Japanese Classical Acupuncture:
Introduction to Meridian Therapy
by Shudo Denmei, translated by Stephen Brown

Japanese Classical Acupuncture: Introduction to Meridian Therapy is noted for the clarity and simplicity of its style, and is the most highly regarded introduction to this subject in Japan. The theoretical and historical basis, diagnostic framework and treatment strategies of meridian therapy are discussed in detail.

The author provides a step�by�step introduction to pulse and abdominal diagnosis, and explains how to incorporate the concepts and techniques of meridian therapy into other styles of acupuncture. The text is interwoven with case histories and anecdotes from the author's lengthy practice.

Extensively edited in collaboration with the author to fit the needs of Western acupuncturists, this book opens the door to Japanese classical acupuncture for Western practitioners.

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Awarded the Manaka Prize by the Journal of Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion

"For those interested in the refined and subtle art of Japanese meridian therapy, this eminently readable translation is an invaluable and well-thumbed companion."
--- Stephen Birch, L.Ac., Author

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Shudo Denmei was born in Ohita, Japan in 1932. As a child he contracted pulmonary tuberculosis, but recovered through acupuncture and moxibustion treatments. He subsequently apprenticed to Miura Nagahiko (the acupuncturist who saved his life) and was trained in the Sawada style of acupuncture. He opened his own practice in 1959.

Mr. Shudo began studying and applying the concepts of meridian therapy in his practice in 1968, and is now a senior instructor at the annual summer seminars of the Japan Meridian Therapy Association. He presently serves as an officer of the Kyushu Meridian Therapy Association, board member of the Japan Meridian Therapy Association, and   chairman of the Ohita Prefecture Acupuncture Association.

Steven Brown was born in Japan where he lived until the age of fourteen. In 1979 he returned from the United States to Tokyo to study Oriental medicine, and in 1983 graduated from the Japan Central Acupuncture College, after which he was licensed as an acupuncturist and shiatsu practitioner. Mr. Brown continued his study of acupuncture with such renowned teachers as Manaka Yoshio and Serizawa Katsusuke. He also lectured at the Tokyo Acupuncture and Moxibustion College.

In addition to Japanese Classical Acupuncture, Mr. Brown has translated several other books on Oriental approaches to health, including Effective Tsubo Therapy and Clinical Acupuncture, by Serizawa. He has served on the faculty of the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and is currently in private practice in Seattle. Mr. Brown is editor of the North American Journal of Oriental Medicine.

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C O N T E N T S

• Theoretical Foundations of Meridian Therapy: yin/yang & the five phases, etiology, basic principals
• Diagnosis: looking, listening, questioning, pulse & abdominal diagnosis
• Differentiating the Pattern of Imbalance: symptomology of the Organs, meridians and other parts of the body, practical examples
• Treatment: root & symptomatic treatment, five-phase points & their application, selection of points
• Case Histories

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.