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Posted on January 11th, 2008 by Janie Crawford
Although it might seem new to Westerners, there is a long and respected history of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Westerners tend to look for the newest and most high-tech forms of medicine and ignore anything considered “old-fashioned” (i.e. - useless). But ask yourself - just why is TCM still around if it has had such a long history? It is still being used today because, for many people, TCM works.
We are beginning to see that each myth, superstition or legend was founded on truth. There was a city of Troy, for example. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is true (as long as it’s a fresh apple and not candied or made into pie filling.) There is more legend than facts that can be proved in the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but that doesn’t make the medical system any less effective. Legends about the origins of the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine state it began over 5,000 years ago. The first written records we have only go back so far as 2,000 years ago, which is still a long time. It is called the Hung-De Nie-Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine). This written record refers to much older records about the origins of medical treatments, but those older works have yet to be found.
Acupuncture has a clearly recorded history of about 2,000 years, but some authorities claim that it has been practiced in China for some 4,000 years. The Chinese believe that the practice of acupuncture began during the Stone Age when stone knives or sharp edged tools, described by the character ‘Bian’, were used to puncture and drain abscesses. In fact the Chinese character ‘Bian’ means the ‘use of a sharp edged stone to treat disease’, and the modern Chinese character ‘Bi’, representing a disease of pain, is almost certainly derived from the use of ‘Bian stones’ for the treatment of painful complaints. The history of Traditional Chinese Medicine is loaded with medical firsts. It is the first to recommend reading the pulse as a key diagnostic tool. It is the first to map acupressure and acupuncture points in order to keep the body working harmoniously. It is one of the first medical systems to emphasize exercise. It provided one of the first detailed looks at human anatomy and the first recorded use of narcotic drugs for medicinal purposes.
The long, meticulously detailed history of Traditional Chinese Medicine reached a crucial point during China’s Cultural Revolution in 1966 - 1976. In that time, the government wanted China to forge a new identity and obliterate any “old-fashioned” ways - including TCM. Many TCM practitioners were jailed or killed outright. Fortunately, many TCM practitioners fled China and were given sanctuary in other countries. They have kept the great history of Traditional Chinese Medicine from a needless end. China has since regretted the Cultural Revolution and now welcomes TCM. The World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed TCM as a valid healing system in 1980.
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Filed under: Medicine
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Posted on January 11th, 2008 by Janie Crawford
Beijing, a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the People’s Republic of China.
The guides are full of essential hints on where to go, things to see, Beijing’s Museums, shopping mall and flea markets, quality places reasonably priced where to eat or sip a famous Pilsner, clubs and discos, budget hostels and cheap hotel deals to book, emergency numbers and more.
It was formerly known in English as Peking. Beijing is also one of the four municipalities of the People’s Republic of China, which are equivalent to provinces in China’s administrative structure.
Flashbooking is a growing cheap hostel Beijing and hotels directory specializing in budget accommodation for independent travellers, students, adventurous backpackers, international volunteers, families and all the ones that travel on a budget.
Beijing Municipality borders Hebei Province to the north, west, south, and for a small section in the east, and Tianjin Municipality to the southeast.
Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about youth hostel and hotel location and map, description, services, hostel contacts, customer ratings, six pictures and updated prices inclusive of taxes and services together with instant real availability.
Beijing is China’s second largest city in terms of population, after Shanghai. It is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and expressways passing through the city.
Flashbooking having the reservation final price is also convenient as it does give the transparency our users pretend while booking. Having the final total amount of your booking means you do not have to worry about other extra surprises! Flashbooking cheap lodging solutions are all available for online bookings and divided by Countries.
It is also the focal point of many international flights to China. Beijing is recognized as the political, educational, and cultural center of the People’s Republic of China, while Shanghai and Hong Kong predominate in economic fields.
For this and other reasons Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online. In fact, thanks to a secure server certified SSL provided by Thawte (the global certificate authority) Flashbooking is able to guarantee instantly confirmed and secure online reservations.
Travellers have free access to the updated list of Europe hostels and budget hotels, North and South America hostels, Caribbean and Central America hostels as well as for Asia cheap accommodations, Oceania youth hostels and Africa hostels. Flashbooking’s happy travellers can book their rooms and beds not only in cheap hotels or youth hostels but also consider other budget accommodations inbed and breakfast Beijing, Guesthouses, Campsites, apartments, farm houses and much more.
With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers’ and partner hostels’ free disposal some useful information tools as pocket travel guides of the top world cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Barcelona City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Beijing City guide!
In general, these guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor. For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.
So mates, we are looking forward to finding you THE budget accommodation that meets your needs and pocket for your next trip!
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Filed under: Travel & Tourism
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Posted on January 11th, 2008 by Grendel
In China, food and its preparation has been developed so highly that it has reached the status of an art form. Rich and poor, the Chinese people consider that delicious and nutritious food is a basic necessity. There is an old Chinese saying Food is the first necessity of the people.
This art has been cultivated and refined over hundreds of years. Legend has it that the culture of Chinese cuisine originated in the 15th century BC during the Shang dynasty and was originally introduced by Yi Yin, it’s first Prime Minister.
The two dominant philosophies of Chinese culture both had extreme influences on the political and economic history of the country but it is less well known that they also influenced the development of the culinary arts.
Confucius emphasised the artistic and social aspects of cookery and eating. The Chinese don’t gather together without involving food - it is considered to be poor etiquette to invite friends to your home without providing appropriate food.
Confucius established standards of cooking and table etiquette, most of which remain to this day. The most obvious example of this is the cutting of bite-sized pieces of meat and vegetables during the course of the food preparation in the kitchen, rather than using a knife at the table which is not considered to be good manners.
