Book excerpt: In this essential text, the authors explore concepts from the Su Wen, Ling Shu and Nan Jing to bring us a view of ideas that flowered in an age rich with Chinese medical history. They discuss the philosophical and theoretical development of the five-phase system, in particular the relationship of five phases to the I Ching, Tao Te Ching, and other classical Chinese texts, then present the correspondences that a practitioner can apply to the problems of diagnosis and treatment. The diagnostic section is a complete and practical discussion of technique, including pulse, body type, visual diagnosis, and hara or abdominal diagnosis. The treatment section describes basic exercises, breathing techniques, treatment principles, and techniques from eminent classical texts. Modern treatment protocols are presented in clear, easy to use tables. It is one of the best sources of technique currently available and it reaches beyond technique to the art of healing.