Inspection, Auscultation and Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation in Chinese Materia Medica

Name: Inspection, Auscultation and Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation in Chinese Materia Medica
ISBN: 9787117301206

朋汤义People's Medical Publishing House · ChinaJan 2025

3.4

Word count: 113K words
Chapters: 24
ISBN: 9787117301206

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Summary

This book offers a comprehensive exposition of the theory and practice of applying the four diagnostic methods—observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation—to Chinese materia medica. Part One focuses on classical theoretical knowledge, beginning with textual research on such classic works on Chinese materia medica as Shennong's Classic of the Materia Medica, the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, the Newly Revised Materia Medica, and the Compendium of Materia Medica. It briefly discusses the classification of the natural world, the classification of Chinese materia medica, classification by medicinal part, the naming of Chinese materia medica, the four diagnostic methods of Chinese medicine, traditional macroscopic identification of Chinese materia medica, their medicinal properties and effects, and the application of the four diagnostic methods to Chinese materia medica. Part Two, using a combination of text and images, focuses on the specific application of the four methods—observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation—to Chinese materia medica, embodying the directness and simplicity that characterize the method of using the four methods to select medicines. Combining the four diagnostics of Chinese medicine with the four methods for Chinese materia medica will help guide clinical identification and correct use of Chinese materia medica.

Editor's review

Chinese Materia Medica Through Observation, Listening and Smelling, Inquiry, and Palpation is a distinctive monograph written by Professor Peng Tangyi drawing on years of clinical experience and teaching practice. It is not a textbook of Chinese materia medica in the traditional sense; rather, it deeply integrates the core methods of Chinese medical diagnostics—observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation—with the macroscopic identification, properties, and applications of Chinese materia medica, constructing a unique system of understanding. Through numerous photographs of actual specimens and clinical cases, the book explains in detail how to precisely select Chinese medicines by observing the form and color of medicinal materials, smelling their odors, inquiring about patients' sensations, and combining these with signs such as the pulse. This approach, which unifies diagnosis and prescribing, embodies the essence of syndrome differentiation and treatment in Chinese medicine and offers learners an intuitive path from theory to practice. Professor Peng Tangyi's writing is plain and precise, avoiding dense jargon, so that even beginners in Chinese materia medica can follow his guidance and gradually build a three-dimensional perception of the form, qi, nature, and use of Chinese medicines. For readers who wish to break free from rote memorization and understand the living logic behind Chinese materia medica, this book offers valuable perspectives and methods.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Clinical practitioners or pharmacists of Chinese medicine who wish to deepen their intuitive understanding of the properties of Chinese materia medica and its connection to clinical application
Students at Chinese medicine colleges and universities seeking to integrate diagnostic knowledge with knowledge of Chinese materia medica
Enthusiasts with a strong interest in traditional Chinese medicine culture who wish to understand the logic of identifying and using Chinese materia medica
Professionals engaged in research on Chinese materia medica or the identification of medicinal materials who need to broaden their practical approaches

Not a good fit for

Pure researchers seeking systematic, comprehensive modern pharmacological or chemical-composition analysis of Chinese materia medica
Users seeking a portable reference book for quickly looking up standard properties and indications of Chinese materia medica

Reading tips

It is recommended to read alongside physical specimens or high-quality images and to try practicing the observation and smelling methods described in the book
While reading, cross-check the cases in the book with what you have learned or encountered in syndrome differentiation, focusing on understanding the logic rather than merely memorizing conclusions
This book is suited to slow, thoughtful reading; it can be savored chapter by chapter and revisited repeatedly, and readers may try simulating the connections between inquiry, palpation, and prescribing described in it, provided it is done safely

About the publisher

People's Medical Publishing House China · Founded in 1953

Founded in 1953, the People's Medical Publishing House is an important institution in China's medical publishing field, with publishing directions covering medical textbooks, academic monographs, medical journals, and popular science books. Its collection contains 2,503 titles, mainly classified under medicine. Representative works include the Complete Book of Chinese Nutrition Science (2nd Edition, 2 volumes), Guide to Clinical Practice with Medical Records, the Golden Mirror of Medicine (Volume 1), Chinese Medical Imaging: Head and Neck Volume (3rd Edition), and the Essentials of the Golden Cabinet from the Collected Clinical Chinese Medicine Must-Read Series (Collector's Edition), spanning both modern medicine and classical Chinese medical texts. Representative authors include Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou, Ye Tianshi, Su Li, Wu Qian, Zheng Jinsheng, Wang Zhenchang, and Xian Junfang, covering fields such as nutrition, Chinese medicine, and medical imaging. With a publishing approach that balances textbooks and academic monographs, the press has established the "Renwei" brand.

版权信息
作者简介
李序
徐序
徐序手稿
胡序
胡序手稿
彭序
自序
前言
上篇总论
第一章绪论
第二章导论
第三章中药望闻问切
下篇分论
第四章望，观其形、色
第五章闻，嗅其气味
第六章问，入门须口尝
第七章切，用手之感觉
结束语
附录一：历代本草代表性著作
附录二：同名多基原利用中药
附录三：同源不同药用部位中药
题词

FAQ

What is the main difference between this book and ordinary textbooks of Chinese materia medica?

The main difference lies in perspective and method. Ordinary textbooks focus on imparting systematic knowledge such as the nature, flavor, channel tropism, effects, and indications of individual medicines; this book focuses on teaching you how to use the diagnostic methods of observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation to perceive, identify, and understand Chinese materia medica, emphasizing the immediate connection between diagnostic thinking and the choice of medication, and is more oriented toward clinical practice.

Can I understand this book without a foundation in Chinese medical diagnostics?

The book provides basic explanations of how observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation manifest in the use of Chinese materia medica, and the author tries to describe them in accessible language. Therefore, readers with preliminary knowledge of Chinese materia medica or a strong interest can understand the core content. However, if one completely lacks basic concepts of Chinese medicine, there may be some difficulty in understanding the deeper logic linking inquiry and palpation to medicinal properties; it is advisable to supplement basic knowledge of Chinese medical theory alongside the reading.

How many Chinese medicines does the book cover? What is the quality of the images?

The book does not aim to include as many medicines as possible but centers on explaining methods. It selects several dozen representative commonly used Chinese medicines as examples for in-depth analysis. According to available information, editions published by the People's Medical Publishing House usually include photographs of actual specimens selected or taken by the author, of high quality, which effectively support the cognitive aspect of observation.

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About the author

朋汤义 Author

Peng Tangyi: public information is limited. At present, it is known only that the author has written one work, Identifying Chinese Materia Medica Through the Four Diagnostic Methods (Zhongyao Wang Wen Wen Qie), which is classified under medicine. The title indicates that the book focuses on the four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine—observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and pulse feeling—approached through Chinese materia medica, and that it organizes and explains this topic as either popular science or professional reference writing. The author discusses TCM diagnostic methods in a practical, foundational manner, helping readers understand the significance of the four examinations in the identification and clinical application of Chinese medicines. Since birth and death dates, nationality, educational background, and other details are absent from the available records, no further account of the author's life or scholarly lineage can be given; readers may use the book to learn the basics of the four TCM diagnostic methods and as one of the introductory references for studying traditional Chinese medicine.