Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis is a modern and highly detailed pulse diagnostic system developed by Dr. Leon Hammer, based on the teachings of Dr. John H.F. Shen, a 20th-century master of Chinese medicine. This system is an evolution of classical Chinese pulse diagnosis, but with a much greater level of nuance and precision. It integrates traditional Chinese medical theory with modern clinical observation, psychology, and a deep focus on subtle internal pathologies, especially constitutional and emotional imbalances.
Lillian Bridges (1956–2021) was an internationally renowned expert in Chinese Face Reading (Mian Xiang 面相) and Chinese Psychology, playing a foundational role in reviving, modernizing, and teaching these ancient disciplines within the context of Chinese medicine and personal development. She was widely regarded as the foremost authority in the West on Chinese Face Reading and Five Element psychology, and her work deeply influenced the integration of emotional, psychological, and constitutional diagnosis into acupuncture and TCM clinical practice.
Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture
Scalp Acupuncture
Shen Medical in France is a private clinical and educational center focused on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Medical Qigong, known for integrating classical Chinese approaches with modern therapeutic methods. It provides:
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Clinical services (acupuncture, herbal therapy, Tuina, Qigong)
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Professional training programs (certified in TCM, Medical Qigong, and Daoist cultivation)
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Workshops and seminars in energy medicine, internal alchemy, and integrative health
The center is led by practitioners with deep training in Chinese energetic medicine, Daoist traditions, and biomedical sciences, offering a holistic, East–West approach to healing and education.
Shen Medical (France)
Acupuncture Media Works (AMW) is a U.S.-based company that specializes in creating patient education materials, marketing tools, and practice-building resources for licensed acupuncturists and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. Founded by an acupuncturist, AMW aims to help practitioners grow their clinics, educate their patients, and increase public awareness of acupuncture and Chinese medicine through professional, accessible, and visually appealing media.
Etsy is a global online marketplace that specialises in handmade, vintage, and custom-designed items, including a growing range of educational and artistic resources related to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In the context of TCM, Etsy provides a wide selection of posters, educational charts, and art prints designed by independent creators, artists, and holistic health professionals. These materials are often used by acupuncturists, herbalists, students, clinics, and educators for visual learning, clinic decoration, and patient education.
TCM Posters, Clinic Decor & Educational Charts
TCM Pulse, Tongue & Pattern Databases
The TCM Herb-Drug Interactions Database is a clinical reference tool designed to help healthcare professionals — especially acupuncturists, herbalists, pharmacists, and integrative practitioners — identify, assess, and manage potential interactions between Chinese medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical drugs.
The ETCMA Code of Ethics is the official ethical framework of the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA), outlining the values, responsibilities, and professional conduct standards expected of member associations and their affiliated TCM practitioners across Europe. This code serves as a pan-European ethical guideline, promoting high standards of practice, patient safety, integrity, and intercultural respect in the application of Traditional Chinese Medicine (including acupuncture, herbal medicine, tuina, and other modalities).
The BAcC Code of Professional Conduct is the official ethical and practice framework that governs all members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) — the UK's leading professional body for traditional acupuncturists. It sets clear standards of professional behavior, clinical safety, patient care, and ethical responsibility, and forms part of the regulatory infrastructure ensuring that acupuncture in the UK is practiced safely, competently, and respectfully.
TCM Ethics, Practice Guidelines, and Safety
Zhōngyī Dà Cídiǎn, translated as the Great Dictionary of Chinese Medicine, is one of the most comprehensive reference works in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is an encyclopedic dictionary that systematically compiles terminology, theory, pathology, diagnostics, herbal medicine, formulas, acupuncture, and classical texts related to TCM.
Zhongyi Da Cidian
(中医大辞典)
Wiseman’s Glossary of Chinese Medical Terms, formally titled A Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine, is one of the most authoritative and widely used bilingual references for standardised Chinese medical terminology in English and Chinese. Compiled by Nigel Wiseman, a leading scholar in the translation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it plays a critical role in unifying how TCM is understood and communicated in the English-speaking world.
The Chengyu Translation Tool refers broadly to digital tools, dictionaries, or software features designed to translate, explain, and contextualize Chinese 成语 (chéngyǔ), which are four-character idioms deeply embedded in classical Chinese literature and culture.
