Huang Di Nei Jing | Acupuncture CEU Course | Dr. Daoshing Ni | Yo San University of TCM

Discover the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine through Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic)—the most influential medical text in Chinese history. In this CEU course, Dr. Daoshing Ni explores the origins, philosophy, and structure of this 2,000-year-old classic, covering Yin-Yang theory, Five Elements, Zang-Fu physiology, and holistic medicine. Learn how Nei Jing shaped acupuncture, herbal medicine, and diagnostic principles still used today.

For CEU credits go to https://yosan.edu/ceu.
Dr. Ni is the 38th generation in a family lineage of Chinese Medicine Doctors and Taoist healers. He is the cofounder of Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Los Angeles, and serves as chair of Doctoral program in Women’s Health and Reproductive Medicine.

This text, written during the Warring States and Han Dynasties (475 BCE – 220 CE), is regarded as the earliest and most comprehensive documentation of medical theory, diagnostic methods, and treatment principles in Chinese civilization. It provides the philosophical foundation of Yin-Yang, Five Elements, Qi and Blood, Zang-Fu organ theory, and Holistic Medicine — the framework upon which all subsequent Chinese medical classics such as the Nan Jing, Shang Han Lun, Jin Gui Yao Lue, and Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing were built.

What You’ll Learn in This Lecture:

The historical origins of the Huang Di Nei Jing and its preservation through centuries of Chinese history.

The distinction between Su Wen (Simple Questions) and Ling Shu (Divine Pivot) — the two volumes that constitute the text.

How ancient scholars such as Wang Bing, Wu Qian, Ma Shi-Tong, and Zhang Zhong-Jing contributed to its interpretation and transmission.

The transition from shamanic healing to systematic medicine — when early physicians replaced superstition with rational observation of the body, nature, and the cosmos.

How the Nei Jing introduced key TCM diagnostic methods, including eight principles, six pathogenic factors, pulse and channel theory, and holistic pattern differentiation.

Classical discussions on Yin-Yang balance, Qi flow, Five Element correspondences, and the human body’s relationship to nature and seasonal change.

Reproductive endocrinology and aging in women and men as described by the Nei Jing — the “seven-year” and “eight-year” life cycles still referenced in modern TCM.

The Nei Jing’s emphasis on disease prevention, lifestyle moderation, and alignment with the Dao — “The superior physician treats what is not yet ill.”


Course Highlights

Accreditation: CAB and NCCAOM-approved for continuing education (CEU/PDA) credit.

Institution: Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

0:00 Introduction – Overview of the Medical Classics Doctrine
1:32 Definition of the Medical Classics and “Yi Jing Zhi Pai”
3:45 Historical Context – The Han Dynasty and the Seven Medical Classics
6:28 The Survival of the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic)
8:15 Narrow vs. Broad Definition of the Classics Doctrine
11:04 Key TCM Texts Influenced by the Nei Jing (Nan Jing, Shang Han Lun, Mai Jing)
14:22 Timeline: Warring States to Jin Dynasty – 1000 Years of Medical Evolution
17:08 Structure of the Huang Di Nei Jing – Su Wen and Ling Shu
19:55 The Yellow Emperor and the Mythic Origins of Chinese Medicine
22:40 Philosophical Foundations – Yin-Yang and Five Elements Theory
26:05 Holistic Perspective – The Human Body and the Cosmos
28:52 Internal Medicine and Preventive Health in the Nei Jing
32:30 Key Doctrines of Disease Etiology and Pathogenesis
35:14 Diagnostic Systems – Zang-Fu, Qi, Blood, and Channel Theory
38:48 The Nei Jing on Longevity and the Dao of Health Preservation
41:32 Women’s Reproductive Cycles – Seven-Year Phases
45:28 Men’s Reproductive Cycles – Eight-Year Phases
49:40 Insights into Aging and Prevention in Classical Medicine
52:20 Internal and External “Wind” Pathologies Explained
55:08 Seasonal Influences and Climate Adaptation in Health
57:50 The Yellow Emperor’s Dialogue with Qi Bo – Lifestyle and Aging
1:01:22 The Moral and Spiritual Qualities of a Physician
1:04:40 Daoist Influence – Simplicity, Moderation, and Emotional Balance
1:08:16 Preventive Medicine and Harmonizing with Nature
1:12:02 Introduction to the Nan Jing (Classic of Difficulties)
1:15:10 The 81 Difficulties – Pulse, Channels, and Acupuncture Questions
1:19:38 Case Examples and Pulse Interpretation in the Nan Jing
1:23:12 Conclusion – Legacy of the Huang Di Nei Jing and Medical Classics Doctrine
1:25:45 Closing Remarks and Continuing Education Information