Classical perspectives

July 29, 2025

419 Wu Zang Lun
Qiang Cao & Yun Xiao

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Some treasures aren’t just hidden—they’re buried, wrapped in mystery and legend, and waiting for the right moment to surface and return to the world of human affairs. What’s astonishing isn’t just that these Dunhuang scrolls survived—but that they journeyed from caves to libraries, and fell into hands that knew enough to recognize them for what they are: threads of ancient medicine waiting to be rewoven into our present.

In this conversation with Dr. Qiang Cao and Dr. Yun Xiao, we trace the surprising journey of the Wu Zang Lun—an early text attributed to Zhang Zhongjing that was unearthed in the Dunhuang caves and made their way to London and Paris. More surprising are the texts from Korea and Japan that contain the same material. This discussion is part detective story, part historical odyssey, and a glimpse into how older medical cosmologies continue to whisper through the written perspective of doctors of the past.

Listen in as we follow the wandering path of this ancient manuscript, hear the emotional moment of seeing it in person, explore how it connects pulse and physiology, and consider its relevance for clinical practice today.

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In This Conversation We Discuss:

  • Discovery of the Dunhuang caves and how ancient texts were hidden
  • Dr. Cao’s background and accidental discovery of Wu Zang Lun
  • The Taoist monk Yueyin and the 1900 uncovering of the “hidden library”
  • How the manuscripts spread to London, Paris, and Russia
  • Dr. Cao and Xiao’s own research trip to Paris and London to view the manuscripts
  • Emotional moments seeing the physical scrolls
  • Booklet structure and discovery of pulse diagnosis texts alongside Wu Zang Lun
  • Evidence from Korea and Japan that supports the text’s authenticity
  • Commentary on the cultural revolution and erasure of traditional foundational knowledge
  • Strange poetic descriptions in the text (e.g., Golden Fairy effect of Ze Xie
  • Wrap-up reflection on history, discovery, and the role of unearthing hidden wisdom

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Ask questions that integrate traditional pattern differentiation with biomedical findings. Interpreting Western diagnostics through the framework of TCM theory can provide deeper clinical insight. This approach is especially valuable for difficult or complex cases where a single perspective may fall short.


Dr. Qiang Cao, ND, L.Ac

I have been teaching traditional Chinese medicine for over 47 years. I began my career at Shanghai University of TCM in 1977 and moved to the United States in the late 1980s. I co-founded the acupuncture and Oriental medicine program at Bastyr University, where I have taught for 37 years.

My passion for Zhang Zhongjing’s theory began with clinical research in China, where I studied Qing Pi injection to treat conditions such as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia,  anaphylactic shock, and other types of shock. This work was published in several peer-reviewed journals and was guided by Zhang Zhongjing’s classical principles. Since then, his theory has remained central to my clinical practice as a physician. In the U.S., I have continued teaching the medical classics, including Shang Han Lun in the doctoral program.

Since 2011, I have focused on the Wu Zang Lun from the Dunhuang manuscripts, presenting my research at national and international conferences. In 2024, I published The History and Compilation of Zhang Zhongjing’s Wu Zang Lun.

 

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Start by understanding the patient’s personal health goals, lifestyle, and family dynamics. This patient-centered, holistic approach helps build lasting trust and positions you as a reliable resource for families seeking long-term, integrative care.


Dr. Yun Xiao, DAc, L.Ac

I began my medical training at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, graduating in 2006, and later completed both my master’s and doctoral degrees at Bastyr University. I currently teach TCM pathophysiology at Bastyr and practice at Wedgwood Acupuncture & Botanical Medicine, where I specialize in treating complex internal conditions.

My clinical work is strongly rooted in Zhang Zhongjing’s theory, which continues to guide my diagnostic thinking and treatment strategies. I am especially passionate about applying classical principles to understand and treat modern patterns of disease.

Teaching TCM pathophysiology through Zhang’s framework has allowed me to help students connect deeply with the foundations of Chinese medicine. In 2024, I co-authored The History and Compilation of Zhang Zhongjing’s Wu Zang Lun, a reflection of my long-term commitment to classical scholarship and its relevance to contemporary clinical practice. For me, Zhang Zhongjing’s writings remain a living guide in both clinic and classroom.

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Links and Resources

Get your copy of the Wu Zang Lun on Amazon.

 

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July 22, 2025

418 Fire, Water and Qi Transformation—Essential Insights from Liu Du-Zhou
Eran Even

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Long before “cold damage” became a checkbox on exams or a buzzword among classical enthusiasts, Dr. Liu Du-Zhou was quietly doing the work—teaching, treating, and writing from a mind steeped in both lineage and clinical experience. He wasn’t just preserving tradition; he was refining it. His approach to the Shang Han Lun was rigorous yet poetic, grounded in clinical realities and shaped by decades of upheaval in 20th-century China. There’s a humility to his voice—a self-proclaimed “still-learning” doctor in his seventies—and a precision that cuts through theory to show how fire and water, yin and yang, truly move through the human body.

In this conversation with Eran Even, we explore Dr. Liu’s remarkable clarity and how it comes through in a slim but potent book that Eran has translated into English. Eran walks us through the experience of engaging deeply with Liu’s thinking, from the literary style of Zhang Zhong-Jing to the physiological relevance of Qi transformation.