CHENGYU Translation Tool
(Chinese idioms)
Chinese English Language & Translation Tools
(TCM-Specific)
The Daozang Classics Database (道藏数据库, Dàozàng Shùjùkù) is a Chinese-language digital archive of the Daoist Canon (Daozang, 道藏), the largest collection of Daoist scriptures, ritual texts, alchemical manuals, and cosmological writings compiled over many centuries.
ClassicalChineseMedicine.org is the educational and community platform created by Dr. Heiner Fruehauf, PhD, LAc, one of the leading Western scholars and clinicians devoted to preserving and teaching the Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM) tradition.
The Daoist Center – Liu Ming Archives is an online and community-based project that preserves and shares the teachings, writings, lectures, and artwork of Liu Ming (Charles Belyea, 1947–2015), a Daoist teacher, astrologer, calligrapher, and practitioner of Chinese medicine and internal arts.
Golden Elixir Press is the publishing house founded by Fabrizio Pregadio, a leading scholar, translator, and teacher of Daoism and Internal Alchemy (Neidan, 内丹).
Classical Daoist & Philosophical Foundations
The 5 Element Seasonal Guides (Seasonal Wisdom) are practical guides for living in harmony with the cycles of nature, based on the Five Elements (Wu Xing) and their associations with the seasons in Chinese medicine and Daoist cosmology.
Golden Flower Recipes
(Clinical)
The Golden Flower Recipes are the proprietary Chinese herbal formulas created and distributed by Golden Flower Chinese Herbs, a U.S.-based company founded in the early 1990s in Albuquerque, New Mexico. These “recipes” are carefully developed blends of Chinese herbs designed for use by licensed acupuncturists and herbal practitioners.
Acupuncture MediaWorks is a U.S.-based company that provides marketing, patient education, and practice management tools specifically designed for acupuncturists and TCM practitioners. It was founded by Jeffrey Grossman, L.Ac., an acupuncturist who recognised that many practitioners struggled not with clinical skills, but with patient communication, education, and practice growth. The company develops print, digital, and multimedia resources to help practitioners explain acupuncture and Chinese medicine in simple terms, attract new patients, and retain current ones.
The Jane App Blog is the educational and support blog maintained by Jane App, a Canadian-based practice management software widely used by healthcare professionals, including acupuncturists, massage therapists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, naturopaths, and other allied health practitioners. The blog is an extension of the Jane App platform and provides guides, updates, tutorials, and community stories for clinics and practitioners.
PracticeBloom – Acupuncture SEO is a marketing and practice growth service tailored specifically for acupuncturists and TCM clinics, offered by PracticeBloom, a U.S.-based digital marketing agency that focuses on healthcare practices. They specialise in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and related digital marketing strategies to help acupuncture clinics appear higher in Google searches, attract local patients, and convert website visitors into booked appointments.
The Wellpreneur Community is an online business and support community for wellness professionals, including acupuncturists, health coaches, yoga teachers, nutritionists, herbalists, and holistic practitioners. It was founded by Amanda Cook, a digital strategist and wellness entrepreneur, to help practitioners who are skilled in healing but often lack training in business, marketing, and sustainable growth. The community is part of the larger Wellpreneur brand, which includes the Wellpreneur Podcast, blog, and coaching programs.
Clinic Marketing, Branding, & Business Tools
Blue Poppy Pediatrics is the specialized clinical education program and resource set created by Blue Poppy Enterprises, focusing on the treatment of children’s health with Chinese medicine (acupuncture, herbal medicine, tui na, and diet therapy).
Blue Poppy Pediatrics (CEU)
Julian Scott, PhD, L.Ac., is one of the pioneers of pediatric acupuncture in the West, best known for introducing and teaching Classical Chinese Medicine approaches for children’s health.
Julian Scott
(Classical Pediatric TCM)
Robin Ray Green
(US)
Robin Ray Green, L.Ac., MTCM, is a U.S.-based licensed acupuncturist, author, and educator who specialises in pediatric acupuncture and Chinese medicine for children.
The Zita West Clinic is a specialist fertility and reproductive health clinic in London (UK) founded by Zita West, a midwife, acupuncturist, and fertility expert.
Zita West Clinic
(UK)
Conceiving with Love is a book written by Denise Wiesner, L.Ac., FABORM, a U.S.-based licensed acupuncturist and fertility specialist. It integrates Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), modern fertility knowledge, and relationship guidance, focusing on how couples can enhance intimacy, reduce stress, and improve fertility outcomes by reconnecting emotionally and physically during the conception journey.
