The Expressiveness of the Body and the Divergence of Greek and Chinese Medicine (Zone Books)

In "The Expressiveness of the Body", Shigehisa Kuriyama explores the differences between Western and Eastern concepts of the body through the lens of classical Greek and Chinese medicine. In examining classical Western medicine, Kuriyama draws primarily upon the work of Plato and Galen, while he uses the concept of mo to drive his understanding of classical Chinese medicine. Kuriyama divides his work into three sections, focusing on the pulse and veins, musculature and coloration, and blood and breath. Kuriyama concludes, “This is how conceptions of the body diverge – not just in the meanings that each ascribes to bodily signs, but more fundamentally in the changes and features that each recognizes as signs” (pg. 272). In working toward this conclusion, Kuriyama examined Western medicine’s need for clear language and abandonment of metaphor, writing, “The core problem lay in the human inability to see the imaginings of others” (pg. 80). Further, he writes, “…We cannot peer into other minds. Does your idea of ‘undulating’ correspond to mine? We simply cannot know,” recalling the work of Merleau-Ponty on phenomenology (pg. 81).The differences in cultural approaches demonstrate how something so universal, the human body, can take on multiple meanings dictated by the needs of various cultures. For example, musculature, which seems so ubiquitous and commonplace in Western depictions of the body, did not factor into classical Chinese portrayals of the human form. I found Kuriyama’s argument that “in tracing the crystallization of the concept of muscle, we are also, and not coincidentally, tracing the crystallization of the sense of an autonomous will” quite compelling (pg. 144). Both that section, and the discussion of the Greek search for a hegemonic organ while the Chinese considered the various parts of the body interconnected demonstrates the manner in which cultural values and perceptions shape what cultures look for in their examinations. As Kuriyama writes, “Alternate visions of the body reflect alternate readings of the vital self” (pg. 192).

While I feel like this book was meant to help a Western audience understand Ancient Chinese medicine, which it does do, I felt the unique value the book offered was in the understanding the Western perspective of the Self and Body... from a perspective that might make the Western medicine's unique historical progression to be a curiosity or an accident rather than as a science or fundamental truth.The author has incredible knowledge of the philosophical and historical underpinnings of medicine in both traditions, and the book is well written and approachable to some one lacking basic medicinal knowledge of any or both cultures.

I happened upon this book in a local bookstore a few years ago and thought, well that's an interesting subject. I've read it cover to cover twice, bought a loaner copy to give to friends, and plan to read it a third time this winter. Yes, it's not only that good, it's that packed with ideas that make you want to put it down for a few minutes and just ponder.I'm a college grad, but not an academic by any means. I don't like reading philosophical texts or literary criticism or anything full of jargon. The language, the development of the argument and the flow of the narrative are all well-done - the book is as much a "good read" as it is a fascinating look at how two cultures from divergent views of how we are made arrived at differing views of what it is to be human.

I brought this book to read before I start my course in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM). Although it is a hard read, the book is still very interesting and gives a great insight of pulse taking ( at this point, I've only read the first chapter.I would recommend it to anyone who is starting a course in TCM (mainly for acupuncturists). If you will get this book, enjoy!

This is one of those hauntingly beautiful genius books written by a really smart guy, filled with some really thoughtful research and writing about Chinese medicine and theories of the body. This would be a good read for anyone interested in China, Japan, medicine, humanism, philosophy, and the interdisciplinary sciences. I had to look up the press/publisher because I can't believe people are publishing such great books these days.

A book that will change the reader's thinking.

Good good good

It is a great book. Everybody should read it. The chapter on muscularity and identity should be read by anybody who pursues figurative studies of the body.

The book is really interesting but turned out to be rather technical

Maybe my favourite academic book of all time. Achieves the rare feat of being both brilliant and easy to read. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the body and/or the history of medicine, whether they're academics or non-academics.