Gold Mirrors and Tongue Reflections

The Cornerstone Classics of Chinese Medicine Tongue Diagnosis - The Ao Shi Shang Han Jin Jing Lu, and the Shang Han She Jian

Ioannis Solos
Forewords by Professor Liang Rong and Professor Chen Jia-xu

Two of the major texts in the history of tongue diagnosis are presented and put into context in this volume, reaffirming the strength of tongue diagnosis as a core diagnostic tool. These key texts are made available to western readers for the first time, with the original Chinese text shown alongside the translation. The author provides an excellent overview of the history of tongue diagnosis in Chinese medicine, going back to earliest times, and discusses significant developments and publications. The Gold Mirror Records, first published in 1341, was a popular manual for centuries, appearing in many editions and variations. Tongue Reflections in Cold Damage, first published in 1668, developed the field of diagnosis as a whole by adopting the analysis of tongue colour as its main principle. Both texts are introduced with meticulous English translations and notes.

This seminal text will give practitioners and students of Chinese medicine a sound understanding of the theory and practice of tongue diagnosis from the early texts, and will be of interest to academic readers of classic Chinese texts.

Contents

Acknowledgements. Foreword by Professor Liang Rong. Foreword by Professor Chen Jia-xu. 1. Tongue Diagnosis and the Literature. The Sars Epidemic of 2002-2003. Tongue Diagnosis and how to Approach this Book. 2. Jin Jing Lu (Gold Mirror Records) and Shang Han She Jian (Tongue Reflections in Cold Damage). 3. The History of Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine. From Tongue Observation to Tongue Diagnosis. 1. Zhou Dynasty – Spring and Autumn. 2. Bian Que and Hua Tuo. The Tongue in the Yellow Emperor's Classic. 1. Basic Anatomy of the Tongue. 2. The Tongue Basics. 3. The Tongue in Relation to Internal Organ and Channel Networks. 4. Diagnosis and Pathology. 5. Tongue Shape and Mobility. 6. Colour and Moisture. 7. Taste Recognition. Tongue Diagnosis in Shang Han Lun and Jin Kui Yao Lue. 1. Appreciation of Zhang Zhong Jing's Tongue Diagnosis. 2. Basic Principles. 3. Enquiring on the Cause of Disease. 4. Elaborating on the Course of Disease. 5. Deciding on Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment Approach. 6. Determining the Prognosis. Shang Han Ming Li Lun (The Clear Rationale of Cold Damage). 4. Introducing Jin Jing Lu (The Gold Mirror Records) and Shang Han She Jian (Tongue Reflections in Cold Damage). Scholar Ao's: The Gold Mirror Records in Cold Damage. Tongue Reflections in Cold Damage. 5. Jin Jing Lu (The Gold Mirror Records). 6. Shang Han She Jian (The Tongue Reflections in Cold Damage). Bibliography. Appendices. The Weight Standards during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Formulae in The Tongue Reflection in Cold Damage. Index.

Reviews

“It is safe to say that these two monographs are the key books for the academic and historical research of tongue diagnosis… Although Ioannis is a Westerner, he has fully dedicated himself to the meticulous study of the Chinese Medicine Diagnostics. These days I am also becoming increasingly convinced that in regards to the future of academic medical research, there can be many more common points in the approaches adopted by the Chinese and the Western scholars. And the exploration of Tongue Diagnosis is an excellent gateway for further study and collaboration between the two.”
- from the foreword by Professor Liang Rong, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

“It is unfathomable for any tongue specialist to overlook these two classics, and although they were published so many centuries ago their usefulness and theory still stands resolute to this day… Ioannis has been scrupulously researching tongue diagnostics for quite a few years, studying the classic texts and focusing on the essence. This publication is the fruit of his efforts in bringing some of the real spirit of the Chinese Diagnostics to the West, and I hope that it will contribute to the further advancement of TCM tongue research outside China.”
- from the foreword by Professor Chen Jia-xu, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Author information

Ioannis Solos holds a BSc in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Middlesex University, and a Masters of Medicine in Chinese Medicine Diagnosis, from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Besides traditional diagnosis, he is a researcher on various aspects of Chinese medicine culture, internal martial arts, health preservation practices, the study of classic texts and lesser known Chinese medicine traditions. For the last decade he has resided in Beijing, China.