FIELDNOTES · TOPICS
Find your next read.
34 articles about Chinese medicine language, history, everyday culture and evidence. Start with a question or scan every title below.
NEW TO THE SUBJECT?
Three useful first reads.
A quick orientation, one central term and a way to evaluate claims.
- Chinese Medicine Culture: A Beginner’s GuideGet the basic map before exploring individual terms and traditions.Start here
- What Does Qi Mean in Chinese Medicine?Understand why qi has more than one English translation.Start here
- Traditional Use vs Scientific EvidenceSeparate a record of traditional use from evidence of effectiveness.Start here
START WITH YOUR QUESTION
What are you curious about?
THE COMPLETE READING MAP
Browse all 34 articles.
Every published article is listed here. The first two in each collection are suggested starting points.
07 ARTICLES
Concepts & language
Chinese words, their meanings, and the limits of translation.
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- What Does Qi Mean in Chinese Medicine?Understand why qi has more than one English translation.Start here
- Yin and Yang Explained with Everyday ExamplesSee yin and yang as a relationship through everyday examples.Start here
- Chinese Medicine Terms: A Bilingual Beginner’s GlossaryLook up recurring Chinese terms and their English meanings.
- Five Phases or Five Elements? Understanding Wu XingUnderstand what the five phases describe in traditional thought.
- What Are Meridians in Traditional Chinese Medicine?Learn what meridians mean within the traditional framework.
- What Does “Shang Huo” Mean?Decode the everyday expression shang huo without treating it as a diagnosis.
- What Does “Organ” Mean in Chinese Medicine? Zang-Fu and TranslationRead traditional organ names without assuming a modern anatomical diagnosis.
12 ARTICLES
History & traditions
Texts, changing traditions, and the language of tools and methods.
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- Traditional Chinese Medicine and Classical Chinese MedicinePlace Chinese medicine in a changing historical tradition.Start here
- The History of Gua ShaTrace the history and changing uses of gua sha.Start here
- Acupuncture and Acupressure: Understanding the TermsTell acupuncture and acupressure apart.
- What Is the Huangdi Neijing?Learn what the Huangdi Neijing is and how to read it in context.
- What Is the Bencao Gangmu?Meet the Bencao Gangmu as a historical text, not a modern prescription.
- How Chinese Medicine Changed in the Modern EraSee how Chinese medicine changed in the modern era.
- Cupping Across Different CulturesCompare cupping traditions across different settings.
- What Is Moxibustion? A Cultural IntroductionUnderstand moxibustion as a practice and cultural tradition.
- Dry Needling and Acupuncture: Terms, Origins and ContextDistinguish dry needling from acupuncture.
- Gua Sha and Jade Rollers: Tools, History and Modern Beauty CultureCompare gua sha with the jade roller without assuming the same history.
- What Are Ear Seeds? Terminology and Cultural ContextUnderstand what ear seeds are and what claims about them require.
- How to Read a Chinese Medicine Timeline: Texts, Legends and InstitutionsDistinguish text, edition and institutional dates in a timeline.
07 ARTICLES
Food & everyday culture
Food, family customs and seasonal traditions, in context.
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- Congee in Chinese Food CultureSee how congee fits into food, family and daily life.Start here
- “Hot” and “Cold” Foods in Chinese CultureUnderstand what “hot” and “cold” mean when describing food.Start here
- Chinese Tea Culture and Herbal InfusionsLearn the difference between tea and herbal infusions.
- Why Do Many Chinese People Drink Hot Water?Explore the custom of drinking hot water and its context.
- Jujube vs Medjool Dates: What Is the Difference?Tell Chinese jujubes and Medjool dates apart.
- Goji Berries in Chinese Cooking and CultureMeet goji berries as food and as a traditional ingredient.
- The 24 Solar Terms and Everyday TraditionsUnderstand the solar terms as a way of marking the year.
07 ARTICLES
Evidence & reading
Learn to distinguish cultural accounts, personal stories and clinical claims.
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- Traditional Use vs Scientific EvidenceSeparate a record of traditional use from evidence of effectiveness.Start here
- Why “Natural” Does Not Always Mean SafeAsk better safety questions when a product says “natural”.Start here
- Reading Wellness Claims: What Does “Supports” Mean?Interpret vague product wording such as “supports”.
- Moxibustion Online: Cultural Context and Safety ClaimsRead online moxibustion claims with the right questions.
- Reading Wellness Labels: “Drug-Free” and “Natural”Notice what a wellness label tells you—and leaves out.
- Personal Experience vs Evidence: Reading Gua Sha StoriesLearn what a personal story can and cannot establish.
- Reading Online Chinese Herb Listings: Five Transparency ChecksRead Chinese herb listings with attention to names and claims.