Shang Han Lun: Wellspring of Chinese Medicine

Rating:
Summary: A Handbook-style Shang Han Lun for the Pharmacy
Review: Since the publication of Mitchell, Ye and Wiseman's excellent Shang Han Lun translation, On Cold Damage, this version seems to have lost some of its luster.

It does, however, have the merits of being much less expensive and much handier in the pharmacy. On Cold Damage's imposing stature makes it more approachable as a textbook than as a clinic manual. This is where Hsu and Peacher can shine.

The translation portion of this book is adequate for the versed practitioner. It would not be as useful to the student, since the terms used are non-standard and not well-defined. Unlike On Cold Damage, this book omits most glosses and textual comments; a loss for the beginner, but one that makes for brevity and better flow. That Pinyin transliteration was not used is disappointing, but this should not be an obstacle for the informed reader.

To its credit, SHL: Wellspring of Chinese Medicine does include some later Japanese commentaries, which serve to cast the original Shang Han Lun text in a different context. Since the Shang Han Lun is such a multi-faceted framework, with many intriguing applications throughout history and into present times, the additional context is a welcome gift.

SHL: A Wellspring of Chinese Medicine is most at home on the counter in the herb pharmacy. It is convenient for quickly verifying specific applications of the Shang Han Lun system in greater depth and detail than is possible using a general formula reference, such as Bensky's or Yeung's. Its low cost and small, softcover format make it a good companion in this setting.