by Shawn Kirby L.Ac. Since graduating from acupuncture college and starting my own practice, I’ve done a lot of internal questioning and soul searching, looking for answers to the question that sent me to acupuncture school to begin with – what is he… more »

by Eric Brand Long Gu and Long Chi are heavy, settling, spirit-quieting medicinals that are called dragon bone and dragon tooth in English. According to legend, the Chinese people are descended from dragons, and dragons play an important role in Chi… more »

by Eric Brand Learning the names of all the medicinals is a daunting task for students of Chinese medicine. Adding to the confusion, some books use different names for the same substances. Why do some books say Mo Han Lian while others say Han Lian… more »

by Bob Flaws Two weeks ago, Honora and I were having breakfast at our hotel in Delhi prior to flying back to the U.S. The TV was on and everyone was watching a live broadcast of the eclipse. I don't know how much attention this eclipse received in th… more »

by Bob Flaws My read this weekend was Desi Sangye Gyatso's Mirror of Beryl: A Historical Introduction to Tibetan Medicine. Desi Sangye Gyatso was the regent for the Fifth Dalai Lama, a.k.a. the Great Fifth. So this book was written during the sevente… more »

Here we are in 2010. Perhaps it’s good not to be overly concerned or impressed by such moments, since all moments are precious and juicy no matter when they are. That being said, it is hard to believe we are already so far into this century, that we hav… more »

by Eric Brand This is the packaging for authentic Japanese ginseng, known in Chinese as Dong Yang Shen. Dong Yang Shen is processed by par-boiling, which causes it to be white on the outside and red on the inside. Its claim to fame is that it tends… more »

by Eric Brand This is the back side of the packaging of authentic Dong Yang Shen. It indicates the grade (special grade), the weight (600g, one traditional jin), and the number of roots. The lower the number of roots, the larger their size. Gi… more »

By Eric Brand These are the Japanese ginseng roots that were in the bag shown above. Notice how they are yellowish-white on the outside and red on the inside. Dong Yang Shen is said to get better as it ages. Properly stored, it can be aged for yea… more »

by Eric Brand Above is a rather nice photo of Ling Zhi that I took at an herbal marketplace in Guangzhou. When Ling Zhi is cultivated, it naturally gets a very glossy, shiny appearance that almost looks like lacquer. It can also be cultivated to gr… more »

by Eric Brand When we study Chinese medicine, we cannot help but notice that many of our teachers have a deep appreciation for the classics in Chinese medicine. Most Western students that read books like the Shang Han Lun (On Cold Damage) find them… more »

Or perhaps the 4th world? Hard to say what world it was after 14 days in Bodhgaya, India. At night it reminded me of the dark, wet, noisy, dirty world of the director`s cut of Blade Runner. Though I had been to India before, I did not remember it to be… more »

by Eric Brand These three groups of Chuan Bei Mu all came from the same batch. This Chuan Bei Mu is not sulfured; it cost about $200/kg from a wholesale supplier that sells to many Chinese hospitals (I bought it in Nanjing). It is fairly typical an… more »

by Eric Brand Chuan Bei Mu (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus) is a very prized Chinese herb. It is common in Cantonese culture to consume Chuan Bei Mu as a general tonic for the lungs, and it is often integrated into Chinese herbal teas, desserts, and… more »

by Shawn Kirby L.Ac. This technique was taught to me by one of the finest men I know, a gentleman, scholar and raconteur, Ted Hall. A veteran of over 25 years in practice Ted is, simply put, the finest acupuncturist I know. As a SWAC student, I fel… more »

by Eric Brand I’m working on a blog regarding classical texts in Chinese medicine, so I thought it would be fun to first start with a review on some interesting highlights related to the development of Chinese herbal formulas. Chinese medicine is ch… more »

by Honora Lee Wolfe Our general manager, Bruce, asked me to write up part #4 of this series on marketing prior to my departure for India. So while I’m continent-hopping, you can read my thoughts on this very sensitive subject…how to price your servic… more »

by Eric Brand Obviously I’ve been having fun with my new camera the past few days. This photo shows a mixed sample of Fang Ji. Can you differentiate the safe herb Han Fang Ji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix) from the dangerous herb Guang Fang Ji (Aris… more »

by Eric Brand This is the fruiting body of cultivated cordyceps (this is Cordyceps militaris). It has a similar constituent profile to wild Cordyceps sinensis. In fact, the lab-grown product is often even higher in active constituents than wild cord… more »

by Eric Brand This is the whole herb of Xi Xin. It is the medicinal that most of us are familiar with, but it is no longer considered safe for use. The aerial portions of the plant contain significant quantities of aristolochic acid and should not… more »

by Eric Brand This is the Xi Xin that should be in all of our clinics. Many Chinese materia medica scholars believe that only the roots of Xi Xin were used in Shang Han Lun times. In fact, the name Xi Xin means "thin acrid," which is thought to be… more »

This is true wild cordyceps. Not to be confused with the fakes from today's earlier blog. This sample came from the pharmacy DXD in San Diego, it was about $112 per liang (37.5 grams) a few years ago. The price has gone up dramatically since then. more »

This is a closeup shot of the fake cordyceps from today's earlier blog. I think the store in Chicago was selling this stuff for $5 or so for a box of 3 oz. That price is a dead giveaway, and of course the appearance and the flavor of the fake is pretty… more »

by Eric Brand Here is a nice specimen of counterfeit cordyceps. This specimen came from a Chinese herbal pharmacy in Chicago. Actually, I found it at the home of several TCM students, who had already eaten most of the box. Fortunately, this is not… more »

by Eric Brand A few weeks ago, my blog discussing examination texts raised the topic of “study guides,” which all-too-often seem to be more popular with students than actual primary source texts. While it is natural for people to use quick reference… more »

by Eric Brand 2010 will be an exciting year at Blue Poppy. We will be expanding into new territory, with new product lines and all manners of educational innovations. Originally only a small publishing company, Blue Poppy is now also a major herbal… more »