Description

The Mechanics of Spirit is an examination of the
treatment of mental illness with the techniques of
East Aian Medicine, including acupuncture and herbal
medicines. The author is faced with the difficulties
of finding an effective treatment strategy for this
severely ill patient, who has not responded well to
Western allopathic medical treatment. His quest for
answers takes him on an exploration of the history
of East Asian Medicine, an examination of the issues
surrounding its transmission to the Western world,
and the impact of the modern political changes of
East Asia on the interpretation of Asia''s own
historical medicine. The author then develops an
approach for this modern patient using East Asian
medical texts that date from the fifth century. The
Mechanics of Spirit will illuminate the issues
surrounding the position of East Asian Medicine in
the twenty-first century caught between tradition
and modernity.