Much of acupuncture practice in the West remains incomplete or less potent because it has been based upon particular interpretations often by only one individual, in translation. The broad, diverse and ancient practices of Chinese medicine are often misconstrued and overshadowed by the more modern Traditional Chinese Medicine in Westernised texts. This book places more powerful tools in the hands of practitioners and expands our knowledge of the full potential of Chinese medical practices. Grandmaster Wan was a well known doctor of Chinese medicine, who in the traditional way of Chinese teaching took on only a handful of students throughout his life, one of whom was Giorgio Repeti.

The author's extensive notes, derived from his years of discipleship to Grandmaster Wan, form the basis of this book, and he has in the core of the book resisted any temptation to include his own views or amend those of the teacher. The approach described was characterised by Grandmaster Wan as the 3E approach (easy, economical and efficient), and is deceptively simple. It is, however, an approach that can only fully be comprehended through reflection and experience. The book covers the basic principles of diagnosis, with chapters on pulse and tongue diagnosis. A key chapter on acupuncture provides clear directives for treatment that relies on simple yet powerful underpinning principles, and challenges the much more complex approach to acupuncture commonly taught in the West. Herbal medicines and herbal treatments for cold, warm and hot diseases are also covered.

This clinically based text will provide an essential vademecum for practitioners of Chinese medicine, and a thoughtful introduction for students that will carry them through to their own practice.