“While practicing Tai Chi, it’s very important to master the balance of yin and yang. To wipe out all the negative energy, it uses the power of heaven and earth to continuously maintain the health of the body,” said Aki Ishikawa, who has been practicing Tai Chi for five years. As a Chinese Government Scholarship recipient, Aki is now a postgraduate student at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM). Due to her interest in wushu, she fell in love with Tai Chi and has been studying TCM for several years. Her dream is to get her doctor’s degree in Qigong. At the opening ceremony of the “Experiencing China—To Understand Chinese Medicine and Culture and Tour a new Village” event, she gave a presentation of Chen-style Tai Chi.

(A presentation of Chen-style Tai Chi by Aki Ishikawa)

Together with international students from 20 countries and regions, Aki paid a visit to the Shanghai Museum of TCM and went to Haishen Village, Huinan Town (in Pudong New Area) on October 16 to experience the culture and development of China. The participating students were from SHUTCM, the Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Normal University. They were divided into five groups: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, symbolizing the five elements in TCM.

Before the event got started, the international students had a warm-up activity of learning five-animal exercises. Imitating the natural movement of five animals (tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird), is a classic set of Qigong for keeping health and nourishing life. American student Aaron Christopher Joost practiced each movement very well. A passionate lover of TCM, he is going to graduate from the SHUTCM this year and is considering continuing his studies in Shanghai. Aaron can speak Mandarin very fluently, including terms such as “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic” and “Compendium of Materia Medica”, so he served as a translation volunteer for other international students.

(Students learn five-animal exercises at the Shanghai Museum of TCM)

“Look, these walls are full of herbal specimens,” said Maitseo Tswaipe who was amazed by the exhibits at the TCM museum. Coming from Botswana, she is now a postgraduate student at Shanghai Normal University. According to her, Botswana also has a tradition of using herbal medicine, but Chinese medicine has a longer history. She thinks Botswana can learn from China in terms of how to use traditional medicine to better benefit human health.

Sagun Tiwari from Nepal was also impressed by the centuries-old TCM. In Nepal, people used herbal medicine and practiced yoga in the past. But after Western medicine was introduced, more people chose Western medicine for treatment. Due to his personal interest in herbal medicine and acupuncture, Sagun went to Shanghai to study TCM. He also wants to introduce the modern TCM methods to Nepal after graduation.

(Visiting the Shanghai Museum of TCM)

After an immersive TCM cultural experience, the students jumped on the bus and went to Haishen Village, Huinan Town in Pudong New Area. They tasted the authentic Lao Ba Yang foods in Pudong, explored the connection between nature and the body through watercolor painting, and had a field cycling trip around Haishen Village (the hometown of Zhong Tianshi, the two-time track cycling champion). Despite the rainy and windy weather, they were all excited when taking part in the activities.

(Field cycling in Haishen Village, Huinan Town)

For Sagun Tiwari, it was the first time to visit rural China. He enjoyed the trip and felt like he was at home.

“This is not the same countryside as I imagined. It is modern and new,” said Mounkoro Sery Adama. He also noticed that different villages have developed their own features and characteristic industries. “This is very important and it is worth learning.”

(Watercolor paintings by the international students)

Sponsored by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the “Experiencing China—To Understand Chinese Medicine and Culture and Tour a new Village” event was hosted by the SHUTCM, and co-organized by the Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Normal University. Starting from 2015, the CSC has been holding “Experiencing China” events each year to encourage international students in China to feel the local development and changes.

(Photos partly provided by SHUTCM)