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"In Chinese folklore, there is a fairy tale that goes with the black-bone chicken. It is said that the celestial Lu Dongbing made pills of immortality on Tiger-nose Peak long, long ago. Tiger-nose Peak is also known as Two-finger Peak of the Wushan Mountain in Taihe. On the day when the pills of immortality were successfully made, Lu Dongbing invited other celestial beings to the celebration party, including Tie Guaili, Han Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, Han Xiangzi, and Cao Guojiu.

When the celestial beings were drinking wine, a pair of wild chicken flew from the forest into the pill-making pool and ate the pills of immortality. The chickens then became a pair of white phoenix. Lu Dongbing was not glad and reported to Buddha Guanying, but Buddha Guanying smiled and said: "It's a good opportunity for them to live on earth." Buddha Guanying pointed at the Tiger-nose Peak, and the white phoenix immediately became silky fowl."

The black-boned hen is a very good setter and is often used to hatch the eggs of other species that do not set on eggs as well.

"In the Tang Dynasty, the 'maifengdanyao,' which has the black-bone chicken as the main ingredient, was thought to be the cure-all medicine for the gynecological diseases."

Read more about the Black-boned chicken

Oriental Recipes from NYCTCM Eastern Nutrition Class

See a delicious recipe for Black Boned Chicken and Chinese Yam Soup at the NYCTCM website. Students from the Eastern Nutrition class have published their recipes that show the healthful function of each dish and ingredient in accordance with TCM principles. 

Photo by Charles Dharapak-AP

Read article at The Washington Post, Monday, Nov. 16

The Chinese Medicine Database is a publisher of Chinese medical documents. Our Ph.D. level sinologists and professional translators translate material from multiple dynasties, as well as multiple subjects. Translated material is available either on our website: www.cm-db.com or in our books such as "The Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang: : Essential Prescriptions worth a Thousand in Gold for Every Emergency Vol. 2-4" translated by Sabine Wilms Ph.D. Our primary goal is to offer our community bi-lingual access to the primary source documents of Chinese medicine. We hope that these documents will further research in the Classics by scholars, practitioners, and students.

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Current Translated Texts are:

• Shāng Hán Lái Sū Jí 傷寒來蘇集: Renewal of Treatise on Cold Damage
• Qí Jīng Bā Mài Kǎo 奇經八脈考: Explanation of the Eight Vessels of the Marvellous Meridians
• Shāng Hán Míng Lǐ Lùn 傷寒明理論: Treatise on Enlightening the Principles of Cold Damage.
• Wú Jū Tōng Yī àn 吴鞠通医案: Case Studies of Wú Jū-tōng
• The Nán Jīng 難經: The Classic of Difficulties -- Difficulties 1-17
• The Zang Fu Biao Ben Han Re Xu Shi Yong Yao Shi 臟腑標本寒熱虛實用
• 藥式: Viscera and Bowels, Tip and Root, Cold and Heat, Vacuity and Repletion Model for Using Medicinals
• Bèi Jí Qiān Jīn Yào Fāng 備急千金要方: Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces For Emergencies. vol. 2
• Bèi Jí Qiān Jīn Yào Fāng 備急千金要方: Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces For Emergencies. vol. 3
• Bèi Jí Qiān Jīn Yào Fāng 備急千金要方: Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces For Emergencies. -- vol. 4
• Wēn Rè Lún 温熱論: Treatise on Warm Heat Disease
• Shāng Hán Shé Jiàn 傷寒舌鑒: Tongue Mirror of Cold Damage
• Xǔ Shì Yī àn 許氏醫案: Case Histories of Master Xu
• Fǔ Xìng Jué Zāng Fǔ Yòng Yào Fǎ Yào 輔行決贓腑用藥法要: Secret Instructions for Assisting the Body: Essential Methods for the Application of Drugs to the Viscera & Bowels
• Biāo Yōu Fù (annotation) 標幽賦 （楊氏註解）: Indicating the Obscure
• Liú Juān Zǐ Guǐ Yí Fāng 劉涓子鬼遺方: Liu Juanzi's Formulas Inherited from Ghosts
• Shèn Jí Chú Yán 慎疾芻言: Precautions in Illness: My Humble Thoughts: Essays "

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Kelsey Dixon, a NYCTCM graduating acupuncture student, wrote on how she will contribute to the future of Chinese medicine in an American culture which is so different from the Taoist principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

" The TCM that exists in the United States of America is, in some ways, childlike, having progressed past the novelty of its infantile stages and the tremendous growth of early childhood, and now entering its adolescence, and the struggle to blossom to its fullest potential while maintaining its roots. It is an old and sacred medicine reborn within a young and eager culture- a culture still, sometimes awkwardly, undecided as to how to approach and integrate this strange new paradigm. At times, the impending pressure upon becoming a practitioner of this healing art can seem intense..."
"Reviewing the words of wisdom from the 'sages' of both ancient Chinese culture and contemporary American culture, the irony of TCM in America is obvious. In TCM, we have a paradigm of health based on a worldview that holds passivity and acceptance, and harmony within a greater whole, in highest esteem. The American Dream, on the other hand, is fundamentally about individuals distinguishing themselves, about challenging the status quo and seeing the way things ought to be rather than the way things are. "

read the complete article at NYCTCM blog page..

 "Practitioners use moxa to warm regions and acupuncture points with the intention of stimulating circulation through the points and inducing a smoother flow of blood and qi.

Research, for example at Mugwort (Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine by Clare Hanrahan) has shown that mugwort acts as an emmenagogue, meaning that it stimulates blood-flow in the pelvic area and uterus. It is claimed that moxibustion militates against cold and dampness in the body and can serve to turn breech babies.

Medical historians believe that moxibustion pre-dated acupuncture, and needling came to supplement moxa after the 2nd century BC."

Wikipedia article describes moxa treatment.

The photo, taken in Xingping, China, is on Johey24 Flickr photstream, plus more photos.

A man sorts dumplings in a kitchen at a village in Daxing, south of Beijing, China on Saturday Jan. 24, 2009. Villagers gathered Saturday to make thousands of meat dumplings in preparation for a feast to celebrate Chinese New Year... (AP Photo/Greg Baker)






A woman walks under red lanterns at a shopping mall in Shanghai January 16, 2009. Red decorations are customarily used by Chinese people all over the world to usher in the Lunar New Year, which falls on January 26 this year. The Year of the Ox is celebrated this year. (REUTERS/Aly Song)

"Today is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, met with celebrations and observations by ethnic Chinese and others around the world. This year, we welcome the Year of the Ox, the sign representing solemn hard work and prosperity - an animal that appears aptly symbolic for these difficult times."

Here are 35 great photographs of people celebrating and preparing for this Lunar New Year festivities.