Taoist Doctor - Chapter 39

“Hahaha, what you said is one of the reasons, right?” Director Xiao laughed.

 

Acupuncture abroad is more commonly used for various types of pain, but because it mainly focuses on pain management, Western acupuncturists generally do not pay much attention to the techniques, points, and meridians.

 

In any case, even if the needles are placed next to the actual points, using shallow needling, weak stimulation, or transcutaneous electrical stimulation can still produce pain relief. So why be so precise about the acupuncture points?

 

Therefore, Western acupuncture is quite different from traditional Chinese theories.

 

“I understand now,” Zhou Jinyuan said after listening to Director Xiao’s explanation, no longer finding it strange.

 

Domestic research covers many techniques, points, and meridians, but it has not been scientifically or standardly quantified, making it difficult to measure the techniques. Currently, the skill level of acupuncturists still has a significant impact on outcomes.

 

For example, Zhou Jinyuan, even though modern equipment such as far-infrared, magnetic, and electric devices are available for acupuncture, still uses traditional acupuncture methods. It’s not because he’s stubborn, but because, for him, combining technique with the points and meridians achieves better results.

 

Plus, cultural differences make it difficult for practitioners abroad to understand.

 

So, China is also continuing to conduct in-depth research, especially quantitative studies, to promote the theories and obtain more clinical research.

 

The two approaches complement each other. Promoting the theory leads to more interest and research, which helps perfect modern theories. That’s also why Professor Mo recommended Zhou Jinyuan.

 

“Anyway, that’s how the business trip will be arranged. The procedures will be handled by someone else. You’ll stay for about ten days and depart next month. You need to make arrangements for your patients in advance and prepare translations of their medical records to send to Professor Mo,” Director Xiao said.

 

“So soon?” Zhou Jinyuan was a bit surprised.

 

“Well, we’ve been waiting for you,” Director Xiao laughed. Zhou Jinyuan was specifically recommended by Professor Mo.

 

Although Professor Mo himself wouldn’t participate in this scale of teaching, he had recommended Zhou Jinyuan. The event had been planned for a long time, and others had already prepared.

 

Zhou Jinyuan had no choice but to nod and work extra hours to get ready.

 

……

 

While Zhou Jinyuan was away, he had two options for his ongoing patients. For those with less demanding needs, he entrusted them to Liu Qi; for those with higher demands, he asked Dr. Mao and Director Xie for help.

 

There was also Qu Guan Feng. Fortunately, Qu Guan Feng’s acupuncture frequency and stimulation requirements had decreased, so Zhou Jinyuan made a treatment plan for the next stage. He could perform one acupuncture session before leaving, with the remaining two sessions replaced by moxibustion and washing.

 

Coincidentally, Rong Xixue had brought many good medicinal materials from her hometown, which were not available on the market. Zhou Jinyuan selected some and prepared the medicine.

 

“Here, take these. The prescription is slightly different from before. I’ve written the details on the card,” Zhou Jinyuan handed the medicine to Qu Guan Feng.

 

“When will your clinic open?” Qu Guan Feng asked.

 

Zhou Jinyuan had not mentioned his plans to open a clinic to his patients, thinking Director Xiao was understanding. Since the clinic was new and not covered by insurance yet, there was no need to move his patients.

 

He wasn’t sure how Qu Guan Feng found out, but since he knew, it was likely that Qu Qingrui and the others did too. This was not a big deal because they hadn’t been treated at the Third Hospital before; Qu Guan Feng was an exception, and others only came for massage.

 

“The location is already decided, in an area near a residential community. The name and decoration style were debated with my friends many times. Fortunately, the procedures are easier now than before, so it’s going smoothly,” Zhou Jinyuan said optimistically.

 

The decoration style was kept simple. The place had previously been a clinic, so no major changes were needed. The chosen style was also not like many Chinese medicine clinics that resembled palaces. After all, they didn’t have that much money…

 

“What’s the name?” Qu Guan Feng asked.

