Encounters With Qi: Exploring Chinese Medicine PDF

Rating: (5 reviews) Author: David Eisenberg ISBN : 9780224023658 New from Format: PDF

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Eisenberg, a clinical research fellow at Harvard, has had several singular opportunities to observe Chinese medical practices, most notably as the first American medical exchange-student there. In this personal narrative, he introduces practitioners of acupuncture and herbalism, a blind itinerant masseur, psychic children, and master healers who perform incredible feats through the direction of Qi , the vital energy at the core of Chinese medical philosophy. Eisenberg has a keen eye for cultural differences and acknowledges the shortcomings of both ancient Chinese practices and Western allopathic medicine; he sees great potential in the merger of the two. For general and holistic health collections. Judith Eannarino, George Washington Univ. Lib., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“No other firsthand account so vividly reveals . . . the puzzles and promises of traditional Chinese medicine.” (H. Jack Geiger, M.D., City University of New York Medical School)

“The most honest account of China's medicine to appear in a long time.” (Ted Kaptchuk, author of The Web That Has No Weaver)

“Vivid—highly readable.” (New York Times Book Review) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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• Product Details
• Table of Contents
• Reviews

• Hardcover: 254 pages
• Publisher: Jonathan Cape (May 15, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0224023659
• ISBN-13: 978-0224023658
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces

Encounters With Qi: Exploring Chinese Medicine PDF

I really enjoyed reading this author's experiences as a medical student on exchange to the People's Republic of China in 1978-1980. He was the first Westerner to study at the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing, and he was eager to try to reconcile the medical practices of ancient traditions with Western medicine. That meant learning about acupuncture and herbal remedies, and most of all, it meant learning about the mysterious energy called "qi" (or often spelled "chi").

The concept of qi is best known in the West as the foundation of the martial arts. The amazing strength of martial art practitioners, who can break a board with a chop of their hand, is attributed to qi. I have been taking instructions in Tai Chi for almost a year, and I've learned that the ultimate goal of Tai Chi is to control and direct the qi within the body. Most of us practice it as a form of exercise, but to the Chinese, it is much more than that.

But does qi really exist? It has no place in Western medical practice, but is essential to the practice of traditional medicine in China. The author found that the two types of medical practice existed side by side in China, and had little intercourse with one another. The way each went about dealing with patients was completely different. In the traditional clinics, diagnosis was made by taking the pulse (an extensive examination of the arm, with multiple readings) and examination of the tongue. The practitioner also asked for a detailed account of symptoms. Based on these, he prescribed a custom blending of herbs and ingredients that would be mixed by experts in the pharmacy.

Many conditions were treated with acupuncture.