Customer Reviews

Secrets of the Chinese Herbalists

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A "half-way" manual for those who want a step up from the Chinese Food Cures book. Black and white botanical plates, with focus on traditional Chinese use of medicinal herbs. The book is organized by complaint, with medicinals listed by Chinese names in no discernable order. This makes it harder for Americans to use, but gives a better understanding of the Chinese theory of healing.

Great book that exposes some of the herbal secrets handed down over the centeries in Chinese culture. Excellent section on Ginseng. Book is well organized, with lots of references. Index could be a bit more thorough.

I bought this book 20 years back and have never ceased using it as a quick reference for health issues.

It is not a book on complex TCM recipes but rather one on single herbs. And that's where it excels as being highly useful for the ordinary user.

The author Richard Lucas apparently had put in a lot of hard work investigating Chinese herbs way back in the 70's when TCM was not so well-known then. He painstakingly interviewed Chinese herbalists and people who have tried those herbs and benefited from them.

Richard Lucas wrote about single herbs like garlic and white oak bark that are not even included in TCM recipes prescribed by herbalists in the Orient - even today.

Take raw garlic. It is now well-known as something of a panacea, a miracle spice for many kinds of health problems if used correctly, meaning in daily dosages based on my personal experience.

Yet Richard Lucas researched and wrote extensively about this wonder herb - more as a Chinese folk remedy than a prescription herb - in his book way back then in the 70's.