Acupuncture and Chinese medicine desseminated on the Silk Road?

[Guest guest]

This discussion brings up yet another enigma that I have yet to find an answer

to:  Jewish traders were known to travel the Silk Road, and there is signifcant

evidence of exchange of  Ideas and products between the Chinese and the Jews. 

Yet to the best of my knowledge, there is no mention is Chinese medical

literature about the Jewish healing tradition, and the first mention of

acupuncture in Jewish scholarship, to the best of my knowledge, was the

following quote from the book, " Maase Tuvia " written by the chief physician of

the Ottoman Empire, Tuvia Hacohen, (a Polish Jewish scholar from Krakow, who

studied medicine in Padua, Italy) written 3 centuries ago on page 115:

 

  " In the land of the East Indies, and in the land of China, they are accustomed

to pass a long thin golden needle through many limbs and anatomical parts, and

 by way of acupuncture they perform their ritual, extricating any fever

and healing the patient. I don't know how (it works) and I have not been able to

find any reason for this, but it would seem to me according to logic, that

perhaps (it is efficacious) because of trepidation  (shock?),

as we find by many people who jump into an icy river during the winter months

(for health benefits). "

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- On Sun, 9/13/09, margi.macdonald <margi.macdonald wrote:

 

 

margi.macdonald <margi.macdonald

Re: Placebo, Big Pharma and Ted Kapchuk - and Ayurveda

Chinese Medicine

Sunday, September 13, 2009, 7:19 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional_ Chinese_Medicine ,

<zrosenbe@.. .> wrote:

 

" What makes you think that Chinese medicine arose from Ayurveda?

Everything I've ever read and researched shows independent development of both

medical cultures.. . . "

 

Prior to studying TCM, I began a study of Ayurveda.

 

Many teachers of this 'science of life' consider that in its history - as far

back as 6500 BC - the existence of trade routes, and the evolution of Buddhism -

and in particular Buddhism's gradual development and spread to the East -

enabled a flow of information, practices, substances, and medicinal knowledge.

The period of the Han Dynasty, for example, saw China experiencing a time of

" outward focus " with the opening up of the Silk Road, and China's navigational

explorations during that era added to Chinese knowledge.

 

Though Ayurvedic scholars acknowledge it is always going to be debatable that

TCM arose directly from Ayurveda, they never discount it, and point to the

chronology of the development of major early Ayurvedic texts such as the

" Charaka Samhita " , which pre-date, for example, " The Yellow Emperor's Inner

Classic " . Ayrveda it seems, is considered an older life science than the Chinese

science.

 

Some examples:

 

Lade & Svoboda [in " Tao and Dharma " ] have noted that Hua Tuo's surgical

techniques " bear a striking resemblance to the surgical methods expounded in

Ayurvedic texts, in particular the usage of a concoction of hemp to engender an

analgesic effect... prior to the operation "

 

They also note that from very early on, there was a highly developed theory of

Five Elements within Ayurveda, and compare this with an archaic concept of five

fundamental substances existing in China before the 4th century BC. They think

it reasonably probable that Zou Yin's expounding of Chinese Five Element

doctrine may have come from Indian theory, which was then modified by the

Chinese to suit their own world view.

 

There is also a tradition of acupucture in Ayurveda - though it was preserved

within family traditions, and not shared openly. [Frawley in Ros " The Lost

Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture " ]

 

The practice of acupuncture - as I know it- has had a more consisitent and

'public' evolution in Indo-China and the Far East, than in India itself.

 

Of particular interest to me, is the profound importance placed by Ayurveda, of

managing the mind, as in this system of healing all diseases are considered to

arise from " the failure of wisdom " . We need only look at diseases and disorders

of modern living, to see that this may be so.

 

" Placebo effect " might also be considered one form of a certain innate wisdom,

yes? Or no? If I stretch the idea a little, does placebo effect have anything to

do with the Po, as much as the Shen?

 

I don't feel we can ever say the two great systems of Indian & Chinese medicine

developed independently of each other. I do not state that Chinese medicine

definitely arose from Ayurveda, but I cannot ignore that ideas and concepts

evident in TCM today, were predated by markedly similar ideas in India. And on

the medicinal value of cow's milk, the twain shall never meet!

