Tasty Talks (Food Therapy Volume): Book spine or cover has flaws

Author: Chen Cunren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: This is a classic work on food therapy and health preservation. The author, Chen Cunren, was a disciple of the renowned scholar Zhang Taiyan and the famous traditional Chinese medicine practitioners Ding Ganren and Ding Zhongying. It is a comprehensive guide to food therapy and nourishment by a celebrated old TCM practitioner, serialized in Hong Kong's "Xingdao Evening News" for seventeen years.
Chen Cunren, a highly esteemed old TCM practitioner in Shanghai and Hong Kong during the 1930s and 1940s, was also a disciple of the great scholar Zhang Taiyan. In his later years, he wrote books that combined medical theory, culinary arts, and cultural anecdotes, making them quite remarkable. This book is a collection of his columns titled "Delicious Talks" in Hong Kong's "Xingdao Evening News."
With solid knowledge of TCM and extensive clinical experience, Chen Cunren explained the properties of various ingredients in simple language, supplemented by fascinating anecdotes. It is a dietary guide that blends knowledge and entertainment. "Delicious Talks" was a column created by Chen Cunren, a distinguished TCM expert and seasoned writer, in the "Xingdao Evening News" during the 1930s and 1940s, renowned in both Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Leveraging his profound TCM theory, rich clinical practice, and extensive social experience, Chen Cunren meticulously described the edible methods, medicinal effects, and related historical legends and anecdotes of over 130 vegetables, fruits, and traditional Chinese medicinal materials, as well as more than 40 types of meat, poultry, and aquatic products. His writing is well-researched, insightful, and engaging, making it a comprehensive guide to food therapy and nourishment.
The book also includes effective folk remedies for ten common diseases, collected from ancient and modern traditions. It not only helps readers understand the medicinal value of various foods but also enables practical application for health and wellness. The "Delicious Talks" series is divided into three volumes: "Vegetarian Volume," "Meat Volume," and "Food Therapy Volume." This book is the "Food Therapy Volume."
Chinese dietary and culinary methods are world-renowned, representing the pinnacle of Chinese living culture. The use of food for health preservation and treatment has a history even more profound, dating back to the Zhou Dynasty, when the position of "Food Therapy Physician" was established. This official's duty was to guide the court and the public in food therapy methods. During the Tang Dynasty, Meng Xin wrote "Food Therapy Herbal," a book that also served as a guide to dietary therapy. Unfortunately, the entire book is lost, with only fragments preserved in "Compendium of Materia Medica." To this day, the Chinese people often inquire about the "benefits" or "disadvantages" of foods, showing their long-standing understanding of this philosophy.
—Chen Cunren
Chen Cunren was a prolific writer, primarily on medical topics, with an exception being the "Delicious Talks" series. During the 1930s and 1940s, he wrote a column titled "Delicious Talks" in Hong Kong's "Xingdao Evening News," which this series collects. With his solid TCM knowledge and clinical experience, Chen Cunren explained the properties of various ingredients in simple language, complemented by intriguing anecdotes, creating a dietary guide that combines knowledge and entertainment. The series is divided into three volumes: "Vegetarian Volume," "Meat Volume," and "Food Therapy Volume."
The key principles of Chinese health-preserving foods are threefold: affordability, ease of production, and proven efficacy. For thousands of years, these foods have sustained the lives of the Chinese people. The inexpensive foods favored by the Chinese are often the most nutritious. For example, greens, a beloved staple across the nation, are highly revered in historical recipes. The vegetables and traditional Chinese medicinal materials mentioned in this volume are commonly found in daily life, guiding us to better utilize vegetarian diets for health preservation.