Do You Believe in the Yellow Emperor? The Roots of Chinese Medicine Theory
by Matthew Bauer

Have you ever wondered how acupuncture first began or why there came to be 365 points and 14 qi pathways? How about the concepts of yin/yang, the Five Elements or the Tao that form the foundation of Chinese medical theory? In this groundbreaking two part series, acupuncturist and Taoist philosopher Matthew D. Bauer delves deep into the past to offer what may be the first comprehensive theories to address these questions.

"The Roots of Chinese Medical" Theory will ponder the earliest origins of the primary concepts that form the foundations of Chinese medicine: yin/yang, The Five Elements, the Tao. This course will review current scholarly thinking on the origins of Chinese medical theories and contrast this with long-standing folk legends regarding those origins. Participants will learn there is much more that is not known about the roots of Chinese medical theory than what is known, but current thinking is at odds with traditional folk legends.

By considering varied sources such as modern anthropology and archeology while looking closely at the teachings of Lao Tzu’s Tao Teh Ching, theories will be proposed that seek to reconcile modern scholarly thinking with folk legends. This course will take you on a journey that traces not only the evolution of Chinese medicine’s primary concepts but that of human thought as well. If you have ever questioned if there was something deeper and profound yet mysterious behind Chinese medicine, this course will offer you many answers.