 

In less scholarly vein, there is apparently, a light-hearted debate as to

whether Marco Polo gave China the noodle [pasta] or whether China gave

noodle-making to the world.

 

Ultimately, does it matter, as long as we can nourish ourselves?

 

Margi Macdonald

http://margihealing .wordpress. com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

The mists of time, Yehuda, the mists of time.

 

Thanks for the interesting quotation.

 

Hugo

 

 

________________________________

Hugo Ramiro

http://middlemedicine.wordpress.com

http://www.chinesemedicaltherapies.org

 

 

 

 

 

" In the land of the East Indies, and in the land of China, they are accustomed

to pass a long thin golden needle through many limbs and anatomical parts, and

by way of acupuncture they perform their ritual, extricating any fever and

healing the patient. I don't know how (it works) and I have not been able to

find any reason for this, but it would seem to me according to logic, that

perhaps (it is efficacious) because of trepidation (shock?),

as we find by many people who jump into an icy river during the winter months

(for health benefits). "

 

 

Change settings via the Web ( ID required)

Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to

Traditional

Visit Your Group | Terms of Use | Un

Recent Activity

* 1

New MembersVisit Your Group

Drive Traffic

Sponsored Search

can help increase

your site traffic.

Ads on

Learn more now.

Reach customers

searching for you.

 

Mental Health Zone

Bi-polar disorder

Find support

..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Yehuda - this is so cool, what you've found. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I was first struck with the Jewish physician's attempt to explain what he didn't

understand. We haven't come very far, have we?

karen

 

 

 

Karen R. Adams,

Lic Ac, Dipl Ac

25 - 27 Bank Row

Greenfield, MA 01301

413-768-8333

 

 

 

Do or do not.

There is no try.

 

Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________

 

Chinese Medicine

Monday, September 14, 2009 1:50:27 PM

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine desseminated on the Silk Road?

 

 

This discussion brings up yet another enigma that I have yet to find an answer

to: Jewish traders were known to travel the Silk Road, and there is signifcant

evidence of exchange of Ideas and products between the Chinese and the Jews.

Yet to the best of my knowledge, there is no mention is Chinese medical

literature about the Jewish healing tradition, and the first mention of

acupuncture in Jewish scholarship, to the best of my knowledge, was the

following quote from the book, " Maase Tuvia " written by the chief physician of

the Ottoman Empire, Tuvia Hacohen, (a Polish Jewish scholar from Krakow, who

studied medicine in Padua, Italy) written 3 centuries ago on page 115:

 

" In the land of the East Indies, and in the land of China, they are accustomed

to pass a long thin golden needle through many limbs and anatomical parts, and

by way of acupuncture they perform their ritual, extricating any fever and

healing the patient. I don't know how (it works) and I have not been able to

find any reason for this, but it would seem to me according to logic, that

perhaps (it is efficacious) because of trepidation (shock?),

as we find by many people who jump into an icy river during the winter months

(for health benefits). "

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. net

www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. blogspot. com

 

 

 

--- On Sun, 9/13/09, margi.macdonald <margi.macdonald@ gmail.com> wrote:

 

margi.macdonald <margi.macdonald@ gmail.com>

Re: Placebo, Big Pharma and Ted Kapchuk - and Ayurveda

 

Sunday, September 13, 2009, 7:19 PM

 

 

 

Traditional_ Chinese_Medicine ,

<zrosenbe@.. .> wrote:

 

" What makes you think that Chinese medicine arose from Ayurveda?

Everything I've ever read and researched shows independent development of both

medical cultures.. . . "

 

Prior to studying TCM, I began a study of Ayurveda.

 

Many teachers of this 'science of life' consider that in its history - as far

back as 6500 BC - the existence of trade routes, and the evolution of Buddhism -

and in particular Buddhism's gradual development and spread to the East -

enabled a flow of information, practices, substances, and medicinal knowledge.

The period of the Han Dynasty, for example, saw China experiencing a time of

" outward focus " with the opening up of the Silk Road, and China's navigational

explorations during that era added to Chinese knowledge.

