Guest guest Posted January 26, 2001 Report Share Posted January 26, 2001 >LETTER FROM CHINA >January '01 >A newsletter on and modern China > >by Dagmar Riley >______ > >In this issue: > >THE 5 ELEMENTS >...(A) Short Revision >...(B) The organ associated with Metal: The Lung > >BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN >...Shanghai > >DISCLAIMER >SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE information >______ > >Please feel free to FORWARD this newsletter to friends. >______ > >THE 5 ELEMENTS >A) SHORT REVISION: > >The 5 Elements are a symbol for the 5 basic energies of >the Universe. >The 5 Elements are: Wood - Fire - Earth - Metal - Water. > >The Element METAL is associated with: >Autumn - withdrawal - sadness/grief - dryness - lung >- large intestine - nose - pungent. > >For BACK ISSUES of this series, please visit >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China > >B) THE ORGAN ASSOCIATED WITH METAL: THE LUNG > >As you read about the function unit of the body that the >Chinese call the Lung, it is helpful to keep 2 things >in mind: >One of the main differences between Chinese and Western >medicine is, that internal organs in Traditional Chinese >Medicine (TCM) are not defined as physical matter but as >functions [see the issue: " East and West - 2 ways of >perceiving the same world " ]. >Don't despair if you can't grasp all the foreign concepts >like Qi etc with logic. It takes a while to let these new >ways of thinking sink in. Take it slowly! > >The Chinese Lung has 6 main functions: >*It governs Qi (vital energy) and performs the function >of respiration. >*It helps the heart in regulating blood circulation. >*It controls dispersing and descending. >*It regulates the water metabolism. >*It governs the surface of the body: skin and hair. >*It " opens into the nose " . > > >THE LUNG GOVERNS QI > >Together with the spleen, the lung is crucial for the >production of " post heaven qi " , the energy absorbed by >eating and breathing that keeps us alive. > >The qi, or vital energy, extracted from food and the inhaled >air, is spread all over the body. > >Due to their direct contact with the exterior by extracting >qi from the outside (inhaled air), the lungs are also called >the most external of the 5 viscera (liver, heart, spleen, lungs, >kidneys). This direct contact also makes the lungs vulnerable >to unfavourable external conditions, like cold, wind or other >pathogenic factors that enter the body with the inspired air. > > >THE LUNG HELPS THE HEART IN REGULATING BLOOD CIRCULATION > >Both the lungs and the heart are situated in the chest. The qi >remaining in the chest also helps maintain the function of >the heart by regulating blood circulation: >Qi and blood flow together in the blood vessels, and qi is the >driving force that makes the blood circulate. Weak lung qi can >therefore be the cause of poor circulation and cold limbs. > >THE LUNG CONTROLS DISPERSING AND DESCENDING > >This basically means that the lungs disperse qi all over the >body, to the internal organs, into the limbs and to the skin. >A failure to do so results in cold skin and limbs and a weak >immune system. > >Not only qi is dispersed, but also body fluids. If this function >is impaired, there will be either too much or too little sweating, >dryness of the skin/hair, or oedema (accumulation of body fluids >under the skin). > >Because the lungs are situated above all the other organs, qi >(vital energy) and body fluids have to descend to be spread. >If this function is impaired, coughing, asthma, oedema, or >difficulty in urination may result. > >THE LUNG REGULATES THE WATER METABOLISM > >As said before, the lungs spread body fluids all over the >body, including to the skin. > > >THE LUNG GOVERNS THE SURFACE OF THE BODY: SKIN AND BODY HAIR > >The lungs control the functions of the skin, such as the >opening and closing of the pores, sweating, the amount of >moisture, and skin temperature in the following way: > >A part of the energy absorbed by breathing is used to produce > " defensive qi " , the energy circulating at the surface of the >body which protects us from external pathogenic factors - in >short, the body's immune system. It is this defensive qi that >also controls the opening and closing of the pores of the skin, >sweating, and the temperature of the skin. > >The lungs also spread body fluids to the skin and hair. If >this function is impaired, the skin and hair will lack moisture >and be too dry. > >THE LUNGS OPEN INTO THE NOSE >Normally, the flow of air through the nose should be >unobstructed and smooth. An impaired lung function can result >in a stuffy nose, either chronically or temporarily when >suffering from a cold. > >Some more words on DEFENSIVE QI > >The lung is associated with the emotions sadness/grief. If >these emotions are too strong and out of balance, they affect >the lungs and thereby also the defensive qi, the immune system. >We all know that we get colds easier when we are sad, and that >a happy emotional state protects us against illnesses. > >SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS of a LUNG DISHARMONY > >*Skin problems like eczema, skin rashes, inflammation of the >skin, itchy skin, acne, etc. >*chronically dry skin, hair, lips, mucous membrane in the nose. >*Too much or not enough sweating. >*Oversensitive reaction to climatic changes, especially dry >climates and extreme heat or cold. >*Tendency to allergies. >*Breathing problems: Asthma, being short-winded, chronic cough, >stuffy or tight feeling in the chest. >*Circulatory trouble >*Stiff joints, tendons and muscles. >*Sinusitis >*Stuffy nose >*Weak immunes system, frequent colds, influenza. >*Fatigue >*Weak voice >*Constipation, especially appearing in older people, or >diarrhoea, since metal is also associated with the large >intestine (constipation and diarrhoea can also be due to >other imbalances) > >Stay tuned for next time when you'll learn about methods >how to balance your Lung. > >_____ > > >BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN > >[i had the opportunity, over the past year, to visit China. >My husband is a refrigeration mechanic who was sent to >Beijing to build an ice rink in a shopping plaza so that >you can skate and shop. Since I love to travel, I quit my >job to follow him. This is the story as it unfolds.] > >Well, we finally were able to use the prize that I won at the >British Embassy Ball - 2 free flights to Shanghai and a weekend >stay at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. We flew into Shanghai last >Friday morning and as we came out of the airport, we were >greeted with humid warm (60-65 F) air. What a treat >after the dryness of Beijing. > >We had heard that the hotel we were going to was the highest >in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records >and so it was. The lobby was on the 54th floor and as Michael >checked in, I looked out of the window to see the view of the >city spread out below me. We were taken to our room on the >73rd floor - what a great room. We had a view of the Bund >(river view) through wall-to-wall, floor to ceiling windows. > >We unpacked and decided to walk along the river to see what >it held for us. We were on the Pudong side of the river and >on the opposite side of the huge bay were the European >style buildings of Shanghai that has earned it the title of the >Paris of China. > >On the right of us was the Pearl Tower - a futuristic tower >of pink metal with ball shaped pods (observation and >restaurants) reaching almost to the top. We strolled along >the shore through a park containing historical artefacts, >observation points in strategic spots and gardens of flowers and >subtropical trees. It was a really pretty sight. > >That evening we took a cab through the tunnel to the Shanghai >side with its raised highways that had blue lights underneath >it providing ribbons of blue through the city. We arrived at >an area that was recommended to us for dinner. Along the road >were small bars, restaurants and discos. We had dinner in one >that was decorated like a cave and in fact, our table was >inside a small alcove that was our own private cave. It was a >really great concept and dinner was Shanghai style Chinese food. > >The next day we decided to take the river ferry across to >investigate Shanghai in the daytime. We stumbled across >Hong Ciao, which is an area that has been preserved with >the old pre 19th century buildings. It is like walking >through history with the curved tile roofs and the maze like >streets. Of course, now it is a tourist area containing >stalls with all forms of Chinese arts and crafts being >demonstrated. > >I was finally able to see the little bottles being painted >from the inside with a paintbrush of a few hairs on a 90 >degree angle. One stall had a man with a giant wooden mallet >smashing down on a ball of what I think was soft peanut brittle >to make the thin slices that are familiar to us. As I stopped >to take photos many people started talking to me asking what >we thought of Shanghai and giving us advice on where to go >and what to see. > >We finally saw the old zigzag bridge that has been made famous >on the blue willow tree China pattern and the teahouse that >is also in this design. We spent many hours wandering through >this delightful area and could not resist buying a picture >of 3 Chinese boats on a river, which we thought at first, was >painted but turned out to be embroidered in silk thread. > >We were starting to fade after walking for hours so we made >our way to the ferry and as we crossed the river a 6 year >old boy said hello to me in English (at his fathers prompting) >and then started telling me his ABC s one by one. I started to >sing the song and soon a few more little kids joined in and we >had a chorus. As we disembarked they all said goodbye in both >English and Chinese much to the delight of their parents. > >When we returned to the hotel we finally found the Atrium that >everyone had told us about. It is an open area in the >hotel that, from our floor, looked down 20 floors to the lobby >and up 10 more floors to the top at the 84th floor level. >Quite a dizzying effect. > >Our weekend in Shanghai ended all too soon but we thoroughly >enjoyed it. We arrived back in Beijing to its very dry air >and cold temperatures. People are now riding around in their >little three wheeled motorcycle taxis with a small cab on >the back to protect them from the cold winds. > >In the morning when I am going to school, children are bundled >up in blankets on the back seats of bicycles and the Tai Chi >exercisers are dwindling in numbers. My teaching is going >well and my classes are growing. Yesterday, I had 4 new faces >in my class (and since it is the last 2 weeks of their term >it was unusual). I asked them if they were starting with me >and they replied that they had heard throughout the school >that my classes were a lot of fun so they decided to forego >their lunch and come to my class. > >Stay well and happy, my love to you all. Robin > >**************** 2************************* >Looking for Chinese herbs? >Go to www.1stchineseherbs.com/ for a wide selection of >Chinese herbs. >*****************END ************************ > >_____ >DISCLAIMER >The material in this newsletter is intended for >informational purposes only. I do not prescribe and I >do not diagnose. If you use the information in this >newsletter without the approval of a health professional, >you prescribe for yourself, which remains your constitutional >right, but the author assumes no responsibility. >_______ > >SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE > >The Letter from China is published every last Friday >of the month. >New rs will be forwarded the current issue. > > >by sending a BLANK email to: >Letter-from-China- > > >by sending a BLANK email to: >Letter-from-China- > >for back issues visit >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China >_______ > 2001 by Dagmar Riley. All rights reserved >worldwide. > > > >__________ >T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. >Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. >http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01 > _______________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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