World Scientific Publishing Company Selected Reading Of Li Shizhen's Medical Works: The Chinese Materia Medica Ben Cao Gang Mu

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) contains an extensive knowledge that the Chinese nation has accumulated through practical experimentation and theoretical research in treating diseases and promoting health over a period of thousands of years. Throughout the history, many TCM theorists, experts, and pharmacists have contributed valuable works. The most representative of them was Li Shizhen with his Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), which was praised by Charles Darwin as an 'encyclopaedia' of ancient China and was selected into Memory of the World Register by UNESCO in 2011.This book is divided into two parts: the introduction and the selected reading of the original work of Ben Cao Gang Mu. In the introductory part, the life story, academic characteristics and main contributions of Li Shizhen are illustrated, and suggested learning methods of the book are recommended. In the selected reading part, five aspects are mainly discussed: original preface and memorial to the throne, essence of Li Shizhen's medical theories, treatment of various diseases, Li Shizhen's medical records and medical notes, and health preservation. Apart from the selected reading from Ben Cao Gang Mu, theoretical exposition and modern application are supplemented in each chapter so as to improve readers' theoretical knowledge and ability of practical problem-solving. About the Author Ping WANG is a professor and chief physician of Traditional Chinese Medicine and special expert of State Council Government Allowance. Currently, he is the Vice President and Geriatrics Institute Director of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China. He was honoured with "Young Expert with Great Contribution in Hubei Province" in 2003, "The National TCM Excellent Successor" in 2008, "Star of TCM Science and Technology" in 2010, and was selected in the first group of Hubei Province Medical Leader Project in 2013. He is mainly engaged in the research on Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) and Huang Di Nei Jing (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor), the classic works of traditional Chinese medicine, and other classic theories concerning anti-aging function of Chinese medicine. Meanwhile, he works at the research of prevention, treatment, recuperation and product development for geriatric diseases such as insomnia, amnesia and other diseases. Besides, he is adept in traditional Chinese medical diagnosis and treatment of nerves, endocrine disease, deficiency syndrome, and other miscellaneous diseases. About the Chief Translator Ya LIU is a professor of English and dean at the School of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, China. She is the Vice Chairperson of the 4th Board of Specialty Committee of Translation of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. She is also the Vice Director of Chinese Association for Research and Advancement of Chinese Traditional Medicine. Her primary research is medical English and translation. Her major works include Personality Psychology, Nursing English, A Practical Course in American Literature, and Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine, etc.