Conceiving with Love
(Book)
The Fertile Soul is the name of both a book and a fertility program/retreat series created by Dr. Randine Lewis, Ph.D., L.Ac., a U.S. acupuncturist, herbalist, and author.
Jane Lyttleton is one of the most influential figures in the field of Chinese medicine and fertility. She is an Australian acupuncturist, herbalist, author, and educator, internationally recognised for her pioneering work integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with modern reproductive medicine (IVF, ART).
TCM and Women’s Health / Fertility
The Center for East-West Medicine (CEWM) is a clinical, educational, and research center at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) is a branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) dedicated to supporting scientific research, education, and policy development related to dietary supplements.
The Integrative Medicine Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, Texas, USA) is one of the world’s leading programs for integrative oncology.
The Beijing Institute of Integrative Medicine (BIIM) is one of China’s leading research and clinical centers dedicated to the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with modern biomedicine.
Beijing Institute of Integrative Medicine
Integrative Medicine & TCM Research Institutes
Eastland Press – Maciocia Texts refers to the collection of books on Chinese medicine and acupuncture authored by Giovanni Maciocia (1945–2018) and published primarily through Eastland Press, a specialist medical publisher based in Seattle, USA.
The Golden Flower Chinese Herbs Library is the educational resource hub created by Golden Flower Chinese Herbs, a U.S.-based herbal company that distributes professional-grade Chinese herbal formulas. The library serves as a reference and training platform for licensed acupuncturists, herbalists, and TCM students, with materials on formula theory, clinical applications, and herbal safety.
The Chinese Medicine Classics Project is a long-term scholarly and clinical initiative—primarily led in China, but with international collaboration—that focuses on the preservation, translation, annotation, and systematic study of the classical texts of Chinese medicine. These include foundational works such as the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic), Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage), Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essentials of the Golden Cabinet), and many others that underpin all later development of TCM theory and practice.
ClassicalChineseMedicine.org is the educational and clinical resource platform created by Dr. Heiner Fruehauf, PhD, LAc, one of the most respected scholars and practitioners of Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM) in the West.
The Manual of Acupuncture App is the digital version of the well-known textbook A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman, Mazin Al-Khafaji, and Kevin Baker. It is widely regarded as the gold standard reference for acupuncture point study and clinical practice, and the app is used by students, educators, and practitioners worldwide.
Dr. John Chen’s Herbal Safety Lectures are a series of professional education courses (often offered as CEU/CPD credits) that focus on the safe, evidence-based use of Chinese herbal medicine, particularly in relation to modern pharmacology, herb-drug interactions, and toxicity.
The TCMzone YouTube Channel is the official video education and outreach platform of TCMzone®, LLC, a U.S.-based company specialising in professional-grade Chinese herbal products, granules, and education for licensed practitioners. It serves as a resource for acupuncturists, herbalists, and integrative medicine practitioners, offering short lectures, product trainings, and clinical pearls from respected TCM doctors and educators.
The Blue Poppy YouTube Channel is the official educational video platform of Blue Poppy Enterprises, a U.S.-based company founded by Bob Flaws (one of the most prolific translators and educators of Chinese medicine in the West). Blue Poppy is known for producing high-quality herbal formulas, topical liniments, books, and continuing education courses for acupuncturists and herbalists.
Multimedia & Visual Learning
MedlinePlus is a free, consumer health information service provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is designed to give the general public easy access to reliable, up-to-date health information, including on diseases, conditions, medications, supplements, and natural products (including some used in TCM).
MedlinePlus (Herbs)
HerbMed® is an online, interactive, evidence-based database on the safety, efficacy, and clinical research of medicinal plants. It is maintained by the American Botanical Council (ABC) and is widely used by healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, and regulatory bodies to access reliable information on herbal medicine.
The TGA stands for the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which is the national regulatory authority for therapeutic goods in Australia. It is part of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and is responsible for regulating medicines, medical devices, and other healthcare products, including those from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and other complementary systems.
TGA (Australia)
The WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants are a series of authoritative, evidence-based publications by the World Health Organization (WHO) that provide comprehensive scientific information on the safety, efficacy, and quality of medicinal plants commonly used in traditional medicine systems worldwide — including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and Western herbalism.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) Herbal Monographs are official documents developed by the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) of the EMA. They provide scientific evidence, safety data, and usage guidelines for herbal substances used in traditional and modern herbal medicine, including some from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Pharmacopoeias, Monographs, Safety Databases
The NIH NCCIH stands for the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is the leading federal agency in the United States dedicated to scientific research on complementary, alternative, and integrative health approaches, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, Qigong, mind-body therapies, and dietary supplements.
