Literature

Open the Doors to Knowledge

中草药文献

At seaofchi.com we believe that all plants possess curative powers. Even though a great deal of the healing ability of plants remains undiscovered, we are convinced that God has provided us with the means to cure every human affliction through the use of botanical medicines. Plant medicines are the original medicine of mankind, and their use for treating disease can be traced all the way back to a time when the primary health-care providers were shamans, sages, and medicine men. Physical evidence obtained from burial sites of many ancient cultures (Egyptian, African, Chinese, Aztec, and others) suggests that throughout human history plant medicines have played an important role in the treatment of disease. This role, we might add, is not limited to humans. Documented evidence compiled from field studies has shown that, much like their human counterparts, injured or sick animals will instinctively search for particular botanical substances in an attempt to heal injuries and affect a cure. Not until late in the twentieth century—with the increase in the number of trained physicians and the rapid development of the pharmaceutical industry—was the use of herbal remedies that had been passed down by word of mouth from elders to their offspring replaced by Western allopathic medicine as the primary source of medical treatment. Another contributing factor to the decline of herbal remedies is the lack of scientific research into their effectiveness, which the Western medical establishment often cites as its principal reason for discrediting alternative medicine in general and herbology in particular. To that we can only reply that centuries of use by members of indigenous populations have validated the effectiveness of herbal systems as diverse as Ayurvedic, African, Western, and Chinese. Perhaps the best known and most documented is the highly regarded five-thousand-year-old Chinese herbal system. In recent years, Western allopathic medicine has come under increased criticism, mainly because of its excessive use of chemical drug therapy and the invasive life-threatening nature of surgery. Many concerned consumers, seeking an alternative to chemical drugs and their often dangerous side effects, are looking to Chinese herbal medicine as a way to safely manage their health.This increased level of public interest has recently given rise to a new movement. Primarily spearheaded by American-trained Chinese acupuncturists/herbalists, an attempt is currently underway to explain in terms everyone can understand how to use Chinese herbs for treating common illnesses. Hopefully, this website will be among those that eliminate the confusion that has made using Chinese herbs so difficult. In the past, anyone curious about using Chinese herbs was usually frustrated by deterrents that seemed to fall into three main categories: cultural differences, complicated medical language, and a tendency to make this five-thousand-year-old herbal system appear mysterious and unnecessarily complex. It was a desire to overcome cultural differences, to avoid complicated medical language, and to demystify this practical healing art that provided the inspiration for this website. Herbs are often referred to as “the people’s medicine.” Their popularity is due in part to their affordability compared to prescription drugs, and the fact that they can be administered with minimal training and experience. While treatment by a professional herbalist is certainly required in complicated cases, centuries of use by the Chinese people have proven that self-treatment can be performed successfully—when simple instructions are given and complicated medical language is avoided.

Since developing this online business over a decade ago, our company’s focus has centered on providing information on herbal prescriptions as well as encouraging the regular use of Chinese herbs for promoting a healthier lifestyle. We take great pride in the fact that through our conscious effort to use simple, understandable language, many of our customers and friends have gained insights into some of the underlying principles of traditional Chinese medicine and have acquired the ability to use Chinese herbs for maintaining their health.In our continued effort to keep the language in this website uncomplicated, we have drawn upon some advice from our elders, who encouraged education, but cautioned against succumbing to the intellectual disease that impairs the ability of the educated to use common sense and plain talk, a malady referred to as “analysis paralysis.” We will consider this website a success only if it is considered by the user to be both informative and comprehensible. If you’d like to gain more knowledge about how Chinese herbs can be used, click on the below links which contain information on the various herbal categories presented on this site.

Enjoy the read.

The folks @ seaofchi.com