 

Though Ayurvedic scholars acknowledge it is always going to be debatable that

TCM arose directly from Ayurveda, they never discount it, and point to the

chronology of the development of major early Ayurvedic texts such as the

" Charaka Samhita " , which pre-date, for example, " The Yellow Emperor's Inner

Classic " . Ayrveda it seems, is considered an older life science than the Chinese

science.

 

Some examples:

 

Lade & Svoboda [in " Tao and Dharma " ] have noted that Hua Tuo's surgical

techniques " bear a striking resemblance to the surgical methods expounded in

Ayurvedic texts, in particular the usage of a concoction of hemp to engender an

analgesic effect... prior to the operation "

 

They also note that from very early on, there was a highly developed theory of

Five Elements within Ayurveda, and compare this with an archaic concept of five

fundamental substances existing in China before the 4th century BC. They think

it reasonably probable that Zou Yin's expounding of Chinese Five Element

doctrine may have come from Indian theory, which was then modified by the

Chinese to suit their own world view.

 

There is also a tradition of acupucture in Ayurveda - though it was preserved

within family traditions, and not shared openly. [Frawley in Ros " The Lost

Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture " ]

 

The practice of acupuncture - as I know it- has had a more consisitent and

'public' evolution in Indo-China and the Far East, than in India itself.

 

Of particular interest to me, is the profound importance placed by Ayurveda, of

managing the mind, as in this system of healing all diseases are considered to

arise from " the failure of wisdom " . We need only look at diseases and disorders

of modern living, to see that this may be so.

 

" Placebo effect " might also be considered one form of a certain innate wisdom,

yes? Or no? If I stretch the idea a little, does placebo effect have anything to

do with the Po, as much as the Shen?

 

I don't feel we can ever say the two great systems of Indian & Chinese medicine

developed independently of each other. I do not state that Chinese medicine

definitely arose from Ayurveda, but I cannot ignore that ideas and concepts

evident in TCM today, were predated by markedly similar ideas in India. And on

the medicinal value of cow's milk, the twain shall never meet!

 

In less scholarly vein, there is apparently, a light-hearted debate as to

whether Marco Polo gave China the noodle [pasta] or whether China gave

noodle-making to the world.

 

Ultimately, does it matter, as long as we can nourish ourselves?

 

Margi Macdonald

http://margihealing .wordpress. com/

 

 

[Guest guest]

Have you read the book " The Chinese Jews " By William Charles White, Univ Toronto

Press, 1942? Apparently there was a synagogue in kaifeng dating back to 1163ce.

Apparently the Jews (all ethnic Chinese as far as I can see) had reached high

levels in government and White presents depictions of the Torah in Classical

Chinese.

[Guest guest]

There was a tribe of Jewish traders, the Radhanites, mentioned in

Joseph Needham's " Science and Civilization in China " . Apparently

there were physicians among them who served the Emperor, and he built

them a temple called " the temple of the descendants of the sons of

Abraham " . . . (all paraphrased, I don't have the original source in my

office).

 

 

On Sep 14, 2009, at 12:06 PM, sppdestiny wrote:

 

> Have you read the book " The Chinese Jews " By William Charles White,

> Univ Toronto Press, 1942? Apparently there was a synagogue in

> kaifeng dating back to 1163ce. Apparently the Jews (all ethnic

> Chinese as far as I can see) had reached high levels in government

> and White presents depictions of the Torah in Classical Chinese.

>

>

 

 

Chair, Department of Herbal Medicine

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine

San Diego, Ca. 92122

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Yes, I have seen that text.  And of course, there is a rich history of Jews in

China, particularly in Kaifeng and Shanghai. Many of the Kaifeng Jews over the

centuries did assimilate, and the majority actually converted to Islam, as the

cultures were similar and the Moslems overwhelmingly outnumbered the Jews. 

Interestingly, there is even a group of individuals from Kaifeng who recently

approached the Israeli government claiming that they are actually Jews

and wanted to move to Israel.   But with all that,  no mention of cultural

exchanges related to medicine or healing!

 

respectfully,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- On Mon, 9/14/09, sppdestiny <Revolution wrote:

 

 

sppdestiny <Revolution

Re: Acupuncture and Chinese medicine desseminated on the Silk

Road?

