The golden needle: And other odes of traditional acupuncture : book two of Yang Jizhou's grand compendium (1601)

This is the only known translation of part of an early 17th-century classic text focusing on the use of acupuncture in Chinese medicine. Yang Jizhou's "Grand Compendium" comprises two books of which the second contained "The Odes", a collection of traditional songs summarizing methods of treatment and indications for their use. In this translation Richard Bertshinger has also included "Ma Tan Yang's Song on the Twelve Points". Various indices, a bibliography and glossary have been added to help the modern reader to understand the relevant of "The Odes" in today's context. The book is illustrated throughout with Chinese landscape paintings and traditional patterns from time of the gathering of "The Odes". The text gives direct advice for treatment to modern day practitioners and classical Chinese names for acupuncture points are related via margin annotations to modern numbered systems to the numbered system more normally used today. Additional text notes put ancient Chinese theories and practice into 20th century context.