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “Uh… Little Qinglong Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic…”

 

Qu Guan Feng: “???”

 

Zhou Jinyuan chuckled awkwardly. He and Rong Shouyun had argued several times before deciding to settle it by throwing darts at a pile of medical books and Buddhist and Taoist classics. Whatever it hit, that would be the name. It was a very fair method.

 

In the end, the name landed on Little Qinglong Decoction…

 

Qu Guan Feng remained silent for a long time.

 

“Have you considered opening a larger medical institution?” After a while, Qu Guan Feng asked, coming back to his senses from the name.

 

If Zhou Jinyuan was willing, he knew that many people in Haizhou would be willing to invest, without requiring Zhou Jinyuan to spend his own money.

 

What Zhou Jinyuan was planning to open sounded like a small clinic, located near a community, with a clear target audience.

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “How could I manage a larger one? How could I ensure there are enough excellent doctors like me?”

 

Qu Guan Feng: “………… That’s a point.”

 

This wasn’t the first time Qu Guan Feng had witnessed Zhou Jinyuan’s confidence. Although Zhou’s assertiveness was a bit frustrating, one had to admit he was right.

 

Traditional Chinese medicine is difficult to standardize. If Zhou Jinyuan wants to be responsible for all patients, staffing is an issue. He has his own perspective, different from entrepreneurs and others.

 

“Hehe, I also printed some business cards. Here’s one for you,” Zhou Jinyuan opened the drawer, revealing very simple business cards with no design, just white with black text, showing the clinic’s name, address, and other information.

 

“Is this your pen?” Qu Guan Feng suddenly asked.

 

Zhou Jinyuan looked. There was a golden pen in his drawer, which he had picked up from a person with albinism he met at the airport when he returned to Yingzhou.

 

“It’s not mine. It was left by someone I met briefly. I don’t even know what they look like. I just kept it and don’t know if I’ll have a chance to return it. I thought it looked quite expensive,” Zhou Jinyuan said, pulling out the pen.

 

“This is from a brand in Country B, made of pure gold, and there are no stores in the country,” Qu Guan Feng said, recognizing it was not Zhou Jinyuan’s style, so he casually asked.

 

“Let me see.” He took the pen and examined it closely. “There’s an engraving here, indicating it’s a customized version. If you inquire with the brand, they should know who the owner is. Since you’re going to Country B, if you want to return it, you might ask there.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan examined it closely and indeed found a small engraving, a Chinese character that looked like “仙” (immortal). He hadn’t noticed it before. “Indeed… I’ll bring it along and try to find the owner when I get there.”

 

He thought it was unlikely to see the person again since he hadn’t even seen their face clearly, and the airport was crowded that day. He didn’t expect to have another chance.

 

……

 

The association sent six TCM practitioners, including Zhou Jinyuan, all of whom were medical school teachers specializing in acupuncture. They were not as experienced as Professor Mo or Huang Zhongwen, but they were skilled enough to be in the association.

 

Without a doubt, Zhou Jinyuan was the youngest and the only one without a teaching position, which should have made him stand out. However, it was a coincidence that these practitioners had previously attended Zhou Jinyuan’s academic lectures and had a good impression of him.

 

They all knew each other well. Upon meeting, they engaged in lively conversation and asked Zhou Jinyuan about his foreign language skills. Two of them were older and not accustomed to international交流, and their spoken English wasn’t very fluent.

 

Although the office had assigned a young girl to accompany them, they would be staying together, so it might be more convenient to find Zhou Jinyuan if needed.

 

“I’m okay, but I’ve never been abroad before, so I’ll need everyone’s guidance,” Zhou Jinyuan said honestly.

 

The office girl, Zhao Yanyan, had chosen her seat in advance. The group sat close to each other. Once seated, Zhao Yanyan took out a medicine bottle and asked, “I have motion sickness pills here. Do any of you get motion sickness?”

 

She herself often suffered from it and had to take medicine in advance.

