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A Successful Year for CI at the Institute for Learning in Retirement

ILR Students in a classroom during a Chinese Culture lecture.
ILR Students in a classroom during a Chinese Culture lecture.

By Megan Zimmerer

CI celebrates the successful culmination of five Chinese culture classes, offered via the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR). Together, CI instructors and PhD students at Miami University shared with local community members an important aspect traditional Chinese culture: Chinese medicine and healing techniques.

On April 1, Qio Zheng, CI Chinese language and culture instructor, conducted the first class entitled “Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy.” Mr. Zheng explained the origin, theory, and effect of traditional Chinese medicine.

On April 8, Qi Zhu, doctoral student of biology at Miami University, and Bin Bai, Associate Director of the Confucius Institute at Miami, conducted the second session entitled “Channel Points and Acupuncture.” The two instructors first discussed the history and development of this treatment, the application of acupuncture in relation to points and channels in the body, and therapeutic application of acupuncture in response to common diseases. During a second session, they introduced other methods of therapy including cupping therapy, scrape therapy, naprapathy (Chinese massage), and bleeding therapy.

On April 15, Yazhou Song, CI instructor and graduate student studying Chinese kung fu, conducted the third class entitled “Fitness for Well-Being.” Mr. Song introduced and demonstrated eye exercises, Chinese stretches, and Tai Chi. Active participation was encouraged, and students learned new ways to improve their health through exercise.

On April 22 and 29, Jingyi Cao, doctoral candidate in the Cell, Molecular, and Structural Biology (CMSB) program at Miami University and Liying Cui, program manager of the Confucius Institute at Miami, conducted the fourth and fifth sessions entitled “Chinese Herbal Medicine” and “Natural Foods.” During the first class, the two instructors discussed the various types of herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine and their application in everyday life. During their second class, Liying and Ms. Cao explained the homology of medicine and food and discussed the use of Chinese herbs in food.

These classes, designed to share theories and practical remedies used by everyday people in China, allowed Miami’s Chinese graduate students and CI staff to share their knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine and therapy. The classes provided community members at the Institute for Learning in Retirement a glimpse into Chinese traditional medicine, thereby enriching cultural appreciation and mutual respect between members of the domestic and Chinese communities at Miami University.