Chinese Medicine

Monday, September 14, 2009, 12:06 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you read the book " The Chinese Jews " By William Charles White, Univ Toronto

Press, 1942? Apparently there was a synagogue in kaifeng dating back to 1163ce.

Apparently the Jews (all ethnic Chinese as far as I can see) had reached high

levels in government and White presents depictions of the Torah in Classical

Chinese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

There's an idea that Jesus, the Jewish mystic traveled to Kashmir before

and/or after age 33.

But, this is just as much speculation as the historical Jesus himself.

 

Most of long-distance travel in ancient times was probably done by sea,

in order to stay away from bandits lurking on major roads.

You would have to have a small army with you to travel a few thousand miles,

especially if you carried items of importance.

I thought that the silk road was opened up after the crusades.

 

Both Jews and Chinese moved around a lot, so who knows?

 

As far as who gave the noodle to whom... it was definitely from China

originally.

That's why Italy is the only European country to have a big pasta tradition,

 

but noodles have been proliferating throughout Asia from Ancient times.

Wheat, barley, rice, egg and buckwheat noodles.

 

Another question is what came first, the chicken or the egg?

Well, for sure, it came from China,

because the people of China were the first to domesticate the chicken (Guns,

Germs and Steel).

 

The Chinese are also the first ones to develop a game like golf by an

eccentric emperor,

even though the Scotts made it into what it is today.

 

The movable metal-type print was invented in Korea over 2 centuries earlier

than Guttenberg's press,

 

but Kim-chee is a hybrid of traditional cabbage fermentation and the

introduction of peppers from the New World

only a few hundred years ago. Can you imagine Korean food without all of

the spice?

That's like Italian food without the noodles.

 

As far as the origins of acupuncture, doesn't it say in the Nei Jing that

acupuncture

was developed from the East first?

Massage from the south, Moxa from the North and Herbs from the West?

 

My guess is that Dao-yin, the precursor of many martial arts, has its

origins in yoga from the Indian region.

Kung Fu in the Shaolin tradition anyway is definitely from India

(Bodhi-dharma).

 

But, there were other martial arts that rose independently, such as Hwa-rang

do from Korea,

the military arts that have to do with spears, swords and horses.

 

K

 

 

 

On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:38 AM, Karen Adams <turusachan wrote:

 

>

>

> Hi Yehuda - this is so cool, what you've found. Thanks for sharing it with

> us. I was first struck with the Jewish physician's attempt to explain what

> he didn't understand. We haven't come very far, have we?

> karen

>

> Karen R. Adams,

> Lic Ac, Dipl Ac

> 25 - 27 Bank Row

> Greenfield, MA 01301

> 413-768-8333

>

> Do or do not.

> There is no try.

>

> Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back

>

> ________________________________

> <%40>>

>

> To:

Chinese Medicine <Chinese Medicine%40yaho\

ogroups.com>

> Monday, September 14, 2009 1:50:27 PM

> Acupuncture and Chinese medicine desseminated on the Silk

> Road?

>

> This discussion brings up yet another enigma that I have yet to find an

> answer to: Jewish traders were known to travel the Silk Road, and there is

> signifcant evidence of exchange of Ideas and products between the Chinese

> and the Jews. Yet to the best of my knowledge, there is no mention is

> Chinese medical literature about the Jewish healing tradition, and the first

> mention of acupuncture in Jewish scholarship, to the best of my knowledge,

> was the following quote from the book, " Maase Tuvia " written by the chief

> physician of the Ottoman Empire, Tuvia Hacohen, (a Polish Jewish scholar

> from Krakow, who studied medicine in Padua, Italy) written 3 centuries ago

> on page 115:

>

> " In the land of the East Indies, and in the land of China, they are

> accustomed to pass a long thin golden needle through many limbs and

> anatomical parts, and by way of acupuncture they perform their ritual,

> extricating any fever and healing the patient. I don't know how (it works)

> and I have not been able to find any reason for this, but it would seem to

> me according to logic, that perhaps (it is efficacious) because of

> trepidation (shock?),

> as we find by many people who jump into an icy river during the winter

> months (for health benefits). "

>

> Any thoughts?