 

“No need,” everyone declined, except Zhao Yanyan who took one.

 

When the plane took off and after half an hour, everything was quite stable. However, one of the doctors said, “Oh no, I’m feeling dizzy and a bit nauseous.”

 

Zhao Yanyan immediately stood up and said, “Why didn’t you ask for the motion sickness pills earlier? Here, take one.”

 

“I’m feeling dizzy too,” another doctor said.

 

“Mm, it’s a bit uncomfortable.”

 

Zhao Yanyan was dumbfounded. They hadn’t mentioned it earlier. She was about to get the medicine but was refused, “No need.”

 

An old doctor pulled out a point-stimulating tool from his small bag and said, “No, I’ve prepared my own. Come on, Lao Hu, give me a hand with some acupressure.”

 

“Oh, and press Baihui(acupuncture point located on the top of the head) for me too. I haven’t rested well these days.”

 

Zhao Yanyan: “…”

 

She almost forgot that these were all experienced TCM practitioners. No wonder they didn’t want her medicine…

 

For traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, dealing with minor ailments is routine. They often self-administer acupuncture and continue with their activities, not always in a clinic; sometimes, they even walk around the street with needles still in place, removing them when the time comes.

 

They all carried their needles with them and didn’t need to check them in. However, since the flight was not particularly smooth, it was inconvenient to administer acupuncture, so they used acupressure sticks instead, which still had some effect.

 

When flight attendants passed by, they saw a few older men holding each other’s necks or heads, and upon closer inspection, they were using small sticks to poke each other. It startled her, and she asked, “Excuse me, passengers, what are you doing?”

 

“It’s nothing, nothing at all. We’re just experiencing motion sickness and using acupressure on ourselves,” Dr. Hu said with a bright smile. “We’re all doctors.”

 

The flight attendant was speechless; it was the first time she had seen such a technique and didn’t know it existed.

 

“Hey, young man, is that doctor next to you? Could I switch seats with you? I want to ask him some questions,” an aunt sitting across the aisle asked Zhou Jinyuan.

 

Nearby passengers overheard and found it interesting to see several elderly doctors performing acupressure in the air while chatting cheerfully.

 

“Auntie, I’m with them. I’m also a doctor. You can ask me,” Zhou Jinyuan said seriously.

 

“I can vouch for him,” a doctor surnamed Xu in front said. “I’ll use my, um, gray hair, to guarantee his skills. It’s usually hard to get an appointment with him!”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

Why does this sound familiar?

 

Dr. Xu noticed his expression and said, “Oh, I’m an old friend of Dr. Mao. Before the trip, he specifically asked me to vouch for you with my gray hair…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan nearly laughed. “Thank you!”

 

…

 

The plane was quite large. When some passengers went to the back to use the restroom, they found a few elderly men taking pulses and learned that they were all senior experts flying abroad to give lectures. They were seeing patients for fun.

 

“Wow!” One passenger immediately lost his need to go to the bathroom. “Doctor, can you check me too? I’ve been having stomach bloating recently, and the tests haven’t shown anything…”

 

It’s usually very hard to get an appointment with such experts!

 

“Take a number!” the elderly Chinese medicine doctor interrupted casually.

 

“Huh? How can I take a number on a plane? There’s no internet…” the passenger asked weakly.

 

Zhao Yanyan appeared from the front, handing him a piece of paper with a number written on it. “Please take a number and return to your seat. Don’t block the aisle.”

 

Passenger: “…You even have a nurse with you.”

 

…

 

The impromptu clinic on the plane ended with many people eager to help carry their luggage when they disembarked.

 

As soon as they got outside, everyone took off their coats; the weather here was much warmer than in their home country. The Acupuncture Association of L City sent people to meet them, and Zhao Yanyan arranged a meeting place.

 

The airport TV was playing entertainment news. The anchor vividly described a pair of local celebrities in love and pointed to their own head, saying, “…But can Arthur’s ‘Schrödinger’s Hair’ remain lush into the next stage? Jessie, the well-known perfectionist, can she save this imperfection? I’m sure everyone is eager to know the next development.”

