Clinical Herbology — The Alchemist's Archives

Underneath the Epidemic

To better appreciate the role of the macro-level influences on patient presentations, Chinese physicians of the past paid close attention to the shifting dynamics of environmental factors commonly referred to as wu yun liu qi（五運六氣wǔ yùn liù qì）. This article takes a closer look at the overlay of key environmental factors from last November through the present according to the ancient system of wu yun liu qi in order to shed some light on the mechanism of the current outbreak of Covid-19, effective herbal strategies for its treatment and most importantly, its prevention.

Clinical Application, Clinical Herbology, ACM TheoryBryan McMahonMarch 18, 2020Covid-19, ACM, Wuyun Liuqi

Essential Methods of the Wenbing: The Clinical Strategies of Dr. Song Zuomin

This essay, originally written by my mentor Dr. Li Xin for inclusion in a 2015 volume of Dr. Song’s clinical case studies, captures the essence of the “light, soft” methods of the Wenbing that he learned from Dr. Song. As a direct student of Dr. Kong Bohua, one of the “Four Great Beijing Masters”, Dr. Song devoted his life to the investigation of the full breadth and depth of Chinese medicine, maintaining his regular clinical practice at the Beijing Pediatric Hospital well into his 90’s. He was recognized as one of the “Hundred Great Chinese Medical Physicians” in 1990 and as a national living treasure by the Ministry of Health for his lifetime contribution to patient care and clinical education before his passing in 2018. He is remembered by his students and colleagues as a true embodiment of Sun Simiao’s Spirit of the Great Physician.

Wenbing, Clinical HerbologyBryan McMahonOctober 19, 2019Song Zuomin, Li Xin, Wenbing, Chinese medicine, TCM