Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen: Nature, Knowledge, Imagery in an Ancient Chinese Medical Text
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By: Paul U. Unschuld
Format: Hardcover
From: University of California Press
Pub. Date: March 2003
From: University of California Press
Pub. Date: March 2003
Product Details:
Catalog: Book
Release Date: 2003-04-08
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 536
Ean: 9780520233225
Isbn: 0520233220
Catalog: Book
Release Date: 2003-04-08
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 536
Ean: 9780520233225
Isbn: 0520233220
ABOUT THE BOOK
EDITORIAL REVIEW
The Huang Di nei jing su wen, known familiarly as the Su wen, is a seminal text of ancient Chinese medicine, yet until now there has been no comprehensive, detailed analysis of its development and contents. At last Paul U. Unschuld offers entry into this still-vital artifact of China's cultural and intellectual past.
Unschuld traces the history of the Su wen to its origins in the final centuries B.C.E., when numerous authors wrote short medical essays to explain the foundations of human health and illness on the basis of the newly developed vessel theory. He examines the meaning of the title and the way the work has been received throughout Chinese medical history, both before and after the eleventh century when the text as it is known today emerged. Unschuld's survey of the contents includes illuminating discussions of the yin-yang and five-agents doctrines, the perception of the human body and its organs, qi and blood, pathogenic agents, concepts of disease and diagnosis, and a variety of therapies, including the new technique of acupuncture. An extensive appendix, furthermore, offers a detailed introduction to the complicated climatological theories of Wu yun liu qi ("five periods and six qi"), which were added to the Su wen by Wang Bing in the Tang era.
In an epilogue, Unschuld writes about the break with tradition and innovative style of thought represented by the Su wen. For the first time, health care took the form of "medicine," in that it focused on environmental conditions, climatic agents, and behavior as causal in the emergence of disease and on the importance of natural laws in explaining illness. Unschuld points out that much of what we surmise about the human organism is simply a projection, reflecting dominant values and social goals, and he constructs a hypothesis to explain the formation and acceptance of basic notions of health and disease in a given society. Reading the Su wen, he says, not only offers a better understanding of the roots of Chinese medicine as an integrated aspect of Chinese civilization; it also provides a much needed starting point for discussions of the differences and parallels between European and Chinese ways of dealing with illness and the risk of early death.
Unschuld traces the history of the Su wen to its origins in the final centuries B.C.E., when numerous authors wrote short medical essays to explain the foundations of human health and illness on the basis of the newly developed vessel theory. He examines the meaning of the title and the way the work has been received throughout Chinese medical history, both before and after the eleventh century when the text as it is known today emerged. Unschuld's survey of the contents includes illuminating discussions of the yin-yang and five-agents doctrines, the perception of the human body and its organs, qi and blood, pathogenic agents, concepts of disease and diagnosis, and a variety of therapies, including the new technique of acupuncture. An extensive appendix, furthermore, offers a detailed introduction to the complicated climatological theories of Wu yun liu qi ("five periods and six qi"), which were added to the Su wen by Wang Bing in the Tang era.
In an epilogue, Unschuld writes about the break with tradition and innovative style of thought represented by the Su wen. For the first time, health care took the form of "medicine," in that it focused on environmental conditions, climatic agents, and behavior as causal in the emergence of disease and on the importance of natural laws in explaining illness. Unschuld points out that much of what we surmise about the human organism is simply a projection, reflecting dominant values and social goals, and he constructs a hypothesis to explain the formation and acceptance of basic notions of health and disease in a given society. Reading the Su wen, he says, not only offers a better understanding of the roots of Chinese medicine as an integrated aspect of Chinese civilization; it also provides a much needed starting point for discussions of the differences and parallels between European and Chinese ways of dealing with illness and the risk of early death.
USER REVIEWS
"While I love the fact that this is a book actually written for fully literate adults and is also more or less properly edited - unfortunately still uncommon in English language TCM literature - this book is not for clinicians. This book is a continuation of Unschld's career-long attempt to interpret TCM in terms of Western sociology and anthropology. Something not entirely unwelcome if that's the sort of thing you're into, but if you're someone trying to make sense of the Suwen in order to actually use it, look elsewhere. He thinks TCM is a quaint and outdated relic, and only useful insofar as it gives clues about the worldviews of those involved in it. This book is also not for those interested in learning how the Suwen is traditionally interpreted. He doesn't even deign to refer to how TCM traditionally interprets particular passages. Strangely, Unschuld has somehow created a world in which TCM is irrelevant to itself."
~ Written on 2008-02-17
~ Written on 2008-02-17
"Unschuld is a scholar, a genuine translator that doesn't leave much to the imagination. His understanding of the cultural contexts (as there are many) in which TCM grew are un-matched in terms of written text. Get his books, if not for the honest look he takes at TCM, but for the fact that his works are the bread and butter of TCM. The gross ignorance of the classics among so called "Doctors of TCM" in the western world is amazing. Don't guess about TCM, either learn to read Chinese or get good translations of the classics. Not pocket translations at a American grade five reading level. If we expect people to view us as Doctors, we should study like one.
