6The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine has become a landmark in the history of Chinese civilization. Written in the form of a dialogue in which the emperor seeks information from his minister Ch'I-Po on questions of health and the art of healing, it is the oldest known document in Chinese medicine. Ilza Veith's extensive introduction and monumental translation, first published in 1949, make available the historical and philosophical foundations of traditional practices that have seen a dynamic revival in China and throughout the West. A new foreword by Linda L. Barnes places the translation in its historic contexts, underlining its significance to the Western world's understanding of Chinese medical practice.