Traditional Chinese Medicine

photo by moriza


I've recently made a post in which I discussed the endangered Bengal tiger. The reason for this cat's endangerment is to a large extent due to Traditional Chinese medicine, which uses tiger parts. A quite disgraceful throwback to medieval times.

The Chinese protect their ancient medicine as if it has some mystical and magical properties yet it originates from a time some 2,000 years ago when knowledge of medicine was extremely limited and superstition abounded. Accordingly, this much treasured medicine is rooted in medieval superstition. Hence the belief that eating a tiger's penis will make men virile - come on please grow up.

Traditional Chinese medicine is heavily intertwined with the extinction and preservation of the tiger and other wild animals such as the rhinoceros (the horn also improves virility - total madness of course). That is why I discuss it on these pages.

Traditional Chinese medicine is in the news again. Chinese people who dispense this ancient medicine don't know what they are dispensing and it could contain banned drugs (in respect of the forthcoming Olympics).

A Times journalist tested the process of dispensing this medicine. A graduate in Traditional Chinese medicine suggested to the journalist that deer's penis mixed with alcohol would speed up an athletes recovery from injury (they are fond of their animal penises aren't they?).

However, the graduate couldn't explain what was in the remedy (i.e how it worked and the chemical substances involved). This demonstrates the ignorance surrounding this medicine. As a result the authorities in China have warned Chinese Olympic athletes to avoid this medicine in case they take a banned substance.

Many athletes in China still take Chinese medicine, which shows how ingrained it is in the Chinese way of life. A star basketball player, Mr Yao, uses it. He supported its use by declaring that it has been used in China for thousands of years. Yes, it has and it has largely gone unchanged over the entire period. It has not been updated, improved and amended with knowledge gained over time.

It probably works on a placebo effect and may have some benefits sometimes for unknown reasons but it is surely time to completely overhaul it and at the same time for people at the highest levels in Chinese government to ensure that China complies with their obligations under CITES and stops the trade in tiger parts and the parts of many other endangered species.

Photo middle of post by by webby0101. Notice the Mountain Yak Penis - heavens the Chinese really do have a penis fixation. Does this say something about the Chinese mentality?? Is this an insecurity due to a certain unmentionable failure in a certain part of the male anatomy??


Traditional Chinese Medicine to more on this subject