Listen into this discussion as we trace the importance of channel theory, the overlooked presence of water pathologies in the modern clinic, the inner workings of fire and fluid dynamics, and how Liu Du-Zhou’s reflections on the six confirmations can shift the way we understand both health and disease.

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In This Conversation We Discuss:

  • How translating a text becomes a form of apprenticeship
  • Why Lu Daojiu matters—and why his voice is needed now
  • Water as a modern pathology, not just a classical metaphor
  • The quiet power of Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang in contemporary clinics
  • How fire and water still hold the blueprint for balance
  • Qì transformation as an invitation to see, not just to fix
  • The role of literary style in shaping medical understanding
  • Why Dr. Huang focuses on precision, while Lu leans into poetry
  • That knowing theory is not about recitation—but recognition
  • How small books can carry seismic shifts in perspective
  • The importance of footnotes, context, and showing your work
  • Why translation is more than words—it’s participation
  • The reminder that learning is never finished, and that’s the point

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The learning never ends and that’s what makes this field so beautiful!  You can’t ever be bored!


Eran Evan, P.hD

I am a Doctor of Chinese Medicine practicing in beautiful Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. I earned my doctoral degree in 2019 from the prestigious Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, under the guidance and mentorship of Professor Huang Huang. I have been engaged in the study and practice of ‘Jingfang’ (Classical Methods/Formulas) for the last 20 years and teaching for the last several years to students around the world as one of Professor Huang’s close disciples.

I am the translator of Chen Xiuyuan’s Formulas from the Golden Cabinet with Songs, volume 2, co-translator of my teacher Huang Huang’s ‘A Manual of Classic Formulas for Primary Care’  and have had many translations published in various journals and publications around the world.

Aside from my busy clinic and teaching schedule, I am currently working on two translation projects, the first being a clinical handbook based on the work of Liu Duzhou, and the other, a massive Shanghan Zabing Lun compilation and resource.

 

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Links and Resources

Visit Eran at The Chinese Medicine Classics Institute or at www.eraneven.com

You can find a copy of The Essential Points on Clinical Patterns in the Shānghán lùn on Amazon.

In the conversation we mentioned Steve Clavey’s longtime interest and translation of Liu Du Zhou’s work in The Lantern. You can find those worthwhile clinical insights in Old Chinese Doctors Talk Shang Han Lun: Liu DuZhou

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March 7, 2020

Encore Episode, Tidal Flows and Channel Resonance
Brenda Hood

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The 子午 zi wu, “Chinese Clock” that helps us to learn the flow of qi through the channels can give us a glimpse into many underlying dynamics of organ relation, influences of the six qi and the five phases.

In this conversation we take a deep gaze into what Brenda Hood likes to call the Tidal Flow Clock.

There is a lot here when you start look below the surface.

 

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In This Conversation We Discuss:

  • Originally the “Chinese Clock” was about the channels, not the organs
  • Are organs material?
  • Abstraction, embodiment and meaning
  • Function of the Yangming
  • Open, pivot, close
  • The Taiyang’s resonance with cold, qi transformation and connection to the Ming Men
  • Wind pushes, Fire draws
  • Internal and external weather
  • Being flexible enough to shift your point of view
  • Chinese medicine is not completely rational
  • Stems and branches
  • Thoughts on the Ming Men and Small Intestine

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Brenda Hood, Ph.D, L.Ac

I was born and raised in Peace River, Canada. Then wound up going to China to study Chinese medicine after I became disillusioned with a degree in psychology. I spent over twenty years there being completely enamored with the medicine and acquiring a few degrees. After returning to North America spent some years teaching Foundations of CM and other basic courses at NUNM. I’m back up in Canada now working on a foundations book to explain the energetic and philosophical bases of the medicine with an eye to using the classics and historical texts as my sources.

Clinically, I started out using the TCM system, but I couldn’t really get it to work like I thought it should. I stepped out of CM academia and spent a lot of time with “folk practitioners” and cultivators. There are a lot of hidden gems in China though living there and speaking/reading the language was definitely required. Through this, I discovered I could feel and sense the Qi in the channels and eventually began to get a sense of the Qi field of my patients. I learned to manipulate these with herbs and acupuncture to help my patients return to health. After returning to North America, I started taking courses in Japanese acupuncture, notably Kiiko Matsumoto style and further developed my diagnostics using the abdomen. I also began to explore sound healing and gemstone therapy all of which I now happily combine in clinic.

The study of CM is endless, it’s a puzzle I am determined to crack. My most recent course in CM (October of 2019) was with Qiological, Toby Daley and the Introduction to Sa’am Acupuncture course. Blew my mind and expanded my understanding of CM yet again. Yes!

For students of CM medicine, learn to understand the classic texts. Mostly, they don’t say what you think they do. If possible, learn some written Chinese. Find some way to gain an understanding of the principles of abstraction and an opening into the abstract/integrative/creative mind. Once this opens up, it can re-integrate with the theories proposed by the rational mind and open up a whole new world of understanding. Cultivation, especially meditation and Chinese energy work — Tai Chi, Qigong — also support this way of thinking. Get out into nature and steep yourself in its presence. Nature and our mindful interaction with her was our first classroom. Most of all participate in your life and be happy. This is the medicine of the Heart whose medium is joy. When there is a quiet joy to what you are doing, it reveals a truth and integrity of being.

 

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Links and Resources:

Here is a link to the Tidal Flow clock that we discuss in this episode.

 

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