Edwin Montealegre, a musician from Costa Rica, never imagined his first acupuncture experience would be in a Shanghai hospital. Yet, there he was, unlocking the ancient secrets of traditional Chinese medicine.

Montealegre was previously more accustomed to the approach used in Western medicine of immediately alleviating symptoms.

"Usually when we feel bad, we just find a way to release the pain or the uncomfortable sensation that we have as soon as possible," he said. However, as he learned, TCM focuses on "rebalancing" the body, treating not just the symptoms, but also the root cause.

Montealegre is not alone in his newfound knowledge. Alex Butler, the general manager of the media outlet Shanghai Spotlight, joined Montealegre on his journey of discovery at Longhua Hospital recently. Having lived in Shanghai for eleven years, Butler was no stranger to TCM, having tried it before.

"It's holistic," he said. "It's treating the whole body, not just looking at one symptom."

He also highlighted the effects of TCM in preventing diseases. "You're not waiting for a problem to occur, but you're preventing the problem from becoming more serious in the first place."

This preventative philosophy lies at the heart of TCM, explained Wang Xiao, a vice chief physician at Longhua Hospital. "It can simply be understood as 'pushing disease-causing factors out of the body'," he said.

This ancient concept, Wang said, remains relevant today and is able to complement Western medicine and improve the healthcare system.

Established in 1960, Longhua Hospital is a leading institution in TCM, renowned for its expertise in acupuncture, tuina therapy, pain management, and the integration of Chinese and Western medicine.

There, the two visitors delved into the philosophy of yin and yang, experienced acupuncture and tuina firsthand, and gained a deeper understanding of how TCM works alongside modern medicine.

Butler spoke positively of TCM, noting its effectiveness in relieving muscular pain based on his own experience.

"Hospitals like Longhua combine Chinese medicine and Western medicine to create a more effective approach that can deal with a variety of (disease-causing) factors that might be ignored," he said.

The impact of TCM, however, extends far beyond the realm of healthcare, representing a cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture. Wang, drawing from his extensive experience practicing abroad, is confident in TCM's potential for global reach.

"Human beings share a common goal: to be healthier and live better lives," he said, "On this basis, we can take the initiative to speak in a way and language that foreign patients can understand. When presented effectively, many are happy to embrace TCM."

Longhua Hospital is playing its part in this global outreach. Chen Xinlin, director of the hospital, revealed its commitment to dispatching medical teams to various countries and providing training to overseas students.

She expressed the hope that the two visitors would share their newfound knowledge of TCM with their networks, inviting more people to experience its benefits.

 

Qian Fengnan and Luo Bin contributed to this story.