Foreword i

1. A Brief History of the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1

2. Yin-Yang and the Five Elements 9
The Theory of Yin-Yang (9)
The Theory of the Five Elements (16)
The Relationship between Yin-Yang and the Five Elements (20)

3. The Organs 23
The Zang-Fu Organs (23)
The Extraordinary Fu Organs (33)
A Comparison of the Views of TCM and Western Medicine on the Five Zang Organs (34)

4. Qi, Blood and Body Fluids 39
Qi (39)
Blood (41)
Body Fluids (42)
Appendix: Modern Interpretation of the "Blood Stasis" Syndrome (44)

5. Causes of Disease 47
Exogenous Factors (48)
Endogenous Factors (52)

6. Methods of Diagnosis and Differentiation of Syndromes 57
The Four Diagnostic Methods (57)
Differentiation of Syndromes according to the Eight Principles (69)
Differentiation of Syndromes according to the Theory of the Six Meridians (77)
Differentiation of Syndromes according to the Theory of Wei, Qi, Ying and Xue (80)
Differentiation of Syndromes according to the Theory of the Zang-fu Organs (81)
Conclusion (89)

7. Principles of Treatment and Prescription 91
Strategy for the Definitive Treatment of Disease (91)
Dosage (93)
The Physical Constitution of the Patient (94)
Guidelines of Treatment for Deficiency and Excess (95)
Recent Research Concerning the Principles of Treatment (100)
The Practice of Prescription (103)
Types of Preparations (104)

8. Traditional Chinese Herbs 107
The Nomenclature of Traditional Chinese Herbs (107)
The Processing of Chinese Medicine (110)
The Properties of Chinese Drugs (115)
The Combined Use of Chinese Medicines (116)
Contraindications of Drugs (117)
Methods of Decoction and Taking Herbal Medicine (119)
Some Common Drugs in TCM (121)

9. Acupuncture and Moxibustion 157
Meridians (157)
The Development of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (161)
The Application of Acupuncture (164)
Acupoints (165)
Routes of the Fourteen Channe's and the Acupoints (168)
Needling (192)
The Cupping Method (195)
Ear Acupuncture (198)
Hydro-Acupuncture (210)
Contraindications for Acupuncture and Moxibustion (214)
Appendix: Modern Research on the Mechanism of Acupuncture Analgesia (216)

10. Tui-na Therapy 219
Basic Manipulations (219)
Precautions of Tui-na (227)
Indications and Contraindications (228)

11. Qigong Therapy 229
The Training of Qi (230)
The Training of the Mind (231)
The Qigong Methods (233)
Precautions of Qigong Practice (241)
Indications and Contraindications (242)
The Mechanism of Qigong (243)