Body, mind, soul

The search for alternatives to a materially driven society has given rise to a plethora of alternative medicines and new age theories.

But in China, traditional methods such as martial arts and TCM again provide a wealth of material. Dr Zhang Mingliang, for example, is a trained TCM doctor in the Emei school who is combining his knowledge with Buddhist and Taoist meditation and concepts, and martial arts. The Emei school refers to Mt Emei, one of China's four Buddhist mountains.

He recently was invited by the National Sports Bureau to write a series of books on traditional methods for maintaining health.

Other innovations combine the Chinese breathing exercise tai chi with the more well-established Indian technique of yoga. An example is a popular course pioneered by veteran yoga expert Lin Min, yoga instructor to the Chinese table tennis team.

The leading martial arts establishment, Shaolin Temple, has planned its own set of "Chinese yoga" classes using gentle kung fu techniques.

Comments