Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis is the modern interpretation of the Menghe-Ding Lineage pulse method. It originated in the Shanghai region and can be traced back to at least the sixteenth century through the Menghe Lineage and perhaps even further to the first century. (Hammer L, 2018) The pulse system was handed down through generations in that lineage from father to son via the oral tradition and is rooted in the ancient or Classical Chinese medical knowledge that existed for centuries.
Before the modernisation efforts of the Communist and Cultural Revolutions in China, this wisdom along with the medicine, was practiced throughout China with lineage variations emerging, specific to the local region. However, much of this common ancient knowledge was lost during the tumultuous period in China of the mid-twentieth century.
The pulse method was handed down in the Ding lineage to Ding Ganren (of the Wen Bing fame) who died in 1926, then to his grandson Ding Jiwan the last Ding family inheritor. In 1931 Ding Jiwan chose several very wealthy students to whom he taught this pulse system, first in Shanghai and then in Hong Kong to where he escaped when the Japanese invaded Shanghai in 1937. One of these students was Dr Shen who subsequently escaped Hong Kong and the Japanese in 1942 and who, in 1974 began teaching the method to my mentor, Dr. Hammer, in New York City. (Hammer L, 2018)
The Shen-Hammer Pulse method has evolved from Classical Chinese medicine theory and recognizes the range of energy transformations within a human body reflects the infinite combination of spatial and temporal energy possibilities in the macrocosm. The pulse carries information encoded within it, representing the physiological exchanges specific to that individual organism.
Palpating the radial artery provides rich and extensive diagnostic information. The pulse describes the inherited life of a person, their current state of being, and can indicate possible health trajectories for the future.
Once the information encoded in the pulse is deciphered, it guides the practitioner to skilfully implement management strategies. These strategies may include acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and lifestyle modifications to positively impact the physical and psycho-emotional potential of the clients.
The Shen-Hammer Pulse method is a refined and comprehensive approach to pulse diagnosis that draws upon ancient Chinese medicine theory. It allows practitioners to gain valuable insights into their clients’ health and guide them towards appropriate treatment strategies to enhance well-being.