Chinese Culture Exchange UK

One of the earliest systems of healing known to the world, Chinese medicine has long historical roots. One of China's earliest medical books "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" (Huang di neijing su wen) is attributed to Huang Di , the First Emperor  around 2500 BC.

Today Chinese medicine is used widely around the world. Acupuncture, massage and herbal treatments can often provide a better alternative, although a slower one, to western treatments. Western medicine still cannot rationalise how acupuncture works, stimulating the flow of qi in the meridians (jingluo). First you have to ackowledge the existance of Qi!

Chinese medicine treats the whole body by bringing about a balance of yin and yang within the organs. The doctor makes a diagnosis by checking the pulses, the colour of the tongue, the face and even the smell of the patient.

 A patient may be said to be suffering from internal heat, wind, dampness or cold. The first two are excess yang, the last two are excess yin. Three pulses are taken which can be :- floating, sinking, slow, rapid, thin, big, empty, slippery, choppy, wirey, tight or knotted!

Visitors to Lianyungang make a "trip to the Doctor" to visit Master Zhou Zi Fan.

Now retired Master Zhou Zi Fan is one of Lianyungang's most well known practitioners of Chinese Medicine.  Having learned the skill from his father, he has now handed down the skill to his son, who continues to run the practice today. 

In his clinic the walls are lined with drawers containing herbs to make medicines. Master Zhou took time to show us some of the herbs, explain the rudiments of the theory of yin and yang and how the body must be in balance. He demonstrated taking the pulses and also showed us the acupuncture needles!

A keen practioner of Calligraphy, he also demonstrated this for us too. A very interesting visit to the Doctor!