Todd's comments on new monographs

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In order for work in chinese medical literature to gain wide acceptance

amongst the community of chinese practitioners and americans who put

similar stock in the classical written tradition, I think it is necessary

that at

least one member of an editorial team have access to chinese sources.

 

This sounds great to me, anybody out there with access to extensive Chinese

sources want to help out? I would be more than happy to have the input.

 

 

An

american work that describes western herbs already present in the chinese

tradition without extensive consultation with chinese sources would be

unacceptable to me.

 

There are very few monographs in my book that will be found in Chinese

sources, unless they have taken a keen interests in Western herbs that I am

unaware of, which is entirely possible :-}.

 

 

With all due respect to others who taken on this endeavor in the past, I do

not

believe their books have ultimately had much impact on TCM itself and I

believe it is because what I consider such a fundamental issue has been

overlooked.

 

Frankly, there is nothing like what I have done! There are only four books

that I am aware of that have even tried something like this, but none of

them have taken it to a place that is purely Chinese. The most recent book

published is a travesty. With all due respect to the author who is a

respected author and teacher, I and so many others I have talked to find it

" way off the mark " . The two volume set that is available is NOT based of

the energetics of herbs from the Chinese perspective, rather a combining of

older Western ideas, Chinese ideas, and the authors whimsy. The materia

medica is nearly devoid of coherence and has students confused before they

even start. I think that is enough bashing, I wrote this book because it is

my passion. My first long term teacher was Michael Tierra and his book was a

starting point for me, but I felt like it was merely a primer and needed to

be fleshed out. So, ten years ago I started making notes and writing monogra

phs, which I have edited and changed over that time to come to this place. I

truly hope that it is well received and has a lasting impact on the way

Chinese herbal medicine is practiced.

 

I just

believe all new information in TCM is always deeply grounded in what came

before.

 

agreed!

 

I would like to see your book written with editorial footnotes about

herbs for which you differ from TCM. For example, noting how and why you

differed from the thong yak ad chi dean, etc. That would be truly a work of

some import.

 

Send me the book and I'll make the footnotes, gladly. Or as stated above, if

there is someone who wants to I'll gladly accept the help.

 

 

Sincerely,

thomas

P.S. Perhaps I should take zhi zip as my herb name, bitter and beautiful :-}

 

 

Chinese Herbology and Acupuncture

acupuncture and herbal information

 

 

 

" Knowing nothing, you will be aware of everything. "

Lao Tzu