chengdu china

Jul

2018

The Great Learning • Da Xue 大學 Confucian Teaching

The way of great learning lies in illuminating bright virtue;

Holding people dear and stopping only at utmost goodness.

©Wendy Brown, Lic. Ac. – All image rights reserved.

To illuminate brightest virtue under Heaven, ancients governed their states first. To govern their states, they first put their families in order. To put their families in order, they first cultivated their body. To cultivate their body, they first rectified their Heart. To rectify their Heart, they first made their intentions sincere.

From: Sìshū Wŭ Chīng 四書五經

The Four Books, written before 300 BC

大學之道在明明德，在親民，在止於至善 • 知止而后有定；定而后能靜 • 靜而后能安；安而后能慮；慮而后能得 • 物有本末，事有終始，知所先後，則近道矣。• 古之欲明明德於天下者，先治其國 • 欲治其國者，先齊其家 • 欲齊其家者，先修其身 • 欲修其身者，先正其心 • 欲正其心者，先誠其意 • 欲誠其意者，先致其知 • 致知在格物 • 物格而後知至 • 知至而後意誠 • 意誠而後心正 • 心正而後身修 • 身修而後家齊 • 家齊而後國治 • 國治而後天下平 • 自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本 • 其本亂而末治者, 否矣 • 其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也

Aug

2017

My Visit to Master Wang’s Clinic in Chengdu

While visiting Chengdu China in July of 2017, I observed and participated in treatments at Master Wang’s clinic. Master Wang’s work consists of his patients soaking in Chinese medicinal herbal baths in large bamboo tubs, followed by a uniquely vigorous type of manual therapy administered, simultaneously, by his two apprentices. As a practitioner of Chinese medicine myself, I was allowed to observe and palpate patients on the treatment table undergoing treatment, guided by Master Wang to discern the therapeutic changes taking effect. I also experienced the methods personally, as a patient. I experienced notable results for my sacrum and shoulder joint which at the time were nagging me, and right before my trekking pilgrimage in Tibet – a blessing to have resolved in one session of herbal bathing and 30 minutes of Master Wang’s highly vigorous manual therapy methods.

Patients from all over the world come to stay in Chengdu to be treated in Master Wang’s clinic. While there, Master Wang, his family, apprentices and I shared a delicious vegetarian lunch that was prepared by Master Wang’s wife and daughter-in-law. Over our leisurely meal I learned that Master Wang’s treatment methods were passed down to him despite cultural revolution precepts, by his life-long teacher, a Shaolin monk. Master Wang has only trained a handful of students in these methods during his 65 year career. Master Wang, his staff, and family were all warm and welcoming. I consider myself fortunate to have had this enriching educational and therapeutic opportunity while I was in Chengdu and am ever-grateful to those who helped to make it happen.

Ancient Medical Texts Unearthed

Exceptional doctor of Chinese medicine, Bian Que 扁鵲, lived at the beginning of the 5th century b.c. [at about the same period as Confucius]. He established medical protocols that are still in use in Chinese medicine today. thought to have come from the Bian Que school, and now linked to Bian Que (a.k.a. Qin Yueren) himself, these archived pieces of bamboo cover medical subjects of internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and traumatology, with a focus on pulse diagnosis. Many bamboo carved strips are devoted to the treatment of horses, including a model with acupoints, also suggesting acupuncture points are older than we currently think.

In 2013 archaeologists unearthed 920 bamboo strips at a construction site in the south-western city of Chengdu in China, containing recipes for treating ailments that date back 2,000 years. The bamboo strips, which were once widely used as a writing material, were reportedly found along with other relics of the Western Han Dynasty, which came to power in 260 BC. Archaeologists speculated that the traditional Chinese remedies may have been written by the successors of Bian Que, reported to be China’s earliest known physician. Now further testing has confirmed that the texts were written by Bian Que himself, according to a news report in ecns.cn. Translation work has also revealed the remarkable contents of these ancient medical manuscripts.

Experts say the works are based mainly on studies of determining disease by taking the patient’s pulse. Other practices mentioned include internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, dermatology, ophthalmology as well as traumatology. In addition, 184 tiles are related to the medical treatment of horses, considered by the experts as one of the most important veterinarian works in ancient China.

The bamboo strips were found, along with many other precious relics, within four Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – 24 AD) tombs located in the town of Tianhui. Among the finds were four models of looms, nine medical books, 50 inscribed wooden tablets, 240 lacquer wares, jewellery, and tomb figures. Out of the nine medical books, some have been verified to be the long lost medical treatises written by the physician Bian Que. In addition, archaeologists also uncovered a 14-centimeter long figurine with major acupoints marked out. It is believed to be a key to deciphering the origin of acupuncture treatment.

According to Chinese legend recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian, Bian Que was gifted with remarkable abilities from a deity. The story states that he was given a packet of medicine which gave him the ability to see through the human body. He thereby became an excellent diagnostician with his x-ray like ability. It is said that he pioneered pulse-taking, used anesthesia and even performed an organ transplant.

One legend stated that once, while visiting the state of Guo, Bian Que saw people mourning on the streets. Upon inquiring what their grievances were, he got the reply that the heir apparent of the lord had died, and the lord was in mourning. Sensing something afoot, he is said to have gone to the palace to inquire about the circumstances of the death. After hearing of how the prince “died”, he concluded that the prince had not really died, but was rather in a coma-like state. Using his acupuncture, he was said to have brought the prince back to consciousness. Prescribing the prince with medicine, the prince healed within days.

Whether there is factual basis to the legends or not, Bian Que is known to have been a remarkable physician who was centuries ahead of his time. The discovery of his ancient remedies is an incredibly rare and important find.

Ancient Medical Texts Unearthed. Republished with permission from Ancient Origins. Read original.

Apr

2014

THE SOVEREIGN HEART OF CHINESE MEDICINE ☯

While the brain can help us to understand, it can also separate us from the essence of true knowing. Some of the issues of academic teaching, as well as the orientation we encounter in many of our patients, is that the brain wants to rule. The brain has its place but it is absolutely subservient to the unifying function of the Heart, which is like an aperture that allows us a state of resonance, rapport and connection with everything else.

The Heart is all-healing and creates unity and connection; while brain, the servant, can vie to become the master, denying there is anything outside of itself with its causal, scientific, analytical process of creating distinctions. Establishing a healthy heart field in one’s self is important. The capacity for synchronization is a fundamental truth and cultivating coherence of our heart field allows a channel to enfold a person who is ill to the inner cultivation of truth.

All sentient beings basically synchronize to the energy fields of their environment. Electromagnetic fields encompass a huge amount of ‘information’ about each organism, and once synchronized, there is a rapid flow of information exchanged. In synchronizing, a patient harmonized with their practitioner’s healthy Essence and Heart patterns, finds support to solve their health conditions and facilitate change and hope on their life path.