Book excerpt: Chinese and Botanical Medicines: Traditional Uses and Modern Scientific Approaches is a classroom-tested book that contains a balance of chemistry, the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and the theory and practice of a modern TCM practitioner. This distinct book reviews the scientific methods for collecting data and supporting evidence for the efficacy and safety of Chinese drugs and medicines. It also reflects on the different views on health, disease and therapy, and their impacts on the relationships between man and nature.