Alternative Medicine, History 

Spiritual roots and traditions spanning 2,000 years distinguish Oriental medicine from its Western counterpart. In Oriental Medicine, editors Jan Van Alphen and Anthony Aris strive to offer an exhaustive and visually stunning overview of healing systems, and they succeed beautifully in detailing the histories and techniques of traditional Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese (including Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan) medicine. Some terms will be familiar to Western readers--Ayurvedic medicine, for example, is "the system ... which developed from the ancient books of wisdom known as the Vedas," made accessible by the writings of Deepak Chopra. The text teems with magnificent, full-page color reproductions of classic manuscripts, miniatures, and drawings, plus photographs of medicinal plants and healing practices and objects. The discussions of each ancient medical system focus on such topics as the system's history, the impact of religion on medical theory, beliefs about wellness, the causes of disease, diagnoses, and therapies. The richness and complexity of the information collected in Oriental Medicine make it an ideal resource for the beginning practitioner of Asian healing arts. The book proves to lay readers that the Western approach to healing is only a small part of a greater whole, and it will interest students of history fascinated by how different societies--including our own--interpret and relate to health and illness. - from Amzon