>

>

> www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. net

> www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. blogspot. com

>

>

>

>

> --- On Sun, 9/13/09, margi.macdonald <margi.macdonald@ gmail.com> wrote:

>

> margi.macdonald <margi.macdonald@ gmail.com>

> Re: Placebo, Big Pharma and Ted Kapchuk - and Ayurveda

>

> Sunday, September 13, 2009, 7:19 PM

>

> Traditional_ Chinese_Medicine ,

> <zrosenbe@.. .> wrote:

>

> " What makes you think that Chinese medicine arose from Ayurveda?

> Everything I've ever read and researched shows independent development of

> both medical cultures.. . . "

>

> Prior to studying TCM, I began a study of Ayurveda.

>

> Many teachers of this 'science of life' consider that in its history - as

> far back as 6500 BC - the existence of trade routes, and the evolution of

> Buddhism - and in particular Buddhism's gradual development and spread to

> the East - enabled a flow of information, practices, substances, and

> medicinal knowledge.

> The period of the Han Dynasty, for example, saw China experiencing a time

> of " outward focus " with the opening up of the Silk Road, and China's

> navigational explorations during that era added to Chinese knowledge.

>

> Though Ayurvedic scholars acknowledge it is always going to be debatable

> that TCM arose directly from Ayurveda, they never discount it, and point to

> the chronology of the development of major early Ayurvedic texts such as the

> " Charaka Samhita " , which pre-date, for example, " The Yellow Emperor's Inner

> Classic " . Ayrveda it seems, is considered an older life science than the

> Chinese science.

>

> Some examples:

>

> Lade & Svoboda [in " Tao and Dharma " ] have noted that Hua Tuo's surgical

> techniques " bear a striking resemblance to the surgical methods expounded in

> Ayurvedic texts, in particular the usage of a concoction of hemp to engender

> an analgesic effect... prior to the operation "

>

> They also note that from very early on, there was a highly developed theory

> of Five Elements within Ayurveda, and compare this with an archaic concept

> of five fundamental substances existing in China before the 4th century BC.

> They think it reasonably probable that Zou Yin's expounding of Chinese Five

> Element doctrine may have come from Indian theory, which was then modified

> by the Chinese to suit their own world view.

>

> There is also a tradition of acupucture in Ayurveda - though it was

> preserved within family traditions, and not shared openly. [Frawley in Ros

> " The Lost Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture " ]

>

> The practice of acupuncture - as I know it- has had a more consisitent and

> 'public' evolution in Indo-China and the Far East, than in India itself.

>

> Of particular interest to me, is the profound importance placed by

> Ayurveda, of managing the mind, as in this system of healing all diseases

> are considered to arise from " the failure of wisdom " . We need only look at

> diseases and disorders of modern living, to see that this may be so.

>

> " Placebo effect " might also be considered one form of a certain innate

> wisdom, yes? Or no? If I stretch the idea a little, does placebo effect have

> anything to do with the Po, as much as the Shen?

>

> I don't feel we can ever say the two great systems of Indian & Chinese

> medicine developed independently of each other. I do not state that Chinese

> medicine definitely arose from Ayurveda, but I cannot ignore that ideas and

> concepts evident in TCM today, were predated by markedly similar ideas in

> India. And on the medicinal value of cow's milk, the twain shall never meet!

>

> In less scholarly vein, there is apparently, a light-hearted debate as to

> whether Marco Polo gave China the noodle [pasta] or whether China gave

> noodle-making to the world.

>

> Ultimately, does it matter, as long as we can nourish ourselves?

>

> Margi Macdonald

> http://margihealing .wordpress. com/

>

>

[Guest guest]

What is interesting is linking the Sefer Yetzirah to a model of health and

healing (there is much, much more that one can learn from it, but this is

one of the elements). As it was a work by Avraham Avinu & we also know that

he sent the sons of his consorts to the East, there is definitely a

possibility of Chinese medicine having links to Traditional Jewish Medicine.

 

On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:02 AM, Hugo Ramiro <subincor wrote:

 

>

>

> The mists of time, Yehuda, the mists of time.

>

> Thanks for the interesting quotation.

