Shang Han Lun
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Shaoyin – Keeper of Mysteries of the Universe
A key to understanding Chinese medicine lies in the foundational concept of the human body as a microcosm of the universe. This correspondence between cosmic forces and human anatomy and physiology is articulated in a beautiful passage of the Neijing, Lingshu chapter 71: Heaven is round, the earth is square. Man’s head is round, his…
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Out With the Old, In With the New: The Properties of Da Huang and Mang Xiao
In the Shennong Bencao Jing, the foundational ancient Chinese materia medica, three herbs are credited with the profound function of “removing the old to bring about the new” (推陳致新). While the logic behind this function is seemingly simple, its implications, both physiological and emotional, are often overlooked. When there is accumulation or obstruction, movement cannot…
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Li Zhong Wan – Strength for Rising after a Bad Fall
Rehabilitation can be a complicated and often lengthy journey. It involves addressing not only the physical challenges—such as tissue damage, compromised physiological functions, lingering effects of injury, trauma, surgery, or debilitating illness—but also the emotional components that accompany these experiences. These emotional aspects are crucial to the healing process and can significantly influence outcomes. The…
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Overcoming life’s challenges with a little help from chai hu
Chai Hu is a commonly used herb, associated with febrile diseases as well as with mental and physical manifestations of liver qi stagnation. Its classical description and uses reveal insights into its broad scope of its actions, offering guidance for the proper ways to use it. According to the Shen Nong Bencao Jing: Chai Hu…
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Tao He Cheng Qi Tang: The Mind-Body Connection
We often speak of blood stagnation in terms of physical obstructions, circulatory problems and damaged tissue. We often speak of the tai yang conformation in terms of external pathogens that need to be expelled from the body using sweating as the main treatment strategy. So why are formulas that treat blood stagnation mentioned in relation…
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The Force of Harmony – Gui Zhi Tang
Gui Zhi Tang is the first formula described in the Shanghan Lun, and the most diverse. It is repeatedly mentioned in the text in relation to different clinical applications. It is often associated with the tai yang classification of disease, linking it to diseases of external pathogenic wind manifesting in fever, chills, body aches and…
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Important Perspectives on Heat through the Analysis of Zhi Zi Chi Tang
The formula zhi zi chi tang is a small formula that treats a broad spectrum of conditions. It is indicated for “formless heat” which is lodged in the chest, constricting the movement of blood and qi in the upper burner. Indications Conditions it can treat can be categorized into three main groups: 1. Inflammatory Diseases…
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The many pathways of water – a guide to Wu Ling San and the Ling-Gui formulas
The combination of the 2 herbs fu ling and gui zhi appears in several formulas in the Shanghan Lun and in the Jingui Yaolue. This combination functions to stimulate fluid circulation and urination in case of fluid retention. Gui zhi is an important herb of the Tai Yang conformation, with the action of stimulating movement…
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What are the 6 Classifications of Disease?
The 6 classifications of disease of the Shanghan Lun are composed of 3 Yin 3 Yang1, each mentioned by name in correlation to certain disease characteristics and specific therapeutic methods. For example in line 1 there is the outline of a Tai Yang pathology: “In disease of Tai Yang, the pulse is floating, the head…
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Wu Mei Wan – A Formula Analysis and Clinical Evaluation
In this text, it is my aim to highlight my own experiences with the classical Shang Han Lun formula Wu Mei Wan in clinical practice. The idea came up during an e-mail conversation between Hila Yaffe and myself, where we were discussing the usage and modifications of this formula in detail. After some mailing back…