Infinite knowledge

As an empirical medicine, acupuncture relies on dedicated practice. Mastering acupuncture requires many years - perhaps an entire lifetime - of dedicated study.

Rodriguez-Vereau has been engaged in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for nearly 16 years, but only recently traveled to the birthplace of the discipline to receive training from authentic Chinese experts. Rodriguez-Vereau said he still has a lot to learn in applying acupuncture techniques.

"I came to Beijing to brush up on my skills a year ago. I was very impressed with the sophistication of skills and work ethic of TCM doctors in Beijing during my study there," he said.

"As an old Chinese saying goes, knowledge is infinite. There is so much to learn, so I decided to come to Beijing again this spring for a two-month acupuncture study," Rodriguez-Vereau said.

For his latest study, Rodriguez-Vereau attended the advanced course hosted by China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center (CBIATC) of Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion under the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS).

Zhou Yunxian, 76, a senior TCM doctor in CBIATC, is Rodriguez-Vereau's instructor in Beijing. Despite reaching retirement age, Zhou has stayed on at the Guang'anmen Hospital to continue training the next generation of medical professionals.

"China hoped to help underdeveloped countries improve their medical services by hosting acupuncture and other TCM classes for foreign medical practitioners," Zhou said. "Compared with other therapies, acupuncture is the most affordable physiotherapy for people in underdeveloped countries. In the meantime, as Chinese culture spreads abroad, acupuncture has also become popular in developed countries."

However, teaching acupuncture to foreigners is not easy.

"At the beginning, most foreign students attending the class had no idea about TCM theory and concepts. For example, when I talked about xuewei (acupoint), they looked very confused," Zhou told ChinAfrica.

"The theoretical system of TCM is deeply philosophical. Moreover, it is very different from modern medical science. So we must put TCM concepts and theories into the simplest language during training sessions," Zhou said.

"Our work was worthwhile. Today, TCM knowledge has widely spread around the world and we have established a set of standard teaching methods," Zhou said.

In the past 30 years, CBIATC has provided training on theories and clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion to medical staff from more than 100 countries and regions.

Zhou often takes her students to the clinic and teaches them how to handle the needles. She believes that clinical practice is an important part of the learning process for foreign trainees.

"Theory and hands-on experience are both important for acupuncture learners. One must feel the right amount of pressure to insert a fine needle into an acupuncture point - not so much that it causes pain, but enough for the needle to work. By repeated practice, one can gradually master the subtle skill," Zhou said.

A way of health

For Rodriguez-Vereau, acupuncture is his career. For Böhm Lathavina, a housewife living in Bavaria of Germany, acupuncture is purely a recreational pursuit. Lathavina has long been interested in TCM. She was a pharmaceutical worker in Germany, and currently lives in Beijing with her husband. Living in China has given Lathavina an opportunity to learn how to apply the techniques of TCM.

"After two weeks of learning, I already know all acupuncture points of the human body," Lathavina told ChinAfrica.

In Lathavina's opinion, TCM is a mysterious but effective treatment for some illnesses like stress and muscle aches. Recent studies have shown that stimulating nerve endings can provide pain relief, which is one of the key functions of acupuncture.

Despite cultural differences, TCM has been well received in Germany in recent years. Many acupuncture clinics have sprung up in the country. Moreover, the German Government has approved putting TCM treatment into its national medical care insurance system, said Lathavina.

However, acupuncture has its weaknesses. It is a slow process, requiring a patient to receive regular treatment over a long period so that the therapy can work, said Lathavina.

Lathavina hopes to use acupuncture to treat her family for fatigue and sports injuries. "There's a wealth of knowledge in TCM for keeping people in good health, and acupuncture is just one example," she said.