>

> Hugo

>

> ________________________________

> Hugo Ramiro

> http://middlemedicine.wordpress.com

> http://www.chinesemedicaltherapies.org

>

> " In the land of the East Indies, and in the land of China, they are

> accustomed to pass a long thin golden needle through many limbs and

> anatomical parts, and by way of acupuncture they perform their ritual,

> extricating any fever and healing the patient. I don't know how (it works)

> and I have not been able to find any reason for this, but it would seem to

> me according to logic, that perhaps (it is efficacious) because of

> trepidation (shock?),

> as we find by many people who jump into an icy river during the winter

> months (for health benefits). "

>

> Change settings via the Web ( ID required)

> Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format

> to Traditional

> Visit Your Group | Terms of Use | Un

> Recent Activity

> * 1

> New MembersVisit Your Group

> Drive Traffic

> Sponsored Search

> can help increase

> your site traffic.

> Ads on

> Learn more now.

> Reach customers

> searching for you.

>

> Mental Health Zone

> Bi-polar disorder

> Find support

> .

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, absolutely.  Rav Morganstern from Jerusalem suggested that approach, but

easier said than done, it is incredibly esoteric!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- On Tue, 9/15/09, Mark Milotay <mark wrote:

 

 

Mark Milotay <mark

Re: Acupuncture and Chinese medicine desseminated on the Silk

Road?

Chinese Medicine

Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 8:40 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is interesting is linking the Sefer Yetzirah to a model of health and

healing (there is much, much more that one can learn from it, but this is

one of the elements). As it was a work by Avraham Avinu & we also know that

he sent the sons of his consorts to the East, there is definitely a

possibility of Chinese medicine having links to Traditional Jewish Medicine.

 

On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:02 AM, Hugo Ramiro <subincor > wrote:

 

>

>

> The mists of time, Yehuda, the mists of time.

>

> Thanks for the interesting quotation.

>

> Hugo

>

> ____________ _________ _________ __

> Hugo Ramiro

> http://middlemedici ne.wordpress. com

> http://www.chinesem edicaltherapies. org

>

> " In the land of the East Indies, and in the land of China, they are

> accustomed to pass a long thin golden needle through many limbs and

> anatomical parts, and by way of acupuncture they perform their ritual,

> extricating any fever and healing the patient. I don't know how (it works)

> and I have not been able to find any reason for this, but it would seem to

> me according to logic, that perhaps (it is efficacious) because of

> trepidation (shock?),

> as we find by many people who jump into an icy river during the winter

> months (for health benefits). "

>

> Change settings via the Web ( ID required)

> Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format

> to Traditional

> Visit Your Group | Terms of Use | Un

> Recent Activity

> * 1

> New MembersVisit Your Group

> Drive Traffic

> Sponsored Search

> can help increase

> your site traffic.

> Ads on

> Learn more now.

> Reach customers

> searching for you.

>

> Mental Health Zone

> Bi-polar disorder

> Find support

> .

>

>

[Guest guest]

..The existence Jewish communities in China were very early, possibly before the

6th century BCE, even 1st century BCE. If you want to read something about a

journey of a 13th century Italian Jewish merchant there is a book called the

'City of Light' which is a translation of a manuscript attributed to Jacob

d'Ancona who journeyed by sea to find the City of Light in China It is well

worth a read. Interesting considering the debated age of the Sephir Yetzirah

and the similarities to the 11th century Taijitu shuo of Zhou Dunyi. I

believe in fact I am sure that there was a lot of cross fertilizing of ideas

going on on around this time, and also in the 6th century when China welcomed

rather than kept out foreign influence. We also must not forget that Alexandria

stood as a centre of scholarship and a library for the known world until the 6th

century until it was spilt up and destroyed, yet silk was very fashionable in

the late Roman empire so there must have been a lot of connection through trade

and interest. . We have much to catch up on with regard how much the Western and

Eastern world were in contact both religiously and philosophically.

 

 

Helene

 

 

Posted by: " Mark Milotay " mark mmilotay

Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:40 am ((PDT))

 

What is interesting is linking the Sefer Yetzirah to a model of health and

healing (there is much, much more that one can learn from it, but this is

one of the elements). As it was a work by Avraham Avinu & we also know that

he sent the sons of his consorts to the East, there is definitely a

possibility of Chinese medicine having links to Traditional Jewish Medicine.