The ancient Chinese observed nature for dozens of generations and discovered that all things follow patterns. The weather. Animals and plants. Emotions. Conflicts. Health and illnesses. Social relationships. Politics and economics. Life paths. The universe itself.
These patterns are the laws of nature.
The laws of nature can help us understand our place in the universe, increase our health and well-being, learn about ourselves and others. They can make life simpler if we understand and follow them — or harder if we ignore them.
Much of this valuable knowledge has already been lost, and what remains today is known only to a handful of scholars and medical practitioners.
Ginseng Press was formed to help preserve this ancient wisdom and to make it available to the world. It is owned and run by me, Ariel Frailich.
My story
In 2002, on my doctor’s advice, I went to see Dr. Thomas Zhang, a practitioner of Chinese medicine. Immediately, I knew that this was someone exceptional. Not only did Dr. Zhang diagnose my problem — nobody else had — but he had explanations for things that weren’t even questioned by other medical systems, conventional or alternative.
I soon found out that Dr. Zhang had some information that he wanted to share with the world, but didn’t have the time or resources to do so. Since I had already written and published several books, I suggested that we work together. A few months later, we founded Ginseng Press.
We picked a ginseng root for our logo, to symbolize East and West. Ginseng is the most famous Chinese medicinal plant, but some of the most prized ginseng grows in Canadian forests.
From 2003 to 2009, we co-wrote and published The Chinese Almanac every year. I learned about ancient Chinese philosophy and sciences, the roots of Chinese medicine, its core concepts, and especially, the principles of proper nutrition, the cornerstone of health. I also got practical experience with this knowledge. I saw how it is applied every time Dr. Zhang treated me or a member of my family. Over time, it became part of our lifestyle.
The lessons stuck. By 2005, I understood the system well enough that Dr. Zhang allowed me to blog about it on my own.
In 2009, Dr. Zhang’s practice no longer allowed him the time to write, so he resigned from Ginseng Press. But he left me a wonderful gift: permission to teach what I had learned!
Spreading this knowledge has now become my life’s mission. I hope you will join me in discovering – and using – this ‘new’ ancient wisdom.
About Dr. Zhang
Thomas Zhang is the son of a doctor of Chinese medicine. He was born in northern China and raised in the southern countryside near Shanghai. He and his family moved to Canada when he was a teenager.
Like his father, Thomas also became a doctor of Chinese medicine. In 1994 and 1995, he had the rare opportunity to further his knowledge with some of his father’s teachers in Tianjin, China. From these elders, he learned the nearly forgotten roots of Chinese medicine. These emphasize proper nutrition, prevention, and treating the root causes of illness.
Thomas Zhang, ND, Dr of TCM, practises as a naturopath and doctor of Chinese medicine in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.