China Council Quarterly #54, April — June, 1994 release, stimulation of nerves, constriction /dilation of blood vessels, and stimulation of the lymphatic Acupuncture in the US system. It may well be that each of these systems is affected by acupuncture, but none of these provides Traditional Chinese Medicine Gaining a complete explanation satisfying the question of Ground how acupuncture works. The Chinese explain acupuncture through their idea When I first decided to go to acupuncture school of Qi. The ancient Chinese believed that there is a and learn the ancient healing arts from the life force which flows through our body. When this East, more often than not I would be questioned as life force or Qi is blocked or interrupted it may cause to what "acupuncture" was. A few people knew that pain or disease. Stimulation of acupuncture points it was a Chinese healing art. Most were puzzled that can assist the Qi to flow and helps the body to help I would want to study such an ancient healing sys heal itself. tem. The ancient Chinese also believed that a variety of Now, ten years later, many persons know of some factors could affect the Qi of the body. These include one who has tried acupuncture — and a surprising the weather and climate, diet, exercise, sexual habits, number have experienced it themselves. What is and emotions. They believed that emotions could acupuncture and where does it come from? Acu also affect the health of the physical body. When a puncture is an ancient traditional Chinese medical person is relaxed, he or she feels better emotionally. healing art, based on the assumption that there is an When a person feels better emotionally, he or she energy network which traverses the body in specific also will have health benefits. patterns in a series of channels or meridians. Along each channel or meridian are "points" where the At times, people are reluctant to try acupuncture energy or "Qi" tends to collect and gather more because they believe it will hurt. Acupuncturists strongly. Acupuncture's actual origin is lost in antiq understand this. Because they understand this, most uity, but has been documented from over 3,000 years will go out of their way to make sure that you experi ago in China. ence your treatment with as little discomfort as possi ble. Most acupuncturists use disposable needles, but In ancient times, acupuncture points were most those that reuse needles sterilize them to the highest likely stimulated with bone, stone, bamboo and medical standards. wooden needles. Certain herbs were and are still burned over the points. Today, needles almost as Acupuncture is used to treat a wide variety of disor thin as a hair are inserted into the skin and very ders, and is especially known for treating pain disor gently stimulated to move the energy in the acupunc ders, such as neck and shoulder pain, low back, ture meridians. headaches, and musculo-skeletal problems. Acu puncture, along with herbal medicine, is used to Western science has attempted to explain acupunc treat a wide variety of internal disorders also. We ture in a variety of ways, including endorphin have patients with respiratory problems, gastro- 1 China Council Quarterly intestinal ailments, gynecological problems, urinary tract problems, skin diseases, and the list goes on. SPECIAL EVENTS Often people come to acupuncturists with health complaints that may not be serious enough to war The Way of Health: Acupuncture and rant surgery or pharmaceuticals, or we are a Traditional Chinese Medicine in America patient's last resort after they have run through the gambit of Western medical practitioners. 4/6—5/11 Wednesday evenings, 7-9 PM Acupuncture is now widely used and is very effec Emanuel Hospital, Lorenzen Center, 2801 N Gantenbein tive in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addic Series ticket: $40, members; $60, non-members tion. The Portland Addictions Acupuncture Center, Lecture ticket: $8, members; $12, non-members directed by David Eisen, L.Ac., has developed a Information: 725-4567 number of programs in treating alcohol and drug detoxification and dual diagnosis (mentally ill and The China Council and the Oregon College of Ori chemically dependent) patients, as well as drug ental Medicine are co-sponsoring a series enti diversion programs, and provides general low cost tled The Way of Health: Acupuncture and alternative health care to Portland residents. A sec Traditional Chinese Medicine in America. Chinese ond program in Portland that addresses public medicine seeks to bring into balance all aspects of health issues is InAct, which works with the munici the living being. Chinese medical practitioners help pal courts in a drug diversion program. their patients preserve and restore health through a variety of techniques, from acupuncture to herbs to Another area of health care in which acupuncture taiji. All speakers are professional practitioners and Oriental medicine are gaining a great deal of and/or teachers of traditional Chinese medicine. notoriety is the treatment of HIV and AIDS patients. The titles are, in