Heiner Fruehauf, PhD, LAc
Founder of Classical Pearls
Dr. Heiner Fruehauf is a renowned scholar, clinician, and advocate for Classical Chinese Medicine, dedicated to preserving and advancing the time-honored wisdom of traditional healing. With a deep-rooted family legacy in natural medicine, extensive academic study, and decades of clinical experience, he has made significant contributions to both the theoretical and practical applications of Chinese herbal medicine.
A Legacy of Natural Healing
Born into a German family of medical doctors specializing in homeopathy, herbalism, and hydrotherapy, Dr. Fruehauf was influenced early on by his family's commitment to natural healing. His great-grandfather studied under Sebastian Kneipp, a pioneer of the European nature cure movement, inspiring Heiner’s lifelong passion for holistic medicine.
Academic & Clinical Training
Dr. Fruehauf pursued sinology, philosophy, and comparative literature at Tübingen University, Fudan University (Shanghai), Hamburg University, Waseda University (Tokyo), and the University of Chicago, where he earned his Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Civilizations in 1990.
After experiencing a serious health crisis, he shifted his focus from theoretical research to clinical applications of Chinese medicine. This led him to complete two years of postdoctoral training at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where he was mentored by Deng Zhongjia, a leading authority on classical Chinese formulas.
Beyond institutional education, he sought out the classical roots of Chinese medicine, studying:
- Daoist medicine and Jinjing Qigong with Wang Qingyu
- Shanghan Lun pulse diagnosis with Zeng Rongxiu
- Sichuan Daoist traditions with Wang Chunwu
- Traditional Sichuan folk arts and music with Wang Huade
Since 1992, Dr. Fruehauf has published widely on both the theoretical and clinical aspects of Chinese medicine, contributing to the field's academic and practical evolution.
Leadership in Classical Chinese Medicine
Dr. Fruehauf is the Founding Professor Emeritus of the College of Classical Chinese Medicine at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon, where he has taught from 1992-2008, serving as Dean for many years. His scholarly research includes an ongoing study of the archaic symbolism in Chinese medicine, particularly the meanings behind acupuncture point names.
As a practitioner, he focuses on complementary treatments for complex and chronic conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and digestive disorders.
Beyond academia and clinical practice, he is the director of the Heron Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of traditional life sciences. Through the institute, he has led the Sacred Mountain Retreat for over 15 years, an immersive study program in the sacred mountains of Southwest China, where students explore qigong and classical Chinese medicine.
Founding of Classical Pearls
In 2008, Dr. Fruehauf founded Classical Pearls, drawing from two decades of study with diverse herbal masters in China and his own clinical experience treating chronic and recalcitrant conditions in Western patients. He recognized a critical need for potent, long-term herbal formulations that go beyond standardized TCM herbal approaches.
Much of his time is now dedicated to the direct sourcing, preparation, and production of the Classical Pearls herbal line, ensuring that each formula retains the potency, purity, and therapeutic effectiveness necessary for deep, constitutional healing.
Dr. Fruehauf continues to bridge the ancient and modern worlds of herbal medicine, ensuring that the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine remains a living, evolving tradition for generations to come.