NIH NCCIH (Complementary Medicine)
The Acupuncture Now Foundation (ANF) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits, safety, and effectiveness of acupuncture to the public, healthcare providers, policymakers, and the media. It aims to bridge the gap between traditional acupuncture knowledge and modern scientific research, helping to make acupuncture a more widely accepted and integrated part of global healthcare systems.
Yin Yang House is a well-established, educational and clinical resource platform for students, practitioners, and the general public interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture. It provides comprehensive, accessible information on acupuncture points, TCM theory, herbal medicine, and related modalities like Tai Chi and Qigong, along with a directory of clinics and an online store.
Yin Yang House (Patient-friendly)
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is the largest professional body for traditional acupuncturists in the United Kingdom. It represents and regulates practitioners who are trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-based acupuncture and ensures that they adhere to high standards of safety, ethics, and clinical competence.
British Acupuncture Council
(Public site)
The TCM World Foundation is a U.S.-based organization founded by Dr. Nan Lu, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a master of Qigong, with the mission to promote authentic TCM wisdom and healing in a modern, accessible format. It focuses on integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qigong, food therapy, and consciousness-based healing into daily life, emphasizing self-healing and prevention.
TCM World Foundation
(Dr. Nan Lu)
Public Education & Patient Resources
The Five Element App is a digital educational tool designed to help students, practitioners, and educators of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element theory explore and apply the Wu Xing 五行 (Five Phases) framework. It provides an interactive way to study the relationships between the five elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water — and their corresponding organs, emotions, colors, seasons, tastes, and pathological patterns.
Visual Acupuncture 3D is an advanced interactive 3D anatomy and acupuncture reference app, designed for students, practitioners, and educators of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), especially acupuncture. It provides a highly visual and spatial understanding of acupuncture points, meridians, and their anatomical relationships within the human body.
The TCM Pulse Simulator (educational) is a digital learning tool designed to help students and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) understand and practice the art of pulse diagnosis (脉诊 – mài zhěn). It simulates the feeling and qualities of various pulse types by using visual, haptic (tactile), and descriptive interfaces, depending on the version.
The TCM Clinic Aid App is a comprehensive mobile reference tool for students and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It functions as a quick-access clinical database, offering detailed information on acupuncture points, meridians, diagnosis patterns, herbal formulas, individual herbs, and treatment strategies — all organized for fast, practical use in the clinic or classroom.
The iTongue App is a digital tool designed to assist practitioners and students of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with tongue diagnosis — one of the core diagnostic methods in Chinese medicine. It allows users to capture, analyse, and interpret tongue images using the principles of Zhen Duan (诊断), or pattern identification, as applied to the tongue.
TCM Diagnostic Tools & Assessment Apps
The Acupuncture Today Directory is an online listing of acupuncturists and traditional East Asian medicine practitioners across the United States, hosted by the publication Acupuncture Today, a well-known monthly news magazine serving the acupuncture and TCM professional community.
The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) is the leading professional body in the United Kingdom dedicated to regulating and supporting practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). It ensures that its members are properly trained, ethically responsible, and safe prescribers of Chinese herbal formulas, both in raw and modern processed forms (granules, pills, tinctures, etc.).
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is the leading professional body for traditional acupuncturists in the United Kingdom. It represents highly trained practitioners who follow the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and related systems of acupuncture. The BAcC ensures high standards of clinical safety, professional ethics, education, and regulation for its members and promotes public awareness and access to safe, effective acupuncture.
The NCCAOM Find a Practitioner tool is an official online directory managed by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in the United States. It allows the public, healthcare professionals, and institutions to search for certified acupuncturists and TCM practitioners who have met national standards for competency and safety in acupuncture and East Asian medicine.
Tianjiang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.—commonly referred to as Tianjiang Pharmacy—is one of the largest and most scientifically advanced manufacturers of Chinese herbal granule extracts in the world. It plays a key role in modernising Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by producing standardised, high-quality herbal formulas and single herbs, widely used in Chinese hospitals, research institutions, and integrative clinics globally.
