Written in the form of a dialogue in which the emperor seeks information from his minister Ch'i-Po on all questions of health and the art of healing, The Yellow Emperor's Classic has become a landmark in the history of Chinese civilization.  Its influence has reached neighboring cultures as well.  Since 1949, when this first translation of the oldest known document in Chinese medicine was published, traditional medical practice has seen a dynamic revival in China.  Moreover, it has spread amazingly through many countries of the Western world, even to the United States.  Scientific investigations into the nationale of this time-honored therapy (including acupuncture) have heightened the interest in its historical and philosophical foundation. As Far Eastern thought and its history become increasingly more important factors in present-day knowledge, The Yellow Emperor's Classic has gradually transcended the confines of medical history.