For anyone seriously interested in learning about Chinese medicine, Beinfield and Korngold provide a comprehensive, though technical, look at it. The book is divided into three parts: theory; the psychology of Chinese medicine and therapy; and such treatment methods as acupuncture, herbs and diet. The authors stress that the models of Eastern and Western medicine are significantly different. Consequently, so are methods, emphases and outcomes. Chinese medicine, they claim, readjusts the body’s balance and enhances self-healing–while Western medicine, in contrast, stresses suppressing and eliminating pathological phenomena, and crisis-intervention. The authors provide an extensive, cross-referenced compendium of herb names, as well as information on using Chinese patent medicines and formulas for general health problems. Combining Eastern traditions with Western sensibilities in a unique blend that is relevant today, this book presents a comprehensive, yet understandable guide to this ancient system. This book opens the door to a vast storehouse of knowledge that bridges the gap between mind and body, theory and practice, professional and self-care, East and West.

Authors: Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold
Publishers: Ballantine Books
Date of Publication: 1992
No. of pages: 432