Shen and Hun: The Psyche in Chinese Medicine

Shen

This article by Giovanni Maciocia discusses the nature and functions of the Shen and Hun in the human psyche. This is based on classical texts and on Giovanni’s own thoughts and clinical experience. There are five parts to this discussion: 1) The nature of the Shen 2) The nature of the Hun 3) The Shen … Read More

TCM: Yin Deficiency and Empty Heat in Chinese Medicine

Heat, Tongue Diagnosis

Empty Heat derives from Yin deficiency and the two pathological conditions (Yin deficiency and Empty Heat) are often considered as one. All modern Chinese books include Empty Heat clinical manifestations under the patterns of Yin deficiency. For example, under the pattern of Lung-Yin deficiency they will have dry throat and dry cough (Yin deficiency) and … Read More

Memory in Chinese Medicine

Memory

THE SHEN (神) OF THE HEART The Shen of the Heart plays a prominent role in memory partly by itself and partly because it coordinates the Yi of the Spleen and the Zhi of the Kidneys which also play a role in memory. The Shen of the Heart plays a role in memory in the … Read More

Chinese Medicine Treatment Principles for Geriatrics

Geriatrics

The thinking about geriatrics in Chinese medicine has been dominated by Kidney deficiency for centuries. As Kidney-Jing declines as we age, the clinical approach to the treatment of the elderly has been based largely on tonifying the Kidneys. However, modern diseases of the elderly that account for 90% of mortality (cancer, heart disease and stroke) … Read More

Fear and Anxiety – The Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

Anxiety

“Anxiety” is a modern term that does not have an exact equivalent in Chinese medicine. There is no Chinese medicine term that corresponds exactly to what we call “anxiety” but several ancient Chinese disease entities closely resemble anxiety. The four main disease entities that correspond to Anxiety are: “Fear and Palpitations” (Jing Ji) 惊 悸 … Read More