Avicenna Herbs is a UK-based supplier of Chinese herbal medicine products, primarily serving licensed acupuncturists and herbal practitioners across the United Kingdom and Europe. It is closely associated with Avicenna Centre for Chinese Medicine, founded by Mazin Al-Khafaji, one of the world’s leading experts in Chinese herbal dermatology.
Sun Ten is a globally recognized manufacturer and distributor of Chinese herbal medicine, specializing in high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade herbal formulas and extracts. Founded in Taiwan in 1946, Sun Ten has become a trusted resource for licensed TCM practitioners, researchers, and integrative medical clinics around the world, especially in North America, Europe, and Asia.
KPC Herbs (short for Kaiser Pharmaceutical Company) is a well-established manufacturer of pharmaceutical-grade Chinese herbal products, specializing in concentrated granules, raw herbs, and classic formulas used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinical practice worldwide.
Bensky’s Chinese Herbal Medicine refers to the authoritative series of textbooks by Dan Bensky, along with co-authors such as Steven Clavey and Erich Stöger, which are widely considered the gold standard in English-language Chinese herbal medicine education and practice.
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Bensky Flashcards (print or digital): for memorizing functions and categories
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Mobile apps: unofficial or school-created versions based on Bensky content
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Eastland Press: Publisher offering both books and digital supplements
Malway USA – Plum Flower® Herbs is one of the most widely used and trusted sources of Chinese herbal medicine products in North America. It serves as a TCM herbal resource by offering high-quality single herbs, formulas, and extracts, along with educational support for licensed practitioners, herbal students, and clinics. Malway USA is the U.S. distributor of Plum Flower® brand Chinese herbs, produced by Nanjing Guo Yao Company Ltd. in China. Headquartered in California, Malway handles distribution, quality control, and practitioner education. Products are only available to licensed professionals or students in recognised TCM programs.
TCM Herbal Resources
Sacred Lotus is a long-standing online reference platform for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), designed to provide concise, organized, and accessible information for both students and practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Founded in the early 2000s, Sacred Lotus Arts (commonly called Sacred Lotus) offers a wide range of free and subscription-based TCM reference tools, including:
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Herb and formula databases
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Acupuncture point references
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Syndrome differentiation
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TCM diagnostic charts
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Basic theory explanations
It’s primarily a reference and study tool, not a CEU provider or academic school.
Shen-Nong is an educational website dedicated to promoting Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) knowledge to a general audience, including patients, students, and health professionals. It covers both theory and clinical applications, with a special emphasis on herbal medicine and TCM’s integration with modern science.
Point Location, Charts & Diagnosis Tools
Blue Poppy CEUs are continuing education courses provided by Blue Poppy Enterprises, a respected American company offering educational resources and herbal formulas for practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Founded by Bob Flaws, a leading TCM scholar and translator, Blue Poppy has been active since the 1980s. It is known for:
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Publishing high-quality TCM texts
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Offering advanced clinical training
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Producing herbal formulas
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Providing CEU/PDA-accredited online education for licensed acupuncturists
Eastern Currents Education is a Canadian-based platform offering continuing education (CEU/CPD/PDA) for practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture, and related holistic modalities.
The Manual of Acupuncture website is the official digital version of the book. It provides:
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Interactive point charts
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High-quality point illustrations
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Audio of Chinese point names
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Animations of meridian pathways
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Cross-references to classical texts
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Detailed point descriptions and clinical usage
There is both a web version and a mobile app (iOS and Android), which are frequently used by students and practitioners for study, reference, and clinical support.
TCM Academy (also known as TCM Academy of Integrative Medicine) is an online educational platform that offers high-level training in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for students and practitioners worldwide.
TCM Academy provides online courses, webinars, and certification programs by internationally renowned TCM experts. It focuses on integrative medicine, combining classical Chinese theory with modern clinical practice and evidence-based approaches. Topics Covered Include:
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Acupuncture (including advanced techniques)
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Chinese herbal medicine
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Internal medicine (e.g. dermatology, gynecology, oncology)
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Pulse diagnosis, tongue diagnosis
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Classical texts (e.g. Huang Di Nei Jing, Shang Han Lun)
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5 Elements, Zang-Fu, meridian theory
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Functional medicine integration with TCM
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Case studies and clinical reasoning
TCM Education & Learning Platforms
Links
Net of Knowledge (NoK) is a global online education platform designed specifically for practitioners and students of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture. It provides continuing education (CEU/PDA/CPD) courses from some of the most respected names in the field.
