The Historical Evolution of Pulse DiagnosisApril 18th, 2012 9:44pm - Posted By: Eric Brand and Feng Ye
By Eric Brand Evaluation of the pulse has been one of the most important aspects of Chinese medical diagnosis throughout history. From ancient times until the modern day, the pulse has been regarded as Chinese medicine’s most comprehensive diagnostic indicator. Experienced practitioners claim that they can detect ovulation, pregnancy, and common colds in their regular patients; some even claim to be able to pinpoint a new patient’s chief complaint by the pulse alone. Although many Westerners find the intricate assessment of the pulse to be one of the most intriguing features of Chinese medicine, most of us are largely unaware of the historical influences that have shaped our modern understanding of pulse diagnosis.Pulse diagnosis as we know it today is very different than it was at its inception. In the modern age, practitioners rely exclusively upon the radial artery when evaluating the pulse. ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 1 Comment(s) | Rating: 5 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +How much is in a qian?April 9th, 2012 12:09pm - Posted By: Eric Brand
by Eric Brand, L.Ac. The question of weights and measurements in Chinese medicine is complicated, and I never cease to be amazed at how few people are even aware of the complex issues around the qian. Most practitioners generally equate one Chinese qian to three grams, and we express the dose range of many common medicinals as 3-9 grams. (This dose range is based on the traditional 1-3 qian). However, the weight of one qian has varied throughout history, and most people are stunned to hear that the 3-9 gram dose ranges that we take for granted are more closely rounded to 4-11 grams in places that still use qian measurements, such as pharmacies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Western Chinatowns. Why all the confusion? As many practitioners know, Qin Shi-huang, the first Chinese Emperor, united Chinese culture by systematizing weights, measures, and written Chines ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google + |
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