Daoist Priest and world-renowned Scholar of Daoism and Chinese Medicine, Master Jeffrey C. Yuen continues to share his extraordinary insights into Daoist Philosophy and Classical Chinese medicine.
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“I have been made aware that there has been practitioners/students who have made claims that they are my successors in the field of Chinese medicine. While I have taught thousands of students over the decades, I have not ever designated anyone as heir to my Chinese medical tradition. Needless to say, there have been a number of students and/or seminar participants who have published texts articulating some of my teachings — many of which are recognisable from the language used in the books (which anyone who has attended my classes can easy discern as my voice echoing through those pages). My only qualms about these texts have been that I didn’t emphasise adequately to some of these writers to spend more time reflecting, cultivating, and applying the teachings before the rush to publication.
One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been to share and disseminate teachings that I feel have been forsaken or less focused in contemporary Chinese medicine education — a mission that continues to extenuate from my heart and efforts. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by a close group of long-time students who continue to study from and with me in the ever-fascinating journey to discover and unravel the essence and mystery of healing within the Chinese medical perspective. None of these students and friends feel they are successors to my lineage, but rather participants in my mission.”
Jeffrey C. Yuen
Jeffrey C. Yuen comes from two Daoist lineages. He is an 88th generation Daoist Master of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai (Jade Purity Yellow Emperor Lao Zi School) and a 26th generation Daoist Master of the Quan Zhen Long men Pai (Complete Reality Dragon Gate School). His Daoist Name for each tradition is respectively Yuan Xu and Song De.
Mr. Yuen trained under his adopted grandfather, the late Daoist Master Yu Wen (1872-1981) of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai, a division of the Shang Qing tradition of Daoism that developed during the Western Jin Dynasty (3rd Cent. CE). The Yu Qing traditions focus on the alchemical practices associated with Ge Hong, the meditation techniques of its early progenitors Yang Xi, Ma Lang, and Sima Cheng-Zhen, and scriptural writings (including medical corpuses) as compiled by Lu Xin-Jing, Tao Hong-Jing, and Sun Si-Miao.
Master Yu Wen trained in Mt. Hua and learned all the facets of Daoism, including the classics; rites and liturgies; healing arts; and divination. He later traveled extensively throughout China and served as the lineage holder of the Daoist martial arts system know as Wu Xing Quan/Five Element Fist – an internal and monastic style of Hua Shan. Having a strong resonance with Daoist teachings ever since childhood, Jeffrey studied extensively under Master Yu Wen and was allowed to openly practice and serve the community when he was 16 years old.
In addition to his ordainment within the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai, Jeffrey was ordained by Master Lu Xin-Xu of the Quan Zhen Long Men Pai as an expression of gratitude. When arriving to the United States on a visitor’s visa, Master Lu served as one of the Daoist priests of the American Daoist and Buddhist Association in New York City. Master Lu later decided to stay in the United States and thus applied for permanent residency under the status for special reasons (namely, religious persecution in China at that time). The U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service rejected his initial application on the grounds that Daoism was a philosophy and not a religion. Due to Jeffrey’s effort, the US Immigration & Naturalization Service eventually recognized Daoism as a major religious tradition of China, which opened the doors to Daoist priests seeking asylum in the U.S.
Mr. Yuen also studied Chinese herbal medicine with Master Gong Song-Liu, a eunuch for the last two emperors of the Qing Dynasty who apprenticed with the imperial medical physicians. As a friend of Master Yu Wen, Gong was persuaded to teach Jeffrey, imparting his deep knowledge of Chinese medicine over a period of 8 years. At the age of 100, Master Gong felt deeply satisfied with his transmission to Jeffrey and returned to China.
Today Jeffrey Yuen is recognized internationally as a master scholar, teacher and practitioner of Classical Chinese Medicine. This includes Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition/Dietetics, the therapeutic use of Stones and Essential Oils, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Daoism. Indeed, as a Daoist priest, Jeffrey is at the forefront of the restoration of the spiritual roots of Chinese Medicine. His teachings rooted in the spiritual tradition of Daoist mysticism bring a clarity, wisdom and depth to Chinese Medicine rarely found today.
Jeffery Yuen served as the former Dean for Academic Affairs for the Acupuncture Programme at the Swedish Institute, New York, USA. His teachings have served as the basis of the first Ph.D. program developed in the field of Classical Chinese Medicine, now offered at the American University of Complementary Medicine in Los Angeles. He is president of the International Tai Chi Institute of New York City.
He has speaking engagements around the world every year and lectures regularly at the Academy of Classical Chinese Medicine, Ireland, Daoist Healing Arts, Asheville, North Carolina, American University of Complementary Medicine in Los Angeles, Xin Shu Academy, Rome, Italy, and Chiway in Switzerland. In addition, he was the first non-physician to be approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) to confer Continuing Medical Education Units (CMEUs) in courses/seminars to physicians training in acupuncture and has presented to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.
Founded by Paul McCarthy, ACCM is devoted to reclaiming the heritage of Classical Chinese Medicine as guided by Daoist Master Jeffrey C. Yuen.