 

“What’s this about? I don’t understand,” Dr. Xu puzzled, as the anchor’s rapid and slurred speech made his already limited English comprehension feel like he was learning fake English.

 

Zhou Jinyuan barely understood, but the anchor used slang, making it difficult for him too. “It seems to be talking about a foreign celebrity’s home being in disarray…”

 

Dr. Xu: “Ah, so down-to-earth.”

 

Zhao Yanyan laughed and explained, “Dr. Zhou, Dr. Xu, it’s about a celebrity’s hair. He’s a famous idol with high popularity, but recently he was suspected of wearing a wig. He denies it and provides various proofs, so it’s called Schrödinger’s Hair. Fans and media are in a heated debate over it.”

 

“That fits with Dr. Zhou’s specialty,” Dr. Xu teased, since everyone knew the Third Hospital was known for its baldness treatments.

 

“Indeed,” everyone joked.

 

At this time, the Acupuncture Association’s vehicle arrived to take them to the hotel. They rested for a day to adjust to the time difference, and classes started the next day.

 

Zhou Jinyuan used the last bit of time to review his PPT. Dr. Xu, sharing a room with him, peeked in and asked, “Dr. Zhou, you really are bold with your skills. How do you plan to promote meridians to foreigners?”

 

Dr. Xu liked to use modern slang, which he had picked up online.

 

Zhou Jinyuan said, “Just show them.”

 

—

 

Hans is an acupuncturist from L City, working at a comprehensive pain center in a local hospital. He previously studied at a TCM acupuncture academy in a foreign country.

 

To meet his continuing education requirements, Hans signed up for this acupuncture association’s pain management training.

 

Before the class, Hans reviewed the instructors’ profiles, noting they were mostly from prestigious Chinese medicine colleges with years of clinical experience.

 

The courses included TCM acupuncture for migraines, interventions for stubborn pain, etc., which seemed practical.

 

However, one course caught Hans’ attention because the speaker was particularly young with a simple resume. The course was about the application of meridians and acupoints in pain relief.

 

As an acupuncturist, Hans had some understanding of meridians and acupoints, although he found the theories often deviated from practice. Chinese practitioners believe that acupuncture stimulates acupoints and activates meridian qi to achieve therapeutic effects.

 

Western scholars had conducted experiments, but the so-called meridian phenomena were rare and not significant, often seen as psychological effects with inconsistent clinical results.

 

—Similar to Dr. Mao’s “burning mountain fire” technique.

 

Even techniques that supposedly induce meridian phenomena were complex, imprecise, subjective, and involved traditional Chinese culture.

 

Some Chinese doctors claimed that their methods were rough and inaccurate, preferring simpler and effective needle techniques.

 

They used short, thin needles with minimal stimulation, which were painless, convenient, and safe. They focused less on acupoints and meridians, targeting tender points and stimulus points instead.

 

Therefore, Hans thought the young speaker’s course would likely be overlooked…

 

However, he heard that other speakers would share their improved traditional methods, which seemed easy to grasp, so Hans was interested in whether there would be significant improvements in pain relief.

 

It wasn’t until the class that Hans’s view changed.

 

The young Chinese practitioner Zhou Jinyuan, who looked even younger in person than in photos, presented very practical cases and wasn’t as theoretical as he had imagined, providing many references.

 

From trigeminal neuralgia, arthritis, to postoperative pain, many acupuncturists saw parallels with their own cases, some of which they hadn’t considered treating with acupuncture.

 

However, the traditional Chinese theories mentioned by the teacher and the application of acupoints were somewhat challenging for Hans to follow.

 

Despite this, Hans appreciated Zhou Jinyuan’s teaching; there was no unnecessary talk, and one could select parts they understood and apply them.

 

“In China, there is a lot of research on acupoints, meridians, and techniques. However, most of it is to verify their effectiveness. I hope more people will take an interest in researching them. In my clinical experience, they indeed have significant advantages,” Zhou Jinyuan said sincerely at the end of a lesson.

 

Hans raised his hand. Appreciation aside, he had some questions or wanted to exchange views.

 

Zhou Jinyuan said, “Please go ahead.”

 

“Professor, however, I still find it difficult to understand the meridian effects. Isn’t acupuncture about achieving physiological pain relief through internal mechanisms, such as activating central descending inhibition pathways, increasing endogenous opioids, etc.?

 

“I can somewhat understand acupoints, like how I often use Neiguan(Accupoint) for nausea in pregnant women, but it doesn’t seem to need precise accuracy.

 

“As for meridians… Sorry, I’ve never seen meridian phenomena. In my clinical practice, I’ve never encountered it, not once. It’s hard for me to imagine how it really exists and what role it plays.”

 

He knew that many Chinese practitioners also couldn’t observe meridian phenomena in acupuncture. But it didn’t hinder their treatment, so he felt there was no need for further research.

 

Zhou Jinyuan smiled and said sincerely, “Currently, there is indeed insufficient research on the material basis of meridians. However, meridian phenomena are not so ethereal.

 

“Your inability to observe them in clinical practice is likely due to issues with technique and inaccuracy in locating acupoints.”

 

Hans: “…”

 

Recognizing hundreds of acupoints accurately was nearly impossible…

 

Zhou Jinyuan knew they used soft needling techniques and said, “Actually, I planned to share some of this in the practical sessions later, but since you asked now… Sorry, what’s your name?”

 

“Hans.”

 

“Alright, Hans, do you have a sore throat? Would you like to accept my use of classical needle techniques to demonstrate meridian phenomena? —It may cause some pain, but I’ll try to use smaller needles.”

 

Hans was indeed experiencing discomfort in his throat due to pharyngitis. He had a sensation of something stuck in his throat, along with dryness and itchiness. Perhaps Dr. Zhou noticed his small movements. He hesitated for only two seconds before nodding in agreement.

Dr. Zhou Jinyuan took out the acupuncture tools and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, used a fine needle to puncture Hans’s Yuji Point.

Yuji Point is located at the depression on the palm side of the thumb’s base, approximately at the midpoint of the first metacarpal bone on the radial side, where the red-white meat meets.

Needling the hand area generally causes more pain. Even though Dr. Zhou used a fine needle, there was still pain involved. Normally, this point is needled only 0.2 to 0.5 inches deep, but Dr. Zhou inserted the needle over an inch!

Moreover, after inserting the needle, Dr. Zhou continued to use the Tianliang technique, repeatedly lifting, thrusting, twisting, and rotating the needle, resulting in a very strong sensation.

This was quite different from the low-stimulation techniques Hans was used to. He gritted his teeth and looked at his hand, feeling a bit of regret for experiencing this classical technique, driven by curiosity after only seeing reports of meridian phenomena.

At that moment, Hans vaguely felt that the point began to cool down. Initially, he suspected it was a psychological effect, similar to the vaguely described meridian phenomena in some reports.

However, the cooling sensation did not just stay around the Yuji Point; it began to move upward and spread.

“This, this place… is cold!” Hans was astonished to find that as the coolness spread, the discomfort in his throat also began to feel cool, and along with that, the sensation of something stuck in his throat disappeared!

It was so obvious that he could not ignore it; it was not something that could be explained away as a psychological effect!

What? The observing acupuncturists started whispering among themselves. In this warm weather, where was the coolness coming from?

“Is it starting to cool down from this direction?” Dr. Zhou Jinyuan gestured.

“Yes, yes!” Hans was even more surprised. Before he could accurately describe it, Dr. Zhou had already pinpointed the path.

Dr. Zhou Jinyuan pointed and said, “This pathway is part of the Twelve Meridians of Traditional Chinese Medicine, specifically the Taiyin Lung Meridian!”