TCM Wiki is a free, open-access online resource for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) knowledge. It functions like a digital encyclopedia or reference manual for students and practitioners of Chinese medicine worldwide. TCM Wiki compiles and organises a broad range of foundational and clinical content in TCM.
Yin Yang House is a comprehensive online resource for practitioners, students, and patients interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture. It combines educational content, treatment tools, community features, and even a clinic directory. Founded by Chad Dupuis, L.Ac., Yin Yang House offers a blend of:
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TCM educational content
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Point and herbal references
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TCM theory explanations
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Interactive tools for diagnosis and treatment
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Discussion forums
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A listing of TCM clinics and practitioners
📚 Main Features
Practitioner Directories & Referral Networks
Classical Texts & Canonical Study
(Online Sources)
The ETCMA Member Directory is the official listing of member associations affiliated with the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA). It provides up-to-date information on each national or regional TCM professional body that belongs to the ETCMA network, representing acupuncturists, herbalists, and TCM practitioners across Europe.
FNMTC stands for Fédération Nationale de Médecine Traditionnelle Chinoise — the National Federation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in France. It is one of the principal professional organizations representing TCM practitioners, schools, and affiliated institutions in France.
The Shang Han Lun Online Translator is a digital translation and study tool created to make the Shāng Hán Lùn (傷寒論, Treatise on Cold Damage) accessible to modern students and practitioners of Chinese medicine.
Pediatrics & TCM
Diet, Lifestyle & Seasonal TCM Resources
SumUp (FR)
SumUp (France) is the French branch of SumUp, a European financial technology company that provides mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) and payment solutions for small businesses, independent practitioners, and entrepreneurs. It is widely used by acupuncteurs, naturopathes, kinésithérapeutes, and other healthcare practitioners in France who need a simple, legal, and portable way to accept card payments without the complexity of traditional bank merchant accounts.
Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition is a landmark book by Paul Pitchford, first published in 1993 (latest 3rd edition, 2002).
TCM Food Therapy Charts are visual educational tools that present the principles of Chinese dietary therapy (食疗 shí liáo), showing how foods affect the body according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory.
The CEDICT Dictionary (Chinese-English Dictionary) is a free, open-source Chinese–English lexical database that provides basic translations, pronunciation, and simplified/traditional character information for Mandarin Chinese words and phrases. It is one of the most widely used foundational resources in Chinese language learning apps and tools — including Pleco, MDBG, and many other digital dictionaries.
CEDICT Dictionary
(Mandarin-English)
The Pleco App is a powerful and widely used mobile Chinese dictionary and language learning tool, especially popular among students, translators, and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), classical Chinese, and modern Mandarin. It is available for iOS and Android, and is known for its offline functionality, fast search, and support for Chinese-English translation, handwriting input, OCR (optical character recognition), and dictionary add-ons.
Pleco App
(with TCM Add-on)
The NCCAOM Clean Needle Technique Manual is a foundational document and training standard in the United States that outlines the safe handling, usage, and disposal of acupuncture needles and other clinical materials in acupuncture and East Asian medicine practice. It serves as the core curriculum and procedural guide for the Clean Needle Technique (CNT) certification exam, which is required by most U.S. states for licensure in acupuncture.
The WHO Benchmarks for Training in Acupuncture is an official guideline published by the World Health Organization (WHO) to define international standards for education and training in acupuncture, ensuring quality, safety, and professional competency in the practice of this core modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The Sacred Lotus Pulse Database is an online educational resource that offers a structured, comprehensive overview of pulse diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It’s part of the broader Sacred Lotus Chinese Medicine website — a platform designed to support TCM students, practitioners, and educators with high-quality, open-access materials.
Dr. John Chen is a renowned Doctor of Pharmacology (PharmD) and Doctor of Oriental Medicine (PhD, OMD) who specialises in the integration of Western pharmacology and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He is widely recognised for his expertise in Chinese herbal medicine safety, pharmacology, herb-drug interactions, and classical formula analysis. He is best known as a co-founder and lead educator at Evergreen Herbs (also known as Evergreen Herbs & Medical Supplies). This prominent U.S.-based company provides high-quality Chinese herbal products and continuing education for TCM practitioners.
The Visual Pulse Simulator is a digital training tool designed to help students and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) learn, recognise, and differentiate the 28 classical pulse qualities (脉象 mài xiàng) described in TCM diagnostic theory. These tools are primarily used in acupuncture education, TCM clinical training, and continuing education, especially for those who do not have regular access to experienced mentors for hands-on pulse instruction.