Confucius also encouraged the blending of ingredients and flavourings to become a cohesive dish, rather than tasting the individual components. Harmony was his priority. He believed and taught that without harmony of ingredients there could be no taste. He also emphasised the importance of presentation and the use of colour, texture and decoration of a dish. Most importantly, cooking became an art rather than a task to be endured and certainly he was instrumental in promulgating the philosophy of “live to eat” rather than “eat to live”.
On the other hand, Tao encouraged research into the nourishment aspects of food and cookery. Rather than concentrating on taste and appearance, Taoists were more interested in the life-giving properties of food.
Centuries on, the Chinese have discovered the health-giving properties of all sorts of roots, herbs, fungus and plants. They have taught the world that the nutritional value of vegetables is destroyed by over-cooking (particularly boiling) and in addition have found that things with a great flavour also have medicinal value.
Home cooked Chinese food is extremely healthy, even though much of it is fried. This is due to the use of polyunsaturated oils (used only once and discarded) and the exclusion of dairy products. In addition the inclusion of animal fat is minimal because portions of meat are small.
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Filed under: Cuisine
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Posted on January 11th, 2008 by Antonia
Calligraphy and painting were two of the most prized art forms in antediluvian China. Calligraphy was considered to be the most eminent and most complete form of painting. The history of painting in China dates back to the 2nd century BCE. In the earliest times, painting and writing were made out on silk, until paper was later invented during the 1st century CE.
Chinese art, and in particular, Chinese painting is highly regarded around the world. Chinese painting can be retraced to as far back as six thousand years ago in the Neolithic Age when the Chinese have begun utilizing brushes in their paintings. Chinese art dates back even earlier than that.
According to subject matter, there are two major categories of Chinese painting: landscapes, character paintings and flower-and-bird paintings. In typical Chinese painting, Chinese landscape artwork embodies a sizable collection, depicting nature, especially mountains and bodies of water. Landscapes have customarily been the choice of the Chinese because they manifest the poetry characteristic in nature. Consequently, many esteemed paintings are landscapes.
The most popularly known form of Chinese art is “Water-ink” painting, where water-ink is the medium. Some of the vital things required for the Chinese painting include: paper, brush, ink or ink stick, ink stone, and color.
• Brush: The Chinese brush is a necessary element for Chinese painting. The brush should be strong and flexible. Two types of brushes are used. The more delicate brush is created from white sheep hair. This brush should be soaked first, and then dried to prevent curling. The second one is made from fox or deer sable fibers, which are very resilient, and tend to paint better. The way the brush is used depends on the different attributes of brush strokes one wants to obtain, such as weight, lightness, gracefulness, ruggedness, firmness, and fullness. Various forms of shades are applied to impart space, texture, or depth.
• Ink Stick: There are three types of Ink Stick: resin soot, lacquer soot, and tung-oil soot. Of the three, tung-oil soot is the most traditionally used. Otherwise, Chinese ink is best if ink stick or ink stone are ineffectual.
• Paper: The most generally used paper is Xuan paper, which is made of sandalwood bark. This is highly absorbent, so the color or ink diffuses the moment the brush stroke is laid. The second most well-known is Mian paper.
• Color: The earliest Chinese paintings employed Mo, a kind of indigenous ink, to produce monochromatic representations of nature or day-to-day life. Fabricated out of pine soot, mo is combined with water to get unique shades for conveying appropriate layers or color in a painting.
Chinese painting is called shui-mo-hua. Shui-mo is the mix of shui (water) and mo. There are two styles of Chinese painting. They are gong-bi or detailed style, and xie-yi or freehand style. The second is the most common, not only because the objects are drawn with just a few strokes, but likewise because shapes and sprites are drawn by uncomplicated curves and natural ink. Many ancient poets and scholars used xie-yi paintings to express their spiritual angst.
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Filed under: Art
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Posted on January 11th, 2008 by Antonia
When you are doing any kind of business in China such as trading with China and you are having appointments in China, you should pay attention to the following:
China is a highly regulated economy, make sure you know the proper procedures, rules, regulations and protocols.
Personal relationships or “Guanxi” are crucial to business success in China.
Introductions should be arranged through the right channels. Chinese business people are unlikely to meet with “strangers”.
It is assumed that you will be punctual to meetings, if not early.
Custom dictates formality in business meetings. The senior member of the group should enter the room first and sit at the center of the table. The senior member of each group usually guides the discussions.
A significant component of business is conducted after hours through banquets and entertaining.
Small gifts are welcomed as mementos of your visit.
Helpful Advices in Mainland China
Some joint ventures in the People’s Republic of China collapse because the two sides fail to understand one another. Even basic assumptions in international business circles such as the finality of a signed contract are subject to differing interpretations by people from China . All parties expecting to do business in China should secure the services of skilled translators and negotiators.
Business is conducted at a slow pace. People from China value patience more than punctuality, so negotiators should allow more time than they normally would in most other countries. Social activities, particularly banquets and sightseeing excursions, are part of the business day. Accepting this hospitality may not enhance your business position, but rejecting it will certainly harm it. Personal contact is an integral part of business negotiations in China.
Be extremely cautious when commenting on the country or government, even though there may be changes taking place. And despite relaxing attitudes, never refer to Taiwan as a country (both governments in China and Taiwan regard Taiwan as an integral part of China ).
Ignore apparent rudeness in the streets and markets as most people from China do; it is a mark of disinterest more than anything else. Patience and grace will win respect faster than showing irritation or arguing.
Chinese traditionally list their surnames first. In China , where the pinyin system of Romanization is used, the given name is written as one word: for example, Zhou Enlai. The polite form of address follows the surname: for a man it is Xiansheng (Mr.); for a woman it is Furen (Mrs.) or Xiaojie (Miss). Ordinary Chinese often address one another as Tongzhi (comrade).
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Filed under: Business
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