A history of Chinese medicine

by Dominique Hoizey

"From the legendary Fire Emperor and his magical whisk, to herbal solutions for the modern population crisis, this is the first Western account of medicine in China from the earliest times to the present day." "The story begins in the myth and legend of the dynasty of 1766-1122 BC. A thousand years pass and the theories of yin and yang and the five elements arrive, bringing with them a basis for the newly developing art. Indeed, so advanced were the country's medical achievements that, by the Tang dynasty (7-10th century AD), China well deserved its title as the 'medical centre of Asia', having had a significant influence on the development of Arab medicine as well." "Drawing on both popular mythology and contemporary literature, Hoizey and Hoizey examine the history of Chinese medicine and describe a wide variety of important areas, including acupuncture, gynaecology, the use of medicinal plants and drugs, and the work of Hua Tuo, a pioneer of anaesthetics in surgery." "Written for th