Pearl River: New York City’s best kept secret
For over 30 years a trip to New York City would not be complete without visiting Pearl River Mart in SoHo (477 Broadway, NYC, between Broome St. & Grand St., 800-878-2446). According to their brochure, Pearl River…(read more)
Interview with Dr. Stephen Chang: Traditional Chinese medicine is at a crossroad
What do you think of the current state of Chinese Medicine?
Chinese Medicine is now at a crossroads in its existence. The key to moving on lies in the understanding of its definition and the content of “internationalization of TCM” as well as the consciousness of the Chinese people.
What do you mean by internationalization of TCM?
The “internationalization” of Chinese medicine has two different explanations.
- To popularize the academic culture of TCM in international society and greatly enhance the exports of TCM to earn foreign exchange for the country.
- To westernize TCM or integrate TCM with Western medicine.
It is understood that many people believe that to add scientific factors to TCM would mean to convert TCM into Western medicine. It can also be called “Westernized traditional Chinese medicine”, which is the general significance of international integration of TCM.
Who is behind integrating TCM with Western (Allopathic) medicine?
In fact, this is an ongoing issue. The true story was told in an article – “The truth about the Rockefeller Drug Empire” written by Hans Ruesch and published a few years ago. The article gives details on why the Rockefeller family is willing to “donate” to the medical circle in China under the name of an academic foundation.
According to Hans Ruesch: “Rockefeller had always had a particular interest in China, where Standard Oil was almost sole supplier of kerosene and oil “for the lamps of China”. So he put up money to establish the China Medical Board and to build the Peking Union Medical College, playing the role of the Great White Father who has come to dispense knowledge on his lowly children. The Rockefeller Foundation invested up to $45,000,000 into “westernizing” (read corrupting) Chinese medicine.
Medical colleges were instructed that if they wished to benefit from the Rockefeller largesse they had better convince 500 million Chinese to throw into the ashcan the safe and useful but inexpensive herbal remedies of their barefoot doctors, which had withstood the test of centuries, in favor of the expensive carcinogenic and teratogenic “miracle” drugs Made in the USA, which had to be replaced constantly with new ones, when they fatal side-effects could no longer be concealed; and if they couldn’t “demonstrate” through large-scale animal experiments the effectiveness of their ancient acupuncture, this could not be recognized as have any “scientific value”. Its millenarian effectiveness proven on human beings was of no concern to the Western wizards.
But when the Communists came to power in China and it was no longer possible to trade, Rockefellers suddenly lost interest in the health of the Chinese people and shifted their attention increasingly to Japan, India and Latin America.”
What is the purpose of this movement?
Its purpose is to make Chinese people doubt the origin and system of Chinese medicine and so abandon it. The move was made under the cover of “Westernizing traditional Chinese medicine”. It is a conspiracy to completely destroy TCM.
So in other words Western (Allopathic) medicine is threatened by TCM?
Western medicine used to deny the existence of TCM. For example, before it [Allopathic medicine] discovered the thymus gland and spleen, it did not agree with the TCM theory that is based on these important organs. It believed that TCM was not scientific. Even after it proved the existence of the two organs, it still claimed that TCM as not scientific.
Who else is involved in destroying TCM?
Under the influence of the Rockefellers, the World Trade Organization issued a decree forbidding each of its members from trading in TCM. It was echoed by the European Union that decided not to import TCM and Chinese healthcare food. The US followed suit, banning the import and sales of TCM. All of these moves are targeted at TCM.
Did any country oppose the WTO decree?
Germany was the first to oppose such a decision. Its judicial department overthrew the WTO decree. Canada also resisted the decree through its legislative procedures.
What is the importance of saving or preserving TCM?
Traditional Chinese medicine is one of China’s greatest scientific achievements. It is the crystallization of its academic wisdom. Its theory and practice are all based on Chinese culture [Taoism]. In terms of treatment effectiveness and the methodology of understanding some particular diseases, it is far more reasonable and effective compared to Western medicine. It also has no serious side-effects.
This self-complete theory has included the mechanism of timely progress. There is absolutely no need for TCM to be Westernized. China owns the complete intellectual property rights of traditional Chinese medicine. It can never be “stolen” by others.
Are there other countries trying to claim the rights to TCM?
Japan has recently applied to the World Health Organization for the definition of TCM. It wants to give TCM a Japanese name. The purpose of the move is to separate TCM from China and thus make the school of medicine its own. Quite naively and ridiculously, Japan believes that once this happens, Japanese medicine will be the sole beneficiary.
Note: parts of this article originally appeared as a longer article Dr. Chang wrote for China Daily www.chinadaily.com, adapted for interview format and content added with Dr. Chang’s permission.
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Morikami Japanese Gardens offers the art of Bonsai workshop for beginners
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2012 a Taoist year in review
2012, the year of the Dragon was an interesting year indeed. We witnessed many examples of transformation and change, good and bad, as well as apocalyptic failures of apocalyptic predictions, and a continuing slide (or fall) down an ever… (read more)
Winter: the season of conservation, storage and rest
Many people associate winter with: colder weather, storms, snow, holidays, family, gifts, New Year’s etc… Farmers and gardeners are aware that this is the time of year to cultivate and harvest certain frost and freeze friendly fruit and vegetables such as beets, cabbage, broccoli, broccoli rapini, cauliflower, clementines, grapefruit, kiwi and mandarin oranges just to name a few.
This is also the time of year when we begin to notice an increase in the common cold, flu, respiratory infections and other “winter” or cold weather ailments. Those with arthritis are particularly fretful during this season as the daily fluctuation of temperature directly impacts their symptoms and sensations.
What are the greater implications of this season and how does the season impact our health and well-being? Is there a connection between the winter season and the preceding autumn or succeeding spring seasons?
For these answers, lets look at what Huang Di stated in one of the oldest books in the world, the great classic of Taoism, “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of the Internal ” the Neijing Suwen:
“During the winter months all things in nature wither, hide, return home, and enter a resting period, just as lakes and rivers freeze and snow falls. This is a time when yin [energy] dominates yang [energy]. Therefore one should refrain from overusing the yang energy. Retire early and get up with the sunrise, which is later in winter. Desires and mental activity should be kept quiet and subdued. Sexual desires especially should be contained, as if keeping a happy secret. Stay warm, avoid the cold, and keep the pores closed. Avoid sweating. The philosophy of the winter season is one of conservation and storage. Without such practice the result will be injury to the kidney energy. This will cause wei jue, consisting of weakness, atrophy of muscles, and coldness in spring, manifesting as paralysis, wei/flaccid syndrome, arthritis, or degeneration of the bones and tendons. This is because the body has lost its ability to open and move in the spring. (Maoshing Ni, p. 6)”
If we do not properly retreat and store our energy during the winter months, then our body will have a difficult time, opening up in spring. This is also seen in nature when plants grow or sprout prematurely only to die in early spring, since they exhausted their vital energy.
Let us observe and follow the Natural Laws at work and use this time to bring our energy inward, nourish our roots, and warm the interior; in the same manner that trees pull their energy into their deep roots to survive the coldest and harshest of winters. In spring, life will begin to emerge and we can once again safely begin to increase our activity and energy levels. As you will see in a future article, spring appears much earlier than our calendars indicate.
Don’t miss another National Taoism Examiner article. Receive e-mail alerts when new articles are available. Just click on the “Subscribe” button below; also make sure you click all of those social network buttons and share the article with your friends and family as well.
Do you have a story, photo or video from your area that would be of interest to Taoists? Feel free to email (TJ@theQiInstitute.com) and they may be included or featured in a National Taoism Examiner article.
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