Liu Guangrui treats a patient (COURTESY PHOTO)

It has been three months since Liu Guangrui left Benin. Nostalgic for his one-month stay there, he still thinks about the kindness of an unknown old lady who helped him during his stay. The woman was a peddler who prescribed herbal medicine to him, and before Liu returned to China, he tried to find her again at the farmers market in Cotonou. Unfortunately, it was in vain.

Liu is an herbalist doctor. He is the 15th generation heir of the family's tradition of pricking blood and fire ironing, which has a history of 350 years, and he also inherited the skill of acupuncture, part of the national intangible cultural heritage. From August 16 to September 21, 2012, Liu was invited by the Chinese Culture Center in Benin to Africa to share his experiences on traditional Chinese medicine. It was the first time he went to Africa. His lectures on regimen and live shows on his family's unique therapies in Cotonou, Porto-Novo and Ouidah commanded attention from local patients, amateurs on Chinese traditional medicine, peers and even Dorothée Kindé Gazard.

Liu Guangrui treats a patient (COURTESY PHOTO)

Showing respects 

Respecting local people and their customs is the foundation for successful exchanges. The best way to show respect is to learn local cultures. Liu kept this in mind as he made an effort to learn the local customs of Benin.

"I tried local spices which are hotter than those in Chongqing, a renowned place for Chinese spice. I also tried some local bitter herbs, even bitterer than balsam pears. Locals use the herbs, which have the same medication effects as Chinese herbal medicines, to cure diseases like diarrhea," Liu told ChinAfrica.

Liu's outgoing personality allowed him to easily acclimate to his new environment; he became obsessed with local snacks and daily local life. Whether it was in the farmers markets, handicraft villages, medicinal herb gardens, pharmacies or hospitals, Liu could be found chatting with locals. "Through our communication, I learned about the climates, geography and frequent diseases there. Illnesses local frequently get are not cholera or malaria as we supposed. The two diseases are closely related to seasonal changes and can be cured," Liu said.

Based on what he learned, Liu changed the subjects of his lecture, although he had prepared on the history of traditional Chinese medicine for days before coming to Africa. He explained causes for some common local diseases, like hypertension, rheumatism and obesity, as well as appropriate treatment for these ailments in traditional Chinese medication. His lectures on how to keep healthy were well received by local people.