Chinese Herbal Medicine

by Daniel Reid

Over a span of 5,000 years, China has established the world's most extensive pharmacopoeia of medicinal herbs. Through empirical knowledge of nature, practical application, and gradual reasoning based on experience, a system of herbal medicine has evolved that is as highly developed as Western medicinal science. Chinese herbal medicine is a subject surprisingly neglected in current literature. The highly illustrated Chinese Herbal Medicine fills this void, providing the general reader with insight into one of the world's most complex and little-known sciences. It examines the natural flora and fauna on which herbal medicine is based and explains the philosophy that propelled its development. Describing the art and practice of herbal medicine as applied today, it also highlights the potential to combine modern Western diagnosis, and traditional Chinese treatment to form a complete and effective system for both preventative and curative medicine. Chinese Herbal Medicine is based on research provided by contemporary experts, among them Dr. Huang Powen, an herbal physician and acupuncturist, and Dr. Hong Yixiang, a kung fu master and licensed herbal doctor, both based in Taiwan. The text includes a color-illustrated list of 200 major herbs detailing their use, and provides herbal recipes for some common ailments.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

180 pages, Paperback

First published February 12, 1987

About the author

Daniel Reid was born in 1948 in San Francisco and spent his childhood in East Africa. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley in 1970, and a Masters of Arts degree in Chinese Language and Civilization at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 1973, Reid moved to Taiwan, where he spent 16 years studying and writing about various aspects of traditional Chinese culture, focusing particularly on Chinese medicine and ancient Taoist health and longevity systems. In 1989, he relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he continued his research and writing until 1999, when he immigrated with his wife Snow to the Byron Bay region of Australia, where he now makes his home.

Reviews

[Marisa Bantjes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book introducing and explaining the basic principles of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, its history, present and future. Daniel Reid describes the art and practice of Chinese herbal medicine as it is used today and also tries to impress upon us the potential of combining Chinese herbal medical treatment with modern Western technology to achieve a more effective medical system. I lived in China for many years and experienced for myself this best-of-both-worlds combination. I love the way Traditional Chinese Medicine does not only seek to remove the symptoms of an illness, but seeks to find the cause of the illness and restore balance and health by dealing with the root of the problem. I also love the wisdom of nurturing life and health through proper living habits, diet and exercise, and how the ancient Chinese already understood this. There is so much we can do ourselves to remain healthy. The book includes a large illustrated section called the Herbal Companion introducing individual herbs and other items used in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine explaining how they are used. Very nice!

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as much information on each herb as I'd like. That being said, this above average in herbal scope and details

[Ann]

Chinese Herbal Medicine by D. Reid @ 1986, ISBN: 0877733988, PB, SHS, 9/2015

[Dion Yulianto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saya mengedit versi Indonesia dari buku ini. Isinya cukup lengkap, pemaparan dan diskripsinya juga cukup mendetail mengulas mengenai praktik2 pengobatan China, yang intinya "mengobati dan menyembuhkan organ yang sakit" dan bukannya membasmi organisme yg menyebabkan penyakit ini muncul. Bahwa mencegah itu lebih baik daripada mengobati juga dipaparkan dengan panjang lebar, apalagi ada konsep bantal rempah dimana bantal diisi denga daun/ramuan herbal yang dikeringkan, lalu dipakai sebagai alas tidur. Panas tubuh akan memanaskan herbal di dalam bantal dan kemudian aroma yg keluar akan terhirup sata kita tidur. Yuk dibeli bukunya bagus lhoo hahaha

[Anna]

I really enjoy the sections where you can use medicines from the spice rack. It is a good reference tool.