The first text on bloodletting therapy for Western practitioners of Chinese medicine, this authoritative text explores the theory and function of bloodletting, and provides detailed instruction on its clinical use. Bloodletting therapy, which works to remove internal and external disruptions to the system through the withdrawal of small quantities of blood, has numerous benefits, especially concerning the treatment of complex or chronic disease. Yet the technique is often met with alarm in the West and side-lined in favour of less controversial treatments such as fine-needle acupuncture, and moxibustion. This book provides a concise overview of its theory, historical and contemporary relevance, and clinical guidance. With detailed reference to the classic texts, the author clarifies the fundamental Chinese medical theory related to blood and the network vessels, and provides an in-depth discussion of the benefits of and practice guidelines for bloodletting. The book includes a chapter on the classical acupuncture techniques of Tung Ching Chang whose work is attracting increasing attention in the West. Through the exploration of classic texts and contemporary standards, the book provides everything needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the technique and to encourage its use as a viable treatment option in the West. It will be an invaluable addition to the resources available for acupuncturists, as well as students and practitioners of Chinese medicine more generally, including those interested in all Chinese approaches to health.

Mawangdui Daoyin Shu presents a series of qigong forms based on those shown on the famous silk paintings excavated from the Mawangdui tombs of Changsha, Hunan Province. Discovered in the 1970s alongside a wealth of classical texts, they are among the oldest and best preserved silk works in China, and provide a fascinating insight into the early history of qigong. Dating from the Han Dynasty, these easy-to-learn movements work with the flow of vital energy through the meridians and encourage connection between the external movements of the body and the internal activity of the mind. Through rising and squatting, extending and withdrawing the limbs, bending and stretching, the movements help maintain health and cultivate the spirit. The book provides step-by-step, fully-illustrated instruction on the Mawangdui Daoyin Shu, and includes a brief account of the origins of the movements, with additional learning tips for each movement, and information about the health benefits. Additional downloadable content features a video demonstrating the form and additional information on its history and origins, and provides options for verbal instructions to lead the practitioner through the exercises, or music to accompany them. This accessible and beautiful form will be of interest to experienced practitioners and beginners alike, and especially to those interested in the authentic connection with forms practised in ancient China.

Songs and rhymes have been used by physicians for centuries in China as a means of memorising and passing on methods of practice and behaviour, moral attitudes, effective points, diagnostic tips and rules of thumb. These newly translated poems offer a rich insight into the life and thought of these skilled doctors, as well as practical indications for treatment. Contemporary acupuncturists can see from these poems the depths of the tradition, better understand a breadth of diagnostic skills and treatment planning, and as a result greatly improve their appreciation of intent within their own practice. The poems also serve as a gentle introduction to the philosophy behind acupuncture practice. This is the first translation of these acupuncture odes, songs and rhymes from the Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion compiled by the Chinese physician Yang Jizhou during late Ming China. The book includes a comprehensive introduction that places the work in historical, cultural, and medical context, a symptom index, a point index glossary and a list of helpful points for common signs and symptoms encountered in acupuncture and physiotherapy clinics.

Historically, the influence of Chinese medical traditions, thought to be revealed from divine sources, extended East to Korea and Japan and as far South as Indochina, the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian Archipelago. As the distinct medical traditions of these regions encountered the ancient medicine of mainland China, they absorbed and transformed them based on their own indigenous healing practices, and herbal and plant resources. Providing a panoramic overview of the medical traditions of China, the Malay Peninsula, the Indonesian Archipelago, the Philippines, Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia), Korea, and Japan, Dr. Marc Micozzi offers compelling new insights into the influence of the essentially Chinese expression of vital energy (qi) in these traditions, as well as the pull of other cultural traditions, such as those of India and Islam. Dr. Micozzi discusses evidence for the efficacy of these healing practices and their many influences in the West, and explores how a Western reader might consider seeking a practitioner, as well as effective treatments, from one of these traditions. This groundbreaking book will be of interest to practitioners of Chinese and Asian medical traditions, and complementary and alternative health, as well as anyone with an interest in Chinese and Asian approaches to health and wellbeing.

As people increasingly seek alternatives to modern medicine, interest is growing in the ancient system of Tibetan medicine, which has been practised for over 2,500 years. Known as 'gSo-ba-Rig-pa', or 'the science of healing', it is based on Buddhist philosophical principles, astrology and the close relationship between body and mind. This concise introduction presents all the essential information on Tibetan medicine. It covers the basic theoretical principles, practice and history of this traditional system, as well as methods of diagnosis and treatments such as urine analysis, golden needle therapy and cupping. It includes a chapter on case histories and provides information on what to expect from a practising physician based on compassion. With a comprehensive resources section, this book provides everything there is to know about Tibetan medicine at an introductory level. This book will be of interest to anyone who wants to know more about Tibetan medicine, as well as anyone looking to find out more about Tibetan thought, Tibetan Buddhism, traditional medicine, comparative religion or Eastern spirituality.

An invaluable guide for anyone beginning a career in acupuncture, this book offers a unique and supportive insight into the challenges and the pitfalls that the novice acupuncturist is likely to encounter, and provides encouragement and down-to-earth ideas for tackling them. Written in an easy-to-read conversational style with useful case studies throughout, this book will help newly-qualified acupuncturists to reflect on what kind of practitioner they want to be. It addresses styles of working, common mistakes, confidence with patients, becoming a better practitioner, and how to think about success and failure in the treatment room. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the practitioner ends the day refreshed and enlivened by the work and has confidence in the treatments given.