Who Can Ride the Dragon?: An Exploration of the Cultural Roots of Traditional Chinese MedicineWho Can Ride the Dragon? presents the essence of traditional Chinese medicine so that contemporary readers can appreciate its origins, its characteristic concepts and ideas, and most importantly its relevance to contemporary health and well-being. It pays particular attention to the nature of Chinese imagery and thought, tracing a fractal pattern of lines of influence that have developed over thousands of years. Beginning with a basic premise-that to understand traditional Chinese medical concepts, texts, theories, and methods, one must quite literally come to terms with the cultural roots of the subject-the authors explore the ways in which Chinese language has influenced the development of medical concepts and theories since ancient times. They examine folk beliefs, myths, and customs that underlie the structure of medical theory in China, and investigate the relationships that exist between Chinese religio-philosophic ideology and medical theory and practice. Subsequently, the authors examine the literary tradition in China and suggest several important ways in which literary influences have pervaded medical thinking, strategy, and practice. The richness of the scientific tradition in Chinese history and the two common venues of medical development-folk medicine and court medicine-are portrayed. Finally, the authors sensitively elucidate the relationship between sexual culture and medical theory, based upon examination of a number of ancient texts including passages from the great Tang dynasty physician, alchemist, and sexologist, Sun Si Miao, as well as other sources. Who Can Ride the Dragon? conveys the Chinese viewpoint of their medicine and culture. The authors write with an appreciation for and a perspective of practice and teaching in China. As they explore the deep roots of its past, readers will admire the beauty and complexity of ancient Chinese medicine and discover its relevance to modern healthcare. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE THE LANGUAGE OF CHINESE MEDICINE | 5 |
CHAPTER Two FOLK BELIEFS MYTHS AND CUSTOMS | 41 |
CHAPTER THREE PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION | 79 |
CHAPTER FOUR THE LITERARY TRADITION | 99 |
CHAPTER FIVE THE CHINESE SCIENTIFIC TRADITION | 137 |
Other editions - View all
Who Can Ride the Dragon?: An Exploration of the Cultural Roots of ... Yu Huan Zhang,Ken Rose Limited preview - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
acupuncture points ancient Chinese aspects basic blood body Buddhist CANON OF INTERNAL century Chinese characters Chinese culture Chinese language Chinese medical theory Chinese medicine Chinese words classic clinical cold concept Confucian cultivation Daoist DICTIONARY OF CHINESE disease doctor Dynasty English essence five phases formula Fu Xi function fundamental Han Dynasty harmony heart heaven and earth herbal herbs Hui Neng human important INTERNAL MEDICINE Lao Zi LING SHU literary means medicine in China ment method Ming nature nese nourish º º one's organs patient pattern Peng Zhu period philosophical PRACTICAL DICTIONARY principles pulse Qing Qu Yuan referring reflected relationship root sexual shen Shū spirit structure Sun Si Miao taiji Tang tián tion traditional Chinese traditional Chinese medicine traditional medicine translation treatment understand understood Western xué YELLOW EMPEROR'S CANON Yi Jing yin and yáng Zhuang Zi
Bibliographic information
| Title | Who Can Ride the Dragon?: An Exploration of the Cultural Roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine |
| Authors | Yu Huan Zhang, Ken Rose |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Paradigm Publications, 1999 |
| ISBN | 0912111593, 9780912111599 |
| Length | 268 pages |
| Subjects | › Medical / Alternative & Complementary Medicine |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |