China News Service, Beijing, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Martin, "Western Chinese Medicine": Traditional Chinese medicine is both a medical skill and an art
China News Service reporter Ma Shuaisha
"To learn Chinese medicine, I must also use Chinese medicine well, and using Chinese medicine to treat all kinds of diseases is my greatest happiness now." Martin, from Canada, said that Chinese medicine is both a medical skill and an art.
The reporter recently went to Hunan with the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for research and walked into the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Martin's indissoluble relationship with Chinese medicine stems from his deep interest in traditional Chinese culture. When he was in high school, he began to read the Tao Te Ching and learn Tai Chi. "My Tai Chi master once told me that if you want to learn Tai Chi better, you can consider learning a little Chinese medicine." This was Martin's first exposure to the term "Chinese medicine".
"What is Chinese medicine?" Confused, Martin went to check the information and found that Chinese herbal medicine was used. "My parents are both from Europe, and the use of herbal medicine in Europe, coupled with the fact that our family has always used natural remedies, makes me feel close to Chinese medicine and more curious."
Becoming fascinated by Chinese medicine, Martin chose to study acupuncture and Chinese medicine at a private TCM college in Victoria, Canada, where the director of the school was a professor at Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Three years later, on the recommendation of the dean, Martin came to Hunan to attend university and learn shoulder massage.
After coming to Changsha in 2007, Martin fell in love with it. Huxiang has a strong culture of traditional Chinese medicine, Shennong tastes a hundred herbs, "medical saint" Zhang Zhongjing Changsha "sits in the hall for consultation", and the medical books and pharmacopoeia unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tomb... Regarding the history and culture of local Chinese medicine, Martin said, "I like Changsha, and it is a very good choice to come here to study Chinese medicine. ”
Talking about the difficulties of learning Chinese medicine, Martin bluntly said that the most difficult thing is the language, whether it is the tone of Mandarin or the complex strokes of Chinese characters, it is a challenge for him. Despite speaking fluent Chinese, Martin smiled and said, "I'm still learning Chinese." He told reporters that the most difficult class he has ever taken is ancient medical texts, "What we are reading now are modern medical books, and if you look at the original ancient books, it is still difficult to understand." ”
In addition to his studies, as a Tai Chi fan, Martin also joined the local Tai Chi Association. He found that in traditional Chinese culture, many things are interconnected.
"When learning Tai Chi, if you understand the meridians, you can know how to make the body more coordinated. For another example, Chinese people are very particular about 'eating', what to eat in different seasons, how to match herbs and ingredients, are closely related to Chinese medicine knowledge. Martin said that different fields such as nutrition, tai chi, and the five elements all contain the philosophy of moderation and balance, and that Chinese medicine is not only a medical skill, but also an art.
In Martin's view, the idea of syndrome differentiation and treatment in TCM is "very interesting". "TCM emphasizes that all parts of the body are interrelated, it is a system, and some diseases are difficult to explain, but TCM can make a comprehensive judgment. One of the great things I learned from studying TCM is that I know myself better. ”
Now, Martin, who has lived in China for more than ten years, has become a Changsha "foreign son-in-law" and a father of two children, "Changsha is already my second hometown. When asked if he would let his children learn Chinese medicine in the future, he immediately answered, "It has been started a long time ago, and they know what massage is and moxibustion is." Where children are uncomfortable, Chinese medicine is my first choice. ”
Just a few years ago, Martin seized the opportunity to further his education and pursue graduate studies at Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. After knowing that he is a Chinese medicine practitioner, foreign friends around him will also seek help from Martin when he is in pain. "Their feedback has been very positive. In fact, it is very simple, there is no need to explain too much theoretical knowledge to them, the efficacy is the best proof, and the theory is what we need. Martin said.
In fact, TCM has become popular in Canada over the years. Martin said that many athletes will use traditional Chinese medicine for rehabilitation, such as silver needles, scraping, and cupping, and the results are very good. "In Canada, Western medicine will write a note when encountering some diseases and recommend patients to see a Chinese medicine practitioner. TCM is reimbursable in Canada, and it is better integrated in the healthcare system than in the past. ”
Talking about his future plans, Martin said that he must do a good job of Chinese medicine and use it, "I will also help teachers do some translation work now, and I should pass on the good experience so that more people can understand Chinese medicine." ”
"However, I think there is still a lot of room for development." Martin believes that more research on the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine should be carried out to explore the efficacy of its symptoms. In fact, China has made a lot of research results in this area, but some foreign Western medicine does not know about it, and there should be more exchanges between Chinese and Western medicine. (ENDS)