Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: A New Interpretation

Author: Gao Shizong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-09-01
Features: The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon is the earliest extant medical work in China, a summary of the experience of the ancient Chinese working people in their long-term struggle against life, production, and disease. It is a fundamental part of the great treasure trove of Chinese medicine, and therefore it is also a classic work that we must first inherit its principles and study diligently when researching traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy. The guiding philosophy of this book is "Holistic Movement Theory," which holds that "heaven and earth are one," "the five zang organs are one," and "humans correspond to heaven and earth." It emphasizes that success or failure arises from movement, closely linking humans with the natural world and connecting change with movement. The understanding of human physiology and pathophysiology is based on the "Theory of Zang Xiang," which takes the external manifestations of physiological and pathophysiological activities as the material basis for studying them and directly guides clinical practice. The entire book uses the prevailing ancient philosophical concepts of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements as tools to articulate its understanding and integrate its experience, thereby establishing a complete theoretical system for traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy. For over two thousand years, it has played an extremely important guiding role in the development of traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy, shining with immortal brilliance. In the current era of earnestly exploring the great treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy, especially when seriously studying the basic theories of traditional Chinese medicine, studying it holds even greater practical significance. To elaborate on the academic ideals of The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon and help later generations better read the original text, many scholars throughout the generations have conducted various forms of compilation and annotation on this book, each with unique characteristics, which have played a positive role in the learning and research of The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon by later generations.