Grasping the Wind

Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have Text for TCM & Acupuncture Students
Review:
While there may be differing opinions on the etiological accuracy of the linguistic terminology in this text, it is important to note that it was co-written by Nigel Wiseman, whose Chinese medical terminology is commonly accepted as the standard in Traditional Chinese Medicine in the West. If you practice TCM in the West, this really should not present a problem.

That said, this is a very useful text for any student of TCM and/or Acupuncture who needs to learn acu points. It breaks down the Chinese name of each point, and gives a memorable English name for each (based on the Chinese name), that makes recollection of point location MUCH easier.

For example, ST-39 is "xia ju xu." The author breaks down these Chinese words as: xia (lower), ju (great, large), and xu (hollow, deficiency or vacancy). The English name for this point is given as "Lower Great Hollow," and its location is given as: "One inch below the Ribbon Opening (ST-38) in the depression (hollow) below the sinew and bone."

Along with Deadman's "A Manual of Acupuncture," which is now a required text for the California acupuncture licensing exam (and the best text on the subject, in my opinion), "Grasping the Wind" is a very useful text for learning a somewhat illusive subject (acupuncture points) and should be in every TCM student's library.

Rating:
Summary: A window on the Chinese understanding of the Acupoints
Review: First of all, if you want to know the location, indications, contraindications and prescriptions for all the 400+ acupoints, please see _A Manual of Acupuncture_ by Peter Deadman, Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker. But if you want more than a two or three word translation of the point's Chinese name, turn to _Grasping the Wind_.

After the introduction, You have several essays: Influences on the Development of Point Names, Point Name Taxonomy, A Brief Discussion of Chinese Characters, Radicals, And Character Categories; these are followed by the entries on each point.

They are listed in meridan order, with the meridians in horary order, and the first thing that you see is the name of the point in Chinese - in a font size that a Westerner can easily see and appreciate. Then comes the translation, followed by the alphanumeric point designation, and the pinyin with tone marks. Each word is then translated, and alternate names for the point are given. A classical description of the location is then given, which I find quite picturesque, and a paragraph or two explaining the point name. Points listed are on all 14 of the regular meridians (the 12 Zangfu plus the Du and Ren meridians).

Now, it could be that this book isn't as accurate as someone with a complete background in Chinese would like it to be - but for someone with an abiding love for TCM, it is a gift to be digested.

Rating:
Summary: Good info, but accuracy veries with each point
Review: I found this book to be very helpful in my understanding of acupuncture points. However, I have spoke with some older, veteran chinese acupuncturists who warn that even though some of the information in this book is correct, much of it is not. How are you going to know which is which? I see many students using this book and I fear that modern practitoners are going to lose the accuracy of this body of knowledge. And, furthermore, we run the risk of ending a very important lineage.