Sacred Lotus has been a Traditional Chinese Medicine reference since 2001. This page explains how our content is made, where it comes from, how we handle disagreement between sources, how we correct mistakes, how the site is funded, and the terms under which you use it.
Who is responsible for this content
Sacred Lotus is published and edited by Thomas Dehli, Founder & Editor, who holds final editorial responsibility for everything on this site. Content is compiled and cross-checked against the sources described below.
How a page is researched and written
Every herb, formula, and acupuncture point entry is built the same way:
- Multiple independent sources, weighted for reliability. Each fact is checked across standard materia medica and formularies, classical sources, teaching material, and — where relevant — the peer-reviewed literature. We write our content in our own words and cite our sources. A few kinds of fact — the exact anatomical location of an acupuncture point, a dosage range, a Latin binomial — are precise, standardised data with only one correct form; these we record as the established reference and name the authority behind them. The explanation around them is always our own.
- Traditional facts are grounded in the tradition. Actions, properties, channels, indications, combinations, and cautions are reported as what the tradition documents, with the classical source named where one exists.
- Modern research is cited with a resolvable reference. Where we reference published research we give a resolvable identifier (PMID, PMC, or DOI) so you can read the study yourself. We describe what a study actually examined — including when it tested an isolated compound rather than the whole herb, or was preclinical rather than clinical. Research is reported as research, never as a treatment claim.
- Relationships come from our own database. When a page lists the formulas that contain an herb, or the points on a channel, those come from the site's actual relationship data, so the page and the database stay in step.
When sources disagree
Reference sources genuinely disagree — on dosage ranges, on Latin binomials, on channels entered. Our rule is fixed and deliberately conservative:
- If a conflict is real and meaningful, we keep it and flag it on the page, so you can see the disagreement and weigh it yourself.
- If we cannot verify something, we leave it out. We do not guess.
- Where two different plants share a romanised name — a recurring and genuinely dangerous problem in Chinese herbal reference — we say so explicitly and identify which species is meant.
Corrections
We keep an internal audit trail of identity and data corrections: what was wrong, what it was changed to, the evidence, and when it was applied. When we find an error in our own data we log it and fix it. If you believe something here is wrong, please tell us — corrections from practitioners and students have improved this site for twenty years, and specific, sourced corrections are especially welcome.
Editorial independence and how the site is funded
We do not sell herbs, formulas, or supplements. There is no dispensary and no store here, so nothing on this site is written to move inventory.
The site is funded by display advertising and a small number of affiliate links, such as the reference books we cite. Advertising is served by a third party; affiliate links may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you. Neither affects what we choose to cover or what we write about it.
Where our information comes from
Our source material includes standard materia medica and formulary references, classical Chinese medical texts, class notes and teaching from Five Branches University, practitioners and colleagues, and the peer-reviewed literature indexed in PubMed. The books we rely on are listed on our references page; if this site has been useful to you, please consider supporting those authors by buying their work.
Terms of Use
By using Sacred Lotus you agree to the terms below. If you do not accept them, please do not use this website.
This is a reference, not medical advice. Sacred Lotus is written primarily for students and practitioners of Chinese medicine; it documents what the tradition holds and what the published literature reports. It is not a self-treatment guide. Chinese herbal medicine is prescribed on the basis of an individual diagnosis by a qualified practitioner, and many herbs are restricted, toxic when unprocessed, contraindicated in pregnancy, or interact with pharmaceutical drugs. Nothing here should be used to diagnose or treat a condition, and information about toxic or restricted substances is published for identification and safety awareness — never as guidance on how to administer them. If you have a medical problem or concern, consult a qualified acupuncturist or physician; never use this site as a substitute for qualified medical advice or as a reason to delay seeking care.
Accuracy and warranty. We make every effort to keep this information accurate, but we cannot guarantee it is free of errors or suitable for any particular purpose. All information is provided without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Sacred Lotus Arts, its owners, and its associates are not liable for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from the use of this site.
Questions about this policy, or a correction to submit? Contact us.