The Tongue Atlas is a specialized clinical reference tool or visual guide used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the study and application of tongue diagnosis (舌诊, shé zhěn). It typically includes photographic or illustrated examples of various tongue appearances correlated with TCM syndromes, making it a key diagnostic aid for practitioners, students, and educators. There are multiple versions of "Tongue Atlases" in the TCM field — including books, digital resources, posters, and clinical photo databases — all designed to help users identify patterns based on tongue shape, color, coating, and other features.
The TCM Pattern Index is a clinical reference tool that organizes Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes (patterns) into a structured system for diagnosis, treatment planning, and study. It categorizes pathological patterns based on TCM diagnostic frameworks such as:
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The 8 Principles (Ba Gang)
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Qi, Blood, Body Fluids
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Zang-Fu organ theory
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Pathogenic factors
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Five Elements
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6 Levels (Liu Jing), 4 Layers (Wei-Qi-Ying-Blood), and Triple Burner (San Jiao)
It is used by TCM students, practitioners, and educators as a systematic guide to identifying disharmony patterns and connecting them to appropriate acupuncture points, herbal formulas, and lifestyle advice.
Blue Poppy Posters are educational wall charts and visual aids designed specifically for practitioners, students, and educators of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture. These posters are created and published by Blue Poppy Enterprises, a U.S.-based company known for its TCM publishing, clinical supplies, and continuing education for acupuncturists.
ChinaMed (UK) is a specialist supplier of Chinese medicine products and equipment based in the United Kingdom, serving acupuncturists, TCM practitioners, and students across the UK and Europe. The company provides a wide range of professional tools, including acupuncture needles, Chinese herbal medicine (granules and raw herbs), clinic supplies, books, and educational materials related to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
ChinaMed UK
The Dr. Mingqing Zhu Scalp Acupuncture Institute is an institution dedicated to the teaching, research, and clinical application of Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture (ZSA), a highly specialized and refined system of scalp acupuncture developed by Dr. Mingqing Zhu.
The book "Chinese Scalp Acupuncture and Clinical Cases" by Dr. Jason Jishun Hao is a comprehensive textbook on scalp acupuncture, combining traditional Chinese medical theory with modern biomedical understanding and a strong clinical focus. It includes detailed protocols and numerous case studies, particularly in neurological rehabilitation (e.g., stroke, paralysis, PTSD, multiple sclerosis).
Auriculotherapy
The Nogier Protocols refer to a system of auriculotherapy (auricular acupuncture) developed by Dr. Paul Nogier, a French neurologist and physician who is widely recognised as the founder of modern auriculotherapy. This approach, originating in Lyon, France, in the 1950s, maps reflex zones of the entire body onto the external ear and uses these zones diagnostically and therapeutically.
The Auriculo 360 App is a professional auriculotherapy (ear acupuncture) software platform designed to help practitioners locate ear acupuncture points, create treatment protocols, and learn both Chinese and French (Nogier) auriculotherapy systems. It is developed and maintained by Miridia Technology, a U.S.-based company specializing in acupuncture software and devices.
Matt Callison is a respected figure in the field of acupuncture, particularly known for his pioneering work in integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with Western sports medicine and orthopedic principles. He is the founder of the Sports Medicine Acupuncture® (SMA) program, an advanced clinical training system for licensed acupuncturists.
Whitfield Reaves is a highly respected American acupuncturist and educator, internationally recognized for his pioneering work in sports medicine acupuncture, particularly the treatment of orthopedic and musculoskeletal disorders using a blend of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western anatomical knowledge.
Mental-Emotional Acupuncture
TCM Licensure & Legal Info by Region
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is the largest professional body for traditional acupuncturists in the UK. While it does not issue official government licensure, it acts as the main regulatory and representative body for practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture, offering a form of voluntary professional registration and ensuring high clinical and ethical standards.
In Germany, the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) — including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and other therapies — is legally governed under the umbrella of the Heilpraktiker Law (Heilpraktikergesetz). This law provides a unique regulatory framework that permits non-medical practitioners (Heilpraktiker) to legally diagnose and treat patients using a wide range of therapies, including TCM.
Heilpraktiker Law (TCM within scope)
In the United States, the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) — including acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and related modalities — is regulated at the state level, not federally. However, the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) plays a central national role in standardizing certification and supporting state licensure requirements.
