Dr. Allen Tsaur
D.OM., L.Ac., Dipl.OM (NCCAOM)
Saturday Topic:
“Treating Disease or Constitution? A Re-Examination of Zhang Jingyue’s Eight Principles and Modern Jingfang Treatment Framework”
In the first part of this lecture, Allen Tsaur will be discussing the historical contexts from Song imperial medicine to Jin-Yuan reformations that led to Zhang Jingyue’s development of the Eight Principles. Through this re-examination of this widely adopted diagnostic system taught in the TCM curriculum, Allen will discuss its original aim, intended scope, and possible limitations. Based on the information learned, Allen will touch on the contention between addressing chief complaints or cultivating the constitution in the second part of this lecture, with a challenging clinical case to highlight a potential workable solution to balance the two concurrent aims in the clinic.
Dr. Allen Tsaur, D.OM., L.Ac., Dipl.OM (NCCAOM) received his doctoral degree in Oriental Medicine from Maryland University of Integrative Health. He currently practices in Maryland and is nationally board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in the field of Oriental Medicine. Besides his institutional training in Worsley’s Five Element Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Allen is also well versed in Master Tung’s Acupuncture System and “Jing Fang” Classical Herbal Medicine from his postgraduate studies.
Allen currently serves as a faculty member in the DAOM program at Academy of Chinese Culture & Health Sciences (ACCHS), lecturing on topics such as the Introduction to Textual Study and Historical Development of Pulse Diagnosis in the Neijing and Nanjing, Textual Study and Historical Development of Shanghan Lun, “Liujing” of Shanghan Lun, and Historical Schools of Chinese Medicine. In collaboration with Michael Brown and Purple Cloud Press, Allen has translated, edited, and published Explanations of Channels and Points Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 by Yue Hanzhen (1602-1682), Complete Compendium by Zhang Jingyue Vol. 1-3 & Vol. 50-51 by Zhang Jingyue (1563-1640), as well as a number of contemporary Daoist commentaries. In addition, he was the chief editor for Huang Huang’s Guide to Clinical Application of Jingfang, 4th edition, bilingual edition.
Besides Chinese medicine, Allen is a Buddhist practitioner who regularly attends meditation retreats. He also conducts weekly charity acupuncture clinic at a local temple to serve underprivileged immigrants and elderlies who may not have access to healthcare or afford acupuncture treatments.