equally, if not more relevant today as it was when it was written, 250 years ago. Not only does he criticise so called famous physicians, but he accepts that poor treatment or scrupulus doctors is heavens way of correcting the order of things. In this context, we as practitioners have a choice, weather we choose to know our subject well or not is not necessarily the way, rather an honest and open mind is what will make a good student/ practitoner especially one who is diligent enough to read the classics and bring alive these principles in his or her clinic.

Indeed some of these arts have been lost, but there are a few people out there today practicing at a high level that the auther refers to. If you buy this book, weather or not you understand what is being said or not doesnt reallly matter, rather, its what was behind the mind of this amazing physician that will inspire you. His talk on the 9 needles is clear, this art is lost, but, what he does do is echo the priniples that are contained within the classics and indeed praises the worthy physicians who understood the way of heaven, earth and man.

This is a very worthwhile addition to your library if you're interested in the history of Chinese medicine. But even a specialist in the field might balk at spending $[...] on it.
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