Meridian therapy is a style of Japanese acupuncture distinguished by its emphasis on the classics, its utilization of five-phase logic in treatment and its concentration on the root of disease. While theoretically concise, its practitioners practice the skills of observation, palpation, point location and needle technique as fine arts. Diagnosis centers on the acute observation of both objective and subjective signs.

Based on the authoritative Japanese text by Denmei Shudo, an acknowledged founder of the meridian treatment school, this text introduces the essential theoretical and historical information, diagnostic techniques, and treatment strategies. Pulse and abdominal diagnosis are clearly introduced and case histories from the authors’ clinical practice are used to exemplify these themes. The book covers the history, theoretical foundations, and practical clinical associations of meridian therapy. The discussion of the four examinations that follows is unique in its sensitivity to detail. This concentration on finely resolved detail, reflecting the heart of meridian treatment itself, is continued in discussions of abdominal diagnosis, pattern identification, and point location. The discussion of patterns, their meaning and intent, is unique. This text is a rare opportunity to acquire an understanding of a refined clinical approach, not just in the words of one of its most important creators, but also through the sensitivity, humility, and practical understanding of Steven Brown, a translator-practitioner whose respect for the art speaks to us on every page.