Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text
Friday, February 26th, 2010 at
1:57 pm
Product Description
Compiled by the faculty of one of China’s leading schools of traditional medicine, Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text is among the most authoritative textbooks and reference sources in its field. Since its translation into English in 1981, it has become a standard text used throughout the world. Included are descriptions of more than a thousand acupuncture points, hundreds of prescriptions (both ancient and modern) for the treatment of numerous diseases, and deta… More >>
Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text
Tagged with: Acupuncture • Comprehensive • Text
Filed under: Acupuncture Depression
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This is a detailed and comprehensive work, with a great deal of useful information despite it’s 1981 copyright. However, the organization of meridians and points is a bit chaotic, as the authors have attempted to create a “functional clinical” model of point selection and location. The meridians and points are divided by body region, “common” points, extra points and points of “rare” usage. Unless you subscribe to the same 150 common points as the authors, you will have to search around a bit. The indices do help in that regard.
The individual point descriptions are among some of the best I’ve seen. The meridian charts are the cheap Chinese type, form a lump in the middle of the book and are better supplemented with other sources. I can’t say I refer to this text much, but when I do it’s very useful.
Rating: 3 / 5
What does the 1981 copyright have to do with anything? The book has stood the test of time. I’ve had my copy since 1984 and still refer to it regularly. Some don’t like the book because it covers the acupoints by anatomical region. Point descriptions include traditional location descriptions, precise anatomical locations, traditional functions, indications, illustrative combinations, classical combinations, needling method plus additional remarks.
There are separate sections on ear acupuncture, surgical techniques, needling methods in the Nan Jing (Classic of Difficulties), a concise theory and diagnosis section. Of note, the index has the main pages for each acupoint in bold to set them apart from other references, a perhaps small but important indication of the thought that went into the layout of the book. If I had to have only one book on acupuncture, this would be it. Fact is, with all of its 741 pages, this book is the bible, at least in English!
Rating: 5 / 5
This book got short shrift in our education even though we bought in in the first year or two.
It is essential for its coverage of auricular and scalp acupuncture (not to mention other imaging styles such as “nose acupuncture”). It also has a slightly different view of channel pathology symptoms from “Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion” (CAM) or “Foundations of Chinese Medicine.”
The way they organize the body points (by regions of the body and commonality of usage), however, is too counter-intuitive to be useful in practice.
In fact, I think that Deadman’s Manual of Acupuncture would make a much better body point reference than Shanghai, CAM, or Foundations… Deadman’s book is entirely based on the classics and cites its sources.
They really should put out a new edition of Shanghai with better body point organization.
But, for the student and practitioner, this is a gem.
Rating: 4 / 5
This book is great for a “overall review”.
Do not use this book alone however, I would use it WITH the required books from school.
Like most books, 70-80% of the book is the same/similar to the others, however that 20%+ can make a difference and sometimes even help you “click” and understand a concept or lesson.
Good luck!
Rating: 4 / 5