If your professors don't quote the classics, they don't understand TCM. If you haven't read them you're really limiting your potential."
~ Written on 2006-05-30
If your professors don't quote the classics, they don't understand TCM. If you haven't read them you're really limiting your potential."
~ Written on 2006-05-30
"This book is a milestone for those of us who wish to understand Chinese medicine. As others have noted, this is not a translation of the Su Wen, but a thorough commentary. I consider it a necessary introduction before attempting to read the translation. Once Unschuld's translation is released, I will feel more prepared to grasp the meaning behind the text. Unschuld is an expert in this field and I'm not sure what a previous reviewer meant by self appointed. I think his experience, education, previous works, and position as director of his academic department speak for themselves! If you wish to go deeper into your understanding of the medicine, buy this book!"
~ Written on 2006-03-12
~ Written on 2006-03-12
"Robert Feld is welcome to embrace Unschuld's highly scholarly, hard to read, disjointed text. My primary point is that this is NOT the Nei Jing, it is not the text, it is not readable as such, and it is not a guide for would-be doctors interested in practicing based on Nei Jing. That much should be more clear in the description of the book, but it is not. It should be called "Essays on Nei Jing."
As for feeling buised over a lack of 'modern' solutions, something I never mentioned, or an under-esteemed 'holism'--the main point is that the original holistic theory is obscured behind the great many errors in the Nei Jing.
This is in fact a late stage text, not a nacent one, the assumptions of scholars aside. References to Mawangdui texts as the beginning are themselves fallacious. The origin of the system, and its holism, are deeper, older, and not contradictory like the Nei Jing essays. They reflect a holistic system of knowledge heavily obscured in the late-stage texts we (and all of Chinese history) received.
So, the 'scoffing.' Those who find Unschuld's tone abrasive, and we are many, will use this term to refer to the haughty modern scholarly quality that exudes from the pages; the debunker's knife, if you will. Though modern knowledge advances through dividing and studying the parts, there are other methods of studying nature, and certainly these ideas were not fabricated in a modern-worldview workshop. They were not put together in pieces, and animated by the fuel of superstition, as Unschuld often makes it seem.
I look forward to Unschuld's further works, including the forthcoming full translation of the text, and any ideas he has about the relative age of the various essays. Following a path of 'dividing instead of lumping,' they are not that dear to my heart, just to my mind. But what else are scholars to do? The elephant is not known to those who feel a wall under their hand."
~ Written on 2003-10-04
As for feeling buised over a lack of 'modern' solutions, something I never mentioned, or an under-esteemed 'holism'--the main point is that the original holistic theory is obscured behind the great many errors in the Nei Jing.
This is in fact a late stage text, not a nacent one, the assumptions of scholars aside. References to Mawangdui texts as the beginning are themselves fallacious. The origin of the system, and its holism, are deeper, older, and not contradictory like the Nei Jing essays. They reflect a holistic system of knowledge heavily obscured in the late-stage texts we (and all of Chinese history) received.
So, the 'scoffing.' Those who find Unschuld's tone abrasive, and we are many, will use this term to refer to the haughty modern scholarly quality that exudes from the pages; the debunker's knife, if you will. Though modern knowledge advances through dividing and studying the parts, there are other methods of studying nature, and certainly these ideas were not fabricated in a modern-worldview workshop. They were not put together in pieces, and animated by the fuel of superstition, as Unschuld often makes it seem.
I look forward to Unschuld's further works, including the forthcoming full translation of the text, and any ideas he has about the relative age of the various essays. Following a path of 'dividing instead of lumping,' they are not that dear to my heart, just to my mind. But what else are scholars to do? The elephant is not known to those who feel a wall under their hand."
~ Written on 2003-10-04
"Unschuld is thorough and thought-provoking. I will read the Suwen a little differently now, after reading Unschuld's book.
I don't agree with every conclusion the author makes, but I love mulling over the issues he brings up.
Yes, this book is scholarly, and you may need a dictionary here and there. But is that a bad thing?
It is not for someone who just wants to practice in blissful ignorance. It is not for a beginning student. It is not for someone who wants to mystify Chinese medicine.
It is for those who want to find deeper ways of looking at our medicine, and for those who like a little challenge to their own way of thinking. I will happily pre-order any book Unschuld writes."
~ Written on 2003-08-07
I don't agree with every conclusion the author makes, but I love mulling over the issues he brings up.
Yes, this book is scholarly, and you may need a dictionary here and there. But is that a bad thing?
It is not for someone who just wants to practice in blissful ignorance. It is not for a beginning student. It is not for someone who wants to mystify Chinese medicine.
It is for those who want to find deeper ways of looking at our medicine, and for those who like a little challenge to their own way of thinking. I will happily pre-order any book Unschuld writes."
~ Written on 2003-08-07