This section contains various essays related to the clinical practice of Chinese medicine.
Classical Dosages: Pandora’s Box
Many practitioners have a desire to practice Chinese medicine in a manner that is congruent with what has been done in the past. That is, many prefer formulas that are time-tested. The formulas from the Discussion of Cold Damage (Shang Han Lun), written around 1800 years ago, often fall into this category because not only do they form the foundation of herbalism as we know it, but they are [...]
Gan Mao Ling & Studying the Classics
Another Perspective: Studying the Classics For A Firm Foundation [...]
Antivirals treat cold and flu?
Issues in Using Antiviral Medicinals in the Treatment and Prevention of the Common Cold and Flu (Gan Mao) by Jason Blalack Originally published in the Chinese Medicine Times (Summer, 2011) Introduction There is a current trend for Chinese [...]
Irritability / vexation (烦 fan) – Shang Han Lun
A brief look at the term irritability / vexation(烦 fan) through the lens of the Discussion of Cold Damage (Shang Han Lun) by: Jason Blalack In Chinese medicine, our understanding of technical terms shapes our clinical picture and ultimately how we treat. One such term that recently peaked my interest was the term 烦 (fan), translated as vexation (Wiseman) or irritability (Eastland Press). [...]
Site Update + Recent Posts
Update: As a few people informed me, there was some problems with the twitter & RSS feed notification system, however I think it has been resolved. Furthermore, while finishing up the final stages of my book I have had little time to post, so for those that actually may have checked the website recently, I apologize for the lack of activity. However, at the moment I have more time and will [...]
A restructuring of Warm Disease names (QBW)
By: Qin Bo-Wei
By: Qin Bo-Wei Translated By: Jason Blalack The names in the warm disease current are extremely complicated. Besides the name, warm disease itself, there is wind-warmth, spring-warmth, [...]
Lurking Pathogens (Qin Bo-Wei)
This essay on lurking pathogens (also referred to as lingering, hidden, deep-lying, or latent pathogens) is particularly relevant in today's era, where we have students and practitioners using the term to describe all [...]
Cold Damage vs. Warm Disease (QBW)
By Qin Bo-W
ei (秦伯未)
This small essay in taken from Qin Bo-Wei's larger Warm Disease thesis that was written in 1963. This essay was published in
READ MORE
Understanding Case Records Pt. 2
A Touch of Ling: Learning from ancient case records

This article originally appeared in The Lantern, Volume 7, No.3 [...]
Understanding Case Records Pt. 1
Further thoughts on understanding Ye Tian-Shi's case records.
By: Jason Blalack
Ye Tian-Shi is quite arguably one of the most important clinicians in Chinese [...]
Herbs & the Eight Extraordinary Vessels
By: Charles Chace
The first systematic discussion of the extraordinary vessels in Chinese herbal medicine appears in Li Shizhen’s 李時珍Exposition on the Eight Extraordinary Vessels (Qijing bamai Kao 奇經八脈考, circa, 1576).In our forthcoming translation and commentary on this text, Exposition on the Extraordinary Vessels, Acupuncture, Alchemy and Herbal Medicine, [...]
Ye Tian-Shi on Vacuity Detriment
A Model for a Mode of Inquiry in Chinese Medicine
By: Bob Damone
According to Wiseman and Feng (1998), Vacuity Detriment (xū sǔn虚损) is "any form of severe chronic insufficiency of yīn-yáng, qì-blood, and bowels and viscera arising through internal damage by the seven affects, taxation fatigue, diet, [...]
Ye Tian-Shi & the Eight Extraordinary Channels
Essentials of Warm disease

Of all the diseases under heaven, which is more [prevalent] than warm disease?" - Wen Bing Tiao Bian
By: Qin Bo-Wei
Introduction by Jason Blalack:
Although [...]
Understanding Ye Tian Shi’s Cases
Charles Chace recently brought this following passage to my attention. We both found it interesting in helping to understand Ye Tian-Shi's case studies and putting into context the shorthand style that his cases are presented in. It is an excerpt from Thinking with Cases -- [...]
Guizhi mahuang ge ban tang & guizhi er mahuang yi tang
Translated by: Sharon Weizenbaum
(thanks Sharon for the translation of this piece plus that following cases)
Gui Zhi Ma Huang Ge Ban Tang
- Gui Zhi (1 liang + 16 zhu)4 grams
- Sheng Jiang (1 liang)3 [...]
Xu Shu-Wei – Shang Han Lun
Xu Shu-Wei : Discourses on the Shang Han Lun
By Steven Clavey
(Thanks Steve for this introduction and the case studies [...]