Vacuity or deficinecy. Tonify or repletion?

[Guest guest]

Hi Zev,

 

On the subject of terminology, someone noted the differences between vacuity

and deficiency. I've been taught to use the word deficiency although from a

theoretical point-of-view, vacuity seems to be a more accurate description.

I see in Wiseman and Ye's Chinese dictionary (a must for all TCM

practitioners) that vacuity is simply defined as weakness, emptiness (with a

further explanation of vacuity tied in with repletion). Wouldn't deficiency

also be classified as a weakness or emptiness? Can you please explain the

differences in a little more depth aswell as the differences between tonify

and repletion?

 

Kind regards

 

Attilio

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine

 

 

 

[zrosenbe]

27 April 2004 01:45

Chinese Medicine

Re: RE: a little rant on prescriptive acupuncture, weight

loss and intention

 

 

Ah-hem.

 

Only Nigel Wiseman has produced a dictionary and glossary of Chinese

medical terms. Terminology is based on dictionaries and glossaries, so

his texts win by default. Several of the examples you gave are from

authors who give little or no glossary, no references. So there is no

issue.

 

As far as deciding on translations, one has to have a certain base of

knowledge in order to make such decisions. If students and

practitioners have no background in medical Chinese, they are totally

dependent on the author's term choices, if there is no explanation

given.

 

I have no problem with some 'alternative' translations, such as Dan

Bensky's, but he accurately represents the Chinese terminology to the

best of my knowledge. You can tie his terms back to the Chinese, if

you have enough knowledge to do that.

 

There are variant English terms that can be attached to Chinese and

pinyin, but in the case of tonification and sedation, this is not at

all possible. They do not reflect the original Chinese terms in any

fashion whatsoever. They are simply wrong.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Attilio,

I will try to contact Nigel to respond directly. My understanding is

the association of deficiency with nutritional or vitamin deficiency,

i.e. a lack of substance in the body. Qi vacuity can only be

recognized by signs and symptoms, qualities or appearance, as one

cannot measure milligrams of qi like one can for nutritional substances

or red blood cells. So vacuity, or lack of presence, would seem to be

more appropriate when discussing qi.

 

 

On Apr 26, 2004, at 5:58 PM, Attilio D'Alberto wrote:

 

> Hi Zev,

>

> On the subject of terminology, someone noted the differences between

> vacuity

> and deficiency. I've been taught to use the word deficiency although

> from a

> theoretical point-of-view, vacuity seems to be a more accurate

> description.

> I see in Wiseman and Ye's Chinese dictionary (a must for all TCM

> practitioners) that vacuity is simply defined as weakness, emptiness

> (with a

> further explanation of vacuity tied in with repletion). Wouldn't

> deficiency

> also be classified as a weakness or emptiness? Can you please explain

> the

> differences in a little more depth aswell as the differences between

> tonify

> and repletion?

>

> Kind regards

>

> Attilio

>

> Chinese Traditional Medicine

>

>

>

> [zrosenbe]

> 27 April 2004 01:45

> Chinese Medicine

> Re: RE: a little rant on prescriptive acupuncture,

> weight

> loss and intention

>

>

> Ah-hem.

>

> Only Nigel Wiseman has produced a dictionary and glossary of Chinese

> medical terms.  Terminology is based on dictionaries and glossaries,

> so

> his texts win by default.  Several of the examples you gave are from

> authors who give little or no glossary, no references.  So there is no

> issue.

>

> As far as deciding on translations, one has to have a certain base of

> knowledge in order to make such decisions.  If students and

> practitioners have no background in medical Chinese, they are totally

> dependent on the author's term choices, if there is no explanation

> given.

>

> I have no problem with some 'alternative' translations, such as Dan

> Bensky's, but he accurately represents the Chinese terminology to the

> best of my knowledge.  You can tie his terms back to the Chinese, if

> you have enough knowledge to do that.

>

> There are variant English terms that can be attached to Chinese and

> pinyin, but in the case of tonification and sedation, this is not at

> all possible.  They do not reflect the original Chinese terms in any

> fashion whatsoever.  They are simply wrong.

>

>

>

>

>

>

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