NCCAOM / state boards
In Canada, the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture is regulated at the provincial level, not federally. Each province that regulates TCM has a regulatory college, such as the CTCMPAO in Ontario, which provides legal licensure, practice standards, and regulatory oversight.
Provincial Colleges (e.g., CTCMPAO Ontario)
In Australia, the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA) is the official government regulator for the legal practice of Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and Chinese herbal dispensing. It operates under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), which oversees all registered health professions nationally. The CMBA provides licensure (registration), enforces legal standards, and offers clear regulatory guidance for all Chinese medicine practitioners in Australia.
Ethnomedicine & Global Integration with TCM
The Traditional Medicine Portal of the World Health Organization (WHO) is an online information hub developed to support the global integration, regulation, and evidence-based use of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM). It serves as a central access point for authoritative resources, data, policies, and research related to traditional medicine systems, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, Unani, African traditional medicine, and others.
The JCM Intercultural Medicine Articles refer to a series of published essays, reflections, and academic papers featured in the Journal of Chinese Medicine (JCM) that focus on the cross-cultural, philosophical, and clinical translation of Chinese medicine in the modern and Western world.
The Oxford Handbook of Global Complementary Medicine is a scholarly reference work published by Oxford University Press that explores the global landscape of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, Unani, homeopathy, and other indigenous and non-Western healing systems.
The CEU: TCM + Ayurveda courses on Net of Knowledge are continuing education (CEU/CPD) programs that focus on the integration and comparative study of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, the traditional medicine system of India. These courses are part of the growing trend in cross-disciplinary learning for licensed practitioners of acupuncture, Chinese medicine, naturopathy, and integrative health.
Qigong, Nei Gong & Internal Practices
Lotus Nei Gong is a school of internal cultivation and Daoist arts founded by Damo Mitchell, a Western teacher and practitioner deeply trained in Nei Gong, Daoist alchemy, Chinese medicine, martial arts, and meditation. It offers a structured system for learning Nei Gong (internal work) — a Daoist practice for cultivating Qi, transforming the body, and developing spiritual awareness.
Lotus Nei Gong (Damo Mitchell)
The White Cloud Monastery (Chinese: 白云观, Bái Yún Guàn) is one of the most important Daoist temples in China and the headquarters of the Chinese Daoist Association. Located in Beijing, it is a historically significant and still-active center of Daoist religious practice, philosophy, and internal cultivation, especially within the Quanzhen (Complete Reality) school of Daoism.
White Cloud Monastery
(Beijing)
Ken Cohen is a world-renowned Qigong master, scholar, and author who has made major contributions to the research, teaching, and global promotion of Qigong, Tai Chi, and Daoist healing arts. He is especially known for his bridging of traditional Chinese internal practices with Western scientific and academic approaches, making him a highly respected figure in both clinical integrative medicine and Daoist spiritual traditions.
Ken Cohen
– Qigong Research & Resources
The National Qigong Association (NQA) is the leading nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to promoting Qigong as a health practice, spiritual path, and professional field. Founded in 1996, the NQA supports practitioners, teachers, researchers, and the public through education, standards, community-building, and advocacy for Qigong and energy cultivation arts.
Translational Research in TCM
The Medical Qigong Institute is a U.S.-based educational and clinical organization that provides professional training and resources in Medical Qigong therapy, a key branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) focused on the energetic diagnosis and treatment of illness through Qi-based techniques.
It is known for offering structured certification programs and promoting clinical, classical, and evidence-based approaches to Qigong as a therapeutic modality.
The China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS) is the leading national research institution in China dedicated to the study, development, standardization, and modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Established in 1955, it plays a central role in integrating TCM with modern science, and is deeply involved in translational research — turning traditional knowledge into clinically validated, modern healthcare solutions.
The Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM) Translational Research Unit is a dedicated research division that focuses on bridging classical Chinese medical knowledge with modern biomedical science. It plays a key role in transforming traditional therapies, formulas, and diagnostic models into evidence-based medical interventions, using both TCM theory and cutting-edge scientific methodologies.
The UCLA East–West Translational Research Unit is part of the UCLA Center for East–West Medicine (CEWM). This unit focuses on integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) concepts and therapies — such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Qigong — into evidence-based biomedical research, with the goal of creating validated, scalable interventions for modern healthcare.