China Trip: Tradition, Healing, and Inspiration Captured
In 2011 I spent time in Southwest china getting an immersive introduction to Traditional chinese medicine and rural medicine.
Yunnan Province, CHina
Main entrance to the Yunnan Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital where I studied
Aerial view of the Yunnan Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital
MRI and medical imaging center of the hospital
Shadowing an Oncology Doctor
Oncology patient having her pulse read while explaining her symptoms
Unlike the US, patients have to keep track of their own medical records via these booklets that they bring with them to the appointment
There was 8-12 pharmacists working at anytime to fill out the many prescriptions that would come through
Each herb in the prescription would be measured on a scale and then put into these metal trays for easy bag filling
Drawers of different herbs
More herbs in drawers
Pharmacists showing us an example of the herbs used in an herbal formula before decoction
Decoction machine. Each bucket holds a herbal prescription for a patient and the buckets are then placed under a water spout where boiling water will added to cook the herbs.
Herbal decoction in the middle of a cook. Different herbs have different cooking times and methods, so the pharmacists on duty have to monitor the buckets continuously
Receiving a Reiki treatment from a Reiki Doctor
A Chinese Medicine textbook that has been handed down from generation to generation
Chinese Herbal Materica Medica that has been handed down for generations
A rural hospital in Shaxi.
The only operating room in the Shaxi hospital. Anything beyond a ruptured appendix had to be taken by ambulance to a larger city over 3 hours away
The "Cozy Ward" for anyone that needed to stay for long periods of time
The ultra sound machine in the maternity ward
Naxi Dongba sages doing a blessing. Dongba medicine is a meshing of religion, song, dance, and traditional medicine (Dangba Shamanism)
Page of an ancient Dongba medical text
During our stay at Weibaoshan we had classes on growing Chinese herbs and a Taiji performance
Tibetan Hospital located in Zhongdian/Shangri-la (Autonomous Tibetan Prefecture)
Examples of special Tibetan medicinal herbs
Pharmacy in the Tibetan Hospital