order of presentation: Chinese Medi Acupuncture and Oriental medicine seem to be very cine and Healing, the Nature of Qi, Acupuncture, effective in treating the attendant ailments suffered Chinese Herbs, Women's Health, and Eastern and by HIV and AIDS patients. Portland is fortunate to Western Medicine. have an acupuncture and Oriental medical treatment center that specializes in treating HTV/AIDS This promises to be an interesting and rewarding patients. The center is the Immune Enhancement series, especially with so many people exploring Project and is associated with the Institute of Tradi alternative ways of health. tional Medicine directed by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D. Slide Presentation and Talk on Lijiang Minority Cultures I believe that in the not so distant future acupuncture and Oriental medicine will become an integral part Tuesday, April 12, 7-9 PM of health care in this country. People will come to Portland State University, Smith Center, Rm. 236, acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners for 1825 SW Broadway Co-sponsored with the Department of Speech preventative medicine, everyday complaints such as Communications aches, pains and stress, immune deficiencies, chemi Cost: $3, members; $5, non-members cal additions, and for internal disorders. Persons Information: 725-4567 will use Western medicine and surgery more judi As one of the series of lectures which complement ciously for serious and life-threatening situations. our tour, South of the Clouds: Vietnam and Yunnan, Acupuncture and Oriental medicine offer a com China, Roger Howard, Professor of Sociology, and prehensive health care system that has a bright Pat Howard, Professor of Communications will future in our country. speak on the Economic Development of the Minor ity Cultures of Lijiang, Yunnan. Lijiang, home to Robert Kaneko, Ac, Clinic Director, Oregon College of over 10 ethnic groups, is located at the foothills of Oriental Medicine China's Henduan Mountain range in the southwest ern province of Yunnan, China. The Howards, from China Council Quarterly Portland, Oregon 97207 Published by the Northwest (503) 725-4567 Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, have trav Regional China Council. Editor: Joanne Wakeland eled to Lijiang frequently as part of a collaborative P.O. Box 751 Published quarterly. research project linking Canadian aboriginals with 506 S.W. Mill, Suite 275 minority groups of Lijiang. Their goal is to develop China Council Quarterly cooperative projects in the areas of tourism, food Portland State University, Neuberger Hall, Room 42 stuff processing, alpine biological research, industry Cost: $125, members; $160, non-members and medicine. The presentation includes discussions Text: Everyday Cantonese Information: 725-4567 of the minority cultures of Lijiang, the region, and the development of cooperatives. This course provides the basic elements of Canton ese—the pronunciation system with dialogues, Introductory Mandarin, Term 1 vocabulary and useful expressions. The instructor, Holly Lim, a native of Guangzhou (Canton), has April 19—June 21 taught Cantonese at the CCBA Chinese Language TUesday evenings, 7-9 PM Portland State University, Room TBA School. Cost: $125, members; $160, non-members Text: Chinese for Today, Volume 1 Information: 725-4567 Women's Rights Crusader from China to speak in Portland A 10-week Mandarin Chinese class for beginners. The course emphasizes conversational skills, but Women in China: Status and Issues also teaches basic writing and reading skills. The Monday, April 25,7 PM instructor is Y. Monica Shih, from Taiwan. She holds Reed College, Vollum Lounge an MA in Speech Communication from the Univer Co-sponsored with Reed College Cost: $3, members; $5 non-members sity of Washington. Chinese Local Politics: A Personal View Thursday, April 28, noon Introductory Mandarin, Term 2 Atwaters Restaurant, Founders Club, 111 SW5th, 30th Floor Co-sponsored with the Founders Club 4/18—6/27 Cost: $15 including lunch Monday evenings, 7-9 PM Portland State University, Neuberger Hall, Room 77 Cost: $125, members; $160, non-members Wu Qing, a prominent women's rights activist Text: Chinese for Today, Volume 1 Information: 725-4567 and Beijing elected representative, will speak at two open forums in Portland on April 25 and For those who have studied Chinese for at least 20 April 28. hours. Conversation skills as well as character writing and reading are taught. The instructor is Scholar, progressive politician and outspoken cham Zhiqun Xing, from China, who received her Ph.D. in pion of women's rights, Wu Qing maintains a high Linguistics from the University of Michigan. visibility on social issues in Beijing. Her activist accomplishments include initiation of the first Chinese Review Class women's hot-line in Beijing and the first singles club. A believer in democratic airing of social con 4/21—6/23 cerns, Wu has helped put on the public agenda such Thursday, 5:30-7:30 PM issues as job discrimination against women, the need China Council Office, 506 SWMill St., Rm.