Best of Traditional Chinese Medicine

In conclusion, over the past 40 years, traditional medicine in China has come a long way. Not only have many historical achievements been confirmed by modern science, but considerable development has also been made. This branch of medicine is sure to make more contributions to the ftiture health of humankind.

In preparing this book, the author concentrated primarily on the exposition of general medical theories and principles of treatment. Clinical approaches and illustrations are also provided. The data cited were obtained in controlled studies under scientific conditions. The title, therefore, "Best of Traditional Chinese Medicine" means not only excellent, but also the best researched.

Though some terms in traditional Chinese medicine are the same as those in Western medicine, they may mean quite different things. There is, for example, a marked distinction in the conception of the structure and functions of the visceral organs: the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. These terms are italicized (throughout the book) to remind readers to think of them in their traditional sense and avoid confusing them with the notions of Western medicine.