Pharmacopoeia Colloquial Explanation (Second Edition) (Series of Colloquial Explanations of TCM Songs and Rhymes)

Author: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: Pharmacopeia in Rhyme, the original book did not indicate the author, and it is estimated to be a work from the Jin and Yuan dynasties. It was an introductory book for beginners in traditional Chinese medicine learning about medicinal herbs. The book categorizes 248 commonly used medicinal herbs into four types based on their properties: cold, hot, warm, and neutral, written in rhyming prose. The language is concise and profound, easy to recite and remember. Especially, its summary of medicinal properties is insightful. Once it is memorized, it is beneficial for a lifetime and has been favored by readers of all generations, passed down to this day, and remains enduringly popular. Due to the original book being written in rhyming prose, the language was overly simplistic, making it difficult to grasp deeply. In the 1960s, we wrote and published Pharmacopeia in Rhyme: A Colloquial Explanation. This book was immediately well-received by readers and has been reprinted 22 times, ranking among the best-selling books for many years. With the development of traditional Chinese medicine, one edition could no longer meet the needs of modern readers. Therefore, the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine revised this book for a second edition, making the content richer and more practical. In addition to the "Colloquial Explanation," it includes modern dosages and usage, compatibility applications, formulas, precautions, and annotations. These annotations elaborate on differences in usage based on different sources of herbs, processing methods, pharmacological subtleties, and functional comparisons. By thoroughly studying this book, readers can lay a solid foundation in understanding the properties of medicinal herbs and benefit from it for a lifetime.