Written in the form of a dialogue in which the emperor seeks information from his minister Ch'I-Po on questions of health and the art of healing, this document deals with Chinese medicine. It provides the historical and philosophical foundations of traditional practices that have seen a dynamic revival in China and throughout the West.

“The most important theoretical text in the huge corpus of traditional Chinese medical literature.”— Science

“Veith has created a charming, yet scholarly work; her detailed, solidly documented early chapters provide insight that makes reading the dialogues rewarding and meaningful. All else that is needed is a comfortable chair and a few quiet hours.”— Archives of Internal Medicine

“This classic is a work of the greatest significance for the general reader interested in sinological matters as well as for physicians. . . . It provides insight into the nature of the Chinese civilization and an aspect of the modern problems of that civilization. . . . This is a beautiful book.”— California Medicine

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine has become a landmark in the history of Chinese civilization. Written in the form of a dialogue in which the emperor seeks information from his minister Ch'I-Po on questions of health and the art of healing, it is the oldest known document in Chinese medicine. Ilza Veith's extensive introduction and monumental translation, first published in 1949, make available the historical and philosophical foundations of traditional practices that have seen a dynamic revival in China and throughout the West. This is a new foreword by Linda L. Barnes places the translation in its historic contexts, underlining its significance to the Western world's understanding of Chinese medical practice.