For the last thirty years, EEA has presented its teaching exclusively from the Chinese texts. It uses the great fundamental classics of medicine : Huangdi Neijing (Suwen and Lingshu), Nanjing, Shanghanlun, Jingui Yaolüe, Jiayijing… Commentaries of all eras, ancient manuscripts and works of contemporary China enhance their reading. The whole teaching leads to the acquisition by the participants, of a vision of physiology and pathology, and of a Chinese medical vocabulary, included in traditional Chinese medicine.

EEA (the European Acupuncture School) was founded by acupuncturist Dr Jean Schatz, (1919-1984), Father Claude Larre (1919-2001) of the Society of Jesus, founder of the Ricci Institute in Paris and Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallée.

Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallée collaborated with Jean Schatz and Claude Larre for many years. Her methodical teaching is the transposition into French or other Western languages, of the major Chinese texts, the organized presentation of the great classics of medicine together with their specific terminology, seen from the Chinese perspective.

The teaching staff includes Elisabeth ROCHAT de la VALLEE, Patrick RICHIER, Heidi THORER, Dea ANGELELLI, Martine ESPOUY.

EEA belongs to FAFORMEC. It can issue attendance certificates which are acceptable as part of continuing medical training.

In Paris, three week-end seminars on medicine and one on the fundamental aspects of Chinese thought are organized every year by EEA. Others are held in different French cities and in other countries. Classes and lectures are also regularly held.

The School is aimed at people who already have a basic training in Chinese medicine or to students or people interested in China and its vision of life, and who wish to work in reference to traditional texts.

The School does not deliver a qualifying diploma for the practice of acupuncture. Its originality lies in three aspects :

• The rigorous approach to classic medical texts and their accurate study which methodically tackle the theoretical and clinical questions by relying on an overall vision of the Chinese medical corpus.

• The medical questions studied are developed in connection with the great texts of traditional medical thinking, whether they be Confucian, Taoist or other, particularly those that are contemporary of the development of medical theory in the few centuries around the beginning of the Common Era.

• An opening onto practice and experience. This research is part of a dialogue and experience sharing with the participants, which continue in workshops offering a real application of a traditional discipline (for instance, calligraphy).

These three aspects are found in the seminars organized by EEA. The week-end seminars in Paris offer :

• On Friday and Saturday : lectures on the fundamental questions of physiology, pathology or psychology. The participants ask questions and benefit from syntheses animated by the Chinese vision of biology, sociology, history… The answers refer the listeners to the classical texs that are presented, translated and explained by the teachers. Lectures and clinical discussions are integrated into theoretical teaching.

• On Sunday : a calligraphy workshop (October 2008- January 2009), a study of Chinese medical vocabulary around a theme (from March 2009).