Provides a wealth of new information- more than twice the content of the previous edition- and practical insight into more than 530 of the most commonly used herbs in the Chinese pharmacopoeia * Expanded commentary offers in-depth analysis and places each herb in its clinical context through rich historical references * Key characteristics are provided at the beginning of each entry, along with dosage, properties, channels entered, and relevant cautions and contraindications * Actions and indications are integrated with important combinations that illustrate the range of an herb"s functions, with references to appropriate formulas * Covers nomenclature and preparation, describing the most important methods of processing and preparing each herb, and the advantages of each method