First published 2016
This translation brings together the ancient Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, compiled in the first or second century A.D., with centuries of Chinese medical commentary. Schell presents 116 medicinal herbs from the original text plus 46 from later additions, drawn from the complete catalog of 365 substances. The work features three distinct sections: superior medicines that prevent illness and promote longevity, standard medicines that cure patients, and inferior toxic medicines that treat disease but carry side effects. Each entry includes the original yin and yang properties, qi and flavor descriptions, plus detailed analysis from three master physicians. Chen Xiuyuan explains herbal attributes through five element theory and Chinese physiology. Zhang Yin'an and Xu Lingtai, whose commentary first appeared in 1736, add layers of interpretation. The book reveals how traditional Chinese medicine categorizes natural substances and demonstrates the reasoning behind specific therapeutic applications, sometimes incorporating the doctrine of signatures.
Genres: alternative-medicine, ancient, asian-american, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, translation
Setting: China
Period: 1st-2nd Century AD, 1736
278 pages · Paperback · Chinese Medicine Database